I I 418 The lmprefe ofGod. Part 2.1 is Llferings. whether oucward,or inward. The outward fulfilled in thofe l>rgeen- A dowmenrs~frhe Church, by our devoman.d bounrifull p~edeceffors. What liberall revenue! richmaintenances were then pur mto(mott·mame) the dead handofrt.e Church ? Lawes were faine ro reflraine the bounty of thofecontributions ( the gr<'unc!s >'here!>fi examine nor) in lleadof M•fa hisproclamarion,Ne1•iJ facito rleit~ups opus adohlationem SanfJHIIrii{'ztjs tiJim eft,1Zdeoq_;fuptrtfl~Exe.26.6. Then motu Dominl.mo11J ping11il: turnow the Church may cry With the Propher,My leanneffe, my lean;,effe. For fbame,why £hould (acrilegecroud in wirh religion?why £holild our beerer knGwled~e finde us leffe confcionable? 0 injurious zeale oftho(e men, which rhink rheChurchcannorbe holy eno\!f:h, unleffe £hebeg. lr harh been faid cf old, 1 h" Religion bredwealth, aod rhe daughter eat up the mother: I know not,if rhe daughter devoured the mother;I am fure thefemmwould devour bothdaughtu and mother:Men ofvafl gorges,and infariable.Our Saviourcryedout againll theScribes B and Pharifes.yettheydevoured butwidows houfes, poore low cottages: but rhefe aolfesofmen, wholeChurches; and yet rhe fepulchers oftheir throats ore openfor ;';,ore. I can tell rhem o£amouth that iswider than theirs, and that is rhe Prophe<s,OJ ;,ferni: Therefore Hellharh inlarged it felfe, arid bath opened hismouth, without meafure: and theirglory, and their p<'mpe,and he that rejoycerh in it, £hallde1Cend intoit,E[•Y·S· '4· In theme:>n rime,Ohthatout sam[011 would pull rhishonyofthe Church out of the jawesof rhefe L)OOS ; orifthccunnin~ conveyances offacrilege have made th.r impr.ffible, fince i: liesnot now emire in the combes,but islet down •nd digefted bytht (e nveners,fet himwhofe glorY it is, notto be Paler Pat,;.., only, but PaterEccJ,ji£,)'rcvide that rt.cfe fewporswehave,may llili feorh, and thot ifnothing will be •dded,norhing can he recovered, yet oorhingmay be purloyned from t!.e1\lrarsofGod. Burrhefe ourw"d • lferings were bur the types ()fthe inward: C WharcaresGod for rheb!ood or flefh ofbullocks,rams,J!oars?lli'011idel1ariJ facrificio Ml rlem}olurauJiitnonviJ,fairhDavli:what then?The facrificeofCod is aconrrite fpirit,a broken hearr.Ourhumiliation is [acrificiNm p£nile~ti£,oui new obedience is [acdficiHIVI j•Jiitile,our thankfull commemorationare fo<rijiciMmlawr/iJ. Thefe ore the cblarions which ns they £hall be frequent undertheCofpell, fo moll fragrant unro Cod:and rhisisthat Iall,and perhaps moll properfenfe,wberein rheflefh-porsoftbe ~acrificeStr.lll ficotaromat•.£hall beas perfumes in the bowles ofincenfe.Alively fa. cnfi ce is well mar<ht with hoiy and acceptable. When Noat. tacrificed roGod after theDeluge, it is faid Cod (melt a favcur ofrell,alluding to'his namr:but now the facrifices we offer are;,., ;.,-/l..,afavouroffweernes:fO that the fame favourthatChri lls oblation bad,Ephtf. S-~ · the lame haveour rlferings,Ph#.4.I 8.Godschildren,out of the confcience oftheir own weakntffes, are eafily dili:ourJ!ed in the valuotion of D rbeir own obedience. As therefore they can fay oftheit perfons,with tMiphihefheth, What is thy (ervanr?fooftheir fervices,as Phit;p faid ofthe live loaves and two fi!hes, <~M...WT< ni<>•.Alas,what arethefeiBurd:ey&theirol&rings dinot be fo bafe to th<mfelves,as they are precious toGod. There is no feo(e rhat gives fo lively a refrefhing to rhe fpiriu,asthat offmelling: no fmell canyeeld fo rrueand feelingdelight to the fenfe, as theolferingsofoutpenitence,obedience, praife, fend up into thenollrilsof the Almighty.Hence asthcC~urch ea~ fay ofChrill,He is as abundleofmyrrh lying betweenher brealls;fohe agam o~her m that ~eavenly Epitt.dlam;a,, Thy pl•nrsare .tsanOrchard ofPomegranates,With fweet fiu11s,as cypres,lpicknard faffron,colamus and cinamon,with all the trees ofincenfe,myrrh, and aloes,with all t'he chiefe fpiceo, C•"·4·' 3.Letthis therfotecomfort us,aj!ainlt ourimperfefrions;lfwe be potsofthe Lordshoufe, thofe faint llreams that we fend up, £hall beas fweet, as the bell incenfe ~ftbe bowles oftheAltar,&.Cod faies to us,as to Cur"'ll"', Thypraiers& thinealms E ue come up,Al1. Jo.And how are theycome up?Likepillars of fmoke perfumed with myrrh& incenfe,&with all the chieffpices,C•nl.3.6.l fay if we be pots ofrheLords honfe; for ifwe belEgyptian fle!h-pots, that reekofthe flrong-fmelling onions and !!at likeofour owncorruptions; Ifwe be l!t:.tchielr bloody pors,whofe fcnmme or(.s the vulgar)whofe rult is in them,llzec.~4.If we boil with lnlt,ifwirh revenge,ifwith am~ition; I can fay noorherofus, than the fonnesofthe Prophets (aidof theirs, Mort
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