to wait upon their Lord that had now set them at liberty from the Grave and divulge the greatness and glory of his Resurrection When Moses and Elias appeared upon the holy Mount at Christs transfiguration talking with him St. Luke tells us they spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Hierusalem St. Luke ix 31. And 't is highly credible the discourse of these Saints with those to whom they appeared was of his Resurrection Their going into the City was not meerly to shew themselves nor their appearance meerly to appear but to appear Witnesses and Companions of their Saviours Resurrection Nor is it probable that the Saints whose business is to sing praise and glory to their Lord should be silent at this point of time of any thing that might make to the advancement of his glory Yet you may do well to take notice that it is not to all but to many only that they appeared to such as St. Peter tells us of Christs own appearance after his Resurrection as were chosen before of God witnesses chosen for that purpose Acts x. 41. that we may learn indeed to prize Gods favours yet not all to look for particular revelations and appearances 'T is sufficient for us to know so many Saints that slept arose to tell it that so many Saints that are now asleep St. Peter and the Twelve St. Paul and five hundred brethren at once all saw him after he was risen so many millions have faln asleep in this holy Faith so many slept and died for it that it is thus abundantly testified both by the dead and living both by life and death even standing up and dying for it and a Church raised upon this faith through all the corners of the earth and to the very ends of the world But to know the truth of it is not enough unless we know the benefits of Christs Resurrection they come next to be considered and there is in the words evidence sufficient of four sorts of them 1. The victory over sin and death both the Graves were opened 2. The Resurrection of the soul and body the one in this life the other at the end of it many dead bodies that slept arose 3. The sanctification and glorification of our souls and bodies the dead bodies that arose out of the graves went into the holy City 4. The establishing us both in grace and glory they appeared unto many All these says the Text after his Resurrection by the force and vertue of it Indeed it seems the graves were opened death almost vanquished and the grave near overcome whilst he yet hung upon the Cross before he was taken thence deaths sting taken out by the death of Christ and all the victories of the grave now at an end that it could no longer be a perpetual prison yet for all that the victory was not complete all the Regions of the Grave not fully ransackt nor the forces of it utterly vanquisht and disarm'd nor its Prisoners set at liberty and it self taken and led captive till the Resurrection 'T is upon this Point St. Paul pitches the victory and calls in the Prophets testimony 1 Cor. xv 54. upon this 't is he proclaims the triumph ver 55. O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory even upon the Resurrection of Iesus Christ which he has been proving and proclaiming the whole Chapter through with all its benefits and concludes it with his thanks for this great victory ver 57. So it is likewise for the death and grave of sin the chains of sin were loosed the dominion of it shaken off the Grave somewhat opened that we might see some light of grace through the cranies of it by Christs Passion but we are not wholly set at liberty not quite let out of it the Grave-stone not perfectly removed from the mouth of it till the Angel at the Resurrection or rather the Angel of the Covenant by his Resurrection remove it thence remove our sins and iniquities clean from us 2. Then indeed 2. the dead soul arises then appears the second benefit of his Resurrection then we rise to righteousness and live 1 Pet. ii 24. then we awake to righteousness and sin no more So St. Paul infers it That like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father even so should we also walk in newness of life Rom 6. 4. This Resurrection one of the ends of his our righteousness attributed to that as our Redemption to his death From it it comes that our dead bodies arise too Upon that Iob grounds it his Resurrection upon his Redeemers Iob xix 25. I know that my Redeemer liveth well What then Why I know too therefore that though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh I shall see God The Apostle interweaves our Resurrection with Christs and Christs with ours his as the cause of ours ours as the effect of his a good part of 1 Cor. 15. If Christ be risen then we if we then he if not he not we if not we not he And in the Text 't is evident no rising from the dead how open soever the graves be till after his Resurrection that we may know to what Article of our faith we owe both our deliverance from death and our deliverance into life here in soul and hereafter in our bodies by what with holy Iob to uphold our drooping spirits our mangled martyr'd crazy bodies by the faith of the Resurrection that day the day of the Gospel of good tidings to be remembred for ever 3. So much the rather in that 't is a Day yet of greater joy a messenger of all fulness of grace and glory to us of the means of our sanctification 3. of our rising Saints living the lives of Saints holy lives and of our glorification our rising unto glory both doors opened to us now and not till now liberty and power given us to go into the holy City both this below and that above now after his Resurrection and through it He rose again says St. Paul for our justification Rom. iv 25. to regenerate us to a lively hope blessed be God for it says St. Pet. i. 3. that we might be planted together in the likeness of his Resurrection says St. Paul Rom. vi 5. grow up like him in righteousness and true holiness and when the day of the general Resurrection comes rise then also after his likeness be conformed to his Image bear his Image who is the heavenly as we have born the Image of the earthly our vile body chang'd and fashioned like his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. iii. 21. whereby in the day of his Resurrection he subdued death and grave and sin and all things to him 4. And to shew the power of his Resurrection to the full there is an appearing purchast to us by it an appearing here in the fulness
so too To redeem our honours and us thence God sent his Son says S. Iohn iii. 17. and he chose us out of it St. Iohn xv 19. Sin 2. that had made us Captives too chain'd us up so fast that the best of us cannot but cry out sometimes O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me Rom. 7. 24. And none but this visitour could or can God through Iesus Christ so S. Paul presently adds upon it and would have us thank and bless him for it Death that had also got dominion over us for no more dominion Rom. vi 9. signifies it had it once and kept us shrewdly under Rom. v. 17. But Christ Iesus by his appearing they are the Apostles words has abolish'd death 2 Tim. i. 10. Made us free from sin and death Rom. viii 2. The Devil 4. he took us captive also at his will 2 Tim. ii 26. But for this purpose was the Son of God manifested says S. Iohn that he might destroy the works of the Devil 1 S. John iii. 8. And as high as the Fiend carries it he will bruise him under our feet Rom. xvi 20. Now to be delivered from such masters as these is a blessing without question All the question is how either Zachary could say so long before our Saviour's Birth or we so presently upon it he hath redeemed when S. Paul says 't was by his Blood Col. i. 22. S. Peter through his death 1 S. Peter i. 19. Why very well both the one and the other At his Birth was this Redemption first begun the foundation laid at his Death 't was finished In his Incarnation and Nativity he took the flesh that died and the blood he shed and we might truly have been said to be redeemed by his Blood though he had not shed it and by his Death though he had not died because he had already taken on our flesh and blood and from that very moment became mortal and began to dye or to speak a little plainer He brought the price of our Redemption with him at his Birth He paid it down for us at his Death The Writings as it were and Covenants between God and Him about it were agreed on at his Birth were engrossing all his Life and seal'd by him at his Death So 't is as true to day as any day He redeemed And had not this day been first in the business the other could not have been at all or first or last O Blessed Day that hast thus laid the foundation of all our good ones O ever Blessed Lord who hast thus visited and redeemed us what shall we do unto thee how shall we bless thee 3. Nay and yet 3. thou hast sav'd us too That 's the next blessing to be considered And 't is worth considering For redeem'd indeed we might be and yet not saved Redeem'd and yet fall again into the same bad hands or into worse redeem'd from evils past and yet perish by some to come 'T is this salvation that makes all safe Where 1. we are saved from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us ver 71. every thing that may hereafter hurt us as well as we were redeemed from all that did Nor life nor death nor height nor depth nor any thing can separate us now from the love of God in Christ Jesus Rom. viii 39. all things shall continually work for good ver 28. all work henceforward for our salvation Especially seeing he saves us 2. from our sins as the Angel tells us S. Mat. i. 21. Does not redeem us only from the slavery of our former sins and the punishments we lay sadly under for them but preserves and saves us from slipping back into the old and from falling into new ones 'T is a continual salvation Nay 3. 'T is an eternal one too he saves us with He the Author of eternal salvation Heb. v. 9. There we shall be safe indeed All salvations here may have some clouds to darken them some winds to shake them something sometimes to interrupt them somewhat or other to tarnish or soil their glory New enemies may be daily raised up to us Sin will be always bustling with us here we had need to be sav'd and sav'd again daily and hourly sav'd but with this salvation once sav'd and sav'd for ever Well may we pray with holy David Psal. cvi 4. O visit us with this salvation And well may we term it now as our Translation does a mighty salvation 4. And mighty sure we may justly stile it For it required a mighty Power a mighty Person a mighty Price and mighty Works to bring such mighty things to pass And it had them all 1. A mighty Power Almighty too No created Power could do it Horse and man and all things else but vain things to save a man to deliver his soul from the hand of Hell Psal. xxxiii 17. lxxxix 47. 2. A mighty Person the very God of might I the Saviour and besides me none Isa. xliii 11. No other person able to effect it 3. A mighty price it cost No corruptible things says S. Peter 1 Pet. i. 18. Nothing but the blood of the Son of God the precious Blood of Iesus Christ no less could compass it 4. Mighty works lastly and mighty workings to work things about Miracles and wonders good store it cost to accomplish the work of our salvation such as he only who was mighty before God and all the people St. Luke xxiv 19. could bring to pass And this adds much to the glory of this salvation that it was done by such great hands and ways as these But not the works only that wrought it but the works it wrought speak the salvation mighty too Mighty for certain which neither the unworthiness of our persons nor the weaknesses of our natures nor the habits of our sins nor the imperfections of our works nor the malice of our enemies nor any power or strength or subtilty of men or Devils were able to hinder or controul but that maugre all it spread it self to the very ends of the earth carried all before it A salvation we may trust to we need not fear in this mercy of the most highest we shall not miscarry 5. For 5. we have here gotten a good Horn to hold by A horn of salvation the original gives it a salvation not only strong but sure Salvation that is a Saviour too one that we may confidently lay hold on one that neither can nor will deceive or fail us For 1. He is a King so the Horn signifies in the Prophetick phrase Dan. vii 8. The four and seven and ten Horns there so many Kings and it stands not with the honour of a King to deceive or disappoint us 2. And he is not a King without a Kingdom He hath a Kingdom 2. and power to help us The Horn signifies that too in the stile of Prophesie because in the Horn lies the strength and power and dominion
into Heaven cannot now but look askew upon the earth To look up into Heaven is 2. to despise and trample upon all things under it He is not likely to be a Martyr that looks downward that values any thing below Nay he dies his natural death but unwillingly and untowardly whose eyes or heart or sences are taken up with the things about him Even to die chearfully though in a bed of Roses one must not have his mind upon them He so looks upon all worldly interests as dust and chaff who looks up stedfastly into heaven eyes all things by the by who eyes that well The covetous worldling the voluptuous Gallant the gaudy Butterflies of fashion will never make you Martyrs they are wholly fixt in the contemplation of their gold their Mistresses their Pleasures or their Fashions He scorns to look at these whose eyes are upon Heaven Yet to scorn there but especially to fit us against a tempest or a storm of stones there is a third looking up to Heaven in Prayer and Supplication It is not by our own strength or power that we can wade through streams of Blood or sing in flames we had need of assistance from above and he that looks up to Heaven seems so to beg it It was no doubt the spirit of Devotion that so fixt his sight he saw what was like to fall below he provides against it from above looks to that great Corner-stone to arm him against those which were now ready to shower upon his head It is impossible without our prayers and some aid thence to endure one petty pebble But to make it a compleat Martyrdom we must not look up only for our own interests for we are 4. to look up for our very enemies and beg Heavens pardon for them He that dies not in Charity dies not a Christian but he that dies not heart and hand and eyes and all compleat in it cannot die a Martyr Here we find S. Stephen lifting up his eyes to set himself to prayer 't is but two verses or three after that we hear his prayer Lord lay not this sin to their charge This was one thing it seems he lookt up so stedfastly to Heaven for A good lesson and fit for the occasion so to pass by the injuries of our greatest enemies as if we did not see them as if we had something else to look after then such petty contrasts as if we despis'd all worldly enmities as well as affections minded nothing but heaven and him that St. Stephen saw standing there All these ways we are to day to learn to look up to Heaven as 1. to our hop'd for Country as 2. from things that hinder us too long from coming to it as 3. for aid and help to bring us thither as 4. for mercy and pardon thence to our selves and enemies that we may all one day meet together there The posture it self is natural 'T is natural for men in misery to look up to Heaven nay the very insensible creature when it complains the Cow when it lows the Dog when he howls casts up its head according to its proportion after its fashion as if it naturally crav'd some comfort thence 'T is the general practice of Saints and holy persons Lift up your eyes says the Prophet Isa. xl 26. I will lift up my eyes says Holy David Psal. cxxi 1. And distrest Susanna lifts up her eyes and looks up towards Heaven ver 35. Nay Christ himself sighing or praying or sometimes working miracles looks up to Heaven who yet carried Heaven about him to teach us in all distresses to look up thither in all our actions to fetch assistance thence If we had those thoughts of Heaven we should I know how little of the eye the earth should have Vbi amor ibi oculus where the love is there 's the eye We may easiy guess what we love best by our looks if Heaven be it our eyes are there if any thing else our eyes are there 'T is easie then to tell you St. Stephens longings where his thoughts are fixt when we are told he so stedfastly lookt up to heaven And indeed it is not so much the looking up to Heaven as the stedfast and attentive doing it that fits us to die for Christ. 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a a kind of stretching or straining the eye-sight to look inquisitively into the object To look carelesly or perfunctorily into Heaven it self to do it in a fit to be godly and pious now and then or by starts and girds will not serve turn to mind seriously what we are about that 's the only piety will carry it Plus vaâ—â—t hora fervens quam mensis tepens One hour one half hour spent with a warm attention at our prayers is worth a month a year an age of our cold Devotions 'T is good to be zealous says St. Paul somewhat hot and vehement in a good matter And it had need be a stedfast and attentive Devotion that can hold out with this But. To stand praying or looking up to Heaven when our enemies are gnashing their teath upon us and come running head-long on us to have no regard to their rushing fury nor interrupt our prayers nor omit any ceremony of them neither for all their savage malice now pressing fiercely on us but look up stedfastly still not quich aside this looks surely like a Martyr The little Boy that held Alexander the candle whilst he was sacrificing to his Gods so long that the wick burnt into his finger and yet neither cried nor shrunk at it lest he should disturb his Lords Devotions will find few fellows among Christians to pattern him in the exercise of their strictest pieties Let but a leaf stir a wind breathe a fly buzz the very light but dwindle any thing move or shake and our poor Religion alas is put off the hinge 't is well if it be not at an end too What would it do if danger and death were at our heels as here it was Oh this attentive stedfast fastning the soul upon the business of heaven were a rare piety if we could compass it This glorious Martyr has shew'd us an example the lesson is that we should practise it But all this is no wonder seeing he was full of the Holy Ghost That Almighty Spirit is able to blow away all diversions able to turn the shower of stones into the softness and drift of Snow able to make all the torments of Death fall light and easie If we can get our souls filled once with that we need fear nothing nothing will distract our thoughts or draw our eyes from Heaven Then it will be no wonder neither to see next the Glory of God and Iesus standing at the right hand of God I call'd this point St. Stephens confirmation or his encouragement to his death He that once comes to have a sight of God and Christ of Gods Glory and Christ at the right hand of
it of either the one or the other much more of both cannot want strength to die be the death of what kind it will It was a gallant speech of Luther when he was disswaded from appearing before the Council of Wormes I think it was that he would go thither though all the tiles of the houses were so many Devils Had every stone that was cast at the Martyr Stephen been a Devil he would not after this vision have been afraid The Lord is my light and my salvation whom then should I fear the Lord is the strength of my life of whom then shall I be afraid says David Psal. xxvii 1. and yet he saw nothing like this sight Gods presence is enough whether it be seen by the eye of sense or by the eye of Faith to keep us stedfast to make death hide its head for fear while we stand triumphing over it I conceive it impertinent to make it a business to enquire too solicitously what this glory was and how St. Stephen saw it That it was some glorious sight some high resplendent light or brightness such as God used to appear in as Exod. xxiv 17. Numb xiv 10. 1 Kings viii 10. to Moses and his Prophets there call'd his glory or some apparition of Angels in shining garments winging about a throne of glory visibly appearing to the eye of the Martyr Stephen is the probablest to conceive and the shining of his face as if it had been the face of an Angel chap. vi ver 15. is an evidence it was a visible appearance But no doubt his understanding saw further then his eye into Heaven that lookt and saw a glory there of which the sense though elevated to his height cannot be capable Divinum lumen says St. Gregory Nissen the inaccessible light Spem in re says St. Hilary His hope already Deum Divinitatem says St. Austin God and the Godhead Imo Trinitatem and that facie revelata says he again The blessed Trinity unveiled Futurae vita gaudia says Bede The joys of the other life These all he saw say they and we shall make no scruple to say in Spirit so he did as far as humane nature is capable in this condition But without question Christ he saw in his body standing amidst that glory the words are plain for that and that alone were enough to put courage into the most coward heart To see his Faith confirm'd by sight and Christs Glory with the Father visibly appear to see whom he had trusted and for whom he had laboured and disputed now with his own eyes in glory must needs make him kiss the hands that would now send him so soon to him To see him 2. standing at the right hand of God as if he were risen from his sitting there to behold the sufferings and courage of his Martyr that stood below now made a spectacle to Christ and all his Angels that 's an honour he may well glory in To see him 3. standing amidst his hosts as if he were coming down to help him that adds more spirit still To see him 4. standing at the right hand of God as if he suffered with him and was therefore pleading for him as friends and advocates used to do with the accused party at the Bar. This infuses yet a greater confidence that notwithstanding all his sins or weaknesses he shall now easily prevail To see him 5 standing as a Priest to offer him up a sweet smelling sacrifice to his Father that still increases it To see him lastly standing like a judge of masteries at the end of the race or goal to crown him with a crown of glory cannot but make him think long for the death that shall bring him to it All these ways Christ may be brought in here as standing for us In the Creed we profess him sitting thereby acknowledging his place in Heaven and his right to be our Judge yet when his Saints and Servants have need of him he stands up to see what it is they want how valiantly they behave themselves he stands up to shew them who it is they trust he stands up to help and aid them he stands up to plead and even suffer with them he stands up to present them to his Father he stands up to reward them with the garlands of Glory Sometimes it is oftner it has been when the beginning of Christianity needed it at first that by some visible comforts and discoveries he shews himself to the dying Saint Often it is that the soul ready to depart feels some sensible joys and ravishments to uphold its failing spirits But he is never wanting with inward assistances and refreshments to those who suffer for him We must not look all of us nor Confessors nor Martyrs now adays to see Visions and Revelations with St. Stephen we are set in a fixt way where Reason and Religion so long prov'd and practis'd is able to give us comfort in the saddest distresses God does not usually confirm our reason by our sense in the revelation of himself or what he expects from us It may be because the Devil grown cunning now by so many centuries of years has taken up of late as he is Gods ape a way to fetch off souls by some sensible delusions from the Faith for he can transform himself nay does so says the Apostle into an Angel of light For this it may be God sends us now to the word and to the testimony and leaves us to reason tradition and example of so many ages to expound it However this is sufficient that neither God nor Christ will leave us wholly comfortless but will surely stand by us when we need and supply us as there is Indeed he cannot look for such a profession upon it as we find here from St. Stephen yet to a stedfast profession of our Faith those assistances he still allows us are sufficient We will look a little upon Stephens though And first here is a kind of profession of the Blessed Trinity the Holy Ghost here at the beginning of the first verse of the Text God in the middle and Jesus at the end Here is 2. a profession of Christs manhood whilst he calls him the Son of Man Here is 3. a profession of his Faith in all of them by his so loud proclaiming Here is 4. a profession of Gods ready help Christs ready assistance to his Saints in trouble Here is 5. a profession of Gods owning the Christians cause and gloriously standing up to confirm and maintain Here is 6. a profession of Christs opening Heaven to all Believers that Heaven is always open to us if we could see it that Gods Glory shines upon us to shew us the way thither that Christ stands there to make our way to guide us thither Here lastly is a profession of his confidence and resolution that though his enemies stand pressing now about him and Death before him he will not eat his words will not renounce his faith
