Rom. 6.6 Col. 2.11 but in the whole body not reserving any lust which we are not willing to sacrifice on his Cross Thus is our repentance sincere when free when full and thereby to mortifie sin is the readiest way to remove wrath and abate the prosperity of the Church's enemies 3. Let not the calamities of the Church deter thee or the prosperity of her enemies seduce thee from the stedfastness of thy faith the integrity of her cause and the innocency of thy sufferings Innocency is the surest guard Goliah fenc'd with brass is not so safe as a naked man arm'd with innocency and whilst we hold fast our innocency in all our tribulation God sets us forth not as Malefactors to suffer but as Champions to conquer and after conquest follows a crown The way of the Lord is our surest path and safest walk in this the Lord will be our stay and strength and his Angels our guardians He shall give his Angels charge over us Ps 91 11. to keep us in all our ways Observe it is in viis non in praecipitiis in our lawful actions not our unlawful presumptions we have no promise of support or protection unless we retain our innocency and uprightness Being beaten then with the storms and distrest with the tempest of Gods judgments take we heed how we offer to land at any shore of carnal interest or worldly policy This is dangerous to the soul lest it shipwrack its faith and its self Rather as is best prudence as well as piety keep we in the Main though pursued with the storm God will at last rebuke the wind and the sea and so still the tempest and save the ship cease his judgments and deliver his Church To wind our selves out of worldly troubles by entangling our selves in sinful courses is such a folly or madness rather as is like his who thinks to heal his wound by an invenom'd plaister or cure his disease with a poison'd potion or indeed to quench the flame by pouring in oil And as a sure testimony of our greater integrity do we with much zeal mortifie that corrupt root of all sinful desires our self-love From hence not only come many mens Apostacies but also most mens complaints yea all mens impatiencies How many in a self love are griev'd for publique calamities out of a respect to their private interest Whereas the upright heart is griev'd for the contempt of Gods ordinances and truth the profanation of his Sanctuary and service These these should be the subject of our complaint and the matter of our mourning But alas Ps 78 34.37 P◠147.9 how many with the Israelites when God smites them then they seek him but their heart is not right with him They call upon God as the Ravens because hunger-bitten or as the gaping Earth because parcht with heat Their devotion is from an impulse of nature weary of pain and seeking for ease not from a principle of grace griev'd for sin and suing for holiness Such men could they enjoy their corn and their wine their peace and their plenty their full trade and their full stock their full barns and their full purse they would neither regard the Sanctuary nor the Service neither the Ordinances nor the Worship no neither the truth nor the faith of Christian religion and righteousness Wherefore O thou afflicted soul do thou mortifie self-love to keep sound thine integrity that so neither the calamities of the Church may deter nor the prosperity of her enemies seduce thee from the stedfastness of thy faith the uprightness of her cause and the innocencie of thy sufferings 4. By how much God does the more increase his temporal blessings upon the wicked by so much the more do thou implore his spiritual graces upon his Church and her temporal deliverance out of troubles And thus the greater conformity thy prayers have unto Gods will the easier access shall they find to his ear and the readier acceptance at his hand What can give peace if God withhold grace what can bring succor if he refuse favor All wealth honor pleasure Scepters Crowns the whole World with its fulness or rather its vanity and emptiness cannot speak comfort where God strikes terror they cannot give rest if he refrain love But if the peace of God dwell in us Phil. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it shall keep our hearts yea praesidio custodiet so Beza it shall keep them as with a Guard So that amidst all outward distractions and distresses all temporal troubles and trials Gods wing of providence shall be our shield of protection the comforts of his promises the encouragements of our faith and the secret of his presence the safety of our souls Indeed Gods grace is the only refuge from Gods anger And therefore as to get within him that strikes at us is the way to avoid the force of his blow so by a communion of prayer to close with God that corrects us is the way to escape the judgment of his wrath And to encourage us in the duty of prayer for the restoring of the Church and the subduing of her enemies know there is no power of earth or hell that is able to withstand the force of prayer Rev. 12.9 1 Pet. 5.8 Rev. 20.2 The Scriptures represent Satan unto us in a threefold resemblance of a Serpent a Lyon and a Dragon a Serpent for the wiliness of his subtlety a Lyon for the mightiness of his strength and a Dragon for the fierceness of his malice Now what is the Churches safest guard to repell and her surest weapon to overthrow this malice might and subtlety of Satan what but the importunity of fervent prayer See it in David Asa and Esther By prayer David befools the counsel of Achitophel 2 Sam. 15.31 2 Chro. 14.11 and therein defeats his and Satans subtlety Again by prayer Asa vanquisheth the Aethiopian host consisting of a Thousand thousand Esth 4.16 and therein he quells theirs and Satans might Lastly by prayer Esther disappoints the design of Haman and therein overthrows his and Satans malice And no wonder if prayer do overthrow the greatest malice might and subtlety of Satan and the world seeing it does fetch in the infinite grace power and wisdom of God and of Christ Yea prayer does besiege heaven and takes it by force Exod. 32.10 and puts God himself to a Dimitte me Let me alone yea such is the prevailing importunity of fervent prayer as breaks through a repulse and is not denied with a denial I will deliver you no more Judg. 10.13 14 15. saith God to Israel yet which shews what stock they came of right Israelites indeed they wrestle with God and conquer him before they conquer their enemies they first overcome God by the importunity of prayer and then through God they overcome the Ammonites by force of arms When God goes on in a resolved wrath and purposed desolation he stops the mouth of prayer
as Lord of the creatures hath redounded to the misery and mortality of all his retinue yea the womb of sin hath added as one iniquity so one mortality to another making the best of earthly beings to be momentany and vanishing That alone which gives fixedness and permanencie is trusts in God However then the Stars may sometimes be eclipsed yet have they a fixed and permanent subsistencie in their own heavenly Orbs whereas Comets which rise with a greater train and stream of light at last vanish into ashes and are seen no more Thus the Saints of God however clouded or eclipsed as to a worldly splendor yet have they a fixed estate of peace and rest in their own heavenly souls whereas the wicked which flourish in a greater pomp of outward glory are at last covered with shame and buried in everlasting ignominy § 2. To give a particular instance of this truth see it in the ambitious man and the humble Saint The ambitious man when he hath outclimb'd the modest designs of his first wishes he then mounts his aim higher and ventures to break down every hedg of Property and Right which stops his way and force many a gap through Law and Conscience to shorten his passage But when now he hath obtained the height of his hearts desire the Imperial crown of all his hope how does he find his promised fruition seised with an unexpected ruine 〈◊〉 2.18 19 his person name and family as stain'd with blood so covered with dishonor and cloathed with confusion But as for the humble Saint which hath made God his stay his trust whatsoever are his temporal changes 〈◊〉 10. his soul is fixt upon an eternal rest his integrity and uprightness shall preserve him that so neither shame nor confusion overtake him For however he lose an earthly yet does he hold fast an heavenly crown however disgrace amongst men may be his affliction yet a Diadem of glory in the hand of God and of Christ and in the sight of Angels and of Saints shall be his reward and the reward of all those who in the integrity of their hearts put their trust in the Lord Lam. 3.26 and wait for his salvation And therefore is David right in his prayer when he makes supplication unto his God saying Let me not be ashamed for I put my trust in thee c. § 3. As if the Psalmist had said O my God! that I profess is thy truth that I maintain is thy cause and my trust is in thee that by the wisdom and power of thy providence the cause I maintain