does excommunicate them only in desire And again 2 Cor. 10. 6. and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfil'd It becomes therefore every one that hath good VVill for Sion to labour to fulfill his own obedience that so the Church may be empower'd to use Christ's Method for reforming of the rest And they that vvill not do so must know they shall not only answer for their sins but for refusing to be sav'd from them that they resist all medicine as men resolv'd that nothing shall be done towards their Cure as men that rather choose to perish and prefer destruction And for the seasons and degrees of putting this work into Execution Wisdom must be implor'd from that Spirit of VVisdom that calls unto this work The last Part VVhereunto I have called them The Nature of the calling of the Holy Ghost is a Subject that would bear a full discourse But waving those pretensions which Necessity and inward incitation do make to be the Calls of the Holy Ghost I shall positively set down that the call of God and of the Holy Ghost to any VVork or Office for I enquire not of his calling to a priviledge or state of favour is his giving abilities and gifts qualifying for that VVork or Office he call immediate when the gifts were so but mediate and ordinary when the abilities are given in his blessing on our ordinary labours 'T is so in every sort of things Exod. 31. 2. See I have call'd Bezaleel and I have fill'd him vvith the Spirit of God in VVisdome and in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of VVorkmanship to devise cunning vvorks and to vvork in all manner of VVorkmanship and behold I have given him Aholiab and in the hearts of all that are vvise hearted I have put Vvisdom that they may make all that I have commanded thee And he repeats the same again Chap. 35. 30. adding that he hath put in his heart that he may teach both He and Aholiab so that giving this skill to vvork and teach is nam'd Gods calling So in another case the Lord does say of Cyrus I have call'd him Esay 48. 15. vvhich he explains in the 49. I have holden him by my right hand to subdue Nations before him to loose the loyns of Kings I have girded him So vvhen Isaiah saith the Lord hath call'd me from the VVomb or rather sayes that of our Saviour Isa. 49. 1. he tells you how ver 5. he form'd me and prepared me from the VVomb to be his servant to bring Jacob to him And throughout the New Testament as his Call to a priviledge is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his grace in allowing such a state of favour so his calls to a Work are his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his gifts enabling for it The Gifts of these Apostles by vvhich they vvere enabled for their Office and vvhich made up their call are set down those of Barnabas in the fore-cited 11 Act. He was a good man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost and Paul's call vvas a little Extraordinary If vve look into times vve shall find reason to believe those revelations in 2 Cor. 12. vvere given to Paul a little before this consecration of him in the Text. That Epistle vvas vvrit saith Baronius in the second year of Nero and this separation vvas in the second of Claudius as may be gathered also in some measure from the famine mention'd in the 28. verse of the 11. chap. betwixt these two vvere fourteen years now saith Saint Paul vvhen he vvrote that he had his revelation somewhat above 14. years before a little therefore before this solemnity Here vvas a call indeed call'd up to the third heaven to receive instructions for his Office and for ought he did know call'd out of his own body too that he might be the fitter for it whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knows verse 2. and that again verse 3. They vvhom Gods Spirit qualifies for Consecration to separate to these diviner Offices may be stil'd Angels well vvhen they are call'd from all regards or notices of any body that belongs to them their gifts and graces set them above the consideration of flesh In the entertainment of these qualifications the Soul is swallowed up so that it cannot take cognizance whether it have a body of its own and is not sensible of that deer partner of it self it is so onely sensible of this Employment 'T is not for an Apostle or for his Successor to think of things below vvith much complacency When these have all their uses all their glories on they but make pomp to dress the body vvhich an Apostle does not designe for nor knowes vvhether he be concern'd at all in He becomes something without a body and above the Earth vvho for a preparative must be taken up to Paradise and call'd from all commerce and all intelligence with his own body Saint Paul vvas call'd from Heaven to preach the Gospel but he vvas call'd to Heaven to qualifie him for this higher separation to an Apostle and Church Governour And now you see your calling Holy Fathers and to pass by such obvious unconcerning observations as at first sight follow that those vvho are not qualified are not call'd I shall onely take notice hence of the counter-part of this call the charge God takes upon him when he calls to this charge and that is he owns and will protect whom himself calls 'T was that he promised to the Pounder and â—od of your Order I the Lord have call'd thee and I will hold thine hand and I will keep thee Isaâ— 42. 6. And vvhen he said of Cyrus I have call'd him he said also he shall make his way prosperous Isai. 48. 15. And so he shall be the vvay vvhat it vvill for thus he said to Jacob I have called thee when thou goest through the VVater I am with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee Isai. 43. 1 2. There was Experience of all this in one of the chief Princes of your Order vvhen the Apostles vvere scarce safe within their ship they vvere so toss'd with vvaves and fears yet if our Lord vvill call him Peter is confident he shall be safe even in the sea Lord if it be thou bid me come unto thee on the Water saith he and the Lord did but call him and he vvent down and walked on the vvater safely as if the swelling billows did only lift themselves to meet his steps and raise him up from sinking And vvhen his own doubts vvhich alone could vvere neer drowning him and he but call'd the Lord immediately he stretched out his hand and caught him He answers his call if vve answer ours if we obey vvhen he sayes come then vvill he come and save vvhen vve call to him And so Peter receiv'd no hurt but a rebuke O thou of little
else but that which made him dye tickle cheer and heighten my self with Agonies You my intemperate Draughts my full bowles and the ryotous Evenings I have past look yonder what a sad night do these make Christ passe look what a Cup he holds which makes him fall lower to deprecate than ever my Excesses made me lye You my lazy Luxuries Fulnesse of Bread and Idlenesse whereby I have controul'd Gods Curse and onely in the Sweat of others Faces eat my Bread and in that dew drank up the Spirits of those multitudes that toyl to faintings to maintain my dissolute life see how he is forc't to bear the whole curse for me how the Thorns grow on his head and how he Sweats all over You my supine Devotions which do scarce afford my God a knee and lesse an heart not when I deprecating an eternity of all those Torments which kill'd Christ look yonder how he prayes behold him on his Face petitioning see there how he sweats and begs You my little Malices and my vexatious Anger 's that are hot and quick as Fire it self and that do fly as high too that are up at Heaven strait for the least wrong on Earth look how he bears his how his patience seems wounded onely in a wound that fell upon his persecutors and when one that came to apprehend him wrongfully was hurt as if the Sword of his defence had injur'd him he threatned and for ever curs'd the black deeds of that angry Weapon and made restitution of what he had not taken made his adversary whole whom he had not hurt See how with his cruel Judges he is as a Sheep that not before his shearers onely but before his Butcher too is dumb You my Scorns and my high Stomach that will take no satisfaction but Blood and Soul for the faults of inadvertency for such as not the wrong but humour makes offences look how they use him they buffet and revile and spit upon him Ye my dreadful Oaths and bitter imprecations which I use to lace my speeches with or belch out against any one that does offend me in the least making the Wounds and Blood of God and other such sad words either my foolish modes of speaking or the spittings of my peevishnesse There you may see what 't is I play with so you may behold the Life of Christ pouring out at those wounds which I speak so idly of and what I mingle with my sportive talk is Agony such as they that beheld afar off struck their breasts at and to see them only was a passion Ye my Atheismes and my Irreligion but alas you have no prospect yonder it s but faint before you who out-do the Example whatsoever Judas and the rest did to the Man Christ Jesus you attempt on God you invade Heaven Sentence Crucifie Divinity it self And now having shewed my Sins this Copy of themselves what they are in their own demerits when my bowels do begin to turn within me at that miserable usage which Christ underwent it will be a time to execute an act of Indignation at my self who have resetted in my bosom all these Traytors to my Saviour made those things the joy and entertainment of my life which had their hands in the Blood of my God and what a stupid senslesse Soul have I that was never troubled heartily at that which did make him almost out of hope and if this be the effect of sin then it is time for me to throw it off O my Jesu sure I am I am not able to support the weight of that thou didst sink under Thou didst come to bear our sins in thy own Body on the Tree therefore in thy Body they were nailed to the Crosse and then certainly I will not force and tear them thence No there I leave them and will never reassume them more which resolution is the effect of that vertue and efficacy which is in the Crosse of Christ to the crucifying of sin which is the second sense in which the Christian does professe with S. Paul I am Crucified with Christ. There are some Learned Men that when they would assign reasons sufficient to move Cod to lay the punishment of our iniquities upon his Son and execute that Indignation that was due to us on the most innocent most Holy Jesus give this onely that this was the highest and most signal way imaginable to discover Gods most infinite displeasure against Sin and by consequence to terrifie men from the practise of it For if any thing in Heaven or in Earth could make us fear and from henceforth commit no such evil it was surely this to see Sin sporting in the Agonies of Christ Iniquity triumphing in the Blood of God To see those dire instances of the deservings of a Sinner those amazing prelusions to his expectations and consider it was easier for God to execute all this upon his Son than suffer sin to go unpunisht Indeed they make all that is real in the whole account they give of satisfaction made to God for sin to consist in this that the temporal Death of Christ which God by vertue of his absolute Dominion may inflict on the most innocent taking away that which himself had given especially since Christ who had that right over his own life which none else had did of his own accord submit to it and he laid down his life who had a power to do so That Death I say might justly be ordain'd by God for an Example of his Wrath and Hatred against Sin and then might be accepted in the stead of their death who were warned by that example and affrighted from committing sin And truly there is colour for it for all satisfaction seems either of a losse sustain'd which is acquired by compensation or the satisfaction of our anger which is commonly appeased by the sufferings of the injurious party or else the satisfaction of our fears and doubts that we may be secure not to sustain the like again which is most likely to be best provided for by punishment For sure one will not venture upon that which he must suffer for the doing Now of all these the first the satisfaction of compensation as it cannot properly be made to God who could sustain no real diminution by Man's sin For though thy wickednesse saith Job may hurt a man as thou art yet if thou sinnest what doest thou against God or if thy transgressions be multiplyed what doest thou to him but onely as the breaking of his law does in S. Pauls expression dishonour him amongst men so also it were easie to demonstrate that this one example does exalt more of Gods attributes and to a greater height than either if his Law had been obey'd or executed if that either were our business or if this sort of satisfaction did not properly belong onely to the offended party not the supreme Judge or Governour as such under which notion God is here to
