both of S. Chrysostome and S. Ambrose to move every Christian to an annuall celebration of that day by Holy meditations of this promise of God by fervent prayers to God and Charity towards men which moved the late great Cardinall Borromaeus a man eminent in his way of Devotion in the last Council at Millane to injoyn all his Clergie in that province of which he was Arch-Bishop to move the people under their charge to the holy celebration of the day of their Baptizing But if a love of God will not move us let the feare of God move us the Originall of this Institution presenting unto us our own unworthinesse baptisme being not a new thing before the time of our Saviour though by him amplifyed and advanced by a new Institution It was a custome before his comming among the Jews when any of the Gentiles were converted to the Jewish worship to baptize them so to expresse a purifying of them from Idolatry as their great Master Ben-Maimon teaches But when the holy Baptist came he called to the like purifying the Iews themselves implying them to be as foule in God's sight as the very Gentiles and therefore to have need of a like yet a better purifying Such is the happy receivers baptisme into Christ whereby though he finds not Miracle he shall find Wounder it being to such an Illumination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greek Fathers call it And speakes not the Apostle so Heb. 10.32 remember the former days in which after you were Illuminated ye indured a great fight of Afflictions whence S. Cyrill of Jerusalem calls his Instructions of Baptisme Catechismes of Illumination And as it is to such a purifying of the understanding so is it also a purifying of the Affections it is a cleansing without the mockery of a Pilate or the Hypocrisie of a Pharisie To such it is a Grace that bestows upon the soule a supernaturall being which is the beginning of spiritual operations and in its time truely powerfull To such it is Seale which he that sets upon the soule will own it is a Mystery which the soule more injoys than understands To such the calling unto Baptisme is a high calling a Spirituall Glory it is like the face of Moses when God had shined on him a brightnesse from a brightnesse To such it is also spirituall fruitfullnesse figur'd out at the Creation when the Spirit of God sate upon the waters to make them fruitfull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word he sate as the Henne upon the egge which she does warme with a lively heate This was the type of baptisme God's Spirit bestowing a warmth of Grace a regeneration of water and the Spirit And since that such doe put on Christ grant O Lord that blessing to thine own Ordinance that we may never defile our Christian Roabe but at last through thy Mercy through thy bounty we may be cloath'd with those white robes of Glory and Immortality which thou hast prepared in Heaven for such as shall keep their covenant with Thee here on Earth To which our God that has bestowed Baptisme upon us the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost in whose name it was bestow'd be ascribed all Holinesse Thanks for evermore FINIS OF The Bread of Life A SERMON BY BARTEN HOLYDAY Doctor of Divinity OXFORD Printed by Leonard Lichfield 1657. Iohn 6.34 Lord evermore give us this Bread THE Lord as he is al-sufficient so is it He only that is al-sufficient yet has he made each creature and consequently man with a sufficiency but joyn'd with want the one being an act of his Bounty in the nature of the creature the other an act of his wisedome in the preservation of that nature For such want in man declares his perpetuall dependance upon God and such dependance makes him have perpetuall recourse to God For man then to aske of God is Naturall as it is most naturall to aske those things which most preserve nature Since then that God has given man Life Yet not without a conditionall necessity of Food it is as naturall to desire Food as to desire Life And since the desire of life is naturally perpetuall Man naturally would have both perpetuall life and perpetuall food Which food though it be always in the desire of Nature is never in the power of it all food of the Body which Nature knowes being as mortall as the Body Philosophy therefore never distinguished Men from Beasts by the appetite and nature of Food it being to the Philosopher beyond all Paradox to hold that a man may become immortall by Eating nay that he should be made more immortall by Food than by Fame No marvaile then is it here if the People as naturall men marvaile at our Saviour They could have said that Adam by Eating dyed but he only could say that man by Eating might Live for ever Yet this is the wonder which he tells them whiles he tells them of a Bread more wonderfull than the Manna which their fathers did eate That bread was the worke of God This bread was God This bread made that bread He that eate that bread Dyed he that eates This is made as immortall as the Author the Wonder At which news they call him Lord nor are asham'd to become beggars They saw it impossible that this bread should be sold since none that could provide it could have need to sell it nor if it could be bought could any be Equall to the price In this Marvaile we may see there marveiles the Giver the Lord the Guift in the Substance and the Excellency This Bread the Desire and the extent of the Desire Give us evermore of which the patron si the preface Lord. A strange request it may seem to beg a man of himselfe to make a patrone his own guift This implies that since our nature has been corrupted our naturall love of our selves is an unreasonable love of our selves when as for our own benefit we can be content that another we may say should be lost for us Our Saviour had said he was the bread of Life and yet of him they beg this bread that is Himselfe It was a bold request and yet a wise one They perceiv'd a wounder in it and they venter therefore to beg of Him that was able as they believe to performe a wonder He had indeed a little before performed a wonder a wonder in bread feeding five thousand with five loaves Manna was a wonderfull bread but every person had an Omer full when as here was but a loafe unto a thousand Then the miracle was prepared to their hands but now the miracle was performed in their hands nay in their mouthes then they were fed after the performance of a miracle but now they were fed with it They had before seen Corne grow but not till now beheld Bread grow This imbolden'd them to aske This bread of the Lord. And well might they orie Lord give us this bread for whom
sinne in our selves For thus says he we shall by degrees ascend unto heaven as by Iacob's ladder not by visible steps but by the secret increase of vertues Let us still remember the noble examples proposed in Scripture If lust tempts thee call to mind the holy Ioseph and if it sets furiously upon thee breake violently from it and cry out unto thy selfe soul remember Ioseph and if againe it returnes cry out againe soule remember Ioseph and he was proposed to be remembred If thou art tempted to distrust in God being ready to be swallowed up by thy enemies and despaire remember David and if feare does yet assaile thee cry confidently unto thy selfe soule remember David Let us take Cassianus his advice let us first fight couragiously against our greatest sinnes and the rest will be over come with an easy victory Let us take also that excellent counsaile of S. Basil let us compare the present day with the former day so to understand exactly our own proficiency As the merchant uses his bookes of account saies S. Chrysostome Let us consider what speech we have spent upon disgraces of other men what upon foolish jests what upon uncleanesse how we have imployed our hands our feet our eyes And let us know it is as absurd to think our soules can be kept clean without such searching as to think our garments cab be kept cleane without brushing our houses without sweeping our gardens without dressing◠or to expect comlinesse and order in a City without the eye of a Magistrate to discrie offenders yet for all our searching we must not think we shall be free from all sinne we cannot kill it but we must suppresse it Whether thou wilt or no the Jebusite will dwell within thy borders Iudg. 1.21 conquered he may be cast out he cannot be Wherefore let every one examine himselfe and then think he has profited says S. Bernard not when he finds nothing which may be reprehended but when he reprehends somewhat which he finds Then hast thou search'd thy selfe not in vaine when thou findest that againe thou hast need of Searching And if thou dost it always when thou hast need thou dost it always But this examination must be serious it must be solemne we must goe into the presence of God with all Humiliation examining our selves in his presence by his Commandements which will shew unto us all the kinds of our sinnes as our memory must recall unto us the greatest acts of our sins And then no doubt but our examination will break forth into Confession and we shall crie out with the Leaper Vnclean Vnclean Levit. 