infamie and how is hee counted among the children of God and hath his portion among the Saints Blessed then are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God This word Childe of God is diversly taken in Scripture and according to the Hebrew phrase this word Sonne signifieth him that is vowed and ordained to any thing so we reade Saint Math. 9.15 The children of the Bridechamber that is those that are ordained for the wedding cannot mourne as long as the Bridegroome is with them And Saint Iohn 17.12 While I was with them in the world I kept them in thy name those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the Sonne of perdition that is he that was ordained to destruction but this kind of speech toucheth not our text But let us say that this word Sonne of God is comonly attributed in Scripture either to Iesus Christ and being the naturall Sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consubstantiall and coeternall with his Father of the same will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and same power with him being both true God and true man the divine nature neither confounding nor destroying the humane and the humanity not being mingled and changed into the Godhead both natures remaining entire and perfect make but one person He I say is called the Sonne of God by the acknowledgement and confession of the Father himselfe Math. 17.5 When Iesus Christ tooke with him Peter Iames and Iohn and brought them up into an high mountain and being transfigured before them they heard a voyce from heaven saying This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him We read also the same words in the 3. Chap. 17. ver of the same Evangelist The Father and the Sonne sunt relata say the Philosophers are relatives that is are referred the one to the other for there is no Father but there must likewise be a Sonne whence I draw this conclusion That God the Father being such that is having that title and quality before the Creation of the world consequently Iesus Christ was before it also his generation then is immediatly from the Father as being begotten of him from all eternity by a way incomprehensible to us for In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God the same was in the beginning with God Iohn 1.1 And in the 1. Chap. to the Heb. ver 5. unto which of the Angels saith he at any time Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee And againe I will be to him a Father and hee shall be to me a Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee is not then called Sonne by adoption or for respects of love or for any consideration but onely because hee is begotten of the Father before the Creation of all things as wee reade Coloss 1.15 He is the Image of the inuisible God the first borne of every creature which is prooved againe out of the 1. Chap. of Saint Iohn ver 18. No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father hee hath declared him Vpon this place Hilarius li. 6. saith that Hoc nomine vnigeniti adoptio de trinitate excluditur natura magis asseritur By this word onely begotten adoption is excluded from the Trinitie and nature the more confirmed And Saint Chrysostome very subtilly Christum non eodem modo quo caeteri homines unigenitum dici nam caeteros quidem quod soli ex parentibus nati sint unigenitos dici Christum non solum quod solus ex patre sed etiam quod singulari ineffabili modo natus est unigenitum appellari Christ is not called the onely Sonne after the sort of other men who are called such because they are borne alone to their Parents now Christ is not called the onely Sonne in that respect alone that he is the onely naturall Sonne of his Father but also because he hath beene begotten by a speciall and ineffable way But whither doth the winde of our discourse carrie us why doe we touch this divine subject more worthy of admiration then capable of description wee shall more lively describe it by our silence then by our obscure representations Neverthelesse for satisfaction to our curiosity which is never contented with reason and that will not be contained within the limits of civility and modesty let us bring one onely comparison to give us some sparke of knowledge of this ineffable generation of the Sonne of God When a man seeth himselfe in a well polished glasse he presently seeth his image and the figure of himselfe having the same markes and motions with his which is caused by the reflection of the species within the eye and there is so great a relation betweene the species and the image that one cannot be taken away without annihilating the other and although both the sight and reason make us see that they are severall things truth also and experience makes us know that those two things subsist by one onely Essence and that both have but one and the same subsistance to wit that of the species opposite to the glasse So God from all Eternity contemplating his divine Essence made such a reflection upon his person that of this reflection hee produced and begot that eternall Wisedome which is the Saviour and Redeemer of our soules the sooner we can goe from this matter is our best for wee should be like them that will paint and represent the Sunne with a coale And indeede how should it be possible that we that are poore Owles and Batts should behold so great a light how should wee that are poore Pismires stirre so great mountaines We shall sooner put the whole sea in the palme of our hands then wee can any way comprehend this large and spatious ocean of the divine generation within the little compasse of our understanding Since then that we cannot ascend so high let us stop and stay our contemplation upon our selues where we shall have a more free accesse and continuing our first discourse let us remember that we may be called the children of God three wayes 1. First the Scripture maketh mention of the naturall generation of Christ individuall and incommunicable to any other but to him onely There is a filiation or not to speake barbarously with the Schoolemen the Scripture giveth this title of Sonne of God to the Angels and Princes of the earth which is a title of honour and affection as wee read Iob 1.6 Now there was a day when the sonnes of God that is the Angels came to present themselues before the Lord and Satan came also among them And Genes 6.4 When the sonnes of God came in unto the daughters of men The seaventy Interpreters by the sonnes of God here understand the Angels but Saint Augustine in the Citie of God by the sonnes of God understandeth the children of Seth which