of dead mens mouths and shall not our Cities and Temples resound of it shall they tell the wonders of the day and we neither mind the day nor wonders of it surely some evil will befal us as said the Lepers at the Gates of Samaria if we hold our peace 'T is a day of good of glorious tidings and we must not lest the Grave in indignation shut her mouth upon us and the holy City bar us out Open we then our mouths to day and sing praises to him who made the day made it a joyful day indeed the very seal of happiness unto us Open we our mouths and take the cup of salvation as the Prophet calls it the cup of thanksgiving the Apostle stiles it and call upon the name of the Lord. Open our mouths now as the grave and he will fill them Open our mouths as the grave and be not satisfied give not over our prayers until he do Raise we all our thoughts and desires and endeavours to entertain him go which way he shall send us appear what he would have us attend him whither soever he shall lead us and when he himself shall appear he will lead our souls out of the death of sin to the life of righteousness our bodies out of the dust of death into the land of life both souls and bodies into the holy City the new Ierusalem where there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying nor any more pain but all tears shall be wip'd away all joys come into our hearts and eyes and we sing merrily and joyfully all honour and glory be unto him that hath redeemed us from death and raised us to life by the power and vertue of his Resurrection All blessing and glory and praise and honour and power be unto him with the Father and Holy Spirit for ever and ever THE THIRD SERMON UPON Easter Day PSAL. CXViii 24. This is the day which the Lord hath made We will rejoyce and be glad in it THis is the day which the Lord hath made And if ever day made to rejoyce and be glad in this is the day And the Lord made it made it to rejoyce in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as holy Ignatius a day of days not only a high day as the Iewish Easter St. Ioh. xix 31. but the highest of high days highest of them all A Day in which the Sun it self rejoyced to shine came forth like a Bridegroom in the robes and face of joy and rejoyced like a Giant with the strength and violence of joy exultavit leapt and skipt for joy to run his course Psal. xix 5. as if he never had seen day before only a little day spring from on high as old Zachary saw and sung never full and perfect day the Kingdom and power of darkness never fully and wholly vanquished till this morning light till this day-star or this day's Sun arose till Christ rose from the grave as the Sun from his Eastern bed to give us light the light of grace and the light of glory light everlasting And this Suns rising this Resurrection of our Lord and Master entitles it peculiarly the Lords making This day of the week from this day of our Lords Resurrection stil'd Lords Day ever since And of this day of the Resurrection the Fathers the Church the Scriptures understand it Not one of the Fathers says that devout and learned Bishop Andrews that he had read and he had read many but interpret it of Easter day The Church picks out this Psalm to day as a piece of service proper to it This very verse in particular was anciently used every day in Easter week evidence enough how she understood it And for the Scriptures The two verses just before The stone which the builders refused the same is become the head of the corner This is the Lords doing and it is marvelous in our eyes to which this day comes in presently and refers applied both of them by Christ himself unto himself in three several places St. Mat. xxi 42. St. Mar. xii 10. St. Luk. xx 17 rejected by the builders in his Passion made 〈◊〉 head of the corner in his Resurrection the first of the verses applied again twice by St. Peter Acts iv 10. and 1 Pet. ii 7. to the Resurrection For these doings these marvelous doings a day was made made to remember it and rejoyce in it as in the chiefest of his marvelous works And being such let us do it Let not the Jews out-do us let not them here rejoyce more in the figure than we in the substance they in the shadow than we in the Sun 'T is now properly Sunday this day ever since a day lighted upon on purpose for us by the Sun himself to see wonderful things in and as wonderfully to rejoyce in Abraham saw this day of Christs as well as Christmas St. Ioh. viii 56. saw it in Isaacs rising from under his hand from death as in a figure says the Apostle Heb. xi 19. saw it and was glad to see it exceeding glad as much at least to see Christ and Isaac delivered from death as delivered in to life Abrahams children all the faithful will be so too to see the day when ere it comes It now is come by the circle of the year let us rejoyce and be glad in it I require no more of you than is plainly in the Text to confess the day and express the joy Both are here as clear as day Dies Gaudii Gaudium Diei A day of joy the joy of the day Easter day and Easter joy A day made and joy made on it A day ordained and joy appointed God making the day we making the joy upon it Or if you please Ordo Diei Officium Diei An Order for the day and an Office for the day The Order for the day This is the day which the Lord hath made order'd and ordain'd The Office for it We will or let us rejoyce and be glad in it Exultemus laetemur An office of thanksgiving and joy ordained and taken up upon it The first is Gods doings the second ours And ours order'd to follow his our duty his day the Lords day requires sure the Servants duty Both together Gods day and mans duty make up the Text and must the Sermon But I take my rise from the days rising The Lords order for the day This is the day which the Lord hath made Wherein we have 1. The Day design'd 2. The Institution made 3. the Preeminence given it 4. The Institutor exprest 5. The ground intimated 6. The End annext This is designs the day Gods making that institutes it The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the The gives it the Preeminence the Lord is the institutor The ground is understood in the This this day when that was done that went before ver 22. and the End by the annexing joy and gladness to it Of these particularly and in order then of the
speak to us often when we do not mind them In the very grave in our deepest melancholies in our saddest conditions at the head and at the feet of them they take their places and sit to comfort us But especially when we descend into the grave to seek our Lord when we cannot be satisfied unless we may even die with him when we are crucified and dead to the whole world but him when our only business is both in life and death to be with him then to be sure we shall not want Angels to attend us at every turn they stand ready for us upon all occasions they are still at hand A strong consolation this in all afflictions A brave encouragement 2. in all good undertakings A good Item 3. too for our good behaviour to carry our selves well soberly modestly piously in all conditions because of the Angels as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. xi 10. that thus stand about us that are every where so near us So near us that they often answer our desires ere we can speak them We read not of a word the Women said to the Angel yet says the Text He answer'd Thus many times God answers us by himself or by his Angels ere we utter our necessities or breath out our thoughts He does not always delay his mercy till we beg it he prevents us with his loving kindness Psal. ciii He did so to be sure to day by sending it by such Messengers Angels have wings so they were grav'd and painted in the Tabernacle and the Temple His comforts had so too to day The message of the Resurrection the greatest of our comforts could not upon this account come by a better hand By an Angel then 1. that it might be with the greater speed By an Angel 2. that it might be with the greater honour Angels are glorious things honourable Embassadors and such are not sent on petty errands nor can that embassie be slight on which such persons come By an Angel 3. that the benefit might look with more convenience It was an Angel that shut the Gates of Paradise against us and drove us thence into the Territories of the grave the more convenient sure that the Angel again should roll away the stone and open the gates of Heaven out of those confines of death into which he drave us He had 2. been imploy'd in the news of our Lords Incarnation and first birth out of the womb the fitter to be sent with the tidings of his Resurrection and second birth out of the grave By an Angel 4. that it might be told with all the advantage it could possibly Such news is fittest for Angels tongues men know not how worthily enough to speak it Thus for the greater speed and so our greater comfort for the greater honour 2. and so our greater and humbler thanks for the greater convenience 3. and so the greater confirmation of the Analogie of our faith for the greater advantage 4. and so our greater and readier acceptance of it was this first news of the Resurrection given us by an Angel though nor men nor Angels sufficiently fit for it Angels certainly the fittest of the two they the fittest for the news and yet methinks meaner Embassadors might be fitter for the Persons to whom 't is told Angels and Women the Sons of God and the Daughters of men are no good matches though I must tell you too such women as these such who out-run the Apostles themselves in affection and duty to their Lord whose love triumphs over the power of death whose early piety prevents the morning watch and shames the Sun are company for Angels to make up their Choires But it is not without reason that the Angel first appears to women that they are honour'd here with the first news of a Resurrection There 's a mystery in it The woman was first deceiv'd by an Angel of darkness 't was therefore most convenient she should first be undeceived by an Angel of light The woman 2. was the first that fell somewhat the more requisite that she should hear first of the hopes to rise again Thus does the Almighty Wisdom proportion all things to us Thus does the Eternal Goodness contrive all things for us with order and convenience respondent ultima primis and all things answer one another first and last Yet all must not look for Angels to comfort or instruct them St. Peter and St. Iohn came to the Sepulchre but found no such favour they came too late the Angels were gone before they came The women had been before them and had gotten the blessing 'T is they that watch and rise up early to find their Lord that meet Angels at their Prayers When the day breaks the Angel must be gone Gen. xxxii 26. to say his Mattens says the Chaldee He 'l stay no longer When we come lagging in with our devotions God's answers come lagging too extraordinary favours are the rewards only of extraordinary attendance But what those two great Apostles not so highly favour'd as poor silly women What 's Mary Magdalene the sinner too among the rest preferr'd above them 'T is so Women and sinners and any above us above the greatest Apostles the greatest Clerks in Gods favour if above them in their devotion and and piety to their Lord 'T is so and we must be content nay if God please to prefer the weak and meaner things of the world upon any account either such as are so or such as we conceive so at any time before us we have no more to say but even so it pleased thee O Father and learn upon it to be humble and not think too highly of our selves As those weaker things are hereupon also not to be afraid or terrified at their weaknesses but called to here by the Angel not to fear Fear not ye Which is the Proem or first Part of his speech to which we are now come Four things here there were that possibly they might fear 1. The glorious presence of the Angel 2. The ghastly countenances of the Souldiers 3. The unsetled face of the yet almost quaking Earth 4. and the sad sight and horror of the grave Yet fear not says the Angel not any of these Not me not an Angel first Angels are our fellow-servants and of our brethren that bear the testimony of Iesus as well as we Rev. xix 10. We need not fear them they 'l do us no hurt nay they are always ready to do us good Somewhat I confess there is in it that makes them commonly thus Preface all their speeches as Fear not Zacharias St. Luke i. 13. and ver 30. Fear not Mary and fear not to the Shepheards St. Luke ii 10. All is not so well between Heaven and us as should be all not so wholly well but that we may be afraid sometimes of a messenger from thence Yet fear not for all that they come not to us thence but with good tidings especially when they come
close puts me in mind now of the third Particular The Effect of all these If-Hopes these but supposed vain hopes Misery and the worst the most misery We are then of all men most miserable Miserable But what should make us so What but that which makes up misery Pain and Loss Lost joyes deluded hopes and real pains troubles and infelicities We shall not need to go out of this very Chapter which has given us the Text to find enough to make up a bulk of Misery 1. For Loss 1. We have lost our head Christ is not risen if our hope be only here He is dead still if there be no Resurrection and we are at the best but walking Ghosts horrours to others and to our selves We may well go with the Disciples to Emaus a word that signifies forlorn people go among forlorn people indeed if he be dead still We have lost our spirits our senses our life and all if our head be gone we are a generation of senseless liveless silly people to be Christians still 2. We have lost our labours and our sufferings too What availeth it that we stand in jeopardy every hour if the dead rise not at all ver 30. If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus what advantageth it me if the dead rise not ver 32. What are all St. Pauls labours and travels watchings and fastings whippings and imprisonments his suffering cold and nakedness hunger and thirst contumelies and reproaches his journeys and his shipwracks his so many perils both by Sea and Land his chastening his body and keeping it under his so often perils of death by treachery by hostility many other ways his so many persecutions and after them even death it self To what purpose all these if there be no place or opportunity hereafter to reward them What mean these foolish Christians so to subject themselves to cruel mockings and scourgings to bonds and imprisonments to stoning burning sawing in sunder to Swords and Racks and Gibbets What mean they to wander up and down in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins when they may have better clothing far cheaper To wander up and down from house to house when they may at an easier rate have houses of their own To wander up and down in Deserts and Mountains in Dens and Caves of the earth when they may with greater ease have stately buildings and glorious Palaces to dwell in Why are they so foolish to be thus tortured and tormented and accept of no deliverance if it were not that they might obtain a better Resurrection as the Apostle speaks Heb. xi 35. and so on Else if there be no such business Let 's eat and drink says St. Paul for tomorrow we die Let 's crown our heads with rose-buds in the the spring and take our fill of loves let 's stretch our selves upon our beds and drench our selves in pleasures deny nothing to our desires abridge our selves of no delights care not by what means we rush into Riches Pleasures Lusts and Honours If there be no other World let 's take our portion here and let 's not be such fools and mad men to lose all here and hereafter too This is better doctrine then the cold Precepts of Christianity if there be no other hope than what is here But be not deceived for all this says our Apostle ver 33. 't is but evil communication this though so it were not but good wise counsel rather if there were nothing beyond this life But awake awake to righteousness for there is a Resurrection where both our labours and our sufferings shall be remembred all 3. We have lost our Faith if our hope in Christ be only here Your faith is vain ver 14. Our Religion 's gone there 's no such thing as that in Christianity then Religion is our busines towards God but if Christ be not risen as he is not if we can hope in him no further than this life only then he is no God so our Religion is but foolery and we miserable fools to busie our heads so much about it about the name and nature and worship and service and trusting of a dead Redeemer that can neither help himself nor us no nor hear a Prayer nor grant a Request nor reward a Duty nor punish an Injury done to him Nay 4. we have lost our very hope too If we have no hope but here we have none at all we can hope for nothing that flees not from us Do we hope for honours or riches by following Christ We see daily we are deluded Do we hope for happiness by it upon earth We see nothing but misery about us and death before us Nay do we hope indeed for any good by Christ yet lying in the Grave What is it that a dead Saviour can give us more than the dead Idols of the Heathen We see and feel our hopes in this life already vain and for hereafter we can see nothing at all without a Resurrection Yes say some now adays If the soul live we may be happy without a Resurrection though the body rise not if the soul be but immortal Fond men who consider not how if the body rise not then Christ is not risen the Apostles own way of arguing ver 15. and then our faith which was in Christ being perished as being no other than in a helpless hopeless man the soul can neither enjoy nor expect a happiness from or by him and has lost all other by following him already Not considering again how the greatest misery that can betide the soul is to wander desolate and disconsolate for ever without both her body and her Christ depriv'd eternally of all kinds of hopes Not considering lastly that the souls immortality necessarily infers a Resurrection it being but a fore-runner and a harbinger for the body to which it hath so natural a reference and inclination that happiness it could have none when separated from the body if it did not perceive the certainty of its bodies rising a while after to accompany it It could not without that certificate but be incessantly tormented with its own unsatisfied and ever to be unsatisfied longings which it could throw off no more than it could its own nature and essence it being essentially created and deputed to the body But Loss makes not all our misery Not only loss of good but sense of evil concurs also to make us miserable And here 's enough of this too for us if in this life only be our hope You are yet in your sins that first And what greater evil I pray than sin What greater misery than to be under the dominion of it To be torn in pieces with the distractions of our sins to be tormented with inordinate desires to be hurried up and down with exorbitant lusts to be enslaved to the drudgeries of so base commands to be rackt with the terrors of a wounded conscience to be distracted quite with the
