know with Augustine that GOD is unitas divinitatis personarum pluralitate multiplex that there is a glorious Trinity in Unity in which the Father is to be adored as being altogether of Himselfe the Sonne to be glorified as that Consubstantiall Word and the HOLY GHOST ever to be blessed and magnified as that Coessentiall Spirit eternally proceeding from both I know not 't is a depth I dare not dive it how there is one Essence of three persons or three persons of one Essence and yet not one GOD of three persons or three persons of one GOD that GOD hath a Sonne equall with Him out of the wombe of everlastingnesse GOD essentially as He I believe this but how He who made the world was borne how a Sonne and yet one eternall with the Father or not after Him in time here I say with Ambrose in Lombard mens deficit vox silet non mea tantum sed Angelorum how can I but be dumbe where the tongues of Angels stutter how not entranc'd when the glorious Cherubims clap their wings for who shall declare His generation that the HOLY GHOST is not the Fathers alone nor the Sonnes alone but proceeds equally from both I subscribe here how this Spirit of Truth comes from the Father and is of one substance with Him yet may not be said to be borne nor cal'd the Sonne of GOD or how the Son of GOD comes from the Father yet may not be said to proceed nor be cal'd the HOLY GHOST Augustine here makes a proud knowledge strike saile to a devout ignorance distinguish betwixt that generation there and this procession here nescio non valeo non sufficio I know not J cannot it is not within the kenn of my skill And what Vaticans have we read what Antiquity have we traded with or had commerce with what Histories what fasts have pin'd us what prayers have we breath'd out that we should stand and not shake when the grand pillars of the Church shrink or unlock those misteries the Seraphins have no key for canst thouby searching finde out GOD or know the Almighty unto perfection let it be the pride of others to tread this maze I shall as soone measure Heaven with my span or weigh the smoake or catch the winde in a seive or shadow the Sun with my palme as soone I will plow the waters and sow my hopes there for as thy judgements O LORD so thy nature is a great depth Most men cracke of their knowledge of GOD and whereas Saint Paul rapt up into Heaven saw things he could not speake these will speake things they never saw 't is indeed the Epidemicall disease of the Age we had rather be Rabbies than Saints rather eate of the tree of knowledge than the tree of life nor care many to loose GOD in the practike exercise of piety whilest they seeke Him in the speculative niceties of the Schooles GOD lookes for I dare say more conscience than most men have askes lesse science than most men brag of knowledge 't is true is the soules eye the mistresse to guide the life to vertue a Mercury to point the roade to goodnesse when it doth so I prize it above Rubies and say the merchandize of it is better than the merchandize of silver and the gaine-thereof than fine gold but that which fires the braine warmes not the heart which disjoin'd from grace doth floate in some frothy notions and seeke the applause onely of a dexterous wit and voluble tongue who would fraught his ship with such drossie oare or stay for that gayle which cannot waft him to Heaven in that day when all knowledge shall vanish away where will be the scribe where the disputer where the wise a dramme of devotion will then outweigh a pound of discourse one worke of mercy turne the scale to the whole library of Aristotle Some talke over the series and descents of all times as if they had beene made with the first Adam and with such perfum'd breaths in such richnesse of language as if myrh and pearles dropt from their lips but at that Assize the laurell and crowne will be charities Come yee blessed I was naked and yee clothed me I was hungry and yee fed me I was sicke and yee visited me What ever tympany of knowledge swels others grant me O LORD to know thee savingly So inspire us all as to obey thee in thy Word not curiously prie into thy nature what ever Art wee would be graduats in thou stand'st in the forefront of the Schoole and bidst us learne thee first ere we turne over a new leafe but how learne thee learne to awe thee for thy power to trust thee for thy truth to dread thee for thy justice to depend on thee for thy providence love thee for thy mercies feare thee for thy love reverence thee for thy goodnesse and for thy tender compassions take the cup of salvation and sing praise unto thee we beg not to see thy face nor view thee as thou art Moses that standard of examples could not thy back-parts are enough the least twilight or ray of thee enough to seale up our happines unto us and enhaunce it thy Name is so appareld with Majesty such mistery is shrin'd in it that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with some ineffable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with others indicible with many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ineloquible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all obscure and unknowne what it is what brightnesse than is in thy selfe O GOD what mists too