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Iacobs Vow,
SERMON
Preached before his M a i e s t i e9
and the P r i n c e his Highneflc,
cAt Hampton Covrt,
September. 15.
By Christopher Svpdte, Do&or of Diuinitic,
and one of his M a i e s t i e s Chap-
laines in Ordinatie.
LONDON,
Printed by fobn "Billt
i 6 z h
I
The Text.
Gen. chap. 28. verf. 20,21,22.
20. ThenIacob vowed -
Ve Vf ' zVig, IfQod be me,
o/x v/ mil kgepe mee in this that I
goe, and mil glue me bread to
and raiment to put on,
21 So that I come to my -
then houfe in peace, the
Lord be my God.
22. <&A nd this Stoney which Ihaue fet
up as a T} Gods houfe:
and of all that thou
I will furelygiue the Tenth vnto
thee.
i
<"
< t
i
JACOBS
Vo
vv.
Hi c h words are the
Vowe of that holy Patri-
arkc Iacob , who being
mortally hated of his bro-
ther EfMy for deceiuing
him(as hetearmed it)both
of his Birth-right, and of
his Bleffing, was forced to
flie for his life : And by the aduife of his Mo-
ther, with the exprelTe confent, and commande-
mentof his Father in the firft verfeof this chap-
ter, he@ trauailed towards Padan-Aran vnto his
vnckle£^4#for fuccour^ in hope there not onely
to haue his life lecured fro hisbrothers rage} but
alfo to be prouided of a Wife, amongft his owne
kindred,which might be a helper, and comforter
vnto him: yet he went not forth like a Woer, nor
likeeither his father ^Sarrfonne, orhisgrandfa-
ther: Abrahams feruant, with Camels, and Men,, ,en'
A 3 and
•T*
and Iewels, and other prouifion for fuch a iour-
ney, ( for then perhappes heehad neuermadc
thisVowe,) buthee went all alone like apoorc
Pilgrime, with his ftaffe in his hand, and fo came
wearie, and late (the Sunne being downe) vnto a
certaine place, neere vnto Haran, where he tooke
Homil, n- in VP his lodging for that night: and as Saint chry-
G :j). fosiomc fai th, ibi dor minify <vbi nox eum comprehen-
dity He flept there where he was benighted, not
in any towne or houfe, or tent, but Subdioy ma-
king the earth his bed, heauen his canopie, and a
ftone (which hee found in that place) the pillow
whereupon he repofed his head: and yet hauing
a wearied bodie,and a auiet confcience (which are
two good Engines, to draw on fleepe) he flept as
foundly vpon that hard pillow, as if hee had lien
vpon a bed of Downe: And in his fleepe he drea-
med of a certaine Ladder reaching vp from earth
to heauen, vpon which the Angels of God afcen-
ded,anddefcended, and the Lord himfelfeflood
x at the toppe of the Ladder 5 who made vnto him
a large, and a moft gracious foure-fold promife,
in the 13.14. and 15* verfes. 1. That he would
giue vnto him and his feed, that land vpon which
he then flept. 1. That hee would multiply his
feede as the duft of the earth. 5. That in his
feed, all the Nations of the earth fhould be Bkf-
fed; And laftly, that he would be with him,and
keepe him whicherfoeuer hee went, and bring
him againe vnto that land, and not to forfake
him vntill he had performed all, that he had pro-
mifed vnto him.
When
>■
t •
Is Vow. j
When Jacob awoke out of his fleepf, and
perceiued that the Lord was in that placed and he
notaware of it, and that that place was no other,
but the houje ofGod, and gate ofheauen^verfe 17. he
was ftricken with feare and reuerence, as euery
one ought to bee, that commeth within the gate
of Gods houfe, and tooke the ftone that lay
vnder his head, and fet it vp for a pillar, and
powred oyle vpon the top ofit, and called the
name of that place Bethel, that is , the houfe of
(jod.
And entring into a ferious confideration ofthis«
gracious Promife, which farrc exceeded all that
hee could either aske, or thinke, hee did not
through vnbeliefe make any doubt of the pcrfor-
mance thereof; but certainely belieuing that it
(hould be accomplilhed in due timCjlikea thanke-
full Pilgritne, or a man euen ouer-ioyed with vn-
cxpe&ed, but yet allured hopes; he began to ftu-
die with himfelfe, what hee fhould render vnto
the Lord, for all thefe benefits promifed vnto
him; and not finding any better meanes to ex-
preffe his thankefulneffe, he vowed a Vow in my
Text, faying, if God will be with me,&c.
Of which Vow there be two parts. The firft
is, Petitio, a Requeft, which he defired of God;
The fecond is, Promifiio^ dutie,which he promi-
fed to performe to God.
The Petition in thefe words, if god will be with
me, and willkeepe me in this way that I goe^ and will
giue me bread to eat, and raiment toput on, fo that I
come againe to my fathers houfe in peace; The dutie
A 4 which
4 IA C O B S VO VV.
which hcc promifcth to performc in liew of this
benefit is three-fold. x. That the Lord fhaU be his
Gad. i. That the ft one which he hadfetvp for a pillar ,
fbould be Gods houfe. 3. That of all that God Jbould
pine him, he would giue <vnto God the Tenth. Of
which points in order as they lie in the Text.
