But then , vt , with liberati . If God take vs , 2. Vt , with liberati . as He findes vs , and say with the Apostle ; parco autem vobis , 1. Cor. 7. 28. 6. Goe to , I beare with you ; & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of indulgence , condescend to condition with vs , if Hee come to vt liberati ; shall not that hold vs ? Our duetie being absolute , depending vpon no vt , if vpon speciall fauour , God will come in bonds , and let it runne in this tenor , That , being deliuered , wee shall serue Him ; else not : shall we not then doe it ? This being done , I maruell what we can alleadge , to decline our duety ; vnlesse we meane , it should be , fast with God ; and loose with vs ; Hee bound to doe all for vs ; and we free , to do nothing for him .

And yet a third ( to magnifie His mercy , yet more , 3. Vt , with liberati , first , before Seruiamus . and to tye vs the harder to our Couenant ) vt , is not onely with liberati , but with liberati , first : God is bound , and first bound , to doe for vs , before wee doe ought for Him . It is not , That wee should serue him , first , and then He deliuer vs , after : But , that he should first deliuer vs , and after , when wee are deliuered , then , and not before , we should doe our seruice . It is not libentudi , shal be , or may be , hereafter : it is liberati , are already . So we are aforehand with Him . Hee hath done His , before we begin ours . Liberati , you see , precedes seruiamus : liberati , the tense past , seruiamus but the present , ( and I would it were the present ) I doubt , for a great part , it is yet to come .

And the reason , why He will haue it so to praecede ; is , He would haue our seruice grow out of His fauours , our duety , out of His bounty . That , is the right , and , ( indeed ) the Euangelicall seruice . If He haue vs at the advantage , on the hip ( as we say ) it is no great matter , then to get seruice at our hands . None more seruile then wee , then . But , that , is the Legall , for feare . And that sometimes he hath , but likes it not ; He would haue it , out of loue , out of the sense of His goodnesse , haue our hearts broken , with that . That , is the onely acceptable seruice to Him , that growes out of that root . The seruiamus that growes out of liberati , deliuered and serue : first deliuered , and then serue . This for the equitie of the Couenant on Gods part .

NOw come I to plead , B The Performance of Gods Couenant . that on Gods part this Couenant was performed , that liberati we were . Heauen & earth would rise against vs , a a That deliuered . and condemne vs , if wee should not confesse liberati , this day . Heauen saw it , and was astonished : And it is gone ouer all the Earth , the fame of it . But , that , wee doe . The keeping of this day , the meeting of this assembly , are both to acknowledge and professe , that a liberati there hath bene .

Nay , not one alone : b b Twise deliuered . Two there haue bene : and two such , as our eyes haue seene , but our eares haue not heard , Psal. 44. 1. neither could our fathers tell vs , of the like . Two such , as no Age euer saw , nor can bee found , in any Story . That of 88. This of 605. ( both , within the compasse of seuenteene yeeres ) One by strand , the other by land : ( as they say . ) From a Fleet by Sea , from a Vault by land , Psal. 71. 20. de abyssis terrae ( as saith the Psalme ) as well , as de abyssis maris : a Summer ; and a Winter deliuerance : either of them , like this of Zacharies , able to bring Benedictus , from a dumbe man .

So , deliuered we were . But , a deliuery is a thing at large , a From our enemies . though it be , but from a mischance , from some heauy accident , it is a deliuery . But , if it be from our enemies , it is so much the more : as , In that , there is nothing but casualtie : In these , there is rancour and malice , they hate vs : So this the greater danger by farre .

And there is much in the enemies : b b Mortall enemies . Of them , some reach but at our states , lands or liuelihoods : Other some , nothing will satisfie , but our liues . Euery enemie is not mortall , where he is , the danger is deadly . Ours were such , sought to bring vtter destruction on vs : and not on vs alone , but on ours : nor on vs and ours onely , but on the whole land in generall .

Againe , c c Secret enemies . of such as be deadly , Psal. 74. 4. some are roaring enemies ( the Psalme so calls them ) such as threaten and proclaime their enmitie , like those in 88. Others lurke , like vipers , that sting to death , without any hissing at all ; as were ours , ( this day ) which are the more dangerous , a great deale .

This made it ( indeed ) to be more then liberati , More then liberati , ( which is ) set free . ( ours . ) Liberati , is properly set free , and freeing is but from Seruitude . This was more . Our death was sought , and we deliuered from death , and that a fearefull death , vnprepared , suddenly , in a moment , to bee shattered to pieces . And , yet it was liberati too , Yet liberati too . in the proper sense : for , vpon the matter , it was from both . The Prophets diuision would haue taken place in it ; Iere. 43. 1● . Qui ad mortem , ad mortem ; qui ad seruitutem , ad seruitutem . They , that had bene blowen vp , to death ; they , that had bene left , to Seruitude ( to a State more miserable , then death it selfe . ) So , in one liberati , wee had two . Esther . 3. 73. Both from that of Hamans lots , which were , to death ( onely that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew , this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke ) And from that of Babylon , besides , which was thraldome , and confusion . Thus were we deliuered from our enemies .