about thee I say no more thou art Light and because so great a Light not to be seene of any and thus much of the first propertie betwixt GOD and Light the imperceptibility of them both The second property betwixt GOD and Light is the delight somenesse and comfort of either Light is a most lovely and amiable qualitie haud scio an rerū coelestium ulla sit excellentior luce So Scaliger it beautifies Heaven it selfe the Sun would be but a blind heape but for the light of the Sun GOD from this treasury would enrich the whole world and therefore made it the store-house of Light in the Creation the day which is the child of Light Plato will have it so cal'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to long after let the Preacher interpret the Etymon Light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun the worth of this benefit they can truly prize who live in disconsolate dungeons fast bound in fetters and irons what were the world without it how confus'd how formelesse what more comfort in it than in the grave what joy can I have asks blind Tobit when I sit in darknesse and do not see the Light of Heaven GOD is in this respect Light the Light and serenity of His countenance is the onely happinesse of man in His favour is life
is the place thereof that thou shouldst take it to the bounds and that thou shouldst know the paths to the house of it GOD is in this respect Light His Incomprehensiblenesse is above the pitch of all determinate capacities What is immense how can the fleete dimensions of the minde containe it GOD He is so First for time all successions of Ages are but an instant to Him time it selfe but a drop of His Eternity Secondly for place to Him the vast circumference of Heaven and Earth is but a point He is no where excluded included no where every where and yet without expansion We may admire and adore this infinitude our thoughts are of too narrow a size and bore to comprehend it and indeed GOD is for man to stand amaz'd and wonder at the clog'd and drossie soule can never sound Him who is the invisible fountaine of Spirits nor is it within the reach of Art to define quidditativè what He is de Deo scire non possumus quidest what the divine Essence is the full knowledge thereof descends not to any finite apprehension Let others fathom this bottomelesse Abysse and scorch their wings whilst they venture them about this flame I shall not desire to see what the Cherubims saw not who covered their faces with their wings as not able to behold this glory May I bee shewen the least dawning or glimpse of it it is as much as I am capable of more than I can looke on without extasie and ravishment GOD is Light but such that non nisi purissimis oculis videri potest in Aug. wee must have pure eyes cleare above the Eagles to gaze on this Sun GOD dwels in Light in the Apostle but such as no man can approach unto brightnesse is before my GOD in the Psalmist bright enough would I ourface that lustre to dazle mine eyes if not blind them darke waters too and thicke cloudes of the skie are His pavilion round about Him ver 11. darke and thicke enough to keepe of my dimme sight that it pierce not through them I am doubly tutor'd not to pry too farre into this mistery both by the gloominesse that is about GOD and the Light that is in Him Empedocles did well define GOD who said GOD is a Sphere whose center is every where and circumference no where nor blame I Simom des who askt by King Hieron as Tullie tells it me what GOD is if after much pause and travell he gave his reason non plust and at a bay with a quanto diutius considero tanto mihi res videtur obscarior the more I sift here the more I am giddied 't is a riddle I cannot unfold a knot I am not able to untie no marveile for Iob peremptorily Touching the Almighty we cannot finde Him out pardon the Schoolemen their dalliance with words they bias aright for the maine three things they say are without the verge of a definition One the Philosophers materia prima the first wombe of all things this they define not ob summam informitatem for it is informity and rudenesse the second is sinne the first spoile of all things this they define not ob summam deformitatem for it is mishapen deformitie the third is GOD the first well-spring of life in all things Him they define not ob summam formositatem because of that beauty the least beame of which puts out all inferior and borrowed lights Something we may and ought to know of GOD Heaven and life depend upon it as death and hell on a muffled ignorance This is eternall life to know thee the onely true GOD and whom thou hast sent JESVS CHRIST but O GOD quis cognovit te nisi tu te as Saint Augustine sweetely we may reade over all the volumes of thy workes and turne over every leafe of thy Word we may search after thee as with Cressent light in every angle of Heaven and Earth after all our queries of thy Majesty 't is well if we know this that Sola trinitas tua soli tibi integrè nota est Something we learne of GOD in the Schoole of nature every creature hath a trumpet in his mouth to proclaime Him In these we see Him as in a glasse saith Saint Paul we reade Him too as in a booke not a page whereof is unwritten on not a line but dictates us a