GOD hath made of one bloud, all Nations, that dwell upon the face of the whole earth: All men are equall in their origi­nall, in their creation, Adam, and in their fall Enosh: there was in neither, [...], the great, eminent, and ho­nourable man. Only God makes the difference, and appoints one vessest to honour, and another to disho­nour, heere as well as heereafter. Ps. 75.6.7. Promotion commeth neither from the East, nor from the West, nor from the [Page 2]South, Psal 82 6. Jo. 10 35. Omnis potestas est à sumena potestate. Aug. Principis solius jus est minuere vel augere valo­rem monetae. Gr. Tholossan. Syntag Iur is. l. 36. c. 2. S. 26. & de repub. l. 9. S. 31. he pulleth downe one, and set­teth up another. It is because he hath sayd, Yee are Gods, and his word of Command and Commission comes to you. To set the value upon Coine is rec­koned inter Regalia, to cause money to rise or fall at pleasure: it is Gods prerogative royall to exalt the value of one man above another: to honour some, as gold amongst the dust of the earth: or as dia­monds amongst the stones of the field: not for any thing in themselves, but through the excellency that he puts upon them: the rainebow for the matter of it is but a common vapour, Arist. l. 3. Me­t [...] l. cap. 3. an ordinary cloud, only it hath its excellency from the Sunne which ena­mels it.

This difference put by God betweene man and man, is but for the time of this life at farthest: at death all these relations shall cease, Job 3.19. Angustus emicos pereuxct at us est. Eequid iis videret mimum vitae commodè transegisse. Sug­ton. in August. Gataker, Gods parley with Princes, p. 90. Death levels all: the small and the great are there, and the servan [...] is free from his master: There the scepter and the spade are equall: the nobles robes, and the beggers ragges, are layd downe together. This life is fitly compared to a Play, a well acted fable, where one acts the part of a Prince, another of a peasant. Or to Counters, where while the account lasts, one stands for a pound, another for a peny: but the Play ended, and the account past, there remaines no difference nor impression of any of their former honours. A Dee sunt om­nes patestates, quamvis [...]b illo enim sind omnes voluntates. Aug. de civd. 5. c. 8.

This honour is conferred upon some by provi­dence, and some by promise; all have a Commissi­on from God, but some an approbation: some are exalted in mercy, some in wrath: some in mercy to [Page 3]themselves and the Kingdome where they live: so was Ioseph advanced in Aegypt, and David to rule over the Common wealth of Israel, when Saul had almost ruined the Kingdome: for David after hee came to the Crowne saith; The land is weake, Psal. 75.3. Moller. in loc. and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved, I beare up the pillars thereof. Some in wrath, to themselves and the Nation: so God raysed up Pharaoh in Aegypt, that he might shew his power in him, and his honour proved a plague to himselfe, and a scourge to the Kingdome: so God also advanced Saul in Israel, Exod. 9.16. Hose 13.11. gave them a King in his wrath, and tooke him away in his anger.

But when men are thus advanced by God, hee hath in this life reserved to himselfe a power of de­gradation; Aust. homil. 14 Deponit Reges, disponit regna. Dan. 2.21. that no man can say he shall die in ho­nour: Quod illo dante fit nostrum nobis superbientibus fit alienum. He changeth times and seasons: hee re­moveth Kings, and setteth up Kings. Remove the Di­ademe and take away the Crowne, this shall not bee the same: exalt him that is low and abase him that is high, Ezech. 21.26. Magnus est Caesar sed Deo minor. Tertul. apol. c. 30. To the intent that the living may know, that the most high rules in the Kingdomes of mortall men, and gives them to whomsoever he will.

Now that your Honours may know the way to attaine true honour, (which is a great part of the stu­dy of those that live in the upper end of the world) and that you may know how to preserve it without blemish; Eccles. 10. [...]. for honour above all things is quickly tain­ted, (as dead flies make the Apothecaries ointment to send forth a stinking savour, so doth a little folly him [Page 4]that is in reputation for wisedome and honour:) And that ye may know whether God hath exalted you in mercy or in wrath to your selves and the Nation, the Text gives you a sure rule and direction in them all; They that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shalbe lightly esteemed: for men can no more keepe their names, then they can keepe their soules.

In this whole verse there are three things.

• 1. The Repetition of an ancient promise.
• 2. The Revocation of this promise.
• 3. The Reason thereof.

1. The promise (which God is never unmindfull of) I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy Fa­ther should walke before me for ever. This Interpreters conceive to refer to that ancient promise made unto the house of Aaron; Trmel. A Lap. upon whom the Lord did set­tle the Office of the Priesthood, by a perpetuall Sta­tute, Exod. 29.9. for wee reade of no particular pro­mise made unto the Family of Ely. This promise of God was after this manner administred and dispen­ced. Aron had foure sonnes, two of them Nadab and Abihu dyed before their Father, by an immedi­ate stroake of Gods hand. Lev 10.2.3. So when A­ron dyed, the Priesthood descended upon Eleazar the first borne, 1 Chron. 24.2. in his Family it con­tinued for five successions, 1 Chron. 6.4.5. and though it be not set downe in Scripture; Cur id factum suerit non satis ex Scripturis li­quet. [...]. Mart. Ioseph. An [...]q. l. 5. c. 12. yet doubt­lesse not without great and waighty cause the Lord did for a time lay this Family aside. And he transla­ted the Priesthood to the Family of Ithamar the yonger sonne; Ely was the first of that Family that [Page 5]did weare the Ephod before the Lord, 1 Chron. 24.3. Torniellus anno mundi 2940 Pet. Mart. in 1. Sam. 14.3. & 21.2. Cornel. a Lap. in Numb. 25.13 & 1. Sam. 1.3. Sir W. Rawley hist. of the world, part. 1. l. 2. c. 15. S. 2 in this Family it continued also for five successi­ons; till Abiathar, the last of that House; Whom Solomon thrust out from being a Priest unto the Lord, that he might fulfill the word of the Lord, which he spake concerning the House of Ely in Shiloh. 1 Kin. 2.27. And Zadock was put into the Priesthood in his roome, and so the honour returned againe to the Fa­mily of Eleazar. 1 Chro. 6.8. Thus when the Priest­hood had continued in the Family of Ely, (as is con­ceived) 120 yeeres; it was afterwards remooved in judgement, because his sonnes made themselves vile; and he restrained them not.

2. The Revocation of this promise; But now the Lord saith be it farre from me; and this he doth with detestation and abhorring, as the word [...] doth signifie. But doth the Lord call back his words? Is there with the Holy One of Israel yea and nay? No surely, his counsell shall stand, and he will doe all his pleasure; nothing can adde either Wisdome or Po­wer unto him, and therefore nothing can arise de no­vo to make him at different termes with himselfe, he is without variablenesse, and shadow of turning.

Wee are to consider that the promises of God are of two sorts, some absolute, others conditionall: Ab­solute promises are those that the Lord hath under­taken to performe of his owne free grace, not onely citra meritum, but also citra conditionem, without all­supposed or prerequired conditions in us; of this kinde are all those great promises of the new Cove­nant; I will be thy God, I will give my Sonne, Gen. 17.7. and 3.15. Joel 2.28. Esay 43.25. I will poure out my spirit. I, even I am he, who blotteth out [Page 6]your iniquities for my name sake; Ezech. 11.19. I will take away the heart of stone and I will give a heart of flesh; Jer. 31.33. I will put my Law in your inward parts, and write it in your hearts; Hose. 14.4. I will heale your backslidings, and love you free­ly, for mine anger is turned away &c. Conditionall pro­mises, only shew what God will doe upon the per­formance of such duties and conditions by the crea­ture, which conditions without Gods grace he is ne­ver able to performe. And these are made for the encouragement of the creature in the wayes of obe­dience, Pet. Mar. in loc. Deus immut [...] ­bi [...]is non mura­tur, sed res ipsa immutabili prae­scientia manen­te divina. T [...]r­nov. in Ioel. 2.13. Non est m [...]tatio consilii & decre­ti divini, sed o­perum: attamen hujusmodi mu­tatio à D [...]o ab aeterno est decre­ta. Glass. Rhet. sacr. tract. [...]. c. 7 p. 119. and to shew a mans inability that he may fly to Christ for strength; but they doe not alway shew the purpose of God to give the condition or the re­ward. As in judgements there are conditional threat­nings, which upon a change in the creature never come to passe: So are there conditionall promises, which through the sin of the creature may never be accomplished. Jer. 18.7.8.9.10. At what instant I speake concerning a Nation, and concerning a King­dome, to plucke up, and to pull downe, and to destroy it: If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turne from their evill, I will repent of the evill that I thought to doe unto them. And at what instant I speake concer­ning a Nation, and concerning a Kingdome to build and to plant it: If it doe evill in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then will I repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them. So that the change is in the thing, and not in the Lord; and if he make a pro­mise upon the performance of such a condition, and a man walke contrary thereunto, he may reape a curse instead of a blessing. Novit Deus mutare pro­missum, si tu non noveris emendare delictum.

[Page 7] 3. The reason given of the revocation is in the words of the Text; for they that honour me, I will honour, and they that despise me, shall be lightly estee­med. Glass. Gram. sa­cr. l. 4 tract. 2. obser. 15 p. 731 This is after the manner of the Hebrews pro­pounded both affirmatively and negatively, and when they will expresse any thing to the full, they doe it by a pleonasme in this manner: Exod. 12.20. Yee shall eat nothing leavened: In all your habitations shall yee eat unleavened bread. Jo. 1.3. All things were made by him, and without him was nothing made that was made. Jo. 1.20. He confessed, and denyed not, but confessed, I am not the Christ.

And quià aequè confusa est, divisio & nimia & nulla; Sin. ep. 89. my purpose is to consider the reason only affirma­tivè and negativè as it lyes in the Text, and so it af­fords us these two Points.

• 1. They that honour God shall be honoured by him.
• 2. They that dishonour and despise God, shall be lightly esteemed.

To begin with the first: Doct. 1 They that honour God shall be honoured by him.

Here are two things to be opened and explained. 1. What it is to honour God, and how the creature may be sayd to honour him. 2. How God doth ho­nour those that honour him.

1 What it is to honour God. Honour is nothing else but the reflection of an excellency. And to make it up, three things must concurre.