But from the hands of our enemies , is more then from our enemies . The hands of our enemies , not our enemies . For , let the malice of an enemie , be what it will , if his handes be weake , or short , or we farre ynough from them : the matter is so much the lesse . But , if we come within his reach , if hee get vs within his hands , then God haue mercie on vs .

Specially , if there be in his hands , a knife thus engrauen , To cut the throats of the English haereticks , as , in 88 diuers so engrauen in Spanish , were brought from the Fleet , and shewed . Or , if there be in his hands , a match , ready to giue fire to 30. barrels of powder ( not so few . ) If the hands be such ; that is then , a deliuery , not from our enemies onely but from their hands , or ( as wee say ) from their very clouches . Yee will marke , that through all the Psalmes , euer , the part is still enforced : Psal 22. 14. 11. 124. 6. Not from the Lions , but , from the Lions pawes : from the hornes of the Vnicornes , from the teeth of the dog : So here , from the hands , from the bloody handes of our enemies .

Further , From their hands , not out of them . I say , it is more , to be deliuered from their hands , then out of them . For , if ( out ) then ( in ) first . They must first be in the hands , that are deliuered , out of them . But from them , that , may be from comming in them at all . The better deliuerance of the twaine . And , that was ours : And that was Christs : Hee is said , to haue loosed the sorrowes of hell , In Act. 2. 24. Non quibus nexus est , sed ne necteretur , saith Augustine , Not , wherewith He was bound ; but that Hee might not be at all bound with them . So we , not by taking vs out , but keeping vs from , from their hands , from the hands of our enemies .

Let me yet stay a little . Deliuered , the Manner of it Er●ti . For ( me thinks ) we may finde in this word , not onely our deliuerance , but euen the very maner , and the meanes , of it . Not , in liberati , the Latine : but , in S. Lukes owne word , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that will come home to both .

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , properly , eruti . Eruti , that fits vs , for the maner , two wayes .

Eruere , From a darke hole . is de tenebris in lucem educere . Out of some darke deepe hole , ( as it might be the cellar ) to bring foorth something to light , Psal. 7. 13. ( as it might be those same vasamortis , vessels there couched , and destined to the blowing us all vp . ) It must bee some darke vault , or pit , vnde , from whence : well therfore said of vs eruti , that were deliuered from a pit-danger , a danger vnder ground , in abyssis terrae , in the deepe of the earth .

Secondly , From a ruine or fall . eruere , the compound is , from ruere ( the simple ) that is , from a ruine ; Not , as if we should haue fallen into the pit , but that , there was there bestowed within it , that which would haue sent vs vp , that downe we should haue come , haue fallen downe , all to pieces . Ruina it would haue bene , and therefore eruti , right . And they talke of helping incendium ruinâ . Here there had bene incendium & ruina both , and neither helped other : but both bene past all helpe .

Deliuered from a ruine ; With the ruine of our enemies . But eruere is then in kinde , when we are so deliuered from a ruine , as with their ruine , that sought ours . So it was . We parted not of euen hands , we from them , and they from vs , neither of both , a fall . No : wee fell not ( no fall with vs ) they fell , Psalm. 10. 8. and had a foule fall . Wee were so deliuered from their hands , as they deliuered into ours . Wee eruti : they ruti & caesi both , Psalm. 9. 15. fell and were slaine . The pit they digged they fell into themselues : In the snare they layed , was their owne foote taken . The highest deliuerance of all ( so much made of , in the Psalmes . )

And thus much was before implied , Implied in cornu salutis . when it was called cornu salutis , a horne of saluation . Vers. 2. The saluation that so comes , comes euer with the perdition of the aduerse partie . So , is the horne expounded in Deuteron . 33. With these shalt thou strike thine enemies , and push them , as any wild beast . Ventilare is the word , Deut. 33. 17. Tosse them up , into the wind , vpon the top of their horns , till they haue gored them , and brought them to their end . Such was our horne of saluation , or ( as we turne it ) a mighty saluation . God shewing his might no lesse against them , then for vs : visited and redeemed vs mightily , in His mercie ; visited and ruined them as mightily , in His wrath .

