Commentary on 2 Peter

Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in Egypt. And if they must die by famine, whose hand was this? Was it not God, that restrained his Creatures from them? We can see God in his immediate Judgments, but not in those whose second causes are sensible: yet he holds himself equally interested in all. It is but one hand, though divers instruments, wherewith we are smitten. The water may not lose the name, though it come by channels and pipes from the spring. It is the want of Faith, that invisible means, keeps us from seeing Him that is invisible. Job does not cry out on the Sabaeans, Chaldeans, on the wind or fire, that they had undone him: he looks higher, and sees another hand above theirs: The Lord hath taken away: blessed be the Name of the Lord. Affliction is a Messenger sent on purpose, to remember us of our Maker: then to forget Him, is a manifest contempt. Now every contempt in examined according to the degree of the Person against whom it is done. To Parents, unnatural: to Princes, rebellious: to God, most heinous: this is the highest degree of contempt that can be. In all these respects we sin: the world is full of the contempt of God and his Christ: where then is his Glory? If we will not be so kind to Him; as to honor his Name with Glory: yet let us not be so unkind to Him, as to soil it with ignominy. The Lord hath contempt too, in store for such: He that sits in heaven, will laugh them to scorn; and mock at their calamity. Were they no less than Princes, that despise Him; He will pour contempt upon Princes, 1 Sam. 2.30. He first offers honor: to inflict shame, He is driven to it. It is, Come ye Blessed of my Father: but Go ye Cursed, not by my Father, but by your own sins. O, let us give Him all Glory upon earth, that He may give us his Glory in Heaven.

Next, Cui, to Him. Christ is the best good to us, therefore He requires the [unspec 2] best good from us. God could give no better thing to us than Christ, nor can we return a better gift to Christ than Glory. It is the reflection of his own beauty; the glass wherein He sees his own face. Though from us it be dim, dull, and imperfect, like the small pieces of a broken looking-glass: yet it is all the representation of his divine Excellencie, which our love and thankfulness can find out: the highest honor, that either Christ can receive, or man can give, is Glory. This is no slight or common acknowledgement: not a Glory Inter, among the sons of men; but Super, above all, men and Angels. God hath given him a Name above all names: so He exalted him; good reason, so should we. He expects it; let not us frustrate his expectation. Not that he hungers for it: his beams are not the less bright, because we do not commend their shining. No interposition of our neglect, can put that glorious Sun into an ecclypse. Our praising of him is but holding of a candle to the Sun, in respect of any addition of light. Bonum laudare, non laudato, sed laudantibus prodest. Not He, but we are the better by it. It were a silly Conceit to imagine of God, that he is Auidior gloriae: for what good can it do him? But this is all we have to give him, and we must give him this or nothing. What can we render him for all his benefits, but praises to his Name? David could find nothing else: if he could, he would not have grudged it. Christ hath deserved this glory at our hands in many dear respects.

1. He gives us all our temporal blessings: what good thing have we, which came not from him? Children, those dear pieces of ourselves, those living and surviving relicts of our bodies and names when we are dead: they are the heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Honor: that advancing of our heads above the vulgar, is his gift: I gave thee thy Masters house and crown. Thou sittest in a high place; who lifted thee up thither? Who promoted thee to this honor? Promotion comes not from the east, nor from the west, but from the Lord. Riches are also his gift: Nature reaches out her hand, and gives us corn, and wine, and oil, and milk; but Christ doth fill the hand of nature, and then doth open the hand of nature, that she may rain down her showers upon us. Industrie reaches out her hand to us, and gives us the fruit of our labors; an estate raised by our endeavors, to ourselves and our posterity after us: but Christ's hand doth guide the hand of industry, as a master directs a child to write. He governs our hand when it sows, and when it waters, and still all the increase is from him. Friends reach out their hands to prefer us; but the hand of Christ supports their hands, that support us. God gave Joseph favor in the eyes of his keeper: and Jacob prayed for his sons, that they might find favor in the eyes of Joseph. As we cannot see God here, but in a glass: so we cannot receive from him but by reflection, and by instruments. Even casual things come from him: and that which we call Fortune here, hath another name above. Friends use to give one another tokens of love, for the renewing of their memories in absence; as a ring with a poesy in it; When this you see, remember me: All the blessings of Christ are so many tokens of his love to us: we cannot open our eyes, but we must see those tokens: nay we cannot shut our eyes, but even the sleep and rest that follows, is a token of his favor: So he giveth his beloved sleep. Have we so many tokens, that we forget them all? Or rather, Christ in them all? When the charitable man gave his poor God-son a Lamb for a Cade, he was thankful to him, and would duly ask him blessing: but when his stock began to increase, and he had gotten a numerous flock of sheep, he grew so rich and proud, that he scorned to ask his God-father blessing anymore. He that could remember his Benefactor in one favor, in many slighted him. As we wish there was one Statute more, to enforce the keeping of all the rest: so would to God, Christ would confer upon us one grace more, which might move us to give him glory for all the other. If we can so pass over these common tokens of his favor, yet there is a Ring by which we must needs remember him; a wedding ring, and that with a poesie in it; Do this in remembrance of me. Let us never see this ring, without remembering the charge that goes with it: It is the seal-ring of our marriage: for shame let us not forget our husband.

2. He gives us all grace, therefore he merits all glory. Grace in the former part of the verse, that is his donation? Glory in the latter part, that is our retribution. What can Christ give us here better than grace? And what can we render him better than glory? The former doth require the latter, but the latter cannot requite the former. All our praises, could we sing them in the voice of Angels, could not make amends for his least bounty to us. Yea this very ascription of glory, is but the effect of grace: we could not so much as praise him for our blessings unless he did bless us with thankful hearts. Let your light shine: yet the candle cannot shine, except it be lighted. Our hearts must first take fire at his grace, before our works can shine to his glory. The one is inseparable from the other: if Christ have not glory by us, the grace of Christ is not in us. In the same measure are we gracious, that we desire to make him glorious. If we do but honor him as the world doth we have no more grace than the world hath. But then have we the grace of Saints, when we desire and endeavor to magnify him as do the Saints. It is his goodness to sanctify us, and it is our office to glorify him. As the sap in the root maintains the tree, and the tree brings forth and sustains the fruit, and the fruit acknowledges the sap in the root. It is the honor of his grace to us, that gives us the grace to honor him.

3. He gives us glory, therefore it is fit that we should give glory to him. I do not mean only the honor of this world, which is also his gift. As Herod had not only the glory of a kingdom, but also of great wisdom. A king they knew him before, now they take him for a Philosopher, or some excellent Orator. Sitting on his Throne, they only saw vultum regis: but when he had ended his speech, they thought they heard vocem Dei. Neither had Pharaoh so advanced Joseph, nor Ahasuerus so honored Mordecai, if they had not been destined to this by the purpose of God. Whosoever be the instrument, it is Christ that giveth the advancement. But this is a glory which he communicates even to reprobates: there is a higher glory reserved for the Saints. It is some glory to be a man: his very dominion over the creatures is called an honor, More glory to be a king: and yet more still, to be a Christian, and such a Christian as is a Saint. A man hath command over the irrational creatures: the whole nature of them is tamed by him. A king hath command over men, all those rational creatures that be his subjects. A Saint hath command over his own lusts and passions; a higher soveraignetie than all the rest. Men may have the service of the creatures, kings the service of men, Saints have the attendance of Angels. Angels mandavit; Such honor have all his Saints. All this glory doth Christ give us in this world: good reason therefore that we should return glory to him. One good turn asks another: glory requires glory: we cannot in equity do less.

But Christ hath another manner of glory in store for us: It is his pleasure to give us a Kingdom. And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them. We have a great glory here, but it is ab intus: The kings daughter is all glorious within. There above, it shall be also external and visible: for they shall shine as the stars. Our very bodies shall be made glorious: they are sown in corruption, but raised in glory: fashioned like Christ's own glorious body. He that will give all this glory to us, may well look for glory from us. Alas, what is the glory we give him, in comparison of that he gives us? The glory he gives us is real: that we give him, is but votall: He gives us as great glory as we can wish: we can but wish him the glory which he hath. He gives us as much glory as we are capable of: we cannot be so bountiful to him, for he is infinite. Our wish cannot make him glorious, his will makes us so. His is operative, ours but optative. Ours is Cum affectu, in desire: his cum effectu, in performance. The glory we give him, is ex merito; he hath deserved it: we cannot deserve the glory he gives us, but it is only ex beneplacito, of his own free favor. He needs not give it unto us, we are bound to return it unto him. His is voluntary, ours necessary: we can challenge no glory from him, he may challenge all glory from us. If he gives us none, we cannot blame him of unkindness: if we give him not all, we are guilty of unthankfulness. There is obligation enough in his bounty to us, to bind us to give all glory to him. It becometh well the just to be thankful: it becomes receivers to praise their benefactors. Our humility and dependence upon God shows it self in this grateful acknowledgement, that to Christ we are beholden for all things. It is good to sing praises unto the Lord: it is pleasant, and praise is comely. It is pleasant to God, and it is good to us: both for procurement of the good we want, and for the continuance of the good we have.

We almost defy the Artist, that hath made some curious and admirable piece: and if any man hath delivered his country from great dangers, his name is honored in our Chronicles. Christ hath made the world, that magnificent structure: and made man (as it were) the Worlds lord and master; and does he not deserve glory? Can we consider the heavens, and not say, O Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the earth? Christ hath delivered us from all our enemies, sin, death, hell, the devil; and made us more than Conquerors over them, that were no less than tyrants over us; and does he not deserve glory? Paul could not speak of this mercy without the subjunction of glory. When we consider how little good, and how much evil we deserve at his hands: When we consider how little evil, and how much good we receive at his hands; can we do less than give him glory? Christ's benefits are good seed, but they fall upon barren ground, if they do not prosper to his glory. I gave them corn, wine, and oil, multiplied their silver and gold: but they prepared it for Baal: There was God and Israel; God the Founder, and Israel the confounder: as she gives his glory to Baal, so will he give away her plenty to famine. Such is our case: Christ rains down Manna; we gather it, and eat it, and scarce ever think from whence we had it. We can easily remember to wish for what we want, but we forget to give thanks for what we have. But one of those ten lepers cleansed, returned with thanks: it is ten to one, if any give glory to God. Lucke, or wit, or friend; one thing or other still lies in our way, and takes up Christ's glory ere it can come at him. Job was so poor, that he had not a Lamb left to offer in sacrifice: yet even then was he rich, because God had taken them all away in one entire oblation, one holocaust or burnt sacrifice: For the fire that burnt up his sheep, is said to come from Heaven, and it is called the fire of God. Yet after all was gone, and Job had nothing left to offer him, he offered up himself, he did glorify God; Blessed be his Name. It is not so with us; we are not so poor: Nondum ad sterquilinium redacti sumus, we are not brought to the dunghill: Nondum versa est in cineres Troia, our state does not lie in dust and ashes: we have wherewithal to glorify Christ. Only there be three letters wanting in our Alphabet, which spell the best part of us, COR: these hath the world torn out, or obliterated: If we could put them into their place again, all would be right: the glory of Christ should shine forth most brightly, and in all things should he be honored. For of him are all things, and for all things to him be glory.

4. Christ is most lovely, and therefore deserves glory. Omne pulchrum gloriosum. He is fairer than the sons of men: Not as carnal hearts esteem of beauty, by their sense and fancy: So the covetous may think him lovely, because he is rich and bountiful: they wish not the riches of his grace, but to be graced with his riches; as if he were Mammon, the god of gold. If he did proffer riches, when he proffers righteousness, they would bring good stomachs, hunger and thirst enough. So the Epicure may think him lovely, because he always keeps pleasant cheare in his house: Sectator Epularum, non de been vivente, sed de been pascente, laudabilem profert sententiam. If the wine he speaks of were the juice of the grape, he could not want customers. It is the brutish error of men, to think the incomprehensible God like that thing, which best pleaseth their sensual appetite. So it is thought, that if the irrational creatures could draw a picture of the Divine Nature, they would make their own shape the copy. The Lacedemonians, because they were of a warlike disposition, and given to martial affairs, presented all the statues of their gods armed, like Commanders and Soldiers. The Egyptians did worse; for they painted the Angels black, and the devils white: but it was in favor of their own complexion, because themselves were black. So wealthy worldlings may praise Christ for his riches, and secular kings admire him for his Soveraigntie, and voluptuous men magnify him for his pleasures. But those be gross and muddy conceptions: a good man would not be so commended. Sit tibi tam triste, laudari a turpibus, quàm si lauderis ob turpia. I dare not altogether consent with the Philosopher in that: for men may be good, and yet praised of the evil. Bonum est laudari, sed praestantius esse laudabilem. But the children of faith see Christ's beauty with other eyes: they behold him as the Lord and Giver of life, as the Fountain of all Grace, as the Perfection of all Happiness, as a merciful King that smiles upon humble suitors, as a Lamb that shed his own blood to redeem us, as a glorious Sun of favor and pity, that dries up all the tears of Repentance, as the God of Peace and Comfort, that protects us on earth, and will forever crown us in heaven. This is another motive to inflame our hearts, with a desire to exalt his glory, and to praise his Name, because he is lovely.

5. Lastly, his low humiliation deserves glory. It is the Promise of Christ; Everyone that humbleth himself, shall be exalted: and shall not He himself speed so? This was a sufficient cause of his exaltation: Humilitas gloriae meritum, gloria humilitatis premium. As, by CHRIST, GOD brought light out of darkness at the first: so he will bring glory out of humility at the last. Let us look down a little to his descent, that his rise may appear the more glorious. First, The Person was God; and there is first mention of that high Majesty, to give the more luster to this low humility. For a man of mean condition to be humble, is no such hard matter, no great praise, if he be: a great fault, if he be not. But for a king thus to stoop, to rise from the royal Throne, and fall upon his knees; this was great humility. Secondly, the freedom of the action; he was not forced to it, but humiliavit se. Simon of Cyrene was compelled to bear his cross, his neck was humbled under it by constraint: Christ willingly submitted himself to it. The willingness makes it acceptable, to have done it by compulsion, had been miserable. Thirdly, the depth of his humiliation, usque ad naturam hominis: in his very assuming of humanity, there was great humility. But more, usque ad formam servi: as Abigail to David, so Christ to his Apostles, even to the washing of the feet of his servants. Yea, usque ad mortem, which is more. This would stagger the best of us: we love humility in a whole skin. Indeed there was no reason in the world, that obedience should be put to death; for death is the wages of disobedience: obedience, in justice, is rewarded with life. Add to all this, that it was mors crucis, to which he humbled himself. It was the foulest death of all other; the death of Malefactors, and of the worst sort of Malefactors. So it was not only usque formam servi, but usque mortem malefici. Nor did he only suffer without pity, but not without scorn: his pain was their sport. This were worse than death to a generous and noble spirit: for if it be so miserable to live with infamy, what is it with infamy to die? This was low enough; yet his body must be laid in the grave; one story lower. Yea, he descended into hell, and lower he could not go. All this for us; Descendit ad inferos, quo nos oportuit, ne nos descendamus unquam. We have him now at the lowest; and have kept him all this while in the Press; it is now high time that he should come forth in Print.

For his Humiliavit, let him have his Exaltavit: for mortem crucis, gloriam Patris. See how God doth advance him, from death to life, from shame to glory, from a death of shame to a life of glory. He was not raised up like Lazarus, to die again: but being raised up, He dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him; nay, he hath full dominion over death: Neither did he rise only to the upper face of the earth, but from the earth: from De profundis, to in excelsis: above the clouds, above the stars, above the heavens, and the heavens of heavens. As he descended into hell, that we might never come thither: so ascendit in coelum, ut praeparet locum nobis, ubi nos nihil juris.

This glory hath God given him, but have we no glory to give him for all this? We, for whom he suffered all those torments, can we be empty of his praises? The Angels sang, Glory to God on high; when the God of all glory lay low enough. He was then in the Cratch; afterwards on the Cross, but now is advanced to the Crown. Shall they more honor him in his Humility, than we do now in his Majesty? They in infimis, than we in altissimis? He remembered us in our low estate: and shall not we remember him in his glory? He hath it there, though we should never give it him here. Yet this most royal Prince looks down from his Throne to his footstool; to see which of his Servants give him most honor, and what requital they make of his favor. Christ seemed to lose his glory, by hanging on the Cross; therefore let us make him a Coronet of our praises. We took some from him, shall we not wish some to him again for it? That was his Ignominia in infimis, and shall we not give him gloria in altissimis in lieu of it? Yes, as it was said of Babylon, How much she hath glorified her self, give her so much torment and sorrow: so look how much torment Christ felt, if it were possible, let us give him so much glory. As there was no sorrow like to his sorrow, so let there be no glory like to his glory. It is he which gives us beauty for ashes, and joy for heaviness; that lifts us up from the dunghill, and sets us among Princes; that changeth all our tears into comforts; and at last advanceth us from a vale of miseries, to the Mount Royal of eternal Blessedness: Thus he exalts us, and shall not we exalt him? As he was humbled to the lowest, so let our praises lift him up to the highest. Let us sing his praise on earth, so as our songs may pierce the clouds, and enter into the heavens, and become a pleasant incense to the Lord of hosts. That so the glory which we give him below, may make for our souls to his glory above.

[unspec 3] Aquibus, from whom must this Glory come? But here ariseth a doubt, what Verbe is to be put here; for there is never a Verbe in the original: whether Est, or Esto: whether an Indicative, that so it is: or an Optative, that so it may be. The former is by way of gratulation, the other by way of exoptation. Christ now hath Glory, saith the one: let Christ have Glory, saith the other. That is Vox confitentium; they acknowledge that all Glory is his: this Vox petentium; they desire that it may still be given unto Him: either is Vox laudantium; they praise Christ, and show that He is most worthy to be praised. Ipsi sit Gloria, which is per modum voti, doth well befit the Church militant: Est Gloria, which is per concessum facti, is more fit for the Church triumphant. It is either a praise, or a wish; Gratulatory, or Apprecatory: and consists in demonstranda, that this Glory is his; or in exoptando, that it may be, and daily more and more be given Him. Either is well; but both are best, for both are most true.