our blood from all parts of our bodies to come to assist and succour our heart which shutts and hoodwinkes our eyes against reason and imagineth that all objects whatsoever presented to us have all together conjured and conspired our ruine as those who fly from a battaile feare every bush which they see or meete with to be their enemies who purposely pursue them and runne every where to kill them Or else as those who are led to their executions and deathes whom feare doth so powerfully seize and surprise that by these passions and effects it in a manner deprives them of life before they think thereof the which wee can testifie and approve by many irrevocable precedents and examples No no It is not of this defect of judgement or of this cowardly apprehension and feare which our Apostle tells us of but it a holy just and commendable feare which we ought to have and retaine in bearing an admirable respect and honour to the Creator and conseruer of our bodies and soules As to feare and tremble before the terrible throne of his divine Iustice and by not rashly abusing of his favours and mercies so liberally so bountifully extended to us because his presence is a consuming fire which devoures and consumes to ashes all those who unreverently approach his sacred Throne his most holy hill as heretofore hee forbad the children of Israel not to approach mount Sinay because hee was there purposely to speake with his servant Moses But not to stay any longer on this point let us say with the Philosophers and Theologians that there is generally two sorts of feare that is to say Divine and Humane which againe subdivide themselues every one into three severall parts and branches The Humane feare compriseth and comprehendeth 1. The Naturall which hath wholly buried in her the senses all Philosophy and the strongest and most assured courage cannot hinder him from shutting his eyes at the suddaine surprise of a flash of lightning or at the feignednesse of a hand which unexpectedly approacheth our face or that we withdraw not or turne not our head from the sight of a fearefull precipice or that a suddaine crack or noyse doe not at first hearing terrifie or astonish us Primi illi motus non sunt hominis The first motions or terrours are not in our power 2. Corporall whereby wee naturally abhorre Death and feare to expose and cast our selues into danger 3. Mundane or worldly whereby we feare to lose our wealth honours and dignities but it is of neither of these sorts of feares which our Apostle speakes unto us but ondy of Divine feare which likewise streames foorth in three rivolets 1. Servile whereby we feare God for the apprehension we have of the infernall tortures and torments of Hell and this degree and sort of feare is not good of it selfe because it hath no good object nor is made or formed to a good end neverthelesse it is held and termed good because it conduceth to good 2. Initiant which lookes two wayes 1. towards the torments wee feare 2. towards the glory we desire and it is also termed enterwoven or mixt because it is composed both of a good and bad feare 3. Filiall which is the last and best sort of divine feare whereby we love God not only for our owne glory or for the apprehension of torments but for his goodnes excellency perfection and in a word for and in regard of himselfe Saint Bernard lively describes and pertinently represents those three sorts of feare 1. Ne cruciemur à gehenna 2. Ne exclusi à visione tam inestimabili gloria privemur 3. Replet animum sollicitudine ne deseratur à gratia Which is to say The first feare apprehends torments The second the privation of glory and the third wholly possesseth our hearts and mindes with care and anxiety as fearing not to lose Gods grace and favour The servile feare is attributed to the wicked The filiall to the good I meane to those who are the children of God The Initiant or intermixed is proper as well to the good as the bad and also it is the most frequent and generall Those three sorts of feare are so many wings which conduct elevate soare us up to heaven The Servile begins first which denounceth to sinners eternall death and damnation and that sharpe and sensible apprehension to be devoured with the flames of hell fire It opens him the gate to be sorrowfull for his offences which threaten to precipitate him in that unquenchable fire and afterwards entering into a firme and lively repentance for his former sinnes hee begins to conceive the future felicity and glory of Heaven for the love whereof hee partly resolues to forsake and abandon sinne as Salomon saith By the feare of the Lord men depart from evill Prov 16.6 Although neverthelesse that he doe it partly for feare of punishment which will infallibly follow him and afâ—er that it againe leades him into this perfect filiall feare whereby he so infinitely loves God that hee had rather dye then offend him in the least thing of the world so neerely he loves him so deerely he honoureth and adores him St. Augustine makes onely two sorts of feare to wit