And againe , Deliuered , The Meanes of it , By a King . in this , not onely the maner , how , but the meanes whereby . For , hee hath raised vp a horne of saluation . Now to raise vp , must needs be interpreted of a person , the meanes of the deliuerie . Who was that ? In Daniel , Dan. 7. 24. Reu. 17. 12. and the Reuelation , I finde it totidem verbis , decem cornua , decem Reges sunt : Alluding therein , as to their great power , so somwhat to the anointing thence powred on their heads : that it should bee salus Regia , and per Regem . A deliuery wrought by a King : Eruende By picking out . the King of Heauen to worke it , mediante Rege terreno . In cuius labijs diuinatio , if euer it were in any's , who did thereby eruere that , Prou 16. 10. out of the darke phrase , by which we all were eruti . And so , not the manner alone , but the meanes in it , too , that we were eruendo , eruti .

And last , that all this was sine timore . For in the verse so it stands , a a That deliuered without feare . first , vt sine timore liberati . And stands so first , that we might take speciall notice , and note of it . And though divers Writers draw ( sinetimore ) to seruiamus , as if there were an hyperbaton , to serve Him without feare : Yet what should let vs , so to take it , as it stands ? Specially since diuers of the Ancients take it so : ( I name Origen , Titus Bostrensis , Chrysostom , Theodoret , and Theophylact. ) But we may well reconcile them both , if we say , ( which truely we may say , ) That , without feare we were deliuered : to serve him in a state without ( or voide of ) fea●e .

It is a great fauour , when we are deliuered , to be deliuered , absque hoc , that we be at all put in any feare . Some , are sometimes saued from their enemies , but it is , with some fright first . It was the lewes case , when from Haman : Est. 4. 3. It was ours , in Anno 88.

They that are so , it cannot bee denied , but deliuered they are , but not sine timore liberati , not deliuered without feare . This was without feare . Our case , iust . Wee had no sense and so , no feare at all , of the danger , till it was past . I cannot better expresse it , then in Theodoret's owne words . Sed si sic dicendum est , ( saith he ) veluti non sentientes ita , nos de periculo transtulit in securitatem . If it may so be sayd , without any sense or feeling at all , did hee translate vs , from the depth of danger , into the state of securitie . In which point , ours did come neere to the great deliuery of the world , by CHRIST , what time the world little thought , either of their owne perill , or of his paines and passion , that deliuered it . b b Without feare , or any other passion . Yet , in this , ours had more then was in CHRISTS owne deliuerie . That there , though it were without feare , yet not without somewhat as euill , as feare . For CHRISTS was wrought by his innocent death ( a matter of sorrow , and griefe . ) But in ours there was none , neither feare nor griefe , nor any other vnpleasant passion . No innocent suffered here ; none but they , that had their heads in the contriuing , or their hands in the digging about it . Without feare it was , without any thing else , that might taint our deliuerie , with the least matter of grieuance .

So then , The recapitulation of all the former . ¹ deliuered we were . ² And not from the casualtie of any mischance , but from the malice of enemies : Enemies , and those ³ capitall ; And those ⁴ close hidden enemies : from them ; yea , ⁵ from their very hands : And ⁶ From their hands , not out of them . And our deliuerie was eruti , ⁷ from something in abyssis terrae ; And ⁸ from a ruine too : ⁹ And that , with their ruine , that sought ours . ¹⁰ Our saluation , cornusalutis , a Royall deliuerance : ¹¹ And yet eruendo it was . ¹² And all absque timore , ¹³ Or absque any thing else , that might blemish our ioy , with matter of sorrow in the least degree .

And this for Gods part ; who hath remembred His holy Couenant ( I trust ) and performed it in euery clause , nay , in euery word , to vs , to the vttermost .

NOw , to our part ( which we may be put in suit for . Our Couenant , or Condition . ) Liberati then , is cleere . But how ? absolutely ? at large ? absque aliquo inde ? No condition annexed ? No vt ? Yes : take the vt with you . Liberati , vt . Deliuered , that we should : Deliuered That we should . Should do somewhat : for , naturaliter obligamur ad dantem . This vt is naturall , there groweth a naturall obligation between him that doth , and them that receiue a good turne , ( And a deliuerance , specially such a one , is a good turne . ) The fields we till , the trees we plant , shew it . They returne their fruit to them , that bestow labour , or cost vpon them . That ( I know not how ) but so it fals out , in matter of benefits , we be not so soone loosed , but we be tied againe : Nor eased , but loaden afresh : Nor freed , but bound anew . It is the Law , the bond of nature , this , Liberati vt .

And that vt , Should serue him . is vt seruiamus . And this particular , vt , groweth out of the Law of Nations . There the Law is , vt victus sit in potestate victoris , the conquered , euer , in the power of the Conquerour , to take his life , or to saue it , at his pleasure . But , if hee will saue it , then comes the voluntary vt , or Couenant . He that hath his life saued , to vow to bestow it , in his seruice , that did saue it . Serui ( the very name ) came of seruati , They that should haue died , and were saued , did willingly couenant , serua & seruiam , to serue him , by whom their liues were preserued . This beeing the Law of Nature , and Nations , why should not the God of Nature , the King of Nations , bee allowed it ? that if our liues haue bene by him saued : we should , from thenceforth , come to this vt , vt seruiamus Illi .