Custome that will ruine it eternally and when he shall bring against us an instance out of Hell here and the kindnesses of one among the Devils shall come in Judgement against us where we see the Rich man thought not of his own condemnation so much he thought of the averting that of his Brethren We might suppose a man in his condition could not consider any thing but his own Tortures O yes to preserve others from them yet when the man in Hell does so the men on Earth do think of nothing more than to entice others into them And is it not a strange Age then when to tempt is the only mode of kindnesse and men do scarcely know how to expresse themselves civil to their Friends but by pressing them to sin and so be sick with them as if this were the gentile use of Societies to season Youth into good Company and bring the Fashionable Vices into their acquaintance And 't is well if they stay there it happens so that Parts and Wit Faculties and Acquisitions do ingratiate men into these treacherous kindnesses and qualifie them for the desires and friendships of such persons as entertain them by softning them into loosnesse and then into prophannesse debauch their manners and then their Principles teach them to sport themselves with Vice and then with Holy things and after with Religion it self which is a greater Luxury than that their Ryots treat their Appetites withall the Luxury of wit And thus they educate them into Atheisme and these familiar Devils are call'd Acquaintances and Friends And indeed the Companions in sin a man would think should be dear friends such as pour an heart into one another in their common Cups shed Souls in their Lusts are friends to one another even into ruine and love to their own Condemnation are kind beyond the Altar-flames even to those everlasting fires such communications certainly cement affections so that nothing can divide them And let them do so but Lord send me the kindnesse of Hell rather one that will be a friend like this man in his Torments that with unsatisfied cares minded the reformation of his Friends Nay Father Abraham but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent which brings me to the Choice the second part If a Ghost should indeed appear to any of us in the midst of our Commissions it would certainly hurry us from our enjoyments and there are no such tyes and unions by which the advantages of sin do hold us fixt and joynted to them but the shake and tremble we should then be in would loosen and dissolve them all and make us uncling from them if we may believe discourses that tell us such a sight is able to startle a man however he be fixt by his most close Devotions for what the Jews were wont to say we shall dye because we have seen an Angel of the Lord from Heaven most men do fear if they should see the Spirit of a dead man from the Earth Indeed the affrights which men do usually conceive at the meer apprehension of such an apparition do probably arise from a surprise in being minded hastily of such a state for which they are not then prepared so as they would wish or hope to be to which they think that is a call for we shall dye said the Jews But not to ask the reason of this now but find the reason why our Rich man thinks when Moses and the Prophets cannot make a man repent such a Ghost should We have it v. 28. they do but discourse to us but one from the dead could testifie he could bear witnesse that it is so as they say speak his own sight and knowledge and therefore though they hear not Moses and the Prophets yet if one went unto them from the dead they will repent For First one from the Dead could testifie that when we dye we do not cease to be and he would make appear that our departing hence is not annihilation and so would dash the hopes of Epicures such as I was and I may fear they are who as they live like Beasts do think to dye so too and who are rational in this alone that they desire to be but Animal And all the rest of men whether worldly or sensual that enclose their desires and enjoyments within this life and above all the Atheist that dares not look beyond it all these would be convinc'd by such an evidence Indeed this would take away the main encouragement of all ungodlinesse which upon little reasonings how thin soever that there 's no life after this does quicken and secure it self Wisd. 2. and therefore every Sect of men that did prescribe Morality did teach an after life nothing was more believ'd among the Heathen Their Tribunal below where three most severe Judges were appointed meant the same thing with our last Assize and their Elizian fields were but Poetical Paradise their Phlegethon River of Fire was set to expresse our stream of Brimstone flame Thus Resurrection in fable made them vertuous the ghesse at it made Socrates dye chearful and though his hopes had faint weak Principles they had Heroick almost Martyr resolutions And on the other side of those that among them deny'd an after life though we are told that Epicurus was a vertuous man yet his Sect did give name to Vice and is still the expression for it and all that did espouse the Tenents of it did the vices too the Sadduces among the Jews are call'd Epicures not onely for opinions sake because they did make God a body and totally denyed his Providence as Zakuth sayes but Epicures also for their practise sake For they used to scoff at the Pharisees for afflicting themselves by Fasting and Austerities in this life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when there is nothing at all of recompence for them in any life to come Yea and Josephus sayes of them they were the worst of all Sects living like savage Beasts towards one another and uncourteous to their own Sect us to strangers and this sayes he was but a natural effect of their Opinion which wholly denyed the Immortality of the Soul and all Rewards and Punishments after this Life which Principle one coming from the dead would rectifie and so contribute to Repentance Especially if Secondly that one were Lazarus if he that at the Supper of the Lamb sits next the Father of the faithful and the Friend of God in one of the higher Seats of Paradise in Abraham's Bosom if he would go and speak his knowledge of the Pleasures of that Bosom which he tasts and of the glories of that place and but compare them with the little gayeties of my Fathers House shew them the difference betwixt their Structures and that Foundation whose builder and maker God is betwixt the entertainments of their riotous Palates and the Festivals of the Blessed Trinity then sure they would disrellish those and catch at these
whereas that he chose prov'd an occasion of falling to them Yet that God should think it much more necessary to give us an Example of Humility and Poverty below expression then it was necessary that that whole Nation should believe on him When of all the Virgins of that People which God had to choose one out to overshadow and impregnate with the Son of God he chose one of the meanest for he hath regarded the low estate of his Handmaiden said she and one of the poorest too for she had not a Lamb to offer but was purifyed in formâ pauperis When he would reveal this Birth also that was to be the joy of the whole Earth he did it to none of that Nation but a few poor Shepherds who were labouring with midnight watches over their Flocks none of all the great ones that were then at ease and lay in softs was thought worthy to have notice of it Lastly when the Angels make that poverty 2 sign to know the Saviour by This shall be a sign unto you You shall find the Babe wrapt in swadling cloathes and laid in a Manger As if the Manger were sufficient testimony to the Christ and this great meannesse were an evidence 't was the Messiah From all these together we may easily discover what the temper is of Christianity You see here the Institution of your Order the First born of the Sons of God born but to such and Fstate And what is so original to the Religion what was born and bred with it cannot easily be divided from it Generatio Christi generatio populi Christiani natalis Capitis natalis Corports The Body and the Head have the same kind of Birth and to that which Christ is born to Christianity it self is born Neither can it ever otherwise be entertain'd in the heart of any man but with poverty of spirit with neglect of all the scorns and the Calamities yea and all the gaudy glorys of this World with that unconcernednesse for it that indifference and simple innocence that is in Children He that receiveth not the Kingdom of Heaven as a little Child cannot enter thereinto saith Christ True indeed when the Son of God must become a little Child that he may open the Kingdom of Heaven to Believers Would you see what Humility and lowliness becomes a Christian see the God of Christians on his Royal Birth day A Person of the Trinity that he may take upon him our Religion takes upon him the form of a Servant and He that was equal with God must make himself of no Reputation if he mean to settle and be the Example of our Profession And then when will our high spirits those that value an huff of Reputation more then their own Souls and set it above God himself when will these become Christian Is there any more uncouth or detestable thing in the whole world then to see the great Lord of Heaven become a litte one and Man that 's lesse then nothing magnifie himself to see Divinity empty it self and him that is a worm swell and be puffed up to see the Son of God descend from Heaven and the Sons of Earth climbing on heaps of Wealth which they pile up as the old Gyants did Hills upon Hills as if they would invade that Throne which he came down from and as if they also were set for the fall of many throwing every body down that but stands neer them either in their way or prospect Would you see how little value all those interests that recommend this World are of to Christians see the Founder of them choose the opposite extream Not onely to discover to us that these are no accessions to felicity This Child was the Son of God without them But to let us see that we must make the same choyce too when ever any of those interests affront a duty or solicite a good Conscience whensoever indeed they are not reconcilable with Innocence Sincerity and Ingenuity It was the want of this disposition and temper that did make the Jews reject our Saviour They could not endure to think of a Religion that would not promise them to fill their basket and to set them high above all Nations of the Earth and whose appearance was not great and splendid but lookt thin and maigre and whose Principles and Promises shew'd like the Curses of their Law call'd for sufferings and did promise persecution therefore they rejected him that brought it and so this Child was for the fall of many in Israel 2. This Child is for the fall of many by the holinesse of his Religion while the strictnesse of the Doctrine which he brings by reason of mens great propensions to wickednesse and their inability to resolve against their Viees will make them set themselves against it both by Word and Deed For they will contradict and speak ill of yea they will openly renounce and fall away from it and him 1. For that reason they will contradict speak ill of him and of his Doctrines This is said expresly in the last words of my Text He is for a sign that shall be spoken against that is that very holinesse both of his Life and Doctrine that shall make him signal it shall make him be derided and blasphemed As if his being a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for an Ensign lifted up a Standard for all Nations were not for them to betake themselves to but to level all their batteries against Accordingly we find they call'd him Beelzebub because he cast out Devils And all this was foretold For although he were fairer than the Children of men Psal. 45. Yet Isai. 53. It is said He hath no form nor comlinesse when we shall see him there is no beauty in him that we should desire him he is despised and rejected of men Surely because his holinesse did cloud and darken all his Graces Devotion in a Countenance does writh and discompose it prints Deformity upon it and Eyes lifted up with â—rdency look as bad as eyes distorted set awry Nay Majesty when it was most severe and pious never yet could guard Religion from these scorns David that great and holy King sayes of himself I wept and chastned my self with fasting and that was turn'd to my reproof as if Repentance were among his Crimes and he must be Corrected for his Discipline I put on Sackcleath also and they jested vpon me they that sate in the gate spake against me and the Drunkards made Songs upon me Sure these jolly men are not companions to those Angels in whose presence there is joy over one sinner that repenteth that his vertue should be a rejoycing and a song to them too Certainly the penitent mans tears do not fill their Cheerful bowls nor his groans make those airs which they set their drunken Catches to But that we may be sure it never will be otherwise S. Peter tells us That in the last