1. This Glory then must have an Vnde; As there is Terminus in quo, on whom this Glory reflects, and in whom it resides: so there must be Terminus à quo, from whence it comes: without an emissive term, there can be no receptive term. Who then should give this Glory to Christ? For the Angels to do it, is no new thing. From the beginning, it was their occupation so to do. The morning stars sang together: and what is their song, but Holy, holy, holy, the whole earth is full of his Glory? Nor do they sing this only to God in his his own Nature, but even to GOD incarnate. So when the Angel had done his Sermon, the whole Queere begun their Anthem. They gave Him Glory, when He was in great humility: the Cratch was the last word of the Sermon, and yet Glory the first word of the Song. To show that all that external baseness, which seemed to tend to his disgrace, was but the Auspicium of his Glory. All that appeared beneath, Ignominia in imis, is pronounced Gloria in excelsis, and so celebrated by the holy Angels. No sooner was the Speech ended, but as if the word Cratch had been their rest, immediately the Hymn began. It was an Anthem that did properly belong to the Sermon, and it was a Sermon that did properly require such an Anthem. And all this to a Babe in the manger; In infimis puero, in altissimis Deo: for He was both. Such Hymns and Anthems they still continue in heaven: good cause have they to praise the Lord; but why this honor to Christ? Why do they so rejoice at his Birth? Quid illis concio, vel cantio? He took not on Him the nature of Angels: Why do they make such a do about it, when it concerns them not at all? I bring you tidings of joy; To you is borne a Savior: he does not say, To us. Yet they do it; not only upon command; Let all the Angels of God worship Him; let the whole Hoast of heaven do Him honor: but cheerfully and willingly, in relation to us. They rejoice at our conversion; hoc angelicum est. The Devils manner is to grieve at the good of others. If Christ come to save us, they cry out that He torments them: hoc est Diabolicum. They, in whose own particular this concerns not, rejoice: they for us, and not we (by good inference) for ourselves? The Queere of heaven began the song, but to set us in: we are to bear a part, and the chief part, because the best part of it is ours. They took it up, we are to keep it up, and never to let it go down, or die on our hands: but to sing it after the Angels below, that we may sing it with the Angels above.

2. Thus we have found out the Parties, to whom this duty belongs: we are they that must give Glory to Christ. As for us men and for our salvation, He exposed Himself to ignominy: so from us men, for our salvation, He expects Glory. The Vnde is from the earth, and men the Aquibus from whom this Glory is looked for. I deny but that God made all things for his Glory: and Glory He will have in all things that He hath made. The Heavens declare the Glory of God: and Praise the Lord, O ye Heavens, &c. How should these praise Him? The Heavens and Stars, the Earth and Seas, Fire and Vapours, Trees and Mountains, have no tongues. Dragons and Lions, Whales and Fishes, Ravens and Fowls, are called upon to praise God: yet they cannot speak. The former cannot speak, because they have no tongues: the latter have tongues, but they cannot speak. Why are all these Creatures said to praise God, and bidden to praise Him? They cannot do it but by the apprehension and expression of man: it is he that carries the tongue for them all. Therefore after the catalogue and list of the Creatures, mustered up to God's praises, man is instantly mentioned; and that in all the kinds and conditions of men; Kings, Judges, old, young. So in the Song of those three holy servants of God, after that copious enumeration of the Creatures, summoned to this retribution of Glory, Man is plentifully brought in: O ye children of men, O ye Priests, &c. As if all the rest could do nothing without man: and he were not only their Interpreter and vocal Orator, to tell their meaning; but (as it were) their Priest, to offer up their sacrifice of thankfulness to God: and their Lord and Master, to whom they owe and do service: by which service of theirs to him, they put him in mind of the service he owes to his Maker. If the Heavens declare the Glory of God, how do they it, but to the eyes of man, and by the tongue of man, for whom they were made? For what end hath man those two privileges above his fellow-Creatures; Reason and Speech, but that as by the one he may conceive of the great works of God, which the rest cannot: so by the other he may express what he conceives, to the honor of his Creator, which the other do not? He that hath ears, let him hear: and so he that hath a tongue, let him speak. With his own precious blood He hath redeemed us, we have cause to do it: He hath furnished us with Reason and Language, we have means to do it: and if we do it not, the worst will be our own. For Christ will have it done: if we will not, others shall: yea, we ourselves shall, whether we will or no: If not with Jacob, under a shower of blessings; yet with Achan, under a shower of stones. If not with Mary, in a flood of penitent tears; yet with Julian, in a desperate stream of blood. It is woeful, when Balaam's beast must come to speak to her master: when the very Sun that shines upon us, and the earth that bears us, shall condemn our silence: and all the Creatures shall be called to give in their testimony, that we have not given Christ the Glory.

This is no new exprobration of our unthankfulness, by summoning heaven and earth, rocks and mountains. When the Trumpet sounds for the publication of God's Glory, even they are called in for Auditors. They would express, if they could; what we can express, if we would; even the Glory we owe to our Maker. They shall all be Witnesses of God's just quarrel against us, for our prodigious ingratitude. The senseless Creatures shall have a voice to cry out against sin; whether it be the oppression of man, or suppression of the Glory of God. The Pharisees murmur; what was the cause of their quarrel? The people would give Glory to Christ: this they grudge at; this they could not endure. But Christ chokes their clamorous cavils; that if the people should hold their peace, The very stones would speak. And indeed at his delivery into the hand of his enemies; when all his Disciples fled away for fear, and his dearest friends durst not acknowledge Him; the very stones did then confess Him: and that in a language not only extraordinary, but contrary to their solid constitutions. His Glory then shall not be hid: for if men hold their peace, the very stones shall speak it. Ex ore Infantum He will have it: yea, Ex ore Lapidum: As God is able to raise Testes veritatis, ex lapidibus fluminis, children to Abraham, of the stones of Jordan. In the body there be several members, and they have all their offices: the eye sees for all, the ear hears for all, the hand works for all, the foot walks for all: So man is the Tongue of the the world, whose office is to speak for all. The Sun doth his office in giving light, the Stars do theirs in giving influence, the sea his in sending abroad springs, the earth hers in yielding fruits: if man do not discharge his office, in glorifying God for all these benefits; all shall speak against him, because he did not speak for all.

3. The Saints have ever been most careful of this duty. Elisha to heal the waters of Jericho, calls for a new cruse, and fault in it, and says, Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters. The cruse shall be theirs, the act his, the power the Lord's. Far was it from the Prophet, to challenge ought to himself. In dividing the waters of Jordan, he does not say, where is the power of Elisha? but, where is the Lord God of Elijah? In curing the waters of Jericho, he says not, Thus saith Elisha, but thus saith the Lord. He professes that he can do no more of himself, than that salt, than that cruse: only God works by him. Jericho shall know to whom they owe the blessing, that to him they may return the thanks. Thus careful was S ^t . Peter, when he had cured the cripple, that none of Christ's glory might cleave to his fingers. There be those that would still be filching God's honor: like Herod, that was smitten with worms for his labor. He had a worm of pride within him, which engendered the worms that devoured him. There is nothing that the devil can worse abide, than that Glory should be given to Christ: he would fain have it himself. How large a proffer does he make for a little worship. The Angels sing, Glory to God on high: but it is the devils study, to mar the Angels melody, and to bring in his black Sanctus; to pull down Glory from on high, quite out of heaven; and to confine it to himself in his own hell. But if he cannot have it himself, yet let man take it: Any where he is content to see it bestowed, rather than upon Christ. His first incantation was the false promise of a higher glory: that same Eritis sicut Dii, is not yet gotten out of the ambitious hearts of men. The Popish gloss is not reformed yet: that Dominus Deus noster Papa will not be left out. It is a common Text in Kings Courts, I have said ye are gods: but if the next verse be read by the Preacher, ye shall die like men; yet the glass must first be out, and the Sermon done before he comes at it. There will be havoc made of peace, religion, and piety, and all to achieve glory. That which the Apostles rent their clothes to put from them, we would rend our very skins to pluck to us. Let God's glory shift for it self, our honor must be preserved. Nay we are not content with our own allowance, but we must invade God's propriety: Out of our own commons, we break into his Several: no glory must serve our turns, but His: As if no honor could satisfy the ambitious subject, but the kingdom: It is nothing to be great at Court, he must have the Crown. But of all breaches of the eight Commandment, there is none like theft: all of thefts, none like Sacrilege: of all sacrileges none like robbing God of his glory. As his glory is a treasure, which he will not give to another: so the very attempt to rob him of that, is a sin to which he hath seldom granted a pardon.

4. Men are commanded to give this glory: but how can they give it? Giving presupposeth having: we have no glory, how then should we give it? We may as well find fire in the bottom of the sea, or a well of water in the body of the Sun, as glory in man. Besides, if honor be in honorante; than as the less is blessed of the greater, so here the giver of glory should be more excellent than the receiver. But properly, neither can we give it, nor can God receive it: For both he is so infinitely full of glory, that no more can be added unto him: and we are quite empty, and have not one drop to give him. Yet both we are said to give, and he to receive: We to give what he hath first given us: and he to receive, what before he had in himself. It is his grace planted in our hearts, that brings forth the fruit of glory to his Name: and if we have the former, we cannot but give the latter. Suum Simile; it is natural to grace, to beget the like: for beneplacitum Dei, to beget beneplacitum Deo. If we think to spin this glory out of our own bowels; and thereof to make a garment of honor for Christ, we are grossly deceived: for he will not accept it, he scorns to wear it. So heretics will undertake to blason Christ's arms; but the Device must be their own. These are false Heralds; let them keeper their honor to themselves. But if out of those innumerable graces, which his holy Spirit hath set in our hearts, we shall ransack our garden for flowers, and thereof make a garland of thankfulness; this he will accept, and account it a honor to wear. Those coronation flowers of humble gratitude, and hearty love, he will stick in his own Crown. If we could make a happy marriage between a perfect Red (suppose the Prince of the land of Roses) and a perfect white, (suppose the Lady of the nation of Lilies) between the zeal of a religious profession, and the innocence of a spotless life; they would beget the best color: the Lord would be well pleased with us, if we could present him such a glory. But to talk of any glory of our own, or to offer that; were as if the darkness should proffer light to the day, or the dry pit to lend water to the spring. The Lord found us polluted in our blood; there was all our beauty. We come up, and are cut down like a flower; there was all our glory: And were not this rich stuff, to offer unto Christ? Once we did so, and he was contented with it: Our sin was all the favor, and our death all the honor, and our condemnation all the glory we gave him. We lodged him in a stable at his birth, and housed him with contempt all his life, and for a farewell nailed him to the cross at his death: and there we left him. From under all these clouds of abuse, our Sun rose glorious, to his own orbe in heaven: Have we no better thing to present him with now? Will no glory yet come from us?

From some, too many, it will not. We have our irreligious Politicians, that think on their own glory, not his. All happy successes they ascribe to their own heads, not to the Head of the Church. Perhaps if anything fall out cross, Christ may be blamed for it. These men do that in earnest, which we have seen boys do in sport; stand on their heads, and shake their heels against heaven. We have our impious blasphemers, that pierce his side with oaths, and swear all his wounds open again. The Jews did but crucify him below, on the earth; when he came to suffer: these crucify him above, in heaven, where he sits on his throne. From such men Christ hath injury and infamy enough, but not one spark of glory. From us yet let him speed better: some glory, yea all glory we must give him on earth, or he will give us none in heaven. If we lock up his glory, he will lock us out of his glory. He asks for our glory, and we beg his; Petimúsque damúsque vicissim: Let us give, and we shall receive: as below, Grace for grace: so above Glory for glory. You have glorified me by your good works, in the day of thralldom: Come now ye blessed, and I will glorify you by my mercies in may eternal kingdom.

But wherein can we glorify him? Not in giving him what he hath not, but in making known what he hath. To publish his glory, is all that we can do for him: or to magnify his works. To magnify him, is not Magnum facere, sed Magnum dicere. His glory by our praises, is not made Major, but Notior. Nothing is added to the latitude or extent of it; but to the appearance and manifestation of it. We magnify him, not by increasing the luster of his glory, but by plucking off the veil of darkness from the faces of sinners. As it is a kind of honor to the Sun, when by opening the eyes of the blind, or bringing prisoners out of an obscure dungeon, we enable them to take knowledge of his light. Nor hath the Sun so much cause to thank us for this, as they that by this help come to behold the Sun. Yet he that is ever infinite, is pleased to enlarge himself by the number of our prayers: and takes our frequent petitions as it were an augmentation of his Greatness: as Princes are made famous by the multitude of clients. Still for all this, we are beholden to him, not he to us. That he will suffer us to take his glorious Name in our mouths, is a great honor: That he will take his Name any ways dignified by our mouths, is a greater honor. O what an honor hath God given to men, that they may either speak to him, or speak of him? We are worms, yea, worse by nature: why are we suffered to crawl on his earth? We are serpents, in respect of the venomous corruption of our sins: why are we suffered to hiss?

David professeth himself a dead dog, to his king Saul: and so doth Mephibosheth to his king David. Yet David speaks to Saul, and Mephibosheth speaks to David. We have no measure to try any comparison with God: proportion is no measure for infinitensse. Yet let it suffice to our comfort, that God doth not esteem us so little to himself, as a dead dog is to a King. Whatsoever we are indeed, yet his mercy doth make more account of us. The man that hath but a torn cottage to hide his head in; he that hath no cottage, no harbor, but is fain to rest his weary limbs on the cold earth; he that hath no more of this world but a grave: he that hath his grave but lent him, till a better man must be buried in the same grave: he that hath no grave but a dunghill: he that hath no more earth but that which he carries, but that which he is: he that hath not that earth which he is, but even in that is another's slave: yet hath as much proportion to God, as if all David's worthies, all the monarchs of the world, and all those imaginary giants, were kneaded and incorporated into one; and as though that one were the surviver of all the sons of men, to whom God had given the earth. Therefore how little soever we be, though we are as if we were not: yet he that calls things that are not, as though they were; gives us leave both to call upon him, and to call upon others to honor him; and puts the promulgation of his glory into our unworthy lips. If we were but mere dust and ashes, we might speak unto the Lord: For the Lord's hand made us of this dust, and the Lord's hand shall recollect these ashes. The Lord's hand was the wheel, upon which these vessels of clay were framed: and the Lord's hand is the vrne, in which these ashes shall be preserved. We are the dust and ashes of the Temple of the holy Ghost; and what marble is so precious? Yea, we are more than dust and ashes: we are our best part: every man is his soul: and being so, the very breath of God, he may breath back the praises of God. Yea, for this cause he hath his breath given him: and when he fails in that duty, he deserves to have his breath taken from him. It is man's greatest honor, that he may set forth the glory of his Maker as it was a high credit to him, Cujus dignatur ab ore Caesar in orbe loqui. In this respect every man is a Preacher, every creature a Text, every occasion a doctrine, every blessing a reason, every thanksgiving an use, men and Angels the auditors, and the whole Sermon is God's Glory.

Quomodo: To him, but How? Since we must all give glory to him; all glory, by all means, and at all times; it is requisite that we know How.

1. Justly; for we may not think that we are at any cost with God, or do bestow ought upon him out of our own bounty: we owe it to him, & Justice requires that we pay our debts. If it be Benevolentia, yet it is Debita: well taken, when it is freely given: but if not given, strictly to be accounted for. There is nothing for which Christ will reward us, but that whereby his glory is the greater for us. These are they which came out of great tribulation: in tribulation they confessed Christ: in the midst of that firy trial they honored his Name: therefore they stand with joy before his Throne. Such is the mercy of our good God, that he gives us a reward for doing that, which without any thanks we are bound to do. As a Father gives his obedient son the Inheritance; because he is his son, not for his obedience. But the omission of this duty shall be called to a woeful reckoning. He that denieth me before men, shall be denied before the Angels of God. His refusal of us, for us neglect of him, is both just and grievous. Because they knew God, and did not glorify him as God, what shall become of them? To be cast out from his presence, and debarred of those infinite joys that accompany it, is the extremity of sorrow. But there is more in it than so: Depart from me ye cursed: there is torment upon torment: Cast that unprofitable servant into utter darkness, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth; because he did not glorify God with his talent. It is not then left arbitrary, but imposed as necessary: No indifferent matter, whether we render him glory, or not: but if we do not, we shall die for it. He is a self-willed fool, that will not open his mouth, to save his life: but more sottish he, that will not open it to save his soul. This is not therefore matter of courtesy, but of duty: nor a free largesse, but a just debt. Render unto God the things that are God's: Not Date, but Reddite; what is God's; and glory is his without all question. They are mistaken that think their gratitude a gravity: as if God were beholden to us for rendering him his own. Indeed it is often called a gift, though it be a debt: a gift in respect of our liberal mind, a debt in its own nature. In our common speech we say, What is more due than debt? And again, What is more free than gift? The one doth not destroy the other. Indeed what we frankly pay as a debt, God will graciously accept as a gift. Not that he useth us as we do desperate debtors; glad to take this or nothing: for our Creditor can pay himself at his pleasure. If we do not render him glory with all our hearts, he will fetch it out of our carcasses. Have it of us he will; either in the liberty of this earth, or in the prison of hell: Either our pleasure, or our pain must pay him. Yet such is his goodness, to accept kindly, what we pay heartily: and to take that as a courtesy, which is indeed our duty. His wrath is revealed from heaven, against those that with-hold the truth in unrighteousness? If we with-hold the truth of his glory, it is great injustice.

2. Freely: that is but a sour praise, which is pressed or wringed out, like Verjuyce from a Crabbe. I will get me honor upon Pharaoh; but no thanks to Pharaoh: he shall get little by it, unless we call plagues and death a commodity. Forced praise may be for the honor laudatorum, but it is nothing to the comfort laudantium. The very devils were driven to acknowledge Christ: their scholars, the Sorcerers of Egypt were compelled to say, This is the finger of God: yet they are all of them in hell. This is to give Christ the glory, because we cannot do the contrary; to praise him against our wills. There is a confession upon the rack: but commonly execution follows it: and such malefactors have no more favor, than to be had from the rack to the Gibbet: God hath vim coactivam. Hophni with his flesh-hook could say, Da vel auferam. So to part with it, as one delivers his purse, or as a Porter bears his load, groaning under it, is little to our comfort. Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily: so voluntarily, as if God had neither racks nor skrewes to force it out of you. God loves a cheerful giver: if he looks for this in our charity to the poor, much more in our piety to his honor. We call upon you for this tribute, and you put us off till To morrow. Favors that come with grudging, are viscata beneficia: they stick to the fingers like birdlime, and will not come off. We are all put into that holy office: Christ hath made us Priests to himself, and sent us into the world to preach his glory. If we do it, there is no merit to be talked of, for a necessity is laid upon us: but if we do it not, there is a woe to be thought of, for a curse will befall us.