thou wilt defend and the truth I profess thou wilt justifie so shall not the scorn of men Ps 39.8 or the reproach of sinners make me ashamed but that still with faith and confidence I will hold fast mine integrity and uprightness in a sincere aim at thy glory and thy Churches good And oh let this integrity of my heart Ps 119.116 and uprightness of my cause preserve me which is that I expect by hope and wait for with patience And oh let not my patience be disappointed of its hope seeing I wait on thee on thee whose wisdom can find out the way and whose power can effect the means of my salvation notwithstanding all the difficulties and seeming impossibilities of my deliverance Thus let me not be ashamed for I put my trust in thee c. § 4. Or to give the paraphrase of the words according to the subject matter of our ensuing discourse holding conformity with the order of our former method and the solemnity of the blessed Eucharist O my God and Saviour I put my trust in thee I build my salvation upon the sure rock of thy saving merits let me not be ashamed as if I had builded it on the sandy foundation of mine own works I cannot plead for my self a perfection of holiness Isa 38.3 but this I can plead through thy grace an integrity and uprightness my faith and repentance though they are not full and perfect yet are they sound and sincere Let then mine integrity and uprightness beg by prayer what it cannot challenge as debt the preservation of my soul this is that I wait for in the longings of hope and the expectations of patience And I thus wait on thee who as thou findest me vessels so also powre in oil as thou makest me capable of salvation by integrity and uprightness so make me to be saved in thy goodness and love Thus let me not be ashamed for I put my trust in thee let integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait on thee § 5. In the words we observe a twofold Petition of prayer set on with a twofold Argument of faith The former Petition is this Let me not be ashamed The Argument of faith For I put my trust in thee The latter Petition Let integrity and uprightness preserve me The Argument of faith For I wait on thee § 6. The former Petition Let me not be ashamed Sin is the mother of shame for that our first parents in their primitive state of integrity when they had none other clothing save that of Innocencie they were no less void of shame then sin For see Gen. 2. v. ult They were both naked and were not ashamed The Chaldee paraphrase is very expressive and emphatical They knew not what shame was Shame saith the Philosopher it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fear of ignominy or disgrace which could not possibly befall man so noble and soveraign a creature whilst he preserved entire the glorious image and likeness of his Maker for within his soul was arrayed with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that splendent robe of perfect righteousness S. Chrysost hom 17. in Gen. without his body was deckt with an admirable beauty and exact harmony both of parts and composition And thus whilst man was without stain of sin he was without spot of deformity and so without blush of shame § 7. Yer as for the shame of the Cross which Christ did despise Heb. 12 2. Gal 6.14 Coâ— 1 11. Phâ—â— 3.10 S. Paul makes it his glory and we must bear it with patience yea with joyfulness having fellowship with Christ in his sufferings But that shame which is the consequent of guilt the effect of sin when the conscience checks the soul for deserting the faith of Christ for transgressing his law or apostatizing from the truth of God this this is the shame which every true Saint abhorrs and dreads and against this David here prays Let me not be ashamed § 8. 2. The Argument For I put my trust in thee A wicked man deprived of worldly comforts is wholly at a loss and amaz'd in himself as a naked man in a storm or an unarm'd man in the battel he has no shelter no defence but the godly man when spoil'd of all earthly succors finds then a shelter to flie to a defence to trust in a God to rely
embraces of thy love and comforts of thy Spirit unto thee that thy thorns may be my crown thy blood my balsom thy curse my blessing thy death my life Coloss 3.3 thy cross my triumph Thus is my life hid with Christ in God and if so then where should be my soul but where is my life And therefore unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul § 4. I lift up my soul unto thee at thy Table who hast been thy self lift up for me on thy Cross thou hast been lift up for me in a propitiatory sacrifice and therefore I here offer my self to thee in a gratulatory oblation Is◠53.10 thou madest thy soul an offering for sin and here I make my soul an offering of thankfulness In this Eucharist then accept my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mine oblation of praise and thanksgiving in which O Lord it is that I lift up my soul unto thee § 5. Unto thee O Lord thy flesh thy blood not unto the outward elements the bread the wine unto thee and thy fulness as the inward grace not unto thee and their use as the outward sign My soul dwells not on those earthly symbols but by them as by a ladder it ascends and lifts up it self unto thy heavenly riches And thus whilst my body feeds on consecrated food oh let my soul be filled with thy consecrating fulness whilst my body tastes their wholsom sweetness let my soul be satisfied with thy saving goodness And to this end it is that unto thee O Lord I lift up my soul § 6. Unto thee O Lord Oh make good thy name of Lord unto me as Lord rebuke Satan and restrain all earthly and carnal affections that they do not once dare to whisper a temptation to my soul a distraction to my thoughts whilst I am in communion with thee in prayer at thine holy ordinance Do thou as Lord rule me by thy grace govern me by thy Spirit defend me by thy power and crown me with thy salvation Thou Lord the Preserver of heaven and earth thou openest thine hand Psal 145.16 and satisfiest the desire of every living thing Oh open now thine hand thy bosom thy bounty thy love and satisfie the desires of my longing soul which I here lift up unto thee § 7. Thou Lord givest bread to man from the earth thou gavest Manna to Israel from heaven give oh give thy self unto me in this Sacrament as the true bread the heavenly Manna the life-giving food of thy Church Thou Lord art now reigning in heaven oh do thou now also set up thy throne in my heart Thou art exalted in heavenly glory oh manifest thy self in thy gracious presence In thy heavenly glory thou art the joy of holy Angels and blessed Saints in thy gracious presence be thou now the reviving of devout souls and humble Penitents O my love my joy my Jesus my Lord be thou present with me in thy Sacrament present more then by inspiration and make me present with thee and that more then by meditation even lift up my soul unto thee in a spiritual real and eternal communion § 8. Oh how does this blessed Sacrament add wings to devout souls and wrap them up with S. Paul unto the third heaven 2 Cor. 1◠2 in an extasie of contemplation and love And what shall my soul now lie groveling on the earth hiding it self with Saul amongst the stuff 1 Sam. 10.22 clogg'd and deprest with worldly thoughts with earthly and carnal affections No it may not it must not Christ is risen Col. 3.1 and therefore sursum corda my heart my spirit that shall rise too and seek those things which are above even unto thee O Lord my Jesus do I lift up my soul § 9. My soul but how shall I call it mine seeing it is thine thine by purchase thine having bought it with thy blood yea is it not thy Spouse whom thou hast wedded to thy self by thy Spirit through faith And is not this holy Sacrament the Marriage-feast If so sure then my Jesus I was lost in my self till found in thee and therefore my soul is now and not till now truly mine in being wholly thine so that I can say with confidence I lift up my soul unto thee § 10. I lift up Oh the load of my sins the burden of my flesh so heavy that I cannot of my self lift up my head how shall I then lift up my soul Wherefore O my Savior do thou add thy strength to my weakness thy supporting grace to my fainting spirit and then I will run after thee and lift up not onely my hands but my heart not onely my eies but my soul unto thee § 11. My soul For it is not indeed the eye or the tongue or the hand or the knee but the soul which makes the acceptable service in prayer and praises unto God the devotion of the soul that is the very soul of devotion Wherefore that I may present my self a living sacrifice at Christs table Rom. 12.1 my best part shall be my first oblation and therefore in the very preparation and entrance of this sacred solemnity See O see unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul Vers 2 3. O my God I trust in thee let me not be ashamed let not mine enemies triumph over me yea let none that wait on thee be ashamed let them be ashamed which transgress without cause § 1. O My God I trust in thee c. My prayer O Lord is founded upon faith my faith upon thy promises so that because thou art my God therefore I trust in thee yea because I trust in thee therefore thou art my God My God otherwise O Christ thou wert not my Jesus but O my Jesus who savest me by thy blood Gal. 3 1. in this thy Sacrament thou art set forth crucified and I behold thy wounds from whence by the hand of faith I pluck forth these comfortable words of life My Lord and my God Joh. 20 28. § 2. My God mine for thou hast partook of my humane nature 2 Pet. 1 4. and thou hast made me to partake of thy divine nature thou hast taken upon thee my flesh and thou hast communicated unto me of thy Spirit yea in this thy Sacrament thou communicates body and blood flesh and spirit thy whole Manhood yea thy very Godhead too thy whole self as Mediator therefore thou art my God and I trust in thee § 3. I trust in thee to make good my right to the Covenant of Grace to make good my claim to the heavenly inheritance yea even to make good my communion with thee in all thy fulness a communion so firm that the Bread and Wine I eat and drink is not more really my food then thou my Jesus in whom I beleeve and trust art my God And for this so great a blessing of thy love for this so great a benefit of thy grace it is