he did return to slay them then they sought him and they returned to enquire early after God and they remembred that God was their Rock and the high God was their Redeemer Psal. 78. 34 35. So that from such induction the Prophet might pronounce that when Gods Judgments are in the Earth the Inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness Esay 26. 9. and S. Peter in the Text they that have suffered in the flesh have ceased from sin Which calls me to my second Task 2. To shew first by what arts the flesh engages men into courses of sin and by what methods it does work them up to the heights of it That I may Secondly declare how sufferings blast those methods and make all the arts of flesh either unpracticable or too weak 1. That the carnal appetite should reach after and give up it self to sensual delights is so far from strange that it is its nature 't is the law of the members the very signature of flesh an inclination imprinted into it of which it can no more devest it self than the heated Deer can restrain it self from thirsting and panting after water brooks But when Reason and Religion have set bounds to this appetite for it to scorn these mounds for that Law in the members to fight with and prevail against the Law in the mind those original dictates born in it and Christian Principles infused into it this is the Fleshes aim and sin Now this it does by exciting to ill actions as being sauc'd with pleasures and contents and by indisposing to good actions as being troublesome or not at all delightfull to the sense and as for all other delights it hath no apprehension of but indisposeth for them perfectly So that this it does it engages too much in Pleasures here and it takes off all cares or thoughts of any joyes hereafter both these I will shew you and thus it works 1. It prevails with us to indulge our selves the fall use of lawful pleasures and for this the Flesh will urge it is the end of their Creation to do otherwise were to evacuate Gods purpose in the making Did he give us good things not to enjoy them Thus every sort of sin insinuates it self at first Youth will not deny it self converses with temptations although he have reason to fear they will commit a rape upon his warmer passions which are chaf't by such encounters But God has not forbid him Conversation and why should he be an Anchoret and recluse in the throngs of Cities and of Courts Another that would not by any means be luxurious or intemperate yet goes as near them as he can and contrives to enjoy all those delights that do indeed but sauce Intemperance and make Excesse palatable And truly why should he restrain himself from meats and drinks and be a Jew again All these believe they live righteously soberly and Godly enough This resolution works in every recreation pleasure honour and advantage of this World men are content to make as near approaches to the sin as they can and indeed believe they have no reason to be morose unto themselves I will deny my self nothing that God hath not denyed me but enjoy as far as possibly and lawfully I may But then by doing thus it Secondly does oft take in somewhat of the immoderate and unlawful which cannot be avoided both because it is hard to set the exact bounds and limits of what is lawful The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Line that meers out Vertue from its neighbour Vice is not so plain in every place as to chalk out exactly to this point thou mayst come and no farther hence the man sometimes mistakes himself into a fault however the extremity of lawful is we know the confines and very edge of vice And then to him that playes upon the brink of sin it is a very easie step into it and indeed unavoydable when a man is rusht and hurried on not onely by his inward stings and incitations but by the practise of the World which makes use of that holy Name of Friendship to bring vice into our acquaintance and to befriend us into everlasting Death of such Friends I can have legions in Hell and the God of this World will serve me upon this account to procure for my Sin and my Destruction but howsoever when the Appetite is heated they are not to be denyed Thirdly this happening therefore sometimes proves a Snare and bait still to go on both as it takes away the horrour and the a versation of the sins which at the first seem uncouth till a man be experienced in them and also as it smooths the way for such beginnings do nurse up an Habit and prepare a Custome and make vice very easie which at first it is not while the Appetite is modest and not able to digest full Doses till use enlarge and stretch it And now the Mind which by these means tasts diverse Pleasures and the Degrees of them and finds a gust in them yet not being satisfied in any one as 't is impossible it should be stirs up the Appetite to vary and proceed that that contentment which single pleasures could not afford diversified might make up Wretched Nature using that as an Attractive which should repell for who would hugg a Cloud embrace that which does not cannot satisfie but onely Flesh which for that very reason hunts on and follows the scent And by doing so a while it brings upon it self Fourthly Something like a necessity of doing so Thus Continence would be some mens Disease and the Intemperate cannot live without his Vice but gapes as much as Thirst and Feavour do and if he have not satisfaction suffers as many qualms and pangs as his riot used to cause in the Apprentisage of his sin so that there is a kind of necessity of the practise and he wisely seeming to make a vertue of necessity begins to think them the onely happiness at least of this life freely without reluctancy embracing them And now the Flesh is Callous and if you doubt how it could so harden it self as not to be pervious to any stings of Conscience but Proof against all Pricks though Experiment may perswade you yet I will shew you the Method As all Appetite you know is blind so the Guides also of Carnall appetite The senses are very short sighted they cannot look forward to the next Life to the hopes of Heaven or the pains of Hell to bring them into the ballance with the present pleasure and see which does over weigh The Flesh onely lives extempore looks but upon that which is before it scarce on that We have sufficient experience of this for when one vice will not look forwards a year or two to the penury and rottenness some courses do pull down And when another vice as if it had learnt to fulfill our Saviours command and take no care for the morrow will not think of the next mornings pains and
ones complaint it rob'd them of the immoderate and even of the lawful use of Pleasures it took off those customary Delights by which the mind was habituated and glued to them by not allowing them and made them so far from being necessary that they were not acquirable Thus by denying us even the Lawful use of them it stabs the Flesh in its first onset Indeed it does that for us which every man in every state of life in his most plentiful prosperity must sometimes do for himself that is Deny himself what he desires and might enjoy without offence Which he that does not do but constantly gives his Appetite every sort and degree of lawful thing it asks does teach it to crave on and be importunate and insolent and not endure to be resisted when it did alwayes find him to be so obsequious to it If David never checkt Adonijah did not at any time displease him saying Why hast thou done so he easily takes confidence to say I will be King and step into the Throne 1 Kings 1. 5. 6. But he that mortifies sometimes that does acquaint even his most innocent desires with a denyal how can unlawful ones assault him For can my Appetite hope to betray me into superfluities who have taught my self not to wish for necessaries Will he be tempted with Excesses or hearken to the invitations of Luxury that will not hear his bowells when they croak for bread Or he gape for intemperate satisfactions who will not let thirst call but shuts his mouth against it Why should he covet more that hath learnt to give away and want that which he hath Now Sufferings inflict this temper on us and acquaints us with the necessity of all this and in a while with the liking of it teach us Content without Lawful Delights yea by degrees make that content appear better than an assured enjoyment for were I offered the choice either of an uninterrupted Health or of a certain Cure in all Diseases sure I had rather never need a Potion than drink Antidote and Health it self And even so the lawful good things of this life are at the best but Remedies and Reliefs never good but upon supposition Therefore while Affliction taught us to want it hath destroyed this art of the Flesh. As for the Second Then the lulling asleep all sense or thoughts of any Life hereafter neither minding the fear of one or hopes of the other Affliction surely met with this too For Sufferings bring both the hereafters to remembrance the Sad one while every Punishment was an Essay and tast of that which is prepared for those that live after the Flesh and the more insupportable our Firey Tryal was the more it caution'd us to beware of that Fire which is never quenched And for the other Life surely when our Condition was such that if we lookt unto the Earth behold nothing but Darkness and dimness of Anguish and darknesse as of the shadow of Death we could not choose but turn away our Eyes and lift them up to Heaven When the Soul is thrown down by Oppression it mounts by a resiliency and with the force of pressure is crush'd Upwards or if the Load be heavy so as to make it grovel and lie prostrate it is but prest into the posture of Devotion When she 's disseised of all turn'd out of every possession then she begins to think of an abiding City and eternal Mansions For the Soul that is restless when it sees nothing here below to stay upon but all is hurried from her roams about for some hold to rest on and being able in that case to find nothing but God there she does grasp and cling and when the storms splits all enjoyments and devours Friends which make enjoyments comfortable all perish in one wrack then she sees she must catch at him that sits above the Water-Floods I told you out of Job Affliction did discover better than Revelation and in the dimnesse of Anguish we might see more than by Vision and truely of two Visions which our Saviour gave to his most intimate Apostles Peter James and John the one of Glory on Mount Tabor the other of Sufferings in Gethsemane shewing in the one Heaven and Himself transfigured a glimpse of beatificall vision and in the other Hell transfigured and a sad Scene of all its Agonies he thought this a more concerning sight for when they fell asleep at both at his Transfiguration Luke 9. 32. Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep yet he does not rouse them up to behold his Glory when they did awake indeed they saw a glimpse of it but straight a Cloud did overshadow it verse 34. But at his Passion he bids them Watch with him Mat. 28. 38. and when he findeth them asleep he sayes What could ye not watch with me one hour v. 40. and bids them watch again v. 41. and comes again a third time and upbraids their drowsiness v. 45. So much more necessary vvas it to behold his Agonies than to see his Felicities Glory does not discover or invite to Heaven so much as Sufferings drive to it and we are more concerned to take a view of that Garden in Gethsemane than that of Paradise and the going down from the Mount of Olives does more advantage us in climbing the Eternal hills than all Mount Tabors height Nor do Afflictions onely drive us toward heaven but they beget an hope of it Knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience Patience Experience and Experience Hope Rom. 5. 3. 4. And I will give them the Valley of Achor for a door of Hope Hos. 2. 14. As if Dispaire opprest them into Hope and that low troublous Valley opened into the highest Firmament Now he that rides at Anchor of this Hope though his Anchor lye buryed under Waves yet those rouling Hills of Sea swell'd by storms of Affliction and raised too by his Tears do without Hyperbole mount him to Heaven He that hath entertained these Expectations in earnest how will he slight temptations here below What will he not sacrifice to Christs Command See Abraham that did but hope for Canaan and that far off too to be possest by the Posterity of his Son Isaack yet when God commands him to flay Isaack before he had any posterity and so to dash all his own Promises and quite cut off the very motive to Abrahams Obedience yet he hopes and obeys even to a contradiction Does both against hope And had we but the shadow of his hope as he had but the shadow of our promises how would we sacrifice a sin at his Command and think a Fleshly lust a good exchange for the hope of Heaven which Tribulation worketh and he that had suffered in the Flesh would certainly cease from sin And now my last work is to view our own Concern in this and surely that must be all Exultation and Triumph and this not so much that our sufferings are ceast as that our