horrours of inevitable damnation to be at war continually within our selves to be commanded by every petty lust to be a drudge to every filthy sin to have a soul and body full of nothing but pollution nothing clean nothing pure nothing quiet nothing peaceable within it thus to persist and continue thus to live and die neither our own Masters nor our own men no misery more miserable You talk of slavery and tyranny there 's none like this of sin and lusts Ye shall die in your sins says Christ to the Iews St. Iohn viii 24. as the greatest misery he could leave them under Sin'd we have all and die in them too we must all of us as well as they for all Christ if we have no hope in him but here He is not such a Saviour as can deliver us if he have not delivered himself or if he have and we yet will not hope in him beyond this life and the things of this life we shall also die in our sins and be miserable as well as they This is ill enough yet there is a worse misery behind We shall perish too Then all they also who are faln asleep in Christ are perished ver 18. perished for ever whether you take it for annihilation or for damnation whether for being dissolved into nothing or being damn'd for ever either of them is misery enough Let the best befall you that can 't is to perish into nothing and yet there are that say it is the worst that to be annihilated is worse than to be damn'd perversly I fear more to maintain a cruel opinion against Gods goodness which in some mens favour meerly they have undertaken obstinately to defend by setting up an absolute reprobation then that either sense or reason can perswade any unprejudiced judgment that it is so Well be that kind of perishing what it will let that be it to have our breath vanish into the soft air as the Wise man Phrases it and have our bodies disperse into insensible Atomes or rather to become truly nothing you cannot think it but a misery if for nothing else yet for this that men of honour and understanding should become no better than the beasts that perish to have so fair and glorious a building as mans moulder into nothing And if death alone be terrible to die into nothing is to nature much more insomuch as it is further from the principles of it than any the most horrid corruption or putrefaction If a man die shall he live again In Iobs worst agony was but a question but if a man once fall into nothing He the same He cannot live again is no question at all He shall not cannot Something may be made of nothing but the same thing cannot be re-made out of it There is not any thing hell only excepted for we however for our parts will except that can be so bad so far from all the properties of all kind of good Metaphysical Physical and Moral too as this Non ens this Nothing we must resolve into at the best that can befall us if there be no Resurrection But I may go a strain higher and tell you but the truth If there be no Resurrection yet they that sleep in Christ sleep if I may use so soft a word in damnation too The Soul is immortal however some in this worst of Ages are so impudent to give out it is not because they truly wish it were not and it much concerns them that it should not yet the Soul I say is immortal and cannot die must therefore upon necessity be miserable if it depart its lodging without hope either of seeing its expected Saviour or her beloved body ever again must needs wander and pine and fret and desire and despair and be never satisfied find no content in any thing no ease in any turn of thought or motion of desire restless and unsatisfied every way every where for ever Nay again whether there be any Resurrection or no If Christ be not risen too we may yet perish everlastingly amidst the everlasting fires For our Saviour will prove none our Religion none our recompence no other than those burnings Nay lastly if there be a Resurrection and if Christ be risen too yet if our hope be not risen also if we believe and hope and desire no further than this life only if our endeavours and labours be only for this life we live if our hopes be none other than one or other of those false ones which I have told you of the place of eternal torment and despair is only what we can expect even so to perish there to be miserable for ever Sum up now the issue of our hopes without relation to another life and tell me what they are all else but misery To lose our head our life our Saviour our pains and labour all our sufferings too to lose our faith our Religion our hope and all to live and die without it to live perpetually under the tyranny of Sins and Lusts and Devils and in death to depart uncomfortably into torments or at the best to be no more to become meer nothing to live a miserable wretched tedious life full of rigours and austerities denying our selves the freedom and pleasures that all others take a life full of afflictions and miseries too for no better a recompence than meer nothing at the last nothing at the best yea worse rather than what we can imagine nothing at the most and that without any hope for ever has all the ingredients of the utmost misery And yet in miseries there are degrees and of miserable persons degrees too some more miserable than others some most miserable 'T is the last of the four Particulars of the first General We of all men are most miserable We Christians that you have heard we of all Religions the most miserable But of all Christians We the Apostles We the Ministers of Christ We the most miserable of those who are the most miserable company We more more miserable than all the world beside This is still behind Two things the Holy Apostle in this very Chapter adds to make it so We are then found false witnesses of God ver 15. What could be said more to our dishononr To be nothing else but a company of base impudent lyars to make a Trade and Profession of it to gull people into misery to be the Devils own Embassadours and Agents to bring in souls daily into Hell to add this dishonour to our misery not only to be miserable Christians but both the caâ—sers of their miseries by so dishonourable a baseness as a perpetual course of lying and the wilful Authors of our own is that which adds much height to our already too great misery To this there is an addition yet Our Preaching is also vâ—in and needless ver 14. We are persons of whom there is no use our Function so far from holy that it is but folly our labour
and Eliah with the Gospel Law and Prophets in our hands reading and comparing them meditating as well as praying And 't is good being so good spending our time in such employments Search the Scriptures for in them ye think and ye think right too to have eternal life St. John v. 39. profitable they are says St. Paul and that is good for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. iii. 16 17. thorowly good that serves to make a man so thorowly good good to be thus in the Mountain here upon the tops of our houses in our closeâ—s and highest rooms where we have most leisure less avocations that we may the better attend so holy a work especially since our late holy work good to keep the scent and relish of those heavenly dainties in our souls 6. To be here is to be with Christ and Moses and Elias St. Iames and St. Iohn and St. Peter to be in good company Nothing better to make or keep us good O how good yea and joyful or pleasant a thing it is to be together with such Nothing drives away sad and heavy thoughts like such good company where the discourse is Heaven where the entertainment is heavenly where we eat and drink with Christ where there is nothing but sweetness and meekness and goodness to be learnt where there is nothing harsh or horrid or unseemly where the news we talk of is what is done in Heaven where our meat and drink is to do the will of our Father which is in Heaven where our talk is not the vain talk of the new fashions of men and women of the World but the fashions of Angels and Saints and Martyrs of all ages where we talk not of other mens lives but mend our own where our musick is the praises of our God and our whole business Salvation where we shall hear no idle words see no unseemly gestures meet no distempers or distasts but those things only which become law and order Prophets and Apostles or Scholars and Disciples of so good a Master Good it is to be here to be with such 7. But above all 'T is good being with Christ St. Paul would fain be dissolv'd and gone to be with him Phil. i. 23. would die when you would to be with him Far better says he it is far better then to be any where or with any body else Nothing comparable to it Be it in life or death Be it upon the Mount with him 1. In a place of safety T is no doubt good being there with him Or Be it with him 2. talking with Moses and Elias about his Passion about his decease that he should accomplish at Ierusalem as St. Luke relates him ver 31. in the saddest discourse of his sufferings or the saddest sufferings themselves 'T is good being with him still Or Be it with him 3. in shining and glistering garments in a condition of glory either when his face shines the heavâ—nly light of his countenance shines out upon us when eternal Glory encompasses him and us or 4. when only the fashion of his countenance is only altered towards us when spiritual contentments flow upon us or 5. when his rayments only are white and glister when outward blessings glister about us 'T is at every turn good being with him Yet more particularly 'T is good for us to be with Christ in safety and security if we may so as St. Peter thought he now was here that we may serve the Lord without distraction Good to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty says St. Paul 1 Tim. ii 2. 'T is good 2. again for us to be with him also in his Passion to suffer with him good to be with Moses and Elias ever and anon thinking and speaking of the Death and Passion of our Master all his bitter sufferings affronts reproaches whips and scourges sweats and faintings nails and thorns and spear and scoffs and tears and sighs and exclamations and giving up the ghost good to be made partakers too of his sufferings with him to fill up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh as the Apostle speaks Col. i. 24. It is good for me says Holy David that I have been in trouble Psal. cxix 71. good above what David thought to be with Christ in trouble to be troubled for him to suffer persecution for his Name Blessed are they that do so St. Matth. v. 10. and that 's good to be blessed and they that are not yet arriv'd to that to suffer and be troubled for him 't is good they in the mean time be troubled with him troubled that he should be so troubled and afflicted for them 'T is good to be with Christ in either of these conditions 'T is good 3. to be with him in his glory that to be sure needs no proving the only good the only true and perfect happiness to see his face in glory all good is concentred here no good beyond it And yet 4. 'T is good too to be with him so as to enjoy some glimmerings of that eternal light in the mean time whilst we are here to enjoy the happiness of his gracious Presence in our souls to have him shine comfortably into our hearts this is eternal life one ray of it to know Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent St. John xvii 3. to be sensible of those inexpressible comforts which he oftentimes vouchsafes to give us to be partakers of those sensible delights of piety which he sometimes allows us 'T is good the sweetest good this life can yield us to feel the sense and sweetness of his presence and walk in it good to be in grace and good sometimes to see the glory of this grace to feel the joy and comfort of it so good to be here that it is not good to be any where else if we may be so Nay and 5. 'T is good sometimes to have our Rayments white and glistering with him to enjoy outward satisfaction and prosperities from him They are not always the portion of the wicked They are often happy instruments of grace and glory and when they are so t is good to have them 'T is good so also to be here to be under some of the fringes of these shining garments when God pleases that we shall But last of all 'T is good to be here be that here where it will so it be where God would have us 'T is good to be here because God would have us here So this here is any where with God and Christ good for David to be in trouble good for St. Paul to be under the thorn and buffeted good for Manasses to be in fetters good for some to be in clouds and sorrows as good as for others to be in safety and ease plenty and prosperity continual light or gladness But above
judges right Let us do nothing but with moderation and not think much to shew it unto all when we are sure to be rewarded for it and those that observe it not are sure to be punished 8. The Lord is at hand in the blessed Sacrament and that is also now at hand but a week between us and it And moderation of all kinds is but a due preparation to it some special act of it to be done against it Righteousness and equity is the habitation of his seat says David the Lord sits not nor abides where they are not The holy Sacrament that is his Seat a Seat of wonder is not set but in the righteous and good soul has no efficacy but there Modesty and humility are the steps to it into the modest and humble soul only will he vouchsafe to come All reverence and civility is but requisite in our addresses unto it But moderation meekness and patience and sweetness and forgiving injuries is so requisite that there is no coming there no offering at the altar till we be first reconciled to our Brother Go be first reconciled to thy Brother says our Lord himself S. Mat. v. 24. so that now if we desire a blessing of the blessed Sacrament unto us if we desire the Lord should there come to us let our moderation be known to all men before we come Let us study the art of reconcilement let us not stand upon points of honour or punctilio's with our Brother upon quirks and niceties let us part with somewhat of our right let us do it civilly use all men with courtesie and civility express all modesty and sweetness in our conversation all softness and moderation patience and meekness gentleness and loving kindness towards all even the bitterest of our enemies considering the Lord is at hand the Lord of Righteousness expects our righteousness and equity the Lord in his body and looks for the reverent and handsom behaviour of our bodies the Lord of pure eyes and cannot endure any unseemliness or intemperance either in our inward or outward man the Lord that died and suffered for us and upon that score requires we should be content to suffer also any thing for him not to be angry or troubled or repine or murmur at it or at them that cause it At the Holy Sacrament he is so near at hand that he is at the Table with us reaches to every one a portion of himself yet will give it to none but such as come in an universal Charity with all the forementioned moderations Give me leave to conclude the Text as I began it and fix the last Argument upon the time The time is now approaching wherein the Lord came down from Heaven that he might be the more at hand Fit it is we should strive to be the more at hand to him the readier at his command and service the time wherein he moderated himself and glory as it were to teach us moderation appeared so to all that our moderation also might appear to all of what size or rank or sect whatsoever I remember a story of Constantia Queen of Arragon who having taken Charles Prince of Salerno and resolving to sacrifice him to death to revenge the death of her Nephew Conradinus basely and unworthily put to death by his Father Charles of Anjon sent the message to him on a Friday morning to prepare himself for death The young Prince it seems not guilty of his Fathers cruelty returns her this answer That besides other courtesies received from her Majesty in Prison she did him a singular favour to appoint the day of his death on a Friday and that it was good reason he should die culpable on that day whereon Christ died innocent The answer related so much mov'd Constantia that she sends him this reply Tell Prince Charles if he take contentment to suffer death on a Friday because Christ died on it I will likewise find my satisfaction to pardon him also on the same day that Iesus sign'd my pardon and the pardon of his Executioners with his Blood God forbid I shed the blood of a man on the day my Master shed his for me I will not rest upon the bitterness of revenge I freely pardon him Behold a Speech of a Queen worthy to command the world worthy a Christian indeed To apply it is only to tell you we may often take excellent occasions of vertue and goodness from times and days and bid you go and do likewisâ— The time that is at hand is a time to be celebrated with all Christian joy and moderation some particular and special act of Charity Equity Modesty Meekness Moderation to be sought out to be done in it or to welcome it The Feast of Love to be solemnized with an universal Charity the Lord at hand to be honoured with the good works of all our hands His coming to pardon and save sinners to be accompanied with a general reconcilement and forgiveness of all enemies and injuries of a moderation to be exhibited unto all Let your moderation then keep time as well as measure be now especially shewn and known and felt and magnified by all with whom we have to do that thus attending all his comings he may come with comfort and carry us away with honour come in grace and hear us come in mercy and pardon us come in his word and teach us come in spirit and dwell with us come in his Sacrament and feed and nourish us come in power and deliver us come in mercy and reward us come in glory and save us and take us with him to be nearer to him more at hand to sit at his right hand for evermore THE FIRST SERMON ON Christmas-Day ISAIAH Xi 10. And in that day there shall be a root of Iesse which shall stand for an Ensign of the People to it shall the Gentiles seek and his rest shall be glorious AND in that day there shall be And in this day there was a root of Iesse that put forth its branch That day was but the Prophesie this day is the Gospel of it Now first to speak it in the Psalmists phrase truth flourished out of the earth now first the truth of it appeared Some indeed have applied it to Hezekiah and perhaps not amiss in a lower sense but the Apostle who is the best Commentator ever upon the Prophets applies it unto Christ Rom. xv 10. There we find the Text and him it suits to more exactly every tittle of it and of the Chapter hitherto than to Hezekiah or any else He was properly the branch that was then to grow out of old Iesse's root For Hezekiah was born and grown up already some years before thirteen at least He 2. it is whom the Spirit of the Lord does rest upon ver 2. upon Hezekiah and all of us it is the Dove going and returning Upon him 3. only it is that the Spirit in all its fulness with all its gifts wisdom and
First-born he will be ever should be of all our thoughts will be acknowledged so whensoever born primogenitus one before whom none for that only is the sense of First-born here not referring to any after but to none before Col. i. 14. begotten before any creature in honour above all creatures endued with all the rights of primogeniture even as man also Now three things belonged to the First-born Son the Priesthood the preheminence or regal Dignity and a double or larger portion He is the High-Priest of our profession Heb. iii. 1. The great High-Priest of the Christian Profession and Religion He 2. the Head of his Church Col. i. 18. To whom all power is given in heaven and earth S. Mat. xxviii 18. He 3. also anointed with the oyl of gladness above his fellows Psal. xlv 8. A portion of grace far above others S. Iohn i. 16. That in all things he might have the preheminence being the First-born as well of the dead as of the living says S. Paul Col. i. 18. All these mysteries we have wrapt up in the title of the First-born that by it he is intimated to be our Prince our Priest our elder Brother one in whom all fulness who should be therefore so acknowledg'd and us'd be first entertain'd in our affections be the first birth our souls should travel with and our affections and actions bring forth But there are more wrapt up in his being wrapt in Swadling-clothes then can readily be exprest All the benefits that came by him were wrapt up and not understood till the Clothes both of the Manger and the Grave were unwrapt by his Resurrection He seem'd not what he was shewed not what he came for until then All the while before nothing but folds and things folded up the Cross made up or involved in his Cratch for of the form of a Cross the Cratch some say was made mans salvation in Gods Incarnation the Churches growth in the Virgins bringing forth many brethren in the First-born among them His Glory 2. that was wrapt up in those Clothes his God-head in the Man-hood the Word in Flesh Eternity in days Righteousness in a body like to a body of Sin Wisdom in the infancy of a Child Abundance in Poverty Glory in disrespect the Fountain of Grace in a dry barren dusty Land eternal light in Clouds and everlasting life in the very image of death will you see the Clothes that hid this treasure not from men only but from Devils The espousals of just Ioseph and holy Mary hid Christs Conception of a Virgin The crying of an Infant in a Cradle the bringing forth without sorrow The Purification her entire Virginity The Circumcision his extraordinary Generation without any sin His flight conceal'd his Power his Baptism his unspotted Innocence His open Prayers to his Father his infinite Authority and Equality with him His sad sufferings obscur'd his perfect Righteousness The poverty and meanness of his life the height and greatness of his Birth and the ignominy of his Death the immensity of his Glory His Gospel 3. that was wrapt up in Clothes that seeing we might see and not presently understand a mystery kept secret since the world began his Doctrine wrapt in parables his Grace covered in the Sacraments the inward Grace in the outward Elements his great Apostolick Function in poor simple Fishermen his Vniversal Church in a few obscur'd Disciples of Iudea the height of his knowledge in the simplicity of Faith the excellency of his Precepts in the plainness of his Speech and the Glory of the end they drive to in the humility of the way they lead well may the Prophet exclaim Vere tu es Deus absconditus Psal. lv 15. Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self O God of Israel the Saviour Well may we admire thy folds and wrappings up O God and not strive to pry into thy secrets thy goings out and thy comings in and all thy counsels are past finding out to thee only it belongs to know them to us to obey and submit to them and adore them Yet 4. he was thus wrapt up to shew us our condition that the beauty and sweetness of Christianity as well as Christ of Christians as well as Christ appears not outwardly or but in rags We cannot see the Christians strength for the weaknesses that surround him nor his joy for the afflictions that encompass him nor his happiness for the worldly calamities that oppress him nor his wisdom for the foolishness of Preaching that so much delights him nor his riches for the poor condition he is sometimes brought to nor his honour for the scoffs and reproaches of the world he often labours under He seems unknown when he is well known dying when he only lives kill'd when he is but chastned sorrowful though always rejoycing poor yet making rich as having nothing and possessing all things 2 Cor. vi 9 10. Thus the Christian you see is wrapt up as soon as he is born nay and his very life also is wrapt up with Christ in God Col. iii. 3. Nay lastly our practice and duty is wrapt up with him He is wrapt up in poor Clothes that we might be wrapt up in stolâ primâ the best Robe his Robe of Righteousness that we might put on the white Linen of the Saints Wrapt up again 2. he was his hands and feet bound up like a Childs that by the vertue of it our hands and feet might be loosed to do the works of Christ and run the way of peace he is made a Child that we might be perfect men in him he brought forth that we might bring forth the fruits of good works and godly living The next mysteries lie coucht with him in the Manger where in a strait and narrow compass he lies that he may open Heaven wide to all believers all that keep a strait and strict watch over their ways and actions Where 2. uses to lie the Beasts provender there lies he also who is the bread that came down from Heaven to feed us who are often more unreasonable than the Beasts they know their owner the Oxe and Ass does so says God but my people do not theirs they will but satisfie nature we burthen it they will but eat and drink to satisfie men are grown so sensual they cannot be satisfied We have made our selves fit for the Manger which made Christ lie there to see if he could fill us seeing nothing can 3. In the Manger among the Beasts that we might sadly consider what we have made our selves and change our sensual lives now he is come into the Stable to call us out 4. There he lies in a place without any furniture or trimming up that we might by the place be instructed that the beauty of Christ wants no external setting out that 2. his beauty is omnis ab intus all within and his Spouse is all glorious within Psal. xlv That 3. our eyes might not be diverted from him by