1. An excellency, the word in the originall doth signifie something that is heavy and ponderous, and a thing of weight and worth, according to that He­braisme used by the Apostle [...], [...] 2. Cor. 4.17. a weight of [Page 8]glory, and it stands in opposition unto another word [...] which signifies a light thing, nullius ponderis: And if honour be given where there is not an excel­lency answerable, Gal. 5.26. it is but [...] an empty and vaine glory because there is nothing within, that an­swers the Title without: [...]. Act. 25.23. Psa. 62.9. [...] par [...]r. Hence it is that all honour amongst men is in a great measure but [...], an outside only, a fancy and no more: For men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie, and lest it may be thought there is no such worth in them apart indeed: yet if yee put them together they weigh much: Job. 31.6. Dan. 5.27. he adds, put them altogether into the bal­lance and weigh them, and they will appeare to be lighter then vanity it selfe. But in the Lord, there is all man­ner of excellency, and therefore as he is the Father of Lights, Jam. 2.1. so is he also the Lord of Glory.

2. A manifestation of this excellency, or else we can never honour him, never ascribe glory to him; If he will hide his face, Job 34.29. who can behold him? There is not only in God, gloria essentialis, but also manifestativa. The great ground of the dishonour of God in the world is because men know him not; they that know his name will trust in him, Psa. 9.10. feare him, love him, have high thoughts of him &c: The low and base appre­hensions that men have of God, (wherein the maine of a mans ungodlinesse lyes, Jude 19. Non a [...] secun­dum improbos sed secundum he­minem: taentum baber audaciae ratio humanc, ut contra insur­gere non dubi­t [...]t &c. Cal. as Rom. 1.23. They changed the glory of the incorruptible God, into an Image made like to corruptible man. Rom. 3.5. Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? I speake as a man. Psal. 51.21. Thou thoughtest wickedly that I was altogether such an one as thy selfe, Ezek. 18.25. Ye say the way of the Lord is not equall &c.) they all proceed [Page 9]from their ignorance of him, want of the manifesta­tion of his excellency to them.

3. A reflection of this excellency, when wee behold it in him, be rapt up into admiration of him, and as­cribe all unto him; when his glory shines upon us as the Sun shines upon the Moone, and wee reflect it, casting downe our crownes and saying, Mat. 6.13. Rev. 4.11. thou art wor­thy to receive glory, and honour, and power, all great­nesse and excellency is thine, and to thee only it doth be­long. In these apprehensions and reflections of the excellencies that be in God, doth our honouring of God properly consist.

Before wee come to the particulars wherein this honouring of God consists, I desire to premise this Generall.

There is no way of honouring God, but in his Sonne; he that honoureth not the Sonne, honoureth not the Fa­ther, Jo. 5.23. Psa. 102.18 Eph. 2.10. And this cannot be without a new Cre­ation, a mighty worke of regeneration passing upon a man; a people created for his praise. God receives no honour by any of the most curious workes of unre­generate men; They are all turned into sin, Psa. 109.7. Esa. 65.5. they are to him as smoake in his nose, and he abhors them, be­cause though they seem to honour God in his Law; yet they honour him not in his Sonne, and he will be honoured no other way, and these workes he sets a very high price upon. Luther propounds this que­ry why the Lord in Scripture hath recorded so ma­ny ordinary and common things of the Saints, and yet the Vertues of Socrates, and the famous acts of Hannibal, Caesar, Alexander and Scipio, which to humane view were greater then any in the Church [Page 10]ever performed, Comment in Gen. 29 1.2.3. Si dareru [...] m [...]hi optio; eligero [...] unius Christiani rustici aut ancil­lae sordidissi num & maxime a­greste opus prae omnibus vic [...]o­tiis & triu [...] phis Alexandri magni, Iulii Caesaris &c. Quere? quia hic est Deus. illi [...]st Diabolus, quae est differentia essentialis. Hoc non omnes possunt cerwere, ne Erasmus qui dem vidit: soli credentes cer­nunt precium & pondus operum Christianorum. pondus autē & pretium maxi­mum operum est sides & verium. [...]bi enim Deus ipse est & spiri­ [...]us in operante. Non sorde [...] in­sima & carna­liaopera sancto­rum, nec vilia & abjecta fiunt, quia fiunt a par­sona credente, accepta san [...]a & divina quae quicquid fecerit, scit Deo placere. of whom it is hard to find a paral­lell even in David himselfe or any of the Christian Worthies? He answers, the first thing to be looked unto, is, whether the person be accepted, or else the workes cannot please God; si vel Cicero vel Socra­tes sanguinem sudasset, tamen propterea non placeret Deo. And therefore he professeth, that if God would graunt him his desire, he should chuse rather to be the Author of the meanest worke of the lowest of the Saints, then of all the Victories of Alexander, or the Triumphs of Caesar, because God is honoured in his Sonne in the one, and not in the other. God may use Cyrus to deliver his people; to say to Ieru­salem thou shalt be built, and to the Temple thy Foun­dations shall be layd. God may make the King of Tyre as a covering Cherub unto the Arke, he may cause the earth to succour the woman, and appoint Badgers skins and Rams skins for to cover the Tabernacle. And he may get himselfe honour by them, but they doe not honour him, because all they doe is not in his Sonne, which is the high and only way in which he will be glorified.

There is a double Principle from whence all the actions of unregenerate men towards God do flow, either a principle of open enmity or of secret flattery; all their grosse sins proceed from the first, and all their religious duties from the latter, Psal. 78.36. they did but flatter him with their lips, and lyed to him with their tongues, for their heart was not right with him, &c. And the latter in some respect is most ab­hominable, as Judas his betraying Christ with a kisse, is more hatefull then that of the Souldiers who [Page 11]came with swords and staves to take him. Mark. 1.24.34. Christ suffered not the Devills to speake because they knew him. Luc. 4.41. Non decet im­mundum do mundo pronun­ciare, & à De [...] refugum de san­cto Dei. Brug. He will not suffer Satan to give a te­stimony of him, to be the Sonne of God, (though it were truth, and the same testimony that hee commends in Peter, Math. 16.16.) from an inward detestation, that any truth of him should be witnes­sed by the Father of lyes. If our persons doe not please God, our workes cannot honour God.

This being layd for a ground, wee now come to shew how God is said to be honoured by us, and that is principally in these six particulars.

1. When the thoughts of God are sweet to a man, and he hath high and ravishing apprehensions of him from day to day, Math. 15.8. there is a distin­ction made by Christ himselfe, this people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; there is therefore an honouring God with the heart, as well as with the mouth, and if ever our Odors be sweet to God, they must proceed out of Golden Vi­als, Rev. 5.8. Pineda. Sanctim. In opposition hereunto wee have cur­sing God in the heart, Job 1.5. which is not to be understood of violent and malicious blaspheming of God; but a forgetfulnesse of God, or any irre­verent and unholy thought of God, unbecomming his Ma ^tie and glory. And this is I conceive, Medes Diatr. upon the san­ctification of Gods name, p. 28. to sancti­fie the Lord in our hearts, Esay 8.13. noting that im­mediate duty which wee owe to him, in acknow­ledging and meditating of that peerelesse excellen­cy that is in him, as the highest, the most delight­some and satisfactory object of the soule. Thus do the Angels honour him, when they alwaies say in [Page 12]their hearts, Esa. 6.3. holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of Hostes, the whole earth is full of thy glory. So doth Solomon teach us, Eccles. 5.2. by considering the Lord is in heaven, and wee are upon earth. So doth Moses, when he is rapt in­to admiration of him, Exod. 15.11. who is like unto thee Oh Lord, who is like unto thee? Glorious in holinesse, fearefull in praises, 1. Sam. 2 2. doing wonders. So Hannah, there is none holy as the Lord for there is none besides thee, neither is there any rock like unto our God. Ps. 139.17.18. And David, how precious are thy thoughts unto me Oh God, how great is the summe of them? If I should count them they are more in number then the sand, when I awake I am still with thee, &c. And thus Micayah honoured God: 1. Kin. 22.19 when he saw two Kings sit upon Thrones, and yet the apprehen­sion of the Glory and Majesty of God did swallow up all the thoughts of the glory of the creature, and it becomes as nothing before him. Jer. 2.32. Psa. 10.4. But when wee forget Gods dayes without number, he is not in all our thoughts, and when the glory of other things, dar­kens the glory of God in our hearts, and thoughts of other things doth drowne the thoughts of God in us; as those things, that are to us more excellent and more delightsome, this is to dishonour God in a mans heart, and to live without God in the world.

2. Wee then honour God, when the honour of God is precious in our eyes, when whether wee eate or drinke, or whatsoever wee do else, 1. Cor. 10.31. wee doe all to the glory of God. When a mans owne honour is not deere to him in comparison of Gods; but he casts downe his crowne and falls upon his face, Rev. 4.11. and he that so doth, abaseth his glory, that the Lord alone may be exalted. When a man can venture great things in himselfe, rather [Page 13]then dishonour God in the smallest; Dan. 6.10. Daniell will put his life in his hands rather then omit one duty. And Mordecai would venture his owne life, Hester. 13.8. Brisson. de regno Pers. l. 1. Honorem supra humanum ei deferebant ex mandato regis: qualis Regi Per­sarum hab [...]ba­tur. Trem. in Hest. 3. Oh militem in Deo gloriosum: Inter tot fratres commilitone [...] solus Christi­a [...]s. De coron. milit. c. 1. Exod. 32.32. Rom. 9.3. Anathema cupit fieri, non à Chri­sti charitate, sed tantum à Christi foelicita­te. Per. and hazard the safety of the whole nation, rather then give the glory of God unto any other, for it was di­vine honour Human expected of him. The Christi­an Souldier in Tertullian would venture his life, li­berty and all, rather then he would weare his Law­rell upon his head as the Heathen Souldiers did, and being demanded the reason, why he did differ in ha­bit from the rest, he answered, Christianus sum, &c. He would lay downe his life rather then in habit come neere unto the customes of Idolaters. Anselm judged hell for sin to be a good exchange. Mo­ses in a thing that concerned Gods glory, desired that God would blot his name out of his booke. And Paul that he might be accursed from Christ, which is not to be understood of a seperation from Christ in grace, for so he loved Christ doubtlesse above his Bre­thren, and such a wish had been sinfull, but of a se­peration from Christ in respect of his owne glory and happinesse, if God may have glory, and the soules of men advantage. And it is to be understood as spoken, not deliberativè, but hyperbolicè, &c. they well knew it could not be; River. in Exod. 32. Gloss. Rhet. sacr. p. 477. But as Luther hath ex­cellently hinted, Affectus amantium cum inardes­cit, procedit etiam ad impossibilia. Love to the glory of God, and the good of his people, puts the soule into such an extasie, that it is carryed out even to knowne impossibilities for God. Nay Austin in his Resolution riseth unto this height in reference to the glory of God, that if the salvation of all mankind [Page 14]were to be accomplished by one officiously; Ad se [...]er­nam salate opi­tulante menda­cio nullus du­cendus est &c. lib. ad consent. de men [...]acio. [...]op. ult. yet the glory of God should be so precious, that he should let all mankind to perish, rather then their salvation should be procured by his dishonour. He that doth in this manner honour God, can never plead a ne­cessity of sinning in any kinde, whether to obtaine the greatest good, or to avoid the greatest evill, be­cause he saith there is but one thing necessary, that God only be exalted. Non admittit status fidei alle­gationem necessitatis. Tertul. de coro­na militis, c. 11. Nulla est necessitas delinquendi, quibus una tantum est necessitas non delinquendi.