Do it then, but do it cheerfully, even with love and good will: let it be the offering of a free heart. The willingness of the mind, is ever the fat of the sacrifice: and without that, all is lean and dry. Sustali quod sanctum est e dome mea: I had an holy portion due to God among my goods, I have severed it from the rest, I have brought and laid it upon his Altar. I have taken my best goods the love and fidelity of mine heart, and consecrated them to God in cheerful praises? God had touched the harts of them that honored the King: so all those that give glory to Christ, have God's stamp upon their hearts. But for those men of Belial, that despise him, and bring him no presents of praises; there is the print of the Devils claws upon them. Praised he ought to be, and that freely: not feinedly, Quemadmodum ad hypocritis; not by custom, sicut à secularibus: not according to our own imagination, sicut ad haereticis: not by bodily representations, sicut à superstitiosis: not by compulsion, sicut à mancipiis: but with all sincerity and cheerfulness, as it becometh Christians. We need not grudge it, for we are no losers by it. It does not diminish our flocks, nor dis-furnish our houses, nor disquantitie our sums, nor disparage our Credites, nor impair our healths: nay, it is the only way to conserve all unto us. We are not the poorer, but the richer by this gift. Though we do not condition for the praising of Christ, as Judas did for the selling of Christ, Quid dabis? yet we are sure of a reward, good servant, the glory of thy Lord hath entered into thee; thou hast loved it in thy heart, and published it with thy lips: now Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. As it was before in the charge, Freely you have received, freely give: so it is now for the reward, Freely you have given, freely receive: As my glory was advanced by you, so be you advanced into my glory.

3. Fervently: there is no thanks to a cold commendation: it is well if it may have a pardon. Laus in ore invido, parùm differt à vituperio. The praise that sticks in our teeth, and is loath to come forth; that pincheth God of his right, as Pharaoh higgled with him about the release of Israel: some he shall have, not all: the glory of such a deliverance, another came another ways; is fraus, rather than laus, a secret cozenage, rather than an act of Justice. When we write to great persons, we rather make their Titles excessive, than defective: they take it for a dishonor, if we speak them short: they would not lose one inch of their height. Hyperbole's do well; but Aposiopeses are intolerable. The new Lady snuffes to be called Mistress. Set up the string of honor as high as you may, as high as the Instrument will bear, till it even crackes again; and that sounds well, the music pleaseth us. And shall we bate God of his Celsitude? Is any praise too high for him? His glory is above the earth and heaven. Above the earth it may well be; for the earth is but the Cellar or Vault of the world. Indeed here be Excelsa, and Excelsi, high places, and high persons, both: the highest places are mountains, and the highest persons kings. I will ascend above the height of the clouds, I will be like the most High; said one of them. Babylon was the high place, and the King of Babylon the high Person: yet he was so modest as to challenge no more, but Similis Altissimo, not Altissimus. But as high as they are, There be higher than they. The Glory of Christ is higher than theirs, for it is above the earth: yea, above heaven too.

Altissimus was the ancient style of God: Melchizedek so termed him first. Therefore let us give him the highest Glory: Laudate Deum in excelsis: so the Angels sung, Glory to God on high. All glory is high; yet there is one glory higher than another: and One star differeth from another in glory. Glory, like Fame; Ingreditur solo, & caput nubila condit. If any be higher, let us give Christ that; Praise Him in the heights, as high as we can go. Glory it self is an altitude; higher than wealth, higher than pleasure: the highest pitch that man can fly; an Eagle for the King. Good reason that we should wish him that is highest the highest thing we have. Praise him upon the high sounding Cymbals; that our voices, and applauses, and thanks may be heard up to the very heavens, and so be in altissimis indeed. To shorten the glory of God, is not laus, but sacrilegium. To call him only, Great, happy, wise, good, is but a positive: not enough, if there be a greater, better, wiser, happier, in the comparative. Parva laus, tantum miseris anteferri. No, give it him in the superlative, in the highest; Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens. With our highest wishes, and highest affections, and highest expressions, and highest endeavors, let us set forth the praise and glory of the most high God, Jesus Christ.

4. Intentively, and with an earnest desire to glorify him. Though we cannot go so high as we would, yet let us go as high as we can. I know it is impossible to shoot home to the mark, and to give Christ condign praises: he is worthy of all praise, but no praise can be worthy of Him. As his humility was so deep, that we cannot sound it: so his sublimity is so high, that we cannot reach it. Yet let us draw to our utmost strength, and loose the arrows of our praises, so that they may come as near heaven, as the arm of flesh can send them: and even that shall be accepted. He does not look for such Glory from us, as He is worthy to receive, but as we are able to give. Our praises of Him are not sins, yet they are not without some touch of sin: praises and infirmities come from us together, but Christ parts them; forgiving the infirmities, and receiving the praises. They are full of weaknesses, yet doth He not except against them for their imperfections. He takes them well in worth, though there be no worth in them: and vouchsafes them a reward, which had been sufficiently honored with a pardon. Christ says of Mary's annointing Him, Quod potuit fecit: yet this was somewhat, for the Ointment cost a round sum: and of the Widows charity, Quod habuit dedit; and that (God wot) was but two Mites: yet well taken though. Actionis infirmitas shall not hinder, if Voluntatis integritas be ready. There may be weakness in the act of rendering Glory; but if there be goodness in the desire, the Mercy of Christ will look graciously upon it. God's good will towards us, will accept of our good will toward Him. He is attentive to their prayers, that desire to fear his Name: and even for David, whom God commended for a man after his own Heart; his honest true heart was the fairest flower in his garden. Every action is measured according to the proportion of the Agent: Desire in them that cannot speak, speech in them that cannot do, doing good in them that lack strength to suffer evil, finds favor at the hands of Christ. As in extreme sickness; when the tongue cannot utter words, yet the heart venting groans, receives compassion. Though the Totum hominis be but Votum mentis; that will is taken for the deed. Great acts from weak persons, are entertained with wonder. The Leper was not praised, Quia in lege doctus: the Centurion was wondered at, Quia legis ignarus: yet they both had faith. In modico sermon sapientiae plus laudatur rusticus, quàm in magno Philosophus. The witty speech of a child is admired: the same falling from the mouth of a man would not be regarded. None returned with thanks but the Samaritan: if Christ have his Tythe out of a strange field, when his own Parish pays Him none, He may well take notice of it. Faithful observance is most accepted, where it is least expected. If they offer Gold to the Tabernacle, whom we deemed scarce worth Goats hair: If Mary that was so great a sinner, spend more tears upon Christ's feet, than Simon that thought himself so righteous a Saint; shall she not be more rewarded? But as there may be a desire without ability, so commonly there is an ability without a desire. Some few would do much for Christ's Glory, and cannot: thousands of us can do much for his Glory, and will not. These latter rejoice for what they can do, and are in danger of hell: the former mourn for what they cannot do, and are accepted in heaven. God will give Glory to that very willingness, which desires to glorify his Son Jesus.

5. Principally; before all others, and above all others. Principaliter, is not only a numeral, but an ordinall term: signifying both First in number, and Chief in order. For Precedencie, let Christ be the First: and for Supremacy, let him be the chiefest. Both; for we know that in civil equipage, some go before who are not the chief, nay, furthest off from the Chief: as the fore rank are farthest from the Person of the Prince, though they go before the Prince. And Saint Paul in placing those three Divine graces, sets the greatest last; Vltima charitas, sed maxima charitas. So the son is set after the brother, yet is dearer than brother: wife after child, yet dearer than child; and friend after all, who is the dearest of all. But let Christ be both Primus in Ordine, and Primus in Dignitate. Begin thy works with his glory, and so let him be the first of all: reduce all thy works to his glory, and so let him be the chief of all. There be many others to whom we owe honor: but Christ's glory must be set before all, and kept above all. Men have their glory, and with his allowance: Honor to whom honor belongeth. There be distinctions of men upon earth; some higher than others: why have we else such diversity of Titles? Worship, Lordship, Honor, Grace, Excellencie, Majesty, are stiles of honor; everyone transcending another. There are degrees of glory in the celestial bodies, among the stars. Parents we are commanded to honor: and spiritual parents, good Pastors are worthy of double honor: above all men, honor the King. The politic Atheist would have all glory given to the King, and let God stand for a bare Name. The sottish Anabaptist would have all glory given to God, and the king to stand for a cypher. These think that God hath not his due honor, unless the king lay down his Scepter, that God and Caesar, Christ and the Christian Magistrate, are the whole heaven asunder: and will not come near one another. But Christ says, Give Caesar that which is Caesars, and to God that which is God's. He joins them both arm in arm, in one verse; and fears not the loss of his own honor, by the honor of the Prince. This is one difference between the Court-parasite, and the Anabaptistical hypocrite: The former is hot for Quae Caesaris, and quite skips over Quae Dei: the other stands upon Quae Dei, and would annihilate Quae Caesaris. But both have their due places; for God is the God of order, not of confusion. O ye sons of men, Christ doth not grudge you your honors, why should you deny him his? You may enjoy your Lordships, and Worships, and all your several Titles, without his envy: yea more, he commands men to give you all your due respects: not out of courtesy, for love; nor out of slavery, for fear; nor out of flattery, for gain; but out of duty, for conscience. He upholds your names, you may do well to uphold his. The factious Sectary, that would bring all things to a parity, thinks that God's glory is not entire, unless Caesars Image be quite blotted out. The profane polititian, that would flatter the king into a God, thinks that Caesar hath never enough, till God hath nothing left. As if both could not be preserved in their several rights: as if we must needs so look upon the one, as to lose the sight of the other; and so give ear to the one, as if we never cared for hearing of the other. But Caesar may have his honor, without God's prejudice: and God may have his glory without any impeachment to Caesar. Yea, Caesar holds all his honor in Capite: and as he is the head of his subjects, so Christ is the head of Caesar. By me Kings reign: It is Christ's Prerogative royal, to be the King of kings. Glory and honor, both are in his hand, and at his disposing.

To speak to us all; God is a careful Preserver of our honors: he hath made a strong fence about our good names; hedged them in with a precept, a precept delivered in thunder, and to be required with rigor; the breach whereof is punishable with quenchlesse fire: He hath bestowed a whole Commandment upon them. He gave but ten in all, and one of the ten he hath set to guard our honors. We are not only forbidden to speak evil of the Ruler, but even of our neighbor. So provident hath the Lord been to preserve our honor. To the conviction of them that stand upon piety to God, and forget civility to men: that think it enough to do some homage to Christ on the Sabbath, though they dishonor their brethren all the week. By reason of a sinful custom crept into the world, it is usual for one duty of godliness to devour all her fellows. We cannot raise the price of one virtue, but we must cry down all the rest. Not extol Preaching, but Prayer must grow out of request: not bring up alms, and the works of mercy, but presently the works of devotion must be laid down. No way but by the sale of Christ's ointment, to provide for the poor. No way to honor God, but by the despising of men. If we be so pious, as to give Christ the glory: then so impious as to befoul the good names of his servants with ignominy. I am not as other men, extortioners, adulterers, unjust. Too many of the pure brotherhood are of the Pharisees opinion right. No extortioner, no adulterer, as if there was no other way to hell, but by these enormities: as if God could be displeased with nothing, but adultery and extortion. But as the Pharisee left out of his Catalogue, Pride: he says, No extortioner, no unjust man; he says not, No proud man: So the precise arrogant dissembler brags, that he is no adulterer, no blasphemer; but he says not, I am no slanderer. No tongue so bitter as theirs, when they light upon a name that is not in their own Register: none makes so deep an incision into the credit of their neighbors. They complain of the profane ones, (as they call them) that they make drunken catches of them in the Taverns: I excuse it not: but by their leaves, they make worse libels of good men in their private conventicles. If it be a fault in the other, to censure men in their drink: is it no fault in these, to speak worse of men at their meat? Why should Ceres have a greater privilege than Bacchus? Why should our names be the fiddles, to draw down their morsels? Why do they blame the Papists for slighting the second commandment, when they make no reckoning of the ninth? As they take it ill for others to scandalize them under the name of hypocrites, so let them take heed of scandalizing others with the name of dissolutes. God is tender of all our reputations, why are not we so one of another's? This honor he affords us in our several stations: we have it, and much good do us with it. His glory doth not so swallow up ours, but that we are honored in him, by him, and for him. But then our honor goes beyond the bounds, when it encroacheth upon his glory. It is the presumption, and the ruin of it, to invade Christ's propriety. All our glory is but a beam of his: and shall a poor and small ray brave it out, as if it were the body of the Sun? The glory of making all good, the glory of repairing what we had made evil, the glory of disposing all to good, the glory of giving all good, the glory of doing all good; this glory he will not give to another. And he that presumes to take it, when as God denies to give it; shall find it too hot, or too heavy for him: he shall never carry it to his grave. All the glory we have, is the resultance of his: all our honor consists in being his instruments: We have the glory that belongs to the instruments, let him have the glory that belongs to the Agent. This is one strong motive to preserve his honor, because he preserves ours. We deserve to live with shame, and die with infamy, if both in life and death we do not give Christ the glory.

6. Entirely; and that two ways. First, Ex parte Christi, that he have it all to himself. Secondly, Ex parte nostrâ, that we give it to him with all the powers we have. Totum illi, & ex toto nostri: he must have all the glory which can be rendered by all our ability.

1. It must be entirely his: To him, and none but him. Not to another above him, not to another beneath him, not to another for him, not to another with him, not to another besides him; but only to himself. Gloria is not enough, nor gloria Deo, without Soli. To the only wise God be honor. Not unto us; as if the Saints were afraid to touch any part of it. So we are taught to acknowledge in our Prayer, and to pray for that acknowledgement; Thine is the glory. Thine, and no Creatures else. Some Creatures may have some glory, but none of Christ's glory: that same Gloria in Altissimis is only his. The Angels sung it to Him; and if we sing it to any but Him, we sing a false note. This was their music to Him, when he lay in the Cratch: much more now he wears his Crown: To Christ, and none but Christ the glory. No sharers; he will have all, or none. Let petty lords content themselves with a mediocrity of honor: they that have right to none, will take any. Satan was never so audacious, as when he would persuade his Maker to a geniculation, to an adoration of his Creature, of his professed enemy. Never did Christ say, Avoid Satan, till then. It is a just indignation, that is conceived at the motion of a rivality with God. Certainly, Idolatry is a most dear sin to the devil, or else he would not be so importunate to compass it. How are the Papists sure, that they do not make a rivall with Christ, when they set an Image before their eyes at the time of their worship? Why may not the Saint represented in that picture, yea, why may not the picture it self go halves with Christ in the glory? How is it to him entirely, if either a Saint in heaven, or an Image on earth, be his partner? And how are they so certain of the constancy of their minds, that no thought of theirs shall ever stick upon the picture? There is flesh in the holiest of them, as well as spirit: and when the Spirit would give all the glory to Christ, will not the flesh steal away some, to bestow upon the image?

The philosophical opinion of our souls, that they are made of harmony, is little better than a poetical fiction: But the poetical fiction, that the Thebans sprang of the seed of the Serpent, and so became warring brethren, is more than a Philosophical opinion. For since the Serpent beguiled our first parents, The flesh fighteth against the spirit, and the spirit fighteth against the flesh: Et cum hac controversia nati sumus. These twins make a perpetual war within us, and that war makes many wounds, and those wounds will never perfectly be cured, till we are advanced to Heaven. Christ may now cover them with his own garment of righteousness, as that king bound up the wounds of his soldiers with his own robe: but they are never thoroughly healed, till we come to that Heavenly Jerusalem, which signifies the vision of peace, the beatifical vision of God. And so long as this flesh, this corruption of our nature sticks to us, we are in danger of making some rivall with Christ. Though our grace, the better part, the Israel within us, would give all glory to him; yet within us there is a Philistine faction too, corrupt nature, that will set up their Dagon. Though they cannot agree together, yet they must dwell together. And Paul does forbid the dominion of the worse, not the cohabitation of both. David thought it a great woe, To dwell in Mesech: but it is a far greater woe, for Mesech to dwell in us. Yet there it will dwell, till death turns them both out of doors: and sendeth our sin down to Hell, to the Devil that begot it; and our soul up into Heaven, to our Redeemer that bought it. Good cause have we therefore to take heed, least that our sin betray our grace, and like a sly thief filch away some of that honor we intended to Christ.

Entirely Christ is to have his Glory, and entirely He cannot have it if with a Partner; and there is no way to set Him up a Partner, but by Idolatry. When S. John had told us, that Christ is the true God, he immediately chargeth to keep ourselves from Idols. Me thinks this should stagger all those Romists, that have any respect to their conscience, least in their invocations they should make Saints and Angels, yea, even dead pictures, Corrivals with Christ. It is a vain help, to be told that they should not do so: It were a far better course to remove the picture, and so to prevent all danger. As Apelles when he had drawn a picture, would stand close behind the curtains, to listen how the passengers did censure it; and according as they found just faults, to amend them. I would to God our superstitious neighbors, the Papists, hearing our just censures of their Idols, Images, and pictures, would even make a clear riddance of them. It is not safe enough to charge those clients, that they never ascribe any honor to such dead representations, but for better security to cast them forever out of their devotions.

For ourselves, we are not free from idolatry: It is miserable to see, how Satan draws the world insensibly into this sin, which they profess to detest. Those that would rather hazard the furnace, than worship gold in a Statue; yet do adore it in the stamp, and find no fault with themselves. They that would not endure to worship the virgin Mary's image, though it were in gold: yet having Caesars image in gold, they fondly worship it. Facilius est Idola à Templis, quàm à cordibus separare. And what difference is there upon the matter, whether we worship the workmanship of the carver, or of the coiner? Whether the Painters pencil, or the Minters stamp, most take our hearts? The Papist worships it as it is hangd up in his chamber, the Worldling worships it as it is laid up in his coffer: both are evil, which is worse? If our hearts be drawn to an over-high respect of any creature, we are idolaters: and idolatry (we know) sets up a rivall with Christ: and if rivalls be admitted, how does he sit alone in the throne? how is the glory entirely his?

All the titles of God's Power have been attributed to potent men by their subjects, saving only his glory. As his Greatness, his Grace, his Highness, his Excellency, his Majesty, his Omnipotency, but never his Glory. To some we say, your Honor: to some, your Grace: to a Superior, your Highness: to a Prince, your excellency: to the King, your Majesty: and the parasiticall Jesuits flatter the Pope with his Omnipotency: but never hath it been said to any of them, your Glory: This no Prince hath taken, no sycophant hath given: As if God on purpose had preserved that style to himself, and not suffered any creature to usurp it: My Glory I will not give to another.