Filiall and Servile and makes them different in this That the Servile hath for object malum poenae the evill of punishment and the filiall malum culpae the evill of guiltinesse Illo timetur ne incidatur in tormentum supplicij isto ne amittatur gratia beneficij By the first wee feare the torments of hell fire By the second wee feare to lose the grace and favour of God It is this faire this sweet spirituall vertue which gives us admittance and entrance into the closet of God which openeth unto us the treasures of his favour and mercy and which makes us enter into the possession of life eternall For those who feare the Lord shall behold his face shall have prosperity and see good dayes saith the royall Prophet King David Psalm 34.11 It is this feare of the Lord which makes men prosper on earth as saith Salomon the Prince of wise men and the wisest of Princes The feare of the Lord prolongeth dayes but the yeares of the wicked shall be shortned Prov. 10.27 This wise King in all his afflictions and troubles had still his recourse to the feare of the Lord which was his fortresse his Sanctuary his comfort and consolation as wee shall read in the 14. Chap. of Proverbs In the feare of the Lord is strong confidence and his children shall have a place of refuge The feare of the Lord is a fountaine of life to depart from the snares of death He againe teacheth us that wealth is unprofitable yea prejudiciall to us without this salubrious this sacred feare of God that poverty is to be preferred before fading and perishable riches Better is a little with the feare of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith This feare of the Lord
their ignorance Let us see if Salomon like them beleeved that Kingdomes fall by chance into the hands of men and that Kings are not expresly called and ordained of God to governe his people Now then saith he O yee Kings hearken learne ye that are Iudges of the earth heare yee that governe the nations for power is given unto you by the Lord and principality by the most high And as we have already observed Rom. 13. the Apostle resolveth so perfectly this question that it is impossible to say or adde any thing after him unlesse one bee resolved to sinne against the holy Ghost in resisting the knowne truth There is saith he no power but from God and those powers that are be ordained of God therefore who so resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God ye must be subject to the Prince not for wrath onely but also for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 And as God sent such blindnesse on the Philistims thinking to overcome and destroy the Armies of Israel that every one turned his sword against his fellow and so slewe one another the people of God being at the most but beholders of their deliverance Even so our adversaries having marshalled a squadron of reasons against us before we thought upon our owne defence to enter into combat with them have cut one anothers throat and have left us their Armes to make trophees for this our victorie for thinking to make a buckler for their defence of that place of S. Peter wher he exhorteth us to beare the yoake and to submit our selves unto all manner of ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King or Supreame 1. Pet. 2.13 This reason killeth them for if it be for the Lords sake that we must be subject it argueth that God liketh it delighteth in it and this order is by his command and speciall ordinance Although Nabuchadnezzer King of Babylon were one of the most wicked and impious men of the earth yet let us heare how the Prophet Daniel speaketh to him in the second Chapter of his Prophesies O King thou art the King of Kings for the God of heaven hath given thee a Kingdome power strength and glory But I would have these disturbers of the publique tranquillity these Adders swelled and suffocated with the venome of sedition and disorder tell me whether Moses the first Prince and Lawgiver of Israel the names change not the things for he was their King and Monarch since hee ruled them with an absolute power depending onely from God whether I say he entered by force by craft or by art into the government of the people and if it was not God himselfe that spake to him out of the middest of the burning bush and commanded him to goe deliver his people from the hands of Pharaoh Exod. 3.2 If Saul thought to adorne his head with a Crowne when hee sought about the fields the Asses of Kis his father if he made suit to Samuel to anoint him King over all Israel If David when he fed his flocke meditated how hee might change his Shepheards crooke into a regall Scepter If Solomon his sonne the King of wise men and the wisest of Kings hath deceived or corrupted the people to enter by the windowes or back gate into the kingly Pallace But rather is it not God himselfe who by his sacred mouth commanded Samuel in the 9. Chapter of his booke as soone as he had seene Saul that went to enquire of him about his Fathers Asses at the same time God said unto him This is the man of whom I spake unto thee he shall rule over my people And in the 16. Chapter of the same booke God commaunded him to goe to Bethlehem to anoint David whom hee chose among all his brethren the Lord saying unto him Arise and anoint him for this is he In the same booke God promiseth Davia to confirme his sonne upon his Throne And in the 1. of Kings Chap. 3. God appeared to Salomon in a dreame in Gabaon presently after his Coronation and said unto him Aske what then wilt that I give thee A sufficient testimonie that God was well pleased with his ascending to the Royall throne and Salomon asking of him onely wisedome to governe his people God said Because thou hast not asked of mee riches glory nor power I will give thee what thou askest me and other things besides