that I trust in thee not in my self not in mine own righteousness who am not worthy thou shouldest come under my roof Luk 7.6 or that I should crawl-under thy table not worthy to gather the crums not to pick up the scraps much less to partake of the riches the fulness of thy bounty thy love § 4. It is not that I trust in mine own faith but in thy faithfulness not in mine own repentance but in thy pardon not in mine own preparation but in thine acceptance in thee and in thy merits in thy mercies do I trust Let me not then be ashamed let me not be disappointed of my hope deprived of thy blessing I trust in thee by this Sacrament to be filled with good things Oh let me not then be ashamed of my trust in being sent empty away I trust in thee as the rock of my salvation even a firm rock Oh let me not be ashamed of my trust as if I had leaned upon a deceitful reed or rested upon a broken staff as if I had followed mine own devices and not attended thine Ordinance § 5. Thou my God hast promised that whosoever trusteth in thee shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2.6 Be it then unto me according to thy Word and seeing thou O God mayst as soon not be as be unfaithful make my trust as firm as thy promise is sure and so shall I not be confounded not confounded as if I had taken a wrong course to be saved when I run to thee for salvation or as if I had done foolishly in seeking thy grace by trusting to thy promise and attending thy Sacraments for the obtaining thy blessing Let me not thus be ashamed § 6. Neither let mine enemies triumph ' over me my homebred Enemies my lusts my passions when I return from thine Ordinance let them not thus triumph over me saying Vain man what hast thou gotten by all thy fastings and prayers what hast thou profited by all thy siftings and winnowings thy confessions and humiliations what hast thou benefitted by all thy vows thy resolutions and renewed resignations we are not yet abandoned we are not yet cast out we still live and are as mighty in power yea as many in number as ever we were and thou as feeble and as impotent to resist and quell us as ever thou wast O let not mine Enemies my lusts my passions thus triumph over me rather let thy cross be to me what thou hast made it to thy self a Triumphant Chariot by the efficacie of thy death 2 Cor 10.5 ◠mortifying all my corrupt affections and bringing into captivity every imagination that exalts it self against the power of thy grace § 7. Yea not onely I but many others also with me here wait on thee at thine Ordinance in obedience to thy command and confidence of thy blessing let not Oh let not me nor them who thus wait on thee have so ill success and fruitless labour as if we came to gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles knock at the wrong door for mercy We come and at thy call we come Matth. 11.28 as heavy laden to obtain rest as spiritually sick to recover health as secretly mournful to receive comfort we come and at thine invitation we come as thirsty to be refreshed as hungring to be satisfied as poor to be enriched We come and at thy Command we come as weak to be strengthened as fainting to be revived as wavering to be established For this for this it is we come to thine ordinance we wait at thy table Oh let none that thus come unto thee that thus wait upon thee let none of them be ashamed let none frustrate of their hope return from thy Sacrament as empty and as dry as sorrowful and as fainting as poor and as weak as when they came § 8. Rather let them be ashamed which transgress without cause even they who not prizing thy love despise thine ordinance and causelesly absent themselves from thy table as if a morsel of bread and a sup of wine were all the bounty and blessing of thy Sacrament Yea let them be ashamed who carelesly presume or causelesly despair at thy table They who carelesly presume as if all Sinners were welcome though ne'r so unprepared or causelesly despair as if no Sinners were accepted though ne'r so penitent This the Explicatory Application of what David hath put up in prayer by way of Deprecation saying O my God I trust in thee let me not be ashamed let not mine enemies triumph over me yea let none that wait on thee be ashamed let them be ashamed which transgress without cause Vers 4 5. Shew me thy waies O Lord teach me thy paths lead me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my salvation on thee do I wait all the day § 1. OBserve how the devout Communicant thus bespeaks his God his Saviour O my Lord what is my hope what is the blessing I long and pray for by this holy Sacrament what is it but the blessing and hope of a Pilgrim of a waifaring man I have left Egypt but am not yet in Canaan I am still in the wilderness and whilst my face is towards Jerusalem the heavenly habitation of thy Saints this is the object of my hope this is the subject of my prayer that thou wilt shew me thy waies teach me thy paths and lead me in thy truth § 2. There are the waies of men and the waies of God the paths of sin Psal 23 3. and the paths of righteousness There are thy waies and there are my waies thine the waies of truth mine the waies of error thine which are good in thine eies and mine which are good in mine eies thine which lead to heaven mine which lead to hell Wherefore shew me thy waies O Lord teach me thy paths lest I mistake mine own waies for thine yea lead me in thy truth and teach me lest I turn out of thy waies into mine own shew me thy waies by the ministry of thy word teach me thy paths in the guidance of thy Spirit lead me in thy truth by the assistance of thy grace § 3. Oh how have I been blinded in my Judgment not discerning the light of thy truth through the thick mist of mine own wilfulness and pride But now thou hast convinc'd me of my wanderings shew me thy waies now Lord especially shew me thy waies now so many and so diverse yea so cross and contrary are the waies of men and of the world though all pretending the paths of God and leading to the heavenly Jerusalem of peace and life Psal 139.1 2 23. Thou Lord who searchest the heart and tryest the reins who understandest our thoughts afar off thou even thou knowest the secret trouble of my Closet-thoughts the private anguish of my souls distractions in that viewing the waies of men and of the world I see thy holy Name made to mask the face