And firft of the Petition, or requeft, which (as
you fee) is very moderate, and realonable: for
whereas God had promifed vnto Jacob foure
things* Jacob doth not defire all, norhalfe, nor
the thirde part of that which was promifed, but
contcnteth himfelfe with the laft, and leaft of all
thofe foure things, and defireth nothing, but on-
ly neceffaries for the prefent* not ua/lesor
Manna for delight; but onely bread for neceffitie,
that is necefTarie food: not purple and fine linnen
for pompe* but onely raiment to put on, that is,
necefTarie cloathes: not the attendance of many
feruants * but onely the proteftion, and blefling
©f God, without which, neither his food^orrai-
ment, nor anything els could doe him good, nor
himfelfe.either be well,or be.
But what is the reafon why Jfaac^ who was ex-
ceeding rich,fent foorthhis fonne Jacob (who by
Gods prouidence was now lately made his Heire)
fo exceeding poore, that he is faine to petition for
foode and raiment, whereas *Abraham his father,
fent foorth his very feruant vpon the like iourney
richly furnilhed,and fumptuoufly attendcdJWas
Abrahams feruant better then Jfaacs fonne I
■iAug*$ert de te- To omit the diuers Allegories which Saints-
intend (jregorie haue obferued vpon this pafc
fage,
___
iSiiaas
Iacobs Vow. 5
lage , the reafons, as Thcodoret and others hauc
well fummed them vp,might be thefe.
1 Ftfratris conatus melius de dinar et^ thlt going
poorely , and priuately, his brother £fau might
not fo eafily mifle him , nor know which way to
purfue after him.
2. That this miferie might mooue his brother
to compaflion,and reconciliation.
3. Ft animus effet reuertendi, that carrying no
wealth with him to maintaine, or detaine him
abroad, he might haue the more mind to returne
vnto his father home againe.
4. Andlaftly, that hee might haue thebetter
experience of Gods mercie, as indeede he had, for
which hee returned thankes vnto God at his re-
turnein the 32. chap.
Jacobs pouertie may teach vs , that although
worldly profperitiebe the good bleffing of God,
wherewith he often enrichethhis owne children:
yet hee euer, at one time or other, chafteneth
thofe,whom he loucth, andtraineth them vp in
his fchoole ofaffli&ion,andnurtureththem with
his Ferula of wants and crofles. Firga trn dr bacu-
lustuusS,aiththe Pfalmift Stc.they muftaswellbe PfaUj.*.
humbled,and inftru&ed with his rod of corre&i-
on,as fupported with his ftaffe of comfort. Ab?a-
bam and Jfaac, lob, and Dauid, and Jacob alfo
in my Text, after his returne from Fadan zAran,
were all rich, and our Lord himfelfe was Lord of
all, and yet tlone of them wanted either their
wants or crofles. And the children of Jfrael^Gods
owne people were not onely pinched with wants
i i B in
- - v. ...
' •
I
if
•1
6 I A GOBS VOW.
Xof.i 3.13. in the wilderneffe; but were pricked with thornes
in their eyes,and goades in tneir fides, euen in the
land of Promife. ^
Whence wee may learne, that Aduerfttlk is the
bleffing of God vpon his Children,afwellm Pro-
(perttie, Res prefer a dontm eft confolantis^Mdnerfa
dmu eft admonentis Dei, faith S. Auguftine, Prefpe-
ritie is the gift of God comforting , Aduerfitie the gift
of Gad admonifhing: Profperity may bee the more
pleafant, but Aduerfitie many times is the more
profitable: which made Dauidout of his own ex«
pfal, 119.71. perience ingenioufly confefle, that it was good
forhim, that hee hadbeeneaffli&ed. Andfoit
is good for vs all to be afflifted fometimes,els we
fhould forget both God , and ourfelues , and bee
too much wedded to this world, and fay with
Mar.17.4. Saint Peter, Bonum efteffehic, and begin to build
fuch Tabernacles here vpon earth, as would him
dervs from our euerlafting Tabernacles of bliffe
in heauen. And thus much of Jacobs pouertie and
want.
But now being info great want as hee was at
this time, why doth he prcferre fopoorea Peti*
tion vntoGod, who is fo rich in mercie ? And
whereas God had now lately appeared vnto him
here in Bethel, and promifed the whole land of
Ganam to him , and his, why doth hee defire fo
poore a pittance, as food and raiment, which
would onely keepe life and foule together? the
very foules of the aire are furnilhed with thefe.
And yet Jacob defires no more,to teach vs, how
moderate wee ftaould be in the defire of earthly
things.
Iacobs Vow. 7
things. We may and ought to be euen couetous
ofthings fpirituall, and heauenly; fo faith the
Apoftle : (fouet after the bef gifts: but of tempo- i.Cor. it.
rail, and earthly things we may not be couetous*
more then is neceflary for our callings & eftates:
becaufe as our Sauiour teacheth mans life doth Lukcu.t
net confifl in the abundance of the things which h$e
pojfe/feth. Therefore the Apoftles rule is , that
hauing but 3 onely food and rat- t.Tim.£8u
menty wee muft be content therewith: for Ftiflusy
& veUitM fint diuitu ChriHianorum , faith Hie-
rome: food and raiment are the riches of Christians:
and our patterne of Prayer doth warrant vs, to
petition onely for our daily bread, that is, as it is
excellently expounded in that Roy all Meditation Written by
vpon the Lords Prayer, onely for fuch temporal!
things, as are neceflary for our Effe^ or atfartheft, 1
for our Beneefe, And they that cannot be con-
tent with thefe , but with the Horfo-leaches
daughters, ftill cry, Giue, Gtue\ and will needes be
rich,fall into temptation,and a fnare,and into ma-
ny foolifli, and hurtfull lulls, which drowne the
foulein perdition , and deftru&ion, i. Tim. 6.