any outward splendours but wholly fixt upon himself That 4. by his very first appearance we might know his Kingdom was not of this world he was no temporal King we might see by his Furniture and Palace that lastly we might know he came to teach us new ways of life and sanctifie to us the way of poverty and humility 5. In the Stable For so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word for Manger is a place for Horses by the way that we might understand our life here is but a journey and our longest stay but that of Travellers by the way and therefore there he places himself for all comers by his Incarnation and Birth to conduct them home into their Country our Country which is above Nor is it 6. without a mystery that there was no room for him in the Inn. Inns are places of much resort and company and no wonder if Christ be too commonly thrust out thence They are made houses of licentiousness and revelling no wonder if Christ be not suffered to be there They are places of more worldly business and no wonder neither that there is often there no room for him when the business is so different from his and mens minds so much taken up with it Into the Stable or whither he will he may go for them they heed him not there is no room for him in the Inn that is where much company or riot or too much worldly business is That there was no room for him in the Inn puts us to enquire how it came about and we find it was a time of the greatest concourse and in that also lastly there is a mystery all this done at such a time that so all might know that it belonged to aâ—l to know the Birth and posture of their Saviour his coming and his coming in humility to save them At such a time in such a place in such a case so poor so forlorn so despicable without respect without conveniences wast thou born O Lord that we through thy want might abound through thy neglect might be regarded through thy want of room room on earth might find room in heaven O happy Rags more pâ—ecious than the Purple of Kings and Emperours O holy Manger more glorious than their golden Thrones The poverty of those Rags are our riches the baseness of the Manger our glory his wrapping and binding up our loosing from Death and Hell and his no room our eternal Mansions Thus we have twice run over the Text pickt out both the moral and the mystery of every circumstance in it of our Saviours Birth I hope we have shewed you mysteries enow and you have seen humility enough But it is not enough to see the one or the other unless now we take up the Virgin Maries part which is behind bring forth this First-born to our selves suffer him to be born in us who was born for us and bring forth Christ in our lives wrap him and lay him up with all the tenderness of a Mother The pure Virgin pious soul is this She that brings forth Christ the nourishing and cherishing of him and all his gifts and graces is this wrapping him in Swadling-clothes the laying up his Word his Promises and Precepts in our hearts is the laying him in the Manger What though there be no room for him in the Inn though the world will not entertain him the devout soul will find a place to lay him in though it have nothing of its own but rags a poor ragged righteousness for our righteousness says the Prophet is but menstruous rags yet the best it hath it will lay him in and though it have nothing but a Manger a poor strait narrow soul none of the cleanliest neither to lodge him in yet such as it is he shall command it his lying there will cleanse it and his righteousness piece up our rags What though there be no room for him in the Inn I hope there is in our houses for him 'T is Christmas time and let 's keep open house for him let his Rags be our Christmas Rayment his Manger our Christmas cheer his Stable our Christmas great Chamber Hall Dining-room We must clothe with him and feed with him and lodge with him at this Feast He is now ready by and by to give himself to eat you may see him wrapt ready in the Swadling-clothes of his blessed Sacrament you may behold him laid upon the Altar as in his Manger do but make room for him and we will bring him forth and you shall look upon him and handle him and feed upon him bring we only the rags of a rent and torn and broken and contrite heart the white linen cloths of pure intentions and honest affections to swathe him in wrap him up fast and lay him close to our souls and bosoms 't is a day of mysteries 't is a mysterious business we are about Christ wrapt up Christ in the Sacrament Christ in a mystery let us be content to let it go so believe admire and adore it 'T is sufficient that we know Christs swadling-clothes his Righteousness will keep us warmer than all our Winter Garments his rags hold out more storms than our thickest clothes let 's put them on His Manger feeds us better than all the Asian delicates all the dainties of the world let 's feed our souls upon him His Stable is not hang'd here with Arras or deck'd with gilded furniture but 't is hang'd infinitely with gifts and graces the Stable is dark but there is the Light of the world to enlighten it The smell of the Beasts our sins are perfumed and taken away with the sweet odours of holy pardon and forgiveness the incondite noise of the Oxe and Ass and Horse are still'd with the musick of the heavenly Host the noise of our sins with the promises of the Gospel this day brought to us Let us not then think much to take him wrapt up that is in a Mystery without examining how and which way we receive him 't is in the condition he comes to us Let us be content with him in his rags in his humblest and lowest condition 't is the way he comes to day let us our selves wrap and lay him up in the best place we can find for him though the best we have will be little better then a Manger What though there be no room for him in the Inn in worldly souls I hope yet ours will entertain him invite him too and say as Laban said to Abraham's servant Gen. xxiv 31. Come in thou blessed of the Lord come in come in thou blessed Child come in wherefore standest thou without I have prepared the house and room for the Camels the house for thee my soul for thee thy self and my body for the Camels those outward Elements that are to convey thee They are not fitted they are not fitted as thou deservest but thou that here acceptedst of rags accept my poor ragged preparations Thou
so God hath blessed thee for ever Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and blessed be our Lord Iesus Christ for all this grace for all this blessing If our Spouse so fair then we sure should be faithful if his lips so full of grace our lips as full of thanks if he blessed of God we again bless God and him for so great a blessing so great blessings so continually descending upon us so lasting so everlasting never sufficiently answered but by all our ways of blessing and so blessing him always all our days whilst we live for ever We to sing our parts and praise him in the Song sing or say Thou art fairer thou O Christ art fairer c. For this is the sum and whole meaning of the Text to give us a view of Christs Beauty and the Christians Duty both together so to shew and set forth to us the lustre and splendour of Christs incomparable Beauty and the overflowing fulness of his Grace as to make us really in love with him to ravish our 〈◊〉 and tongues and hands to his Service and praise that we may to 〈◊〉 and every day serve and praise and magnifie him all the day long 〈…〉 way to blessedness for ever I begin with his Beauty for that 's 〈…〉 attractive to him When I shall be lift up shall draw all men to me says he himself S. Iohn xii 32. That lifting up was upon the Cross and if that be so attractive if he be so powerful in his humiliation when his face is clouded with darkness his eyes with sadness his heart with sorrow when his body is so mangled with wounds deform'd with stripes besmear'd with blood and sweat and dust that will draw all men to him how infinitely prevalent then must he needs be when we see him in his excellence smooth and even and entire in all the parts of his soul and body For in both fair he is formosus fair formosus prae very fair formosus prae filiis fairer then the fairest and sweetest child in whom commonly is the sweetest beauty prae filiis hominum than the children of men when they come to their full strength and manly beauty By these degrees we shall arrive to the perfection of his beauty fair he is very fair fairer than the sweetest fairer than the perfectest beauty of the sons of men so in both his body and his soul. In his Body first And fair and comely sure must that Body be which was immediately and miraculously fram'd by the Holy Ghost pure flesh and blood that was stirred together by that pure Spirit out of the purest Blood and Spirits of the purest Virgin of the world The shadows of that face must needs be beautiful that were drawn by the very finger and shaddowing of the Holy Ghost those eyes must needs have quid sidereum as St. Ierome some star-like splendor in them which were so immediately of the heavenly making The whole frame of that body must needs be excellent which was made on purpose by God himself for the supreme excellence to dwell in to reside in to be united to so united by the union hypostatical A body without sin must needs be purely fair a body without concupiscence must needs be sweet without defect must needs be lovely without vacuity must needs be complete without superfluity must needs be so far handsom without inordination must needs be perfect without death must needs be firm without dust must needs be singular without corruption must needs be curious and delicate without any of them must needs be excellent And all these were Christs body without sin without concupisence without defect without vacuity without superfluity without inordination death and dust and corruption could not get the least dominion over it thou shalt not suffer my flesh to see corruption saies the Psalm he did not suffer it to see it saies the Gospel rais'd incorruptible it quickly was went down into the grave but staid not there came not into the dust at all into any corruption at all had none all the while it was upon the earth had none under it Fair he was in his conception conceived in purity and a fair Angel brought the news Fair 2. in his Nativity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word in the Septuagint tempestivus in time that is all things are beautiful in their time Eccl. v. 11. And in the fulness of time it was that he was born and a fair star pointed to him Fair 3. in his childhood he grew up in grace and favour St. Luke ii 52. The Doctors were much taken with him 4. Fair in his manhood had he not been so says S. Ierome had there not been something admirable in his countenance and presence some heavenly beauty Nunque secuturi essent Apostoli c. The Apostles and the whole world as the Pharisees themselves confess would not so suddenly have gone after him Fair 5. in his Transfiguration white as the light or as the snow his face glittering as the Sun S. Mat. xvii 2. even to the ravishing the very soul of S. Peter that he knew not what he said could let his eyes dwell upon taht face for ever and never come down the Mount again 6. Fair in his Passion Nihil indecorum no uncomeliness in his nakedness his very wounds and the bloody prints of the whips and scourges drew an ecce from the mouth of Pilate Behold the man the sweetness of his countenance and carriage in the midst of filth and spittle whips and buffets his very comeliness upon the Cross and his giving up the Ghost made the Centurion cry out he was the Son of God there appeared so sweet a Majesty so heavenly a lustre in him through that very darkness that encompass'd him 7. Fair in his Resurrection so subtile a beauty that mortal eyes even the eyes of his own Disciples were not able to see or apprehend it but when he veil'd it for them 8. Fair in his Ascension made his Disciples stand gazing after him so long as if they never could look long enough upon him till an Angel is sent from Heaven to rebuke them to look home Acts i. 11. If you ask Eusebius Evagrius Nicephorus Damascen and some others how fair he was they will tell you so fair that the Painter sent from Agbarus King of Edessa to draw his Picture could not look so stedfastly upon him as to do it for the rays that darted from his face and though the Scripture mention no such thing 't is no greater wonder to believe then what we read of Moses his face which shone so glorious that the Children of Israel could not behold it 2 Cor. iii. 7. Lentulus the Roman President his Epistle to the Emperour Antonius describes him of very comely colour shape and figure and so do others Not such a beauty yet as that which darts from it wanton rays or warms the blood or stirs the spirits to vain desires
or secular respects and motions but a sweetness without sensual daintiness a lustre without lightness a modest look without dejectedness a grave countenance without severity a fair face without fancy eyes sparkling only heavenly flames cheeks commanding holy modesty lips distilling celestial sweetness beauty without its faults figure and proportion and all such as was most answerable and advantageous to the work he came about every way fitted to the most perfect operations of the reasonable and immortal soul the most beautiful then sure when beauty is nothing else but an exact order and proportion of things in relation to their nature and end both to themselves and to each other Take his description from the Spouses own mouth Cant. v. 10 11 12 c. My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand His head is as the most fine gold his locks are bushy or curled and black as a Raven His eyes are as the eyes of Doves by the rivers of water washed with water and fitly set that is set in fulness fitly placed and as a precious stone in the soil of a Ring His cheeks are as a bed of Spices as sweet flowers his lips like Lillies dropping sweet smelling Myrrhe his hands are as gold Rings set with Beryl his belly as bright Ivory over-laid with Saphyrs His legs are as pillars of Marble set upon sockets of fine Gold His countenance like Lebanon excellent as the Cedars His mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether lovely This is my beloved and this is my friend O daughters of Ierusalem This is our beloved too Solomon indeed has poetically express'd it Yet something else there is in it besides a poetick phrase Beautiful he thus supposes he is to be who was to be this Spouse have the beauty of all beautiful things in the world conferr'd upon him at least to have the finest and subtilest part of all worldly beauties those imperceptible yet powerful species of them which make them really amiable and attractive a head and locks and eyes and hands and feet quantity colour and proportion such as darted from them not only a resemblance but the very spirit of heavenly beauty innocence purity strength and vigour Poets when they commend beauty call it divine and heavenly this of his it was truly so a kind of sensible Divinity through all his parts Shall I give you his colour to make up the beauty He was white pure white in his Nativity ruddy in his Passion bright and glistering in his life black in his death Azure-vein'd in his Resurrection No wonder now to see the Spouse sit down under his shadow with great delight Cant. ii 3. we sure our selves now can do less and yet this is but the shadow of his beauty The true beauty is the souls the beauty of the soul the very soul of beauty the beauty of the body but the body nay the carcase of it And this of the souls he had 2. in its prime perfection 2. Now beauty consists in three particulars the perfection of the lineaments the due proportion of them each to other and the excellency and purity of the colour They are all compleat in the soul of Christ. The lineaments of the soul are its faculties and powers the proportion of them is the due subordination of them to God and one another The colours are the vertues and graces that are in them His powers and faculties would not but be compleat which had nothing of old Adam in them His understanding without ignorance he knew all the very hearts of all thoughts as they rose what they thought within themselves S. Luke v. 22. thoughts before they rose what the Pharisees with other would have done to him had he committed himself unto them Now Tyre and Sidon would have repented had they had the mercy allowed to Corazin and Bethsaida S. Luke x. 13. His will without wilfulness or weakness his passions without infirmity or extravagance his inferiour powers without defect or maim his understanding clear his will holy his passions sweet all his powers vigorous Hear the Wise man describe him under the name of Wisdom Wisd. xvii 22 23 c. In her that is in him who is the Wisdom of the Father is an understanding Spirit holy one onely manifold subtile lively clear undefiled plain nor subject to hurt loving the thing that is good quick which cannot be letted ready to do good kind to man stedfast sure free from care having all power overseeing all things and going through all understanding pure and most subtile spirits and ver 25 26. A pure influence flowing from the Glory of the Almighty the brightness of the everlasting light the unspotted mirror of the power of God and the image of his goodness The powers of his soul being thus pure vigorous and unspotted they cannot 2. but be in order the will following his understanding the passions subordinate to them both all the inferiour powers obedient and ready at command and pleasure He had no sooner exprest a kind of grievance in his sensitive powers at the approach of those strange horrors of his death and sufferings but presently comes out Non mea sed tua Not my will but thine all in a moment at peace and in tranquillity No rash or idle word no unseemly passage no sowre look nor gesture or expression unsuitable to his Divinity throughout his life the very Devils to their own confusion cannot but confess it We know thee who thou art the Holy One of God S. Mark i. 24. To this add those heavenly colours and glances of grace and vertues and you have his soul compleatly beautiful Meekness and Innocence and Patience and Obedience even to the death Mercy and Goodness and Piety and what else is truly called by the name of good are all in him insomuch that the Apostle tells us the very fulness of the Godhead dwells in him bodily Col. ii 9. No Divine Grace or Vertue wanting in him In him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge ver 3. In him all sanctity and holiness not so much as the least guile in his mouth 1 S. Pet. ii 22. So holy that he is made holiness and sanctification unto us 1 Cor. i. 30. Sancti quasi sanguine uncti We Saints and holy become hallowed by the sprinkling of his blood In him lastly is all the power and vertue omnis virtus that is omnis potestas all the power in heaven and earth fully given to him S. Matth. xxviii 18. So that now we shall need to say little of the other particular of this first general point of Christs perfect beauty that he is not only Formosus but Formosus prae not only fair but very fair for where there is so much as you have heard exceeding and excellent it must needs be Where the body is compleat in all its parts the soul exact in all its powers the body without any ill inclination natural or habitual the soul without