Wee reade 2. Kings Chapter 9. that Heliseus sendeth one of the children of the Prophets to Iehu one of Ahabs Captaines to anoint him from the Lord King over Israel And Psal 75.7 To come to preferment is neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South but God is the Iudge he it is that humbleth and exalteth And Psalm 113.7 The Lord raiseth the needie out of the dust and lifteth up the poore out of the dung that hee may set him with the Princes even with the Princes of his people Wee might alledge many other examples and proofes out of Scripture but these are sufficient to proove our assertion It is an erronious and damnable opinion to hold that Kings come to the Crowne by fraud force or succession without the Divine providence and sacred decree for one haire of our head falleth not Luk. 12.74 without the providence of God much more a thing of so great a consequence as the establishing of a King over the Provinces of a Kingdome and over so many millions of men that are bound to sweare obedience to him I say not onely that his comming to the Crowne is ordered by Gods generall providence but moreover that it is his speciall intention and designe that made him ascend the Throne Let vs hearken to the wisedome of GOD Prov. Chapter 8. c. after wee shall see if it be fraud force or succession which are the causes and wayes by the which they ascend unto that dignity By me saith Christ true God coessentiall with his Father under the name of that wisedome Kings raigne and Princes decree justice By me Princes rule and the Nobles and all the Iudges of the earth The Prophet Isaiah speaketh very pertinently and manifestly upon this subject Chap. 45.1 Thus saith the Lord unto Cyrus his anointed whose right hand I have holden to subdue nations before him therefore will I weaken the loynes of Kings and shut I will goe before thee and make the crooked wayes streight I will breake the brasen doores and burst the iron barres I girded thee though thou hast not knowne me The Prophet Ieremiah Chap. 27. speaketh so openly that hee alone is sufficient to stop those prophane and seditious mouthes Thus saith the Lord of Hostes I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babel my servant and all nations shall serue him and his sonne and his sonnes sonne and the nation and Kingdome which will not serue the same Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel and that put not their necke under the yoake
the glorious throne of his beloved Sonne and the tabernacle which the holy Ghost hath chosen for his habitation where is then that heart of stone that soule so base and obstinately resolved to bee lost that knowing the happy and most honourable arrivall of the great King of Kings of the three divine persons of the ineffable and incomprehensible Trinity and trine-unity doth not sweepe and cleanse the house of his heart and doth not purifie it from all dirt and filthinesse who I say will not adorne it with the richest treasures and with the rich ornaments that holinesse justice and innocencie abundantly affords purposely to receive with honour and reverence so magnificent a King who promiseth us to come unto us when hee saith in the 14. Chap. of Saint Iohn If a man love me he will keepe my words and my Father will love him and we will come in unto him and make our abode with him Our good Master Jesus Christ the Saviour of our soules teacheth us in the 22. Chap. of Sai t Mathew how much and how dearely purenesse is acceptaâ—le before him saying That the Kingdome of heaven is like a certaine King which made a marriage for his sonne and having invited many the banquetting roome was filled and the King himselfe being come in to see the guests hee there sawe a man which had not a wedding garment and said unto him Friend how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment And hee was speechlesse Then said the King to the servants bind him hand and foote and cast him into utter darknesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth for many are called but fewe are chosen Can we desire a more lively representation or an example more formall to shew us that God delighteth in the sincerity and purenesse of our soules and contrariwise that he abhorreth and detesteth the filthinesse of sinne the inke and coales of iniquiry which blacks and defiles our consciences for it is impossible ever to tast of the dainty and delicious Viands served at the Lambs wedding at the sumptuous and magnificent feast of the onely Sonne of the great King of Kings before we have left off our working dayes cloathes the infected and stinking coate or our naturall corruption to put on the white roabe of holinesse purity and amendment of life and to use the very words of Scripture Colos 3. Wee must cast off the old man with his deedes and put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him And Ephes 4. concerning the former conversation Cast off the old man which is corrupted according to the deceitfull lusts of his heart and be renewed in the spirit of your minde and put on the new man which like unto God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse And in Rom. 6.6 Our old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth wee should serue sinne no more but walke before him in renovation and newnesse of life The clearest waters are alwayes the best and therefore commonly see that the excellentest springs are derived from the rockes and fetch'd from the highest hills because that the water distilling through many narrow passages and strait places the farther it goes the more it is purified the most subtill and clearest springs seeke the highest places as approaching nearer to the nature of the ayre whose nature and propriety is still to ascend And contrariwise you may observe and marke that the thick and