13.45 Then let us immitate the good Hezekiah 2 Kin. 19.14 So let us acknowledge before him all our sins beseech him as our mercifull Physitian to deliver us from them Then will this mournfull confession not goe alone It will be attended with a Resolution to forsake even our most dearly beloved sinnes it will make us pray against our own heart against our naturall heart but not against our regenerate heart It will make us pray more against the uncleannesse of our sinne then the punishment which is the true marke of true repentance Lastly this Resolution will at last proceed unto Execution and will make us punish our selves with holy Exercises which are punishments to a sinner as they are delights to a repentant sinner It will make us resigne up all our Affections unto God that we may be a living and acceptable sacrifice unto him Now because man has but three things to offer unto God his Soule his Body and his Goods this will make him offer up his Soule by Prayer his Body by Fasting and his Goods by Almes And since our Offering must be free from all uncleanesse which is our sinne this will make us put away all our sinnes which being principally reduced unto three by S. Iohn 1 Ep. 2.16 unto the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of life that is unto Lust Covetuousnesse and Pride we shall put away these three by the three foresaid vertues we shall put away lust by Fasting Covetuousnesse by Almes and Pride by Prayer by the humility of prayer And when by prayer we shall have obtained Perseverance in Prayer in Almes in Fasting then may we with truth to our own soules say we have judged our selves and with triumph to our own soules say we shall not be judged we shall not be judged This is the benefit of the judgement of Man but now behold if man's judgement prevent it not behold the horrour of the judgment of God And this we must also seriously behold it being a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God But if we would judge our selves we should not be judged we should not be judg'd The Iudgements of God are by the Apostle distinguished into chastizements and the Condemnation with the world with that World the world of the perseveringly unrepentant for which our Saviour prayes not Chastizements may be inflicted were inflicted even in the Apostle's time on some loose Christians which by an impure accesse to the Lord's Table not discerning the Lod's Body were sometimes punished with disease and sometimes with death Yet even in those chastizements in those judgements there might be secret mercy and even in death not the despaire of a future life punishment here being usually inflicted that we may judge our selves and escape punishment And if we judge our selves though here we may suffer the judgment of Correction we shall be sure to escape the horrour of the last judgmēt the judgment of Confusion which God has made so dreadfull that by the feare of Hell he might bring us to the feare of God by the Feare of God he might bring us to the Love of God and that lastly by Hell he might bring us to Heaven That therefore we may be mindfull to judge our selves we must be mindfull of God's Last judgment in which is wonder enough for the most prophane and for the most Curious A judgment which does exceed all Persecutions Warre Pestilence Earthquake Famine not only by Horrour but by Eternity And if we consider it we shall find it Dreadfull in all respects dreadfull for the Secrecy for the Suddenesse for the Preparation for the Session itselfe for the Execution Dreadfull for the Secrecy which is so wonderfull that the day and houre of that judgment is not knowne to Christ himselfe who shall be Judge in that day It is not knowne to the Sonne of man Some goe yet higher It is not knowne unto the Sonne of God It is not knowne unto him as he is God the Sonne that is according to his owne personality but only according to his Nature by which the Father and the Sonne are one S. Austin speakes more breifly Pater scit ideo hoc dixit quia in patre filius scit Thus only by his divine nature our Saviour knows it in his humane nature It is the
are not afraid to approach to the throne of the judge of heavē earth with powerfull tears which overcome him that is almighty which power vouchsafe O Lord most powerfull to shew in the weaknesse of our tears that by thy mercy their weaknesse may thus overcome thy power Change our heads into waters that they may be clean change our eies into a fountain a fountain of tears so pure that thou mayst see thine own image in them that so thou mayst delight in them that we may for ever delight in thee delight with thee To whom O Father of mercies with thy dear Sonne our Saviour and thy Holy Spirit our Comforter in all our sorrows be ascrib'd all thanks for thy Power and Mercy for evermore FINIS OF The Christian's Strife A SERMON BY BARTEN HOLYDAY Doctor of Divinity OXFORD Printed by Leonard Lichfield 1657. 1 Corinth 9. 25. Every man that strives for the Mastery is temperate in all things Now they doe it to obtain a corruptible crown but we an incorruptible MAN since his fall is much like the Devill before his fall he has a great desire unto mastery in which desire he does but confesse his fall by which he has chang'd that mastery it selfe which he had only into a desire of the mastery which he had He had by creation a mastery over all the creaturs of this inferiour world but by his fall he fell not only from the mastery of them but also of himself and is now become aslave to his own desires to the distraction of his desires his way and his eie never being together His way is still downward still farther from that perfection from which he fell but his eie is still upwards towards that perfection from which he fell But as his nature is corrupt so is his desire a desire of mastery not because it is a perfection but because it is a Glory and therfore he does more truly desire the crown then the strife Yet this desire in man though but like a vertue yet because like a vertue finds opposition in man and is kept down by greater vice And therfore though divers have an appetite to the mastery in divers things yet if their feare or sloth be greater then their desire their desire yeilds to their fear or sloth But this naturall desire when most able being not able to aime at the true mastery diverting to meaner objects corrupts it self into inferiour and triviall appetites and insteed of seeking for mastery in the true perfections of the mind it either descends to strive for the mastery in the vanities of the mind or for the vain mastery in the abilities of the body Which trifling desires brake forth into the actions of those naturall men the Ancient Heathen especially the Greeks and not only in their businesse but also in their games Wherby they did prove indeed that labour is a part of man's curse which they increas'd whiles to their labour they added vanity For wheras it is one releefe against the punishment of labour that man may propose to himself an end which shall abundantly recompence his labour they were as Vain in the choise of their End as they were unhappy in their labour Which vanity our Apostle perceiving in them takes occasion to teach Christian wisdome from their Heathenish folly by rectifying both their labour and their purpose and that we might the better understand his instruction he drawes it from the nature of their practises Amongst the Corinthians were celebrated the Isthmian Games in which after a great deale of preparation they took a great deale of toile and all for a crown as corruptible as their bodyes he teaches them therefore by a wise emulation how to Imitate that Labour and Correct it He does not forbid them still to continue their preparation he does not forbid thē still to continue their strife but he changes the kind of them whiles he changes the reward of them and proposes a crown which they might obtaine as much exceeding the crown which they proposed to obtaine as Heaven and eternitie exceed earth and time That therfore we may understand this instruction of our Apostle we may first consider the strife it selfe the strife for the Masterie then the Preparation for the good performance of that strife A Temparance in all things And lastly the End and purpose of that strife a Crown for them Corruptible but for us Incorruptible Behold then first the Strife The Grecians a people of rare naturall excellency and Vanity were so transported with the appetite of Mastery that there was scarce any thing done amongst them without great strife without great comparison or to draw a word from our Apostle in this place without great Agonie for so in effect he speaks whiles he saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may be rendred Every one that is in an agonie for the mastery which contentions sometimes were even in vile things as at this day amongst us as for the mastery in drinking or Eating most for there was amongst them their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Athenaeus tells us To which contentions amongst others the Apostle it seems did allude when excellently he said that Their glory was their shame But in this place he intends such bodily exercises as were rather Vaine then Vile their various exercises drawn from the severall respects unto the body as from the speed of it in Running as in the precedent verse he speakes of the Race or from the Strength of it as in wrestling as principally seemes to be intended in this verse But all was a strife nay we may call it a Fight for so our Interpreters render the same word 1 Tim. 6.12 Fight the good fight of Faith the word being there also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that you may more fully apprehend the wisedome of our Apostle in this comparison it will be necessary to take a view of the agreement of these two kinds of Combats of those outward contentions of the Heathen Grecians and the inward contentions of a Christian If you will view the Place of their strife you shall find the Race was performed in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a plot of ground containing in length an hundred twenty and five paces which just length was chosen because Hercules as their fable has it runne so farre at one breath And can any thing better expresse the place or length of our Christian life Our Strife against sinne as the Apostle calls it Hebr. 12.4 Is not our contention determin'd with the length of our life And is not life the life of the strongest usually determin'd within a hundred or sixcore yeares though some as stories tell us have out lived that number of yeares If you will likewise view that place in which their wrestling was performed which was their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Tertullian and S. Chrysostome call it you shall find that no man was admitted into it but he that