the Lord After seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you Jer. 29.10 11. and perform my good word towards you in causing you to return to this place For I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end But how shall this gracious Promise be brought to full performance Why it is by fervent prayer for so saith God v. 12.13 14. Then shall ye call upon me and ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you and ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart and I will be found of you saith the Lord and I will turn away your captivity and I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places whither I have driven you saith the Lord and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive This then emboldens the confidence and enlargeth the comfort of our prayers that what we ask is according to Gods will made ours in the promise by which we have a right of grace from our God and may thereby make good our claim by faith in Christ in whom all the Promises are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 2 20. most sure and firm § 8. And thus whether we look upon the purposes of Gods will or the promises of Gods word this is a requisite condition and means of their execution and performance even our prayers Wherefore though the Decree be past and the time be set for the Churches deliverance yet not to alter to execute that decree not to shotten but to accomplish that time we must be instant in our prayers and then most instant in our prayers when most earnest in our penitence interceding for the Church as David here does when he closeth his devotion with the fervor of this Petition Deliver Israel O God out of all his troubles § 9. 2 The Author of Israels deliverance God Deliver Israel O God As we acknowledg none other Mediator of intercession but Christ none other Master of our requests but the Spirit so none other Author of salvation but God who alone is all sufficient to save Jer. 3.23 Thus the Prophet Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills and from the multitude of mountains truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel Where by hills and multitude of mountains is meant in an Allegory the strongest defence and surest protection which shall certainly betray us to ruine unless Gods strength make that protection strong and his power give safety to that defence O the inconstancy solly weakness and vanity of all worldly supports and carnal succors without God whether it be for salvation temporal or eternal § 10. 1 Salvation temporal O the inconstancy of Popular esteems various as the wind To day Hosanna to morrow Crucifige O the folly of Carnal wisdom whilst the subtilest Achitophelt clash in their counsels Luk. 19 38. 25.21 and become puzzel'd with intricacies hamper'd in different designs and divers interests O the weakness of worldly force The strongest Armies having Reubens sate and character unstable as the water Gen. 49.4 they have their tide and ebbe they sometimes flow to an inundation and then again sink away to nothing And O the vanity of the vastest Treasures more matter of prey to the mighty then means of help to the miserable they betray to ruine rather then protect from danger As all men so all creatures in themselves are lyers Ps 116.11 Lyers either through impotencie or through imposture either through imposture deceiving in what they promise or through impotencie failing in what they undertake This the insufficiencie of all the Creatures for salvation temporal § 11. And 2 much more insufficient are they for salvation eternal Sure we are he who cannot span his own length shall never be able to grasp the heavens He who cannot with Sampson bear away the Gates of Gaza Judg. 16.3 shall never be able with Atlas to support the Universe If the Creatures I mean be all insufficient to work that salvation which is temporal they shall never be able to effect that which is eternal Ps 49 7 8. It is not then the wealth of worldlings nor the merits of Saints no nor the power of Angels that can save a sinner Wherefore when we make the deliverance the Church the subject of our prayers it must be to him who is stiled The God that heareth prayers Ps 44 4. and who alone can command deliverances for his Church § 12. But here some may say Alas I have often prayed for the deliverance of the Church but God either hears not or he answers not yea he rather contradicts by his providence what I importune by prayer involving his Church in greater distress rather then delivering it out of all its troubles But to this I answer The stay of our faith and so the ground or our prayer is the word of Gods promise which word of promise is most certain though the means of performance is not so evident And to measure the truth of Gods word by the strength of our reason is to wrong his power and debase his wisdom And therefore when we eye God in his promises or deliverance to his Church we must look beyond all secendary causes and view his wisdom infinite in contriving and his power omnipotent in effecting the execution of his will and performance of his word § 13. The unbelief of the Churches restauration and the Bodies resurrection are both from one and the same principle of error and misapprehension even a not knowing the Scriptures and power of God Mat. 22.29 And therefore we observe how aptly God speaks concerning Israels deliverance from Babylons Captivity Israel had said that by reason of their desperate estate their bones were dryed their hope lost and they cut off for their parts But now Thus saith the Lord God Ezek. 27.11 Behold O my people I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves and bring you into the land of Israel v. 12 13. and then ye shall know that I am the Lord. Ye shall know it how why in the experience of mine omnipotent power § 14. Wherefore what St. Augustine speaks concerning the resurrection of the body we may apply to the restauration of the Church Considera Authorem tolle Dubitationem Consider the Author to whom nothing is impossible and this will take away all doubting of what seems incredible Consider the Author it is the Lord Jehovah He is the Original of all being who not only does work but also can command and not only does command but also can create deliverance for his people yea he can bring light and salvation out of darkness and desolation no estate so miserable and no misery to desperate which can either pose
77.5 mancipia praesentium captived in our judgment to things present but do with David consider the days of old and the years of antient times the Church presents us with a view of that her so glorious a deliverance from under the bondage of Egypt and from under the captivity of Babylon and these so eminent before Christs coming in the flesh And since his ascension to heaven the Church presents us with that her so glorious deliverance from under the Roman tyranny and after from under the Arian fury and of later years from under the Anabaptists frensie These the deliverances of the Church Oecumenical But which is more full to our present and particular comfort the Church presents us with her deliverances here at home which have been national as that from the Danish inundation of Idolatry that from the Romish infatuation of Popery and that from the Marian deluge of blood and flames of violent persecution Thus God having delivered this his Church from the conspiracies and violence of forein and homebred enemies from the fire and sword the wit and malice of cruel persecutors From these experiments of deliverance she raiseth her faith to an humble assurance that he will in the end of all deliver her from the compendium of all the present rage of Heresie and furious zeal of Schism 3. The pleadings of Gods providence thereby justifying the cause of his Church and discovering the wickedness of her enemies Thus it was of old Corah and his company mov'd with malice and envy conspire against Moses and Aaron Num. 16.1 c. thereby striking at the root of Magistracy and Ministry But see the event cleer contrary to their design and expectation God so orders the matter in the pleadings and disposings of his providence that thereby Moses becomes more honorable and Aaron more eminent both the Kingly and Priestly office more illustrious in the eyes of the People And if we pass from the sacred Scripture to Ecclesiastical History we find that whilst the cruel Persecutors of the Primitive Saints thought to have drowned Christianity in a sea of blood yet then was sanguis martyrum semen ecclesiae the blood of the Martyrs the seed of the Church which became enlarg'd not destroyed by the sufferings of the Saints In all those flames of persecutions the Church like Moses bush Exod 3 2. Num 17 8. it consumed not but like Aarons rod after her night of distress she became more fresh and flourishing more eminent for the purity of her faith and holiness Christs conquest over his enemies is not only military by a potent and prevailing force but especially it is judiciary by just and righteous pleadings Jer. 2 9. Mic. 6 9. and therefore he first strikes with the rod of his mouth to conviction and then with the rod of his hand to destruction God in the execution of his judgments upon the wicked he likes well that mens consciences subscribe to the equity of his proceedings their own practises witnessing against themselves and their own witness and law too condemning them Open we our eyes then and see In the Churches distress whilst God frowns upon his people in correcting their sin how does he still own them in pleading their cause justifying their profession of righteousness and faith by the very cross actings of their enemies designs Yea it is worthy our observation That whereas the Enemies of Christs Church have urg'd Gods owning them and their cause by a continued series of temporal successes though this in its self a Turkish argument and so not fit to overthrow or stagger a Christians faith how does God retort the argument by giving such signal and remarkable passages of his Providence that they seem very near giving up to a reprobate sense who after the voice of Gods word shall stop their ear to the voice of his providence in which he brings the pens and tongues and practises of the Churches adversaries to make good her cause and justifie what she hath taught and