Iacob hauing once feene God in Bethel, and fet his
heart vpon him, who is the true treafure, neither
admired, nor muchdefired ( more then was ne-
ceflary) this worldly tralh.
Where wee may foe, that howfoeuer world-
lings doe not onely admire,but euen adore riches,
and honours, and earthly pleafures, as their
fole trinitie, yet the Children of God , knowing
that earthly honors, and riches arc but flradowes
B 2 of
--" ■•I • " i NrWrtil
8 I A CO B s Vow.
ofheauenly, and the pleafures offinne, not fo
much as fhadowes of heauenly pleafures: vfe
thefe things , when- God giueth them ; butnci-
ther abufe nor admire the lame And why Ihould
men admire fhadowes, painted fires>whieh flame,
but warme not ? and may fitly be compared vnto
Glo-wormes, or pieces of rotten wood, which in
adarke night fhine like ftars, but when the Sunne
arifeth , and Iheweth what they are, the one ap-
peareth to be a poore worme, the other nothing
but a rotten fticke: So thefe glorious outward
things, fhine-likc Starres in the eyes of the Ghil-
dren of darkeneife : but the Children of light,
whofe eyes are purged from thofe skales of dark-^
neffe, doe plainely fee, that in regard of true con-
• tent, they be Vamtat vanifsima,wormes,6t ftickes,
before which Solomon incomparably preferred
wifedome; and Agttr in the Prouerbs of Solomon,
prayed exprelTely againft riches in the thirtieth
Chapter, afwell as pouertie. Mendicitatemfy di-
mines ne dederis mihi: Giue me neither po tier tie, nor
riches, but feed me with food conuement for me. And
thisis thereafon , why lacob in my Text, petiti-
ons neither for riches, nor honour, nor any other
outward thing, but onely for bread to eat, and
cloathes to put on.
And yet one thing more is to beobferued in
Jacobs Petition, out of thefe words of my Text,
where he faith , If God will be with me, and keeper
me in this way, that Igoe, and bring me againe to my
fathershoufe in peace ^ wherein betides foode,and
raiment, you feehce deftrech theprotection, and
£ blefling
I A COBS VOW. 9
bleffing of God in his whole iourney going our,
and comming in : without which, neither his
bread could nourifti, nor his cloathes keepehim
warme, nor any thing elfe doc him good. For
Man doth not hue by bread onely , but by euery word
which oroceedeth out of the mouth of God, that i s, the
bleffing of God vpon bread : For as in Phificke, a
difeafed man is prefcribed to boile certaine medi-
cinable hearbes in running water, and then to
drinke a quantity of that water, and fo is cured of
his difeafe: and yet wee know, that it is not the
water, but the decoftion , orinfufion which cu-
reth the Patient: fo it is not the bread that nouri-
flieth, nor the abundance of outward things,
which enrichpth, or contenteth, but the infufi-
on of'Gods bleffing , which is the ftaffe of
bread} without which a man may ftarue for hun- Lcuit.i5.itf.
ger , with bread in his mouth, and die like the hzcli-^16'
children ofIJruelwith the flelhof Quailesin their Ffal.78.jr.
teeth.
Whereas on the contrary, D^/>/feeding vpon
barepulfe, ftrengthened by thebleffingof God,
which is the ftaffe of bread, and of all other
nourilhment, was fatter, and fairer, then they Dan.r.if.
that were fed with the Kings diet: For it is the
blefsing of God, that makcth rich : and a little, pr°
that the righteous hath, is better then the great Pro.itf.s.
reuenewes of the vngodly. And wee may ob-
ferue in our owne experience, many a man, who
with a dinner of greene hearbesj as Solomon fpea- Pra.15.87,.
keth, that is Ibort diet, courfe clothes, hard lodg-
ing, and a poore eftate, looketh flitter, liueth
B s merrier
Gen. J 2.
Hal.ll6.
Verfe p.
xo IacobsVo vv.
merrier, fleepeth fweetlier, enioyeth more hearts
eafe, and true content, and in trueth liueth better
then others that weare a chaine of golde. And
therfore wifely did lacob defire nothing but food,
and raiment,and Godsbleffingvpon them,which
hee knew would ferue his rurne. And thus much
ofthe Petition, or Requeft whicR lacob defired of
God.
Now I come to the duties,which he promifeth
to performe to God,in the next words, Tbenfhall
the Lord be my God, &c. wherein lacob, who was
afterward furnamed ifrael, hauing receiued but
euen the promife of a benefit, presently voweth
the performance of a duetie, to teach all true lfrae-
iitcs>that Beneficiumfoflulatefficiim ; and that the
thankefulneffeof the receiuer, ought to anfwere
vnto the benefit ofthe beftower, as theEccho an-
fwereth to the voice: wee doe no fconer receiue
the one, but we are immediatly bound to returne
the other. So doth Dauid, Thou haft deliueredmy
foule from death, mine eyes from teAres, and my feet
from fatting* There is the benefitereceiuechand
then it followeth in the very next words, I will
wdke before the Lord in the land of the liuing , there
is the duetie returned : So likewife in my Text,
If God will be with me, andgiue mebread to eate^ and
cloathes to futon, there is the benefit petitioned for,
and promife^ Then fhall the Lord be my god , fyc.
there is the returne of a duetie vowed.