upon plentifull and flourishing Carmel they must be like the offerings that Jacob bid his sonnes carry down into Aegypt Gen. 43.11 they must be the best fruits the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being drawn from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sing with singular art and delight signifies such guifts as might seem fit to be praised by the most eloquent mouth and the most artificiall song Such must be the offering from our labour and then as the husbandman amongst the Israelites did for six yeares together Till the earth but the sev̄eth yeare rested eating that which grew of its own accord so whiles we are in this life we must be diligently imployed in our spirituall husbandry and when the seventh yeare the Sabbath yeare of Eternity shall come then shall we cease from our hard labour and be fed with such food as God will provide for us without our Labour O then let us labour so in our life of grace that here-after we may be at rest for ever in the life of Glory Which grant unto us O most mercifull Father thou that art the Great and True Husbandman for thy Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ his sake to whom with thy blessed Spirit three Persons and one God bee ascrib'd the Glory of Love and Providence in the conversion of thy Elect now and for evermore FINIS OF The Misery of Vncleanesse A SERMON BY BARTEN HOLYDAY Doctor of Divinity OXFORD Printed by Leonard Lichfield 1657. 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and Spirit THe works of God being the similitude of his Nature were in their Creation like his nature truly good and so truly good that it was impossible for thē in their creatiō to be bad Thus as God is pure so likewise for his proportion Man was pure and then was man the work only of God but having since fallen from that puritie though he be still the workmanship of God yet we may say he is also his owne work since he is become unhappily what God made him not unclean In which estate though he still retains such workmanship as expresses the power of God yet does it fail to expresse God's Holinesse But God whose love is more constant than man's vanitie is changeable willing to restore man unto a puritie graciously remembers man that man may remember himself as here by his Apostle he remembers the Corinthians It was the voice of God Be ye holy for I am holy For the execution of which command the Apostle heer teaches the Corinthians an easy yet a happy way to perfect righteousnesse by cleansing themselves from Filthinesse Which that they may doe seriously he shews them how they may doe it skilfully and that you likewise may be prompted to the Imitation you may be prompted to the knowledge First then you may see what is to bee remov'd Filthinesse All filthinesse the kinds wherof are according to the parts of man the filthinesse of the Flesh and of the Spirit not but that every sinne defiles the whole man but that the unclenesse of some sinnes more appeares in one part than in the other Some more notoriously defile the Flesh the Body as Intemperance and Incontinence the one being a preparative to the other the blind miserably leading the blind into the pit And these were the sinnes of the old Heathen amongst whom for their lesse knowledge though they were more excusable yet we may doubt they were scarce more frequent Some sinnes again more notoriously defile the Soul the Spirit either in a false worship of the false image of God and such is Idolatry or in a malicious worshippe of the Enemie of God and such is witchcraft and the like impudencies of Satan the one pretending an imitation of God the other hating an Imitation of him These likewise were the frequent though the great defilements of the Heathen and are they not a worse filthinesse whiles as frequent amongst the Christians And though some of these crimes seem very different yet Satan's art often linkes them into a chain though single they are large enough and powerfull enough to detain man captive the strength of whose reason being maisterd by the strength and subtilty of the wine leaves him to the sigh of the wise and the scoffe of the bad And since the filthinesse of vice ugly and usefull may by the wisdome of comparison move us to vertue we may cast an eie on such a concret sinner a drunkard in his drunkennesse which he does best if we might so speak expresse when he does worst expresse it that is most truly when most shamfully And indeed he does it usually with such broad folly that of all kind of sinners he especially saves his enemies the ready and easy labour to call him fool and it were some degree of happinesse if shame though without grace could keep him from this sinne But this sinne that makes him sottish makes him impudent and by the bold art of hell heartens him to deride all that deride him wherin he fares as does a madman to whom when the physitian offers the cure of his madnesse he is ready to object madnesse to the physitian But as the right physitian is as wise as skilfull to be more busied about the cause and degrees then about these effects of his patient's maladie that so he may apply necessarie physique so does the true physitian of the Soul not regard the perversnesse of the drunkard that resists cure but the necessitie of the cure and in despite of despite goes on in his mercifull duty crying-out with the royall Prophet Isaiah 5.11 Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink that continue untill night till the wine in-flame them till the wine pursue them but regard not the word of the Lord v. 12. Shall wee wish that They would heare this that will not intend to hear God they that prophane his Sabbaths but first themselves preferring the ridiculous lispings of their overmoistned associates before the articulate wisdome of God's word well may the Prophet crie woe unto them but they themselves shall hereafter crie woe unto themselves yet here also there is a woe to their estats povertie shall be their lot and which is the misery of their misery not by oppression but by folly a labouring man that is given to drunkennesse shall not be rich the wise man could say Eccles 19.1 If the labouring drunkard shall bee poor surely the lazie drunkard shall be a begger A woe there is here to their body also which they thinke they love a woe to their mind which they may know they abuse Who has woe sayes Salomon Prov. 23.29 Who has sorrow who has contentions who has babbling who has wounds without cause who has rednesse of eies They that tarry long at the wine they that goe to seek mixt-wine which at the last as Solomon sayes bites like a Serpent v. 32. Now the Serpent as Jacob
describes him Gen. 49.17 has one condition to bite the horse heeles so that his rider shall fall backward and does not wine bite and overturn the drunkard at the last you may see the filthinesse of this sinne in the base estate of Soul into which it casts one the drunkard as S. Chrysostome says being worse then a dog or an asse though one be filthy the other silly since neither companie nor custome can make them drink beyond the temperance of naturall thirst You may see the filthinesse of this sinne in S. Austins judgment who terms the drunkard a lake that brings forth nothing but frogges and filth Indeed even the creatures bred in such filth wee may esteem but a living filth nor are the actions of a drunkard worth the name of life And therfore did S. Ierome commend an Oratour for saying of a drunkard rais'd from sleep Nec dormire excitatus nec vigilare ebrius poterat that he could neither sleep being wak'd nor a wake being drunk therby as he say's reckoning him neither among the living nor the dead S. Basil compares him to the Gentiles Idols which as David sayes have eies and see not The wine we may grant they see but they will not see either the strength of That or the weaknesse of themselves You may see the filthinesse of this sinne in the expression of Seneca whose wise Rhetorique calls it madnesse and he wittily proves it since drunkennesse as he says Intends all sinne and discovers it Even righteous Noah by this was discover'd