Let the application of this be brought home to our own hearts. Christ hath appropriated divine glory to himself, yet still we are catching at it: we silly and sinful worms will be proffering to pilfer it, they that Seek their own glory, will never seek Christ's. Whereas all should be referred to the honor of Christ, they will refer even his honor to themselves. There is no practice stirring, but such a man must be at the one end of it: and some line of it, how crooked soever, must be drawn to his Center. But Christ will take glory from no hands but the humble: like some mighty Prince, that looks for lowliness in his attendants, and will not be served but upon their knees. Our prayers are a part of Christ's glory, and our posture to present them in is kneeling. Haman was proud to his fellow-peers, yet humble to Ahasuerus: but it must be an humble Mordecai, from whom Christ will accept glory. He accepted water from a Samaritan, and kisses from a Mary Magdalene: humble sinners do him more honor than proud Saints. There can be no greater folly, than the arrogation of glory to ourselves: what is it that we can glory in?

1. In our wealth, Dives sum? Saint Augustine answers him, Sarcinam tuam commemoras. Will any Ass praise his burden? Tace laudes tuas, & considera miserationes. The safest time to praise a rich man, is when he is dead: Quando nec laudantem movet adulatio, nec laudatum tentat elatio. Dionysius fell from a tyrant over men, to be a tutor over boys, and so to get his living. Perses son and heir was fain to learn an occupation, the black smiths trade, to relieve his necessity. Henry the fourth, that victorious Emperor, after he had fought two and fifty pitched battles, became a petitioner for a prebend, to maintain him in his old age. Geliner, that potent king of the Vandals, was so low brought that he entreated his friend, to send him a harp a spung and a loaf of bread: a harp to consort with his misery, a spunge to dry up his tears, and a loaf to satisfy his hunger. Yet this is the wind that blows up the worlds bladder: wealth is the foundation of secular glory. Evagrius makes it the high praise of the Emperor Maurice, that in the height of all his majesty, he retained his ancient piety. And Thucydides reports it for a strange thing in the men of Chius, that for all their prosperity they were sober. Scarce one of a thousand, Cui praesens faelicitas si arrisit, non irrisit. Be not these goodly things to glory in? Let the rich man tremble to hear of his own praises; Qui de praeterito meminit se habere quod doleat, & de futuro videt sibi superesse quod timeat. Honor God with thy substance: If thou takest this honor to thyself, thou playest the thief with thine own goods.

2. In our strength? Alas, it is vanity: Morbi ludibrium: a sorry fever will fillip down an Alexander. I know that much wrong is built on the presumption of power: Id in summa fortuna aequius, quod validius. Let them have might, and they have right enough. Sua retinere privatae domus: de alienis certare, regia laus est. They devour a man and his heritage. Quia in potestate manus. Would you have me be contented with mine own, says the oppressor? That is for peasants and base spirits: but to get that by force, which belongs to others, that is gentleman-like. You would have me use my servant well: O demens, ita servus homo est? Is my man a man? Is my tenant my neighbor? Is my neighbor my brother? Doth the Senate deny my master the Consul-ship? Hic ensis dabit, says Caesars soldier. Will not Nabaoth sell Ahab his vineyard for money? Jezebel will help him to it for nothing. A counterfeit hand, with Ahab's seal, shall do it. These men will have the law in their own hands: Nec leges metuunt, sed cedit viribus aequum: Maestaque victriei jura sub ense jacent: their right hand shall right them. They eat up God's people as bread: but it is not so soon digested, as eaten: in the end it will choke them. This nettles God, and makes him an enemy. For the oppression of the poor, I will rise, saith the Lord. And woe to thee that spoilest, for thou shalt be spoiled. Where will the mighty appear, when the Almighty comes to Judgment? They call to the rocks and mountains for shelter: and yet these were no babes, but great, rich, mighty men, no less than Captains and Kings. God takes pleasure to cast down the mighty: not out of envy to their greatness: alas, the greatest potentates be to him no more than the bigger size of worms. But this is the ground of his just quarrel: they rob him of his glory, and therefore shall taste of his fury. Men may be strong: as when Germanicus had besieged a town, one Pulio in his army, by throwing a stone at a battlement, and overturning it, with all the men upon it, so amazed them with his strength, that they gave up the town. It is reported of Marius, one of the 30. Tyrans, that he could turn over a loden wane with one of his fingers. Pliny writes of one Aristomenes, who in a battle, slew 300. Lacedemonians in one day. It was a song made of Aurelian the Emperor, Mille mille vivat, qui mille mille occidit. These were all famous men in their generations; yet their strength was but the strength of flesh, vincible at their best. The strongest man upon earth is but the push of a pike, or the clappe of a pistoll. Or if they escape these violences, an ague can make them as weak as water, age will shrink their nerves, and dry up their bloods, and consume their spirits: death is stronger than they all. Abimelech was killed by the hand of a woman: so was Pyrrhus. Totilas, that had vanquished Rome, which had vanquished the world, slain by Narses, a Semi-vir, an eunuch. It is recorded of Solomon, that having a great German brought prisoner to him, of very envy to the German nation, he caused him to be bound hand and foot, and then set his dwarf upon him, like a child with a knife to hacke a tree in sunder; who with many courses and careers, at last dispatched him. Such is the mockery of puissance, when God will give it over into the hand of weakness. Take heed ye potentates, least whiles you boast of what you can do if you will, you provoke God to do what he can; to lay you, and your principality in the dust. Woe worth that mightynesse, which shall offer to rob Christ of his glory.

3. Of our wisdom? Alas, that is a foolish glory: there is no wisdom in it. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom. As by way of concession, every greater includes the less: he that can lift a talent, can easily lift a pound: So by way of denial, every greater excludes the less: if nobles may not be let into thy counsel, much less groomes. Wisdom it self is debarred any corrivality with Christ, in matter of glory: what place then is there for strength, or riches? Wealth is not comparable to strength: wealth tolles in enemies; but strength can both repel them from entering, and expel them if they be entered. Riches will make the thief more venturous, but seldom do they make the true man more hardy. Therefore doth the Prophet exclude the better at first, that the worse might with less ado be removed. If the more excellent cannot be allowed this liberty, the inferior may not by any reason challenge it. Wealth comes not more short of strength, than strength does of wisdom. The poor wise man by his wisdom delivered the city; that was the wise Solomon's observation. Then said I, wisdom is better than strength: that was his conclusion upon it. Sertorius commanded to be brought forth two horses; the one fat and lusty, the other a spittle, a poor lean Iade; both of them to be broken. He picked out two of his soldiers, the one strong and hearty, the other weak and sickly: to his lean horse he puts the strong soldier, the weak soldier to the pampered horse. The strong man went roughly to work, and thought to do the fear with dead strength; but he both tired himself, and became a mockery to the beholders: the weaker fellow by his sleight and cunning, did the deed, and went away with the applause. Strength therefore cannot boast, where wisdom is denied: and where strength cannot prevail, riches hath no hope. The best wisdom is to give all glory to Christ. Pharaoh ascribed great wisdom to Joseph, but Joseph quickly takes it off from himself, and sends it away to the right owner; Absque me, Deus respondebit prospera Pharaoni. So Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar; There is a God in Heaven that revealeth secrets. He blesseth God for the knowledge he had, and so does not deny it; but he returns the praise to him that gave it. It is written of Saint Bernard, that having done many wonders in France, he did thus put off all glory from himself: I have learned in the Scripture, that signs are done Vel per fictos, vel per perfectos: Ego nec fictionis, nec perfectionis mihi conscius sum: Let them have a good opinion of me, but give all the praise to God. in that holy man, Vincebat sublimitatem nominis, humilitas cordis: Nec poterat universus mundus tantùm eum erigere, quantum se ipse dejicere solus. Hypocrites labor to seem saints, not to be so; but the Holy labor to be, more than to seem Saints. The Kite may fly aloft, but her eye and mind is to the Earth: She seems to be a gallant Bird at her pitch, till she falls down upon a carrion. O how the dissembling Zealot makes a show to honor Christ with his lofty profession, as if he were altogether a man of Heaven: tarry but a little, throw the bait of glory in his way, and he will stoop to a carrion, and be taken with the pride of his own commendation. They say, there stands a Globe of the World at one end of a famous Library, and at the other end a Sceleton: We need not search long for a good lesson in this Library: for though a man were learned in all that he sees in the Map of this World, yet he must die, and so himself become a Map of mortality. Nothing a man hath wherein he can glory, but Christ will indict him for it, and that of a Sacrilegious fellonie.

To conclude with some Use. All the Prophets and Fathers of the Primitive Church, used to cry out against those particular sins, wherewith their times were pestered: If I were to touch the sore of the daughter of this people; (we have many sores, from the crown of the head, to the sole of the foot) that which doth most rankle and apostemate, it should be this robbing of Christ of his Glory, by the proud affectation of our own. And if I should further insist upon it, my Argument and Text here would bear it well enough. It is an epidemical infection: Every Man will proclaim his own goodness. In a concourse of several companies in this or any other city, still they only that are called, appear and answer. If Stationers be called, none answer but Stationers: at the call of Mercers, Embroyderers do not stand up: nor if Goldsmiths be named, do Habberdashers present themselves. But to the Proclamation of, O all ye that are good and honest men, approach, we stand up every man of us, none disappeares. We are all so proud, that we would be accounted such, though we are not so conscionable as to be such. But if we cloth ourselves with Christ's Glory, he will uncloth us of his favor, and then what will become of our honor? Suppose the King should set a Subject in his chair of State, give him royal attendants, and sumptuous cheare, but withal hang him a naked Sword over his head in a twine thread, with the point downwards: would that honor make him merry? Would he desire to be thus seated? Suppose that GOD should give thee this liberty, and suffer thee to ruffle it in the royal Robes of his Glory; Crown thy head with Rose buds, and wash thy paths with butter: or say unto thee, wrap thyself up in Purple and Scarlet, and fare deliciously every day: Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it with pleasures: Only, Faciem meam nunquam videbis, you shall never come at me, never see my Face; Would we think we had a good offer? Would we accept the condition? No, Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us. Rather let my abode be a Prison, a Dungeon, a kind of Hell; but let the light of thy Countenance, O sweet Savior, shine in at some little cranny; and that shall make it a Palace, a Court, a very Heaven. Let our bread be the bread of affliction, and let our tears be our drink: but let the Light of thy Countenance shine upon us, and then our bread shall be transubstantiated into Manna, the food of Angels; and our Water be turned into Wine, our Tears congealed into Pearls, to enrich our Consciences with so many Heavenly joys. For all this felicity, he asks no more but his Glory. When Thales Milesius had imparted to another Philosopher some admirable discourse of Heaven, he freeed his Scholar from all reward but this; That whensoever he divulged this secret; Tibi non ascripseris, sed me ejus repertorem praedicaveris. The invention it self he was willing to communicate unto others, but the honor of the invention he wovld keep to himself; Vbi mea legit, me agnosce. We have received all our Wisdom, Strength, Honor, and Wealth from Christ: he requires no more, but that we acknowledge the Author; Vbi meis uteris, me agnosce: Take thou the comfort of them, but give me the Glory. To do this, Summa ratio docet, & Christianos decet. Lord, the whole World is a great Book of thy mercy; every benefit is a lesson, and wheresoever we read it, we will give thee the Glory.

2. It must be entirely his, ex parte nostra. We owe both body and soul to His Glory for our Creation, and might have paid it: God did not set us up without a sufficient stock to do it. But we must needs be trading with the Serpent, for the commodity of forbidden Knowledge, and so take in sin for an Apprentice: and he cussened us of all, and so quite undid us. So that the Statute of Bankrupt was sued out against us, for our Creditor would not be compounded withal: and if we had been sold to our skins, we were not able to satisfy him. Non habuimus unde, no payment could be made. At last there was a rich and merciful Prince in Heaven, that took pity on us: He bought out our bondage, paid our debts with His own Blood, and once again did set us up with the wealthy stock of his own Righteousness. Thus are we re-enabled to pay him the debt of Glory: if we do not, we are worthy to perish: If we break once again, let us never look to be soaldred up. Our bodies and souls are his by a double right; therefore, in both let us glorify Him: In our souls, Bless the Lord O my Soul: With our bodies; giving up them A living sacrifice. With both entirely; the whole soul; I will praise the Lord with my whole heart: with the whole body, even all our members, not one left out, All that is within us. Quoad intra, and quoad extra too. With our hearts, with our lips, and with our hands. The lips without the heart, proves us Hypocrites: the heart without the lips proves us cowards: the heart and lips without the hand, proves us niggards. The heart is the leader, but what glory will there be without followers? Secrecie destroys the nature of glory, for it is quiddam conspicuum: Celata gloria non est gloria. Therefore the mouth is made to interpret the meaning of the heart: the lips are the Trumpet, but it is the heart that gives it breath, and makes it sound forth God's glory. The hands must come in with their part, or the song is marred: neither a thinking glory, nor a speaking glory, will please God without a working glory. The praise of God is thus bred, and borne, and brought up: Conceived in the heart, borne in the lips, and brought up with the hand. Paratum cor; there it is conceived. Parata lingua; there it is borne: Parata manus; there it is nursed and brought up. As good desires breed it, so good works feed it. If the young and tender grace of thankfulness, do not fall into the hands of uberous and fruitful obedience, it will languish and pine away, even to death: and we may say of it, that it was starved at nurse. It is too common for good resolutions, borne in our hearts, to die in our hands: And not seldom, the glory of Christ speeds so with us; we have our well wishes to it, but no works to nourish it: it dies in our hands. So that it is not enough to pray for honest hearts; Create in me a clean heart: nor for gracious lips, Open thou my lips: but also for working hands; Prosper thou the work of our hands. For we may say of too many, full of grace are their lips; but you see none of it in their lives. Let us consider them all apart, and mark whether, like courtiers in their several offices, they glorify God in their proper places.

1. The heart must begin this holy song. Bless the Lord from the ground of the heart: Make melody in your hearts to the Lord. Otherwise we shall but set forth his praises, as ignorant Papists say their Latin prayers; their hearts not knowing what their tongue utters. Sing ye praises with understanding. The heart bears the inner part, and if that be left out, it disgraceth the music. There may be parata cithara, and parata lingua, and parata manus, and paratum canticum: but if there be not Paratum Cor, no harmony. The heart is a little man within: therefore Peter calls it, the man of the heart. There is the hidden heart of a man, and the hidden man of the heart. The former is so hidden, that it cannot be seen: the other will be seen, though it be hidden. The heart lies close in the body, there is no window into it. It may profess holiness, and be believed, because it cannot be discerned: but the man that is the Master of his own heart, will make demonstration of his integrity, by good actions. The heart of man is deceitful, but the man of the heart scorns to dissemble. It is not Cor hominis, but homo cordis, that does the deed, in giving Christ his glory. Indeed, grace is the heart of the heart: and a heart without grace is no better than a man without a heart. Nature hath given us an heart, but grace gives a heart to that heart, which makes it a heart indeed. It is Cor cordis, and animae anima. Therefore Sursum cordae; that is ever the cliffe, or first note in the song of praise. My soul doth magnify the Lord: the soul ever leads. The tongue is not enough, that organ would sound but harshly, unless the affection of the soul do give it breath, and the understanding of the soul keep it in tune. They honor God with their lips, but their heart is far from him: but-no heart, no harmony. The lips, hands, and feet may be in motion: but if the heart be not amongst them, to regulate their motion, there will be nothing but discord and confusion. Let a deaf stranger, who never saw that sportive excercise before, pass by men as they are a dancing; and because, he hears none of their music, he will think them mad. When Christ hears us talking of him, or spending our discourse upon his creatures, without a heart desirous of his glory, he knows us for mere hypocrites. The Virgins that press to the wedding, and leave the bride behind them, shall never be welcome to the Bridegroom: Vbi sponsa mea? will be his first question. If the bride of Christ, our heart or soul be absent in his solemn services, there is no entertainment for us. Devotion that hath not deeper root than the lips, is like that unprosperous corn sown in the high ways. Diverse great warriors, dying in foreign countries, have yet sent their hearts home to be buried: Let us send our hearts up into heaven, whatsoever becomes of our bodies.

2. The tongue follows with her part; the only vocal Instrument in the consort of man. The heart is primum mobile, and that sets this wheel a going. I believed, and therefore I spake: if the heart believes, presently the tongue confesses. My heart is inditing of a good matter, my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. To sing the praises of the heavenly king, is a good matter indeed: the ditty is honorable: no sooner can the heart prick the notes, than the tongue is ready to sing them. It can sing at first sight, yea it can sing by heart. The heart is the most noble part, but not the most able part of man: it hath an affective, not an effective power. Yet as a king, whose bodily constitution is but weak, can move great armies by his authority: so the heart hath command over the strongest members of the body. And as a king cannot subsist, but by his subjects: so nor can the heart do anything, but by those instruments. The heart then hath need of the tongue for an Interpreter: loose that colt, and let it go for the Lord hath need of it: but let it not go without a bridle. God will not hear the tongue, but by the heart: as man cannot hear the heart, but by the tongue. The praises of Christ conceived in the heart, without the utterance of the tongue, are still-borne; they never live to speak. Why is our tongue called our Glory, but for the setting forth of God's glory? It doth not service enough by calling upon God in our private prayers: Open thou my lips and my mouth shall show forth thy praise: He hath not opened our lips, that our mouth might show Him his praise, but that it might show forth his praise. Solitude is not much better than a grave: Lord, in the grave no man shall praise thee: and in a wall, in an Hermitage, in a separation from all society, no man shall hear us praise thee. What holy use is there of our tongues, but to confess our sins, to inform our brethren, and in all to praise our Maker? But there is a dumb Devil that possesseth the world, and stops the mouths of men from those useful and necessary services. It is no small honor, whereof that malicious Spirit shall rob his Maker, if he can close up the mouth of his only rational and vocal Creature: and turn the best of his workmanship into a dumb Idol, that hath a mouth and speaks not.