Now wee all haue receiued the fame or the like
benefits, both fpirituall and temporall, whereby
we arc all bound vnto the like thankefulnefle; but
where
j
. .m sr m
I A C O B S V O VV, 11
where is the performance of the fame, or the like
duties? We owe as much, or more vnto God for
his benefits, then Jacob did, but who voweth , or
paieth vnto him the like duties, that Iacob did?
What heart can thinke, or what tongue can ex-
prelTe our infinite obligations ? Firft for fpirituail
fauours Infinitely are we bound vnto God for
our Creation : more then infinitely (if more might
be) for our Redemption, and our effeftuall Cal-
ling vnto the participation thereof Whatfhall
we then render vnto the Lord, for all thefe bene-
fits done vnto vs ? Totum me debeo, faith S. Ber-
nard, fro me faciaquid igitur rependam fro me re-
dempto ? 1 owe euery whit of myfelfe (vnto God) for
my Creation, what fall 1 then render vnto him for my
Redemption?
And Saint Ambrvfe faith, TJjhileJiquod dignum fiper
referre pcfumus pro fufcepta carne Mart a i quid pro luc-fcr-l"
cruce obit a, quidpro verberibm, & fepultura redde-
mm ? we are not able to be fifficiently thankefulifor
taking ourftfh ofthe (Virgin) Marie, what full wee
then returne vnto him for hie fufering vpon the,
CrofJe}for hie [tripes for hie buriall?
And as for tempoi all benefits, we are farre be^
fore Jacob } he wandred vp and downe the world
like a poore Pilgrime, with his ftaffe in his hand
he kept (hcepe, and was parched with the heat of
the day, and frozen with the cold of thenightj
andinmyText, the bare earth was his bedde, a
hard (tone his pillow i he had nothing, he defired
nothing, but onely bread to eate, and cloathes to
put on, and theprote&ion and bleffing of God
B 4 vpon.
f I I
I ■ «
;
— -
12
Iacobs Vow.
for
Amos 6*4) 5,
6.
Luke 17.17.
vponhiminhisiourney, and yet hce, euen
thefe vowed a Vow vnto God. Wee (itvnder
our owne Vines, and our owne Fig-trees in peace
and reft, We he vp on beds of I uorie % and f retch our
felues vpon our couches \ we are clad in purple andfine
hnnen, and fare delicately euery day\ we eat cdues out
of theflalles, and I am be s out ofthefloe kes-^ wee drinke
wine in boules, andannoint our felues with coftly oint-
ments, and inuentinHrumentsof Muficke (like Da-
uid.) But who is either forrie for the affiichon of Io-
feph, theextreame miferies of our Brethren in
neighbour-Countries, or who is fenfibleof our
owne great profperitie, and our incomparable
happinefle , or who for all this vowethone Vow
to God I „ A-i J
When our Sauiour Christ had cleanfed
ten Leapers , there was but one found amongft
all thofe ten, & he a ftranger too, that returned to
giueGod thanks. I feare there is fcarfely one of an
hundred amongft vs, that is but euen fo thanke-
full vnto God for all his benefits, as that ftranger
was onely for his cleanfing.
When this good Patriarke Jacob returned rich
from Padan-Aran in the 3 a.chapter of this booke,
he neither forgate what he was then, nor what he
had beene before : and therefore in a thankefull
remembrance of Gods great mercies towards
hira,he payed one part of this Vo\r in that place,
Gen.52.10. and worfhippedGod, faying, OLord^lamnot
worthy of the leaf of all thy mercies:for with myflajfe
Jpafjed ouer this Jordan, and now J am become two
bands.
> v J
mm
_____ JH
1 A TJ U 15 S V U : '
Many a one there be in this honourable Court,
who haue pafled ouer,not the riuer of Jordan^ but
the riuer of 7renter Thames,or Seuerne with their
ftaues in their hands,that is,pooreeftatesin com-
parifon, and haue beene deliuercd from many
dangers, and are now euen laden with riches and
honours; And yet I doubt there bee not manie,
that for all this, haue vowed with Iacob, to haue
the Lord for their God,or to build him an Houfe,
or to pay him the Tenth of all that he hath giuen
them.
One Religious Vow, you fee weekely payed in
this place by our royall Jacob> I jneanc our Tuef-
dayes Exercife^which was deuoutly vowed,vpon
as iuft an occafion, as euer Vow was made. And
,hitherto(God be thanked)it hath beene religiouf-
ly performed. God grant that this our Iacob may
long, and long liuc a happie King of this happic
Ifland, euen as long (if it bee his will) as the olde
Patriarke Iacob did, to pay this tribute, and the
reft of his Vowes vnto the King of Kings. And
can wee that are his feruants, haue a better pat-
terne to imitate,then the Religious example of fo
Royall a Mafter i therefore I will conclude this
point, with that zealous exhortation of another
King, Pfal.j6.ll. Vouete &redditeJDominoDeo
veslro. Vow vnto the Lord jouy God, and keepe it,
all yee that are round about him: bring prefects vnto
him that ought to be feared. And thus much of the
generallof Jacobs Vow,
Now I come to the particular duties vowed;
and they are three. Firft, that the Lord flhould
C be
Mar. 11.17*
i It
be his God , that is, that hee would worfhip the
true God, and no other. Secondly, that the
ftone which hee had fet vp for a pillar, fhould be
Gods houfe: that is, he would dedicate that place
vnto the publique worfhip of God. Thirdly,for
the maintenance of both thefe, he would giue the
Tenth of all that hee had. All which were ne-
ceffary duties, andeuery one of them hath a ne-
ceflary relation, and dependance vpon other^For
if God muftbe worfhipped, then mull heehauea
place to be worfhipped in, which is here called an
Houfe, and our S a v i o v r faith, dial! ofall na-
t-ions bee called the Houfe of Prayer; And if a
Houfe of Prayer, then a maintenance for that
Houfe,and them that (hall fay Prayers in it. Of
thefe in order, and firft of the firft.