though happy he was because but once discover'd and more happy because he could be but once discover'd An Act of frailty we find a habit of it we find not Lot whom Sodom could not overcome wine overcame even to a repeated Incest nor had he any covering for his fault but his Ignorance an unhappy mantle wherwith his daughters cover'd him sham'd him Holofernes never drank so much at one time in all his life as in that night in which he lost his head but in which also he first lost his wit Iob's children were at a feast and too unhappily at the wine when the house fell on them Job did feare they might fall by sinne they did not fear that the house would fall by their sinne It was at his birth-day-feast a time of wine and headinesse that Herod promis'd to the dauncing damsell even halfe his kingdome but in an unlawfull performance of an unlawfull promise he gave her the head of the holy Baptist. Had he been at a cooler council than his cuppes he might happily have thought of an innocent aequivocation he promis'd her half his Kingdome she demands All and he gives her a value more than all the Blood of a Prophet But if wee looke upon lesse offenders yet great offenders may we not find some whom excesse in the wine does not satisfie without an excessive society in the excesse as if at the great reck'ning-day it were not enough to have no bodies sinnes to answer for but their own But such companions shall at last want neither wine nor company nay they shall be made drunk in the Prophets phrase by God himself he shall make them drunk with the wine of wormewood Lament 3.15 and as the royall Prophet speakes with the wine of aslonishment Psal 60.3 the wine of his wrath yea he shall make them suck-up the dregs of it the dregs of wine a plague more irksome even to the drunkard than the want of wine nay than sobriety where shall then be his riotings and false healths by which he destroy'd the true health of his bodie and made hast to the destruction of his Soul shall the strength of the wine be of strength to defend his sinne shall the health of his great Lord to whom his deep draught is devoted secure the health of his body or mind shall that be an acceptable quaffe to a Prince that is abominable unto God O the folly of men sayes the wisedome of S. Ambrose speaking of those that drank healths to the Emperours the folly of men that can think drunkennesse to be the sacrifice of Loyalty we may adde that there was indeed a Drink offering under the time of the Law but it was not the draught of the Sacrifice but the Present Even the Creator of the Vine stinted his own sacrifice from the Wine at a pint and a halfe a quarter of a Him Levit. 23.13 So little did the most wise God choose from his own plenty when as the outragious thirst of man is too often not satissied till oppress'd Soberly and truely spake S. Austin concerning the drinking of Healths if one should be threatned with death for not pledging better it were the body should dye sober than the soule be drunk nay that even he that in his intemperance should disgrace thy sobriety after his intemperance would admire it and such disgrace that holy Father accounts Martyrdome Memorable was the example being as well a glory as a patterne of S. Ambrose and S. Austin whose conscientious rigor shunn'd a feast as the danger of intemperance He mistakes wine that takes it not as Physique no more should we take than we must needs take But alas though men begin to eat and drink for Health they Commonly end in pleasure if not in riot shadowing the basenesse of pleasure with the pretence of Health till with delight they excuse themselves to death A holy age it was when the Family and the Cattell drank of the same sobriety yet thus did Jacob his children his cattell drink of the same well Iohn 4.12 But so absurd now sinne is become that who need it least drink most young men strong men adding as S. Ierome sayes oile to fire Indeed can they by art more contrive an outrage surely of more temperance have some heathen been els had not the Roman forbidden the use of wine to all that were not thirty years of age if Aelian be not a Poet. But greater examples have we of greater temperance in the true worshippers of the true God Famous were the Rechabites to whom their Father seem'd to give a ' leaventh commandement in a perpetuall abstinence from wine which with such joy they did observe that their Obedience was the wine Famous was Daniel in feare and temperance preferring water before Babylonian wine this was holy water which gave him complexion more cheirefull than the wine Famous was the Babtist who was not filled with the joy of the grape but of the Holy Ghost Aske of the Fathers of the Christian Church and S. Ierome will tell us that the contemplative men of Palestina would not though ill receive comfort from it we may think they thought it not Physique but Disease Aske S. Austin and he will tell us that the Clergie generally abstained from wine as if they had accounted it a Lay comfort Aske Eusebius he will tell us that S. Marke diswaded all the Alexandrian Christians from the use of it He
death after four dayes buriall In this change indeed of the body a dead creature was made a living creature but in the change of the Soul a dead creature is made like the everliving creator that was a temporary effect chiefly of power this an everlasting effect of infinite Mercy S. Cyprian's wisdome gives the reason of the difficulty to escape lust others sinnes sayes he seem harsh unto us but pleasure kils us whiles it flatters us Wherefore that we may Cleanse our selves from this filthinesse we must resist the first motion to it it being like a Serpent as S. Ierom sayes If the head enters the whole body follows We must resist the first motion Blessed is he that takes thy children O Babylon that is the first temptations of lust and dashes them against the stone that is Christ as the same father's judgment expounds it We must if a foul thought offers to defile us crie unto God to God our Saviour Iesu thou sonne of David have mercy on us Wee must crie-out to our own Soul in the words of the Prophet Psal 42.11 Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within mee hope thou in God for I shall yet prayse him who is the health of my countenance and my God And at last then we shall with the same Prophet Psal 116. 7. say also Return unto thy rest O my Soul for the Lord has dealt bountifully with thee vers 8. For thou hast deliver'd my Soul from death mine eies from tears and my feet from falling vers 9. I will walke before the Lord in the land of the living Thus must we resist this dangerous temptation although indeed it is so dangerous that we are not so properly said to resist it as to flie from it which flight is not cowardlinesse but victory So Ioseph fled and though his garment was caught his mind was not But if it comes to passe that we cannot flie then must we resist and by resisting though with danger yet because with danger we shall with glory put the temptation and the tempter to flight But in a lesse terrible way let us fly let us fly ill thoughts S. Ierome master'd them by study devotion He master'd the softnesse of lust by the rugged study of the Hebrew language as unpleasing to a Roman as the wildernesse in which he learn'd it He maister'd it chiefly by the Hebrew Scripture which imploy'd him in a high intention of wit and holinesse Thus study teaches temperance temperance chastitie chastitie which is an advanc'd a royall an unconquer'd an unwearied excellency It helpes us to admire it and enjoy it whiles also it teaches us that lust is a base servile cowardly guilty Infamie You shall find chastitie in the Temple in the Field on the wals of the city you shall find it praying labouring Combating you shall find it harden'd dusty swarthy but lust you shall find on a lazy bed in some fulsome house that is afraid of an officer Chastitie says devout Ephrem is a Rose that with delight perfumes the household the chastitie of parents being as Ierome sayes the comfort also and honour of the children Conjugall chastitie has a double prerogative it was in paradise and in the state of Innocency A chaste man and an Angel sayes S. Bernard differ in happinesse rather than in vertue and though the chastitie of an Angel be happier yet the chastitie of Man is greater and Angel being as without a body so without temptation and therfore without pretence to the glory of such victory And surely great examples have some Times and Countries setforth even of Kings that have been monasticall without a monastery deserting the libertie of their marriage and making continence their delight Thus has our own storie fam'd our great confessor Edward thus Casiile the Second Alphonsus thus Polonia Bodeslaus and thus Germanie an Emperour the first Henry Our Religion may make our faith assent to the storie supposing first an unfeined continency consent in their royall consorts No doubt they remember'd and our charity may believe they understood that of the Apostle Let them that have wives be as if they had none It was in a time of distres and also may imply a temperance as well as abstinence and not an abstinence without mutuall consent and no consent without an experimentall guift of Continence And therefore we can but touch the Apostle's councell remember our Saviours also Let him that can entertaine it