heavie waters are alwayes filthy and stinking and are conserved in pitts and deepe sinkes as participating of the nature of the earth and therefore are fit for nothing but to breed serpents and Frogges whereof some kill us by their mortall venome and the other trouble us with their unsufferable croaking These cleare and pure waters doe lively prefigure and set forth unto us the faithfull servant of the Lord who hath purified and as it were distilled himselfe at the fire of the love of God thereby to leave off what was earthly ponderous and troublesome in him as hatred ambition sensuality and vaine glory purposely to soare aloft and to elevate himselfe to the holy mountaine of Syon towards heaven which is the center whither the circumference of his desires designes and thoughts tendeth These black and muddy waters may expresse and set forth hell unto us where there is nothing but horrible darknesse and fearefull obscurity where that old serpent is iustly banished for his deserts and where the damned gastly and frightfull soules doe nothing else but vexe themselves and curse But to apply it to the subject of our text these stinking and corrupted waters may very fitly be compared to the wicked and to the men of this world who have Woolfes or Lyons hearts under the shape and forme of men who wallowe like Hogges in the mire and dirt of carnall security who runne not after pietie and vertue but remaine fast chained and bound to sensualitie and vice casting all their affections on the earth whereof their body is made and composed never ayming nor levelling their thoughts at heaven whence their soule had their originall True serpents in malice hatred and envie that with mortall venome infect the Lillies and Roses of the best consciences Frogges in prating and slandering that never open their mouthes but to utter unsufferable blasphemies oathes lyes and detractions Take yet this farther conceit upon the purity of the heart to wit that as the eyes ore-vayled with clowds or with cataracts and webbs cannot clearely discerne the objects or colours which are exposed before them because their faculty is prevented and hindered by the interposition of these obstacles which are placed betweene the object and the sight whereas contrariwise good sound and well disposed eyes as are these of Eagles who though soaring in the highest clowds doe neverthelesse see very plainely in the thickest bushes in the remotest furrowes of the farre distant fields and which is most admirable is that her sight is so strong and powerfull that contrary to the nature and practise of other living creatures she can steddily behold and contemplate the Sunne without winking at all yea when shee is nearest him and standing on the highest branch of a tree planted on the top of the loftiest mountaine Now to appropriate this to our matter wee say That hee whose heart is incombred with the things of this world whose soule is ore-vayled with ambition with the clowds of vanity and vaine glory whose conscience is obscured and darkned with hatred envie and malice can never contemplate God nor see his face which is all the consolation all the joy and in a word the true center of our happinesse the fulnesse of all our felicity and the greatest delights which the faithfull can wish or desire But those that shall be carefull and diligent to keepe their soules pure and cleane from the filthinesse of sinne those like Eagles indeede alwaves soaring
us light this torch of truth that all that suffer themselues to be carried away by wrath that gape after revenge and hatred are uncleane before God and unworthy to be offered to him in sacrifice If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee Leave there thy gift before the Altar and goe thy way be reconciled to thy brother saith our Saviour Math. 5.23 And the royall Prophet sayes Bloodie men are abomination to the Lord Psal 5.7 Hitherto wee have seene the horrour and mischiefes of warre with some of the fruits she commonly beareth to wit cruelty eldest daughter of this terrible monster now let us contemplate a while the picture of peace her contrary and let us tast with delectation the sweetnesse and excellencie of the inestimable fruites which she beareth propagates in the hearts of peacemakers which are so great that St. August saith Tantum est pacis bonū ut in rebus terrenis nihil gratius soleat audiri nihil desiderabilius concupisci nihil postremo possit melius inveniri Peace is so great a good upon the earth that no pleasanter thing can be heard nothing more delightfull desired and nothing better found Saint Bernard in the 9. Serm. on the Lords Supper speaketh thus of it The peace of this world is in the which whilest we dwell we vanquish our enemies wee love one another and judge not of those things that are hidden from us that peace which shall bee in the world to come shall be when wee shall raigne without enemies where one shall not be of contrary aduice to the other in a word where all things shall bee knowne and open to every one and endeth thus Iesus Christ is this true peace because hee hath reconciled us to God his Father by the inestimable price of his blood Saint Augustine in the Sermon of the word of the Lord speaketh thus of it Pax est serenitas mentis tranquillitas animi simplicitas cordis vinculum amoris consortium charitatis haec est quae simultates tollit bella compescit iras comprimit superbos calcat humiles amat discordes cedat inimicos concordat cunctis est placida nescit extolli nescit inflari hanc qui acceperit teneat qui perdiderit repetat qui amiserit exquirat quoniam qui in eadem non erit inventus a patre abdicatur a Filio exhaeredatur à Spiritu Sancto alienus efficitus nec ad haereditatem Domini poterit venire qui testimonium pacis noluerit observare These be golden words deserving