rUf Sermom at the Earle of \. I Almighty putting himfelfe into the fearefull formes of vengeance; Who can fl:and A I before his indignation~ And who can abide in the liercene!fe ofhis anger~ His fury is powred out like lire,and the rocks are throwne do)vne before him, Nahum r. 6. And ifhis very love have drawne bloud of his deare ones: (Ttrrcrts Dcmini militant <cntra me, faith holy I•b: The terrors of the Lord are fet in aray againfl: me, Iob6. 4· ) and he that bore the cha(lifements of our peace, the Sonne of his love, could fay (MJ God, my Gcd, wbyhajlth•ufor(aken men Oh what !hall be the judgementsof his wrath~ Ifthis be the rod ofchildren, Oh, what !hall be the Scorpions for his enemies? They !hall fee that gu)fe of ~r7 ready to receive them into eyerlafl:ing b~rnings. They fholl fee the Devtls thelf rnccfl:ant tormentors ready to fe,ze upon the~r guilty' foules. Then, 0 then, !hall they know, too late, what an happinefl:e it is, that God B here promifes, Dabo p.cem. Would we then avoyd the unfpeakable horrour ofthis wofull condition~ Would we find the bed ofmJrfickne!fe and death, comforted with the fweettefl:imony ofan heavenly peace betwixt God and ourfoules? See whence we mufl: ferchit.fn thisplacewifllglveprace. !fever we have it, we mufl: haveit from the blefTed ordinances ofGod, his Word and Sacraments, which this place can afford us. In vaine 0Jall yee feeke for tl1is (deare Chrifl:ians) in a licentious Taveme, in a rich Counting·houfe, in Chambersof dalliance., in full Txbles, in Pompous CourtS; no, not inthrones of earthly Majefl:y. Alas, many of thefe are the make-bms betwixt Heaven and us, moft of them can marrel none of them can make our peace. It isonelythe defpifed Minifl:ery ofthe Gofpell; the Word ofreconciliation,(asitis C called,' Cor.j.I9.) which founds in Gods Honfe, that can doe it. As yeelove your foules therefore,as you would finde peace at the lafl:, and would looke with a comfortable a!furancein the foce of death and judgement; as yee would fee a gracious Mercy-feat in the dreadfull Tribunal! of God at the day ofour lafl: appearance, frequent the Houfe of God, attend reverently and confcionably upon the fatted Infiitutions of God, yeeld your felvesover~o be wrought upon by the powerful! Gofpell ofJefus Chrifl. Oh be not you wanting unto God,_he will not be waming umoyou, but will make good thisJ'romifeofhis unfailable grace, In this place will I give peace. It is a great wor that is here fpoken, Dab•pacem; and therefore it is undertaken by an omnipotent Agent, I ,.;a give peace. If aU the Angels ofHeaven fhould have [aid fo, we Owuld foone have replied,as Korah and his company did toM<fesand .Aar1n, D Yee tooke too much upon you,Numbers 16. 3•This worke is not for any finite power, thefl:ileofpeace, is the p~aceof God; the fl:ile ofGod,the Mediator betwixt God I andman, is, The Prince ofptace. He is the true Sa/~mo»J the other was but typical!. It is he only, that when the Difciples were to!fed with contrary winds and threatning bil1lowes,could command the winds and waves to a calme. It is hee only, that when 1 1 his Church is totTed with the winds and waves of raging and impetuous enmitie,can give outward peace. It is he onely, that when the diCireffed foule is to!fed with the winds and waves of fl:rong temptation, of weake diffidence, cag give inward peace. Jufl:ly therefore dorh he challenge this aet as his own,I,.t/1give peau. We ufe E to fay, lt is bt:fl: treating ofpeace with • fword in our hand. Thofe who have'the advantage ofthe warre, may command peace: underlings mull: fl:oopto fuch conditi· ons, as the vittor will yeeld. To fhew us thorefore how eafily he can give peace, God fl:iles himfelfe the God of Hofl:s; a title wherein he takes no fmall delight, referring not to the beingofthe creature, but to their marfhalling; not to their naturall efiate, but their militarie; neither would God be lookt at in it, as a Creator, but as a Gcnerall. In buttwoof the Prophets, Efay and Ieremie, no leffc than an hundred and thirry times hath hee this fl:ile given him. Every thing, as it hath an exifl:ence from the Maker, fo an order from the Governour 1 and that orderis no otherthan warlike, wherein it doth (militare Deo) ferve under the colours of the Almighty. All creatures are both mufl:red, and trained, and placed in Garrifon, and brought forth into the field,in the fervice of their Creator; they are all txmltU< pu,{nAtorll,.. Ifyee looke into Heaven,there is a company of heovenly Souldiers, Luke z. Neither was there ondy the confl:ruetion of Idolaters, unlverja militia c~rli, to which they ' burnt incenfe; but Mofes hlmfelfe; Thus the Htaven AndEarth wert jinl{htd, And AU I •
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