entertaine it And let no man in a mistaking appetite of holy fame loose what he seekes and his safety too But now shall petty sinners betraie easy women by povertie to lust and lye in confederacies of uncleannesse not fearing the Almighty when as such mighty Princes as much feared his Majesty as they desired to imitate his purity shall Job make a covenant with his eies not to looke upon a maide and shall these make a Covenant with Hell scarse to imploy their eies in other objects shall we by such beauties attaine to the beauty of Holinesse Often it is the judgement of God to punish bodily whoredome by spirituall whoredome letting the uncleane fall from Whoredome to Idolatry which is a filthinesse of spirit no lesse dangerous than infamous Idolatry and Witchcraft were the great sinnes of the Gentiles for which the wise Iew in the book of Wisedome tells us cap. 12.3 4. that the first inhabitants of the Holy Land were by God cast out They thought to cast out Him and cast out themselves their sinne cast them out off that second Paradise whence they were driven not by a fiery sword yet by fire and sword Ioshua was an Angell a messenger though not from Heaven yet from God and at that time zealously cleansed the land as well from the sins as from the sinners the Idolater and the Sorcerer The Idolater that worshippes his own creature and his Enemy an Idol the sorcerer that worships God's creature but God's Enemy the Devill Idolatry came in by the vaine glory of men if we take the report Wisd 14.14 15. for when a Father afflicted had lost his Sonne untimely he made an Image for him and honoured him as a God which was then a dead man and delivered to those that were under him ceremonies and Sacrifices Thus custome grew to a Law v. 18. then when any would honour those that were absent to flatter them they made images of them v. 17. And the dilligence of the Artificer did helpe to set forward the ignorant to more superstition v. 18. And the workman himselfe was glad to flatter one in Authority and therefore made the more excellent worke by the grace of which he allured the multitude v. 19. Thus it arose from the pride and tyranny of great men and from the necessity and flattery of the meaner sort as the wisdome intituled to Solomon excellently expresses it v. 21. and happy had the true Solomon been if the image of this Doctrine had been still before
Ioseph's brethren Can any consider how our blessed Saviour was used that is abused how revil'd struck on the face spit upon derided crucifyed by sinners though for sinners and be angry with his brother happily a lesse sinner happily a lesse sinner if more happily but because a lesse angry sinner Will any man then as Tertullian speaks come unto Prayer a Peace with God without peace will he hope for a remission of his sinnes yet without a remission of others sinnes how shall he pacifie God his Father if he be not pacified towards man his brother Will any man then dare to hate his brother when as God connot love two enemies for if God loves the one he loves him perfectly and therefore he must perfectly hate the other as his enemy Will any man then be so angry with himself as to be angry with his brother will any man so hate himselfe as not to love his brother when as love covers both our brother's sinnes and our own shall we loose Our brother and our selves nay and our Saviour too for a reviling word Oh let us rather pray with good S. Ierome Lord deliver me from deceitfull lips and a lying tongue Not from anothers tongue saies he but from mine own Another's tongue hurts me not 't is mine own is my enemy that is the sword that kills my soule I think to hurt mine enemy and never take notice that I kill my selfe Wherefore O Holy Spirit of Love unite us as much by Love as thou hast done by Faith and touch our tongues with a Coale from thy Altar that they never be imploy'd by us to the reviling of one another but to the praising of thy holy name O Father Sonne and Holy Spirit to whom be ascribed all Praise for ever more FINIS OF The Serpent and the Dove A SERMON BY BARTEN HOLYDAY Doctor of Divinity OXFORD Printed by Leonard Lichfield 1657. Mat. 10.16 Be yee therefore wise as Serpents and harmelesse as Doves THE Beames of Light flow not so naturally from the Sunne as the Exhortations to Wisedome flow from the God of Wisedome And such is here this exhortation of our Saviour to his Disciples Yet unto such a wisedome here he prompts them as seemes to respect as much their safety as their Duty and Wisedome that consists not in Contemplation but in Action and though it lookes upon God yet also upon man Which diversity of Wisedome was anciently observed by Heathens and Christians That was their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisedome This their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prudence Thus could Plato and Cicero teach thus could the Alexandrian Clement and S. Ierome Learne Which last our prudence towards men is that which here our Saviour intends it being in the Originall not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be ye prudent or with lesse ambiguity and more safety as it is rendred Be yee wise And that this is intended is manifest from our Saviours purpose who sending his Disciples to worke Miracles and Teach teaches them first how they should behave themselves clearely implying that more than man's wisedom is needfull for Man in his conversation with man and that we need more than a Gardian Angel even God's assistance by his Grace He tels them that he sends them as Sheep among Wolves a thin Clergy to a numerous Layty that sometimes teares the fleece and devoures the flesh He bids them beware of men these are the Wolves these are the worst Wolves because Wolves and Men they have the wit of the man and the Cruelty of the Wolfe He foretels them they shall be delivered up to the Councells now where there is the greatest Judg there is the greatest cause where the greatest cause the greatest Danger Nor only shall they be brought where many are to Judge and so where the variety may afford some hope of Mercy but also occasionally before Governours Kings and so where if the single judge be cruel of Proud he is sometimes a sentence without Appeal And that they may be prepar'd for such sufferings in Pody and Mind he does foretell them of being scourged in the Synagogues he does foretell them of stripes and shame and therefore exhorts them to such wisedome as may be requisite in such Distresse And surely such wisedome must be excellent which must imploy the memory to advantage us by what we have learn'd and make our Experience our Own Schoole which must imploy the Understanding to apprehend the present particulars in every action making it the Eie and the Glasse for an exact view which must imploy our Providence in the Foresight and use of what things may happen If you will behold the traine of this wisedome you shall find it attended with Docility being apt to learne by the Eie and Eare. You shall find it attended with subtility whereby it will guesse with speed happinesse You shall find it attended with Judgment which will so argue out a third truth You shall see it attended with Warinesse which will prevent such Hindrances as would prevent our End Lastly you shall see it attended with circūspection which wil accurately consider every circūstance See that ye walk circūspectly not as fools but as wise Eph. 5.15 If you will behold the Actions of it you shall see it admirable for Counsaile both in the Choise of worhy purposes in moving the understanding to find meanes for the attaining of them You shall see it admirable for Judgement in the distinction choise of means oportunity You shall find it admirable for cōmand whereby the Reason sets on worke the will for the speedy execution of the designe These are the excellencies of wisedome the price whereof is more than of Gold and fine Rubies Prov. 3.14 15. yet the one is admirably solid the other admirably transparent The subtilty whereof is such that it is able to discerne the Diversity of Spirits 1 Cor. 12.10 and so does not only exceed the abilities of the Body but also the naturall abilities of the soule The swetnesse whereof is such that 't is as sweet as life nay as Peace the Life of Life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the minding of the Spirit or the wisedome of the Spirit is Life and peace Rom. 8 6. Forsake not wisedome and shee shall preserve thee Prov. 4.6 see a preservation rewarded with a Preservation see a labour that is its own reward This is that vertue without which all vertue is vice as S. Bernard says this being the guide of all other Vertues Affections Manners This is that vertue without which as S. Basil says a man is like a Ship without a Master driven uncertainly with every wind unlesse we shall say he is rather the wind than the Shippe Passion that is Man being so impetuous without wisedome This is that vertue with which they that are indued think nothing Evill as Prosper says but that which makes man evill so that they can smile at the Mistake that miscalls