profest Look we upon the present estate of the Church of England and how do we find it too unhappily like that of the Church of Judah For that we may say of our several Factions and Schisms what they say of the children of Ammon Moab and Mount Seir 2 Chro. 20.10 we may truly say of them that the Church not invading and subduing not quelling and suppressing them when we came out of Egypt even when by a religious Reformation we forsook the Romish superstition Behold how they reward us even to cast us out of our possessions v. 11. not only the possession of our own temporal estates but even of Gods holy worship Now in the depth of this calamity in which we seem to be forsaken of God herein does God own his people that he lays upon their adversaries the curse of the Midianites Ammonites and Edomites v. 23. even one to defeat and destroy another True it is Gods power is invincible Ps 44 4. his wisdom unsearchable and his judgment unavoidable so that he can command deliverance for Jacob or if that will not do it he can create help for his people Yet such is the wonder of his providence that he orders seeming casualties particular unexpected and unthought of emergencies to bring forward his peoples deliverance Of which we have ample testimony in the history of Ioseph's advancement by Pharoah and Esther's by Ahasuerus the one to preserve Israel in the cradle and the other to restore him from the grave Things independent in their relation unsubordinate in their being God oftentimes makes them concur in the order of his providence for his Church's restauration that the World may know it is the counsel of his will and the work of his hand acted to this end even the greater glorification of his own name and the clearer justification of his peoples cause Let the providence of God frame the Argument of Divine conviction in what mood or figure he please sure I am God will so order the Premises that the Conclusion shal be his own glory and his Church's good which two are never more eminent then when in the pleadings of his providence God justifies the cause of his Church and discovers the wickedness of her adversaries The Rules of Direction Ps 73.17 1. With David enter the Sanctuary of God Interiora veritatis penetralia so S. Ambrose Search the more secret mysteries of Gods truth So shalt thou find the ground of thine impatience is thine ignorance v. 22. that thou art velut jumentum as a beast before the Lord As a beast thou look'st upon the affairs of this life in their outward appearance with the eye of sense thou doest not so well view them in their secret providence by the eye of faith For that thus viewing the ungodly in their prosperity we understand their latter end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we become spectators of their last Scene and thereby see their sad
either to confirm your faith or give some reasons why you desert it yea you will have the advantage happily of gaining him who seeks to pervert you 5. An itching curiosity and affectation of novelties This is that which hath made so many Seekers that they are become a Sect. Seek and ye shall finde saith our Saviour Seek is the precept Matth 7.7 ye shall finde is the promise But no wonder if men finde what is not intended in the promise when they seek what is not commanded in the precept let Humility seek and it findes Truth but let Curiosity seek and it finds Heresie let Prayer seek in a devotion of Piety and it finds Grace and Peace but let Passion seek in an affectation of Novelty and it findes wrath and a curse To be setled in mind is a right means to be established in truth and to be wise unto Sobriety Rom. 12.3 is a temper for all those who will be sincere in the Faith But he who still is affected with novelties no wonder if he be soon infected with Heresies they that have the itch of curious disputings no wonder if they get the Scab of Heretical opinions 6. Covetous desires and ambitious designs All Heresie and Schism we finde still cherished with the warm zeal of a full purse Had not the Church of Rome those strong attractives of Cardinal Dignities Papal Indulgences Ecclesiastical Immunities and Spiritual Benefices I believe she would finde few Patrons of her cause and gain few Proselytes to her profession The Foxes would not trouble the Vineyard were it not for the Grapes neither would Heresie and Schism so much rend and tear the Church were it not for her Revenues That poorer Fry and meaner Sect of Quakers would not as they do 2 Tim. 3 6. Creep into houses and boast themselves in so poor a Triumph as a leading captive silly women were it not as some mens ruined estates can tell them That there-out they suck no small advantage And I refer it to the Consciences of most Ministers whether the sequestred Living was not the strongest Argument to convince their Judgments to a deserting as well as a dissenting from what they had subscribed yea I refer it to the Conscience of every Sacrilegious Invader of the Churches possessions whether this be not the great weight which keeps down his wishes of the Churches restoring even the thoughts of vomiting up the morsels he hath so greedily swallowed giving up the possessions he hath so covetously seized When covetous and ambitious mindes see profit and preferment soonest obtained by Faction what Schism what Heresie yea what Perjury will they not allow embrace and follow Primianus and Maximianus heads of two Donatist factions St. Augustine tells them That were it not for Faction Primianus would be Postremianus and Maximianus Minimianus The like we may say of the greatest Patriarchs of Heresies and Schisms That were it not for Faction kept up by covetousness and ambition they would soon become as low in esteem as in merit as mean in degree as in desert To close then from the Premisses we may infer That Heresie is the cursed Issue of most cursed Parents The father that begets it is the Devil and the mother that conceives it is the Flesh And as Domitius used to say Nil nasci potuit nisi detestabile infausium Suet. That of him and Agrippina nothing could be begotten but what was ominous and odious hateful and monstrous and such was Nero. The like may be said as to this cursed Brood That of the Devil and the Flesh nothing can be begotten but what is horrid and hainous Carnal and Diabolical and such is Heresie Joh. 8 44. Satan he is the Father of lies and therefore as Ignatius saith Ignat. ep 1. ad Trall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heretical opinions they must needs be Satans off-spring the Devils inventions And as Heresies are from Satan as the Father of lies so begot of the Flesh as the mother of corruption Gal. 5.20 and therefore the works of the flesh are manifest saith the Apostle amongst which are reckoned up with adultery and murders Seditions and Heresies Some carnal affection either of pride and pertinacy of spirit or of impurity and prophaneness of life or of envy and malice or of slothfulness and indifferency or of affectation and curiosity or of covetousness and ambition some one or more of these carnal affections it is that gives birth to Heresie and is as the Womb to bear so the Paps to nurse this ugly and deformed Brat the perfect likeness of its father the Devil And thus we have done with our proposed task To shew you by what means Satan draw's men to the sin and involves them in the guilt of Heresies Now give me leave to close with a few words of Application Applic. Be we sincere in our obedience as a cheif means of being sound in the Faith and be we sound in the Faith otherwise it will be in vain to plead the sincerity of our obedience For this is our Calling to walk worthy of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all well pleasing Col. 1.10 Of which general notion the Greek Scholiast gives us this equal distribution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in words in works and in opinions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Hom. 5. in 1 Tim. or Doctrines of Faith And therefore with St. Chrysostome True Faith is compared unto a sound Ship without which we cannot pass the Sea of this troublesome World to the safe Harbor of Heavens rest For suppose we a man Chaste Temperate Hospitable Just in his Dealings Zealous in his Devotions for such was Pelagius such was Donatus yea such were many of the Arrians of the Macedonians even to an high repute amongst the Orthodox themselves as St. Basil and Nazianzen both will witness Suppose we then I say a man to be Chaste Temperate Hospitable Just in his Dealings Zealous in his Devotions but withal that he is an Heretick and then hear what St. Augustine will tell us August tom 7. de Bapt. l. 4. c. 18. Nulli utique dubium est propter hoc solum quod Haereticus est regnum Dei non possessurum There is no doubt at all but for this alone That he is an Heretick he shall not inherit the Kingdom of God And this of St. Augustine does well accord with that of St. Paul 2 Thes 2.13 14. Where he gives us to understand That if we hope to obtain Salvation and glory by Jesus Christ it must be through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth And O thou blessed Spirit of Grace so sanctifie us through the Truth that we be not led away into the errors of the wicked but amidst the many Heresie which are amongst us let it be manifest that we are approved Amen THE SECOND SERMON UPON 1 COR. 11.19 There must be also Heresies among you that they which are