3. We then honour God, when wee thinke our selves honoured by the service of God: So did the Apostle honour God, Honores alii municipaler, alii regii seu ab Im­peratore concessi, qui petiores in dignitate sunt. Tholoss. Symtag. juris. l. 18. c. 12. S. 12. Psal. 84.10. Gratius est no­men pietatis quam pot estatis, Tert. Apol. c. 34. [...]. Epist. ad Romanos. S. 3. Rom. 15.20. 2 Cor. 5.9. [...], the word signifies, to labour with ambition; so to looke upon a duty as matter of Labour, as to esteeme it also matter of Honour. Thus wee doe in services that belong to the Kings of the earth, even the mea­nest, to be Steward of the house, Master of the horse: or Groome of the stoole, wee account great honour. And should we not esteeme it much more so, in the service that is done to God, cui servire, regnare est? To be a doore keeper in the house of the Lord, is a grea­ter honour then to be a Prince in the Tents of wic­kednesse: to be the servant of Christ, is Pauls Title of Honour, which in all his Epistles he holds forth, and to be the servant of God, is the honour of the Saints, which is far greater then to be the Prince of the Aire, or this God of the World. Ignatius professeth he had rather be a Martyr then a Monarch. The Saints find their wages in their worke, it is their meat and drinke to doe the will of God, and to finish his worke; [Page 15]nay, they prize their worke above their wages, their duties above their comforts, as one of the Martyrs said when he was dying, that he was even sorry that he was now going to a place, where he should for ever receive wages and never doe any more worke, his du­ty seemed more to him then his glory. Indeed the highest honour of the creature is to be used, and to be a vessell of honour fitted for the Masters use, and the greatest reproach to a man that can be, is to be laid aside, as a vessell wherein there is no pleasure.

4. A man then honours God, when he layes out himselfe in his service to the uttermost, and yet acknow­ledgeth when he hath done all, he is an unprofitable ser­vant, and whatsoever he hath done is unworthy of God. Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thy encrease, Prov. 3.9. Whatsoever thy hand finds to doe, doe it with all thy might, Eccles. 9.10. Simplicissimè vi­detur tota officiae Christi admini­stratione, accipi. Glass. Rhit. sacr. tract. 1. c. 12 Mundani Mo­narchae non ge­stant principa­tum super hume­rossuos, sed re [...]i­ciunt onus guber­nandi in hume­ros servorū con­siliariorum &c. Christus autem talis Rex est, quod principat [...] impositus sit, su­per ipsius solius humeros &c. Brentius in loc. So doe the Angels the living creatures mentio­ned Ezech. 1.14. (expounded to be the Cherubins, Ezech. 10.20.) they ran and returned in all their ser­vices as the appearance of a flash of lightning. Thus doth Christ himselfe lay out himselfe to the utmost in the service of God and of the Church, Esay 9.6. The government is upon his shoulders; the Princes of the earth take the honour to themselves, but the bur­then they cast upon others, withdraw the shoulder, and will not put their necks to the worke of the Lord, Neh. 3.5. But Christ doth not so, as he expects all the honour, so he takes upon him all the worke and layes out himselfe to the utmost therein, Esay. 49.4. Christs labour in the Lords worke is expressed by three words, which are very significant: The first [Page 16]is [...] which signifies, His preparati­ons amounted to three thou­sand, three hundred thirty and three cart­load of silver; allowing two thousand weight of fil­ver, or sixe thousand pounds sterling to e­very cartload; besides of our money twenty three millious and a thou­sand pound, which was more then any King in the world posses­sed besides himselfe [...] and a matter, but for the testimony of Scriptures exceeding all beleefe. Sir W. Rawley hist. of the world part. 1. l. 2. Cap. 1. S. 9. Ego homo tibi nihil boni dedi, nihil beneficii contuli, quicquid feci aut laboravi tempore exina­nitionit [...]eae, sed quicquid sacis in hominum utilita­t [...]m & commodum cedit, sanctis in [...] declaro be [...]e [...]olen­tiam meam, &c. Luther in Com. Drusii quest. & resp. l. 3. q. 72. Tarnor. [...]n Psalm. passionales. Moller. in loc. cum anhelatione & defatigatio­ne laborare, rendered by the Sept. [...] which sig­nifies, wearisome, wasting, and even fainting labour, Math. 11.28. The next word is [...] it signifies humi­dum radicale (Ps. 22.16. my strength is dryed up like a potsheard, Psal. 71.9.) a labour even to the wasting and drying up of a mans naturall strength and radi­call moister &c. And the other word [...] signifies, not a small and a moderate wasting, but a totall, a perfect and an utter consuming; thus did the Lord Christ, (to us a patterne as well as a principle of ho­linesse) lay out himselfe in the service of God and his Church.

And that wherein the maine honour lyes, is this, they are humbled for what ever they doe and ac­knowledge it to be a thing wholy unworthy of God: David did prepare with all his might for the building of the Temple, and that even to the wealth of a Kingdome, and yet he saith of it, 1 Cron. 22.14. he had done this, in or according to his poverty, as a thing every way unworthy of so glorious a Majesty, & so great a worke. Especially to be observed to this pur­pose is that acknowledgement of Christ himselfe, Psal. 16.2.3. Oh my soule thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my Lord, my goodnesse extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excel­lent, in whom is all my delight. This some learned In­terpreters take to be the speech of Christ, as that is, which followes in the Psalme, wherein speaking as Mediator, as the Fathers servant, of all the great things that he both did and suffered in our nature, he acknowledgeth that God is not profited by [Page 17]them they adde no perfection to him, it was meer­ly his free will to appoint them, and meerly his free grace to accept them; the Saints they had indeed much benefit by them, have redemption and adopti­on; but it was no advantage to God at all, added nothing unto him, he could have gotten glory out of the destruction of the creatures, if they had peri­shed in their sins, as well as in their salvation by a Saviour; nothing of the happinesse or glory of God had beene diminished by it, it was not for Gods neede that Christ died and suffered, but for ours, and therefore the Sept. renders the words, [...], Of my goodnesse thou hast no need. Thus Christ glorifies his Father upon earth, he layes out himselfe to the utmost in service, and when he hath done all, he acknowledgeth, he had not profited God by any thing; my goodnesse extends unto thee.

5. A man honours God by ascribing all unto him, when he hath laboured in his service with all his might. We are to attribute to God the worke and the fruit or successe of the worke. Though the service be great, yet not done of our selves, 2 Cor. 3.2.5. wee are not suffici­ent of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves, but our sufficiency is of God: Yee are the Epistle of Christ ministred by us, wee had no other influence into the worke, but as the pen, in the hand of Christ a ready writer: I laboured more abundantly then they all, 1 Cor. 15.10. yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me: Who am I, and what is this people that wee should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? For all-things are of thee, and of thine owne hand have wee given thee. And as [Page 18]the worke so the successe of it, Psal. 11 5.1. not unto us Oh Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory. Paul is no­thing, 1 Cor. 3.4 5. Esay. 26.18. Hose. 14. [...]. Apollo nothing, but Ministers by whom yee be­leeved, even as God gave unto every man. Wee have wrought no deliverance in the earth, neither have the Inhabitants of the earth fallen, from him is our fruit found. Our happines & honour is to be Workers with God in the worke; but our sin & snare is to be sha­rers with God in the honour. Luther saith, no man can truely say sanctificetur nomen tuum, Quicquid [...]c­quiritur, acqui­ritur Do [...]ino, mom solum pre­prietas sed esi­am possessio. Minsing. im in­stir. p. 3. but he must also say, profanetur nomen meum. The Civill Law saith of a servant, that as he is not his own, nor in his owne power, so all the fruits of his labour is not to turne to his owne, but his Masters advantage. Men imployed in the highest workes upon earth, are but instruments and weapons in the Lords hand; he bends Iudah for him, Zach. 9.13. & 10.3. and fills the bow with Ephraim, and makes them as his goodly horse in the battle: And as to be used in service is a mans highest honour, so to take to himselfe the glory, will be a mans shame and dishonor for ever.

6. Minor erat Cae­sar, si Deus cli [...] ­retur; quia non werè diceresur. Tertul. Apol. c. 33. [...]say. 49 4. 2 Cor 4.18. A man honours God when he seekes the honour that comes from God only in all his service, and from him alone expects his reward. Thus did Christ ho­nour the Father: Though Israel be not gathered, sure­ly my judgment is with the Lord, and my reward with my God. So doe the Saints, while they looke not at things that are seene, but at things that are not seene, and make these their aime in whatsoever they doe. Wee know what rewards men use to give for servi­ces: [...]. If a man serve a King, and that in the highest kind, even in the preservation of his life, as Morde­cai [Page 19]did Ahasuerus, if the question be, Hester 6.3. what honour and dignity hath been done to him, for this? the same answer may be returned, there is nothing done for him. It may be he may be rewarded as Justinian the Emperour did his victorious Generall Bellizarius, who after all his great services, paid him his arreares with putting out of his eyes, and turning him to beg by the wayes side, date obulum Bellizario. If he serve a City, wee see their pay also, Eccles. 9.15. There was a little City, and few men within it, and there came a great King against it, and beseiged it, and built great bulworkes against it. Now there was found in it a poore wise man, and he by his wisdome delivered that City; yet no man remembred that same poore man. But if a man serve a State, surely they give better pay. See it in Moses, Num. 11.12. as faithfull a servant to the State of Israel as ever any people had: Who carryed them in his bosome, as a nursing father doth a sucking child, for forty yeeres. Yet what murmurings at him? What jealousies of him? What partyes made a­gainst him upon every sleight occasion? And if any crosse accident fell out, as a punishment of their own sin; yet by & by they must stone Moses, he had undone them, & had a plot upō them in their delive­rance out of Aegypt, to destroy them in the Wildernes.