the lowest price a man could be thirty pieces of Silver So poor he could scarce speak out Non clamabit says the Prophet he shall not cry he did not says the Evangelist S. Mat. xii 18. It was fulfilled You could scarce hear his voice in the streets ver 19. In a word so poor that he was as I may say asham'd of his name denied it as it were to him that called him by it S. Matth. xix 17. Why callest thou me good when yet he only was so Lastly poor he was in his Death too betray'd by one Disciple denied by another forsaken by the rest stript off to his very skin abus'd derided despis'd by all died the most ignominious death of all the death of Slaves and Varlets And can you now tell me how he should become poorer or can you tell me why we should think much at any time to become poor like him or not rather cry out O Blessed Poverty that art now sanctified by Christs putting on How canst thou but be desirable and becoming since Christ himself became poor If God become man what man would be an Angel though he might If Christ the eternal riches think it becomes him to be poor who would make it his business to be rich Give me rags for clothes bread for meat and water for drink a Stable for a Palace the earth for a bed and straw for a covering so Christ be in them so he be with them so this poverty be his so it be for him I will lay me down in peace and take my rest upon the hardest stone or coldest ground and I will eat my brownest bread and pulse and drink my water or my tears with joy and gladness now they are seasoned by my Masters use I will neglect my body and submit my spirit and hold my peace even from good words too because he did so I will be content with all because he was so The servant must not be better than his Lord nor the Disciple than his Master Our Lord poor our Iesus poor our Christ poor and we striving to be rich what an incongruity The Camel and the needles eye never fitted worse Poverty we must be contented with if we will have him poor at least in spirit we must be ready for the other when it comes and when it comes we must think it is becoming very much become the Disciple to be like the Master the servant wear his Lords livery For our sakes he became poor and we must not therefore think much to be made so for his be it to an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the extreamest Especially seeing poverty is no such Gorgon no such terrible lookt Monster since Christ wore it over his richest Robes even chose to be poor though he was rich would needs be poor and appear to be so for all his riches Indeed it was the riches of his grace that made him poor had he not been rich superlatively rich in that in grace and favour to us he would never have put on the tatters of humanity never at least have put on the raggedest of them all not only the poverty of our nature but even the nature of poverty that he might become like one of us and dwell among us And it was the riches of his glory too that could turn this poverty to his glory What glory like that which makes all things glorious rags and beggary what riches like his or who so rich as he that can make poverty more glorious then the Robes and Diadems of Kings and Emperours who so often for his Religion sake have quitted all their secular glories plenties delicates and attendants for russet coats and ordinaty fare and rigours and hardships above that which wandring beggars suffer in the depth of Winter Christianity no sooner began to dawn into day but that we find the professors selling all Acts iv as if they thought it an indecency at least to possess more than their Master did though they were rich they became poor because their Lord became so though he was rich But when men of rich become poor the case is much different yet from that of Christs men cease to be rich when they come to poverty but not so Christ he is poor and rich together 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being rich he yet shewed poor Prov. xxii 2. The rich and poor meet together never truer any way then here utriusque operator est Dominus the Lord is both himself as well as worker of them both in others For in this low condition of his it is that S. Paul yet talks so often of the riches of Christ the riches of his grace Eph. i. 7. the riches of his Glory Eph. iii. 16. the riches of the glory of his inheritance Eph. i. 18. the exceeding greatness of his power Eph. i. 19. the exceeding riches Eph. ii 7. the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes. iii. 8. Christ he in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. ii 3. his very reproach and poverty greater riches then all the treasures of Egypt Heb. xi 26. So Moses thought and reckon'd says the Apostle when he saw his riches but under a veil saw but a glimpse and shadow of them at two thousand years distance too So rich is Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only rich so great are his riches Indeed the riches of the Godhead that is all riches indeed dwell all in him though he became man he left not to be God our rags only cover'd the Robes of the Divinity his poverty only serv'd for a veil to cover those unspeakable riches to teach us not to boast and brag at any time of our riches not to exalt our selves when we are made rich or when the glory of our house is increased but to be as humble notwithstanding as the poorest and lowest wretch to teach us 2. that riches and poverty may stand together as well in Christians as in Christ the riches of grace and the poverty of estate and again the riches of estate and poverty of Spirit To teach us 3. not to put off the riches of grace for fear of poverty not quit our Religion or our innocence for fear of becoming poor by them to teach us lastly that we may be rich in Gods sight In truth and verity how poor soever we are in the eyes of the world how needy and naked soever we appear He that being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God even whilst he was so made himself of no reputation of as low a rank as could be and being the brightness of his Fathers Glory the express image of his person and upholding all things with the word of his power veils all this glory darkens all this brightness conceals all this power under the infirmities and necessities of flesh and poverty yet only veils all this great riches hides and lays it up for us that through his poverty we might be
in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Godhead in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his manhood 2. the unity of his person in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. His Offices in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His eternal generation in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his temporal in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lastly of our way to behold him and our duty when we see him How to obtain this glorious sight of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of salvation and how to entertain it Of which that I may speak with reverence and you hear with profit Let us pray c. I begin with that which we all desire and hope to end Salvation and first with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give me leave to do so in the sense of Prophane Authors It will fit the day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were dies salutares Festivals for some famous deliverances among them And may not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then be this great Festival of the Nativity of Salvation this happy day which come about by the circling of the year expects now the solemnities of our joys and thanksgivings You see the day it self is in the Text and now we have seen that let 's look into the occasion of it what 't is that makes it Holy-day Something seen or done upon it what 's that Salutare tuum says the Text a Saviour seen and a salvation wrought nay this seen too for viderunt oculi to both if they be two There is but one word for both and it may be they may be but one However distinguish them we will for a while though we unite them in the upshot Salvation Simeon might with as much ease have call'd him Saviour but that he thought too little You would have blam'd his eye-fight had he seen no more Saviours there have been many Moses and Ioshua and Ieptha and Samson I cannot tell you how many and they have brought salvation in their times and sav'd their people but none of all was ever made salvation but this days Saviour who is made unto us righteousness and salvation Made to us is that all nay is it in himself Other Saviours when they have saved others themselves they could not save They themselves did still stand in need of being sav'd Christ needs none other but himself He is Salvation no Saviour so but he And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither Salvation neither for male only nor female only but both of the Neuter gender Neither male nor female but all one in Christ Iesus 2. Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Feminine not a weak Feminine Salvation but a strong firm one the mighty strength of his right hand 3. Not a Feminine Salvation not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest we should fondly look for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Virgin Mother Not she but the Virgins Son the Holy Ghost as I may say afraid of Salvatrix mea Salve Redemptrix before ever Christianity dreamt of that Sacriledge But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is yet more salvation with an Emphasis with an Article This Salvation Many Saviours and Salvations too without doubt had aged Simeon seen in the large circuit of his years without a Nunc dimittis but no sooner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no sooner this but he grows weary of the world his life grows tedious to him he would be going What means this hasting to his Grave when he folds salvation in his arms Why this it is that gives it a pre-eminence above all beside Death now it self is conquer'd and now first to die is to be saved Salvation not only from Death but from the terrours of it Salvation is a deliverance a deliverance is from some evil of sin or punishment To be deliver'd from punishment be it but the loss of goods of liberty or health is a kind of Salvation and if the loss be great we are deliver'd from the salvation great but if the punishment stretch it self beyond the limits of fading time if it be to be extended through eternity the deliverance then great without question well deserves the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be deliver'd from punishment and eternal punishment is no small matter beyond all humane power yet from sin is far beyond it If we be not sav'd from that 't is but an incomplete a partial salvation from the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salvum facere to make all whole again to heal the wounds of sin by the plasters of mercy to restore a man to his lost health his lapsed justice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 integrum facere to give him health Thy saving health O Lord. Adam lost it in him we all and every day we lose it still We confess as much morning and evening There is no health in us And what is it we gain then by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we so soon are at a loss yes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is salvum conservare too to keep us well when we are so Good God in what need stand we of thy salvation We sin we are punisht we are freed we rise again we slip and fail and fall again to deliver us to restore us to preserve us as it requires so it makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an emphatical an exceeding great salvation Nor is this all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy salvation from sickness or imprisonment or poverty or death man may sometime save us yet not so but that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God 's too God by man But deliver us from the lowest prisons from a Hell of miseries sin and its attendants and keep us upright and entire 't is only God-man can do it That 's Gods peculiar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His wonderful salvation His by propriety It had no other power but the strength of his own right arm to bring this mighty thing to pass It had no other motive then his own immense love and goodness to effect it We were in no case to deserve it profest enemies we had nothing in us to make it ours but that it might be wholly his Thy salvation Yet thy salvation why so What can God be saved Thy salvation our salvation rather yes both Thine actively ours passively Thou savest we saved And may it not be His passively too Thy salvation Thou thy self saved Thy Promises thy Truth which is thy self thy Mercy which is thy self thy Iustice which is thy self sav'd from the censure of unjust man by preparing him a Saviour Man had almost thought God had broke his word now that 's sav'd Some still will not let his mercy be sav'd but destroy it with justice and in destroying that turn justice into gall and wormwood ruine that too by denying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an universal Saviour It was time high time to tell us from Heaven
rude barbarisms had exempted them from the number of civil Common-wealths who did not deserve the name of people not of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without either Article or Adjective such as no body could point at with an Article or construe with an Adjective such as seem here to be excluded out of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that yet one would think includes all Such as if you were to number up all the world you would leave out them to these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to uncover and shew 'um to the world and out of their thick darkness to light them the way unto salvation Which brings me to the benefits together with the parties Light and Glory Light to the Gentiles Glory to Israel A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of the people of Israel I keep Gods method Fiat Lux begin with light Gen. i. 2. I need not tell you 't is a benefit Truly light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is says the Preacher Eccles. xi 7. and Mordecai joyns light and gladness together Hest. viii 16. So salutare letificans it is salvation that brings joy and gladness with it 2. Light of all motions has the most sudden it even prevents the subtilest sense And was it not so with this salvation When all things were in quiet silence and that night was in the midst of her swift course thine Almighty word leapt down from heaven out of thy Royal Throne Wisdom xviii 14. Salutare praeveniens vota Salvation that prevents our dreams and awakes our slumbering consciences 3. And when our eye-lids are past those slumbers then Lighten mine eyes O Lord that I sleep not in death Those dark chambers have no lights A light to lighten them a light to shew my self to my self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reveal my inmost thoughts to shew me the ugly deformity of my sins will be a blessing Lumen revelans tenebras no dark-lanthorn light a light to shew us the darkness we are in our Salutare dispergens tenebras salvation that dispels the horrid darkness 4. And to do that the enlightning of the medium is not sufficient In conspectu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 just before us it may be and the windows of our eyes damm'd up against it A light then to pierce the Organ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into it it must be Lumen penetrans oculum salvation not only presented to the eye but to the sight the eye fitly disposed to behold it 5. Every enlightning will not do that It must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the light of revelation No other will serve the turn not the light of nature not the dictates of reason not the light of moral vertues or acquired habits but something from above something infused such as comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divine inspiration What light else no remedy but buried we must be in everlasting night Scriptures or revealed truth the revelation of Iesus Christ must save whoever shall be saved No man can come to me except the Father draw him St. John vi 44. No man lay hold upon the Name of Iesus or salvation but by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit Lumen divine revelationis salvation by the glorious light of Divine Revelation 6. There is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which yet wants an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Revelation that wants a Revelation such as St. Iohns a dark one This an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lightsome one such as Revelations are when Prophesies are fulfilled of things past not things to come Lumen Revelationis revelatae a light of salvation as clear as day 'T is time now to ask whither it is this light and revelation lead us I shall answer you out of Zacharies Benedictus S. Luke i. 79. They guide our feet into the way of peace Send forth thy light and thy truth and they shall guide me Psal. xliii 3. So David guide me whither Psal. lvi 13. To walk before God in the light of the living One light to another the light of grace to the light of glory So Lumen dirigens or salutare pertingens ad coelum salvation leading up to heaven Sum up all Salvation to make us glad a light a light to comfort not a lightning to terrifie The lightnings shone upon the ground the earth trembled and was afraid no such no lightning Nor St. Paul's light a light to blind but to give light nor to play about the medium only but to open and dispose the weak dim eye Not by a weak glimmering of nature nor by a dusky twi-light but by a clear Revelation not an ignis fatuus to misguide us out of the way into bogs and quagmires but to guide us to peace and to salvation Lastly not a light to any to see only that they are inexcusable ut essent inexcusabiles that seeing they might see and not understand a light to light 'um down to Hell that they might see the way down through those gloomy shades with more ease horrour and confusion that 's the event indeed sometimes the end never but thither upward from whence it comes to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the beginning of the Text to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the end And can your thoughts prompt to your desires any greater benefits can you wish more And yet if we but consider in what plight the parties were upon whom the rays of this light shone the salvation will seem more beneficial They were in darkness and could any thing be more welcome to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death then a light to lighten That was the miserable case the Gentiles now were in Neither have the Heathen knowledge of his laws 't was so in Davids time and so continued on till this days rising Sun scattered the Clouds and now the case is altered Dedi te in lucem gentium fulfilled in his time The Gentiles now enlightned Enlightned what 's that Those that are baptized are said to be enlightned Heb. x. So the Gentiles enlightned will be in effect the Gentiles baptized Baptized they may be with water and they had need of some such cleansing element to wash their black dark sullied souls but there is another Baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire fire that 's light so to be baptized with light will be with the Holy Ghost 'T was heavy midnight through the world Iudea was the only Goshen the land of light till he that was born this day breaking down the partition that divided Palestine from the nations gave way for the light which before shone only there to disperse its saving beams quite through the world Then did they whose habitations were pitcht in the region of death whose dwellings in the suburbs of Hell see a marvellous great light spring up that 's salus personis accommodata salvation fitted to the parties Fitted and tempestively too to them