Then Jhall the Lord he my God.
To hauetheL o r d for our God, is the very
fumme of the firft Commandement, the meaning
whereof* as all Interpreters expound it, is to loue
God aboue ail, to make him our treafure, and in-
finitely to preferre him, and his Seruice before
our felues, and all other things in the world. A
duetie whereunto euery man is bound , as well as
Jacob, and euery man that is not an Atheifl, will
confefre,and profefTeas much: But how they per-
forme this dutie,or cither loue, or preferre God
aboue all, who fo farre preferre themfelues, their
honours, plcafures and profits vnto Gods Ser-
uice, that they fpend more houres of time, and
pounds of money vpon the one,then minutes, or
pence vpon the others and beftow more coft euen
vpon
J A (JUfly" VOYW -JMISa*»-I j
vpon points and fhooe-ftrings in one day, then
vpontheworlhippingofGodin a whole yeere,
iudge ye. Aures omniumpulfo, cenfcientiasfingulo-
rumconuenioy as Saint Augujitne fpeaketh. If the
Lord be their God, where is his feare ? where is
his loue I where is his honour? there goeth more
to this, then the hearing of a Sermon ogee, or
twife a wecke ^ efpecially as it is vfually heard,
which is fcarce worth the name of a hearing: and
lAcob meant more then fo in my Text. For to
haue the Lord for our God, is to loue him abouc
all, as I faid before, and to ferue him Semper , &
ad fetnper, with an vniuerfall obedience, both in
regard of time and place, and with Dauid to haue
refped,not vntofomeone, or two •, but vntoall pfal.
his Commandements. They which ferue God
on the Sundaies, but not on the weeke-dayes; in
the Church, not in their Chambers, Clofets,
Callings, and whole courfe of life j and that, not
for praife, profit, pleafing of men,or cuftome^buc
out of a good and honcft heart, and a confcience
oftheir duties , doe not performe this part of fa-
cobs Vow, to haue the Lord for their God. And
thus much of the firft dutie.
The fecond followeth in the next words, And
this (forte, which I haue fet vp for a pillar, jhalbe (jods
Houfe. A dutie neceffarily depending vpon the
former >for if God muft be worlhi pped,then muft
hehaue a place to be worfhipped in,here called an
Houfe.
Now fome thinke, that this place where Jacob
flept, and fet vp this Pillar, was Mount Moria^and
C 2 that
that he called it£*/fe/, or the Houfe of God, Pro-
phetically by a Prolepfis, becaufe the Temple
fliQuld afterwards bee built there: yet there may
be two other reafons, why lacob calieth this pillar
Gods Houfe, as before he called the very place
Bethel.
1, Becaufe God had manifefted his pre fence
here, in an extraordinary manner, as he did after-
wards both in the wandring tabernacle , and in
the fixed Temple, where he was, therefore faid to
' dwell, as in an Houfe.
2. Becaufe lacob confecrated this place vnto
the SeruiceofGod,and^/>.35.^Wi4.'z/fr/d', fet
vp an Altar for hi s worlhip in ftead of this Pillar,
and ( as may probably be thought) would haue
built a Houfe for Prayer, and facrifice d in this
place,if himfelfe,and the Church had beene then
fetled here, and had opportunitie,and meanes to
haue done it. But being a Pilgrime, and in his
iourncy, he did what he could for the prefent, he
anointed a Pillar, ere&ed an Altar for Sacrifice,
and dedicated a place for an Houfe of Prayer;
whereby we may fee what great care this holy
Patriarke had of the place of Gods worlhip: his .
firft care was for the worlhip it felfe, which hee
vowed in the former words : his next care is of
the place of his worlhip, in thefe words.
To teach vs, that as our firft care fhould be of
the worlhip of God : fo our fecond care (hould
be of the place ofhis worlhip. Theobieftofour
firft loue, muft be God himfelfe: the obieft of our
fecond loue,muft be the Houfe of God. O Lord, /
haue
n.
V o Vv. 17
haue lotted the habitation of thy houfe, and, the place
where thine honour divelleth^ (faith Dauid) Pfalme^j
2 6.8. Thy feraants takepleafure in her ftones^and fa-
uour the very daft thereof Pfal.102.14. And Pfal.
84.10. One day in thy Courtsy is better then a thou-
find. I had rat her be a doore-keeper in the houfe ofmy
God, then to dwell in the tents of wickednefe : And
herendreth the reafon, why he fo exceedingly lo«
ued the Houfe of God, in the very next verfe; for
there the Lord id the funne and jhield, there hee will Vcrf
glue grace andglorie: and no good thing will he with-
hold from them that Hue a godly life. God is in all
places by a generall prouidence, but hee d welleth
in his houfe by a fpeciall prefence. Heediftilleth
the droppes of his mercie vpon cuery part of the
earth, buthecpowrethitdownevpon thatholy
ground, which is dedicate tohis Seruice. There,
he fhineth like the Sunne : there, hee defendeth
like a (hield: hee filled the Temple at lerufalem
with his glorie: hee made many gracious promi-
fes to them that praied therein, or towards it,and
ft ill where two or three are gathered together in his Mat. 18.20.