shall the serpent have such subtill teeth and shall ours be set on edge only to our own overthrow shall his Hornes as some kind of serpent has be so subtill to get a prey and shall our strength want subtilty to save us from being made a prey shall his wings for some kind of serpent does not only creep be more speedy to doe mischiefe than our wisedome in saving us from it shall he change his skinne and renew strength and shall not we renew our Lives by changing them shall his Appetite take all advantage from his Enemie and shall ours increase our spirituall Enemies against our selves shall he drive away other serpents from him and shall we intertaine them in the Bosome imbracing Heresie and Vice to our own Destruction shall his Voice be able to master Man that had Righteousnesse by Creation and shall not we be able to master the serpent that have a double Righteousnesse of Sanctification by Christ's Grace and of Justification by his Merits Briefely skall his whole Body be so subtile as to defend his Head shall not we with all our power defend the Godhead of our Saviour against the execrable Socinian◠our holy Faith in Christ our Head And shall not the Innocency also of the Dove advantage our Innocency He loves the Light and shall we love the workes of Darknesse shall he be ready to be Oppressed and shall we be too ready to Oppresse shall he be without Gall and shall we be full of Malice Were they a sacrifice to God and shall we be lesse acceptable Were they a Resemblance of the Church nay of God and shall we have neither the likenesse of either of them nor the blessing O let us strive then to imitate the Innocency of the Dove and Exceed it Would we be Heirs of the Kingdome of God we must become as little Children they crie not for the want of Wealth nor for the losse of it they doate not on Beauty no not on their own subject they are to sicknesse yet not to malice as if they were more free from sinne then from Disease they raise not themselves to Ambition it is above the reach of the Mother's Breast Such things then let us doe by the simplicity of Grace as they doe by simplicity of Nature Let us call to mind the first Christians how the unity of their Faith produced even a Community of their Goods a rare victory of Grace upon Nature By the blessing of Love they were above the blessing of Propriety shewing the Bounty of the Gospell to excell the Thrift of Law-Let us call to mind how they improved their Enemies into friends making them by forgivenesse their Helps to Heaven Let us call to mind that their sufferings were their Conquests and Death the beginning of Life Eternall O grant us then wisedome sweet Iesu thou that art the Wisedome of the Father and grant us Innocency O blessed Spirit that did'st vouchsafe to appeare like a Dove that we becomeing like the Dove may become like Thee that by descending to us Here we may Hereafter by the wings of the true Dove Innocency and Miracle Ascend to Thee the Father Son and Holy Ghost to whom be ascribed Mercy and Wisedome and Holinesse for evermore FINIS OF BAPTISME A SERMON BY BARTEN HOLYDAY Doctor of Divinity OXFORD Printed by Leonard Lichfield 1657. Galat. 3.27 As many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ THAT Likenesse which we may see produced by Inferiour Causes in their Effects is but an Imitation of the supreame Cause God Himselfe who is so naturally good that whatsoever he maks must needs beare some Image of that Goodnesse Thus when he made man he bestow'd upon him among many other two chiefe Perfections a Holinesse of Soule and a kind of Absolutensse of Body whiles a body that needed not a reference to Apparell But when man fell he fell from this double perfection and at once became sinfull and Naked So that we may say he was not as now unhappily naked when first he had no Cloaths but when first he wanted them and he stood not in need of a Covering for his Body till he stood in need of a Covering for his sinne Which when God naturally good beheld and saw the new dissimilitude between Himselfe and his Creature moov'd by his own goodnesse he intends a reparation of his Creature And since this dissimilitude to speake in part figuratively consisted in a Nakednesse of Soule and Body it pleased him to provide for both a Covering And this he did with such wisedome of Mercy that he made the Covering of his Body a figure of the Covering of his Soule and to teach our Understanding by our Sense sometimes he calls our Righteousnesse a Robe which as the Apostle here tells us every true Receiver puts on in the Sacrament of Baptisme As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Which words duely considered may instruct us in the Nature of this Sacrament and the Extent of it As man is Gods workmanship and so should be his Image so as God is pure should man be pure and therefore being defil'd by sinne he should be now purified Thus though with the Leviticall Leper he may crie uncleane uncleane yet should he also crie with the great and happy sinner wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow That indeed has a right cleanesse the purity of Snow being not only purity but also Coolenesse a figure of the pure Coolenesse of the impure heates of Lust Which purity was shadowed out unto the Iew in his frequent washings whence the greatest pretenders of Sanctity among the Jews were the greatest Washers The Pharisie was a man of a cleare Hand and Cuppe and therefore thought himselfe also of a pure lippe in which opinion though he mistook his Outside for his Inside yet he acknowledged a washing necessary Even Pilate that had his hand in blood would yet also have his hand in water and though that Blood be counted a cleanser thought Innocent blood the greatest staine and that water would at least pretend his Innocency if not procure it But alas had he understood the right Baptisme he would with S. Peters resolution have desired not only the washing of the Hand but also of the Head the whole body Now under this figure as the Iew had been taught so was the Christian to be taught To the devoutest Iew Washing was but a Figure to the Devoutest Christian it is not only a shadow of Grace but also the companion of it and therefore it was not Ceremonie but Charitie in S. Peter Act. 2. to exhort his Converts to be Baptized To understand the Name and so the better the nature of Baptisme it is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly to Dippe consequently to wash Hence were the Pharisies by Iustin Martyr called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 baptists because of their frequent washings which S. Marke also mentioned c. 7.4
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Amplitude of it the word signifying Ioh. 5.2 a poole from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to swimme In after times the custome was only to Dippe the person lightly in the water According to which Rite when in S. Matthew 28.19 it is said Teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost the word being there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Cyprian in an Epistle to Celsus renders it by Tingentes Dipping them Tertullian also before him using the same word In which dipping the delay under the water signified the Mortification of sinne as the comming out of the water expressed a reviving to newnesse of life Besides in this manner of baptizing the Infant was sometimes dipt but once to signifie one God and one Death of Christ sometimes thrise to expresse the Trinity of the Persons into which he was baptised and the three days that our Saviour was dead At last in the westerne Church about the times of S. Gregory the Greate a thousand yeares since came in the frequent use of Aspersion or Sprinkling upon the consideration that the vertue of Baptisme consisted not in the plenty of the Water Which Rite was also though not frequently in the time of the Apostles as is conjectured from Act. 2.41 where mention is made of the Baptisme of about three thousand in a day which may seem to have been thus performed for expedition Which manner of baptizing was also defended by S. Ciprian about foure hundred yeares before it came into common practice Indeed it aptly agrees with the word in S. Peter 1 Ep. 1.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sprinkling of the blood of Christ which was shadow'd out in the Law Hebr. 9.13 Which figure of Sprinkling with our Saviour's blood may helpe us the better to understand the Nature of Baptisme which is here said to be into Christ And surely then we may see the Nature of it in the Necessity of it as the necessity in the Command Act. 2.38 Be baptized every one of you This is indeed the Apostles Washing of Regeneration Tit. 3.5 the true Receiver being in this Sacrament as truely washed in soule as in body not that Regeneration is a washing but as a washing Baptisme to the right Receiver is the powerfull instrument of Salvation the Morall instrument not the Naturall since what is meerly Naturall cannot produce what is Supernaturall It is to all a signe of outward communion it is to the best of all a signe of Inward also to those it is an entrance into the visible Church to these into the Invisible also No man can enter into the Kingdome of Heaven unlesse he be borne againe of water and the Spirit Ioh. 3.5 Necessarily of the Spirit lesse necessarily of the Water also the spirit not depending upon the water the water necessarily depending upon the Spirit The want of Baptisine Excludes not from Heaven the contempt excludes the want of Circumcision in the wildernesse did not exclude the Infant-Israelite from the Israel of God but being the Child