Indignation for ever But in my Father's House are many Mansions Places prepared for me and an Inheritance as wide as Heaven as Endlesse and Incorruptible as Eternity and God Himself And sure if I may choose there I will live where there is neither Will nor possibility to dye where there is Life fulness of Joy Pleasures for Evermore To which c. SERMON VI. VVHITE-HALL PSALM LXXIII 25. v. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee MY Text is the result of the Pious man's Audit the foot of the account in summing up his whole that he hath either in Possession or Desire and instead of nice Division of the Words I shall observe in them these Subjects of Discourse First the different tenure or condition of Estates in the two different Countreys we relate to this here is a Land only of desires the other is a place of enjoyments Have in Heaven Desire on Earth Yea Secondly Though our estate here in this Earth be present and that other seem removed far off yet the possessions of that are present and in hand but the most native satisfactions of the Earth are still at distance onely the object of our aims and expectations I have now I have in Heaven on the Earth I but desire Thirdly Here is the matter of both these desires and enjoyments to the Pious man No Person or no thing for so it bears also but God There is nothing upon Earth that I desire besides thee And as to Heaven the negation is exprest emphatically by a Question Whom have I in Heaven but thee Yet least this Question should look like an Expostulation and he that asks it seem unsatisfied with his portion we will therefore Lastly see the Importance of it to the Christian since our Saviour is gone up into Heaven see whom the Christian hath there And if the Psalmist could find none but God and David if he were the Author could not see the Son of David there yet since Christ is set at the Right hand of God the Christians present Interest in Heaven is such that looking with contempt on all that worldly men applaud themselves in the enjoyment of rejecting all but thee O Christ he justly triumphs in resolving of this question to himself and being satisfied in having thee he does renounce even the desiring any thing but thee Of these in their order beginning here on Earth where our tenure even of earthly things is but desire this World does give no satisfactions in hand but still they are onely the objects of our Expectations and wishes When God hath given Man an erect Countenance Eyes that do naturally look towards him and the very frame of him is such that Heaven is his constant object it were no wonder if his looks and thoughts were alwayes there since both the duty and necessity of that does seem imprest upon him in his making and to desire things above is as it were the Law in his members But when he swims in delicacies here upon the Earth is immerst in the plenties of all kinds that these should give him nothing but desires of themselves that the delights should not be present to him but he should still pursue and need that which he is encompast with that while with open mouth and in a most intemperate current he swills down the pleasures yet his open mouth should gape onely with thirst and he be sensible of nothing but the want of these is strange even to astonishment Yet such it seems the nature of them is When S. John would enumerate all that is in the World the particular that he gives in is thus 1 Joh. 2. 16. All that is in the world the lust of the Flesh the lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life He does not say the objects of these Lusts that are to serve and satisfie them for there 's no such thing as satisfaction but onely lust and if we make enquiry into the particulars we shall find it To begin with that of the Eyes Covetousnesse or the love of Money 'T is evident that where an object is not useful to the faculty it cannot satisfie for satisfaction is fulfilling of our needs and uses but money is not useful to the sight nor indeed does it prove useful to or serve any of the Covetous mans occasions or faculties rather the contrary in every kind he does bereave himself of good because he hath it He is in agonies of trouble and sollicitude least he should need and not have that which when he hath acquir'd he will still need and will not have enjoyment of Nor is it possible it should be otherwise for since there is no natural original or cause of this his Appetite for 't is not emptiness that makes him hungry who is more ravenous the more full he is whose most empty bowells shrink and cling together as having learnt not to expect repast while his baggs and desires stretch and are enlarged by being stuff'd Nor is it fear of future want that makes him eager to provide so for why should he be so unsatisfied in his providing against want that will want more the more he is provided And since as there is no natural cause so there is also no natural measure for this Appetite of his for Natures measure is our reall uses of the object But this man heaps up useful things that he does never mean to use Since therefore it hath neither bound nor cause in Nature 't is monstrous and must needs be an unlimited lust uncapable of satisfaction And all this man's Wealth does purchase nothing for him but desires and is not the content but the Lust of his Eye And the same reasoning will conclude the next the Pride of life which is the Lust of a Sense as wholly unconcern'd in all the Pomps and garnishes of Pride as the Eye is in Wealth 't is a Lust of the Eare all is but the man's passion to hear himself his trappings or condition commended The Learned man that 's proud does think of no return for all his toyles and watches all the present racks and tortures of his mind and all the after-ones that he does pull upon his body but to be spoken well of He fasts mortifies and denies himself more than the Covetous man can do meerly to fill himself with wind he reconciles the Babel of all Languages and Sciences too in his own head but for a word onely to hear an Euge and this with such sollicitude that if the breath of mens Applause should fail him he would straight expire as if his Soul breath'd onely at his Ear. If my pride lyes in gayeties all Natures Wardrobe must be rifled the beauties of the Universe defloured the Art and Sweat too of all Nations employed to attire my person or to dress my Room rather indeed to dress the tongues and furnish out the talk of other persons who must entertain mine ears with
of all Gods Promises and Threats as much as if they were in fight and though we see them through a glasse but darkly yet we see them by it 1 Cor. 13. 12. it being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It represents the things of which we have no demonstration from sense or humane reasoning as convincingly to the mind as if they were before our eyes And it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the substance the subsistence and the very being of things that are not yet in being but in hope So that the Eye of Faith like that of God does see those things that are invisible and futurity is present to it Now by this alone it is of force to break the powers of the World which as we saw while the things of the other World were lookt upon as at a great distance afar off taking advantage of their absence storm'd the mind with present forces and had supplies at hand for fresh assaults so overcame it Whereas had the powers of the World to come been present now by Faith they are made so we see the other which are so inferiour that there is no more comparison than of immensity to a point a moment to Eternity could not stand before them 'T is too notorious that this is the case For should a man cry fire in the House how it had seiz'd the strengths of it were blotting out the glories of it in thick Smoak devouring all their shine in flame we would leave our Devotions our most eager pleasures to prevent this and no speed were swift enough to serve our cares and fears But though a Prophet of the Lord cry Tophet is prepared the pile thereof is Fire and much Wood and the Breath of the Lord like a stream of Brimstone kindling it and do this till his Lungs crack not one heart is mov'd nor brings a drop of tear to quench the flame because these fires are not present as the other neither have men any sense of them were they alike convincing alike present to the apprehension 't were impossible according to what we have demonstrated that the Will in her choyces and her aversations where the objects are of alike kind and have one common measure of their good and evil is determin'd to avoyd or take that which appears the greatest alwayes 't were I say impossible not to fly these which the Devils do believe and tremble at with greater dread wherever they appear Now a strong lively Faith must paint them out and shew them in each fin the World ensnares into Neither would any of those rotten planks which while the Will does fluctuate betwixt her worldly inclinations and these fears and is tost about offer themselves as I declared to you for her to escape upon though she does dash her self upon God's Threats choosing the present sin such as the application of Decrees or Promises made absolutely to himself without any condition confidence in Gods Mercies hopes of Pardon none of these would be security to one that were convinc't in earnest He that did believe and as it were discern that height which his ambition goads him to aspire to were upon the brink of the bottomless Pit whither when he arriv'd that very sin that tempts him with the glories of the prospect would then tumble him down headlong into that Abysse he would no more dare to ascend it by such false and guilty steps upon such hopes of mercy trusts on Promises or Decrees than he would dare to throw himself off from a Pinacle in confidence God was Almighty and Almerciful able enough and kind enough to stretch out his right hand and catch him in the fall or trusting to that Promise He will give his Angels charge concerning thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up least at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone Or leaning upon any such Decree as makes the term of life immovable and fatal neither to be hastned or retarded none of these will make him mad enough to break his neck neither would the same presumptions encourage him to cast away his Soul had he but equal apprehensions of the danger And it is plain all the temptations of the World and all these false encouragements cannot work upon a man when Death once looks him in the Face and the great Champions of Prophanenesse are tame then not that God's Threatnings are more true or made more evident to sense or reason than they were before but their Faith is active and they apprehend more strongly then To see my self trampled upon by pride and malice or worse yet begging of him whom my blood it may be helpt to streams of plenty begging like Lazarus the portion of his Dogs Dogs that are taught to snarle and bite and make more sores not lick them this is a state more killing than my want able almost to tempt a man to any courses But then if with the Eye of Faith I do but look beyond the gulph and there behold the Rich man in his flames begging for water and although it be the Region of eternall weeping yet not able to procure one drop of his own tears to cool his Tongue O then I see 't is better to be Lazarus although there were no Abraham's bosome But if my Faith look through that bosom also into that of God and there behold the Son of God leaving all the essential felicities of that Bosom to come live a life of Vertue here on Earth and to teach us to do so choosing to do this also in a state of the extreamest poverty consecrating want and nakednesse contempt and scorn making them thus the ensigns of a divine Royalty And to encourage us not to sink under any of the Worlds assaults he hath proposed Rewards of Vertue such as God is blessed in did my Faith give me but a constant view of all this sure the paint and varnish of these little things below the twinkling exhalations of the glories of this World could not dazle my mind and captivate my Soul I should burst these entanglements to catch at those 'T is evident and 't is acknowledg'd that when our belief shall be all vision and our expectation possession when our understanding shall become all sense in Heaven and we see and tast and have those glories then we cannot sin cannot be tempted from them And therefore by the measures of the nearness of these objects of our sight and of our interest so are our strengths to stand and overcome temptations Now Faith is sight gives presence we have seen and it gives interest too He that believes is born of God saith the Apostle and therefore hath a right Now to be born of one is to receive from him a principle of life He then that hath receiv'd from God a Principle of life such as he can derive life like his own such as is led in Heaven when he does consider his original and looks upon himself as born of