Praise is not more necessary than complaint; praise of God, than complaint of ourselves: yea, in complaining of ourselves, we do no less than give praise to God. There needed no other evidence against Achan, when God had accused him: yet as the sin was hatched in his heart, so Joshua will have it out of his mouth: Give Glory to God. As his honor is blemished by our sin, so the humble confession of our sin makes to his Glory. The only amends we can make to God, when we have not had the grace to avoid sin, is to confess the sin we have not avoided. I am merciful, saith the Lord: Only acknowledge thine iniquity: as if He asked no more. This is the spunge that wipes out all the blurs of our lives. If we confess, He is faithful to forgive. There is no way to purge the sick soul, but upwards; by casting up the vicious humors wherewith it is clogged. Therefore the Devil strives to hold the lips close, that the soul may not disburden it self by confession. We have a tongue for God, when we praise his Name; a tongue for ourselves, when we pray and confess our sins: a tongue for our brethren, when we inform them in the truth. To fail in these duties, is to yield to the dumb Devil. Where do we not find that accursed Spirit? He is in the conversation of men, when the tongue belies the heart, flatters the guilty, and forbears repróofes even in the foulest crimes. When the partial Judge determines not for truth and innocence, that dumb Devil is on the bench. When the Preacher shall humor the times, and adulterate the message of God, that dumb Devil is in the Pulpit. When the irreligious Iuror dares lend an oath to fear, to hope, to gain, he is at the Barre. When the consciencelesse Chapman shall for his penny, sell his truth and his soul, he is in the market. Where is the Glory of Christ all this while? In that we are dumb: but take us to anything else, and we have wind at will, and tongue enough. Christ opened his mouth for us, Father forgive them: yea, He opened his side for us, his very blood did speak, Father forgive them: and shall we be dumb in his praise? It is an easy labor to speak: for ourselves we can talk fast enough: and are we tongue-tied when it comes to the point of Christ's Glory? No, My lips shall rejoice when I sing of thee, my tongue shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long.

3. The hand must not be left out; in our words men hear his Glory, but in our good works they see it. Then doth our Light shine indeed, when Men see our good works, and thereby glorify our heavenly Father. This is a full evidence: all the Sermons of Christ did not move the people so much, as his miraculous works. Healing diseases, ejecting devils, over-ruling elements, raising the dead; these works convinced them, and they went away glorifying God: We never saw it on this fashion. And when He forbids us the doing of such works to be seen of men; Non prohibit videri, ut Deus laudetur; sed videri, ut nos laudemur; as Saint Augustine expounds it. And as our lips must not be labra muta, so nor our works opera mutila; lame and defective. Shall I accept this of your hand, saith the Lord. The best testimony that can be given to Christ, is our holy conversation. Inutilis & mortuus aequiparantur injure: Our hands are counted dead in Law, because they give nothing. If we do not glorify Christ in our actions, men will never believe our words. Such men are like dissolute Choristers, that sing Gloria Patri in the Queere, but chant Carmina Bacchi in the Tavern. Let us do something to his Glory, yea, Do all things to his Glory. Defend we the honor of Christ, not only with our speeches; (though they may not be left out, like parentheses) but with our goods, with our bloods, when just occasion calls for them. Thus did the Matyrs give Him Glory, by dying for the witness of his Gospel. Potiùs quàm Christus perderet gloriam, Christianus perdidit vitam. This makes his praise beautiful; white and red, and in both most lovely: White, In innocentia viventium; and Red, in sanguine morientium. If a blow be coming, the arm naturally lifts up it self to receive it, and to defend the head, whereof it is a member. What injury soever is meant to our Head, the Lord Jesus, if we be Christians, we strive to intercept it; and had rather be wounded to death, than the least finger of his honor should be scratched.

Yes, we all pretend a forwardness to this interposition; and say, we would rather lose our life, than the least part of our glory. This is a good saying, but all this while where is the doing? Let us hear the bells of Aaron strike on both sides; with a holy profession, which is one stroke, that other stroke of a holy conversation. As we have commonly seen upon those bells that hang out for signs; upon the one side is written, Fear God: on the other, Honor the King. Whiles we only say, we fear God, and glorify Christ, all this while the bell doth but toule, it strikes but on one side; But when we come to honor the King, to do good to all men, which is the practice and exercise of holy works, then the bell rings out to God's glory, it sounds forth his praises on every side. It is true that our well doing extends not to God: not immediately, but mediately it does, or at least he so takes it. What you have done to these little ones, you have done to me. If we defend not his Church, how do we glorify him? They mean small honor to the Head, that do not their best to save the Body. We have and enjoy plentiful blessings: blessed be his Name that gives them to us: But let us eat our sweet Passover with sour herbs, and be mindful of the affliction of Joseph. Some tribes of the Lord's Israel do not fare so well: shall we do nothing for them, for Christ in them? If Herod was so taken with Herodias dancing, that he promised her a boone to the one half of his kingdom. Shall not we be moved with Rachel weeping, weeping for her children because they are not; and they are not, because bloody Herod hath taken them away? Can we see the Churches tears, and not do our utmost endeavors to comfort her? Ephorus an Historian, and scholar to Isocrates, had no remarkable thing to write of his country, and yet was willing to insert the name of it in his History: and therefore brings it in with a cold parenthesis: Athens did this famous thing and Sparta did that; and at that time my countrymen, the Cumins did nothing. God forbid that England should be so recorded in the Ecclesiastical History, as to have her name put in with a blank: Such a Church did thus nobly, and such a Church suffered thus pitifully; and at that time my countrymen of England did nothing. I think it would be no more honor for us, so to be put into the Chronicle, than it was for Pilate to have his name mentioned in the Creed. To be more particular; we abound with riches, our brethren are necessitous: we feast upon delicates, they want bread: we are strong and healthy, they feeble and sickly: yet we are so far from relieving them with charitable deeds, that we scarce vouchsafe them our hearty prayers. Think of it thou rich churl, from whose iron hands no persuasion can skrew a poor alms: if thou wilt not be moved with the compassion of thine own bowels, yet vouchsafe to learn charity by fair examples. There be not only walls upon Earth, but a book in Heaven, wherein the names of pious benefactors are written. Wouldest thou not be glad at the last day, to find thine own name there? Such a man did so much, and such a man gave so much, for the glory of Christ and succor of poor Christians: and at that time thou didst nothing, thou gavest nothing. Something thou hast done to the grief of others, nothing to their comfort: So nothing shalt thou receive to thy comfort, enough to thy everlasting sorrow.

To conclude; let us sacrifice all we have, all we are, to the glory of Christ. If our lives be not called for, yet our goods may: if we have no goods to give, yet our hearts and lips we have, the poorest among us may give praises to God. And the more he spares us in our blood and estates, the more our tongues are obliged to thankfulness. When tribute was to be paid to Caesar, and Christ himself was to pay it; rather than fail, the fish shall bring it in his mouth. There is not a fish that swims in our waters so dumb, not a beggar amongst us so poor but he hath gold in his mouth to pay this tribute: to give praise and Glory to Jesus Christ. Gratitude can give eloquence, even where nature hath commanded silence: They are more mute than fishes, that do not pay this tribute of thankfulness. Be we never so rich, we are still begging for more comforts: Blessings we receive, but what blessings do we restore? God looks to be blessed of us, as well as we look to be blessed of God. One of Philip's soldiers, being courteously and plenteously entertained by his Host, where for a good space he was billeted, did yet at his going away beg some of his Hosts lands: but king Philip branded him with Ingratus hospes; he set that mark on his forehead. If we be still praying for new favors, without praising God for the old, we deserve to be branded with the ignominious title of unthankful Clients. Indeed God would have us pray, he commands us to pray, he teaches us to pray, he holds himself honored by our prayers, he grants the blessings for which we pray: but withal, he would have us pay still as we take up; and clear the old score, before we run farther in debt. In a word, he looks that we should pay him the rent of thanks, for all his favors to us in Jesus Christ.

[unspec 5] Quando, when must this Glory be rendered? Nunc, Now, without any delay. All time is God's: Antiquus dierum: though some be more specially his, as the Sabbath is called Dies Domini. The day is thine, and the night is thine: therefore at all times we are bound to praise him: If we can find a time, which is not God's own propriety, we may take that time wherein to give him no Glory. Every work hath the own season; only God's work requires every season: especially this work of praising his Name. Some actions of God's service may vary according to their occasions: when he frowns upon us, that is a time of mourning; when he smiles, then our hearts are set a dancing. Their is a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to get his favor; and alas, there may be a time to lose it. There is a time to rent our hearts with repentance, and a time to sew them up again with faithful assurance. These acts have their several times: but for the promulgation of God's glory, no time is excluded. There is a time to keep it, but no time to cast it away: a time to speak, but no time to keep silence. What, not in adverse fortunes? when the hand of God hath undone us, by losses on sea or land; when he hurles us down from a rich state to beggary; shall we then praise him? then give him glory? Yes, Job did so; Blessed be his name, not only for giving, but even for taking away. I confess, this is a hard task put upon flesh and blood; to be smitten, and yet to bless; to give thanks for misery. Job's wife could hardly be got to do so, though she dwelt in a family where religion was so truly observed by morning and evening sacrifice, and by a constant devotion: yet her husbands extreme calamity made her so far forget herself, as to say to him, Doest thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God and die. To curse God, was the way to die indeed, even to be stoned to death; and to end all his miseries with a worse beginning. I know there are some so favorable interpreters of her weakness, that they would fain excuse her; and that from the doubtful acception of the word, which signifies to bless, as well as to curse: Bless God and die; pray for thy dissolution, and cessation of this trouble. But why then does Job reply; Loqueris vt stulta calling her fool for her counsel? Yes, for even that was a foolish advice: though a Cupio dissolvi, only to be with Christ, be a good desire: yet wearynesse under the cross is base and degenerate cowardice, far from the valor of a Christian. They allege farther, that if Satan had power to destroy all that Job had, his goods, his servants, his children, why not also his wife? They answer that she was out of his commission: Only upon himself put not forth thy hand: only himself was exempted, and his wife was himself: una caro. Besides, of her body were the other seven sons and three daughters begotten; for we do not read that Job had a second wife. And lastly, when Job offered sacrifice, to expiate the sins of his friends, he offered none for his wife: therefore in all likelihood she was holy. Yet against all this it might be said, that she was una caro with him, not unus spiritus: many a religious husband is knit to an ungodly wife: And it is the opinion of the Fathers, that the Devil spared her, on purpose to vex him: what tempter could he find more fit, than her that lay in his bosom? Nor did her speech a little trouble him: for during all his trial, not one other so hasty a word dropt from him, as to call anybody fool. Besides, which strikes it home, she expostulates with him about his integrity: as if she took it ill that he took it no worse: his patience made her impatient. O how rare a grace is it in men, to bless God for their crosses, to kiss the hand that strikes them? Behold this evil is of the Lord, says that mad-braind king of Israel, What should I wait for the Lord any longer? We are soon weary of our attendance: we can wait at the gates of the Divine bounty, so long as we feel benefits a coming, like insatiate beggars for more alms: but if we be corrected for our unruliness, then why should we wait on the Lord any longer? This evil is of the Lord: this evil, this one evil: None of his mercies or good turns are thought on, but this one evil sticks in our stomachs. In unthankful hearts, one of God's afflictions mars the glory of all his blessings. Now therefore we must praise him: now, even in the time of our adversity: For shall we receive good things of God, and not evil? Nullum tempus occurit Regi: none must prevent Christ of his right, which is his glory.

We have three considerations here: or this Nunc may be considered in three relations: By way of Position, by way of Opposition, and by way of Composition. First, Positively, in the right and true nature of it: what it signifies in it self. Secondly, Oppositively, as it is opposed to that external duration after this world, when time shall be no more. Now, and forever: this short Now, compared with that long For ever. Thirdly, Compositively, as it respects all times, and all occasions: every opportunity is a Nunc, and this Nunc is nothing else but opportunity.

1. All the term we have in this world, is but a Nunc: that which was in the morning, is past: what may be in the evening, is not yet come: the former may be already lost, and the future we are not sure of; we can only make much of our Nunc. The time past is irrecoverable, the future to us is contingent, and the very Nunc is slippery and transient: And yet this is all the term we have: we must enjoy this or nothing. Aut nunc, aut nunquam, is a frequent offer. To call back the the elapsed time, is a foolish imagination: to bid the Sun, when it is full South, to go back to the East; or when it is noon, to make it but the third hour of the day: who would attempt this but a mad man? And as we cannot revocare praeteritum, so nor accelerare futurum: we have planted trees, but we must stay for the fruit until the Season comes. When it is ripened of it self, we may reach out our hand, and gather it before it fall off: but we cannot hasten the ripening of it: we cannot make the Winter-fruit mellow in June. In the curing of a Fever, till there be some concoction of the disease, the Physicians themselves must be Patients. Any disorder of the Patient, any pretermission of the Physician, may exalt the disease, and increase the violences of it: no diligence can hasten the maturity; they must all tarry the season. And why should we look for that in a disease, which is the disorder, the irregularity, and rebellion of the body, which we cannot find in nature it self? It were scarce a disease, if it could be ordered, and made obedient to our times. The great Lady, in matter of childebirth, cannot put off her ninth month to a tenth; nor hasten it to a sixth, without bearing an abortive issue. Men in authority will not be put to change their seasons: we must take them in their Nunc, or fail of our purpose. We cannot look for this indulgence in time: there is an opportunity, which is the Nunc of time: let slip that, and time will not be at our beck. O that such and such sins were to do again; we then would never admit them: this is Vox lugentium in infernis. O that the time of doing such and such things were come: this is Vox insipientium in terris. O that I were made a Judge in the land: What an excellent Judge would Absalom be? But when by offering violence to time, he had skrew'd out a Nunc for his affected Magistracy, he proved an unnatural Traitor. Take therefore thy Nunc, the opportunity that God sends thee: use it, and be thankful.

The Scripture is very liberal, when it calls our life a day: for in the day there be twelve hours, saith our Savior. It is too much to call it an hour, which is but the twelfth part of a day; for in the hour there be sixty minutes: Nay, call it a minute, the sixtieth part of an hour. Minutum is little, yet not little enough: we must come to Punctum, and take that for all the certainty of our allowance: we can be sure of no more than our very Nunc. I will bless the Lord while I live: and no certain tenure of life more than for a Nunc. The wicked are brought into desolation as in a moment: In momento, let that be our Memento: within the compass of a Nunc, we may be gone. That same dies salutis is called but a Nunc: the day of salvation may be longer to the world, no particular man can challenge more than his Nunc. When was the longest Nunc in the world? In the days of Joshua, when the Sun stood still in Gibeon. Why was this extension of time? Why this stoppage in the wheels of nature, as if the plummet had been down? It was for that purpose, for which our Nunc is here given us, that God might have the Glory. Israel was then in pursuit of their enemies; it was the time of execution: they cut them off with the sword, God with hailstones. Had Joshua only respected the slaughter; he knew that God's Ordnance from Heaven could have done that sufficiently: the Sun needed not stand still to direct the shot. God can as well hit as shoot; kill, as hit. But that all Nations might know, that the same hand commands in Earth, in the Clouds, in Heaven; the Sun and Moon shall stand still in Heaven, whiles volleyes of shot play upon them from the Clouds. The whole Earth could not see that Cloude of hail, which because of the heavy burden flew but low: all the Earth might see the Sun and Moon. All the world must needs be witnesses of that, which the eye of the world stood still to see. Who would not inquire the reason why the Sun rested from motion? Or what wonderful business was in hand, that he stayed his course to behold it? All was for the glory of God: he never had got himself so much honor among those Heathen by one days work, as he did by that, when the Sun and Moon suspended their courses, to become spectators. That was a long Nunc indeed; never any like it. A Nunc of twelve hours long, for so it appeared to be; because the Sun which is the measure of Time, stood still about a whole day. We cannot look for such a favor, to have our Nunc stretched out to twelve hours; that the Sun should stand still in Heaven, whiles we are killing up our enemies, and by the sword of repentance doing execution upon our sins. But Now, while the word is sounding, let us fall a repenting: and at every Nunc, upon every occasion, let us give glory to Christ.

This easily solves that riddle; what is the longest, and the shortest? the oldest, and the youngest thing in the world? Time: It is the longest, for it reacheth from the beginning of the world to the end: the shortest for it is but a Nunc; gone in the turning of a hand, in the twinkling of an eye: it lasts but for a moment. The oldest thing, for it is just as old as the Creation, as the beginning of the world: it is five days older than man. As Time is the register of all things below, so the world is the register of time: it was borne on the first day, the first moment of the first morning; older than the Sun and Stars, Death is grown a very old man, though he hath yet strength enough to kill: sin is older than death, man is older than sin, time is older than man. Yet still is time the youngest thing: it is borne, and dies within the compass of a Nunc. It makes all things aged, yet is it self never above a minute old. That which was heretofore is not: that which shall be hereafter, is not: that which is, was not heretofore, nor shall be hereafter. We stand by a river: the present water that is now passing by, was never there before, nor shall it ever return again. Nunc is all we have; this only is our certain tenure.

2. In respect of opposition to forever: Now let us glorify Christ, as we hope to do it forever. For this we pray; that his will may be done in Earth now as it is in Heaven forever. His Will is his Glory; and must have the nunc temporis here, as it hath the Diem aeternitatis there. Punctum may be something ad lineam, because continued points make a line: Nunc may be something ad diem; though there be many Nunc's in a minute, and many minutes in an hour, and twelve hours in one day: yet still there is a proportion between Now and Day; because Nunc is a part of the whole. Points enough will make up a line; and store of Nunc's will run out to a full days length: But there is no proportion between time and eternity: for eternity is not a duration of time, not an extension of time, nor can time be any part of eternity. Now therefore we must glorify him, or not forever: here below, or not there above. Nay, if we do not glorify him, Nunc, in aeterno nostro: he will not glorify us Tunc, in aeterno suo. Our surest course is to do it now, whilst we may: lest we unhappily wish that we had done it, when we may not. We acknowledge in our prayer, Thine is the Kingdom: that it is a powerful kingdom, for Thine is the Power: that it is a glorious kingdom, for Thine is the glory: that it is an everlasting kingdom, For ever and ever. God, as he is three Persons, hath three Kingdoms. There is Regnum potentiae, the kingdom of power and providence: and this we attribute to the Father. There is Regnum gloriae, the kingdom of peace in Heaven: and this we attribute to the Son, and to his purchase: Come ye blessed, inherit the Kingdom: He gives it. Between them two, there is Regnum gratiae, the kingdom of grace, which we attribute to the Holy Ghost: Because he takes them, whom the King of Power hath preserved, and the King of Glory hath redeemed; and brings them along through the Kingdom of Grace to the Kingdom of Glory. The two former Kingdoms, of Power and of Grace, are in this World; but neither of them is of this World, because they both refer to the Kingdom of Glory. The Kingdom of the Father, which is the Providence of God, doth preserve us. The Kingdom of the Holy Ghost, which is the Grace of God, doth sanctify us. And the Kingdom of the Son, which is the Glory of God, doth crown us. Power and Grace are exercised on Earth, Glory is exhibited in Heaven. Though to the Saints, this World be the way to their Kingdom; yet their Kingdom is not of this World. My Kingdom is not of this World, saith the King of all: if not his, much less ours. In two of these Kingdoms we have our Nunc: For ever, belongs to the Kingdom of Glory. All the Kings in Heaven shall glorify Christ forever there: we that hope for that Kingdom, must do it in our Nunc here. The Gospel is our Nunc; and this (we know) is called a Kingdom, the very Kingdom of Heaven. First, Because it revealeth a Kingdom; discovers a Kingdom before it be utterly unknown to the World. Secondly, Because it prepares us for a Kingdom: for only grace can make us fit for glory. Thirdly, because it promiseth a Kingdom, and makes good that Promise. Fourthly, Because it rules us as a Kingdom, subduing our wills and affections to the obedience of Christ. Our Nunc lies in this Kingdom, during the reign of the Gospel. As Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and of Cyrus the Persian: so let our goodness prosper under the reign of both these Kingdoms: of God the Father, over us in his Providence, and of God the Holy Ghost, over us in his Grace; that so God the Son may advance us to his glory. Out of this flower Nunc, we may suck a double sweetness; both encouragement, and instruction.