of Godly parents he was reputed the Child of God Nor yet does this make void the value of Baptisme It is the Instrument of Salvation though not the only not the absolute instrument it is the Ordinary Instrument Preaching of the Gospell is the power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 though the dying Infant of righteous Parents is admitted to Salvation without this Instrument of Salvation God shewing the difference of his power in the difference of age Some receive water and Grace those are right receivers some water and not Grace these are wrong receivers some receive Grace and not water these though not receivers are as happy as receivers To the right receiver Baptisme is not only a signe of cleansing but a cleansing but the wrong receiver is but a Blackmore whom Baptisme doth rather wash than whiten It is the saying of S. Austin Sacramenta in solis electis efficiunt quod figurant To these the Elect it is both a signe and a Seale of Remission of sinnes To these Grace is given sometimes before Baptisme sometimes in it To these Grace is augmented either in Baptisme or after it To these it is the key that gives possession of the House their Heavenly Mansion To these it is the turfe that gives possession of the Land the land of Inheritance the true Canaan To these it is the pure water the figur'd the blood of Christ Heb. 10.23 Yea it is rather vertually this blood than that water a blood that purifies all but those that are guilty of it Thus all that are inwardly baptized are baptized into Christ though never any were baptized by Him as S. John testifies ch 4.2 so that for a table not a story we may take that in Nicephorus lib. 2. c. 3. when he cites Evodius Bishop of Antiochia affirming that our Saviour baptized S. Peter The worke is ancient enough but the corruption is like the publishing of the work New enough and lookes more like the Art of a Correcter then the integrity of an Author since when our was reported to the Pharisies it is also added that it was by his Disciples Ioh. 4.12 but their baptisme was into Christ But Into Christ what is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that receives a Prophet says our Saviour Mat. 10.41 in the name of a Phrophet Shall it here sound so He that has been baptised in the Name of Christ that is with Invocation of his name and of the other persons in the Trinity Indeed that is commanded in Baptisme Mat. 28.19 But every one that is so baptized puts not on Christ Into Christ Is it into the Profession of Christ but many that professe him put him not on they but professe him Into Christ It is into the Doctrine of Christ but many too many that have been Baptised into Christ's doctrine have not conformity to such Doctrine Yet is it into the Doctrine of Christ S. Paul finding at Ephesus certain Disciples new converts ask'd them if they had receiv'd the Holy Ghost and they answering that they had not heard of a Holy Ghost he asked them then unto what they had been baptized and they replyed unto John's baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Into Iohn's baptisme that is into the Doctrine which he preach'd and seal'd with baptisme Into Iohn's Baptisme not into Iohn but By him he being the first that effectually baptized as afterwards other ministers into Christ Yet was Iohn's baptisme into Christ where it was attended with due forme and then necessarily with due knowledge and Sanctity it was into Christ But may it not seem to have been always without the Holy Ghost is it not his own testimony Mat. 3.11 I baptize you with water but he that comes after me shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost Truth it is yet not that none of them which were baptised by him were baptised also by the Holy Ghost but such
our Saviour's time it kept some from the Coâ—fession of the Faith though not from the Faith In the primitive times there were degrees of such as were separated froÌ„ the Church of which were some of the Audientes Hearers of the word preached among whoÌ„ were some indeed that were not yet admitted to the farthar blessings of the Church those were by punishment but Hearers these had been but Hearers A second sort were Procumbentes such as in prostrate manner ask'd pardon of the Church for some publique scandall given by them to the Church A third were the Orantes call'd also as S. Cyprian say's Abstenti persons after some offence admitted only to the Prayers of the Church A last sort were such as were once Communicants persons admitted to the Lord's Supper but for great sinnes depriv'd of so great a blessing To be remov'd from the Lord's Table was a great punishment yet greater it was to be remov'd also from the prayers of the Church but how great was it then not to be admitted to aske pardon The Libellatici were soonest Restored the Church looking upon their frailty as well as on their Fault they being such as for feare of punishment had their names registred in the Magistrates Booke from whence they are call'd Libellatici aknowledging their consent to offer Incense to the Gentiles Gods but meeting with a dealing Judge redeem'd themselves from trouble and the performance by the perswasion of a Bribe Their unwillingnesse to offend wonne the Church to a willingnesse to Restore them Adulterers indeed as too too foule were left for many yeares to be wash'd with their own tears in hope to be throughly wash'd in the blood of Christ But such as relapsed into Idolatrie were not readmitted till the houer of death when as much they were to leave the Church as to re-enter it and rather in a new hope of the Church Triumphant than a new possession of the Church Militant This manner of Excommunication was grievous indeed and often attended with grievous consequences God permitting the Devill in primitive times upon the pronouncing of the sentence to enter into the persons and torment them as we read of Stilico's secretary excommunicated by S. Ambrose We may remember it is call'd a delivering unto Satan 1 Cor. 4.5 Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1.20 were thus delivered up by S. Paul And this Excommunication the Fathers call a resemblance of damnation S. Jerome termes it a judging before the day of Judgement and S. Cyprian calls it the death of the Soule So grievous it is that S. Chrysostome thinks it to grievous too be exercised since not against the living saies he because we must not prevent God's judgement nor against the Dead because they have their judgement already Yet in this point his Mercy was more than his Judgement we having not only the permission but the Command in God's Word and the practice of the Ancient Church the greatest Heretiques having been struck with this sentence by the greatest Councils And thus though it were very grievous it was very necessary and if more weight may be given unto it some think it added in the Word that is added Mara-natha Let him be Anathema Mara-natha Between which words some copies have no point and such it seems Oecolampadius liked but insteed of Maranatha he thinks it should be Matha and so expounds it by Anathema Mortis which may be interpreted One accursed to death But Guesse being too bold an attendant upon the holy text we must according to the Originall read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as the very ancient printed copie of Prevotius with small difference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as S. Jerome says is as much as Dominus noster venit Our Lord is come The compound word is acknowledg'd to be rather Syriaque than Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying then our Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is come or by the libertie of the Hebrew which often uses the time past for time to come shall come yet some understand it of the time past which had been apt if the Apostle had here spoken of the Iews who denyed he was come but speaking here to the Corinthians he seems not to speake to such as denyed our Saviour but to such as lov'd him not According to which acception some make the sense to be Let such a one be accursed 'till the Lord shall come Others Let suh a one be accursed when the Lord shall come or be separated from the comming of the Lord that is from the benefit of his comming which is the deliverance of the Just This expression then of the Apostle is an allusion to to the severest curse among the Jewes in their Excommunication to be inflicted at the comming of their Messias a forme of speech not unknown as appeares to S. Pauls converted Corinthians Briesely then and clearely we may take the first words for the pronoucing of the Curse the last for a confirmation of the curse the first being as the writing the last as the Seale The sentence is whosoever loves not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Accursed the Confirmation is Nay the Lord shall come and at his comming prove this Curse a Truth Thus speakes the Apostle by an Aposiopesis a figure attending upon Indignation which is the passion in which the Apostles Zeale here speakes Let him be Anathema doe only 1 Paul say so Yea Maranatha the Lord shall come and say so The Lord whom he loves not shall come and say so Since then there is so great so certaine a Curse for all that doe not Love the Lord needfull it will be to know who are such which we may know by knowing the nature of the Duty or what it is to Love the Lord Jesus Christ If we should aske most men whether they love the Lord our Saviour they would presently venture not to love him by their Indignation at the question Yet notwithstanding such Disdaine one might peradventure as easily pose them as anger them But not to tempt them to the hazard of the Passion and at once to save their Patience and Credit they may without being catechiz'd positively know that the nature of true Love consists in similitude so that he which truely loves the Lord is to his endeavour like the Lord. And since our blessed Saviour who is the Sonne of God is like the Father by his Nature we likewise who are by Adoption the Sonnes of the same Heavenly Father must strive to be like unto him in Holinesse He is holy therefore we must be Holy In this consists our proportionall similitude unto God! And that we may the more fitly resemble him we must fit our will unto his will which being reveal'd in his commandement if we love Him we must love his Commandement and then we unfeinedly love it when we keep it No other signe or Truth is there of our Love if we observe not what Christ Commands we as yet love not Christ that