divinity Lecture wee heare Him as in a harpe not a string of it can be toucht in so sweete an harmony without an infinite GOD and saith Saint Athanasius we view Him as in a picture even the beasts in Iob weare His stampe and image Aske the beasts and they shall tell thee that the hand of the LORD hath wrought them Anaxogoras being asked wherefore man was made made answer to behold the Heavens and did he what miracle and power might he behold in them not a Starre spangles there but is a Preacher and Herauld to the Majesty of its Maker When I consider the Heavens saith David the workes of thy fingers the Moone and Stars that thou hast ordained What is man Hee so speakes of their excellency as if no streames or rivers of Eloquence could expresse them pictures some say are the books of Ideots which leade the grosse conceit to GOD not without delight and pleasure such an image is the world not an ignorance so dull but by the pedagogie of it may be brought to know GOD so much of him as to strip even Heathens of excuse Something we may know of GOD from the standing Oracle of His-Word enough to perfect us to every good worke this is Iacobs well in Origen whence all draw the waters of life not onely Iacob and his Sonnes the high-built apprehensions but also the cattell and sheepe the low-rooft capacities 't is a river of cleare waters in Gregory fluvius est in quo agnus peditat Elephas natat where be shallowes for Lambes and depths for Elephants what the large Manuscript of the universe could not the Tomes of holy writ have discovered of the Deity the Co-eternity of the Sonne of GOD with the Father the procession of the HOLY GHOST from both the unity of the three in one uncreated Essence who ever saw through the darke spectacles of nature all essentiall truths so farre as salvation is linkt to the knowledge of them we see clearely by the light of the Scriptures which as saith David are a light to our feet and a light shining in a darke place saith Peter they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 candles that never goe out in Clemens now and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an universall light to all anon This Light shewes to every man the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of our holy faith that the misteries of it are divine and true but fully to no man the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reason or manner how they be so I
THE Divine Lanthorne OR A SERMON PREACHED IN S. Pauls Church appointed for the Crosse the 17. of Iuly M. DC XXXVI By THOMAS DRANT of Shaston in Com. Dorset PSAL. 119. 105. Thy Word is a light unto my feet and a Lanthorne unto my paths LONDON Printed by George Miller and are to be sold by Henry Hammond Bookseller in Salisbury 1637. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Sr. CHRISTOPHER CLETHROW KNIGHT President of Christs Hospitall THE WORSHIPFVLL M. IOHN HAVVES Treasurer and M. RICHARD CASVVELL Sub-treasurer and the rest of the Right Worshipfull and Worshipfull Governours of the said Hospitall Right Worshipfull and Worshipfull NEver age did afford more variety of Sermons more Elegancy who will blame choise where there is store and good or feare to Surfet at the sight of too much where the meate is wholesome and heavenly Who if not of a sowre sullennesse will grudge others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what delights but gluts not what at once doth ravish and profit where is mixt utile dulci 't is a squeamish stomacke turnes at the plentie and as rude an care startles at all descant and harmony My heart bubbleth out a good matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or if we reade it a good word the Originall will be are us out and indeed the intermixtures of polite phrase gives to the matter it selfe if not weight yet ornament divine truth must have a decent though not gaudy dresse were it so in this or were it that Chariclea's zone of which Heliodorus tels us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it might be spread before your eyes and perhaps attract at once your view and liking but this were a taske for Apelles himselfe my pencill cannot reach it why so boldly than have I fixt your names here I might alledge the custome of the Age renet insanabile multos Scribendi cacoethes not a Rheumaticke quill but is dropping into the presse though it drop tumours and froth onely not an idle head but is busie at the mart and askes in his Athenian humour what new things all buy most out of lenity all write most out of fancy it is not my private fault I moove in the same Orbe with others I pleade not this nor any worthinesse in the peece it selfe that it should look up to so high a Patronage the life it had to please is buried by the disadvantage of a dead letter that which makes it Publique and now sends it to kisse your hands is to shew the world where I have setled my Estimation and Service where I am to pay the fealties and homage of my gratefull minde to whom are the first fruits due but to him who bestowes the whole crop I would not smoother the publi que fruits of charity in Any the oyle of refreshing which you have powred on the heads of thousands quorum pars magna fui not a few drops fell on mine I