which do exceed them by a whole Infinity and will out-live them an Eternity And here should I attempt what he would have had Lazarus perform to dash out the blessednesse of that place making the first draught of them with notions of delight not such as the understanding cannot apprehend but such as seize the heart with pleasure in this Life and that give it the strongest agitations here and sweetning that by those transendencies which I could fill it up with and should I raise it then with shadow evince that reason though it cannot fathom can yet by sure Discourse conclude the greatnesse of those glories which I would leave for your expectations to loose themselves into should I attempt all this I were an insolent undertaker Yet were it very easie to describe them so as that viewing them with the things below these would vanish in the comparison And to do so much was the utmost that our Rich man could design by sending Lazarus who if he could have been believ'd might probably have done the work for if Faith did but do what Lazarus did look into Abraham's Bosom were it but turn'd into a little vision and but as cleer an evidence of things not seen as eye-sight hath of its temptations had the spiritual object but that advantage the carnal hath of being present now it is the work of Faith to give it that advantage sure it would be impossible for the sensitive objects the pleasures are the Profits of this world which are so far inferiour to the other in desirablenesse and onely make advantage of their being present when the other is so far of 't would be impossible for them to gain our wills consent at any time and therefore when those glories shall be present to the Soul 't will be impossible for any other object to steal or ravish any way to engage one thought away from them In Heaven they cannot wish to sin Nay the flash alone of that glory fascinates the heart Peter and James and John saw but a glimpse of it and that transfigur'd too onely the other way that Moses and Elias were for the glory suffered an exinanition and they but wak'd into the sight of it so that 't was but an apparition of Heaven and yet they never would have left the place which it once lightned Master it is good for us to be here let us go down no more never converse with any thing beneath Mount Tabor but let us build three Booths such Tents would be like that which He hath spread and such Booths be some of the many Mansions of his House who spreadeth out the Heavens for a Tent for himself to dwell in But the truth is while men do onely hear of Joyes above and have but thin neglected notions of them and on the other side a sense of present profits pleasures honours which the world affords they will not be affected with the future dry hopes of those as with all these in present will not have as effectual a tast of the Supper of the Lamb as of their own delicious daily fare nor be as much wrought upon by the Promises of being Cloath'd upon with the white Robe of Immortality and by the mentions of a Crown although of Glory as they are pleas'd with their own Royal Purples they have much surer Conviction of the delights of present things than of those far removed futurities but now if Lazarus would go from Abraham's Bosom he might Convince them from his own Experience and then they would Repent Especially Thirdly because Lazarus hath seen me in my Torments and can give account of them wherefore I pray thee Father Abraham send him for if such an one went unto them from the Dead one that could testifie of this place he would tell them such sad stories of my condition here how in lieu of all my sumptuous fare I have nothing now but gnashing of teeth streams indeed of Brimstone and a lake of fire but everlasting feaver of thirst for my delicious intemperate Palate my short-liv'd sins turn'd to eternal Agonies sure this would prevail with them to cut off their sins by Repentance before Death cut off their sin and them together and so they might prevent the coming hither And very probably it might have taken for upon such Conviction 't is hard not to resolve to change for who is he that can resolve thus with himself well I will now content my self with everlasting Condemnation and this sin for I see they are consequent now this I cannot leave therefore let the other come they that were once affected with the apprehensions of the greatnesse and the certainty of that Damnation cannot resolve thus and therefore we see fewer men adventure to transgress Man's Law whose Punishment is neer and most assur'd than God's Commandments And when their fears of the Lords Judgments stare them in the face they quickly tremble into the terrours and the agonies of Penitence For who dares sin and who does not repent upon his Death-bed he sinks at the remembrance of his former draughts when he does apprehend his next is like to be in the Infernal Lake he hath the frost of the Grave on him when he but thinks of his lascivious heats and does think too that his hot lustful Bed will turn him off strait into Tophet And then if Lazarus could raise these apprehensions in them sure they would repent 'T is plain these were the grounds our Rich man built this his request upon I do not lay them as infallible I make no question but that men are able to defie their knowledge and charge through their own belief to sin and to destruction but commonly men do not lay things deep enough to their heart to be throughly convinc't in earnest and thus he believed for had Abraham granted his desire and sent Lazarus to testifie the Glories he had tasted in himself and the Torments he had seen their Brother in all he could hope from this was but to make them more believe the one and other therefore he thought for want of this they would miscarry and this alone would do it so that we may conclude that in the judgment of one that dy'd without Repentance having resisted all God's Methods and knew upon what score he did it and suffered the deserved pains of so doing the reason why men do not repent is because they are not sufficiently convinc't of the next Life and of its two Eternities of Joy and Torment they do not credit them but notwithstanding all that God hath done his truths want witnessing for if one went unto them from the Dead one that could testifie they would Repent I should now make reflections on this and our selves together and truly all this would bespatter fouly such as go on in a vice for it does conclude concerning them that they do not believe Gods Truths but in the midst of their professions of Religion are Infidels 't is plain they are so
else to do and because while the world accounts it a Pedantick thing to be brought up by Rules and under discipline he cannbe learn how to imploy himself to his advantage to passe by these I say the universal strength against this Enemy is Faith Tour adversary the Devil like a roaring Lion goeth up and down seeking whom he may devour whom resist stedfast 〈◊〉 the Faith And that not onely as it frustrates all that the attempts by means of Infidelity but it also quenchis all his fiery darts whatsoever bright Temptation he presents to draw us from our Duty or whatever fiery trial he makes use of to affright and martyr with For the man whose Faith does give him evidence and eye-sight of those blessed Promises eye hath not seen and gives substance present solid being to his after-hopes and whose heart hath swallowed down those happy expectations which have never entred in the heart of man to comprehend what is there that can tempt or fright him from his station To make all that which Satan gave the prospect of prevail on such a Soul the Kingdoms of the Earth must out-vie Gods Kingdom and their Gauds out shine his Glory and the twinkling of an eye seem longer than Eternity For nothing lesse than these will serve his turn all these are in his expectations Or what can fright the man whose heart is set above the sphere of terrours who knows calamity how great soever can inflict but a more sudden and more glorious blessednesse upon him and the most despiteful cruel usage can but persecute him into Heaven 'T is easie to demonstrate that a Faith and Expectation of the things on Earth built upon weaker grounds than any man may have for his belief of things above hath charg'd much greater hazards overcome more difficulties than the Devil does assault us with For sure none is so Sceptical but he will grant that we have firmer grounds to think there is another World in Heaven than Columbus if he were the first Discoverer had to think there was another Earth and that there are for richer hopes laid up there in that other World for those that do deny themselves the sinful profies and the jollities of this and force them from their inclinations than those Sea-men could expect who first adventur'd with him thither For they could not think to gain much for themselves but onely to take seisin of the Land if any such there were for others covetous Cruelty could get little else but onely richer Graves and to lie buried in their yellow Earth Nor are we assaulted in our voyage with such hazards as they knew they must encounter with the path of Vertue and the way to Heaven is not so beset with difficulties as theirs was when they must cut it out themselves through an unknown new World of Ocean where they could see nothing else but swelling gaping Death from an Abysse of which they were but weakly guarded and removed few inches onely And as if the dangerousest shipwrecks were on shore they found a Land more savage and more monstrous than that Sea Yet all this they vanquisht for such slender hopes and upon so uncertain a belief A weak Faith therefore can do mighty works greater than any that we stand in need of to encounter with our Enemy It can remove these mountains too the golden ones that Covetousnesse and Ambition do east ùp Yea more it can remove the Devil also for if you resist him stedfast in the Faith he flies which is the happy issue and my last part Resist the Devil and he will Flie from you And yet it cannot be denyed but that sometimes when the messenger of Satan comes to buffet though S. Paul resist him with the strength of Prayer which when Moses managed he was able to prevail on God himself and the Lord articled with him that he might be let alone yet he could not beat off this assailant 2 Cor. 12. 