well to be knowne and to be exactly obserued Peace saith hee is a calmenesse of the understanding a tranquillity of the minde a simplicity of the heart the bond of peace the practise of charity it is peace that taketh away quarels endeth warres appeaseth wrath treadeth the proud under foote loves the humble paci fieth the quarel some agreeth the enemies which is gracious to all which is not high minded nor proud which whosoever hath received let him conserue it who so hath lost it let him seeke and recover it for hee that shall not be found in it is disclaimed by the Father disinherited by the Sonne alienated from the Holy Ghost nor shall hee ever attaine to the Lords inheritance that would not obserue the bonds and testimonie of peace Now we haue heard these two pillars of the Church of God let us hearken to himselfe speaking by the mouth of his chosen vessell Coloss 3.15 Let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye are called in one body and be ye thankfull And Philip. 4.7 The peace of God which passeth all understanding keepe your hearts and mindes through Iesus Christ And that which should most bind us to love this Peace is the soring or head fountaine from whence it floweth for as the warre of sinne proceedeth from the wicked one so the peace of our consciences commeth from the Father of eternity from the King of mercy as wee read 1. Thessal 5.23 The very God of peace sanctifie you wholly This peace of conscience is a marke and an effect of our iustification by faith as wee reade Rom. 5.1 Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ All these place should induced and incite us to the practise of peace since the recompence promised to it is so excellent In a word let us shut the gate of peace with that saying of Xenophon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peace is the greatest good can happen to men and warre the greatest hurt Blessed are the peacemakers for the shall be called the children of God This word peacemaker is diversly interpreted by Authors for some hold that those are they which live justly and who by their actions never provoke the divine Iustice Others as August hold that those are meant which possesse a very peaceable conscience that is that are not agitated by the troubles of sinne Others beleeve that those are they that are not Authors of quarrels and dissentions Others understand it of those that forgive freely the injuries and wrongs done unto them as Hilarius The last and most likely to be the best opinion of the which number are Chrisostome Euthymius and Theophylacte is that the true peace-makers makers are those that are themselues and in themselues peaceable and pacified and that besides that try their uttermost endevours and power to compound differences and to introduce peace where dissention disorder raigne And this interpretation commeth nearer to the Greeke word of our Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quasi pacem facientes aut conciliantes Those that compound quarrels and this interpretation is also very convenient to the charge and duty which was enjoyned the Apostles to who Iesus Christ spake these words who were to keepe maximes altogether contrary to those which the word practiseth who doth esteeme farre more those that fight valiantly and that continue obstinately in combat then those that make peace and pacifie all things now this maxime was to be practised by the Apostles as being to fight and overcome the world not by force of Armes but by gentlenesse and mildnesse as we read Saint Luke 10. chap. ver 5. Into whatsoever house ye enter first say Peace be to this house Besides the Apostles were to imitate the Prince of the Apostles Iesus Christ the true and perfect representation of meekenesse humility and mildnesse as we may understand and know if we runne over all the actions of his life untill his ascension up to heaven now this meekenesse proceeded from him both by inclination for he was the Lamb of God and by imitation for he was like his Father that is not a God of confusion but a God of peace as the Apostle saith in the 1. to the Cor. 14.33 And Rom. 16.20 The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feete shortly And 2. Cor. 11. Brethren live in peace and the God of love
is as it were Iacobs Ladder whereby the Angels of divine consolations descend upon us on earth and our holy prayers and religious thoughts and meditations ascend unto Heaven This Ladder hath three principall steps As the feare of the Lord makes us ascend unto Iesus Christ which is our wisedome for through and by God he hath made us wisedome 1. Cor. 1.30 Iesus Christ leades us to God his Father and God receives and lodgeth us in Heaven and therefore we first feare him if ever we hope or thinke to enter into his favour This feare of God is the head spring and fountaine from whence wee draw and exhaust the sacred mysteries of our salvation and David tells us in formall and expresse termes That the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome Psal 111.10 Thereby to teach us that all this knowledge and learning whereof men vaunt and glory is nothing else but pure folly if it derive not his Origen or beginning from the feare of the Lord. This feare is here taken for the principle of wisedome and Iesus Christ himselfe in many places of Scripture hath assumed and taken the title of Wisedome because he is the wisdome of the Father as wee reade in the former alledged Chapter of 1. Cor. 1.30 But in the book of Genes Chap. 31.42 He himselfe is by Moses called the feare of Isaac Except the God of my Father the God of Abraham and the feare of Isaac had beene with me thou hadst sent me away empty But here the best Interpreters by this feare of Isaac doe understand the second person of the Trinity Iesus Christ our Saviour who had