dare not silence it and make GOD a looser I cannot the whole world sees and doth blesse you for it sees the incense of your Aimes how it ascends in pillars of holy smoke into the nostrils of GOD your names thus enbalm'd shall never rot thus much I tell others whilest I make this publique addresse to you pardon the rudenesse of it 't is a testimony of your goodnesse whereto I have set my hand and a weake expression of my duty sent you as a token of the gratitude of my heart let him not want your candid Acceptance who shall pray ever for your flourishing estates every way and Pride himselfe to be thought Your Worships most humbly devoted THOMAS DRANT Recensui hanc Concionem dignamque judico quae typis mandetur THO WYKES R. P. Episc. Lond. Cap. Domest THE Divine Lanthorne 1 IOHN 1. 5. GOD is Light THE Truth still gaines by Opposition it not onely beares up against the violence of Affronts but comes of with victory and triumph like your noble mettals it is fin'd by those flames which the breath of malice hath rear'd to consume and wast it what matchlesse Champions in all ages hath even the madnesse of impugners armed to the patrocinie of the faith Holy and Cotholike among others our Apostle is interessed in this sacred quarrell In this whole Epistle he purposely combats Carpocrates and beates downe in him that prodegie of opinion Sin we must and but by doing the will of the divels themselves we have no other ascent or staire by which to mount up to glory In this first Chapter he enters the lists with Ebion and vindicates both from his envy and cavill that CHRIST is from eternity GOD one with His Father in power and everlastingnesse there were Meteors too who made a blaze of piety but were indeed false fires and soone went out in a stinch they ware the livery of CHRIST but Service or Attendance they had none for Him what the Romanes did condemne in Publicola who prais'd Brutus in words but followed Tarquin in deeds their workes did ever jarre and brawle with what they spake or taught these our Apostle unmaskes in my Text prickes the tumour which swels them and what ever dresse they put on displaies them to be a Spurious broode within the pale but no true Sonnes of GOD or of His Church were they so their lookes would not speake smiles whilst stormes did surge in their breasts they would steere as they set their compasse nor would their faces be toward Canaan and their hearts at Ashdod what they seeme they would be be holy as their heavenly Father is holy doe the workes of mercy as He is mercifull tugg and wrestle for perfection as He is perfect walke in light as He is light for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 GOD is Light The words are not many but as Chrysostome that miracle of the Greeke Church spake of the like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are weighty in substance though not in bulke as much sparkeling lustre may be in a small jewell and in a little globe we may surveigh a world of countries the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is soone said that GOD is Light but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how He is so to traverse this will be a taske of more sweate it must bee mine now and my way shall be to shew you what Light is and withall what GOD is in relation to it and so at once how GOD and Light doe agree in the same proprieties in the handling whereof I shall be animated I hope with your most Christian patience and attention The first quality in which GOD and Light doe agree is the imperceptibility of both The property of Light is such as hath staggerd strangely and tir'd the Naturalists in the search and definition of it insomuch that some Philosophers saith Vellesius have thought it the bodily and materiall part of the God-head GOD doth at once aske of Iob and ston'd him Where is the way where light dwelleth and as for darknesse where
joy whence our earth-wormes whilest they climbe them not slip onely but tumble Absolute content dwels not here below what we here traffique for is but Alchymie and dawbing were we Monarchs of the world and retinu'd with all the Equipage of greatnesse all were but bracteata faelicitas copper leav'd with gold a bugel at best or glassy carkanet which if we finger we breake it An apple of Sodome which wee may eye not tast unlesse our bread should be Ashes for such a touch makes them A false light such as betraies our Sea-men to rockes and shelves and as it leades shipwracks them A fresh brooke of water which may dance and sport a while in her christall channell but fals into a mare mortuum a sea of gall and wormewood for knowest thou not that it will be bitternesse at the latter end GOD is that Ocean into which all the rivers of a full delight do run He the fruit of that Eden whose alone smell is all pleasure whose tast is life He that Spring and Source of true felicity which all soules pant after and of which who drinkes shall never thirst He that cleare Sun where all the light of grace and glory is center'd and which no Eclipse can darken O give us of the fruits of that Orchard O leade us to those waters of comfort O be thou our starre to the Heaven of happinesse Thou O LORD who madst the Light without a Sun and than madest the