I know men in all their services love something in hand, & cannot be easily drawn to undertake any thing which doth not carry its reward with it, and in such things they are very forward. Hose. 3.1. Its noted of the people of Israel, they loved Flagons of Wine. This is spoken of their Idolatrous worship, which was done by feastings in the house of their [Page 20]Gods, Judg. 9.27. 1 Cor. 10.21. this service which they thought would bring them in a reward hereaf­ter, and yet suited with the present sensuality of their spirits here, this they loved and much delighted in. Hosc. Propter volup­tates colu [...] ido­la, magis de vi­ctu quem de cul­tu solliciti. Tarn. Drusius in loc. 8.13. They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifice of mine offerings, and they eate it. The sacrifices of God were of two sorts, expiatory or gratulatory, the one in the burnt offering, and the other in the peace offe­ring, and this last some conceive to be here meant, the burnt offering was wholy to be consumed, Weemse. vol. 3. cap. 13. ex­cept the skin and the intrals; therefore nothing of this did remaine to be eaten. Populus volu [...] ­rit cutem suom cutare, & habe­re pingue convi­ [...]ium, cum Do­minus postularet offerri sibi [...]o [...]o­tausta. Cal. But in the peace offe­ring, only the fat was the Lords, the rest was divided between the Priest and the Sacrificer, and to these sacrifices there was a Feast adjoyned of great joy and gladnesse. Deut. 16.15. 1 Sam. 20.6. Prov. 7.14. In these sacrifices they did seeme much to de­light; but in burnt offerings in which God must have all, they tooke no such pleasure. But wee then honour God indeed when wee shut our eyes against all honour and reward from men, and can be con­tent to plow in hope, knowing that light is sowne for the righteous, and they must from God expect the harvest. Thus wee see the first branch opened, how wee may be sayd to honour God.

Wee now come to the second thing propounded in the opening of the point, which is, how God doth honour those, that honour him, which also is seene in these six particulars.

1. God doth honour men, by giving them honoura­ble imployments. The Angels have an order among themselves, and some are conceived to be exalted a­bove [Page 21]others in honour; Zanth. de eperi­bus Dei, l 2. c. 14. Thes. 5. but this is not a dignitate na turali, for so they are all equall, but a diversitate of ficiorum, from the different imployments that the Lord is pleased to exercise them in. Even Christ himselfe, though he be the Churches Lord; yet he is God the Fathers Servant, and his service is his ho­nour; now he is in heaven, for he weares his Priest­ly garments there, being cloathed with a garment downe to the feet, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle, Rev. 1.13. Surely they that are most service­able, are most honourable. Those honourable titles carry in them great services, Psal. 82.5. Psal 47.9. Hose. 4.8. Esay. 32.2. Sam 4.20. Job 34.17. Esay. 19.13. to be the foundations and the shield of the earth, the hiding places from the wind, and refuge from the storme, the breath of our nostrils, the healers of our breaches, the stay of our Tribes, and whatsoever may set forth a man usefull in Church or Commonwealth. That any of you, (right Ho­nourable) should be so far used and honoured, as with Moses, to deliver an enslaved people, with Jo­shah to fight the Lords battels, and to give them possession of the promised Land, Esay 14.12. & 34.4. Stellae de ceela cadentes de principum & summatum rui­nâ intelligun­tur. Cauda po­testatis comites & pedissequos significat. In terram abjicer [...] est, p [...]incipes & Dynastas impe­rio suo subjeicere. Mede in Apoc. which Elijah to restore the worship of God decayed, and with Zoro­babel to cast out the rubbish, and to build the Tem­ple, these are the greatest and the most honourable services that any men in the world can be imployed in.

2 God honours men by keeping them unblemished, that they retaine their integrity, and doe not warpe in the most trying times; whether the tryals be by pro­sperity or adversity. In the time of adversity, the Stars doe often fall, there is a Cauda Draconis, which sweepes downe the third part of the Stars of Heaven, [Page 22]and casts them unto the earth, Rev. 12.4. And all the world wonders after the beast, and receive his marke in their forehead, a token of their subjection, because they say who is able to make war with the beast? Rev. 13.4. Then shall those that God will honour be preserved as a morning without a cloud: And they shall stand with the Lambe upon Mount Zion, having his Fathers name written in their foreheads. And of them it shall be sayd, these are they who were not defi­led with women, for they are Virgins, these are they, who follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth, these were re­deemed from among men, being the first fruites unto God, [...] &c. Naz [...]an. o­rat. 1.9. and to the Lambe. Rev. 14.3. They shall not appeare to be chaffe in winnowing times, though they be emptied from vessell to vessell, God doth ho­nour them by not suffering their lees to arise: But they are resolute for God, and beare witnesse to the truth, and doe not carry themselves in a reserved middle way, (which is the policy of the world) that they may preserve a favourable esteeme with both parties, though they be loved and trusted of neither.

And in tryalls also in the times of prosperity, which commonly prove the most dangerous snares: Austin. deverb. Dom. ser. 13. Magna est faelicitas, non a faelicitate vinci. Joseph is the same in Prison, as a slave: in Potiphars house, as a servant, and in Pharaohs Court as a Prince, the second in the Kingdome. A godly man is resembled to a Rock, Ezech. 3.9. Licet m [...]tor frangit [...]versi­taes mu [...]ò [...] ­res ex [...]o [...]r pro­sper [...]as. Be [...]n. de temp s [...]r. 52 in a storme the Rock shakes not, shrinkes not, and if the Sun shine, the Rock melts not. Prov. 27 21. As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold: So is a man to his praise: There is not a surer and more effectuall tryall in the fining pot, to disco­ver [Page 23]the drosse of silver, and the furnace for gold, then there is in praise, honour and advancement to disco­ver the drosse and vanity that is in the spirits of men. And in that particle in the originall [...] there is an especiall emphases, it signifies, Exod. 16.18. Leu. 27.16. ad modum & mensu­ram; according to the proportion of the thing; so here it is according to the measure and proportion of a mans praise: a small preferment may draw out but a little, and a great honour will manifest a great deale of drosse to be in a man. And many a man observing which way the tide of honour, preferment, and ad­vantage runs, resolves to cast himselfe into that way, Salvian. de gu­ber. D [...]i. l. 4. p. 113. and swim downe the streame, how evill soever, & per hoc omnes quodammodo coguntur esse malè ne viles habeantur. Now those that God will honour he carries upon Eagles wings in these tryals, and they are with Noah kept upright in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation.

3. God honours men by giving them an high esteeme in the hearts of the faithfull: So God honoured David, 2. Sam. 3.36. what soever he did pleased all the people. Those that are precious in Gods eyes, Esay 43.3. he will visit the heart of his people for them, and make them honourable in their eyes also. And to have an interest in the hearts of the faithfull is more, then to have the favour of all the Princes of the earth. And therefore Theodofius rejoyced more se membrum esse Ecclesiae quam in ter­ris regnare. Austin de civit Dei. l. 5. c. 26. The speciall blessing upon every service that a man doth next unto the acceptation of God; is, that it may be accepted of the Saints, Rom. 15.31. that they shall say, our hearts are towards the Governours of Israel, Judg. 5.9. that willingly offered themselves to the worke of the [Page 24]Lord. It may be the generality of the world is a­gainst them, and they looke upon them as vile men, and the of scouring of all things; but honour in the hearts of the excellent ones of the earth, Cyp [...]ian Epist. 3. is more then the honour of all the vile men of the world. Ne at­tendas numerum illorum, melior est unus timens quam mille filii impii. See how highly this was in esteeme with the ancient Saints: Rom 1 [...].30. Act. 12. if Paul go forth to preach, the people of God must strive with him in their prayers: if Joshuah go forth to war, unlesse Moses hold up his hands upon the hill, he can availe little by fighting in the vally; if Peter goe to Prison, the prayers of the Saints must release him; its a great matter to goe forth either in doing or suffering loa­den with prayers, Hose. 12.3.4. 1 Cor. 6.2. for wee know they have power with God, and that the Saints shall judge the world. When therefore God will honour men indeed, as he doth set his owne eyes upon them; so the eyes and hearts of Gods people shall be towards them.

4. God honours men when he doth appeare for them in the dishonours cast upon them: So God honoured Moses, Numb. 12.8. Though it be Aron and Miri­am; yet he will not suffer them to passe unpunished, if they dare speake against his servant Moses. Men may fasten reproaches upon the Saints, cast out their names as evill, but their light shall breake forth in ob­scurity, and he that will one day wipe all teares from their eyes, will also wipe away all blots from their names. Therefore whereas other men in slanders commonly justifie themselves with boisterousnesse and clamour, he conscious of his owne upright­nesse, and sweetly injoying inward peace, only saith, [Page 25] My witnesse is in heaven, and my record is on high, Job. 14.19. & 58. and unto him, I will wholy commit my cause. And surely the lesse they appeare to justifie themselves, the more gloriously will the Lord delight to shew himselfe, to plead the causes of their soules. The testimony gi­ven to Moses by God himselfe upon this occasion, was, that the man Moses was the meekest man that was upon the face of the earth: And had he not been thus meeke in his owne cause, wee may question whether God would have so suddainly spoken for Moses his justification: When Gods people leave their cause with him; he that hath said he will be a swift witnesse against his enemies, will also be as swift a witnesse for his people.

