so glorious a Majestie 2. The second cause is the frailty of mans flesh for such is the weaknesse and tendernesse of the eye of man that hee is not able to behold the Sun in Rota when in a clear day he is as in a chariot adorned in his glorious splendour then which no creature is brighter for the more a man gazeth on it the blinder is his sight The Israelites were Exod. 34. 30. not able to behold Moses his face when hee came from talking with God on mount Sinai they were afraid saith the Text to come nigh him untill hee had put a vaile over it And if man cannot endure to behold that glory wherewith God hath invested his creatures how much lesse able is hee to behold ipsam vim divinae Essentiae that infinite glory of that infinite God who gave such glory to his creatures for the workman is alwayes of more excellent aspect then the work it selfe as the potter is more honourable then the clay and the builder of the house of more esteem then the house builded As then glasse cannot endure the violent-working heat of the fire without either breaking or melting no more is man able to behold Almighty God who is a consuming fire without Heb. 12. 29. perishing Againe God cannot be seen by the bodily eye of man for then hee should be of some humane shape and wee should conceive grosly of him juxta passibilitatem humanam according to vaine fancy Behold saith Solomon the heaven and the 2 Chro. 6. 18. heaven of heavens cannot containe him Heaven is his throne and the earth is his foot-stool and as he is of infinite Immensity and cannot be circumscribed within any bounds or limits so is his Essence invisible and incomprehensible and cannot be seen by the frail eye of man When Moses desired to see Gods face or glory that is the fulnesse of Gods glorious Majestie the Lord told him that it would be hurtfull to him Thou canst not see my face and live saith God Mortali Exo. 33. 18 c. Bibl. Interlin carne Deum videre non potuit Such was the glorious splendour of Almighty God and such the weaknesse of his dazled eyes that although his desire was great yet his infirmitie was greater hee could not see the face of God in full Majesty God indeed vouchsafed to shew him his back-parts which some interpret his wondrous works others Gods attributes and properties by which God mightily made himselfe known to Moses but his glory or his glorious Essence by his mortall eye hee could not see As wee are not able to know the essence of any star so are wee not able to reach to the knowledge of the Essence of God While man is clothed with flesh hee is subject to weaknesse yea hee is weaknesse it selfe Even the eye which is the light of the body is not capable of things other then what are sublunary nay many of them it cannot discern perfectly but when this earthly clod is laid in the dust and this corruption hath put on incorruption and this mortality hath put on immortality then shall hee see God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 face to face that is hee shall see God in greater perfection although even then hee shall not be able to comprehend him in his Immensitie In this life the Church knoweth him either by hearing his voice or by seeing him standing behinde a wall or else looking through grates or lattises that is in the book of the Creatures or the book of the Scriptures or the book of Conscience And this brings mee to the second generall of the Text in which is evidently manifested the exceeding love of so infinite a God who vouchsafeth to impart himselfe unto man by familiaritie not by exhibiting his Essence but by sending forth his voice In the foregoing verse of the Text the Church By Voice rejoyceth in that shee heares the voice of her Beloved It is by voice that God is pleased wonderfully to make himself known unto his own Thus by voice did hee make himself known to the Patriarchs before the Law to the Prophets under the Law and thus did Christ manifest himselfe at his Baptisme and at his Transfiguration This voice of God sounds sometimes terribly as at the giving of the Law when there were thundrings Exod. 19. 16. and lightnings and a thick cloud upon the Mount and the voice of a trumpet exceeding loud so that the people trembled Observe the place Trumpets sounded mightily in the aire fearfull thunders brake forth from out the skie with fierce lightnings with horrible mists with thick clouds and terrible smokes arising from the mountain and in the midst of all this a dreadfull terrour of the voice of Gods more dreadfull Majestie I am the Lord c. Whence observe that sithence the Law of God was delivered with such trembling that wee also tremble to violate this Law and the rather because the exaction of this Law shall be with greater terrour at the last and generall day of Gods great assises then the publication of it was with astonishment Daily experience teacheth us that the violation of the lawes of earthly Princes are executed upon delinquents with greater severity then they were proclaimed Even so Almighty God by his voice in giving the Law speaks threatens and thunders in each denouncing open war against all such as shall contemptuously offer violence unto his Law hee will be avenged on his Jer. 46. 10. adversaries and comfort himselfe in their destruction Thus also when Christ desired his Father h John 12. 28 29. to glorifie his Name a mighty voice came from heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorifie it againe insomuch that the people said it thundred And sometimes this voice comes mildely as when the Lord appeared to the Prophet Elijah for first there came a violent winde which rent the 1 King 19. 11 12. mountaines and brake the rocks in pieces yet the Lord was not in that winde then an earth-quake yet the Lord was not in that earth-quake then a fire yet the Lord was not in that fire last of all came a still soft voice and in it God was To stubborn and incredulous Note Psal 68. 33. people God sends forth his voice with furie but to obedient and beleeving people in love and mercy Now if God manifesteth himselfe by voice then not by Imaginary conceits like the ungodly person who as David observes runs the road of Psal 50. 18 21. all villany joining with the theef partaking with the adulterer and opening his mouth with the slanderer and thinks God to be such a one as himselfe Nor yet by Imagery draughts as the Papists would who picture him like an old man sitting in a chaire grosly abusing his Divine Essence Beloved none can conceive so holily so reverently and so divinely of God in every respect as hee ought therefore hath God given an especiall charge to the