Well , c c We would have couenanted to serue Him . well , it is past now ; if it were to come . It is , that we being deliuered . if it were , that wee being to be deliuered , wee would tell another tale then : wee would be glad and faine so to couenant , O deliuer vs ( then ) but for this once , and we would serue Him , ( that we would ) and bee holy and righteous , and what he would besides . Put any vt , to liberati , then . Wee would then seeke it of Him , that now is offered by Him , to be deliuered , if being so deliuered , wee will couenant , but to doe that , which we are bound to doe , deliuered , or no.

And , why should wee thinke much of this seruiamus ? We should have serued , If not deliuered . All the world knowes , if the plotte had gone on , and the powder gone off , the whole land should not haue scaped vt seruiamus : But should haue serued duram seruitutem , And serued a worse . For the seruice , seruiamus . been not in seruice , but in seruitude . Their seruitude , is changed into this seruice . A blessed exchange for vs . Great oddes betweene those two : Nay , no comparison at all , betweene Gods seruice , and their seruitude ; their bondage , thraldom , slauery , tyranny , I cannot heape too many names . Gods seruice is freedome in respect of that : Nay , without any respect at all , His seruice is perfect freedome , wee say it , we pray it , euery day .

And , if no comparison , in seruiamus ; None , in Illi For the partie . Illi . ( I am sure . ) Nay , if there were any thing to mislike in seruiamus , amends is made for it , in Illi . For the seruice , is much thereafter , as the Illi , the partie is , whom we serue . Dignitate Domini honorata fit conditio serui . He may be so great a State ( we serue ) as , it is an honor to serue Him . Now , how great a Lord , For His Greatnesse . the Lord of lords is , what shall I need tell you ? Psal. 145. 3. There is no ende of his greatnesse . How great , and how good withall , For His Goodnesse . res ipsa loquitur : that appeares , by our deliuery , in part : and more shall , by his eternall reward layd vp , for them that serue Him . There is , in all the world , no more honorable , nor beneficiall Seruice , then , this seruiamus Illi .

But say , we haue no mind to serue Him ; if we serue not Him , If we serue not Him , some other wee must , and worse . yet serue we must , and serue we will , if not Him , some other . It is the condition of our life , one or other serue we doe . We must hold of some Lord : if free from one , another wee serue : And , Rom. 6. 18 , 20. who is that other ? when we are free from God , from righteousnesse , we serue sinne and Sathan , ( a worse seruice , I dare say ) better then ; bee free from them , and serue God in righteousnesse .

But , if we will not serue Him ; I aske , what will wee doe then ? Those worse be His enemies . will wee serue his enemies ? for so are these . Wee were not deliuered from our enemies , to serue His enemies , ( I am sure . ) That were a foule shame for vs : that were against all reason . But , if wee serue not Him , we serue them . Resolue then to serue Him , that hath saued vs : Not , his enemies , in a prophane and vnrighteous : but Him , in a holy and righteous course of life . And so , am I now come to that , wherein our seruice lieth .

IN holinesse and righteousnesse . The Matter of our seruice , Wherein . In which two , in a sort , are recapitulate the two Tables of the Law : Holy to God , Righteous to men . Quod quis reuerenter se habeat ad diuina : Quod quis laudabiliter cum hominibus conuersetur , ( saith Chrysostome ) Reuerently to performe holy dueties : Laudably to haue our conuersation among men .

Both these , ( first ) not either of them . To spend our seruice but in one , Holinesse and Righteousnesse , Both. is but to serue Him by halues : in both , then , to serue Him . Neither in an vnrighteous holinesse ; nor , in an holy kind of vnrighteousnes . Neither with the Pharisee , Matt. 23. 5. to haue all our holines in our Phylacteries and fringes , and frequenting the Lectures of the Law , ( no matter how we liue : ) Nor with the Saducee , Acts 23. 8. liue indifferent honestly , but neither beleeue spirit , nor looke for resurrection : be Christians , like Agrippa , in modico , a little Religion , Acts 26. 28. vpon a kniues point , wil serue vs . Neither in holines then onely , nor in righteousnes onely , but in both .

In both , but in their order though , Holinesse , first . as they stand ; And holines stands first . So , to reckon of that as our prime seruice . For , if there had not been some meaning in it , it is sure , righteousnesse might haue serued for both : Religion , holinesse , all vertues are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in it . Suum cuique ( saith righteousnesse ) and in that , Matt. 22. 21. is quae Dei , Deo . Euery one , his due , And so God his .