7 8 9. When God either for prevention as 't was there v. 7. or for exercising or illustrating of Graces or some other of his blessed ends gives a man up to the affaults of Satan he is often pleased to continue the temptation long but in that case he does never fail to send assistances and aids enough against it My grace is sufficient for thee saith he to S. Paul there And when he will have us tempted for his uses if we be not failing to our selves he does prevent our being overcome so that there is no danger in those Trials from their stay But yet it must not be denyed but that the Devil does prevail sometimes by importunacy and by continuance of Temptation so that Resistance is not alwayes a Repulse at least not such an one as to make him draw off and flie It is not strange to find him fiding with a natural Inclination with the bent of Constitution still presenting Objects laying Opportunities throwing in Examples and all sorts of Invitation alwayes pressing so that when a man hath strugled long he does grow weary of the service not enduring to be thus upon his guard perpetually watching a weak heart which strong inclinations busie Devils do lay fiege to and so growing slack and carelesse he is presently surprised Or else despairing that he shall be alwayes able to hold out lays hold upon a tempting opportunity and yields by the most unreasonable and basest cowardise that can be yields for fear of yielding lest he should not hold out he will not but gives up and puts himself into that very Mischief which he would avoid meerly for fear of coming into it For which fear there is no reason neither For 't is not here as in our other Sieges where if it be close continuance most reduce men to necessity of yielding Strengths and Amunitions will decay Provisions fail and if the Enemy cannot their own Hunger will break through their Walls and make avenues for Conquest time alone will take them but in these Spiritual Sieges one Repulse inables for another and the more we have resisted the Temptation is not onely so much flatter and more weak and baffled but the inward Man is stronger Victory does give new forces and is sure to get in fresh and still sufficient supplies For God giveth more grace saith S. James And they shall have abundance saith our Saviour So that where the Devil after several repulses still comes on with fresh assaults we may be sure he does discern there is some treacherous inclination that sides with him And although the man refuse himself the satisfaction of the sin the Devil sees he hath a mind to it his refusals are but faint not hearty though he seem afraid to come within the quarters of the Vice he keeps it may be correspondence with the incentives to it entertains the opportunities plays with the objects or at best he does not fortifie against him Now this gives the Tempter hopes and invites his
the unity of the Spirit nor sets into the rank of higher members in Christs body those who tear that body and themselves from it the factious those that will not be bound neither in bonds of peace nor of obedience but break all holy tyes that make commotions and rave and foame sute 't is the Legion that sends them and not the Holy Ghost He vvhom the spirit vvill call must not be under the reputation of a Vice but should be of a good report lest he fall into reproach and so into the snare of the Devil 1 Tim. 3. 7. i. e. lest he fall into reproach and then his teaching do so too and men learn to slight or not heed the doctrines of such a one as is under scandal for his life and so the Devil get advantage over them and do ensnare them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For to be to any an occasion of falling is to be the Devils snare Now Christ's Fishers of men those vvhom the Holy Ghost appoints to spred nets for the catching Souls to God their lives must not lay snares for the Devil and entangle Souls in the toyls of perdition Those also that come to you out of Ambition or of greediness of gain the spirit calls not neither He calls we see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a work so that they who feek more then they can well attend the labour of or are qualified for the work of they are not of his sending But of all men the Holy Ghost will least deal with the Simoniacal that come not to a work but to a market that contract with Patrons for the spirits call or worse than their master Simon vvould hire the Holy Spirit himself to say Separate me them The Successors of the Apostles have a Canonical return to these Your money perish with you They vvhom the Holy Ghost does call must have his gifts and temper St. Paul hath set all down to Timothy and Titus and those vvho minister in this employment if they vvill be vvhat he hath made them joynt Commissioners vvith him and his Co-workers they must order it so that he may vvork and act which he does not but where he calls nor does he call but those whom he hath qualified And 't is of those only whom he hath call'd that he says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scparate The third particular the thing enjoyn'd And the Holy Ghost said scparate The separateness of the Functions of the Clergy the incommunicableness of their offices to persons not separated for them is so express a doctrinc both of the letter of the Text and of the Holy Ghost that sure I need not to say more though several heads of Probation offer themselves As first the condition of the callings which does divide from the Community and sets them up above it And here I might tell you of bearing rule of thrones of stars and Angels and other vvords of as high sense and yet not go out of the Scripture bounds although the dignitie did not die with the Scripture age or expire vvith the Apostles the age as low as Photius words it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Apostolical and Divine Dignity which the chief Priests are acknowledged to be possest of by right of Succession Styles vvhich I could derive yet lower and they are of a prouder sound than those the modest humble ears of this our age are so offended vvith But these heights it may be vvould give Ombrages although 't is strange that men should envy them to those vvho are only exalted to them that they may vvith the more advantage take them by the hands to lift them up to Heaven Those neernesses to things above do but more qualifie them to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Theoph. and to draw near to God on your behalf that those your Angels also may see the face of your father vvhich is in heaven and those stars are therefore set in Christs right hand that they may shed a blessing influence on you from thence 2. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The VVork and labour of the vvork the one is the Text's and the other Saint Paul's vvord require a vvhole man and therefore a man separate and if Saint Paul one of our separated persons here vvho had the fulness of the Spirit and the fulness of Learning too that vvas brought up in the Schools and brought up in Paradise taught by the Doctors and taught by the mouth of the Lord in the third heaven snatcht from the feet of Gamaliel to the presence of God to have a beatifical Vision of the Gospel if after all this he cry out vvho is sufficient for these things sure they are not sufficient vvho in those little intervals vvhich their trades and necessities afford them fall into fits and frensies of Religion have a sharp Paroxysme of irregular convuls'd Divinity as if they vvere its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possest vvith their Theology till their vveariness and not knowing what to say do exorcise tâ—em But not to speak only to the wild fancies of this Age the Scripture says of the men of these callings they are taken from among Men and ordain'd for Men in things pertaining to God And such discriminations are evinc'd by all the expressions of a Church in Scripture 'T is call'd the body of Christ Now the parts of a body as vvhere they are so separate that they divide from one another they do not make a body but are an Execution so vvhere they are not separate in a diversitie of Organs for several faculties and operations it may be a dead Element as similar bodies are but cannot be that body vvhich Saint Paul describes 1 Cor. 12. VVhich is not one member but many vers 14. And if they were all one member where were the body vers 19. and indeed all that Chapter is inspired for this Argument In Christ's Church 't is as impossible that every one can be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Overseer as that every part in the body can be an Eye and the vvhole frame of Man may be nothing else but a Tongue as vvell as every Christian may be a Preacher And if it might where indeed were the hearing as Saint Paul does ask The Church is also call'd a building and Gods house Now it is true that every Christian is by Saint Peter call'd a lively stone and all of them built up a Spiritual house an holy Priest-hood 1 Pet. 2. 5. and they all are a Royal Priest-hood an holy Nation a peculiar separate people vers 9. Yet all this is no more of priviledge than is affirmed in the very same vvords of the Iewish Nation Exod. 19. 6. Where yet God had his separated Levites Priests and High-priests too But sure 't is manifest enough that in this building as in others stones have their separate places and
had defil'd his dwelling places to the ground and by his ancient gists of remove he vvas certainly gone There was indeed exceeding much Religion among us yet God knows almost none at all while Christianity was crumbled into so many so minute professions that 't was divided into little nothings and even lost in a crowd of it self while each man was a Church every single professor vvas a vvhole multitude of Sects And in this tumult this riot of faiths if the son of man should have come could he have found any faith in the Land Vertue vvas out of countenance and practice while prosperous and happy Villany usurped its name vvhile Loyalty and conscience of oaths and duty vvere most unpardonable crimes to vvhich nothing but ruine vvas an equal punishment and all those guilts that make the last times perillous Blasphemy disobedience truce-breakings and Treasons Schisms and Rebellions with all their dismal consequences and appendages for these are not single personal crimes these have a politick capacity all these did not onely walk in the dress of piery and under holy Masks but were themselves the very form of Godliness by which 't was constituted and distinguished the Signature of a party of Saints the Constellation of their graces And on the other side the detestation of such hypocrisie made others Libertines and Atheists vvhile seeing men such holy counterfeits so violent in acting and equally engag'd for every false religion made them conclude there vvas none true or in earnest And all this vvas because vve vvere without our King for 't was the only interest of all those usurpations that vvere to contrive and preserve it thus And vvhen vve had roll'd thus through every form of Government addrest to each mov'd every stone and rais'd each stone to the top of the Mount but every one still tumbled down again and ours like Sisyphus's labour was like to have no end onely restless and various Calamity Necessity then counsell'd us and we applied to God's directions in the Text I know not whether in his method but it is plain we did seek David our King And my heart is towards the Governoâ—rs of Israel that offer'd themselves willingly among the people bless ye the Lord yea Thou ô Lord bless them May all the blessings which this was the birth-day of all that my Text encloses all the goodness of the Lord be the sure portion of them and their Families may they see the King in his beauty and peace upon Israel and may their Names be blest in their posterities for evermore We sought him with the violent impatiences of necessitous and furious desires and our eyes that had even fail'd with looking for him did even fail with looking on him as impotent and as unsatisfied in our fruitions as expectations and he was entertain'd with as many tears as pray'd for as one vvhom not our Interests alone but our guilts had endear'd to us and our tears he vvas as necessary to us as repentance as vvithout vvhom it vvas impossible for us to repent and return from those impieties to him of usurping his rights of exiling of murthering him by wants because vve could not doe it by the Axe or Sword vvithout him ' t vvas impossible for us to give over the committing these and the tears that did vvelcome him vvere one of our best lavers to vvash off that blood that vve had pull'd upon our selves One endear'd also to us by God's most miraculous preservations of him for us We cannot look upon his life but as the issue of prodigious bounty snatch'd by immediate Providence out of the gaping jaws of tyrannous usurping mutherous malice merely to keep him for our needs and for this day One vvhom God had train'd up and manag'd for us just as he did prepare David their King at thirty years of age to take possession of that Crown vvhich God had given him by Samuel about twelve years before and in those years to prepare him for Canaan by a VVilderness to harden him vvith discipline that so the luxuries and the effeminacies of a Court might not emaseclate and melt him by constant Watches cares and business to make him equal for habituated to