not yet assumed and cloathed our humane nature and of whom Isaac was the true type and figure It is an excellent question of Saint Augustine in his Citie of God that is If this filiall feare after the death of the faithfull Children of the Lord remaine with them in Heaven yea or no Those who maintaine the contrary fortifie themselues from the Apostle Saint Iohn Chap. 4. ver 18. There is no feare in love but perfect love casteth out feare because feare hath torment and hee that feareth is not made perfect in love from whence they argue Where there is perfect Love there is no feare But among the Saints in Heaven there is perfect Love Therefore among the Saints in Heaven there is no feare And from the same place and passage of Saint Iohn they derive and draw another Argument thus All feare is accompanied with torment But in Heaven there is no torment Therefore in Heaven there is no feare They say moreover That this feare should then deprive them of their rest and repose and consequently that they could not enjoy a perfect felicity whiles they were troubled and tormented with any apprehension or feare Others answere That the Apostle Saint Iohn understands not to speake there of a chast and filiall but of a servile feare and to fortifie and support their opinion they alledge the Psal 19.9 The feare of the Lord is cleane enduring for ever And Saint Augustine expounding this sort of feare saith Non enim est timor exterrens à malo quod accidere potest sed tenens in bono quod amitti non potest This kinde of feare makes us not apprehend any evill which can befall us but makes us so to keepe fast good that wee may not lose it And afterwards he againe addeth Timoris Casti nomine ea voluntas significata est quo nos necesse erit nolle Peceare non solicitudine necessitatis sed tranquillitate charitatis He sayes that by this name of chast feare is signified the will whereby it is necessary that we will not sinne not for the care of necessity but for the tranquillity of Charity Hee then concludes that indeed Servile feare cannot enter into Heaven but onely the filiall and yet notwithstanding it must be after it hath lost the effects which it produceth in this present life to wit this naturall apprehension whereby shee feares that the soule falls from the State of Grace No no this feare in Heaven shall be but a perfect reverence honour and piety and a full and absolute devotion which wee shall beare to the service of GOD whereby every one seeing the divine Majestie shall profoundly and perfectly study to serue and honour him in all reverence And for this cause it is why the 70. Interpreters have turned Timorem Dei the feare of God into this Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit Dei pietatem the piety which we beare to God and so it remaines true which the Prophet David had said long before The feare of the Lord is cleane enduring for ever In this Elementary world the feare of God is the most assured way to goe to celestiall Hierusalem Those who have not beene to a place if they foolishly rashly runne athwart fields they then runne a great hazard to goe astray and to lose themselues among woods or bryars or peradventure to fall into the hands of cruell and mercilesse theeves So those who will ascend to the top of the holy Mountaine of sacred Sion If they are not curbed and retained by the golden bridle of the feare of God If without wisedome or judgement they runne over craggie rockes full of thornes and bryars for such are the wayes to Sion Heaven without doubt they will fall into the errour of precipices or else they will serve for prey or fewell to eternall flames The feare of God is the pledge and seale of his love and favour the which hee placeth and planteth in the midst of our hearts when he will call us to him and conserue us to his service For he hath united and tyed us to him with the linkes and chaynes of his love in his owne house Hee for ever makes us his domesticall servants yea his heires and adoptive children and in this quality hee makes vs to enter into the inheritance of eternall life above in Heaven with Iesus Christ his only welbeloved Sonne who is our eldest Brother Neither are they phantastick imaginations or light presumptions which must make us beleeve these things for it is God himselfe which hath pronounced them by his Prophet Ieremy Chap. 22.39.40 I will give them one heart and one way that they may feare me for ever and I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from me The feare of the Lord takes place among the rarest presents and richest Iewels which the Holy Ghost discovereth to his Elect and it is the entry to the greatest which is wisedome it selfe for as Salomon saith truth The beginning of wisedome is the feare of God For when the Holy Ghost will operate in the heart of any man hee then stampes and markes him with his seale which is the feare of God and then conducts
of the King of Babel the same nation will I visite saith the Lord with the sword and with the famine and with the pestilence therefore heare not your Prophets nor your Southsayers nor your dreamers nor your inchanters nor your Sorcerers which say unto you thus Ye shall not serue the King of Babel for they prophesie a lye unto you to cause you to goe farre from your land and that I should cast you out and you should perish but the nation that put their necks under the yoake of the King of Babel an serue him those will I let remaine still in their owne land saith the Lord and they shall occupie it and dwell therein Words worthy of a great and profound consideration and which totally desides and cuts off that question which we now have in hand for it is God himselfe that speaketh to his people that strictly chargeth them to obey the King of Babylon into whose hands he had delivered them and although