Commands it And therefore Clemens Epist 2. dares to say he that keeps not the Lord's Commands Let him be accursed till the Lord comes He is the Lord our Lord we are his Servants whose actions being vertually in reference to him the nature of our love to him as to our Lord consists in a conformity of our actions unto His. How sadly then doe they draw this curse upon themselves that abuse God's Word by Prophanesse or Heresie Who abuse his command by obstinacy or security who abuse his Servants by oppression or contempt indeavouring rather to prove his Servants hypocrites than to become his servants Again he is our Iesus our Saviour whose Love towards us being Infinite we must in a sort imitate the Infinitie of his love by a perpetuall increase of our Love Which is surely increased by a remembrance of his Passion which is perform'd according to his own desire in a frequent Communicating at his holy table Our Saviour has left that as the sure mark of his friends they are those that frequently come and suppe with him How sadly then doe they draw this curse upon themselves who by contempt or neglect of that blessed provision insteed of partaking with his friends in the merit of his Passion partake with the Jews in their guilt of his passion In what condition also are they who to the merit of his Blood dare adde the merit either of their workes or will Lastly he is Christ the Lord 's Annointed He is annointed as a King and is the Defender of his faithfull Subjects who then can be safe from his Curse and Justice that contemnes his Majestie in his command He is annointed as a Prophet and who shall escape a curse that resists God's will in resisting his prophet that declares his will He is annointed as a Priest who then shall escape that curse from which only our High Priest the Sonne of God can deliver him And as it is Duty to Love our Saviour so is it Wisedome which we must imploy in the manner of our Love Of which one degree it is to be called after his Name but a farther degree it is a degree of wisedome to be call'd by a fit name Some indeed as some Easterne Christians have from his name of Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the title of Marani some from his name Jesus as the Iesuites by the choise of their Ignatius but the Apostles chose to be called from his name Christ Christians In the two first whereof we may see the weakenesse of men In the last we may see the wisedome of God and the Godly All the names of our Saviour implie excellencies the first his Dominion over his Church the second his nature of a Mediatour whereby he saves us These are prerogatives as well as Excellencies and therefore it is Humilitie and safety for men rather to decline than assume such Appellations Or if the name Iesuite may be admitted for the Pretence or Intent of an Indeavour to save soules too extreame an Arrogancy it is for a Sect of men to assume a title as peculiar to themselves which is as claimeable by all the Ministers of the Gospell This covetuous zeale is not allowable But the name Christ implying our Saviours spirituall annointing may for our proportion descend to us may as a Holy oile descend from the Head to the Skirts of the Garment and so from Christ we may happily and fitly be called Christians True it is God has annointed him above his fellows yet a truth it is also that his fellows are annointed nay they were not his fellows if they were not annointed And as he has annointed them with Him so has he annointed them by Him and for his sake Wherfore though the name Christ and also Christian may signifie annointed yet as the one name is derived from the other so is our Annointing deriv'd from His. And since this annointing includes all blessings and all these blessings come by our blessed Saviour let him be accursed that loves not our Lord Jesus Christ The word here for Love is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a lesse degree of love than the former and therefore he that beares not so small affection to our Saviour justly deserves to be an Anathema Yet the greatest part of such as professe Christ are rather content to receive his blessings his outward blessings than his Commands or if they receive them 't is so unwillingly that we may feare they rather Indure him than Love him But our Apostle curses all them that doe not love him among whom the Greek Interpreters generally understand all that offend God by grievous sinnes such as Schismatiques Fornicatours Eaters of meat offered to Idols unworthy Communicants Denyers of the Resurrection and the like Need then we have to learne the nature of love and learne it we may from the Body from that part of the body the Liver which is by nature appointed as the Instrument and seat of Love It is the seate of Love as Salomon implies Prov. 7.23 whiles he saies the adulterer goes on till a dart strike through his liver The liver is the fountaine of the veines and the first instrument of blood the lappes or extremities of it compassing and comforting the stomach thus sacred Love compasses and strengthens our spirituall appetite and is as the fountaine of all devout affections The Liver is made of blood and it makes blood so is our spirituall love begotten by God's love of us and then increases into greater and new love of God imitating in this the figure of the liver which is shaped like a crescent or the Moone in her increase The liver makes blood out of the purest and most aëry part of the matter it workes upon and thus does spirituall love arise from the purer parts and contemplation of those things it considers The Liver is the chiefe seate of the nutritive facultie and by the veines conveighs blood to all parts of the body so is love the chiefe instrument of spirituall nourishment dispensing a chierfull heate and alacrity to all actions of a Christian The temper of the liver consists in heate and moisture qualities which singularly prolong life so the sacred heate and living moisture of spirituall love shall maintaine us into an eternity of life And as in the Liver is made that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or separation of the profitable humours from the bad so an intimate power and degree of spirituall love separates our thoughts from the corruptions and vaine humours of the World The Hebrews call the Liver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 29.13 for the weightinesse of it through the abundance of blood which abundance is the materiall occasion of the abundance of spirits thus likewise holy love which is the true spirituall blood is fill'd with the abundance of purer spirits which are the quick extasies and raptures of the soule In the Judaicall Sacrifices the caule of the Liver was to be burnt unto the Lord not only to expresse that we ought to be purged from our naturall Lust but also that we should be purisyed into a supernaturall Love O then let us love the Lord who is as unwilling to curse us as he is able to doe it who cannot loose his true Dominion though we would loose our seeming obedience who will judge all men with a Judgement that shall be Just and yet Extreame since all shall receive from him an everlasting reward Let us Love our Jesus our mercifull Saviour who descended from Heaven that we might ascend to it who descended to Us that we might not descend to Hell who descended to the Infamie of the Crosse that we might ascend to the honour of the Love of Iesus Let us then bow the Knee to him that bowed the Head for us and gave up the Ghost And let us Love the Christ of God the Annointed let us returne unto him the holy Savour of his own oile wherewith he has annointed us let us thank him for his Grace with his own Grace let us at least make so cheap a recompence this being the acceptable art of Grace whereby we shall not need to feare this our Apostle's Anathema but with Truth and Comfort crie Maranatha The Lord shall come he shall come for our Deliverance Which grant unto us most mercifull Father that when thy Sonne thy Christ our Lord Iesus shall appeare we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his Comming To whom with thee O Father and thy blessed Spirit be all Praise and Glory now and for ever FINIS