5. After this life God doth honour them with a sweet and a precious name, which shall be as an olutment poured out, and their memory shall be blessed among the posterities to come: So God honoured Moses af­ter his death, by giving a testimony to his syncerity, Moses my servant is dead. So God honoured Elish 1, Josh. 1.2. that at his death the King wept over him, and sayd, my father, my father, 2. Kin. 13.14. 2. Chro. 32.33. the Chariot of Israel and the horse men thereof. So Hezekiah, all Iudah did him honour at his death. And Jehojada God honoured in his Funerall; 2. Chro. 24.16. they buried him in the City of David among the Kings, because he had done good in Israel both to­wards God, and towards his house: And God honou­red Josiah by a publique mourning after his death, all Iudah and Iersualem mourned for Josiah, and Jere­miah lamented, and all the singing men, 2. Chro. 35.25. and the sin­ging women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and they made it an ordinance in Israel: This [Page 26]at last grew into a Proverb among them, Hie planger publicus fuit, & progressu tem­poris in Prover­bium abiit. Drus. in loc. Brisson. de regn. Persar. l. 1. p. 36. for a great lamentation, which I conceive to be meant by that expression, Zach. 12.11. In that day there shall be a great mourning in Ierusalem, as the mourning of Hada­drimmon in the vally of Megiddo. Thus did the Per­sians honour their Princes at their birth, publica lae­titia & anniversariis sacris, with a generall rejoy­cing, so their death, luctu publico, with a publique and universall mourning. Rev. 14.13. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, for they rest from their labour, and their workes follow them, and as they have been in this life, pedessequi fidei, so after this life they shall be pedes­sequi gloriae.

6. God doth honour men in their posterity, and there­fore children are called the parents glory. Hose. 9.11. [...] Ps. 72.17. His name shall endure for ever, the word is rendred by Montan: Filiabitur nomen ejus, his name shall be continued in his posterity, by a lineall descent, as long as the Sun and the Moone endureth; Esay. 38. and they that come of them shall be called the repairers of the breach, and restorers of Cities to dwell in. Whereas many a man is but ex­haled as a Meteour for a time, and he falls downe a­gain and none of his posterity remaine, but his lampe is put out in obscure darkenesse, Nah. 1.14. and no more of the name shall be sowne. His arme shall be cut off, and none of his house shall remaine; but to consume his eyes, and to grieve his heart, and to be the reproach of their fathers house for ever.

We come now unto the second part of the Text, they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed; which doth afford us this point.

They that dishonour and despise God, Doct. 2 shall them­selves [Page 27]become vile, and be lightly esteemed.

The word which we render despise, is [...], Aliquid ex fastu spernere. Av [...] ­nar. Tanquam turp [...] & indecorum contemnere. Schindl. which is sometimes referred to the person, and sometimes to the thing, and signifies vilenesse or meanesse, in the esteeme of the one, and pride and contempt in the o­ther.

This word is used, 1 Sam. 10.27. some men of Be­lial, looking upon the meanesse of Saul his condition, though God had made him King over Israel, yet they sayd how can this man save us, and they despised him in their hearts as a man unworthy of such an ho­nour? It signifies all sorts of contempt cast upon one, [...]. Conrad. Kicher. in [...] & [...]. either in a mans heart or his wayes, and is therefore rendered by the Sept. in different words which may fully expresse the pride of the person, and his low and undervaluing apprehensions of the thing. Thus doe wicked men contemne God. And their reward shall be to become vile, and of no esteeme. The word [...] signifies alleviari vel pondere vel honore: to make a thing light, either in weight of estimation, and is sometimes translated [...], to be nothing, sometimes it is opposed unto [...], and is rendered by [...], which signifies to curse and to speake of a thing with execration and detestation: But in this place the Sept. renders it [...], which is to dishonour or disgrace a man, all may fitly be taken in, he that hath no esteeme of Gods honour, shall himselfe (whatsoever his place and parts be, and whatever ornaments and excellencies he hath to set him off before men) be dishonoured, accounted a man of no worth; here his name shall be cast out as e­vill, and be seperated with a curse, and unto detesta­tion before all men.

Here wee have two things to consider. 1. How men doe dishonour God. 2. How God dishonours them.

Men dishonour God in an especiall manner these five wayes.

1. When they slight the offers of Christ which God makes to them, and thus men that live in the Church, professe to receive the Gospel, and be called by the name of Christ, Mar. 9.12. Act. 4.11. [...] Math. 22.5. 2. Cor. 6.1. doe despise him, and set him at naught, yea even the builders, those of highest place, and seeming eminency in the Church. Men being invited to the wedding, they make light of it and will not come, every small occasion shall be a diversion: The Gospel of grace is offered to them, and they receive the grace of God in vaine; they know that they are without Christ, and know upon what termes God offers ( sc. a consent to the Covenant, the an­swer of a good conscience, Esay. 1.29. 1. Pet. 3.21. 2 Cron. 30.8. 2. Cor. 8.5. Cant. 2.16. & 6.3. the giving of a mans selfe un­to the Lord, that he may say I am my beloved, and my beloved is mine) and yet with the yong man in the Gospel, they goe away from Christ, and resolve not to come up to the termes of Gods offer, but out of the prophanesse of their hearts, prefer other things to Christ, and with Esau despise their birthright. This is the highest way of dishonouring of God: To honour God in his Law (which was the way of the first Co­venant) is very acceptable to him; but to honour God in his Son, is much more, (which is the way of the Gospel) and therfore faith brings more glory to God then workes can doe to eternity, because it ho­nours God in an higher way. Now if this be the highest way of honouring God, then the contrary must needs be the greatest dishonour that a man can cast upon him.

And this is the highest way of sinning against know­ledge. Sins against knowledge are of two sorts. 1. In a particular act, when a man knowes a thing to be evill, and his knowledge doth rise against it, and yet he is transported and commits it. 2. In a mans e­state, when a man knowes that he comes not up un­to Gods termes, upon which he offers Christ, and that the offers of Christ will not last alwayes, that God makes a quick dispatch with many men in the dayes of the Gospel; that the day of restraining grace may last, when the day of converting grace is past, and yet puts off Christ from day to day, and is content to be without him: This is the highest de­gree of sinning against knowledge, and therefore the highest way of dishonouring of God, next to the sin against the holy Ghost. Potest hom [...] in­vitus amittere bona temp [...]rali­a, nunquam ve­ro nisi volen [...] perdit aeterna. Prosper. p. 441. There is this difference betweene temporall and spirituall blessings, no man willingly partswith the one, and no man but he that is willing shall lose the other. I would have gathered you but yee would not. Math. 23.37.

2. When they live without God, and are content so to doe. This is the condition of every man by nature, Eph 2.12. Eph. 2.12. and this is the complaint of God, concer­ning those that professed themselves to be his peo­ple, and made their boast of God, Jer. 2.32. that they forgat him dayes without number. When men can live without the knowledge of God, without communion with him, without interest in him; take no care to please him, and the comforts of their lives come not in by him: This is to dishonour God in an high degree, and as much as if men did say, wee are Lords, wee will come no more at thee. A gracious heart can take con­tentment [Page 30]in nothing without God, in the midst of all his injoyments, J [...]r. 2.31. he saith my soule is a thirst for God: Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire in comparison of thee? He discernes his presence, Cant. 5.6. Psal. 28.1. he is affected with his absence, if he withdraw himselfe, his heart failes, and if he hide his face, and be silent to him, he is like unto one that goes downe to the pit. His care is to please him, and to approove himselfe unto him in all things. The hearts of men commonly are carryed after selfe pleasing, Rom. 15 3. 1. Thes. [...].15. Gal. 1 10. 2 Cor. 5 9. Col. 1.10. (so it is with many a proud and sullen spirit, selfe-conceit, and selfe-will, will carry a man to selfe-plea­sing, though he displease all the world beside) and men pleasing: but grace carries a mans heart to desire to please God in all things, and to walke before him unto all well-pleasing.

3. When men feare not his wrath, tremble not at his presence, have no dread of his great and terrible name, sleight his threatnings, and disregard his alseeing eye, then men are said to despise God, Deut. 29.19. Psal. 10.13. When they doe wickedly, and say in their hearts, I shall have peace though I walke after the imaginations of mine owne heart, surely God will not require it; when they say, Jer. 5.13. Zach. 1.6. the words of the Prophets are but winde, and the word of the Lord is not in them: (though when they fly, the threatning will certainly overtake thē.) When men fly to the creatures to uphold them a­gainst the wrath of God; Dan. 11.38. Jer. 2.18. Hose. 5.13. [...]say. 30.12. honour Mahuzim or the God of forces, drinke the waters of the river, trust in op­pression, and leane upon it, to be protected against the displeasure of God: Send to King Jareb to be healed of wounds from God: And with Saul to comfort [Page 31]himselfe in any creature-respect in the considerati­on of the losse of Gods everlasting love, it is a despi­sing of God in an high degree. [...]. Plutarch de regno. Interitum paratum illi ci­vitati video, in qua non lex Magistratibus; sed legi Magi­stratus presunt. Tholos. de repub. l. 7. e. 20. Ps. 119.126. Math. 15.6, [...].

4. When men set up their wisdomes or wills against the Law of God, and the Ordinances of God. The high­est power of a Prince is legislative, and he rules onely in his Law; and the highest con­tempt of him is to despise him in this his highest power. Yet thus men despise God dayly: Some­times they exalt their wisdome against it, by the op­positions of science falsly so called, by the curiosities, contradictions, or the superinducements of fleshly imaginations upon truths of God, and by this means they enervate, unlord and make voide the Law of God. And sometimes men set up their wills against the Law, cast it behinde their backs, withdraw the shoulder, resolve not to be subject: But what thou speakest to us in the name of the Lord, we will not hear­ken unto thee: but wee will certainly do whatsoever go­eth out of our owne mouth, &c. Jer. 44.16.17.