Name, hee will be in the middef amongH them: and
no good thing will he with-hold from them, that
worfhip him in the beautie of holineffej and
wait for his louing kindnejfe in the middefi of his
Temple.
Priuate Conuenticles are not to be compared
with the publique Affemblies of the Church, that
is both the throne of Gods glorie, and his Mercie-
feat.
Whicheuer fo inflamed the holy men of God
C 5 in
I 8 I A G O B S V vm
in former ages with the zeale of his Houfc, that
they fparcd neither coft, nor paines, nor euer af-
feded any thing fo much', as the building and
beautifying thereof. I will not fuffer'mine eyes to
Jleepey nor my eye-lids to fumber (faith Dauidf) vnt'tll
I find out aplace for the Lord, an habitation for the
might ie God of Jacob. Pfal. 152. The good Cen-
] Luke 7, j. turion in the Gofpel builded a Synagogue at his
owne charges. Great ConHantine> that mirrourof
deuotion, bare twelue baskets of earth vpon his
owne fhoulders towards the founding of a
Church. Arid when that noble Captaine Teren-
tim had done fuch feruice in ^Armenia, that the
Emperour Valensbade him aske whatfoeuer hee
would, for a reward of his feruice, his onely fuite
ufs TIT* ^as Theodoret reporteth) was vt Ortkod-oxis vna
'' v"' ' ^ prdberetur Ecctefmi And when the Emperour tare
his petition,and bade him aske femewhatels, hee
i; ftill perfiftedin his fuite,and called God to record,
that hee would make no other fuit but that. And
how zealous our owne forefathers hauebeenein
this kindeof deuotion, I need not fpeake* the
zeale of Gods Houfe did euen eate them vp: the
goodly Monuments whereof, yet extant in all our
Cities* and;many Countfy-Parilhes (whichhaue
fpared vs both the labour, and charge ofbuilding
Houfes vnto God) fpeake for them. But fome of
thofe Houfes which they haue built, and euen the
faireft of them,fincctheir Butterefles, and Pillars
(I meane their maintenance) hath becne pluckt a-
way,begin to droopc alreadie, and in time, (if it
be not preuented) will moulder away, and drop
1 • downe.
I
wm
HT O BS V o VV7
19
downe: And yet who pittieth the ruines of Sion,
orrepaireth any one wall, or window thereof J
Will your [elu.es dwell in deled houfes, and fujfer the Hag. 1.4.
Houfes of God to hew aft ? Shall Pater mfier build
Churches, and Our father pull them downe? (as
the prouerbeis) or fuffer them to fall? O let not 2.Sam.i.:
that he told in Gath, nor publtjhed in the. (lreet.es of
Askalon, left the philiftines reiayee, left the vneir-
eumct-cd triumph.
Therefore to conclude this point, Seeing wee
need not with Iaccb in my Text,vow to build : let
vs all out ofourzeale vnto Gods Houfe, vow to
beautifie, or at leaft to keepe vp thofe Houfes,
which are built to our hands. And thus much
of the fecond duetie, which Jacob vowed in thefe
word s, This [lone which I haue fet vp, &c.
The. third followeth in the laft words, And of
all that thou fait giue me, J will giue the Tenth vnto
thee. A duetie neceflarily depending vpon the
two former, as I faid before : Tor if God muft be
worfhipped, and haut an Houfe, then muft there
of neceffltie be a maintenance: therefore Jacob in
the third place, for a perpetually maintenance of
theworfhip, and houfe of God, and them that
fhall attend therein, vowetb for himfelfe, and,all
thepofteritie, as well of his Faith, as FleCb, vnto
the end of the world, the paiment of Tithes ^ Of
all that thou Jhalt giue met, I will fur ely giue the
Tenth vnto thee.
But what is the reafon why Jacob here voweth
to giue vnto God rather the Tenth then any other
part of his goods J Surely howfoeuer fome other
C 4 eaufes
TwOTD?
caufesmaybeealleadged, yet the true reafbnis,
becaule Incobknew, either by the light of Nature,
or by the tradition and pra&ife of his Anceftors,
that this quata,the very tenth, and no other part,
was, is, andforcuermuft be as due vnto God,
as either his Houfe, or his worlhip: therefore he
ioyneth thefe three together, being all relatiues
which depend one vpon another j Se mutuo po-
nunt^ auferunt, and they are all equally due vn-
to God: And due vnto him, notby any common
right, as other things, but by a fpeciall proprietie,
and right of referuation: whereby Almighty God
from the very Creation of the world, and dona-
tion thereof vnto the vfeof men, referuedvnto
himfelfe, and feparated from common vfe, vnto
his owne Seruice, fome out of euery one of thefc
hue things,which Ihould neuer after be alienated,
or taken away without Sacriledge.
1. A forme of Diuine worlhip,which may ne-
uer be giuen to any other.
2. A time for this worlhip,which is the Saboth
day,neuer to be abrogated.
3. A place of worlhip,which is his Houfe,ne-
uer to be prophaned.
4. A Prieft-hood,which may neuer bow knee
vnto Baal.