careful of and affected vvith the business of a Kingdome and by constraining him to dwell in Mesech vvith Aliens to his Religion to teach him to be constant to his own and to love Sion And hath he not prepared our David so for us and vve hope hath prepared for him too the first dayes of David having no Sheba in the Field nor Achitophel in the Councel nor an Abiathar in the Temple not in that Temple vvhich himself hath rais'd God having made him instrument of that vvhich he vvould not let David doe building his house and furnishing it vvith all its Offices and making it fit for God to meet us in vvhen vve do seek him also vvhich vvas the other perquisite of our Condition There never vvas so much pretence of seeking God as in those late dayes of his absence from us and it should seem indeed vve knevv not vvhere to find him vve took such several vvayes to seek him But if God did look down from heaven then as he did Psal. 14. to see if any did understand and seek after God should he not then have found it here as there They are altogether gone out of the way their throat is an open scpulchre with their tongues have they deceived the poison of asps is under their lips their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness their feet are swift to shed blood destruction and unhappiness is in their wayes and the way of peace have they not known there is no fear of God before their eyes They eat up my people as it were bread and vvhich is vvorse in these then them they even then call upon God as if they craved a blessing from the Lord upon that meal that did devour his people and when they did seek God they meant to find a prey Yet where were any others that did seek him or that do cleave to him novv The Schtsmatick does not seek God who shuns the place where he appears and meets and dwells nor does he cleave to God vvho tears himself off from the Lord's body Mark such as cause divisions saith S. Paul and avoid them and if all Christians must avoid them then I am sure God is not vvith them The other Schismaticks that divide from the World by cutting off the World from them do they seek God that are diverted by so many Saints and Angels that terminate divinest Worship in a creature or do they cleave to God when their devotion embraceth stocks and stones or did they seek God for the purpose of my Text who did not seek David their King but did apply themselves to several forein Princes and to others which they hoped would setup their Golden calf Incendiaries that make fires and raise commotions these are farre from God for
hath almost undone us and truly where it does not better it is the most fearful of Gods Attributes or Plagues for it does harden there S. Paul says so in the forecited place and Origen does prove this very thing did harden Pharaâ—hs heart indulgence was his induration Now induration is the being put in Hell upon the Earth There is the same impenitence in both and judgment is pronounced already on the hardned and the life they lead is but the interval betwixt the Sentence and the Execution and all their sunshine of Prosperity is but kindled Brimstone onely without the stench And then to make the treasures of Gods bounty be treasures of vvrath to us to make his kindness his long-suffering that is S. Peter says salvation condemn us his very goodness be Hell to us But sure so great a goodness as this we have tasted cannot have such deadly issues and it was great indeed so perfectly miraculous in such strange and continued successes resisting our contrivances and our sins too over-coming all opposition of our vices and our own policies that do not comport with it and in despight of all still doing us good it was fatality of goodness Now sure that which is so victorious will not be worsted by us But Oh! have we not reason so much more to fear the goodness The greater and more undeserved it is the more suspicious it is As if it were the last bâ—azâ— of the Candle of the Lord when its light gasps its flâ—sh of shine before it do go out the dying struggles and extream efforts of goodness to see if at the last any thing can be wâ—oughâ— by it And if we did consider how some men menage the present goodness make use of this time of it and take and catch we would believe they did â—ear the departure of it But vet it is in our power to fix it here If we repent Gods gifts then are witâ— out repentance but one of us must change Bâ—ing Piety and Vertue into countenance and fashion and God will dwell among us Nay S. Paul says Goodness to thee if thou continue in his goodness If we our selves do not forsake it and renounce it not fear it so aâ— to flâ—â— from it but with the fears of sinking men that catch anâ— grasp lay fast dead hold upon it if as God promâ—ses he so put his fear in our hearts that vve never depart from it fear that hath love in it and is as unitive as that then it shâ—ll never depart from us but we shall see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living and shall be taken thence to the eternal fulness of it This day shall be the Birth-day of Immortal Life the entring on a Kingdom that cannot be moved A Crown tâ—us beautified is a Crovvn of glory here and shall add weight and splendor to the Crown hereafter A Church thus furnished is a Church Tâ—umphant in this World and such a Government is the Kingdom of Heaven upon Earth and then we shall all reign with him who is the King of Kings and vvho vvashed us in his Blood to make us Kings and Priests to God and his Father To vvhom be glory and dominion for ever Amen FINIS SERMON XVIII AT CHRIST'S-CHURCH in Oxford on St. Steven's Day MATTH V. 44. But I say unto you love your Enemies blesse them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you I Need no Artifice to tie this Subject and this Day together The Saint whose memory we celebrate was the Martyr of this Text and 't is impossible to keep the Feast but by a resolution of obeying these Commands you being call'd together on this day to beseech God to grant that you by the example of this first Martyr St. Stephen who pray'd for his Murderers may learn to love your Enemies and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you A strange command in an age in which we scarcely can finde men that love their friends nor any thing but that which serves their interests or pleasures that indeed love nothing but themselves nor is it onely injury that works their hate and enmity but difference in opinion divides hearts and men are never to be reconcil'd that have not the same mind in every thing as if one Heaven should not hold them that have not one judgement in all things we see that one Church cannot hold them and they that have but one same God one Redeemer and Saviour one Holy Spirit of Supplication cannot agree yet in one Prayer to him though they have but one same thing to pray for to him will not meet in their Worship because they doe not in some Sentiments and 't is no wonder all Christ's reasonings and upbraidings all the Advantages He does propose to them that love the shames he casts on them that doe not by putting them out of his Train into the condemnation of Publicans 't is no wonder all this does not work with them whom their own sufferings and black Calamities will not convince There is not one of us but knows that thus our miseries began but few years since and yet we that have suffered for and by our Divisions whose quarrels wounded the whole Nation and our selves who have wept so much bloud at once to vent and to bewail our differences are still as full of the same animosities as ever and want nothing but opportunity to confound all again Religion and our selves And in the name of God what did Christ mean when He prescrib'd this Precept when he disputed prest it thus or what doe Christians mean when they doe break and tear this Precept and themselves Though I be farre from any hopes to reconcile our Parties as by Gods help I shall ever be from making any yet I will offer an Expedient to make them not so noxious namely if they will keep the differences of their judgements from breaking out into their affections and actions And though while meekness and obedience to Governours and the whole constellation of Gospel-graces doe not seem to shine so fair as man's own reputation or humor or possibly some strict opinion which they have own'd and the shew of holiness that glitters in it while 't is thus I say we cannot look any party will yield all doe or will believe themselves to be in the right Yet I will give them leave to think so and my prescription shall concern them equally although they be and by addressing my Discourse to them that are so really I shall conclude more forcibly them that are not who ere they be for sure I am none can be more in the right than those whom Christ lays this injunction upon than his Disciples and Apostles as relating to those that would be their Enemies as such yet 't is to them he speaks here I say unto you love your enemies c. The words
pardon before God making evidence of our performance and they cry for we forgive and so call for pardon And to encourage this procedure our Saviour before he did commend his own spirit into the hand of his Father he commended his Executioners to the mercies of his Father Our Martyr did not so indeed but first pray'd for himself Lord Jesus receive my spirit Acts 7. 59. but though Heaven opening he saw that Jesus standing at the right hand of God as ready to receive it yet his spirit would not leave his body so it made him live yet to endure more stoneing from his persecutors for whom he had not pray'd yet but when he once fell on his knees not beaten down by their storm but his Charity and pray'd Lord lay not this sin to their charge when he had said so he fell asleep v. 60. his spirit taken hence as it were â—sculo pacis though by the most violent death and he lyes down in a perpetual rest and peace that thus lyes down in love These are requests to breath out a soul into Heaven in and Heaven it self did open to receive that soul that came so wafted And now we are at the top of Christ's Mount the highest and the steepest point of Christianity which vies with that to which our Martyrs Spirit did ascend for it makes perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect it sets our heads within in those higher and untroubled Regions wherein there are no Meteor-fires the flame of Passion cannot wing it thither for he that is above the power of injury discontent cannot look up to him it is with him as in the upper Orbs where there is only harmony and shine all is Peace and Love the state of Heaven it self Now as it does happen to them that look down from great heights every Object below is dwarf'd and if the distance of the Prospect be as great as that from Heaven to Earth they tell us this whole Globe would be but like a spot all being swallowed in it self so if from this great height of duty we should look down upon the world of Christianity would it noâ— almost wholly disappear and vanish some thing like a dark spot of it you may perchance behold stain'd and discolour'd with the Blood of Christians which their constant quarrels shed some it may be dye that Blood in colours of Religion their animosity is Christned zeal they kill only for Sacrifice thus they interpret and fulfill Christs precepts this they call holy love as if Christ when he bid his Disciples take no Slaves with them meant they should carry Swords as if the love he had commanded we should have for them that are in errour if our enemies be so indeed were but to murder them forsooth out of their errours Next for the kindnesses that Christians do to those that hate them or have disoblig'd them they are God knowes so little that no perspective can shew them from this height we are upon and yet 't is not for want of light we cannot see them 't is very rate men do those things in the dark for if they do not blazon them themselves the enemy whom they oblige must do it The distance also is too great to hear the prayers that are made for those that treat men with despiteful usage perhaps it is because they are put up in secret but then what means the yelling of those curses That ill language that is banded to and fro While none will be behind in the returns of these how far soever we are off like Thunder these are heard and thence you may behold them also tearing Christs wounds wider to mouth their swelling passion we may see their anger redden with his Blood and themselves spitting out that Blood by imprecations at the face of him that did provoke them we may see them raking Hell to word these prayers sending themselves thither in wishes that they may express them