1. For our Encouragement, it is but a short time that we have to serve: our apprenticeship will soon run out. They that mind their work, and ply their business with delight, never think the time long; as Jacob's service of seven years, for Rachel seemed but a few days. O God, our age is nothing unto thee: and if we be men after David's heart, as he was a man after God's heart, our sixty years spent in his service, is but like a Saint Lucies day; nay, but as a pleasant dream when one awaketh; a very Nunc, the next degree to nothing. A hackney jade, that knows the shortness of his journey, will scour it away. The hope of a reward in the evening, and rest at night, will make a hireling accomplish his day: How base are we, if we go groaning under our Nunc, and cannot carry our burden one stride? Yet a little while, and he will not tarry. A very little while indeed: we cannot imagine a less space in time, than a Nunc: as we cannot find a less place in the mathematickes, than a point: Put them together, and it is but Punctum temporis. Two things show time to be exceeding precious. First, Because they that have lost time, that are swallowed up into the eternity of hell, had rather be owners of one Nunc, of one moment to repent in, than to be Lord's of the whole world. Secondly, Because a very Nunc made use of, a short time employed in the work of salvation, shall gain us an everlasting kingdom. In the doing of evil, Breve est quod delectat, aeternum quod cruciat: But in the doing of good, breve est quod laborat, aeternum quod coronat. The husbandman lies to all the year, for one short harvest: Eleven months labor, for one months profit; and yet that hoped for profit may miscarry too: either by ill weather abroad, or by vermin in the barn. God hath set us but one months task, for a whole years harvest: Nay, the labor lasts but for a Nunc, the fruit forever. And it is such fruit as cannot miscarry; joy and glory laid up for us in heaven. Therefore hath he made our life of labor so short, and our life of rest so long; that we might not grudge to work out our Nunc, for that reward of peace whereof there is no end. I will run the way of thy commandments, saith holy David It were folly to ask him why he makes such hast, when we know he would fain be at home.

2. For our Instruction: so must we glorify Christ Nunc in our militant estate, as we desire to do in aeternum, in our triumphant estate. The draught and abridgment of heaven is in every sanctified heart upon earth: As it is said of the good Prince, that he carries the pattern of his governing the people always about him; and so rules himself, as he would have them ruled by him: So the Christian hath ever the pattern of heaven in his conscience, and so lives here, as the Saints do there. It is true that the glory of heaven is not visible to mortal eyes: Eye hath not seen: yet a man may have the map of a city which he never saw. All Homers Iliades have been drawn into a small volume: we have seen the counterfeit, the image of a king in a little tablet. When a pitched field is to be painted or printed, with in the compass of a sheet of paper, but a few soldiers can be presented entire; not many stations or postures whole and complete: but the greater number appear to us only by their heads or helmets; and the several troupes or companies by their colors. Yet by this portraiture we may guess at the battle, and conceive the module or platform of it in our imaginations. So though heaven be too immense to be measured by an human line, and none but the Angel with his golden reed can mete out the new Jerusalem: Yet the just man hath the compendium of it in his breast: the holiness and peace of his soul is a brief of it: and his sounding forth of God's praises here, is an Echo of the music above. As the joy or triumph for the kings coronation begins at the Court, and from thence spreads into the country: so the hymns of praise harmoniously sung to Christ in heaven, have a reverberation upon earth. S ^t . Paul tells us, that the foundation of that high building is laid here below: if no holiness here, no blessedness there. Let us never look for a house above the stars, if we do not feel the groundwork of it in our own hearts. It is a vain fancy, to expect a house without a foundation. The heir apparent of a kingdom, during his minority, may be brought up in a foreign country: yet even there, he may have the figure of his kingdom in his hand, and the copy of it in his heart. Who doth not pretend to the kingdom of heaven? Many a one that wants his pattern. Presumptuous hypocrite, doest thou lay title to a kingdom, whereof thou hast no form? What royal blood runs in thy veins? What grace and holiness is in they heart? Where be those noble actions that become a Prince? There is fullness of joy above: is thy laughing and singing in a taverne the pattern of it? There is honor and glory above: is thy covetous and base drudgery, to scrape together the mucke of worldly riches which should rather be spread abroad to dung the land; is this any pattern of it. There is music and harmony above: be thy wanton sonnets and drunken catches any patterns of it?

There is peace and rest above: is thine idle security and slepy neglect, any pattern of it? There is beauty and claritie above: is they piecing up the defects of nature with art, the laying of vermilion upon dust, or dressing up of mortal limbs in rich and curious attires; any Image of it? There is light above: be thy works of darkness any reflection of it? Will a man draw the Sun with a coal? There is perfect obedience above: is thy rebellion any module of it? There is pure innocence above: be thy rapes and rapines, thy rage and bloodiness, any resemblance of it? The language above, is the praises of Christ: be thy oaths, curses, and blasphemies, of a like sound to it? These sins be rather the Image of hell, than of heaven. Shall we like those Sun-burnt pagans, that painted the Angels black, in favor of their own complexion? Shall we measure the joys of heaven by our own corrupt and sensual pleasures upon earth? Or think that the Saints there stand affected, as we do here? This were to measure things that be unmeasurable, by things that be measurable, by things that be miserable. This were for heaven to take a pattern from us, not we to take a pattern from heaven, and to imagine the Saints (though in a higher degree) to be of like disposition with us; not we striving to be of like disposition with them. Will the covetous ask, what money there is in heaven? The purchaser, what land there is to be sold in heaven? The voluptuous, what dainties there be in heaven? Or the ambitious, what place he may get in the court of heaven? These be base and brutish thoughts. The module of heaven is within a man's heart: it is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost. There is nothing that I can think of upon earth, that bears any resemblance of heaven; but Peace: there is no war in heaven: and Music; there is an everlastingness of that in heaven. Holynes, obedience, joy, peace, concentred in the praise and glory of Christ; this is the pattern and picture of heaven. This if we have in our Nunc of grace, it shall make us blessed in the For ever of glory.

3. In respect of Composition: for Now, like the eye of a well drawn picture, looks upon all times, upon all occasions. There is no action but challengeth a Nunc: no accident but hath the Nunc. Now such a thing is done: now such an event happened. The good tree brings forth fruit Tempore suo, in her season; that is the Nunc of it. My hour is not yet come: Christ himself tarries for his Nunc. Presently after, he changed the water into wine; then his Nunc came. Tempus à temperando; because it distinguisheth things in order. To everything there is a season. It is taken both strictly, and more at large: in the one sense, it is filia unius momenti: in the other, Soror totius vitae. And thus must it be understood here: let us be giving glory to Christ Now; that is, all our life long. So Dies mortalitatis it opposed to Dies aeternitatis, Now, in this life; that For ever, in the life to come. Now therefore, is in effect, Always: we have no time, which cannot be called Nunc. When we are young, that is our Nunc: when we are old; that is also our Nunc: the age betwixt these, is our Nunc too. David took in all times and seasons to the praise of his Maker. In the morning; I will sing of thy mercy in the morning: yea he prevented the morning; waiting for the Lord, more than they that watch for the morning. In the night: at midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee. All the day; My tongue shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long. Seven times a day do I praise thee; very frequently. I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Omni tempore, no hour excluded: Semper laus ejus in ore meo, no occasion excepted. I will sing praise unto thy Name forever, This is the end of our redemption, to serve him all the days of our life: If all our days, then our days of sadness too: daily shall he be praised. It is usual, when God crowneth the year with his goodness, and drops fatness upon the pastures, for the little hills to rejoice on every side: therefore is great joy compared to the joy of harvest. But when God restrains these heavenly influences, then the little hills droop on every side: no fatness, no more rejoicing then. There be too many, that never think of God till dinner time; that they are put in mind of it by the Chaplains saying grace: and it is somewhat if they mind him then. These are far from David's per totum diem: From the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same, the Lord's Name is to be praised. But what if they should want a dinner, and know not where to get it? Not so much food, as would keep life and soul together? How would they praise him then? But for a Nunc dare, where would be the Nunc laudare? Such irreligious souls know not how to bless the Lord fasting: No devotion with them, but upon a full stomach. Like to those baser instruments, they can yield no music till you have filled their paunches and even then, the sound that comes from them, is harsh to all holy ears. Divites laudantes you have store: but show me a miserum laudantem. For a Dominus dedit, you have a world of Benedicite's: but one Benedicite for a Dominus abstulit is worth them all.

The Lord looks for Glory, not only in fair weather, but even in storms and tempests: not only in high fortunes, but even out of the dust he ordaineth praises. The worldling cast upon his sick bed, and hopeless of remedy, asks what he should praise God for? O ungrateful wretch, how innumerable be the blessings he hath received of him; and yet does he ask for what he should praise him? That he hath life, and the use of reason, is a blessing. How justly might God have bereaved his body of a soul, his soul of understanding, his understanding of all possibility of comfort? That he hath space to repent, a tongue and time to call upon God for mercy, is a blessing and far more than God owes him. There be natural medicines for his body: that is a blessing: there is spiritual physic for his soul; a rich blessing. Besides all the former blessings, these he hath in present. As Christ once said to the Jews, For which of my good works do you stone me? So now, for which of my good blessings do you despise me? If he should give us no more, yet reason would make us thankful for what we have received. But to see him give, that does not for the present receive: one that will plead Christ's cause without a fee: one that can say with Job, Though he kill me, I will trust in him: or with those three Saints, Though the fire consume us, we will serve him: whatsoever good I want, whatsoever evil I suffer, I will ever give Glory to the Lord: here is the heart and voice of a Saint. Thus every condition, rich or poor: every state, whether of health or sickness: every place, at home or abroad: every time, prosperous or adverse: every temper, of joy or sorrow: every occasion, of peace or war: every access, of friend or foe: every event, of life or death, is our Nunc to celebrate the glory of Christ. This circumstance further affords us three Instructions.

1. Glorify him for the present; that is thy Nunc. Delay is not only Periculum, but Peccatum. As we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, Perhaps that is not a man's will, which is his Testament: he would keep that by his will, which he is fain to give away by his testament. We read of one man that did Cunctando restituere rem: it was but unus homo, very rare: Thousands for that one, do Cunctando perdere rem, and that a Rem so precious, that the whole world is not worth it. He that makes hast to be rich, shall not be innocent: but he that makes hast to be innocent shall be rich: in the favor and blessings of God. When I read that Christianity is compared to a race, how can I but wonder at them that sit still? He that hath a long journey to go, and but a short time allowed him; cannot well stay to take every acquaintance that he meets, by the hand. He that believeth, will not make hast: not hast to mend the pace of God's purposes: but he that believeth, will make hast to set forth God's praised. We are discontented if God defers the grant of our prayers: and will he be pleased when we put off the publication of his praises? Shall we say, we will bless God tomorrow, for what he gives us today, and think that time enough? Things are acceptable, when they be seasonable. Is this all thy succors to the poor beggar, came again tomorrow? Alas, his body may die for want of meat, and thy soul may die for want of mercy, before the morrow. Miserum in miseris mora. Christ condemns the Judge that was long ere he did Justice, though he did it.

If God's favors were only mere futurities, natural men would cry; we will thank him for them when we have them: As they tarry for his blessings, so he should tarry for their praises. But that the mouth of all wickedness might be stopped, they are enriched with his present benefits, to incite their present thankfulness. Vbique decurrit beneficium, vbique recurrat vox laudum: Let the same place that is witness of his mercies, be also witness of our thankfulness. My soul doth magnify the Lord: it is Magnificat, in the present: not Magnificabit, in the future. Minus ex crastino pendet, qui hodierno manum injicit. Be sure to do that good today, which thou art not sure to do tomorrow. They that received the word, were the same day added to the Church: the same day. Zacchaeus made hast to receive Christ: the same hour. Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace: the same moment, that was Simeon's Nunc. This same day let us join ourselves with the Church in the praises of Christ: This same hour let us receive him joyfully into our hearts: this same moment, in our very Nunc, let us depart from sin, and fall to repentance. Let us be sudden in our turning to Christ, for he will be sudden in his coming upon us. The day of the Lord cometh as a thief in the night. O how should this menate thunder-strike the secure sinner; that the dreadful Judge shall surprise him suddenly? Let the swearer tremble; for whiles he is rapping out a volley of oaths, God's hand may stop his blasphemous mouth, with those wicked speeches in it: he may die blaspheming: God may smite him suddenly. The intoxicated body may spew out a drunken soul, into the bosom of the Prince of darkness, when he disgorgeth his surfeited stomach: as the Poet describes one bleeding to death; Purpuream vomit ill animam, he sends forth his purple soul: The Lord may smite him suddenly. The vain-glorious boaster, so ambitious of titles, that like Herod, he hath not the modesty to refuse vox Dei, when it is put upon him; may immediately be smitten by an Angel; and feel both his honor and life worm-eaten: The Lord may smite him suddenly. The sacrilegious with-holders of God's dues, and defrauders of their Pastors, to the horror of many in this City, may speed like Ananias and his wife: The Lord may smite them suddenly. The covetous Worldling, while both his hands are raking in Mammon, may fall into the hands of fatal destruction: the Lord may take him away suddenly. All impenitent sinners may share in this one phrase of wretchedness; God may smite them suddenly. He will make his Name glorious: If thou refuse to honor him with a graicous life, he will honor himself upon thee by a fearful death. We have heard of some dying with curses in their mouths, instead of prayers: What was the reason, but that they were more used to cursing, than to praying? Be careful therefore of thy Nunc: Glorify God while thou hast time: For as it is usual with him, Tarditatem supplicit gravitate pensare: so not rare, Tarditatem paenitendi impaenitentiâ punire. Our nature is dull to goodness: but wherefore serve the spurs of diligence? Naturam nobis formare non possumus, possumus diligentiam. As Paul being sent into the Church to preach Christ, so we being sent into the world to praise Christ, had need of an Ananias to excite us: Why tarriest thou? Let us never Confer with flesh and blood about the conveniency, when we are called to celebrate God's Glory.

2. Being entered into this holy course, let us follow it. The ecclipticke line of his praise must run quite through the Zodiac of our life: our whole Nunc must be spent in his holy Service: our Nunc in the full latitude of it. So long as we have any blessings on Earth, Let the Earth ring with the praises of the Founder. Shall we think any Nunc sufficient? We have not done it before, we never mind it hereafter: only Nunc, now for a gird we will be hot upon the business. Must all our thankfulness be dispatched in a moment? That which is but for a moment, is indeed of no moment. But blessed is he that doth righteousness at all times. Every day will I bless him, and praise thy Name forever and ever. The day will have an evening: If his praise should last no longer, the night would bring in silence: nay but For ever and ever: the glorious day of eternity hath no night. While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God, while I have any being: Not only while I live, for this life will have and end: but while I have any being; that can never have an end. To continue in giving Glory to Christ, is no less requisite than to begin: though the beginning be more than half, yet the end is more than all. The God of all perfection looks, that our ultimum vitae, should be his optimum gloriae. The Philosopher being asked in his old age, why he did not give over his practice, and take his ease, answered; when a man is to run a race of forty furlongs, would you have him sit down at the nine and thirtieth, and so lose the prize? We do not keep a good fire all day, and let it go out in the evening when it is coldest: but then rather lay on more fuel, that we may go warm to bed. He that slakes the heat of his zeal in his age, will go cold to bed, and in a worse case to his Grave. Wary travellers ride fare and softly when they come near their journeys end: but if we lagged so in the way of godliness, we shall never come to the expected end of our journey. The eternal God, though he passed over infinite millions of Generations, before he came to a Creation of the world; yet when he began, did never intermit his work, but continued it day today, till he had perfected the whole: and then he rested, deposing it in the hands of a Sabbath. It should not be long before we enter into the Vineyard; (no hour prescribes unto God, yet God prescribes an hour to us, and that the first hour of our day) the sooner the better: but being once entered, we must intermit no labor, never give over workeing till our Sabbath comes, that Eternal rest in Heaven.

In the institution and bringing on of his Church, God proceeded by degrees: First, he began with the law of nature, a rule engraffed in our minds: But the characters of that being almost worn out by the custom of sin, he wrote his Law in Tables; legible to their eyes, and durable to time, uncapable of alteration: But because this law could not save them, he promised a Messias: and yet perceiving that men would not sufficiently rely upon his promise, he gave them types, and ceremonies, and sacrifices, prefiguring their expected Messias. This was not yet enough, therefore when the fullness of time was come, he sent his Son: which was so much the more perfect than all the rest, as the substance is more than the shadow: still the most perfect came at the last. So what degrees of goodness soever we have past through, God looks (after his own example) that our best shall come at last. Cleave unto him, that thou mayest be increased at thy last end. Decrementum vitae, must have incrementum justitiae. Other men set forth the good wine at first, but thou hast kept the best wine till the last. Hypocrites, Ex fervidis tepidi, ex tepidis frigidi fiunt: Their wine turneth into vinegar: for at first, it was mingled with water; and no more wine in it, than would give it a color. But the right Christian vents his best wine at last; the stars of his graces shine brightest in the evening of his life. Samson slew abundance of Philistines in his life time, but more at his death. Daily are the faithful killing up the Philistines, mortifying their sins all their life: but on their death-bed they kill them all; far more dying, than they did living. Let us frame the desires of our hearts, all our speeches and actions, to give Glory to Christ, so long as our Nunc lasts, till our mortal days be ended. And when we have no more Nunc left to do it in here, we shall be blessed to do it in that Aeternum hereafter.