5. When men set light by the things which tend un­to Gods dishonour, and doe not testifie their zeale against them as becomes the Majesty of God: So did Ely here despise God in that he did not shew that zeale a­gainst his Sons in the cause of God, Jo. 2 17. Authoritat Io­hannis allegan­tis hunc locum de Christo major est quam ut ul­lis verbis nos in­d [...] abduti patia­mur. Tarnov. in loc. as he ought to have done, and is therefore charged to honour his sons more then God. Christ was zealous in all things that tended to Gods dishonour, Psal. 69.9. thereproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen upon me: The wrongs done to God did affect him, as if they had been injuries against himselfe; yea they drowned and swallowed up all personall wrongs whatsoever, [Page 32]and he that is in his owne wrong dumb as a Lamb be­fore the sheerer, he is transported exceedingly in the cause of God, with how much zeale did he assert the truth of God against the false Doctrines of the Pharises, In partes divi­sêre variarum homines [...]ealè cariosi; arque u­no ex en are in­finiti, diversi omnes & con­trariinaci funt. Cunaeus l. 2. c. 17. Math. 16.23. Jo. 2.4. Jo. 2.15. Sadduces, and Herodians, the Hereticks of those times? How sharpely did he reproove sin, not only in the Pharises, a generation of vipers; but also in a Disciple, get thee behinde me Satan, thou art an offence to me? And in his mother, woman what have I to doe with thee? How much zeale did he manifest for the worship of God, in purging the Temple, and whipping out the buyers and sellers, who turned the house of prayer, into a den of theeves? And so full­filled that Prophesie of him, the zeale of thy house hath eaten me up, it swallowed up all other affecti­ons in him, as if he had been transformed into bur­ning zeale. So it was with the Saints of old, they did contend earnestly for the faith once given to the Churches, they could not beare them that were evill, un­der what shew or pretence soever, though they said they were Iewes, yet were found upon tryall to be of the Synagogue of Satan. The rule given, 2 Jo. 10. is much to be considered in these dayes, If any man come unto you, and bring not this Doctrine, receive him not into your house, nor bid him God speede, for he that biddeth him God speede is partaker of his evill deeds. He speakes it of those Deceivers and false Teachers, which were then entred into the world, and he saith not only that they should not favour them, and plead for them; but also that they should neither out of love to the error, or an affectation of novelty, countenance, entertaine them, or converse with [Page 33]them: But in testimony of their zeale for God, [...]. l. 3. c. 3. Euseb. Hist. l. 4. c. 14. and their constancy in the truth, reject them, avoyd them, that they be not encouraged in their sin, nor they partakers thereof as abettors of their evill deeds. Ire­naeus hath a story of Polycarpus, how when Marci­on the Heretick came to see him, and desired him, to know him, he answered him, I know thee to be the first begotten of the Devill: So zealous and fervent in spirit were the Apostles, and their Disciples a­gainst those that corrupted the truth or worship of God. This would be accounted bitternesse of spirit in our dayes; that ancient zeale for God, being in a great measure cooled amongst us, and many men who pretend great zeale, who (as its sayd of the Carbuncle, Rueus de G [...]m­mis. translucet ad modum ardentis prunae) if ye looke upon them a far off, yee would thinke them to be all fire; yet if yee touch them, will be found key cold. Spiritus diffun­ditur, profundi­tur contemptus. Ps. 107.40. Jer. 22.28. Quia suis ado­rabatur quasi I­dolum; jam in captivitate, vi­lis, abj [...]ctus, & contritus est. Notent principe [...] nisi opes, glori­am fundent in timore Dei, non fore ea stabilia [...], sed se cum iis, quasi vilia & inutilia vasa abjiciend [...]s esse. A L [...]p.

The second branch for explication, is, how God dishonours men. And this he can doe upon the greatest. Kings are the fountaine of honour upon earth, and by them it is dispenced; but yet he poures contempt upon Princes: It notes abundance the high­est measure of dishonour: They that convey honour unto others, cannot preserve their owne honour. And this the Lord doth ordinarily, these five waies.

1. He will not use them in high and honourable em­ployments, cast them out as an abominable or unfruit­full branch. Conia is a despised broken Idol, a vessell wherein there is no pleasure. It is spoken of Jechoniah the King of Judah; the first disgrace that the Lord puts upon him, is by taking away the first letter of [Page 34]his name, per contemptum, as Abraham had a letter ad­ded to his name, as a speciall honour; so from this Prince a letter is detracted as an especiall reproach. And he is called an Idol, but despised and broken: he was formerly honoured and adored by his Subjects as an Idol; but as his honour before was above a man; so God would poure upon him the greatest contempt, sc. of an Idol which hath been worship­ped as a God, and is now discovered not to be so: It is of all things else most unprofitable and most abo­minable. Hose. 8.8 Luther. Tarnor. Est perip [...]r a [...]sis matu [...]; esse in summe conte [...] tu signifi. at. Drus. Zanch. [...]ar. And he shall be as a vessell, in which there is no pleasure; [...] so the Sept. cujus nullus est usus, so the Chalde Paraph. Its taken ab ol­lis rimosis, say some, that because they are riven and unfit for service, are cast away, as good for nothing: But others raise the sence higher, and say it is a mo­dest expression, not only of a thing unusefull, but a thing filthy and vile, as a vessell for the most un­cleane uses; thus God poures the highest contempt upon persons that he hath raised to the highest ho­nour. Yea he doth sometimes raise men up for a par­ticular service (as he did Jehu to destroy the house of Ahab, and the house of Baal) and lay them aside afterward for ever, as a vessell in which there is no pleasure, never to employ them in any honourable service more.

2. God will give men up unto base and dishonoura­ble lusts; all sins are abominable before God, and damnable in themselves; but yet all are not alike dishonourable before men: Rom. 1.26. There are some [...] vile affections, which make men hatefull a­mongst all men. By restraining grace lusts may be [Page 35]kept in a long time, and men may have Neronis quin­quennium, and yet afterward proove humani generis opprobrium, the shame of mankind, as he did. Men may stand for stars a great while, looked on as lights, and admired by all, yet afterward be swept downe by the Dragons taile, and appeare to be but Meteors; the matter being spent by which they were fed, they fall downe to the earth, and appeare no more. Paraphrest. Chald. Muis. Moller. Psal. 55.13. Achi­tophel was faithfull to David, it seemes in his for­mer time, of whom it is conceived by some, that he speakes when he calls him, his guid and his familiar freind, with whom he took sweet counsell, and yet he was afterward given over to dishonour himselfe, and his hand was found to be with Absalon in that un­naturall rebellion. And Abiathar was faithfull to David against Saul (being it may be engaged by a particular displeasure; the cruell murder of his Fa­thers house, by the hand of Doeg at Sauls com­mand) and yet he afterward prooved false to Solo­mon in the conspiracy of Adonijah. There is unto e­very false heart a [...]. Luc. 8.13. an opportunity of temptation, and then he falls at the stumbling blocke of his iniquity.

3. God will cast them out of the hearts, and out of the prayers of his people. Its threatned against the I­dole Shepheard, Zach. 11.17. Brachium pro potentia & for­ti auxilia accipi­tur. Glass. Rhe­tor. sacr. p. 343. (the title belongs both to Magistrates and Ministers; though the scope here carries it ra­ther to the former) his arme withering shall wither, and his right eye shall be put out. By the arme is meant that ruling power and authority that he as a Gover­nour had among the people; and all that strength and assistance in government that he received there­by; [Page 36]and this shall utterly decay, his ruling power in the hearts of the people shall utterly perish, and they that did formerly cleave to him, shall fall from him; and his wisedome also shall perish, and he shall be given up to foolish and hurtfull lusts, unto his owne destruction, and the scourge of the Nation. So the ten Kings that were as it were the right hand unto the beast, Reu. 17.16.17. giving their power and their Kingdomes to him, for his advancement, this arme of his shall wi­ther, they shall withdraw themselves, hate the whore, make her desolate, and eate her flesh, and burne her with fire. So Jo. 15.6. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch and is withered. There are severall ejections here intended (as Interpreters observe) but these two are the cheife. Separatio ab in­teriori cum Christo & Ec­clesia communio­ne ordine natu­rae precedit sepa­rationem ab ex­teriori cum E [...] clesia communi­one. Gerhard. Har [...]. 1. Ab interiori sanctorum communione per seperationem spiritualem. 2 Ab exte­riori communione per publicam Apostasian. A sepera­tion in the hearts of Gods people, by a secret and spirituall alienation; and then an outward seperation by manifest Apostacy; an inward excommunication commonly goes before an outward: Men are first cast out of the hearts and prayers of the Saints: God takes off the edge of their spirits from them in a se­cret way, and then there is nothing that they doe is accepted of the Saints, but a spirit of jealousie and suspition attends them, and nothing is well taken or well interpreted of them.

4. After this life their names shall rot, they shall goe out in a snuffe, and their memory shall not be blessed. They shall have a note of infamy mentioned with them, and how ever they have carried it faire here, yet shall be known to be as they are. This is Jero­boam [Page 37] the Son of Nebat that made Israel to sin. This is that Ahaz who sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord. This is Iudas Iscariot who also was the traitour. Here feare or flattery may keepe mens names from stinking publikely for a while: But after this life, when these shall be remooved, a note of disgrace and publique infamy shall be spred upon their names for ever.

5. God will dishonour them in their seede, and cast them out as evill, that they shall be to the shame of their Fathers house. This was the judgement threatned upon Elyes family: The man of thine house that shall not be cut off from mine Altar shall be to consume thine eyes, and to greive thine heart: And every one that is left in thine house shal come and crouch for a peece of sil­ver, and a morsell of bread; and shall say, put me into one of the Priests Offices, that I may eate a peece of bread. For the Lord hath sayd, the seed of evill doers shall not be renowned, Esay. 14.20.

Having thus finished the explication of the Text; only the Application remaines, which I shall cast into one use of exhortation, to you Right Honoura­ble, whom God hath exalted in this Nation.

If yee desire to be truly honourable, let Gods honour be precious in your eyes: If you feare a blot in your name, a staine in your coate, doe not set light by the things of God, Esay. 5.13. [...] Gloria [...] Mont. Qui vult ess [...] sibi & non ti [...] nihil esse intipit inter omnia, Ber. for they that despise him shall be light­ly esteemed. The Nobility is the glory of a Nation, wee desire that no shame may be be cast upon our glory, that our silver become not drosse, nor our wine be mixed with water. Herein true honour and greatnes lyes, when the things of God are great in our e­steeme, [Page 38]and Gods honour is exalted by us, and when a man fals from this he begins to be nothing, though he be the greatest Monarch of the earth.

To enforce this exhortation, I shall only adde these considerations, and conclude.