hee was an Idolatrous and unfaithfull King yet they will obey him on paine of his curse and malediction what judgements what punishments should we much more cause to fall upon us if the least thought of rebellion or disobedience to the Lords anointed should enter into our mindes if we were not perfectly obedient to Kings who are good faithfull and zealous to further the glory of God if our hearts and our mouthes be not alwayes filled with prayers and vowes dedicated to their service But to the end that imitating Hercules wee may clense sweepe cleane this Augean stable wee will answere to that objection propounded touching Nimrod who hath been the first King of the earth who say they hath attained to the crowne by force and by violence words which we finde not in the Scripture but contrarily we read Genes 10.8 that Cush begat Nimrod who began to be mighty in the earth hee was a mighty Hunter before the Lord. These words will never oblige us to conclude that hee hath raised himselfe violently but wee may more truely expound the wordes Hee was mighty before the Lord that is he was lifted up to greatnesse by the most High hee walked in his wayes and followed his ordinances and when Moses saith that he began to be mighty in the earth he meaneth that hee was more feared then his predecessours who were also Kings Priests and soveraigne Princes of their families For after the generall deluge which overflowed the whole earth men lived commonly five or sixe hundred yeares and so one of his posterity might see aboue a hundred thousand persons over whom he was Prince and soveraigne Monarch because there was then no other forme of government in the earth so we reade Genes 23. Chap. that the Hittites of whom Abraham asked a Sepulchre to bury Sara these I say called him a Prince of God or a most excellent Prince which hee clearely manifested at the overthrow of the five Kings which had beaten the King of Sodome had pillaged the Towne and carried away his Nephew Lot prisoner for at the rumour of these sorrowfull newes hearmed three hundred and eighteene of his servants borne in his house and yet had no children Gen. 14. It is then in vaine to alledge that violence craft and hereditary succession are the onely meanes to attaine to Crowes for although some attaine to it by humane meanes and sometimes by dangerous wayes as Absalom who caused himselfe to be anointed King by expelling his Father as Abimelech by the death of 70 of his brethren upon the same stone yet for all these wayes to come to raigne are never brought to passe without a manifest fore-sight and providence of God permitting it sometimes to punish those peoples and sometimes for a punishment to the Kings that raigne over them yet whatsoever they be God commandeth us to obey and perfectly to honour them now cursed cursed be he that shall resist the will of God and that shall not obey his commaundements After we haue heard both Scripture and reason manifestly evincing the truth Let us now heare Saint Augustines opinion in this matter in his booke De civit Dei The cause saith he of the greatnesse of Empires is neither casuall nor fatall it commeth neither by chance nor by destinie By chance I understand saith he the things that happen we not being able to know the causes of them or that happen without any premeditated order of reason assisting their conception and birth By fatall things I understand as Pagans esteeme what happeneth without the will of God and men by the necessity of some particular order which opinion is greatly injurious to Gods divine providence but rather wee must certainely beleeve that Kingdomes are constituted and established simply and absolutely by the divine providence of God And in another place Let us not attribute the power of giving or disposing of an Empire but onely to the true God that giveth eternall happinesse in heaven to his children onely but for earthly Kingdomes he giveth them to good and bad as it seemeth good to him as it pleaseth him who is delighted in no unjust thing therefore this true and onely God that alwayes provideth mankinde both with ayde and counsell when he would and as long as he pleased hath given the governement and Empire to the people of Rome hee is the giver of all felicity that giveth earthly Kingdomes to whom hee pleaseth and yet alwayes with justice and reason though the meanes seeme to us oftentimes manifestly contrary to both I thinke we have employed too much time and too many good weapons to fight against this horrible monster and monstrous Hydra and therefore the shortest and surest way is to follow the example of that valiant Hercules and so to cut off this monster for hee that will not heare the Scripture so manifestly shewing unto us our duty to our Kings that so expresly commandeth us to yeeld unto them all obedience hee that stoppeth his eares to those sweet and most gracious invitations of reason and naturall inclination to honour and serue him whom the bounty and will of GOD hath established over us He who watcheth in labour to make us sleepe in rest Hee who sits on the throne to doe us right that to ease us beareth the burthen of all our affaires and in a word Hee whose minde is alwayes in trouble and anxiety to preserve the quietnesse of his people and to keepe off the invasion and tyrannie of Strangers those Subjects I say are worthy of all the misfortunes disasters and calamities which can happen through the privation of so good things But wee who by the grace of GOD are brought up in his Schoole that together with our mothers milke have sucked the honour service and obedience which wee owe to our Kings and Princes Let us not suffer those wicked and dangerous plagues to infect the purity of our hearts and let not the whitenesse of our soules be spotted and defiled by so blacke and