3. That we may the better perform it, durante Nunc, God hath wrapped up His glory in every Creature: Not as fire in flint, which appears not without some violence: but as light in the Sun, which is not only visible it self, but making all other objects visible. So easily may we see his glory in every creature, that we cannot see the Creature but through his glory, as we can see nothing but by the light. He hath so folded up his glory in them, that we must annihilate them before we can destroy his glory: Nay when the Creatures shall be dissolved, yet his glory will remain clear and entire. Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but his glory shall never pass away. As the Artificer wrought his own name so cunningly in the shield of Minerva, that it could not be picked out, unless there were a dissolution of the whole frame. More inviolably is the Name of God wrought in all things, in our bodies, in our souls: and those bodies and souls must be reduced to nothing, before his Name can suffer diminution. Nay, when those bodies are turned to dust, and those souls sent to their own place, His most honorable Name will still stick upon them: Either the Name of Savior in their salvation, or the Name Judge in their just confusion. It is an observation in Philosophy, that if the motion of the Heavens should cease, there would be no generation of things upon earth. The flowers which we see here below, are begotten of those flowers of light, the Stars we see above. The Earth the lower Milstone, that lies still: The Sun that higher Milstone, that runs round, and keeps the other in heat: both must concur to the preparing of bread for us. The Earth is as the wife, the Sun as the Husband; she cold, he of a power to give heat: the wife without the Husband, the Husband without the wife, cannot beget children: by the marriage and uniting of this couple, we have our fruits. The Sun, the Father of them is more noble: but the Earth cannot be left out for procreation. God that made both the Earth, the Sun and Stars, is of more powerful operation than they all: our natural hearts are as the cold and barren Earth: from that Sun of Righteousness comes all the influence of grace: the cause of fructifying is in him; he gives the whole operation of being, or doing good. If we do not return him all the glory, the wife is worthy to lose her Husband, the Earth to want her Sun, the Soul to be deprived of her Savior. As when the king removes, the Court follows: and when the Court is gone, the hangings and stately furniture is taken down: So if through our unthankfulness, God remooves from our heart, where he once kept his Court, His Grace will not stay behind; and if they be once departed, down go the hangings and ornaments of peace and prosperity: all the noble virtues leave us: it may be our sins, the black guard will tarry with us. Our Apostle begins this Epistle with a Salutation, wherein he wisheth Grace and Peace unto us: so Paul continually joins them together. As Grace and Peace salute together, so Grace and Peace bid farewell together. Grace and Peace will take no pleasure to stay after Glory: and Glory will not stay when sin is placed in the chair. At the birth of Ichabod, away goes Glory. If sin be once borne, cockered, and dandled, and made the darling; our soul, the woeful mother, may weep, cry, and complain; The glory is departed from Israel. She shall not only cry in this sorrow, but die in this sorrow: the child to which she gave life, shall be her death: her lying in shall prepare for her laying out: from the bed of her delivery, she is delivered over to the bed of the Grave. Such an unhappy issue is sin, and above all sin the robbing Christ of his Honor, that it destroys the own mother. At the nativity of unthankfulness, the soul is left forlorn of comfort and succor; for grace, and peace, and glory forsake her altogether.

But let the Glory of Christ be our delight: let us more rejoice in doing Him honor, than in our own salvation. Let the covetous repair to their riches, like birds to their nests: and the lustful to their brothels, like flesh-flies to the larder: the ambitious to their honors, like butterflies to a poppy: the strong to their holds, as Snailes creep into their shells: the learned to their arts, as Bees to their hives: Atheists to their sensual refuges, as Dogs to their kennels: and Politicians to their wits, as Foxes to their holes: the holy soul will know no other Sanctuary but Jesus Christ. I met with an apologue, and it is this. A Stationer hung up in a mart, the pictures or small printed counterfeits of men famous in their kinds: among which, he had also the picture of Christ. Divers men bought according to their several fancies. The Soldier buys his Caesar, the Lawyer his Justinian, the Physician his Galen, the Philosopher his Aristotle, the Poet his Virgil, the Orator his Cicero, and the Divine his Augustine: every man after the addiction of his own heart. The picture of Christ hung by still, of less price than the rest. A poor Chapman, that had no more money than would purchase that, bought it saying; Quando quisque Deum abstulit suum, da mihi, bone vir, meum Christum. I speak not for his Picture painted to the eyes, but for his lively Image to be placed in our hearts. The affianced Virgin hath the picture of her Beloved, drawn a in little tablet, which she wears in her bosom, next to her heart. There let us have the Image of Christ; not limmed in our chambers, but fixed in the inner chamber of our hearts. She makes much of every token sent her from her Beloved, and rejoiceth in the sight of them; and memory of him, upon all occasions: every blessing is a token of Christ's love to us: in the fruition of any of them, let us remember Him whom our soul loveth, and set forth his Glory.

Lastly, Quoúsque, how long must this reddition of glory last? For ever. So [unspec 6] far is eternity beyond the capacity of man in his militant estate, that we want language to express it, and a name how to call it. Various are the interpretations of this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Junius renders it, Ad tempus sempiternum: there is indeed a Sempiternum above, but no Tempus: time is swallowed up in everlastingness. Some say, In secula: and to make it more complete, others add to it, and make it up In secula seculorum. Indeed they had no reason to pinch it of measure, when as it is For ever. Divers phrases do abbreviate it, none can make it too long. Seculum some derive à sequendo; as if it signified only Series temporum. Others more probably, à secando, because it cuts off: as Secula, (which comes from the same root) signifies a Sythe or Sickle, to cut down the grass and grain of the earth. It is generally taken for an age: but of what dimension, there is difference of opinions. But whether we take it for thirty, or for an hundred, or for a thousand years; still it is but a time, and what is time to eternity? Jerome and Montanus read, In diem aeternitatis; which is both strictiùs ad literam vel sonum, and pleniús ad sensum. Eternity is without time, and day excludes nigh: there is no night in heaven, but altogether day: no time is there, but altogether eternity. Nor is it only, In diem aeternam; but In diem aenernitatis, for the fuller exposition of it. I know that, For ever, is divers ways taken in the Scripture.

1. For the life of man: Samuel a Priest to the Lord forever: yet this Ministry was but during his life: death determined his Priesthood.

2. For the year of Jubilee: The servant whose ear was bored, Shall serve his master forever: yet at the year of Jubilee he was to return to his own family, and to be free.

3. To the first coming of Christ. My Covenant shall be in your flesh, a Covenant forever. You shall keep the Feast of the Passover by an Ordnance forever. The garments of Aaron are said to be a Statute to him forever. Circumcision, the Passover, Aaron's Priesthood, the Sacrifices and Ceremonies, were all said to be a Law and an Ordinance forever: yet we know that Christ did put an end to them all. For Circumcision, and the Passover, the Sacrifices, and Ordinances; they are all taken away by Christ. They could not last forever; for they were at first moritura, and now they are mortifera.

4. To the second coming of Christ; that is the end of the world. Thou art a Priest forever: And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever. Yet of that Priesthood, and of that kingdom, there shall be an end; when Christ hath delivered up the Kingdom to God the Father. His sacerdotall Office shall cease, when there be none left to intercede for; all his members being in heaven. Jonah in the deep complained, that the earth with her bars shall cover him forever: yet that could but have reached to the Resurrection: then earth and sea must give up their dead. For ever, in all these places, is taken pro longo temporis intervallo: but this forever, here, is a duration without end. Observe;

1. The difference between the King of heaven, and the Kingdom of heaven: Either of them hath an eternity, but the Kings eternity exceeds. God's Aeternum is the duration of an uncreated being: our aeternum is but the duration of a created being. God was King, when there was no heaven, for He made heaven: and of necessity the Maker must be before the work. Heaven, and the Angels and Saints who dwell in that Court, had a beginning, though they shall have no end: but God hath neither end nor beginning. The heavens contain us, they cannot contain Him: nay, He contains the heavens. Time was but a little breath of his mouth, and all the wheels of time, but the motion of his finger. Eternity is his Nature: He is perfect eternity it self: and the continuance of the world is but a shadow or abridgement of it; far shorter than Himself. He lays his hands upon both ends of everlastingness, comprehending it within his infinite eternity, and eternal infiniteness.

2. The difference betwixt this Now, and forever. Nunc hath both a beginning, and an end: forever, hath a beginning, no end. Nunc is spun out by degrees: forever, is perfect at once. Of nothing we become children, of children men, of men aged, and in age (if not before) we must die: one Nunc brings us into this world, another Nunc carries us out. In the Orbe of this forever, there is no increase and decrease, no infancy and age, no growth and death: all are perfect at once, all shall continue perfect forever. As for death, he may here ramble abroad, and deal about his bloody and fatal blows; and heaven is quite out of his reach. In that upper world, death hath nothing to do; his power, his credit is lost there: above they laugh at his fury. Our Nunc here hath many alterations: it is subject to changes and chances. Stay but a Nunc, and the greatest man of the East is become a Beggar: but another Nunc, and the healthiest man droupes: this minute he was well, and he is ill this minute. He feels a sudden change and alteration to worse, and cannot tell the cause, nor call it by any name. This variable, and therefore miserable condition of man, was not imprinted by God: for as Himself is immortal, so He did put a beam, a coal of immortality into us. This by our obedience we might have blown into a flame, but by our sin we blew it out. We beggared ourselves, by hearkening after false riches: we infatuated ourselves, by listening after false knowledge. So that now we do not only die, but die upon the rack, die by the torment of sickness: And because we fear sickness and death, we are even sick before sickness comes, and die before death comes. For the very jealousy; and pre-apprehension of sickness and death, is an antedating of sickness and death. We make ourselves sick, before we are so; and are ready to die, ere death comes at us. We are not sure we are ill; but by feeling of our pulse, one hand asks the other how we do: and our eye asks our own urine, how it is with us. We die, and cannot enjoy death, because we die in the torment of sickness: we are tormented with sickness, and cannot stay till the torment comes: but make ourselves sick with presages, and even die of suspicion. These mutations and miseries are involved in our Nunc: none such belongs to forever. In heaven there is no sin, therefore no sickness: no sickness, therefore no death: but for those three incidents of our Nunc, three beatitudes in forever: For Sin, Grace: for Sickness, Glory: and for Death, Life and Immortality.

3. The difference between the Saints militant, and those triumphant: between us in our Nunc, and them in their forever. We have the battle to fight: they have fought it, and are Conquerors. We are troubled with temptations, they tread the Tempter under their feet. We have the bitter cup of affliction to drink, they are past it, and filled with comfort. We have our degrees to take in the rough School of the Cross: they are perfect and complete Doctors. We have but the Grace, they have the Glory of Saints. We have an apprenticeship to serve, under our good Master Christ: They are free men of the new Jerusalem. We are heirs of the same Kingdom, but yet in our minority: they are possessed of the Inheritance. We live below in the veil of miseries: They above, in the Mount of blessedness. We have the earnest of Heaven, they are stated in the whole bargain. We are upon the way, they at their journeys end. Our race is to run, they have got the Prize. We are Pilgrimmes in this world, they are at home in their own Country. We seek For a Citty which hath a foundation, they have found it. We are in black, our mourning garments: they In white, the habit of rejoicing. And which is worst, we are haunted with sins; those pernicious Heathens cannot be quite expelled out of our Canaan. Too often do they draw us into the offense of our Maker: for which our hearts smite us with remorse, and we go heavily all the day long: They above, are rid of all these solicitations; and think this the happiest of all their deliverances, that they are safely delivered from their sins. We sin against the Lord for trifles, they would not offend Him for a thousand Heavensr This is the sorest inconvenience of our Nunc: not so much that it is a vale of miseries, as a vault of sins. The good soul had rather suffer the evil that displeaseth her sense, than do the evil that displeaseth her Maker. Here we have continual work for repentance: O how much of our time is spent in undoing that by sorrow, which we have done up amiss by sin? In our house sin continually makes dust, and repentance must be the Beesome to sweep it. In Heaven there is nothing but purity and perfection. Here we give Christ some Glory, but it is with the intermission of sleep, and interruption of sin: and too often we dishonor Him, which costs us many bitter tears. In that Orbe of Eternity, His praises are perpetually sung, and there is no stay of his Glory.

4. There is yet a Communion betwixt this Now, and For ever: the Saints that are gone before us, are not perfect without us. There is an association of both, them above, and us below; a communion of Saints. For the militant and triumphant Church make but one Parish: Though this world be scarce the Belfry in respect of that upper Choir. When Christ was upon the Earth, he was not out of his Diocese; nor out of his Temple, when he was in our flesh. They sing not the praises of Christ alone; we answer them. As when the Angels began; Glory to God on high; the shepherds followed, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen. The militant Church, in this joins with the Church triumphant: Therefore with Angels, and Archangels, and with all the company of Heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious Name: Evermore praising thee, and saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts: Heaven and and Earth are full of thy glory: Glory be to thee, O Lord most High. The goodly fellowship of the Prophets praise thee: The glorious company of the Apostles praise thee: The noble army of Martyrs praise thee: And not only so, but The Holy Church throughout all the World doth acknowledge thee. We have our part, and this himne must not be sung without us. The Epithalamium of that happy marriage of Christ to our nature, was begun by Angels: yet there were men on Earth that did second them: The song was not let fall, but as it came from Heaven to the Earth, so was it sent up again from the Earth to Heaven. The exaltation of our Nature in the Son of God, was entertained with Angelical anthems. His Session at the right hand of his Father, is lauded by the whole quire of Heaven: yea and it is rebounded, resounded by the Saints below. They from the battlements of Glory, we from the Earth, the pavement of this Temple answers them: Blessed be the Name of the Lord, from this time forth and for evermore. This song shall never cease: Nunc and Aeternum, shall both incessantly give him Glory. They cease not day and night, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty: No interruption of that music; but still Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the holy Ghost. How for a Nunc only? Once, and no more? At this hour, and so have done? No, but As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end: Gloria in altissimis, is the song of my soul in the house of my pilgrimage: I sing it Per modum voti, yea per modum devoti; my heart is devoted to his praise, and my tongue shall speak of his righteousness. We have no Angels to sing this Gloria in excelsis, and it is music for an Angel: But they are well pleased to take us into the Consort, to make up the fuller Harmoney. Yet let us take heed that we do not mar the music: If our breasts be hoarse; and stuffed with the crudities of unrepented sins, our voices will yield but a harsh sound: and God's praises would be sung with a clear breast. As we desire to sing with the Saints in Heaven, let us live like those Saints upon Earth. When we have cleansed our hearts from all unrighteousness, and made them Temples of the Holy Ghost; then do we rise above ourselves, and approach somewhat near to those blessed Spirits. Then are we in state with Saints and Angels, to magnify the glorious Name of Christ. There is joy among those Angels in Heaven, to hear their songs kept alive upon Earth. When the Son of God came down from Heaven to Earth, and when he went up from Earth to Heaven, still He was entertained with songs of praise. Let us praise Him both for the one, and the other, here; till we come to sing it in that glorious Choir above: No more of wish then, but of fruition, and so of gratulation For ever.

5. This is one sympathy of the Church, triumphant and militant: we all agree in this one harmony, of giving Glory to Christ. To Him be Glory in our Nunc: and To Him be Glory in their For ever. Howsoever there may be distance in place; they on high, we below: and difference in Grace; theirs perfect, ours inchoate: and difference in Glory; they have it in Re, we but in Spe; and difference in the effects of Faith: We believe what we shall have, they have what they believed: yet in this there is concord and consent; and without much difference, Christ hath his Glory both here, and there. Though there be a local and ceremonial difference between us, in place and honor: We Soldiers in His warfare, they at peace in His Palace, like Princes in his Court: Yet still there is a Communion of Saints, and we are all members of the same Head. Though we be like the feet of the Body, nearest to the Earth, yet we are parts of the same Body; and all of us have but one Head, Jesus Christ. So inseparably are they in Heaven, united to us on Earth; that the Church upon Earth is called the very Kingdom of Heaven. There was war in Heaven. Is not that the place of peace? Was not the Dragon long since cast out of Heaven? Can he get in thither, to work their disturbance? What, any war in Heaven? No certainly, there is all welfare, no warfare. But this Heaven is the Church militant; and it is honored with the name of Heaven for seven resemblances. First, It shines bright as Heaven. Fulget Ecclesia Doctoribus, ut coelum syderibus. Secondly, In Heaven, one Star differs from another Star in Glory: so here be different measures and degrees of Grace. Thirdly, Heaven is incessant in motion, so the Church continually moves toward God. Fourthly, Heaven gives influence to all lower things. So all good to the World is conveyed through the Church. Fifthly, Heaven hath none but pure inhabitants; and all the Churches Children are Heavenly: Their Treasure is in Heaven, Matth. 6.26. Their desires in Heaven. Coloss. 3.2. Their conversation in Heaven. Philip. 3.20. The Lord of Heaven dwells in them. Ephes. 3.17. And wheresoever He is, His very presence makes a Heaven. Sixthly, Heaven covers all sublunary things: So the Church hath the Moon under her feet, she treads upon the World. Revelation. 12.1. She is (as it were) shod with the Moon, and crowned with the Stars. Seventhly, as Satan is cast out of Heaven, so also thrown out of the Church: His place was no more found in Heaven. Revelation. 12 8. But you will say he rangeth in the World, how then hath he no place? He hath none ad nocendum: If he cannot hurt, he hath no place? He may still have power to tempt, not to hurt: Even the Devil himself shall work to our good. The Prince of this World hath nothing in me: Nec quicquam in me nec quicquam meis. Thus the Name of Heaven is communicated to us upon Earth: so certain are we in our Nunc, to be co-stated in their For ever.