quam temeraria scientia Better is a modest and faithful ignorance then a rash and confident knowledge 4. Strict watchfulness Knowing this that Hereticks by their subtle pretences and hypocritical shews do inescare animas Jer. 5.26 Ezek. 13 13. catch souls as the fowler does Birds the fowler he straws some good Corn to entice but withal sets a snare to entangle Thus the Heretick he will teach some truth to allure but withal much error to deceive Wherefore when St. Paul forewarns the Church of Ephesus Act 20.29 That grievous wolves not sparing the flock should enter in among them He gives this Premonition with his prediction Attendite vobis ipsis toti gregi Take heed to your selves and to all the flock vobis ipsis to your selves in the first place for there lies the cheif spight and malice of Heresie and Schism it is against the Pastors of the Church the Shepherds of the flock the flock they aim at for the fleece and those they strive to seduce by flattery but the Shepherds they aim at in malice and those they strive to fright with fear or throw out with violence Wherefore seeing the Heart of man is deceitful above all things Jer. 17 9. So that we can never be confident enough of our sincerity never assured enough of our constancy do we therefore keep a strict watch over our hearts least Heresie by pretences deceive us by flattery allure us by fears affright us by distresses discourage us from owning ptofessing and maintaining the Faith and truth of Jesus Christ and that we may be thus watchful over our selves keep we a waking eye fixt upon our reward with God knowing this that if our reward were from men we might then fear their frown and seek their favor But seeing God is our reward Gen. 15.1 his promises must be our comfort his grace our strength his love our joy and his heavenly presence our eternal happiness 5. And lastly Holy Zeal Zeal in profession of the Faith declaring our high value and esteems of the truth Thus Margaret de Valois Queen of Navarre was wont to say That she received it as a greater act of favor from God that she was Orthodox and Reformed in the Truth then that she was Wife Sister and Aunt to Kings and Scultetus he tells us of Henry Duke of Saxony Scultet Exercit Evangel l. 2. c. 5. that when he received this message from Duke George his elder Brother That either he must renounce his Interest in the Protestant Faith or loose his right of succession to the inheritance of Misnia he returned this answer Pluris se aestimare Jesum quam omnem Misniam That he esteemed more of Jesus then of all Misnia Thus in Zeal to the Faith of Christ resolve we yea profess we rather to be with Truth in a dungeon then with Heresie in a Palace with Truth in bonds then with Heresie in robes with Truth on the Gibbet then with Heresie on the Throne Yea not onely Zeal in professing but also Zeal in pleading for the Truth Observe we St. Judes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jude 3. Earnestly to contend for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints yet contend not in Passion but with Prudence to justifie not to disgrace the Truth and in our Zeal to the Faith as Athanasius and the Antients refused to receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Letters pacificatory from the Arians so do we refuse all Church-fellowship and communion with those who by their doctrines of Heresie overthrow the Foundation of Christianity Thus we have resolved how we are approved and how made manifest There must be also Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you Applic. Let us recount with gratitude and extol with praise the Divine wisdom grace and goodness of our God who brings to his chosen light out of darkness good out of evil ordering the poyson of the Serpent to be an Antidote unto his Church The mist of Error for a clearing of the Truth the malice of the Heretick for the honor of the Orthodox Thus as we of the same Letters differently transposed do make far different words So God of the same causes differently ordered he makes as far different effects The Blasphemy of Ebion and Cerinthus kindles an holy flame in St. John's Brest occasioning by their Heretical doctrine his Seraphical Gospel which hath worthily stiled him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. John the Divine Had it not been for the irritating impudence and importunity of Heresie and Schism how many eminent lights had either hid their Candle under a Bushel Mark 4.21 or under a Bed either covered their gifts with a vail of modesty or of sloth Thus by the manifold grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Quod inimicus Machinatur in perniciem Aug. ep 105. ad Sixt. Presb. Deus convertit in adjutorium so St. Augustine What the enemy deviseth and designeth for ruine and destruction God orders and turns to succor and salvation According to that his promise Rom. 8.28 All things work together for good to them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose From whence was it that such an holy vigor of divine learning and devout Holiness did inflame the Brests and instruct the Pens of Athanasius Basil and Augustine was it not raised from an holy Zeal against those blasphemous Heresies and Heretical blasphemies of Arius Eunomius and Pelagius And now as long as Piety and Learning do live the memory of those holy and learned Fathers shall not die though this prophane and illiterate age would seem to give them their deaths wound And now comfort your selves Beloved in the midst of Heresies rage it cannot pluck up the Root though it break off some Branches of the Church it cannot throw down the solid Stock though shake off some rotten fruit Though the number of true Professors be the less yet the worth is greater And let them have more of our esteems of love who have more of the stamp of truth approved and manifested as firm and setled in the Faith Tert de P aescript ◠3. Avolent quantum volant paleae levis fidei Let the flitting chaff of a light Faith flie whither it will with every breath of Satans or the Worlds temptation Eo purior massa frumenti in horreo domini reponetur so Tertullian The more pure heap of Corn is laid up in the Lords Barn Goshen's light was the more illustrious for Egypts darkness and the Worlds Apostacy sets a lustre upon the Churches Constancy Wherefore Beloved that ye be not carried about with every wind of doctrine yea that you be not removed from your stedfastness but may be preserved sound in the unity of the Faith take the Apostles prescription To hold fast to the Apostles Prophets Eph 4. and Evangelists yea the Pastors and Teachers wh ch Christ hath ordained in his Church hold
in the Ceremonial ordinances being abolished the Gentiles are receiv'd into communion with the Jews Eph. 3.6 being made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-heirs of the same eternal inheritance heaven yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-members of the same mystical body the Church lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-partakers of the same gracious promise that made to Abraham Gal. 3.8 when the Gospel was preached unto him that in his seed should all the nations of earth be blessed Thus we have done with the first particular what it is to disciple it is to receive into the communion of the Church 2. Who they are that are to be discipled who they are that are to be receiv'd into the Churches communion even of all Nations as many as believe and the believing Parents bringing in with them their Infant-children Of believing parents we have no doubt of the Infant-children is all the question Wherefore how come they to have any right to or share in the communion of the Church To resolve this grand Quaere I will first prove that Infants of believing parents they have a right and interest in the communion of the Church Secondly give you the reason of that interest and right First prove that Infants of believing parents have a right and interest in the communion of the Church from three Arguments 1. Because the Jews infants were members of the visible Church therefore are the Christians 2. Because our Saviour testifies that to them belongs the kingdom of God Mar. 10.14 1 Cor. 7.14 3. Because S. Paul affirms them to be holy 1. Arg. Because the Jews infants were members of the visible Church therefore are the Christians That infants were accounted members of Christs visible Church under the Law and before the Law if not from Adam as it is probable yet from Abraham as it is infallible Ger. 17.11 12. Circumcision the then initiating seal of Church-communion is