' um For our viderunt must not end when the Eucharist is past when we depart this sacred place I will take the cup of salvation says the Psalmist there it is do that here But I will rejoyce in thy salvation do so both here and at home Et exultabo and let me see you do so Let not your joy be stifled in your narrow bosoms but break out into expression into your lips into your hands Not in idle sports excess of diet or vain pomp of apparel not that joy the joy of the world but the joy of the Holy Ghost It is salvation that you have heard and seen and are yet to see to day what 's our duty now If it be salvation let us work it out with fear and trembling It is salvation to be seen some eminent work let us then confess we have seen strange things to day A most certain sure salvation it is let not a sacrilegious doubtful thought cast a mist upon it It is prepared let us accept it prepared for all let us thank God for so fair a compass and not uncharitably exclude our selves or others God has enlarg'd the bowels of his mercy let us not streighten ' um It is a light let us arise and walk after it It is a glory let us admire and adore it Was our Saviour seen so should we be every day in the Congregation was he prepared to day let us be always shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace Does he enlighten us O let us never extinguish or hide that light till this light be swallowed up by the light of the Lamb till this day-spring from on high prove mid-day till Gentium and Israelis be friendly united in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and no darkness to distinguish them no difference between light and glory till the beginning and end of the Text meet together in the circle of eternity till viderunt oculi meet with gloriam till our eyes may behold that light which is inaccessible that light and glory which know no other limits but infinite nor measure but eternity To which he bring us who this day put off his glory to put on salvation that by his salvation we might at length lift up our heads in glory whither he is again ascended and now sits together with his Father and the Holy Ghost To which three Persons and one God be given all praise and power and thanks and honour and salvation and glory for ever and ever Amen A SERMON ON St. Stephens Day ACTS vii 55 56. But he being full of the Holy Ghost looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the Glory of God and Iesus standing on the right hand of God And said Behold I see the Heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God YEsterdays Child is to day you see become a man He that yesterday could neither stand nor go knew not the right hand from the left lay helpless as it were in the bosom of his Mother is to day presented to us standing at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father he whom earth yesterday entertained so poorly and obscurely heaven here this day openly glories in Now the horn of our salvation is raised up indeed the Church thus shewing us plainly to day what yesterday we could not see for the rags and stable that it was not a meer silly creature a poor child or man only that came to visit us but the Lord of Glory so making him some recompence as we may say to day for the poor case she shew'd him in yesterday But that 's not the business Yesterday was Christs Birth-day to day St. Stephens for Natalitia Martyrum the Birth-days of the Martys were their death-days call'd they then first said to be born when they were born to execution A day plac'd here so near to Christs that we might see as clear as day how dear and near the Martyrs are to him they lie even in his bosom the first visit he makes after his own death was to them to encourage them to theirs The first appearance of him in heaven after his return up was to take one of them thither And yet this is not all Christs Birth and the Martyrs Death are set so near to intimate how near death and persecution are to Christs Disciples how close they often follow the Faith of Christ so thereby to arm us against the fear of any thing that shall betide us even Death it self seeing it places us so near him seeing there are so fine visions in it and before it so fair glories after it as St. Stephen's here will tell you And if I add that Death is a good memento at a Feast a good way to keep us within our bounds in the days of mirth and jollity of what sort soever it may pass for somewhat like a reason why St. Stephen's death is thus serv'd in so soon at the first course as the second dish of our Christmas-Feast Nor is it for all that any disturbance to Christmas Joys The glorious prospect of St. Stephens Martyrdom which gives us here the opening of Heaven and the appearance then of Gods glory and of Christ in glory may go instead of those costly Masques of imagin'd Heavens and designed Gods and Goddesses which have been often presented in former times to solemnize the Feast We may see in that infinitely far more ravishing and pleasing sights than these which all the rarity of invention and vast charges could ever shew us Here 's enough in the Text to make us dance and leap for joy as if we would leap into the arms of him in Heaven who stands there as it were ready to receive us as he was to day presented to St. Stephen I may now I hope both to season and exalt our Christmas-Feast bring in St. Stephens story that part of it especially which I have chosen so full of Christ so full of glad and joyful sights and objects that it must needs add instead of diminishing our joy and gladness And yet if I season it a little now and then with the mention of Death it will do no hurt I must do so that you may not forget St. Stephens Martyrdom in the midst of the contemplation of the glory that preceded it That must not be for the day is appointed to remember it And though we shall not designedly come so far to decipher it having no more then the praeludium of his death before us we will not so far forget it but that we will take it into the division of the Text in which we shall consider these four particulars 1. His accommodation to his Death His being full of the Holy Ghost that fitted and disposed him to it 2. His preparation for it He looked up stedfastly into Heaven so that he prepared himself for it 3. His confirmation to it He saw the glory of God and Iesus standing on the right hand of God that
encouraged and confirmed him in it 4. His profession at it Behold said he I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God In those words he professed his faith and proclaimed his vision of it By this manner of considering it we shall do St. Stephen right and Christmas no wrong remember St. Stephens Martyrdom and yet not forget Christs being at it celebrate St. Stephens memory and yet no way omit Christs He being here to be lookt on as encourager of St. Stephens Martyrdom as much as St. Stephen for his Professor and Martyr By all together we shall fully understand the requisites of a Martyr what is required to make one such to be full of the Holy Ghost to look up stedfastly into heaven to look upon Christ as there and as boldly to profess it to be full of Grace and Spirit full of Piety and Devotion full of Faith and Hope full of Courage and Resolution all proportionably requisite to the spiritual Martyrdom of dying to the world and leaving all for Christ requisite too all of them in some measure to dye well at any time the very sum of the Text to be learn'd hence and practis'd by us If I add all requisite to keep Christmas too as it should be kept with Grace and Devotion with Faith and courage also against all that shall oppose it that our Christmas business be to be filled with the Spirit and not with meats and drinks to look up to Heaven to look up to Iesus and never to be afraid or ashamed to profess it there is nothing then in the Text to make it the least unseasonable I go on therefore to handle it part by part The first is St. Stephens accommodation to his Martyrdom how he stands fitted for it And surely he could not be better Full of the Holy Ghost Ghost is Spirit and what more necessary to a Martyr then a spirit The dreaming sluggish temper is not fit to make a Martyr he must have Spirit that dares look Death soberly in the face Yet every Spirit neither will not make a Martyr there are mad spirits in the world they call them brave ones though I know not why that rush headily upon the points of Swords and Rapiers yet bring these gallant fellows to a Scaffold or a Gibbet the common reward of their foolish rashness which they mis-reckon'd valour and you shall see how sheepishly they die how distractedly they look how without spirit The spirit that will bear out a shameful or painful death without change of countenance or inward horrour must be holy Where the Spirit is holy the Conscience pure the Soul clean the man dies with life and spirit in his looks as if he were either going to his bed or to a better place 'T is a holy life that fits men to be Martyrs But spirit and a holy Spirit is not enough to make a Martyr neither though the Martyrs spirit must be a holy one yet to dispose for martyrdom the holy Spirit must come himself with a peculiar power send an impulse and motion into the soul and spirit that shall even drive it to the stake And every degree of power will not do it it must be a full gale of holy wind that can cool the fiery Furnace into a pleasing walk that can make death and torments seem soft and easie Full of the Holy Ghost it is that Stephen is said to be e're we hear him promoted to the glory of a Martyr The Spirit of holiness will make a man die holily and the holy Spirit make him die comfortably but the fulness of him is required to make him die couragiously without fear of death or torment cruelty or rage By this you may now guess at Martys who they are not they that die for their folly and their humour not they 2. that die without holiness not every one 3. that dies as we say with valour and spirit not they that die upon the motion of any spirit but the holy one that one holy Spirit not they that die in Schism and Faction against the unity of this Holy Spirit the peace of his Holy Church none of these die Martyrs die Souldiers or valiant Heathen or men of spirit they may but men of the holy Spirit Martyrs they die not They only die such that have lived holily die in holy Cause in a holy Faith and in the peace of holy Church as in the Faith of one Holy Spirit ruling and directing it into unity upon good ground and warrant and a strong impulsion so to do without seeking for or voluntarily and unnecessarily thrusting themselves into the mouth of death And yet there are strange impulses I must tell you of the spirit of Martyrdom which ordinary souls or common pieties cannot understand Only we must know that the spirit of Martyrdom is the spirit of Love the very height of love to God which how that can consist with the spirit of Schism whereby we break the unity of Brethren or how a man can so highly love God as to dye for him and hate his Spouse the Church or his Brethren is inimaginable Some other engines there may be as vain-glory an obstinate humour of seeming constant to a false principle an ignorant and self-willed zeal which may sometimes draw a man to die but if the fulness of peace and charity does not appear there is no fulness of the Holy Ghost and they make themselves and their deaths but Martyrs that is witnesses of their own folly He that pretends to be a Martyr must have more then a pretence to the Spirit of charity II. And not to charity only but to devotion too He must 2. prepare himself for it stedfastly look up to Heaven nay into Heaven too fill his Spirit with divine and heavenly provision for it with St. Stephen here Who 1. looks up to Heaven as to his Country whither he was a going He longs earnestly to be there His soul with holy David's has a desire and longing to enter thither He that looks but seriously up to Heaven and beholds that glorious Building those starry Spangles those azure Curtains those lustrous bodies of the Sun and Moon that vast and splendid circumference of these glistering dwellings cannot but thirst vehemently to be there soul and flesh thirst for it O how brave a place is Heaven how brave even but to look on But if he can look as here it seems St. Stephen did into heaven too and contemplate the happy Choirs of blessed Saints and Angels the ineffable beauty of those inward Courts the ravishing Melody and Musick they make the quiet peace and happiness that pleasure joy and fulness of satisfaction and contentment there the majestick presence and blessed sight of God himself with all the store-houses of blessedness and glory full about him his very soul will be even ready to start with violence out of his body to fly up thither He that looks thus stedfastly looks
will not slip the collar will not deny any thing of what he has said or done disclaim any thing that he believed desert him whom he had trusted but preach him to his death and die upon it And now the heavens being open 't is good to make what haste we can to enter it Moneta a famous Doctor of Bononia upon the hearing these words Behold I see the heavens open preacht soberly upon that they would be quickly shut if men made no more haste to enter betook himself presently says his Story to a Religious Order I say nothing to that particular but yet must tell you the words are strong enough if we would look as stedfastly into them as St. Stephen did into Heaven to perswade to a Religious Life Heaven will not always be open to us Patet atri jaâ—ua Ditis 'T is Hell that stands continually wide ope We are told by Christ himself that the Bridegroom comes and the doors are shut there will be a time if we continue in sin and negligence when Heaven it self nay Christ himself will not let us in Take we then our time whilst Christ stands at the door Heaven has this day been strangely open to us and Christ stood there in a glorious manner though our eyes did not our Faiths I hope did see him there 'T is good taking this opportunity to get in we know not whether we shall live to the next opening Prepare we then our selves with St. Stephen here by stedfast looking upward into Heaven by disdaining and scorning all things below by vehement earnest longings after things above by setting our selves attentively and constantly to our Devotions and our Prayers by holy Charity and praying for Friends and Enemies by constant resolutions to live and die to Christ by a bold profession of our Faith and continuance in it by making it our Christmas work our Holiday business our Festival delight And then though I cannot promise you Visions here while we live below I dare promise you the blessed Vision hereafter above where we shall see Iesus standing at the right hand of God and there stand round about him with this blessed Martyr Stephen and all his Saints and Martyrs in the Glory of God for evermore A SERMON ON Innocents Day St. MATTH ii 16. Then Herod when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise men was exceeding wroth and sent forth and slew all the Children that were in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the Wisemen THE Text needs no Apology 'T is for the Day The Day is that of the poor Martyred Innocents and the Text the Story of it Yet what does Day or Story here to day How does the relation of one of the saddest murthers that the Sun ever saw suit with the news of the gladdest Joy that day e're brought forth How do the cries and screeches of slaughtered Infants keep time or tune with the Songs and Hymns of Angels An hellish crue of murtherers to day agree with the heavenly host we heard of three days since What does Herod so near Christ or Childermas in Christmas Do not both Day and Story want an Apology though the Text does not Neither of them they come well now to season our Mirth and Jollities that they run not out too lavishly For we find too oft there are sad days in Christmas too days wherein we play the Herods and kill our Children and our selves by disorders and excesses for want of some such serious thoughts story and day stand fitly here to mind us of it But besides they are well plac'd to teach us that we must not look only for gaudy days by Christ he says himself he came to send a sword St. Mat. x. 34. Sent it to day amongst the little ones sends sword and fire too sometimes amongst the great ones in the midst of all their pleasure and we must expect it commonly the closer we come to him Nor Christianity nor innocence can excuse us We therefore not to think it strange when it so falls out reckon it rather a Christmas business the matter of our rejoycing to suffer with these Infants for Christ though we know not why no more than they never to think much to lose our Children or our selves for him at any time and so bring them up that they may learn to think so too These Meditations I hope are not unseasonable no not in Christmas Yet for all that I ask again Is it possible that there should be such a thing in truth such a wantonness in cruelty as to kill so many thousand Children so barbarously in a time of peace is it probable that men should raise up fears and jealousies of their own and make such innocent Lambs pay for it 'T is Gospel you see so true as that Such a thing there was in the days of Herod and we have seen so much like it in our own that we may the easier believe it Children and innocents slain and undone for nothing but because some men with Herod here thought they were mockt when disappointed of their projects when Christus Domini the Lords Christ or Anointed had escap'd them and the Wise men came not in to hinder it so they grew exceeding wroth upon it and make poor Bethlehem and Rachel all of us still rue sorely for it Well then the Text being so true in it self so pat to the time and not disagreeable to the times of late so profitable besides we 'l now go on with it by Gods blessing and see what we can make of it 'T is the Martyrdom I told you and I have the word from S. Cyprian and S. Austin of a company of little innocent babes And we have in it these particulars 1. Their Persecutor or Murtherer Herod 2. The occasion of their Martyrdom Persecution or Murther His thinking himself mockt When he saw he was mocked of the Wise men c. 3. The cause of it Wroth he was exceeding wroth infinitely angry to be disappointed that 's the reason he fell upon them 4. The little Martyrs themselves All the children that were in Bethlehem and all that were in the coasts about 5. Their Martyrdom Slain they were men were sent out to kill them He sent forth and slew them 6. The extent and exactness of the cruelty observed in it all the children from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the Wise men These are the Parts that make up the History And if in the pursuing it I shew you a mystery now and then shew you there are more Herods and more martyred children then we see in the letter of the Text that the story is acted over still every day by our selves you will be content I hope to take it for an application that brings all home And it will not do amiss even now at Christmas to mind us of
day as Simeons arms with the Child Iesus with the Lords Christ. This work is never unseasonable Christ may at all times be taken so with reverence into our mouths or arms or hearts or any part about us Yet he has a proper time besides and that is when he is presented in the Temple after his Circumcision and his mothers Purification At such a time as that when our hearts are purified by repentance and faith when the devout soul which like his Mother conceives and brings him forth has accomplished the days of her Purification and offered the forementioned offerings of the Turtle and the Dove and we circumcised with the Circumcision of the Spirit all our excrescent inclinations exorbitant affections and superfluous desires cut off we may with confidence take him into our arms But till then 't is too much sawciness to come so near him at least presumption to conceive we have him truly in our arms that he is truly embraced by us whilst we have other loves other affections which cannot abide with him already in our arms and too ready in our hands Prophane we him not therefore with unhallowed hands nor touch this holy Ark of the Covenant with irreverent fingers lest we die Many that have done so says the Apostle for so doing are sick and weak upon it and many sleep that is die suddenly in their sins whilst the hallowed meat is yet in their mouths 'T is as dangerous as death and damnation too to take Christ with unpurified and unprepared hearts or hands Take him not then till you are prepared Yet 2. if prepared take him when you can and as soon as you can when he is offered to you whilst you may To day if you will 't is offering day with him yet any day too when he is offered and whilst he is so for he always will not be so 't will not be always Candlemas he will not be offered every day There is a time when he will go and not return when he will not any longer strive with flesh when we shall stretch out our hands and he will not come nor hear nor see us neither To day if you will do it do it you are not sure of your selves to morrow much less of him To day if you will if not I know not what day to pitch nor will you find it easie to meet another if you at any time neglect the present This day then whilst it is called to day lay hold of him if you be wise and would not be put off by him with a Discedite hands off I have nothing to do with you nor you with me it is too late Many are the times and days as well as means and ways wherein Christ is offered to us but this day he has been thrust into our arms put into our hands and we have taken him Yet say I still take him up in your arms and I say it without either tautology or impertinence or impropriety Into our hands we have taken him and I hope into our arms into our bosoms into our hearts besides take him yet up higher and higher into our affections the very natural arms of our souls more and more into them nearer and nearer to us closer and closer to our hearts embrace and hug him close as we those we most affectionate-love and hold him fast that he may no more depart from us but delight to be with us as with those that so love him that they cannot live without him Thus 't is no impertinence to wish you to take him still though you have taken him Thus you are every day to take him or this days taking him will come to nothing or to worse If you go not on still taking him nearer and nearer deeper and deeper every day into your bosoms and hearts as you have this day into your hands and mouths you will be questioned in indignation by him Why have you taken me into your mouths Why have you taken me up in your hands seeing you now seem to hate me are so soon grown weary of me and put me from you and even cast me behind you Take heed I beseech you of doing thus of drawing back your hands so soon drawing back at all For after this favour whereby you have been made partakers of him whereby he has so infinitely condescended from himself as to be received into so unclean and filthy and extremely unworthy hands and souls to be embraced by such vile Creatures what can we render him sufficient for such goodness 'T is but this O man that he requires a poor thing O man that he requires at thy hand for this vast infinite favour and thou hast Simeon here doing it before thee blessing God And he took him up in his arms and blessed God Indeed we can do little if we cannot bless bless him that blesses us benedicere speak well of him say he is good and gracious loving and merciful unto us tell and speak forth his praise tell and declare the great and gracious things that he hath done for us the wonderful things that he this day did for the Children of men Came and took their place and was presented and accepted for them who were but reffuse and rejected persons were fain to send Bulls and Lambs and Rams the very beasts to plead for them glad of any thing to stand between them and their offended God even the heifers dung and ashes to make atonement for them and as it were her skin to cover them Numb xix 2. till this day when this holy Child was presented for all and all those former poor shifts and shelters at an end no need of those dead offerings more being fully reconciled by this living one for ever Bless we him and praise him and speak good of him for this Bless we him yet more for vouchsafing us the touches of his sacred Body for so kindly coming into our arms our own children do not sometimes do so but come often with much frowardness and crying reluctance and unwillingness This Child Iesus comes of his own accord slips down from Heaven into our laps when we are not aware is in our arms e're we can stir them up And that this Son of God should so willingly leave his Fathers bosom the true and only seat of joy and pleasure for ours the perfect seat of sorrow and misery and rest himself in our weak arms who have nor rest nor shelter but in his that he should thus really infinitely bless us and yet require no greater a return than our imperfect blessing him again How can we keep our lips shut our tongues silent of his praise But having this day seal'd all these favours and blessings to us by the holy Sacrament the pledge and seal of this love wherewith he loved us having so really and fully and manifestly and fast given himself into our arms we cannot sure but bless him both with our tongues and hands with holy Simeon make an