creatures the Sun to rule the day the Moon and the Starres to govern the night nor doe they rule by their own power but by that power which they receive from God their Creator In the Sun the holy Ghost setteth down three remarkable things and worthy our best observation 1. That it is a most glorious creature adorned Psal 19. 5. like a Bride-groom 2. That it runs alwaies and that most swiftly Vers 5 6. and strongly like a Gyant 3 That from the Suns reflection all other things receive their vegetation for nothing is hid from the Vers 6. heat thereof 1. The Sun is a most glorious creature and therefore compared to a Bride-groom going forth of his chamber and wee know that then are men alwayes best bedecked when the day of their espousals are come that they may seem most lovely in the eyes of their Bride But if wee were able perfectly to behold the body of the Sunne for its immensity and quality wee should not need this comparison of a Bride-groom to illustrate its inexpressible beauty All the beauty of the eye consisteth in light if the light be gone and darknesse cover the face of the earth the eye can discern nothing And because nothing is so amiable and lovely as the light therefore would God be pleased to be called light God is light and in 1 John 1. 5. hind there is no darknesse And in this light of the Sun wee may see him who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father Jam. 1. 17. of lights even light it selfe 2. The Sunne is alwayes in a very swift and wonderfull motion hee rejoyceth as a Giant to run his course Now in a Giant according to his greatnesse and strength so is his swiftnesse but the Sunne is farre swifter then any Giant when in the space of four and twenty hours hee compasseth his Orbe and who can but in this also see the stupendious wisdome and admirable power of Almighty God 3. Nothing can hide it selfe from the light thereof the Moon and the Starres the Air the Earth and the Seas all borrow their light from this light and all receive their maturity from its heat yea even the Mines under the earth have their production from it And as the earthy bodies receive their nourishment from the Sun even so the soules of men receive their enlightning from God who is the Father of lights Sol pater est luminum corporalium Deus verò luminum spiritualium The Sun indeed is the father of lights corporall but Almighty God is the Father of lights spirituall And as the power and glory of God is seen in the Sun which is the glory of the day so also are his power and providence seen in the vicissitude and changes of the Moon which is the governesse of the night And this creature affoords these two doctrinall Observations 1. That as the Moon is neerer to the Sun the brighter is her body towards the heavens and the darker towards the earth Or when shee is in conjunction with the Sun shee is bright upwards towards the Sunne and dark downwards towards the earth so on the contrary when shee is in opposition to the Sun her body is dark towards the heavens and bright towards the earth all her light then reflects downwards none upwards So in like manner for I shall consider man like the Moon and God like the Sunne when man like the prodigall is gone from the Sun of righteousnesse into a farre countrey then that light of his understanding wherewith God had endowed him being abused reflects onely earthward his thoughts are onely minding earthly things and although Philip. 3. 19. to the eye of the world this man is judged and esteemed to be the onely wise and happy man yet perhaps in the eyes of God hee is poor blinde and naked On the other side when a wicked man turnes from his wickednesse and proves a true convert a faithfull beleever an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile hee is then subjected to God by humilitie and knit or in a manner in conjunction with God by charity in an holy union so that Quae sursum sunt quaerit Hee minds the things that are above where Christ sitteth Col. 3. 1. on the right hand of God then also his understanding is heavenly and from above it is pure peaceable Jam. 3. 17. gentle easie to be intreated c. It is not sordid that is earthly sensuall divellish And although Vers 15. to the eye of the world hee may seem abject forlorn despicable and accounted no better then the d Jer. 8. 2. Zeph. 1. 17. dung upon the earth and even e Job 18. 17. Isa 26. 14. as a dead man out of minde yet is he dead only to the world but f Col. 3. 3 4. his life is hid with Christ in God and therefore when Christ who is our life shall appear hee also shall appear with him in glory 2. By this changing of the Moon God would give us to understand how frail man is how subject to fall from his God by sin and therefore how carefull hee ought to be in seeking a perfect union and communion with God and to turn to him betimes quia nescit an aliàs reverti dabitur nam qui promisit poenitentibus veniam revertentibus gratiam non promisit longiorem vitam nec poenitentiae donum sponte peccantibus because hee who hath promised pardon to the penitent hath not promised longer life to repent hee who hath vouchsafed to conferre grace to them that truely turne unto him hath not promised the gift of repentance to wilfull and obstinate sinners such as abuse the riches of his mercy Let us therefore Hebr. 4. 16. while wee have grace offered come boldly unto the throne of grace that wee may obtain mercy and finde grace to help in the time of need And let us know that the neerer wee draw unto God the brighter will the beams of his countenance shine upon our souls not but that the Lord is pleased sometimes as it were to cloud himselfe from us and this hee doth in his wisdome and on purpose that wee may both more earnestly long after him and more highly prize his presence when wee enjoy it In Chrysost omnibus sanctis hoc facit Deus ut neque tribulationes neque jucunditates continuas sinat habere God dealeth thus with all his holy ones that neither the burthen of afflictions may oppresse them to make them despair nor the flash of prosperity puffe them up to make them presume Hear Almighty God by his Evangelicall Prophet For a small moment Isa 54. 7 8. have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Nor are the Starres without some expression of the Deity Species