our argument and proof invincible Now that infants should be within the communion of the Church under the Old Testament and not under the New under the Law and not under the Gospel is repugnant to Gods mercy and inconsistent with the Gospels fulness in the dispensations of grace Besides observe the state of Church-communion is not chang'd in its nature and essence by the access of the Gentiles For some of the natural branches being broken off Rom. 11.17 we of the wild Olive are ingraffed in and made to partake with them of the root and fatness of the good Olive-tree As with the Jews they and their children are broken off so with the Gentiles they and their children are graffed in yea with the natural branches the ingraffed Gentiles partake of the root and fatness of the Olive that is they partake with the Jews of the promises and priviledges of the Church of which priviledges this is a chief one That the infants of believing parents are members of the visible Church If it were not so the Jews children which were in Church-communion before their parents became Christians they should lose the priviledge they before enjoyed and become so far from being bettered in their estate by their parents believing in Christ come in the flesh that their estate is made very much worse And if this be so that children lose the benefit and blessing under the Gospel which they enjoyed under the Law shew us what guilt in infants forfeited it or what act of Christ repeal'd it Sure we are infants were members of the Jewish Church and that of our Saviour Mar. 10.14 Suffer little children to come unto me we shall hereafter prove confirms them members of the Christian To enlarge a little further When Jews and Gentiles are united we find in Scripture Eph. 2.14 it is by taking down the partition-wall not taking away the Churches communion If there were any change in this sure we are it were for the better not for the worse even such as might advance the grace and riches of the Gospel so that the Jews should not lose though the Gentiles gain not they have less priviledge though the Gentiles more in being one Church with them Wherefore that children should be in Church-communion before Christ's and not after Christ's coming in the flesh is so absurd a Tenent and opinion as deserves none other confutation then to be hist out of the Church Yet for your clearer satisfaction I thus plainly and fully argue the cause When the Jews were converted to the faith of Christ did their children which were before Church-members then cease to be of the Churches communion If so I ask what cast them out If the repealing of that priviledge give testimony of that repeal if the forfeiting that blessing give witness of that forfeiture On the contrary did the Infant-children of the believing Jews retain and shall not then the Infant-children of believing Gentiles receive this priviledge of the Churches communion Sure had it been the doctrine or practice of Christ or his Apostles to exclude Infants from the communion of the Church we should have heard on 't and that loudly too from the unbelieving Jews complaints and clamors though the Apostles pens and tongues had been ne'r so silent Yea doubtless had this so dearly priz'd this so long enjoy'd priviledge been either prohibited or omitted so great a change of so great a concernment would have had some special precept to warrant it or even amongst believers themselves some notable dispute if not disturbance rais'd about it 2. Arg. Our Saviours testifying that to little children belongs the kingdom of God And his testimony we have from S. Mark s Gospel Mar. 10.14 where we find some zealously devoted bringing young children unto Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sucking children Sure we are they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Suidas speaks of some children borne in arms for so it is implied in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adferebant non adducebant Apud Scap. in Lex graec they brought them in their arms not led them in their hands and Christ receives them as they brought them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He embraced them in his arms So that it is apparent beyond all contradiction they were little children very babes or infants v. 16. And these they bring to Christ as a great Prophet sent of God or the Messiah in whom they believed and to this end they bring them that he might bless them But the Apostles for what reason we know not they forbid them whose imprudent or sinful act moves our Saviour's just displeasure yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was much displeased saying Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not Where the negative command is the stronger enforcement of the affirmative precept Of both which if we enquire the reason our Saviour answers Of such is the kingdom of God that is they have a right and interest in the communion of the Church and the Covenant of grace
of Mediator that he is the head of the body the Church In this observe three branches of divine mysteries upon which we shall insist by Explication and gather some fruit from each branch by Application The branches of divine mysteries these 1. How Christ is said to be the Head of the Church 2. What the Church is of which he is Head And 3. How the Church of Christ of which he is Head is said to be a Body 1. How Christ is said to be the Head of the Church viz. In thâ—se four particulars 1. The fulness of his perfection 2. The excellency of his glory 3. The lively operations of his Spirit 4. The real communication of his benefits 1. The fulness of his perfection S. Paul writing of the mysteries of Grace Eph. 1.10 tells us of God gathering together in one all things in Christ The Original expresseth it by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which S. Hierom renders by a recapitulari as a metaphor taken from the manner of Orators whose usual art it is to sum up the chief parts of the whole Oration in a short yet full Epilogue Thus hath God made Christ as Head of the Church to be a recapitulation or compendium of all the excellencies in the creatures So that whatsoever was eminent in the Patriarks Kings or Prophets whatsoever was glorious in the creation of the World or promulgation of the Law whatsoever glory was in Moses's Sanctuary Solomon's Temple or the Jewish Sacrifices whatsoever grace is in his Saints or excellency in the Angels All that and what more can possibly be expressed or conceived it is an higher degree of perfection and in a greater measure of fulness comprised and contained in him who is the Fountain of all Christ Jesus the Head of the Church This this our Apostle makes the very formal constituting cause of Christs office and dignity as Mediator and Head of the Church that in him all fulness dwells even the fulness of grace of wisdom of power and of the Divinity it self According to that of the Apostle to his Colossians Col. 2.9 In him dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no temporary sojourning but a perpetual habitation In him dwells the fulness of the Godhead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily not in shadows and figures but in substance and truth not meerly by a vertual operation but even in a personal union God he dwells in Heaven by his glorious presence in the hearts of his Saints by his gracious Spirit but in Christ alone by union hypostatical From which hypostatical union does flow Christs fulness of perfection And needs must he have the greatest fulness in whom are hid the richest treasures Col. 2.3 the treasures of wisdom and knowledge of righteousness and truth of peace and of joy of holiness and of happiness Yea as in the Head is the source of all the Senses so in Christ the fulness of all the Graces And thus is Christ the Head of the Church for his fulness of perfection 2. The excellency of his glory The Head is most noble and excellent in the body natural and so is Christ in the body mystical Joh. 1.21 He is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an excellency above all the Prophets So that Joh. 1.18 though no man hath seen God at any time yet the only begotten in the bosom of the Father this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this the Prophet he hath revealed him He is that Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec Heb 5.6 Heb. 4.14 that High-Priest that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that great High-Priest who by his own blood hath passed into the Heavens and ever lives to make intercession for us 1 Pet. 5 4. Joh. 10.11 He is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that chief Shepherd that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that one and only Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep and delivers his Lambs from the mouth of the Lyon He it is whose name is Wonderfull Isa 9.6 1 Tim. 6.15 Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace He is that the blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the blessed even blessedness it self Gal. 3.8.16 in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed The highest excellency of Christ's glory is set forth unto us by his sitting at the right hand of the Father where the right hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 metaphorically and after the manner of men Ps 44.3 Ps 110.1 Ps 16.11 is transferred to God which signifies in the language of the sacred Scriptures sometimes might and power sometimes majesty and glory sometimes eternal joy and perfect felicity in all which respects Christ alone is said to be set at the right hand of his Father though in might majesty and happiness equal to the Father according to his Godhead yet ad dextram Patris at the right hand that is next indeed yet inferior to the Father according to his manhood Ps 45.9 And thus in that Allegorical Hymn and Spiritual Epithalamium it is said Upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in gold of Ophir that is The Church clothed with glory is seated in perfect felicity next to Christ as Christ is next to his Father To close then viz. Upon Ascension-day This is what the Church commemorates the highest degree of Christs exaltation in might majesty and happiness that He is set down at the right hand of God And thus having finish'd the work of mans redemption after his many humiliations in the body he is exalted in the same body and whereas his Divinity was clouded in his humiliation Eph. 4.8 it shines forth gloriously in his exaltation when ascending up on high he leads Captivity captive and entring the heavenly Jerusalem he is invested and adored crowned and worshipped as King of Angels and Saints Head of the body the Church This the second particular Christ the Head of the Church as for the fulness of his perfection so for the excellency of his glory 3. The lively Operations of his Spirit As the head gives sense and motion to the body so does Christ a quickening and actuating vigor to his Church Act. 17.28 By him we live move and have our being Mal 4.2 Joh. 1.9 as in life natural so in life spiritual whether it be that of Grace or that of Glory He is the Sun of Righteousness that true light which lighteth every one that cometh into the World He is the overflowing and ever flowing Fountain of whose fulness do we all receive grace for grace Joh. 1.16 From him we have the grace of Justification by his blood the grace of Sanctification by his Spirit He it is that ingrafts faith in us and strengthens it that kindles Charity
are thy heavenly visits and how short their stay given they are either to comfort after affliction or strengthen against temptation 1 Kings 19.8 Yea like Elijahs repast they are to sustain the soul for many dayes Ye then that do not know the pleasures of Gods Sanctuary do but get them and ye cannot but love them and by their taste the more ardently long after them yea your inward affection will break forth into an eager prosecution by prayers and meditation by frequent humiliations of soul by daily mortification of sin and by a worthy participation of the Blessed Sacrament by these and all other holy means diligently seeking what you so earnestly desire even the blisse and joy of Gods Sanctuary and service And indeed we must know to have desires without endeavours is to be like him that lies at anchor expecting a winde but never hoiseth sail Many there are which have a secret ardour desires fly from their hearts as sparks from a furnace they break forth in heaps but suddenly dye Thus they are strong in desires but sluggard-like weak in endeavours and so presently quench the Spirit which gives them motion They desire much to be saved but they like not to practise S. Pauls precept Phil. 2.12 To work out their salvation But David he is of a right temper and in a right order His hands second his heart his eager prosecution his inward affection he seeks what he desires So are the words of his Petition in his Unum petii One thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life c. Know then Beloved we have spiritual delights in their sacred source no where so full so free as in the house of God Applic. as in the service of the Sanctuary One day in thy Courts saith David are better then a thousand Ps 84.10 I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of the Lord then to dwell in the tents of wickedness The delights of Gods Sanctuary like the waters of Bethlehem they are pure but the pleasures of the World like the puddles of Egypt they are polluted Whilst the Tradesmen then hie them to their Shops Merchants to their Change Mariners to their Ships Wantons to their Chambers Covetous men to their Chests Revellers to the Taverns all men to their delights David too will haste to his but it is to the Temple to the Sanctuary there 's the object of his joy there 's the Theatre of his delight there 's the Center of his desires even the Beauty of the Lord and the glory of his Worship Wherefore then O ye wretched souls how are you become enemies not only to the Cross of Christ but also to the Comforts of his Spirit Enemies to Reason and Religion Enemies to Gods Sanctuary and his Ordinances Enemies to Christs Church and chosen O how are you enemies to all these Ye that prefer a Tavern before a Temple and a Strumpets arms before your Saviours imbraces ye that prefer Bacchus Bowls before the Cup of Salvation and carousing healths before your Saviours blood Oh how are ye become the shame of Christians and the reproach of Protestants 〈◊〉 the scandal of the Churches cause and service Oh how is it that for the cursed carrion of bestial delights ye renounce the communion of holy joys O profane and licentious wretches which delight to live with that mad Legion in the filthy Sepulchres and dark Tombs of carnal concupiscence Mat. 5.2 3. and this with a sordid and sottish contempt of Angels fellowship Saints communion heavenly dainties and holy delights all which are the bliss of Gods Sanctuary and the Ravishments of his holy Worship 2. Be we exhorted so to give up our selves unto God at his Altar that he may make us to dwell with him in his Temple so resign up our selves to him in his Sacrament that if it be his blessed will he may continue his Service to us in his Sanctuary resign we up our selves to him in his Sacrament that blessed Sacrament of the holy Eucharist And when we come to Gods Altar prepare we our Sacrifice aright Act. 15.9 P. 26.6 purifying our hearts by faith in sincere humiliation and washing our hands in innocency by fervent supplication And thus compassing Gods Altar he will accept our Offering even through the merits of the Lamb Christ Jesus which was offered up for us Heb. 11.4 In this oblation of himself it was that Abel◠offered a more excellent sacrifice then Cain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more full sacrifice Plurimam hostiam so the Vulgar but how this Why Rupertus tells us Rupert l. 4. in Gen. c. 2. Abel primo cor suum deinde rem suam offerendo plurimam hostiam per fidem obtulit Abel by faith offered as a more excellent so a more plentiful sacrifice then Cain in that he offered himself as well as his Lambs whereas Cain offered sua but not se his goods but not himself Abel offered his heart and himself as well as the Firstlings of his Flock And thus if we will be accepted as Abel was we must offer as Abel did our Hearts unto God these the Firstlings of our Flock indeed the Heart being the primum vivens the first that lives in grace and the chief that is accepted in prayer And that coming to Gods house and his Altar we may bring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more plentiful sacrifice we must remember that the Measures of the Sanctuary are double to those of common use Exod. 16.22 Wherefore with double diligence do we prepare our hearts our devotions join we eager prosecution to our inward affection seek as well as desire So does holy David in his unum petii One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after c. Now to close this Sermon observe that of the Preacher Look to thy foot when thou goest into the house of God Eccles 4 1. Look to thy foot that is order thy affections even with humility reverence and devotion Ps 22.6 1. With humility Bow thy knee low with David I am a worm Gen. 18 27. and no man Fall down even to the ground with Abraham I who am but dust and ashes have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord. Ezod 4.5 2. With reverence Put off thy shoes says God to Moses for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground Holy ground because of Gods holy presence which must not be approached but with holy fear Ps 99.1 God that sitteth between the Cherubims he here hearkens to our prayers and speaks to us in his Word and his Majesty then requires our reverence Ps 122.1 3. With devotion That of David's I was glad when they said unto me We will go into the house of the Lord. And as we come with chearfulness so continue we with watchfulness not letting the fire