Sun to be the chariot of that Light O bee thou our Sun that all our Light may bee gathered unto thee be thy presence our Light that we may shine like the Sun in beauty whilst thou art our Light we can never want beauty whilst thou art our Sun we can never want Light for thou art Light And thus much of the second property betwixt GOD and Light the delightsomenesse and comfort of them both The third property in which GOD and Light agree is their unblemisht purity and fairenesse Light is a quality most cleare most pure most unblemisht that especially whose emanation being from a body most simple and free from mixture the Philosophers entitle celestiall hence perhaps it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affies somewhat with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Macrobius in the first of his Saturnals taketh for the Sun the Prince of the Planets of Heaven the fountaine and alone mine of Light GOD is in this respect Light that perfection of purity which shines in Him no clouds of error no mists of impieties can obscure or shadow a lustre of holinesse shewes it selfe in the glorious Dietie such whereto the fairest beauty of Angels is a ball of darknesse So those glorious Hierarchies themselves in their mutuall cry Holy Holy Holy is the LORD of Hoasts the holinesse of Saints though a faire body of brightnesse is but a beame of this and influenced from it GOD onely is by nature pure in the abstract purity and His is the praise and glory of it in the sweet singer of Israel Exalt the LORD our GOD and worship at His holy hill for the LORD our GOD is holy and therefore as He is Light here in my Text so in Saint Iames He is the Father of Lights the rayes of which did He not dispence unto us wee were in darknesse more palpable than those groping Aegyptians more hellish than hell it selfe what ever mid-night is below with man there is all noone-day with GOD above what ever darknesse is under His feet there is all brightnesse before His face and such as dampes all other it is no Hyperbole in Iob Behold the Moone and it shineth not yea the Starres are not pure in His sight there is beauty in the Starres more in the Sun from whose Magazen of Light they borrow theirs O how incomprehensibly glorious is that Light which is in thee O LORD who couldst create Lights to give such glory to thy work-manship these even the brute creatures may behold those not the very Angels GOD is Holy Three in one all three but one GOD and all holy in that Antheme of the foure beasts Holy Holy Holy LORD GOD Almighty which was and is and is to come whom these beasts embleme whether the foure Evangelists as Haymo Ribera and others or foure Angels who for their more noble emploiments are set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in regard of the rest is a question may giddy not better me Saint Augustines glosse hath more of pith and juice in it Vnum JEHOVAM celebrant repetendo unum idem Sanctus trinum agnoscunt ter repetendo quod uni tribuerunt they acknowledge one GOD whom they esteeme onely holy and a Trinity they acknowledge in that blessed Unity of the God-head whilst they repeate thrice Holy Holy Holy GOD the Father is Holy with this inscription the Bethshemites could blazon Him Who is able to stand before this Holy LORD GOD GOD the Sonne is Holy Gabriell as both His Priest and Herauld at once christens Him and proclaimes it that Holy thing which shall be borne of thee shall be called the Sonne of GOD So is the HOLY GHOST witnesse that royall title in Daniels vision in which the Ancients interest Him as by whom is the unction of holinesse the most Holy Some things are holy by Creation as Angels blesse the LORD yee His holy Angels that excell in strength Some things by communication as the Elect who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Paul phraseth it called to be Saints Some things by dedication as His Temple O worship the LORD in the beauty of Holinesse Something 's are holy for use as the creatures Moses branded with uncleannesse some of them but Adam caus'd it by his sinne filth was powred on all CHRIST hath wip't out this legall impurity and lodg'd under one roofe whole hoofes and cloven if the Jewes were than a holy people the Gentiles are now a holy Nation it is true of men beasts things all creatures through the foure corners of the earth are cleane and holy and this was taught us by Saint Peters great sheete let downe by foure corners from Heaven but made good by CHRIST who pulling downe that Screene or wall of partition betweene them hath taught us not to call any thing uncleane which GOD hath cleansed when Iulian poysoned the wells the shambles the fields with his heathenish lustrations the Christians saies my Antiquary dranke freely of them and by vertue of Saint Pauls Quicquid in macello 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing uncleane is S. Peters rule at least with Saint Pauls paraphrase munda mundis if my selfe be cleane I reade this posie on what ever I use Holy if otherwise my cloathes saith Iob shall make me filthy All things are in themselves in some degree Holy GOD alone is holinesse it selfe So those Heavenly Musitians chant it Who shall not feare thee O LORD and glorifie thy