Sixthly, This For ever, is the perfection of the Glory of Heaven. It were a Glory scarce worth glorying in, if it did not last For ever. This consummates the joy, that it cannot be lost: It would droupe and languish at the very height, if the head of it were not borne up with this For ever. This is the Crown of the Crown of Life; that the kings there shall wear their Crowns For ever. The very hope of this, is the best inheritance of the greatest Prince upon God's Earth: After a kingdom which he must leave, to enjoy a Kingdom which shall never leave him: To change a crown of gold, for a Crown of Glory: To change the glory of a Crown which must vanish, for the Crown of Glory which can never be taken from him. Alexander gave away all, and left himself nothing but hope: but it was not this hope: He wept when he heard of another World: He had wasted some time in winning this: and now to hear of another, when he had not gotten all this; it melted his great heart into tears. He thought one World indeed too little for him: Vnus Pellaeo Iuveni non sufficit Orbis: This he made account to have wholly his; yet still he wanted a part. But now there was another World, wherein he had no part at all: this made him weep; but he wept as one That had no hope. 1 Thes. 4.13. No earthly greatness can secure us from treachery and violence: Two of the Kings Chamberlaines conspire against Ahasuerus. He that ruled over millions of Men, through a hundredth twenty and seven Provinces, cannot assure himself from the hand of a villain. He that had the power of other Men's lives, is in danger of his own. O blessed they that are possessed of a Crown incorruptible, unfadeable; of a Kingdom in Heaven. No force, no Treason can reach thither: there can be no peril of either violence, or forfeiture. What a-do there is in the World for Annuities, for Leases of life, of three lives, for Free-holds and Perpetuities? So undeterminable is the love of this World which determines every minute. We are very earnest and industrious about the continuance of our Nunc: O that we were half so careful about the assurance of our For ever. Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, eat, drink, and be merry: He was but a fool. But when we have Peace, Happiness, and Glory, (which are the true goods indeed) laid up for us, not for many years, nor for many ages, but For ever, we may then be merry indeed. The best joys of our souls here, though they be the beams of God's favor, are often clouded. In our fairest day, it often rains before night; and our jollity concludes in tears. If we escape outward crosses, yet we cannot avoid sins, and they do (and nothing but they should) set us a weeping. There is neither Clouds nor Rain in that Eternal day above: They have nothing to weep for, therefore no place for tears. The Lord sometimes smiles upon us, and then we say in our prosperity: We shall never be moved, thou hast made our hill so strong. Psalm. 30.6. But abscondisti faciem; and then we hang down the head, like Bul-rushes in a shower. In Heaven the Face of God is never hidden; The Saints and Angels behold it continually. Matth. 18.10. This In aeternum crown all their crowns, rejoiceth their joys, and even glorifies their glories, by confirming them in blessedness: the assurance that they shall be crowned For ever, blessed For ever, joyous and glorious For ever and ever.

For application of all; we must do what we can, to make the glory of Christ last For ever: Not only In aeterno suo, for that shall be done without us: but In aeterno nostro, which is to be done by us, So let us honor him while we live, that our very memory may occasion his honor when we are dead. This shall be written for the generation to come, and the people yet unborne shall praise the Lord. O happy men that do such good works, for which the future ages shall praise him. Nature is pregnant in this office: The outgoings of the morning and evening praise thee: to teach us, neither to lie down, nor rise up, without remembering of our Maker. Day unto day, and night unto night, doth publish it: their Language is heard everywhere: How much more should we be diligent in the celebration of his praises? One generation shall praise thy works to another. The faith of Abraham, in not sparing his only son, glorifies God even to this day. The patience of Job, proclaims to all the world his honor. The gracious lives of the Saints departed, do still magnify him: in every place we hear of them, and are moved to glorify God for them: As if his Name had been less famous, if these men had not been, or not been so holy. Not that they could add renown to God, but God renowned himself by them. For if his Justice gets honor by a Pharaoh, much more doth his mercy by a Moses. We cannot look upon an Hospital or alms-house, but we are occasioned to glorify God, for giving men the grace to do such good works. Their works follow them; yea, and (in another sense) tarry behind them too: The reward goes with them, that their souls may be saved: but the work it self stays behind, that God may be glorified. For this cause we remember in our thanks to God, the Wickams, and the Suttons, and the benefactors of forms ages: blessing him that raised them up, and reflecting all to his honor. Do good therefore, ye rich men, with your goods: and think it not enough to glorify God with your professions whiles you live; but that God through your occasions may be glorified when you are dead. These are better monuments than your alabaster or marble sepulchers; better than all the elegies of poets, and Inscriptions upon your tombs: your lasting good deeds, which be the visible trophees of your goodness: That is your Aeternum in this world and by this you shall give glory to Christ forever. This is that praise of God, which shows that he was the God of your praise. Build refectories for his members, and Temples to his service: you shall die, but Non norant haec monumenta mori. If Israel builds houses to his praise, he will dwell in them, and so is said to inhabit the praises of Israel. In our several stations. Let us endeavor all ways to glorify him, and in heaven he will glorify us forever.

Amen. This is the conclusion of all. Concerning which, some things are observable in the word it self, and some in the sense of the word.

1. It is a word Omnium Linguarum, of all Languages. Originally it is Hebrew; the Greeks took it up, the Latins followed them, all other nations entertain it, and it shall never be laid down. There be many Hebrew words, which we retain in their proper dialect, without translation of them: as Halleluiah, Immanuel, Hosanna, Maranatha, Racha, Manna, Mammona, Abba, Cherubim, Seraphim: but the most frequent and familiar of them all is Amen. It is kept in the original, and not translated; first to preserve the honor of the Hebrew tongue. As that was the first language of the world, and thought to be still the language of heaven; so it shall have honor in the midst between both these: for all nations shall speak the language of Canaan: In time the consent of all nations shall come in, to testify the truth of the Gospel. And howsoever it be now a stumbling block to the Jews, and an offense to the Gentiles; yet the day will come, when both Jews and Gentiles shall receive it, and to the word of Christ, they shall say Amen. Next, it is a pledge to the Gentiles, that there shall be a re-engraffing of the Jews: Christians call God; Abba, Father, in the tongue of the Jews; implying that the Jews shall become Christians. As we received our first faith from them, so they shall receive their last faith from us. It is not then unlawful to use Greek or Latin words in our Sermons, when as we are allowed to use Hebrew words in our prayers. But as we refuse no meat that conduceth to the nourishment of our bodies, so all words are good that tend to the edification of our souls.

2. It is a word omnium Idiomatum; signifying a Noun, a verb, an adverb. First, It is taken for a Noun; real and substantial truth: These things saith Amen, the faithful witness. All the promises of God are Yea and Amen. So every Evangelist shuts up his Gospel; Amen. So Paul, Peter, and John conclude their Epistles Amen. So the holy Ghost seals us the Scripture: the last word of the Bible is Amen. To show that whatsoever therein is contained, is perfect and absolute truth. Secondly, It is taken for an Adverb: so frequently, it is used by Christ; Amen, Amen, dico vobis; verily, verily I say unto you. It is sometimes used in the Old Testament: The woman shall say, Amen, Amen. In diverse places of the Psalms: by which some would distinguish them into five books, in imitation of Moses his Pentateuch; every book containing thirty Psalms, and the number distinguished by Amens. It is thus taken, an asseveration, some call it Iuramentum. But that Christ, when he said Amen, Amen, did so often swear or take an oath were hard to affirm. Thirdly, It is taken for a verb: wherein we wish something to be. Deut. 27.15. Neh. 5.13. Psal. 89.52. Thus it is a note of confirmation, tam asserendo, quàm optando. It is every way a Seal to the truth of that which is delivered: The promises of God are Amen in Christ; In ipso sunt Ipsum. And to the truth of our receiving and believing it; so we shut up our Creed with Amen.

3. It is a word Omnium locorum; placed in the beginning, in the midst, in the end. In the beginning to express the Truth of that which follows: In the end to witness the Truth of what went before: In the midst, it is Ipsa veritas. Christ commonly used it in the beginning of his speech: so he begun his Sermon to Nicodemus. And Paul so begins his Epistle to the Galatians. So the Spirit begun his letter to the Laodiceans. In the midst it hath a place also. Romans 9.5. Like a Selah in the midst of a Psalm. And in the Lord's prayer, though it be but once mentioned or uttered, and that in the end; yet it is implied in the midst, and belongs to every petition: as well to Fiat voluntas tua, as to Dimitte debita nostra: to Adveniat regnum tuum, as to Da panem nostrum. To them all generally we say, and to everyone particularly we intend Amen. In the end, it is never to be omitted: whether we pray alone, or with the congregation, we must conclude with Amen. Every where then it challengeth a room: Especially S ^t . John, repeating the words of our Savior, ever doubles it; Amen, Amen. Some would strangely allude it to the age of John: that as in the Greek elements of the word Amen, the numerical letters amount to ninety nine: so they say, S ^t . John lived ninety nine years. As those that collect, because the Beasts name, and Solomon's yearly talents of gold, were both of a number, each of them six hundredth sixetie and six: that therefore Antichrist at that time must be as rich, as ever was Solomon: they do but invent fantastical dreams, and groundless curiosities. Amen is a word of honor, the voice of faith, and faith presupposeth understanding; not to be used upon every trivial circumstance, with unadvised lips: for through a custom or habit of speaking it, they blunder out Amen at a ventures, and not seldom seal a curse to themselves. It cannot be used with too much reverence.

It was a complaint of the Jewish Teachers; we may too justly transfer it upon ourselves: that the Amen of God's Clients in the Church is very defective: there is a fault in it, that would be amended. One Amen they called Pupillum: when a man says Amen to he knows not what: he understands not the prayer. Another they called Subreptitium; when one says Amen before the time comes: he is loath to tarry till the prayers be done. The last they called Sectile: when a man cuts off his devotion, and divides it into two parts. He sleeps out the first part, and his mind is wandering in the last part; only he awakes in the midst, inopportunely says Amen to that. But a perfunctory and careless Amen, to thy private, or the public prayers, will procure thee none of the required blessings: it will bring but sorry comfort to thy conscience. Saint Jerome saith, That in the Primitive Church, the people's Amen, at the end of public prayer, was like thunder; above the shout of an army in a triumph: that it would almost astonish a man to hear, Populum reboantem Amen. With so submiss a voice do we answer the Minister in our suffrages, as if we were afraid that men should hear us: we do but whisper, whereas they did thunder: Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh: our praising God with so low a voice, argues a poverty of devotion in our hearts. If we knew what a seal our hearty Amen were to all our petitions, we would sooner rend the clouds, than whisper to our pewes so necessary a Fiat.

Nor must this only conclude our supplications, but even our gratulations: as well our thanks for what we have received, as our suits for what we would receive. God will not accept of an Hosanna, without an Hallelujah: Amen must seal up both. Be this then the conclusion of our prayers, wherewith God concludes his Scriptures. The first word is In principio: the last word Amen. A stately beginning, and a powerful ending. What is more stately than Antiquity? Id verum, quod primum. The Doctrine of Moses and the Prophets concerning the true Worship of God, was first: Idolatry and Baalism came in afterwards. The Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles, touching Justification by faith, was first: the Popish Doctrine of Merits and Satisfactions came in afterwards. What more powerful than the Truth? At last it will prevail: all will be Amen, Truth in the end. So the Scriptures have both Vetera and Vera; which are not joined together in any other writings. In human learning, many things are uncertainely true, and more certainly untrue: only the Word of God is sealed with Amen. Amen is the end of it; and let us all say Amen unto it.

To set some method in my discourse; Amen is but one word; and it was hard to divide a word. It is an unwarrantable boldness to tear any word in pieces; much more to rend this word Amen, which is the seal to all the rest. Who but a mad man would tear the seal of his Evidence? Yet though a word may not be divided, it may be distinguished, and that without injury. One word may have divers significations: and though it have but Vnicum sonum, may bear Multiplicem sensum. It is like Manna, which relished to all, according to the delight of every several palate. Many virtues lay claim to this Amen. Desire challengeth Amen, and says, It is mine. Faith lays title to Amen, and says, It is only mine. Thankfulness would engross Amen, as properly belonging to her. We will let them all have it, rather than tear it in pieces, that so none might have it. The root of it is in the heart, and it hath four several Branches in the mouth. First, as it comes from a Desire of the heart, it is Vox Petentis, the word of a Petitioner. Secondly, as it comes from a Perswasion of the heart, it is Vox Credentis, the word of a Believer. Thirdly, as it comes from the Joy of the heart, it is Vox Gratulantis, the word of a Thankesgiver. Fourthly, as it comes from the Resolution of the heart, it is Vox Perseverantis, the word of a Continuer. First, a Desire that so may it be. Secondly, a Belief, that so it shall be. Thirdly, a Rejoicing, that it is so. Fourthly, a Resolution, that so it shall continue. Of these in order.

1. Amen signifies an earnest Desire of the heart, to obtain some good. Geminata precatio: when we have expressed with our mouths, what we desire in our minds, we add Amen: So let it be unto me, O Lord. I come quickly. Amen. And least that Amen should not seem earnest enough, it is seconded by an exegetical instance; Even so, come Lord Jesus. The foregoing prayer is a petition, and Amen is a short repetition of it: a brief and abridgement of all that hath been asked. All the requests of an humble Client, are thus summed up in a word; Amen. It is a Seal put to the end of a conveyance: Prayer is the conveyance of our hearty desires to Heaven: this is not authentical without a seal. As God hath regard to all the terms of the conveyance, and ponders all our requests; so in the bottom of the Instrument He looks for our seal. If Amen be not set to it, it is but a cold conveyance, and will hardly bring us a good assurance. Duplicatum verbum, ardens desiderium. So Isaiah 37.17. Dan. 9.19. Matth. 7.7. The evils be so hurtful, whereof we beg a removal: the Graces so excellent, whereof we pray for a fruition; that we have good cause to be urgent with God, and to put Him in mind of that we have asked, by the conclusion with which our prayers are sealed, Amen. We say Amen, O LORD to our supplications, do thou say Amen to the concessions of them. This is to seal our seal; to set the seal of his merciful grant, to the seal of our humble suit. Amen on earth, is sealed and ratified by the Amen in Heaven.

2. Amen signifies a persuasion of the heart: not only a desire to have it so, but a belief that it shall be so. And though option and expectation be different acts of the Soul; yet they may be at one instant in the Heart, and therefore expressed in one word by the mouth: The Amen of Prayer, which is a Fiat: and the Amen of Faith, which is a Fiet; do not destroy, but rather assist one another. Faith rouseth up Prayer, Prayer cheers up Faith. Credidi & ideo locutus sum; Psalm 116.10. Faith opens the lips of Prayer. I have prayed, that thy Faith might not fail; Luke 22.32. so Prayer keeps Faith in heart. Believe then, that you may pray heartily: Pray, that you may believe firmly. Amen answers to both; as one beam of the Sun yieldeth both light and heat: light to our Faith, heat and fervency to our Prayer. Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name, He will give it you: John 16.23. This is the foundation of our Amen. It must rise from a believing heart, and that must needs be an understanding heart. No man will put his seal to a writing, till he understands the contents. Our Prayer, without the Amen of Faith, is an Evidence without a Seal. The Amen of our lips, without the intention of what is prayed for in our hearts, is a Seal without an Evidence. The Suffrage of the whole congregation, crying Amen to the public Prayers, hath ever been, and is the laudable custom of all Churches. But if the common Prayer be not in a common tongue, how shall the people say Amen? When the Priest says Prayers in Latin, it is at his courtesy, whether he will bless or brand the Assembly; and so ignorant Persons may say Amen to their own curse. Say his Charity is better, yet the unlearned Papist is never the wiser. It was a ridiculous observation of the Carnotensian Canons, that forbore to shut up Prayers with Amen in their Churches, because they understood Saint Paul to make it belong only to Idiots: whereas their Assembly consisted of none but noble and learned Persons. But Hugo saith well of them, that they have now just cause, Illud resumere per contrarium; and all to say Amen, because there are none but Idiots and unlearned amongst them. Coeca devotio, rara benedictio. The Romish Priests may conjure, as well as pray, for ought that the Vulgar know. And their Amen to the Orisons, is but like a song of one tune, and the burden of another: or like the ringing of the Saints-bell, after much jangling in the steeple. For though God understands Latin, yet their Latin does not understand God. So we have too many, that huddle up their prayers in a morning, and then think they have served God very well, and are blest for all day. Their minds are busy about one thing, and their tongues talk of another thing: they neither say what they consider, nor consider what they say. So that here is neither hand nor seal, but a mere blank: or a paper scribbled over with nonsense: No man can tell what to make of it. If praying were not an Action of the heart, more than of the lips, you have many Birds that might be taught to say their prayers.

But when The heart hath indicted a good matter, and the tongue hath set it down like the pen of a ready writer; Psalm 45.1. Then is the seal opportunely put to them both; Amen. Some preproperous devotions are delivered, as Sermons are taken, in Brachigraphy: They love to be short with GOD, as if it were enough that he knew their meaning. Others are long and tedious, like the prayers of the Pharisees, full of superfluous repetitions, and idle misplacings. Like Anagrams; for as there is a transposition of letters, so here is a misposition of requests: The beginning is where the end should be, and the end where the beginning: so that in the wrong Vbi, there is skrewed in Amen.

3. Amen signifies the joy of the heart, and so it is a gratulation for some good received. Thus most properly, and according to the genuine nature of it, it is taken here. To GOD be glory forever; Amen. We do not only desire that so it may be, and believe that so it shall be, but also rejoice that so it is. Saint Chrysostom tells us, that the People in the Primitive times, so soon as ever they heard these words uttered, To whom be Glory forever, they presently thundered out Amen. It is Vox gratulantium; as when the Magistrate hath pronounced, GOD save the King; The whole multitude showteth forth Amen. Whensoever we hear any man blessing the Name of God, it is a key to open our lips, and a motive to affix our Seal to His Prayses with Amen. The best way to pledge the Kings health, is by our hearty prayers for him: And it is not the least way of honoring Christ, when others have begun his Holy Prayses, to pledge them in our consents, to answer them in our echo's, of Amen. O that men would praise the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the Children of Men. Psalm. 107.8. and Psalm. 116.13. Though we cannot make a long Oration of His worthy Prayses, nor a narration of His great and glorious acts; yet when we hear the Preacher declare what He hath done for us, and ascribe all honor to His Name, We cannot but know how to say Amen. It is a word neither hard to learn, nor troublesome to remember, nor difficult to pronounce; Amen. All Plants receive influence from the Sun: only the thankful Heliotropium turns it self to the Sun, and would fain follow it. If the beams of Christ's Graces have thoroughly warmed our hearts, we still look towards Him, we rejoice in His Blessings, and close up all our praises of Him with Amen. All the Tribe of Manasseh went not over Jordan, some stayed behind: Manasseh is said to signify forgetfulness: though we forget many of GOD'S mercies and benefits, yet let some tarry behind in our memories, and not pass away without our thankfulness. We have dull hearts, if we can taste the sweetness, and digest the fatness of his blessings, without returning Him continual thanks, sealed with Amen.

4. It signifies the resolution of the heart; that as the glory of GOD shall continue forever in it self, so we with all our best endeavors will maintain it. And that as His favors towards us are not mutable, so we will be no changelings in setting forth His Prayses.