5. And laftly,for the maintenance of all thefe,
Tithes, which hee therefore calleth his owne in-
heritance, neuer without Sacriledge to beimpro-
Ambt; Ser. 34. prjated. De omni fubflantia quam Dews homlni donat,
inferta tert*4 r ri - r ■ r n 1 r 1 n.
poft yDomini- decmarnpartem jibi re\eruamt. Of all the fubjtance
cam3qu*dragef. which Cod hath viiien vnto man. he hath referucd the
inyUM' '
it
Tenth part vnto himfelfe. They be the very words
of Saint Ambrofe, And S. AuguHtnefaith , temp,
fibi tantum decimam vendicans^nobis omnia condona- vVr*:i?-
#//. challenging only to himfelfe the Tenth,
giuenall things vntovs. And that hee referued
to himfelfe the tithes for this purpofe,euen from
the beginning, as well as any of the other fbure
things may appeare by this i That for anything
we know to the contrary, tithes were payed euen
from the beginning of the world:for fome thinke,
that Cainey and ^^/offered the very tithe as they
wereinftru&ed of their father Adam: But how-
foeuer that be, certaine it is, that there is no foo-
ner mention made of any Prieft of an or-
der fit to receiue them, then there is mention
of paying of tithes vnto him. For eAbraham the
father of the Faithfull, no fooner met with Mel-
chifedec a Prieft of an Order, but for an example
vnto all his pofteritie, euen all the Faithfull, vnto
the end of the world, heegaue him tithes of all
thefpoiles. Gen. 14, Andgaue it him, not as an
arbitrariegifr j but as aneceffarie due vnto God:
for hee fwarc not to take fo much as a Shooe-lat-
chet of the King of Sodoms, And yet hee tookc
the tithe, to offer, not as his , but as Gods due.
And lacob in my Text, amongft other Morrall
dueties (for here is nothing Ceremoniall)voweth
the paying of tithes: and in the 27. of Leuiticu*,
which is the firft place where tithes arc mentio-
ned vnder the Law, God doth not then begin to ;
referue them, and to fay, All the tithes of the land
D fbalbe
~~
ttct
VcrH^c
»
jhrfbe th; Lords; but claimcth them as his due of
old by ancient inheritance, faying, ^411the tithe
is the Lords, it is hoty vnto the Lord; not it ihall be.
And fo being his owne of old, he onely affigneth
them vnto the Leuiticall Prieft-hood for that
time. And thus you-fee them due, both before,
and vnderthe Law.
Now let any man (hew, when, and wherethey
were abrogated by the Gofpell \ Not by our Sa-
uiour Christ, who fpeaketh of them twife,
or thrife, and fo had iuft occafion to haue abro-
gated them,if he had had any fuch intent; yet hee
abrogateth not, but rather confirmeth them.
Matth. 2 3. Hac oportuitfacere; Thefe things ought
you to haue done. Nor by the Apoftle,for S.Paul
is fo farre from abrogating, that on the contrary
he both commandeth, and eftablifhcth them, and
prooueth them due. He commandeth them, Gal.
6.6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate
with him that teacheth $ u w*™ in all good
things. Indeed he nameth not the very Quotum,
how much they were to communicate, as taking
it for grauntea, that the Galathians themfelues
knew that to be the tru*th, both by the light of
Nature, and by the Scriptures, and by the perpe-
tuall pra&ife of the Church, and by the pra&ifc
of the Heathen theihfelues, who vfed to offer
their Tithes to their Idoles.
And i. Cor. g. hee plainly cftablifheth for a
perpetuall ordinance the paying of Tithes: for
Yerf 14. iaith he, Euen ft hath the Ltrd erdarned, that they
which
■ St
R
, j
1 'J
which preach the Cjojj>el,fhottld hue of the fyjfeL Elicit
fo, (that is asappcareth) out of the former verfe,
As they thatminiflred about holy things in the Temple, Verf. i j*
liued vfon thofe holy things , and they that waited
ip on the Altar, lined of the Altar: Euen fb muft the
Minifters of the Gofpel liue, vpon the felfe fame
maintenance. Now how liued they? Indeed the
Priefts of the Law had other emoluments, which
were Cercmoniall, and temporarie: but their
principall, morall, certaine, and perpetuall main-
tenance was out of thole ordinarie, and annual!
Tithes > which are Gods ftanding Inheritance;
therefore of them muft thcPriefts of the Gofpell
liue; Euen fo (faith the Apoftle) hath the Lord
ordained : here is no abrogation,but a ratification
of this eternal! ordinance.
And laftly (which in mine opinion is the moft
impregnable place ) Heb.y. the Apoftle ftrongly
prooueth, that the Tithes muft foreuer remaine
due vnto God: f or being to prooue the excellen-
cie of C h r i s t s Prieft-hood,aboue the Prieft-
hood of Aaron, and Leui, hee prooueth it by the
perpetuitie thereof: becaufe Christ remai-
neth a Prieft foreuer after the order of Melchife-
dec: whereas the Leuiticall Prieft-hood was alrea-
die ended, & to prooue the perpetuity of Chrifts
Prieft-hood, he vfeth no otiier Medium, but this
perpetuall tithing, Verf 8. Here men that did re-
ceiue Tithes,that is Leui, who died both in regard
ofperfon and office: but there>that is C h & i s t
i nMelch/fedec receiued them, of whom it is wit-
. D 2 neflcd,
\
neffed, that hee liueth: therefore if Chrifts Prieft-
hood be perpetuall, then muft his tithing be per-
petuall,or els the Apoftles argument is to no pur-
pofe.