1. A man may have the highest honour upon earth, yet he may be before God, and all the Saints a vile per­son: [...] despe­ctu [...]. So is Antiochus, though a Prince, called Dan. 11.21. Its an especiall manifestation of the sove­raignty of God, that he rules in the Kingdomes of mor­tall men & gives them to whomsoever he will, Dan. 4.17. & sets o­ver them the basest of men. If a man exalt not God, he hath nothing in him that is honourable, and all the honour that he hath is but vaine glory, Act. 25.23. [...] Eccles. 10.6.7. a fancy, and no more. It was one of the vanities that Solo­mon saw under the Sun: Folly is set in great dignity, and servants are on horse-backe, when Princes walke as servants on the earth. Men of servile spirits, and ser­vile lusts are advanced, and men of Princely spirits remaine in low place: This outward honour will never set a man up with God, and his Saints; they only that are precious in his sight, may be called ho­nourable. And this is a sure rule, Tantus quis (que) est, quantus est apud Deum, all true honour is that which comes from God only.

2. A man may be honourable in this life, and mi­serable in the life to come. Prov. 21.16. A man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. [...] Medes Diatrib. In Pro. 21.16. of the ancient name of Hell. p. 136. The word is rende­red by a learned Criticke of our owne, in Catu Gi­gantum, referring us unto, Gen. 6.4. where those an­cient Rebells against God are mentioned, whose [Page 39]wickednesse was so great upon the earth, that the Lord repented that he had made man, and to take vengeance upon them, he brought the flood upon the world of the ungodly; they perishing in their wic­kednesse, and going downe to the place of the dam­ned; Hell received it ancient denomination from these ancient Inhabitants, and it is called the place of the Giants, and all that ever perish since are to goe downe to them to the same place: Now these were in the earth, men of renowne, men of honour, and of name; and yet they are gone unto that place of tor­ment. And of all men in the world, none will perish with so much scorne and derision as they. As meane men may creepe out of the world to their graves with lesse noise; so they goe to hell with lesse ob­servation. Esay. 14 9. When the King of Babylon dyes, Hell from beneath is mooved for thee, to met thee at thy comming; it stirreth up the dead (or the Gy­ants) for thee even all the chiefe ones of the earth. [...] And they all say unto him with scorne and derision, How art thou fallen from Heaven, Oh great Lucifer Son of the morning? &c.

3. Lay these conclusions firmely in your spirits. 1. By strength shall no man prevaile. 1 Sam. 2.9. The word [...] which wee translate strength, Prov. 5.10. Hose. 7.9. Adsumenta om­nia & admini­cula, quibus pol­lere fibi videtur Cal. signifies not only strength and vigour of body, but also of minde, in wisdome, learning, policy, or outwardly in ho­nour or estate, and the Lord hath layd downe this for a Decree, let a man be never so great in all these, yet he shall not be strong or prevaile in any of his enterprizes by them. For God hath no pleasure in the legs of a man, Psal. 147.10. where by legs is meant a­ny [Page 40]thing in which a man is strong, Qu [...] suis viribus nittunur. Mins. and that wherein he may put his trust, whether strength of body or a­bilities of mind, riches or honours or any outward excellency whatsoever, God hath no pleasure in them, nor in the man because of them.

2 By iniquity shall no man be established. Prov. 12.3. A man may exalt himselfe, and mount up unto the highest step of all worldly honour and greatnesse by wayes of bribery and blood; he may build his house by unrighteousnesse, Jer. 22.13.14. Metaphora du­cta est ab arb [...] ­ribus, quae altè & profunde in terram demersae non facitè mo­ventur. Car t [...]. and his chambers by wrongs, enclose himselfe in Cedar, painted with vermilion, and thinke his posterity shall endure for ever, and call the Land after his owne name; but they shall not be esta­blished, that is, as the opposition shewes, not take roote as the righteous doe, their roote shall be rotten­nesse; a worme and a curse is at the roote: God bringeth Princes to nothing, Esay. 40.24. he maketh the Iudges of the earth as vanity, they shall not be planted, yea they shall not be sowne; yea their stocke shall not take roote in the earth. As the pleasure of sin is but for a season; so the profit of it is not lasting: A lying tongue is but for a moment. Prov. 12.19.

3. Those that walke in pride he is able to abase, Dan. 4.37. he delights to doe it. And wee have cause to feare, that the Lord of Hosts hath purposed to staine the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the ho­nour able of the earth, Esay. 23.8.

4. No man knowes how soone yee may lay downe your honour. All things here below are compared un­to wheeles Ezech. 1.16. in perpetuo motu, full of tur­nings and changes. The story of Sesostris the King of Aegypt related by Polanus upon this place is fa­mous, [Page 41]who rode in a triumphant chariot drawne by foure captive Kings; of whom one was observed alwaies to looke backe upon the wheele that fol­lowed him, and being asked the reason why he loo­ked behind him? He answered to observe, quam citò summa fiunt ima; how soone that which is highest becomes the lowest: A meditation which would be as fit a corrective to men in great places. Wee have lived to see great changes; Zach. 4 7. Esay. 30.25. Hose. 10.7. Esay. 5.9. Mountaines made Plaines, Towers fall, Princes cut off as the foame upon the waters, many houses made desolate, even great and faire without an Inhabitant. 2. Kings 27.26.27. Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fierce­nesse of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kind­led against Iudah, because of all the provocations that Manasseth had provoked him withall. Zeph. 1.2.3. Scimus tunc purgetam suisse terram supersti­tionibus &c. Sed notandum est, etiamsi ex animo Iosias Deum coleret tamen populum non fu [...]sse con­versum, quem­admodum saepe comigit, ut De­us excitet opti­mos, antesigna­nos, sed pauci aut ferè nulli e­os sequantur, quin potiùs om­nes detrectent obsequium. Cal. And the Lord said I will remoove Iudah also out of my sight as I have remooved Israel. And I will cut off this City Ierusalem, which I have chosen, and the house of which I said my name shall be there.

If wee looke into the Prophesie of Zephany (the Title of which refers us unto the dayes of Josiah) and compare it with this Scripture forementioned, wee shall see several causes why notwithstanding the re­formation, the Lord turned not from the fiercenesse of his wrath against Iudah; but saith I will utterly con­sume all things from off the Land. I will consume man and beast: I will consume the foules of heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blockes with the wic­ked; I will cut off man from off the land, saith the Lord. Here is the greatest desolation threatned af­ter the greatest reformation. 1. It was compulsory, [Page 42]and not voluntary; though the Kings heart was right with God, and some haply of them that acted under him, yet it was forced upon the generallity of the people, who hated it, and did in heart cleave to their old way of Idolatry still, a remnant of Baal there was among them, and Chemarims also, them that worship­ped the host of heaven, that sware by the Lord, and by Malcham &c. The reformation was such, that o­penly no remnants of Baal did remaine, Reliquiae [...] non conspici [...] ­bantur in Tem­ple, ne (que) in sa­cellis, sed cl [...] ­ [...]estina impietas bîc detegitur. Videntur bi 70 [...]uisse Senatores Concili [...] Sanbe­drim. &c. A. L [...]p. in Ezech. but the Lord saw them to be in the hearts of the people, they were still carryed after that way of worship: And not the ordinary sort of people only, but many of the Ancients (or Senators and Princes) of the house of Israel, and this not openly, but in the darke, in the setret chambers of their imagery, Ezech. 8.11.12. for this cause the Lord turned not from the fiercenesse of his wrath against Iudah.

2. Their reformation was but outward and Ecclesi­asticall not person all, of the Church in some outward things, not of the State or the men. Their Princes were roaring Lions, Zeph. 1.8. & 3, 3.4. and the Iudges evening Wolves: Their Prophets light and treacherous persons, that pol­luted the Sanctuary, and did violence to the Law. The Princes, the Kings children, were cloathed in strange apparrell: And the servants did leape upon the thre­shold, filling their Masters house with violence and de­ceit.

3. Their were old sins that kept the wrath of God on fire against thē, which though now reformed, yet never publikely repented of: the sins of Manassch; sins of Rulers may be pardoned to the men, and yet visited upon the Land, and these old sins past, long ago. For [Page 43]these causes the Lord turned not from the fiercenesse of his anger against Iudah, and all their reformation was but a lightning before their utter destruction. And when wee finde the same things among us; An out­ward reformation by the strength of Authority car­ryed on, but hated by the people generally, and their hearts turning backe into Egypt: and to this adde the fearfull and Manassch-like old abominations, that yet remaine upon our score, and wee have cause to feare that God for all our reformation, (which wee blesse him for, and acknowledge for the time to be very great) hath a Notwithstanding for England, as he had for Judah.

Which is the more to be considered, if wee ob­serve in what juncture of time wee live. Wee reade Rev. 11.3. of witnesses, sc. those that have given te­stimony for Christ against Antichrist ever since that great Apostacy. Called two, partly for their pau­city, and partly in allusion unto the Prophesie, Zach. 4.11. from whence the expression is taken; these are the two olive-trees, the two annointed ones standing be­fore the God of the earth. And yet they are two for the sufficiency of their testimony: for by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established. And these are to Prophesie (in their severall times and ages successively) in sackcloath a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes: Which is the same proportion of time that the outward Court [...] given to the Gentiles ( sc. these Christians in profession, but Gentiles in re­ligion) to be troden under foots, ver. 2. and therefore they are made Contemporaryes: For as soone as Antichrist arose, persecution began, and so much of [Page 44]Antichrist as remaines among any people, so much persecution there will sutely be; for the woman rides upon a scarlet coloured beast. And after this long and afflicted condition shall be the saddest persecution of the Church, and the highest hopes, and the grea­test expectations of the enemy that ever they had: And then cum duplicantur lateres, veniet Moses, then shall the great deliverance be.

And there are foure Reasons which cause me to conceive, (yet withall humility and submission) that this time of killing the witnesses is yet to come.

1. They must Prophesie in sackcloath a thousand two hundred and threscore dayes before they be slaine, and I cannot yet be satisfied that this time of their Prophesie is accomplished, and therefore their kil­ling is yet to come. The Rule that wee have to guide us herein, is, that Antichrists forty and two moneths doe synchronize with this time of the Pro­phesie of the witnesses, and therefore when Antichrist began to reigne, they began to prophesie. Now the Apostle Paul, 2. Thes. 2.7.8. speaking of the rising of Antichrist, saith, he that now letteth will let till he be taken out of the way, and then shall that wicked be re­vealed.