it with the highest hand and needs not fear a contradiction or a power to controul or punish him why he varnishes over his wickedness with false colours and glosses all his actions either with the name of Piety and Religion Reformation and Purity Justice and Integrity Conscience and I know not what Why he sometimes excuses it with necessity sometimes extenuates it with infirmity sometimes pleads ignorance false information or mistake sometimes makes one pretence sometimes another Does he not evidently and plainly tell you by so doing he is even asham'd of the things that he has done though he bear it out with all the confidence he can He cannot utterly cast off shame though he has done shamefac'dness We may confidently say to him Those very things thou even seem'st to glory in thou art really no other than asham'd of Now there is a three-fold shame a natural a vertuous and a penal shame a shame that naturally and even against our wills attends every unhandsome action A godly shame 2. that should always follow upon it And 3. a shame that will else e're long pursue it The first or natural is that which through the modesty of nature not yet habituated to the impudence of wickedness rises e're we are aware from the guilt and foulness of sin either discovered or feared to be so That 's the reason that the eye of the Adulterer waiteth for the twi-light Job xxiv 15. to hide his reproach That the Drunkard us'd in former times though now grown gallant on it to be drunk in the night 1 Thess. v. 7. being asham'd as civility went then to be seen so disguised in the day That the Heretick and Schismatick us'd in the Apostles times though now grown confident to come creeping into Widows houses and hide themselves behind Curtains and Aprons asham'd of their Schisms and new Doctrines at the first 2 Tim. iii. 6. That still the Thief by night and the sly Cheat and covetous Extortioner by underhand dealing in the day strive to conceal the designs and practices which only night and darkness are thought fit to cover or give a tolerable shadow too Even our vanities within a while make us asham'd of them We are within a few days in a huge confusion to be seen in our finest Clothes and newest Fashions we were the other day so proud of rather naked than in a fashion that has another grown upon it Indeed when any of our sins great or little take hold upon us then as the Prophet David professes we are not able to look up Psal. xl 15. so asham'd they make us None but Absolom none but the wickedest sons of Rebellion sin upon the house top at noon day all the people looking on Yet even for all that there must be a Tent even for such as he some thin Veil or other some Silk or linen Scarf or Curtain to cover his wickedness in the upshot 2 Sam. xvi 22. So natural a fruit and companion is shame to any sin or sinner Sin is more than sin when shame is gone when that is lost 2. Yet if so be this kind of modest shame should be laid asleep a while through the custom and habit of a sin there is a second sort of shame that must be thought on the shame that accompanies repentance Sin must have repentance and repentance will have shame Yea what shame what or how great I cannot tell you but shame it must work if it be true Shame of our ingratitude to God shame of our unhandsomness to men shame of the disparagement we have done our nature shame of the dishonour we have done our selves in committing things so foul so brutish so unreasonable this the properest of the three shames we mentioned to this place which it seems the Romans were here come to and is a business we are obliged to to repent us and be ashamed of our sins to be ashamed and blush with Ezra to lift up our faces because our iniquities are increased over our head and our trespasses grown up into the Heavens Ezra ix 6. 3. And if this we be not there is another-gates shame will overtake us shame 3. and confusion of face if we be not ashamed of our sins we shall e're long be ashamed for them come to shame and dishonour by them such a kind of shame as the Prophet Isaiah speaks of Isa. i. 29. Ye shall be ashamed of the Oaks which ye have desired and ye shall be confounded for the gardens which ye have chosen your very enemies shall laugh you to scorn the very Oaks and Trees shake their heads at you in derision your Gardens bring you forth no other fruit All that pass by shall wag their heads and hiss at you Ier. xix 8. Ye shall be a curse and an astonishment and an hissing and a reproach to all Nations Ier. xxix 18. and a shameful spewing shall be on your glory Hab. ii 16. To this our ill courses will bring us at the last and yet to worse even to death too For the end of those things is death that 's the third Particular the third Argument against sin the mischief and damage of it in the end and comes next to be consider'd III. A sad end truly and but sorry wages for all the pains and drudgry that sins put us to St. Paul here thinks it not worth the name of fruit Yet what fruit sin brings if you will call it fruit 't is unto death Rom. vii 5. But if there were any other death so nigh at heels would devour it all Sin when it is finished when 't is at the height compleat and perfected it bringeth forth death says St. Iames i. 15. that 's the end God knows And a threefold death it brings a temporal a spiritual and an eternal death For the first Thou shalt die the death was threatned to it before it came into the world Gen. ii 17. And no sooner came it but death came by it death by sin Rom. v. 12. And it past thence upon all men too All men ever since have been subjected to it All have died and all must die for that one sin Ever after that first sinful morsel all are become like the beasts that perish Psal. xlix 12. So that the wisest of men had much ado to distinguish between their ends Eccles. iii. 19 20. As the one dieth says he so dieth the other yea they have all one breath so that a man hath no preheminence above a beast All go unto one place all are of the dust and all turn to dust again Only indeed a little after ver 21. he perceives a kind of glimmering as it were of the humane Spirits going upward yet with this lessening for all that of who knoweth it who can certainly demonstrate and distinguish and define the difference so deeply has sin engaged us unto death that there is no escaping and the shadows of it are so great that there is no discovering of differences in the
business Look not sad but chearful now to day I hope you have lookt sadly enough already in your Chambers upon your sins you may here put on another face Yet if you be somewhat perplext and troubled at your sins or afraid of your own unworthiness or your souls and bodies bowed down as low as can be in humility I shall say you are the fitter to receive your joys and to be made partakers of the Angels company which as the Apostle tells us are present in holy places and if ever there there more especially at so great a mystery as this which they themselves bow down themselves to look into and wing about us say the Fathers to assist the celebration all the while You will be the fitter too to receive the joyful news that this day brings us of Christs rising being only so cast down and prepared in all humility to receive it Yet learn we something from the Angels too as well as from the Women for behold says the Text as if it meant we should look upon them too and learn by their standing constancy and resolution by their clothing in shining garments purity and innocence and all good works whereby we are so to shine as to glorifie our Father which is in Heaven by their correcting the good womens errour to correct our own and not let our Brother either perish or go astray for want of good and timely admonition a prime work of charity which this business so requires by their advice no longer to seek the living among the dead no more to seek Christ for earthly profits or respects and by their so readily publishing the news of Christs rising to be this day ever telling it every day thinking of it and so living as if we believed a Resurrection So shall it come to pass that however we come we shall not depart perplexed but in peace not in fear but in hope not in sorrow but in joy and shall one day behold him risen whom we now only hear is and meet him with all his Angels in shining garments in the robes of eternal glory He who this day rose raise now our thoughts with these apprehensions raise our thoughts to the height of these heavenly mysteries make us this day partakers through them of his Resurrection by Grace and in his due time also of his Resurrection to Glory THE SECOND SERMON UPON Easter Day St. MAT. xxvii 52 53. And the Graves were opened and many bodies of Saints which slept arose And came out of the Graves after his Resurrection and went into the holy City and appeared unto many ANd this is the third day since the first of these was done since the Graves were opened and the first day that all the rest that the bodies of Saints arose came forth went into the holy City and appeared the blessed day of our Saviours Resurrection So we have both Passion and Resurrection in the Text and not amiss the one to usher in the other the Passion the Resurrection both comfortable when together to see the Passion end so glorious the darkness of so sad an Evening open it self at last after a little respite into so lustrous a Morning the most lustrous that Sun ever shone in the most joyous thus to meet the Grave and the holy City Christ and his Saints together This Day the very stones cry out and send forth the deceased Saints as so many Tongues to speak the glory of their Redeemer And if the graves open their mouths can we hold our peace If the dead bodies of the Saints appear to day in the holy City to celebrate the Day shall not we appear with our living bodies in the holy Mount to do as much The Grave cannot praise thee Death cannot celebrate thee says Hezekiah Isa. xxxviii 18. And the Dead praise not thee O Lord says David Psal. cxv 17. Yet here they do They thought then they could not we see now they do and shall not the living do so to The living the living he shall praise thee says Hezekiah and But we will praise the Lord says David that 's agreed on both hands that the living shall the Father to the Children make known the truth of this days great wonder declare it one to another from Generation to Generation keep the Day in remembrance throughout all Generations Indeed if we be not more senseless than the Day more silent than the grave the house of silence we cannot hold to Day up and arise we will and into the holy places to set forth the wonders of the day They that go down as the Psalmist speaks into the silence and into the Land where all things are forgotten who are either dead in trespasses and sins or are resolved to forget all that their Fathers have seen or done or has been done for them who are in the dark the darkness of ignorance or error departed from the Church out of the marvelous light into the Land of darkness they shew not of these wonders among the dead in their own Congregations nor tell of the loving kindness faithfulness and righteousness of this Day in that great destruction they have made But we will I hope we that are among the living stones in the Communion of holy Church will praise the Lord do as much as the Graves and now risen bodies wherever we appear For upon this Day hang all our hopes We were hopeless till it came hopeless when it was come till we knew it and no great hope of us if we forget it now it is This Day Christ rose out of the Grave If he had not risen had had no Resurrection there had been no hope of ours If nor hope nor Resurrection we had been of all men most miserable and if we do not thankfully remember both we are but miserable unthankful wretches no sooner the Day forgotten and such days put down but all our happiness put down with them we of all the Nations under heaven presently most miserable miserable times quickly after this happy Day with the rest of its attendants was unhappily voted to be forgotten So much does it concern our happiness with the Saints in the Text to solemnize it in the City if the City intend either to be holy or happy so much to make much both of all Texts and times that may bring it to our remembrance all days and words Texts and Testimonies either of Christs Resurrection or our own This Text then among the rest Wherein we have both a Testimony and Evidence of Christs Resurrection and a Pledge and Symbol of our own Two general Points which we shall consider in the words Or more particularly thus A Testimony of the truth of Christs Resurrection and an Evidence of the power of it A Pledge of the certainty of our Resurrection and a Symbol of the manner of it both of our Resurrection to grace and our Resurrection to glory The Testimony of the truth of Christs Resurrection 1. in the bodies of
and lustre of grace such as may appear unto all men to be such not a few but many many graces all graces obtained by it nay it does not yet appear what we shall be by it but when we shall appear we shall be like him says St. Iohn 1 Ioh. iii. 2. our righteousness and glory last for ever He died once says the Apostle but being raised he dies no more no more did these in the Text no more shall we but live for ever Not only grace and glory but perseverance in the one and eternity in the other apparently no less accruing to us by the vertue and efficacy of his Resurrection good news from the grave the while and from the late rais'd Prisoners of it who are now thirdly as well the pledges of the certainty of our Resurrection as the evidences of the power of Christs A double Pledge we have here of our Resurrection one from the many dead bodies of the Saints that slept arising out of their graves The other from their going into the holy City and their appearng unto many In the first then are four particulars to assure us of it 1. We find dead bodies here arising to assure us such a thing there may be such a thing there is as a Resurrection of the body that bodies be they never so dead may be quickned never so corrupted may rise incorruptible you may see them rising here And 2. Many of them there are that we may see it belongs not only to a few to some particular persons this many is but the usher to St. Pauls all We shall all arise and stand before the judgment Seat of Christ Rom. xiv 10. 3. Saints bodies they are said to be and they are our fellows members of the same body and if one member be honoured all the other members are honoured with it says St. Paul 1 Cor. xii 26. Indeed the bodies of the Saints only shall rise with Christ rise to enter into the holy City but all shall rise for all shall appear every one to receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. v. 10. they that have done good to the Resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of damnation says he that rose himself to day St. Ioh. v. 29. For all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth ver 28. none be left behind though the best come first The Saints have only the prerogative not the only priviledge of the Resurrection For 4. 't is said the bodies of them that slept that we may know that all that sleep that all that die shall awake again and rise at last He that lies down only to sleep lies down to rise and good and bad how sad soever the ones dreams be how full of terror soever be the wicked mans sleep in death are both said to sleep Ieroboam and Rehoboam Baasha and Omri and Ahab and Ioram are said all of them to sleep with the Fathers as well as David and Solomon and Ioash and Hezekiah obdormierunt simul they all sleep together the sleep of death and so shall likewise arise together though as there is difference in sleep some sweet some horrible so in rising too some sad some joyful when they awake but sleep necessarily intimates and supposes some awaking and rising after it 't is else somewhat more than sleep Thus by the rising of the dead bodies of these Saints so many rising rising as men out of their sleep not as Saints out of a priviledge we have one strong pledge of our Resurrection of which they only lead the van after our great Captain the Lord Iesus Christ. A second we have given us from both their going into the holy City and their appearing unto many It was not in obscuro this thing was not as St. Paul speaks done in a corner not in a house or Church-yard where are all the apparitious we now hear of not in a Country Village no not an ordinary City neither but in the great Metropolis Ierusalem it self call'd holy for what it had been not what it was for it was now the most sinful City or called holy yet for the Temples sake that yet stood firm an item by the way to tell us how long a City may be stil'd holy so long as the Church stands sacred and inviolate in it and no whit longer But be the City holy or not that which is done there by many is not likely a private business has witnesses enow to give credit to it But to put all out of question the there appearing unto many will certifie it was no phantasm no particular fansie or imagination of some silly simple or timorous persons but a business of the greatest certainty whether you take many for the many or many people and folk together or for such who were before chosen as the Apostle speaks to be witnesses to whom the Resurrection should be reveal'd as to men of credit repute and understanding Nor does the word appearing any way prejudice but confirm it the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make plain and certifie to give us a full knowledge and manifestation of a thing so us'd St. Iohn xiv 21. Acts xxiii 21. and xxiv 1. when either persons or things really and truly appear before us So the publickness of the place the number and fitness of the persons and the way and manner of appearance is evidence enough of their real Resurrection and a second pledge to us that it concerns more than themselves though themselves were many even the many they appeared to too whole Cities all Cities holy and unholy all the world of which that City was but an emblem and signification a place from whence God did as it were out of his own house and palace dispence his providence through all the earth and the Saints besides thus going after the Resurrection into the holy City an intimation whether the Saints go when they are risen the whole action a Symbol of what is done in both the first and second Resurrection what we are to do in the one and expect in the other or what is done both in the one and the other and so lastly we now consider it For the similitude the first Resurrection or the Resurrection of the soul from sin to righteousness bears to this of the dead bodies in the Text we have it very like both for thing and order The Graves in which the souls lie buried are either our corruptible bodies or corrupt passions or stony hearts or continued ill customs which so entomb the spirit that it lies dead without any spiritual life and operation The opening of the Graves is the loosing the chains of those earthly affections bodily depressions wicked habits and hardned hearts The souls that are dead in trespasses and sins are those dead bodies fuller of