And thus you fee it prooued by thefe three
places of Scripture,that thefe Tithes,which Jacob
vowed in my Text long befo e the Law, are ftill
due vnto God, and his Church in the time of the
Gofpell ture Diuino \ And this hath beene both
the conftant opinion of all Antiquitie, and the
perpetuall pra&ife of the Church, whatfoeuer
any late Hiftorie doth report to the contrary.
Therefore it is abfurdeto fay, that thefe Tithes
were onely Leuiticall, and that there is now no-
thing but a competencie due by a Morall equitie :
For how can they be only Leuiticall, which were
vowed by Jacobin my text, and paid by Abraham^
and by L^ihimfelfe in the loines of Abraham, hue
hundred yeeres before the Leuiticall Law began.
And to fpeakeof a Competencie now, is ameere
ccy*r It: For who fhall prefume to prefcribe an
..icertaine Competencie , where God himfelfe
hath fet downea perpetuall certaintie, which hee
neuer yet altered? Or why flhould any man think,
that God, who prouided a handing, certaine,and
liberall Maintenance for the Leuiticall Prieft-
hood in the time of the Law, which was lefle ho-
nourable, fhould leaue the Miniftery of the Gof-
pell, which exceedeth in honour vnto an vncer-
taine and beggerly competencie : efpeciallyfore-
knowing, and foretelling that in thefe laft dayes
Chari-
_
y
Charitic fhould waxecold, and men be loners of
themfelues,and their pleafures, more then loucrs
ofGod, andhis Church. Andyetheerequireth
Hofpitality at our hands too, which he knew the
worlds competency could not affoord.
Therefore it muft needs follow for acertaine
conclufion, where with I will end, that all true la«•
cobites>or true lfraelitesywhich liue vnder the Gof-
pell, are bound to performe all Jacobs Vow in the
time of theGofpell, and not onely tohauethe
Lord for their God, and build, or at lead: main-
taine his houfes j but alfo , of all that he hath gi-
uenthem, to giue the Tenth vntohim. And
therefore,as Salomon faith , It mu(l needs be a de-
fractionfor any man to deuourethefe things that are->
Janctified, the vfurping, and deuouring whereof
fas I verily beleeue) hath beene the deftru&ion
of many Houfes amongft vs. Noluimns far tin
cum Deo decimal, faith Saint nAugufiine^ Modoau- Serm.deum.
tern totum tollitur: We would not giue our Tithes vnto 219xaf-
God, and now all is taken from vs. And Malawi
N faith, They are curfed with a Curfe all the whole Na^
tion of them, that robbed the Lord of Tithes and Offe-
rings. And^/z/^curfeththedeuourersof thefe .
holy things, with the mod bitter curfe, that euer
he curled any creature. O my God (faith he) Doe pfaLSj.
vnto them J hat fay, Let vs take the Houfes ofGod into
ourpoffejsion, as vnto the Midianites , as to Sifera
and Iabin, which per/fhed at Endor, and became as
dung for the earth • ALake their Nobles li tee Or e byand
Zeeb;yea aUtheir Princes, as Zeba and Zalmunna :
D 3 make
it
make them like a voheele, and as the ftubble before the
wind: As the fire bur net h the wood, and as the flame
fitteth the mount aim onfire-, fo perfecute them with
thy tempefi, and make them afraide with thy fiormey
efic. God keepe all our Nobles and Princes,and
People from this bitter Curfe: for the auoiding
whereof, and obtaining the contrarie bleffing,
me thinkes many Ihould not onely, with Iacob in
my Text, vow to giue their own Tithes* but vow
to redeeme thefe captiue- tithes, out of the hands
of other men, whohaue vfurped the fame,and to
reflore them vnto the Lord againe, who is their
right owner* then which, they cannotalmoft of-
fer a more acceptable Sacrifice, or Seruice vnto
him.
And yet how thefe houfes of God are taken,and
flill helde in pofTeffion , and his Inheritance ftill
embezelled in thefe dayes, the cryes of thepoorc
Leuites euery where doe witnefie, not oncly in
thofe places, where all is gone, and onely a Com-
petency (as it was then fuppofed) of ten pounds
ayeereleft (whichisfcaree a Competency now
for a Hog-heard) but alfo in many other places,
where the tithes are not quite impropriated, but
yetfo gelded by pretended prefcriptions,and vn-
confcionablc, nay vnreafonable cuflomes demodo
decimandi, (y de non decmande, and they many
times confirmed by prohibitions, that the poorc
Lcuite hath in fomc places,not the tenth,in fome,
not the twentieth part of the tithe. I would to
God that the Body of the Honorable Parliament
were
i-rcub s- y ctyV. 27
were as willing as the Religious and Royall Head
thereof, to take this grieuance into their ferious
confideration , that this Parliament might haue
the honour to enaft fome wholefome Law for
the honour of God, the aduancement of his
Church, the peace of their owne confidences, and
the reliefe of the poore Clergie in this behalfe*
that fo we might all (as we are all bound) pay /*-
cobs Vow vnto the God of Iacob^and receiue from
him Iacobs bleffing. Which God grauntforhis
Sonne Ibsvs Christ his fake, who is our
eternall Prieft, to whom with the Father, and his
Bleffed Spirit bee all Honour, Praife*
and Thankef-giulng for euer,
andeuer. Amen.
F I N I S.
LONDO N,
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