with more horrour The Hatreds and Revenges which men act on them that have offended them hates that seldom ever dye till themselves do which the Frost of the Grave onely cools yea many times they are rak'd up and keep their heat in the ashes live in the grave and are as long liv'd as the families which for the most part is more careful and renacious of them then of their Inheritance The executions of these are often writ in characters legible at utmost distance in this Mount of the Lord they may be seen but where now are the Christians of my Text and of this day There 's no appearance of them in the face of the whole Globe of our Profession nay worse it is scarce possible they should appear the duties of loving enemies of returning affroâ—ts with kindnesses these are banisht thence other virtues are practic'd down but these are scorn'd and quarrel'd down 'T is become a base thing and not to be endur'd to be a Christian in these instances See pride and passions swoln up to an height which Christ's Mount cannot reach and which he must not level by his precepts for since he was not pleas'd to consider how inconsistent in this last age of the World his rules would be with those of honour and in making his Laws â—ook no care of the reputation of a Gentleman 't is fit his Laws should give way to the constitutions of some Hectors and he must â—ear the violation of them and all this must be reasonable too Good God! what prodigy of age is this when Christ the Loâ—d cannot be competent to judge either of right of honour â— of reason When to be like God and to be perfect as our Father â— Heaven is perfect is to be most sordid and unworthy of a Gentlâ—â—an and in the name of God these men that are too great for vâ—â—ue that brave out Religion and will needs give rules to God â—hat rank do they intend to stand in at Gods Judgment seat on â—e last day Lord God! grant us to stand among the meek on that â—â—nd with the Sheep and those that are too poor in spirit to defy their â—nemies and thy commands for however the meek maketh himseâ—â— a prey and is so far from enjoying the promise of inheriting the â—â—th that the virtue is scarce allow'd to sojourn in the earth as â—it had breath'd it's last in this our Martyrs prayer took it's flight with his spirit and those stones that slew him were the Monâ—â—ent of loving enemies of praying for those that persecure an murder and such Charity were not to be found among us any more yet sure I am these charitable persons shall enjoy the friendship and the glories of That Lover that did Bless Do goodâ—â— Pray and Dye for Enemies and these meek men shall reign with the Laâ—b who was slain and is worthy to receive power and riches and wiâ—dom and strength and honour and glory and blessing all which be ascribed to him and to the Father
non habent Dominos temporales Caâ— eodem e e after Martin V. was made Pope f f Sacro approbante Concil Constant. per Apostolica scripta committimus mandamus Conc. Tom. 29. p. 613. g g p. 617. 626. h h p. 626. i i p. 626. k k p. 628. l l Tâ—ough they be Patriarchs Archbishops Bishops Kings or Queens or Dukes c. m m Per excommunicationis suspensionis interdictiâ—ec non privationis dignitatum personaâ—uum etiam bâ—norum at dignitatum sacularium per alias paenas vias mcdos p. 629. The same Mandate also does in p. 614. enjoyâ— them to require the Emperours Kings Dukes c. to expell those Hereticks from their Dominions see teâ—â—râ—â—â— Later an Concilii qâ—od incipis sicus ait Namely cap. 27. of the general Councel of Lateran under Alex. 3. which Caâ—on threatens thus Relaxatos se â—overint â debito fidelâ—tatis hominii ac totius obsequii quicunque illis aliquo pacto tementur annexi Conc. Tom. 27. p. 461. Also in the 17 Sess. of the Counc of Conâ—ance under John 21. Conc. Tom. 29. p. 458. The Councel does define expresly Excommunication and deprivation to Kings also Hac sacrosancta Constant Synodus Ecclesiam Catholicaâ—â— representaâ—s in spâ—ritâ— sancto legitime congregata statmit definit ordinatu quod quicâ—nque cujuscunque status ac conditionis existat etiamsi Regalis Cardinalatus c. Sententiam excommunication is austoritate hujus S. Concilii general ipso facto incurrat ulterius omni honore dignitate sit ipso facto privatâ—s a a Les declarant heretiques relaps chefs faâ—tours protecteurs de l' heresie come tels tombes daâ—s les censures les peiâ—es y portées par les loix les Canons privez eâ—x leâ—r descendans des tontes terres dignités incapables de succeder à quelque Principaâ—té que se seit specialement an Royanme de France Absout leurs Subjects dâ— serment de fidelité leur defend de leur obeir Histâ—ire du Roy. H. le Grand par l' Evesque de Rhodeâ— ad annum 1585. p. 68. v. p. 71 Edit Amst. anno 1661. b b Cap. â—â—am sanctam de Major obedientia 〈◊〉 extra Com. c c 1 Sam. 15. 23. a a Subscription to the Act for Uniformity 14 Car. 2. a a Acts 23. 8. b b Gal. 5. 19 20 21. â— 22 23. a a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joseph de Bell. Jud. l. 2. c. 12. Edit basâ—â— b b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ibid. c c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Exod. 32. 6. v. 31. 32. Rom. 9. 33. 1 Pet. 2. 6. Joh. 9. 29. Mar. 6. 3. John 7. 48. 2 Cor. 8. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2. 7. Mat. 14. 19 20 21. Heb. 1. 6. Heb. 7. 19. Heb. 11. 10. Luc. 1. 48. Luk. 2. 24. compared with Lev. 18. 6 8. Luk. 2 12. Leo. Mat. 18. 3. Phil. 2. 6 7. Deut. 28. 1. 5. Mar. 10. 30. Isai. 11. 10. Mat. 10. 25. Mat. 3. 22. Psal. 69. 10 11 12. Luk. 15. 19. 2 Pet. 3. 3. Psal. 1. 1. Joh. 3. 19. Mat. 21. 32. Congo Myster ut vocari solet Asymp toticum Angul contingent c. Luke 13. 3. Rev. 9. 1. 11. Grot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2. 8. 2 Cor. 2. 15. Heb. 1. 3. Acts 4. 12. 2 Tim. 2. 19. vers 20. vers 28. Ibid. John 11. 25. Phâ—l 3. 21. a a Vers. 15. b b Ephes. 4. 12. c c Gen. 3. 4. 6. d d Gen. 3. 4 5. a a Jer. 17. 10. a a Ephes. 2. 2. Joh. 3. 36. b b Job 5. 7. ver 44. 45. a a Mat. 8. 29. b b Luk. 8. 31. c c 1 Tim. 5. 13. a a Rom. 3. 13. b b Ezek. 16. 49. a a Exod. 32. 6. b b Ps. 78. 19. 25. c c Wisd. 16. 20. 21. d d Exod. 16. 18. e e Ps. 77. v. 18. f f Ver. 7. g g 2 Sam. 11. 1 2. a a Ephes. 6. 16. b b Job 1. 11. c c Mat. 4. 3. d d Luk. 18. 8. a a Heb. 12. 4. a a Mat. 4. 8 9. b b Eph. 5. 5. c c Rev. 9. 11. a a Joh. 13. 2. 27. b b Isa. 14. 14. c c Mat. 4. 4. d d Eph. 6. 11. e e 2 Tim. 2. 26. a a Eph. 6. 11. 13. a a 1 Pet. 5. 9. b b Eph. 6. 16. e e Heb. 11. 1. d d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. 1. a a Deut. 9. 14. a a Jam. 4. 6. b b Mat. 25. 29. a a Acts 7. 51. b b Eph. 6. 16. c c 1 Thess. 5. 19. d d Gen. 19. 16. e e Vers. 4 9. a a Eph. 4. 30. b b Isa. 6. 9. Mat. 13. 14 15. Joh. 12. 40. Acts 27. 26. Rom. 11. 8. c c Ezek. 33. 11. a a Eph. 6. 12. b b 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. c c Acts 26. 18. a a Rev. 3. 21. a a Heb. 13. 20 10. 29. b b Gal. 6. 14. c c 1 Cor. 1. 18. d d Poly. Ignat. Ep. p. 23. Edit Usserian pro persequentibus odâ—entibus vos pro inimitis crucis a Tertul. Apolog. c. 1. a a Gal. 6. 14. a a Mat. 16. 24. 1 Joh. 5. 8. a a Heb. 12. 2. b b 2 Cor. 4. 17. c c 1 Cor. 1. 18 19 21 23. a a Luk. 12. 15. a a Tertul. Apol. c. 16. b b Tertul. ad Nat. c. 11. c c Ibid. a a Joh. 1. 36. b b Rev. 13. 8. c c Heb. 9. 26. a a Joh. 15. 13. b b Rom. 5. 8 10. c c Cant. 8. 6. Ibid. 70. a a Col. 2. 15. a a Mat. 28. 18 19. b b Joh. 20 21. a a Si Papa erraret pracipiendo vitia vel prohibendo virtutes teneretur Ecclesia credere vitia esse boâ—a virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientians peccare Bellarm de Rom. Pontif. l. 4. c. 5. sect ultima b b Irridere Catholica Fidis disciplinam quod juberentur homines credere non autem quid esset verum cercertissimâ ratione docerentur l. 1. Retract c. 14. c c De util cred c. 1. ante Fidem nobis quam rationem imperari d d Origen adv Celsum l. 1. p. 8 editi Cantabr a a Si Papa erraret pracipiendo vitia vel prohibendo virtutes teneretur Ecclesia credere vitia esse boâ—a virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientians peccare Bellarm de Rom. Pontif. l. 4. c. 5. sect ultima Verse 1. 2. a a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. The Arke of the Covenant with the Propitiatory and Che rubins the Vrim Thum mim the fire that came down from Heaven to consume the burnt offerings the Glory of God that appear'd between the Cherubins and the Holy Ghost that spake
by the Prophets See Gâ—mar c. 1. in Iâ—ma See also Galas l. 4. ciâ—ing the same out of R. Elias R. Soloman R. David a a Hag 2. 10. b b Ioel. 2. 28. Iohn 3. 14. 1 〈◊〉 2 15. a a Ep. ad Corint p. 54. edit lunii b b apud Eusib. l. 3. c 23. c c on 1 Tim. 4. 14. Matth. 28. 20. Matth. 12. 26. 2. 1 Joh. 2. 20. a a Epip haet 75. b b Vide Athanas. Apol. 2. How this judgmentdid derive it self down into the Reformation may be seen from the account of the Fratres Bchemi who sought over the world for Episcopal Ordination and were never quiet in their consciences till they had obtained it Vide Johan Am Comenâ— Ratio Discipline Ordinisque Ecclesiastici in unitate Fratrum Bohemorum c c Bed Eccl. hist. l. 2. cap. 2. d d Suid. in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1. 5. 1 Cor. 12. 7. Mat. 5. â—â— Luke â— a a Theophyl in locum b b Matth 4. 19. Act. 8. 20. a a 1 Tim. 5. 17. Heb. 13. 7. b b Matt. 19. 28. c c Rev. 1. 20. c c Rev. 1. 20. d d Pho. cp 34. a a Matth. 18. 10. b b Apoc. 1. 20. c c 1 Tim. 5. 17. 2 Cor. 12. 1 2 3 4. 2 Cor. 2. 16. Heb. 5. 1. Col. 1. 24. a a Ephes. 2. 21. b b 1 Tim. 3. 15. a a Vid. rharg Hierosolym Gen. â—9 3 Jonath ibid. Solom â—atch Glossam ad Exod 19. 22. ad cap. 24. 5. b b Vide Ifido Pelusio l. 2. Epist 47. Iac. 1. 27. a a Rom. 12. 2. b b Ioh. 15. 19. Matt. 5. 14. a a 1 Cor. 11. 10. b b Exod. 15. 17. c c Exod. 20. 24 John 6. 7. Mat 16. 23. Apoc. 1. 20. 1 Tim. 6 16. Apoc. 1. 20. Acts 9 1. 1 Cor. 15. 8. Col. 1. 24. Mar. 16. 15. Rom. 15. 20. â— Cor. 10. 16. 2 Cor. 11. 28. Iohn 21. 15. a a Acts 9. 17. putting on his hands he said thé Lord hath sent me that thou mightest be filled with the Holy Ghost b b Act. 9. 15. 22. 14. a a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Separate for the work that is for the Apostleship Occumenius upon this text And so Theoph. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in Act. Apostol p. 2. in locum p. 118. Vid. Theoph. in locum p. 119. Breâ—ely a a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Goari p. 684. Apoc. 1. 20. Acts 7. 1. 2. a a Lev. 1â— 12 13. b b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gâ—g Naz. Orat. 6 ad Gâ—â—g Nyssen c c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abâ—n Ext. ad Psal. 99. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. â—bi supra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—hilo de vita Moses â— 1 3. d d Had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath lost he should destroy them e e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Miracles-gifts of healing Governments diversities of tongues a a that sense he puts upon it in the epistle to the Galathians ch 5. ver 3. 4. a a ab annis quatuordecim saith the Arab. Matth. 14. 28. 29. â—1 ibid. Eph. 1. 19. 20. Num. 12. 3 20. 10. Deut. 33. 2â— Num. 16. 3. Jude 11. Num. 16. 30. ver 32 33. Iohn 10. 21. Heb. 13. 20. Matth. 2â— 3â— Psal. 44. 19. Luk. 22. 44. Ver. 42. Mat. 27. 46. Mat. 27. 45. a a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b b Exod. 29. 42 43. c c Psal. 42. 4. d d Psal. 74. 7. e e Psal. 31. 20. f f Ier. 17. 12. 14. 21. Psal. 74. Ver. 3. 4. 6. Ver. 7. Ver. 1. 2. Psal. 42. 4. Arist. Pol. l. 7. Ioseph l. con Appio 1 Kings 12. 16. Luk. 16. 26. Prov. 28. 2. a a R. Simeon the son of Iochai said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and R. Simeon the son of Menasiah said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 33. â— Exod. 3â— 1 5. Iudg. 3. 7. ver 12. Ch. â— 1. Ch. 6. 1. Ch. 10. 6. Ch 13. 1. â— 1 Kings 16. 26. Ch. 2â— 22. 22. 52. c. 1 Tim. 2. 2. Vet. 3â— 1 Sam. 12. 25. Psal. â—9 49. Isa 5. 16. 2 Chro. 34. 2. 2 King 14. 3. Chron. 17. 3. Psal. 12â— 1 5. Psal. 130. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudg. 5. 9. 2 Sam. 5. 4. Inter 7 9. Sauli qui regnavit an 20. Vid. Sim. Chron. Psal. 120. 5. Psal. 11. Rom. 5. Rom. 16. 17. â—1 Kings 19. 11. 12 Matth. 23. 27. Matth. 4. Prov. 9. 27. Prov. 5. 5. Phil. 2. 21. Isai. 1. 65. Luk 15. 4 5. 2 King 2. 11. let 31. 15. Rom. 2. 5. 2 Pet. 3. 15. Rom. 11. 22. Ier. 32. 40. Apoc. 1. 5 6. a a Mat. 18. 22. John 13. 3 4 5. b b 1 Pet. 4. 8. Verse 21. 22. 1 John v. 16. Psalm 1. 3. White Psal. 109. 17. 18. Gal. 6. 10. Tertul. a a Act. 7. 60. b b Act. 9. 4. Luk. 23. 34. 46. Mat. 5. 48. Rev. 5. 12.