This [...] is commonly expounded by Anci­ent and Moderne Divines to be the Romane Empire, Irenaeus. and as soone as that Imperiall Soveraignty of Rome was taken out of the way; Tertul [...]de res [...]r. tarn. c. 24. then that wicked one was revealed. Ambros [...]n 2. Thes. 2. This also is confessed by the Papists them­selves, that he that letteth, is the Romane Empire, therefore together with his taking out of the way, then did Antichrist rise, Chrysost. and that lawlesse per­son, [Page 45] [...] (as Justin Martyr calls him) was revealed and did appeare to the world, Whitaker, de Antichrist. which is fully explaned, Rev. 17.12. Downham of Antichrist. l. 1. c. 3. Bellarm. de Rom. Pont. capt. 13. A Lap. in loc. The ten hornes are ten Kings, which have received no Kingdome as yet; but receive power as Kings one houre with the beast. At the same time when the Empyre was broken, and those that were only Viceroyes under it, did begin to take to themselves the Power and the Title of Kings, and to reigne absolutely and independently upon the Empyre: Now did the beast receive his power, now he that letted was taken out of the way, and now the wicked one was revealed. If therefore wee can learne when the Empyre was divided, and the ten Kings arose, Mede in Apot. c. 8 p. 78. from that time wee are to be­gin the forty and two moneths. There were indeed severall degrees of the Empyres downfall: Attalus a Go­this Imperator effectus est. Paul. Ʋiacon. c. 14. Some refer it to the time when Alaricus the Goth first tooke Rome, and sacked it, and they created a new Emperour therein, which was about the yeere 410. or as some 412. This indeed made way for the com­ming of Antichrist, and therefore Ierome hearing of this taking of Rome, Praefat. l. 1 com­mentan Ezech. Ita Romanorum apud Romam Imperium toto terrarum orbe venerabile & Augustalis illa sublimitas, quae ab Augusto quondam Octa­viano erecta est, cum hoc Augu­stulo periit. Paul. Diacon. l. 16. did presently expect that An­tichrist should arise. Postquā clarissimū terrarum om­nium lumen extinctum est, imò Romani Imperij trun­catum caput, & in una urbe totus orbis interiit. But this never came to perfection to take him that letted out of the way till Gensericus the Vandall tooke Rome the second time and plundered it utterly, and then fired it, this was about the yeer 455. & then the ten Kings arose. If wee adde thereunto a thousand two hundred & 60 daies, it will appeare that the time of the prophesying of the witnesses, in sackcloth is [Page 46]not yet expired, and therefore the time of their kil­ling yet to come.

2. When the witnesses are slaine, Antichrists party ly shall come to a great height of security, Cessante jain Romana Vrius Imperio &c. l. 17. and they shall glory in their death, rejoyce over them, make merry, and send gifts one to another, becauve these two Prophets tormented them that dwell on the earth, Rev. 11.10. Consitetur se A­postatam esse sed beatum & san­ctum, qui fidem Diabolo dutam non servav [...]t. Luth. But since the Angel did fly in the midst of heaven with the everlasting Gospell in his hand, since that glorious departure, and blessed Apostacy (as he himselfe calls it) that Luther made from the Church of Rome, wee reade of no such perfect victory that ever they had over the reformed Christians, that they thought all safe, and therefore did send gifts one to another as perfectly secure.

3. When the witnesses shall arise from the dead, then the tenth part of the City shall fall: Which can­not be meant as some have thought, of the fall of the power of Antichrist in some one of the ten King­domes: But is spoken of Romes last and utter de­struction speedily to follow, called [...] the tenth part, Mede. Clav. A­poc. in cap. 11. v. 13. because that which now remaines, is but decima pars Civitatis antiquae, the tenth part of what the ancient City was. For the fall of Antichrist ends with the sixth Trumpet, Mede. Syncro [...]. p. 18. or the second woe: And as soone as the tenth part of the City is fallen, it is said the second wee is past: Rev. 11.14. And immediately the seventh Trumpet sounded, and then all the enemies being subdued, the Kingdomes of the world become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christs, Rev. 10.7. and then the mystery of God is finished. Now because wee see not the City to fall; but yet expect by faith, Babylon to [Page 47]be cast as a Milstone into the sea; therefore the slaying of the witnesses, with their resurrection is not past, but to come.

4. If wee looke to the Text, it is then to be ex­pected or feared, when the Church of God doth flourish most, and hath gotten the greatest victory over the Antichristian party that ever; that as the destruction of the one is neerest when they are most secure; so is the slaying of the other when they have the greatest expectations of a full deliverance. Therfore [...] when they had finished, is not to be rendered cum finierint, but cum finituri sint, Mede. Clav. p. 136. when they were about to finish their testimony: sc. when they had got great ground against Antichrist, and men began to repent of their drinking of the wine of her fornication, and to hate the whore: And the Temple of God was purged, and a great Reformation was begun; now had the witnesses peace and in­largement in some measure, and they began gratula­bundi saccum exuere, to cast off their sackcloth, and expect on the enemy an utter ruine; thinking he had received a deadly wound that could never more be healed. Yet at this time shall Antichrist gather all his scattered and broken forces, and shall with greater fury make war upon the Saints and overcome them, and kill them, exercise greater cruelty over them then ever, he did in times past; but it shall be short, though it be sharpe.

I could be glad to tell you that this sad calamity is past, that our iniquity is pardoned, and our warfare accomplished, for Lord thou knowest I have not desired the wofull day. But these considerations make me to [Page 48]conclude with that learned Interpreter so often quo­ted, cladem istam novissimam adhuc metuendam, that wee have cause to feare that this last and great affli­ction of the Church in the killing of the witnesses, is yet to come. And if it be, what a comfort will it be to a man when he shall lay downe his honour, and when they that formerly honoured him outwardly, shall despise him, then to be able to reflect upon his former wayes, and say, Lord I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and I layd out mine honour for thee while I did enjoy it?

5. The last direction that I shall humbly com­mend to you in the conclusion, is. Take heed of those sins especially, that will set God against you, to cause you to be lightly esteemed, and will surely lay your ho­nour in the dust.

1. Take heed of selfe exaltation, selfe adoration, and standing too much upon selfe Interest; for the hautinesse of man shall be bowed downe, and the loftines of man shall be layd low, that God alone may be exalted. This honours Moses to posterity, that though he was a Prince in Israel; Ante occupatio­nem Hierosoly­morum a Davide factam Arauna Iebusitarum Rex fuerar. Po­stea verò regno se abdicans reli­gionem Israe. i. cam fuerat amplexus. Irea nomen Regis ip­si remansit. Grass. Gram. sacr. p. 8. yet his Family was laid aside, and Joshua his servant exalted, and yet Moses must put his honour upon him, that all the Congregation of Israel may be obedient to him. Numb. 27.20. And this is recorded to the honour of Araunah, 2. Sam. 24.23. though it is conceived he was anciently King in Jerusalem over the Jebusites, whom David sub­dued and cast out; yet being now converted, and become a Proselyte to the Jewes, he did so far cast away all his former interest, and the thoughts of it, that in the publique calamity he received David [Page 49]with a great deale of love and enlargement of spirit, manifesting that though he had lost the title, Esay. 14.19.20. Rex habet in potestare liget & constitutio­nes & assisas in Regno suo pro­visas & appro­batas & jura­tas; ipse in pro­pria persona sua observet, & a subditis suis fa­ciat observari. Et est Corona Regis facere ju­stitiam & judi­cium, & tenere pacem sine qui­bus Corona con­sistere non po­test nec tenere. Bracton de leg. & consuetud. Angl. l. 2. c. 24. Quod Reges An­gliae aegrè feren­tes, putantes se non liberè domi­nari in subditos; moliti sunt ipse Progenitores tui hoc jugum poli­ticum abjicere ut ipsi in sub­jectum populum regaliter tantum dominari, sed potius debacchari queant. Fortesc. de Cand. leg. Angl. c. 34. p. 78. yet he had received a Princely spirit, and retained that still.

2. Take heed of Oppression, this brought the great dishonour upon the King of Babylon, that he should be cast out of his grave as an abhominable branch, and not be joyned with the Kings of the Nati­ons in buriall, because he had destroyed his Land, and slaine his people. Therefore see that yee breake every yoake, and untie every burden, that the Subjects may have no cause to complaine that their yoakes are on­ly changed. Wee are told, that in England our Ru­lers are not above our Lawes, but bound to rule by them, as well as the Subject to obey them; and in this their strength, glory, and authority consists.

And wee finde it taxed as a common evill designe, that hath been long on foote in the Government of this Nation, that the Kings did desire to cast off the Rule of Law, and to governe by Prerogative in an Arbitrary way, that in the end their wills might be­come Lawes, and they might command and require what they list. This I say hath beene condemned as an evill in former ages, and this will be found as an evill in Government in all those that succeed, under what name or title soever it be; for surely God did not make men to be like the fishes of the Sea that have no King: Let every one of you (Right Honourable) but upon higher, even Gospel Principles, say as Ti­berius did, Aurum illud adulterinum est, quod cum sub­ditorum lachrimis collectum est. That will never prove currant coine to the Ruler, that is gathered with the teares, much lesse when it is with the blood of the Subjects.

[Page 50] 3 Do not set your selves against the power of god­linesse, but countenance and advance it. Let not circumstantiall differences cause substantiall divisi­ons. Mar. 9.18. It was a sinfull humour in the Disciples, wee saw one casting out Devills in thy name, and wee forbad him, because he followed not us. Surely Gods people wheresoever they come, they are ei­ther as Dew upon the grasse, Mich. 5.7. Zach. 12.6. or as a Torch in a sheafe: Either to make them fruitfull or consume them. Let nothing be done by you (I beseech you) that may proove a seede of persecution, beyond your intenti­ons in after times. You know not into what hands the actings of those things may come which you shall enact, how far against godlinesse in the power of it they may be stretched, and what use may be made of them in time to come. Wee reade Rev. 8.11. of a great star that fell from heaven, and the name of that star was called Wormwood. The fall of great persons is in Scripture commonly expressed by the falling of a Star, as Esay. 14 12. the fall of the King of Babylon is. And to be called in Scripture is to be, and to be publikely knowne to be: As they shall call his name Immanuel; Math. 1.2 3. [...]er. 23.6. This is the name whereby he shall be called Iehovah our righteousnesse, sc. this he shall be, and this he shall be commonly knowne to be. This Prince his name shall be called wormwood, Princeps amaritudinum, one bitter in his spirit; un­happy and unsuccesfull in his Government, both to himselfe and his Subjects. And be sure of this: If any Star be it of never so great a magnitude, and ne­ver so high an elevation, if it be called wormwood, it will fall.