in raiment white garments as the Angel does ver 3. or a long white garment as St. Marks Angel Chap. xvi 5. That 's neither a fashion nor a colour to be afraid of for any that seek Iesus which was crucified or hope to see the face and enjoy the company of Holy Angels though some now a days are much scar'd with such a garment when the Angels or Messengers of the Churches appear in it But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fear it not 'T is but an innocent Robe no more hurt in it than in the Angels that wore it 'T is the Robe of Innocence and the Resurrection No reason to fear it Fear not ye not this bright appearance No nor 2. that black one neither of the ghastly countenances of the amazed Souldiers They alass are run and gone There was no looking for them upon him they had crucified They indeed had reason to be afraid that the earth that trembled under them should gape and swallow them that the grave they kept being now miraculously opened might presently devour them that he whom they had crucified now coming forth with power and splendour might send them down immediately into eternal darkness for their villany Nay the very innocent brightness and whites in which the Angel then appear'd might easily strike into them a sad reflection and terror of their own guilt and confound them with it and I am afraid when the Angels long white Garment does so still 't is to such guilty Souls and Consciences as these Souldiers that it does so such who either betrayed their Lord to death or were set to keep him there Such I confess may fear even the Garments of Innocence that others wear But they that seek Christ crucified may be as bold as Lions Non timent Mauri jacula nec arcus nec venenatis gravidas sagittis Christe pharetras Thy Discirage ples O B. Iesu now thou art risen will fear nothing nor Darts nor Spears nor Bows nor Arrows nor any force or terror any face or power of man whatever And ye good innocent souls ye good women fear not ye your own innocence will guard you these Souldiers shall do you no hurt their shaking hands cannot wield their weapons nor dare they stand by it they are running away with all speed to save themselves So 2. Fear not them Nor fear 3. the quaking earth that seems ready either to sink them or sinks under them 't is now even setling upon its foundation The Lord of the whole earth has now once again set his foot upon it and it is quiet and the meek such as seek Christ they shall now inherit it But though the earth were mov'd and though the hills were carried into the midst of the Sea yet God is our hope the Lord is our strength and we will not therefore fear says David Psal. xlvi 1 2. No though the waters thereof rage and swell and though the mountains shake at the tempest of the same do earth what it can to fright us God is a present help in trouble Why then should ye be afraid Fear not No not lastly the very grave it self that King of Terrors That is now no longer so to you Though Tyrants should now tear your bodies into a thousand pieces grind your bones to power scatter your ashes in the air and disperse your dissolved atomes through all the winds no matter this Angel and his company are set to wait upon your dust and will one day come again and gather it together into Heaven Nothing can keep us thence nothing separate us nor life nor death says the Apostle Rom. viii 38. Fear nothing then at all Not ye however For ye seek Iesus which was crucified that 's an irrefragable argument why you should not fear And such give me leave to make it before I handle it as an encouragement of our endeavours an encouragement 1. against our fears before I consider it as an encouragement to our work And indeed Ye who dare seek Iesus that was crucified amidst Swords and Spears and Graves of what can you be afraid He that dreads not death needs fear nothing He that slights the torments of the Cross and despises the shame of it He that loves his Lord better than his life that dares own a crucified Saviour and a profession that is like to produce him nothing but scorn and danger and ruine He cannot fear Illum si fractus illabatur orbis impavidum ferient ruinae The World it self though it should fall upon him cannot astonish him Nothing so undaunted as a good Christian as he that truly seeks Iesus that was crucified And there 's good reason for it He that does so is about a work that will justifie it self He needs not fear that He whom he seeks is Iesus one who came to save him from his sins he needs not fear them This Iesus being crucified has by his dying conquer'd death O death where is thy sting He needs not fear that And though die we must yet the Grave will not always hold us no more than it did him He is not here nor shall we be always here not always lie in dust and darkness no need to fear that Nay he is risen again and we by that so far from fear that we know we shall one day rise also For the Chambers of Death ever since the time that Christ lay in them lie open for a return are but places of retreat frome noise and trouble places for the Pilgrims of the earth to visit only to see where the Lord lay Thus is every Comma in the Text an Argument against all fears that shall at any time stop our course in seeking Jesus that was crucified And having thus out of the words vanquisht your fears I am now next to encourage your endeavours For I know ye seek Iesus c. I know it says the Angel That is I would not only not have you be afraid of what you are about as if you were doing ill but I commend you for it for 't is well that you seek Iesus which was crucified you need not be afraid you do well to do it Yea but how dost thou know it Thou fair Son of light that they seek him Alas 't is easie to be known by men and womens outward deportment whom they seek Let us but examine how these women sought and we shall see 1. The come here to his Sepulchre they not only follow'd him to his grave a day or two ago the common office we pay to a departed friend but to day they come again to renew their duties and repeat their tears Nor do they do it slightly or of course They 2. do it early very early St. Mar. xvi 2. as if they were not could not be well till they had done it So early that it was scarce light nay while it was yet dark says St. Iohn they thought they could not be too soon with him they loved They 3. came on with courage
them 〈…〉 feet of the meanest Christian soul whom thou at at any time despoiled'st of them and either shrink away confounded with our glory or else be glad of a Resurrection as well as we Whilst those miserable wretches that thou so much courtedst and delightedst in and that thy Prince who rul'd and abus'd thee to all his lusts shall down together into eternal misery when those poor despised Christians whom thou so much maligned'st shall reign in glory Miserable they were not here maugre all the world could do against them they had that peace that joy that contentment still within which the world could neither give nor take away They found an unspeakable as well pleasure as glory in their very afflictions and bitterest sufferings being exceeding glad and counting all joy to be made so like their Master whose Ministers or whose Servants they were with him despising the shame and trouble of a contemptible and afflictive life or death for the joy set before them for the hope they saw at the right hand of the Throne of God Thus feeling nothing that could be truly or properly called misery whilst they took pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake as St. Paul professes he did 2 Cor. xii 10. whilst it all serv'd only to their contentment here and augment their happiness and glory hereafter they sure lost nothing then they are not miserable now who are so faln asleep And lift up your heads ye drooping Christians still they shall not be miserable that so at any time fall asleep but rise and live again and be yet more happy every one in their order every star their glory every star a different ray according to their hope and sufferings here as no men so little miserable here if all things be truly pondered so no men so happy hereafter as the Christians they of all men above all men souls and bodies both Pastor and People all that live and die under the glorious hope of a Resurrection by Christ who place not their hopes or affections in this life but in Him and in the other of all men they most blessed most eternally blessed To which blessed estate after this life ended He who is our Hope and who we hope will keep us in it He in whom we trust and I trust shall do so still not for this life only but the other too but for ever He of his mercy convey and bring us all every one in his due time and order even our Lord Iesus Christ. To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all praise and glory not in this life only but for ever and ever Amen A SERMON UPON Ascension Day PSAL. xxiv 3 4. Vho shall ascend into the hill of the Lord or who shall stand up in his holy place Even he that hath clean hands and a pure heart and hath not lift up his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully to his neighbour WHo shall ascend indeed if none must ascend but he that is clean and pure and without vanity and deceit The question is quickly answered None shall for there is none so dust is our matter so not clean defiled is our nature so not pure lighter the heaviest of us than vanity and deceitful upon the balance the best of us Psal. lxii 9. so no ascending so high for any of us Yet there is one we hear of or might have heard of to day that rose and ascended up on high was thus qualified as the Psalmist speaks of all clean and pure no chaff at all no guile sound in his mouth 1 Pet. ii 22. Yea but it was but one that was so What 's that to all the rest Yes somewhat ' t is He was our head and if the head be once risen and ascended the members will all follow after in their time Indeed 't is not for every one to hope any but such as are of his that follow him that belong to him 'T is a high priviledge that the Psalmist stands admiring at and therefore not for all yet for all that will for a who shall here is a who will set up for all that will accept of the condition Quis ascendet is who will as well as who shall They that will take the pains will do what they can to be clean and pure they shall His innocence and purity shall help out for the rest when they have done their best But if any man will ascend he must do his best must be clean and pure with Christ and through him or he shall not ascend and rise up after him 'T is the Lesson we are to learn from Ascension day to Whitsunday how to ascend after Christ into the hill of the Lord how to rise up in his holy place even to have clean hands and pure hearts not to lift up our minds to vanity or swear to deceive our neighbour to have our hands ascend and our hearts ascend and our minds ascend and our words ascend as into his presence all ascend after him The Psalm is one of them which the Church appoints for Ascension day and I see not but it may very well pass for a kind of Prophesie by way of an extatical admiration at the sight of Christs Ascension So it pass'd with the Fathers and with our Fathers too may so with us for never was it so fulfill'd to a tittle as by Christ and his Ascension He the only he of clean hands and pure heart and holy mouth and holy all he the first that entred heaven that got up the hill that entred into the holy place not made with hands Heb. ix 24 c. Not any doors so properly everlasting as those of heaven nor they ever open'd for any King of glory to come in as it is ver 7. but him I cannot tell how we should expound it otherwise without much more metaphor and figure Yet I will allow it too for the Prophets admiration at the fore-sight of the happiness of Gods peculiar people and their condition that God whose the whole earth is and all its fulness ver 1. should out of all its places choose Sion for his place he whose the World is and all that dwell therein as it follows there should choose out the Iews amongst all the dwellers to dwell among them only to serve him upon that hill that further this God whose all is should still of this all so particularly honour some as to give them the priviledge of his hill and holy place his solemn Worship and Service to go up first into his holy places upon earth and then afterwards ascend into the holy places the heavens for the words mean the one as well as the other Who are they What a sort of people are they that are so happy so much exalted upon the earth and over it 'T is worth the admiring worth the enquiring and we find it presently who they be even such as have clean
to God Then it befals us as it fell out to Iob xlii 5 6. I have heard thee by the hearing of the ear but that was nothing now mine eye seeth thee Wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes Hither it is always that the sight of God depresses us to think humbly of our selves that we profess our just deserts to be no other then to be deprived of his presence There are like expressions of humble minds towards our Superiours too in holy Writ When Rebeccah saw Isaac coming towards her she lighted down from her Camel and covered her self with her vail as if either her humility or her modesty would not suffer her suddenly to look upon his face who was presently to be her Lord Gen. xxiv 65. But Abigail's complemental humility surpasses 1 Sam. xxv 41. When David sent to take her to him to wife she arose and bowed her self to the â—arth and said behold let thine hand-maid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord And Mephibosheth though not so courtly yet as deeply undervalues himself in the sight of his Lord and King when he thus answer's David's profer'd kindness 2 Sam. ix 8. What is thy servant that thou should'st look upon such a dead Dog as I am Now if Rebeccah descend from her Camel and veil her face at the sight of her designed husband if Abigail term her self the servant of the servants of David even to the meanest office to wash their feet if Mephibosheth count himself a Dog in the presence of King David each of these thus expressing their humility it is no wonder if St. Peter at the presence of his Saviour it is but just that we in the presence of our God and Saviour descend from our Camels from our Chairs of State from our seats of ease from the stools whereon we sit and bow down our eyes our hearts and bodies in all humility as unworthy to look up to Heaven to look him in the face whom we have so offended willing to wash the feet of his poorest servants to serve him in any thing in the poorest meanest way or office ready to profess our selves amongst the vilest of his creatures who cannot so much as expect a good look from him You may surely guess by the frame of speech though nature and sin may sometimes use some of the same words that the tenor of them altogether is no other then the expression of St. Peter's humble acknowledgment of his own vileness He confesses plainly he is a sinful man how could he more depress himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man that was nothing but a sinner a very sinner Thence it is that he thinks himself unworthy that he should stay with him therefore desires him to quit his ship but much more his company as far unfit to receive him or be near about him And 3. whilst he thus confesses himself to be a sinful man he speaks somewhat doubtfully at least to him as if he conceived him to be the Lord his God thus much however he acknowledges so great a disproportion between himself and Christ that whilst he knows what to call himself he knows not well what to style him to be sure knows not how to speak speaks indeed but knows not what he says whilst humbly desiring him to depart he unwittingly parts with his own happiness not knowing what he desires or does in this distraction These three an acknowledgment of our own wretchedness a sensible apprehension of our our own unworthiness and Christ's greatness And 3. a kind of troubled expression of them without art or study are the signs and effects of true humility and are here caus'd by the consideration of Gods miraculous dealing with us which commonly shews us Gods Goodness and Grace his Glory and Majesty our own weakness sinfulness and misery and by so setting them so suddenly together render us unable to express either In some perverse natures there arises we must confess sometimes a pride upon the receipt of divine favours so that we may say St. Peter's behaviour after so great a miracle shewed towards him makes his humility the more commendable A great and wonderful draught of fish he had taken and he had laboured hard for it some body would have given at least part of the glory of so good success to his own labour or at least triumpht and gloried highly in it as if he had been the only favourite of Heaven the only Saint for his good success but St. Peter saw by his lost labour all the by-past night an the uncouth multitude of fishes now against hope taken up that his labour did but little here there was one with him in the boat he saw at whose command the fish came to it in such number So that now he sees little by himself or his own endeavour but that he was not fit company for the Lord that was with him neither worthy of that miracle nor of that Master Thus good men are humbled even in their prosperous successes whilst nothing but miraculous miscarriages can humble the ungodly and not then neither to think ere a whit the worse of themselves or the better of others or understand but that God himself is notwithstanding bound still to tarry with them before all the World besides He is truly humble whom prosperity humbles who in the midst of his accomplished desires casts himself below all acknowledging he is less than the least of Gods mercies or gracious looks towards him any ways There is yet a way that perfect souls souls elevated above the height of ordinary goodness have spoke these words There is sometimes a rapture in heroick souls over-born as it were with the torrent of the contemplations of the divine beauty and the delights flowing in abundance from it that some glorious Saints in their several times have been heard to say sometimes Depart from us O Lord We have enough We have enough oppress us not with pleasure which our earthen Vessels are not able to bear There have been those that have died with excess of joy but it was temporal joy spiritual joy is not so violent to rent the body yet it even sometimes oppresses the soul into a kind of death and wraps it beyond it self into an extasie and after that it is in danger to be strein'd into another excess of pride or vain-glory St. Paul was near it least I should be exalted above measure it seems there was great fear of it there was given him something to humble him to bring him down from so dangerous a height It is necessary it seems sometimes if not such a desire yet such a condition to the most perfect souls that Christ should depart from them now and then least they should be puff'd up with the multitude of those Revelations by which Christ reveals his presence in them and his favour towards them There are delights in heavenly joys which these old bottles are not yet
Isa. i. 21. Et quà m facta est desolata How is she become desolate Remember that What becomes of her for it I have done with the Rechabites obedience and Gods dicit to it I come nearer home and I cannot tell you but I must change my phrase into dicit homo Men talk abroad there 's no such matter here If it be otherwise you have the better on 't And I shall say no more than what Iotham Iudg. ix 19 20. to the men of Shechem when they had made Abimelech King If you have then dealt truly and sincerly with Jerubbaal and with his house this day then rejoyce you in Abimelech and let him rejoyce in you But if not let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and the house of Millo and let fire come out from the men of Shechem and the house of Millo and devour Abimelech I will not say so much with an imprecation but thus If you have now dealt truly and sincerely with King and Church in setting up your own profits priviledges and humours to reign over you by preferring them before their Precepts then rejoyce you in them and may they prosper with you But if not fire will come out of them those very Priviledges and profits and devour you and fire will come out from you to devour and ruine them as sure as you thought once to be happy by them 'T is true and I think I may justly quit some of you before God and man say for you You have obeyed but as it is enough for the whole man to be thought guilty when only one part sins so it is enough for a punishment upon a Kingdom that there be among us those though hands and feet that disobey Though make no doubt of it you who have obeyed but however the world look on you as certainly it looks but scurvily upon such God from above will one day see it and reward it give you the blessing of the Text. His word is past go on and believe there shall not want a man of your seed to stand before him for ever You are not all then of the same practices I shall but mind you therefore of my Text in a double sense as it implies the punishment of Disobedience as it expresses the reward of obedience and I have done The Rechabites that obeyed shall want no length of days no posterity nor they no heavenly grace or honour You will thence infer They that do not shall want all And have they not so in all generations What got Iannes and Iambres by withstanding Moses but non precedent ultra they should proceed no further neither in their Projects nor in their Posterity 1 Tim. iii. 8. What got Korah and his company by rising up against Moses and Aaron but a death that amazes us to read of They and their wives and their children went down quick into hell The grave was not low enough nor could they die soon enough to receive their punishment What got Absalom by his rebellion but an ignominious cruel death in the heat and fervor of his sin and no Posterity to survive him What got the Ten Tribes by their discession in matter of Taxes but the loss of their Religion and their God a perpetual successive Idolatry and a thousand calamities No in conspectu meo left them that Gods presence taken from them for ever Lastly What got Iudas that rose in the days of the Tribute all upon fair pretences you see with the people but Ipse periit omnes dispersi he perish'd the rest made rogues and runnagates upon the face of the earth And can we after all this look for better success either in Church or State when we rise up against them both Any thing but an utter desolation Lay it home Non deficiet in the Text will prove deficiet here nor Posterity nor Honour nor Government nor Religion continue with you The very setting light by our Superiours has brought a doom somewhat like it Michol scoffing at King David had no child for ever lost vir de stirpe The little Children that did but taunt the Prophet as he passed by were at deficiet streight in their childhood could go no farther The very savage Bears out of the wilderness rebuked the incivility of the children If children found so sharp a punishment what may men expect In a word God the God of mercies who holds out beyond our hopes or thoughts could hold out no longer when they came once to despise his Ministers 2 Chron. xxxvi 16. And let me tell you too You shall find it home in your own bosoms be paid in kind in your children and servants For with what face can you expect obedience from your children who disobey by your example How can you but expect rebellion from them who see you in all your actions resolute to disobey Where should they learn it From your example Alas they cannot You obey nor spiritual nor temporal Fathers From your words They will not because your actions contradict them From Gods commandments Why do not you Thus while you study by disobedient practices to stand you and yours fall down for ever But I dwell too long upon so harsh a Theme I shall lead you to Obedience by sweeter thoughts by Example by Reward By Example shall these Rechabites their wives and children give aside at no inconvenience and must we Christians startle at every thing that is not just as we would have it Shall they hear and hearken and submit and rest upon their Fathers will and must we alway prefer our own scarce read or mind a command which we first prescribe not Shall they fail in nothing not a circumstance do according unto all And are not we ashamed to question all so long till we do nothing I appeal to your selves Would you be so used in your own houses Have your commands disputed questioned denied done by parts and pieces by your children and servants With what conscience then can you deal so with your Superiours Do as you would be done by is the Law of Nature Out of this only Principle 't is probable the Rechabites at first obeyed in one man the Carnal Spiritual Temporal Authority and does our Christianity serve us to no better use than to contemn them If Example will not will Reward prevail 'T is a Reward to be approved by God But he rewards us not with words What would you have Your City your Companies your own Families cannot subsist without obedience and can you desire it of others when you will not pay it your selves This the way to keep your City from destruction You labour for succession this is Gods way to obtain it You travel for Lands and riches this is his means to gain and keep them You desire honours thus you may have for you and your Posterities You strive for Priviledges they are surest obtain'd and held by Obedience You endeavour all for perpetuities here