there is a supreme Judge who will call them to an account which sting of theirs shewes the law of a supremer power written in their hearts Rom. 2. 15. 5. The execution of justice in rewarding the godly and punishing the wicked as in the deluge drowning all but eight persons as in delivering the Israelites and overthrowing Pharaoh and his host as in preserving Lot and his two daughters when Sodom was consumed So that a man Psal 58. 11. shall say Verily there is a reward for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that judgeth the earth Thus you see that there is a God but what this God is mortall man cannot define and that for two reasons 1. Because he is incomprehensible 2. Because his essence cannot be known Yet hath hee been pleased to make himselfe known to us these three wayes 1. By his Attributes as his Mercy Justice Wisdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Goodnesse to mankind and Truth all which are revealed to us who live within the lists of the Church but are not known unto the Heathen who are without the pales thereof 2. By his Persons being a Trinitie in Unitie this wee acknowledge that Tota Trinitas unus est Deus this the Heathen are ignorant of 3. By his works as of Creation Preservation Rule and Government which are known to none so clearly as they are to such to whom the sound of the Gospel hath come much lesse have the Heathen known that blessed work of Redemption by Christ Jesus Again the Attributes of God are either Nominall or Reall Nominall as * Exod. 15. 3. Jehovah which signifies an eternall Being of himself this Name he took unto himselfe thereby to point at and shadow out unto us his Essence which is incomprehensible by this Name †Exod. 6. 3. hee was not knowne unto Abraham Isaac and Jacob but by the name Shaddai which signifies Almighty that was a name of Omnipotency this a name of Majesty Or Jah that is Lord because hee is the Alpha of all things Or Elohim which shewes to us the distinction that is to be made of the Persons of the Trinitie * Mal. 1. 6. the Father †Luk. 1. 35. the Son * Acts 2. 4. the Holy Ghost Or as in the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as being the first Essence of all things hence is hee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sole Lord Paramount because hee hath his Being in and of himselfe and dependeth on none other Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he seeth or compasseth all things Other nominall Attributes there are as El Abba c. but I omit them and hasten to his reall Attributes such are they that are onely proper unto God and shew his divine Essence Such are either Absolute or Relative Absolute as his Perfection being solely of himselfe and giving life and being to all other creatures in the world or his Infinitenesse or Eternitie being principii finis expers having neither beginning of dayes nor length of time or his Invisibilitie not having any bodily shape and therefore not to be discerned by humane sense or his Immutabilitie a Mal. 3. 6. in his Essence I am the Lord I change not in his b Psal 33. 11. Will The Counsell of the Lord standeth for ever or in his c Jer. 23. 24. Place I the Lord fill heaven and earth or his Omnipotency for quicquid vult facit hee doth whatsoever pleaseth him To these I might adde his relative Attributes as Knowledge Wisdome Goodnesse Justice Truth Liberality Bounty Mercy c. Relative I call them because in God they are essentiall in man accidentall in man finite but in God infinite incomprehensible invisible Now all these Attributes are given unto God pro nostro captu vel ratione cognitionis nostrae in respect of us men and for our benefit by which that light which is in it self inaccessible may after a manner be shadowed out to the dim eye of our dull apprehension which is not able to behold so resplendent a Majestie for the glory of God doth far more excell the glory of the Sunne then the light of the Sunne doth the light of a candle Well may wee therefore admire and say O the heighth Rom. 11. 33. the breadth the length and the depth of the Infinitenesse and Invisibilitie of Almighty God! yea and pray also with the same Apostle That wee may Eph. 3. 18 19. be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth that so wee may be filled with the fulnesse of the knowledge of God whom to know is life eternall John 17. 3. Now there are foure degrees or windowes by and thorow which the presence of this God manifestly shineth to the eye of our souls The first whereof is universall whereby in his Jer. 23. 24. Psal 139 7. c. Essence hee is fully every-where inclusively nowhere totus est in toto mundo totus in qualibet mundi parte And as hee is thus universally present in his Essence so is hee also in all his essentiall Properties as his d Psal 147. 5. Wisdome e Deut. 9. 29. Power f Exod. 2. 5 6. Providence c. The second is speciall whereby hee is said to be in heaven g Eccles 5. 2. Psal 19. 1 6. because there his glory power wisdome and goodnesse are seen in a most excellent manner from whence also he showers down Acts 14 17. in a most plentifull sort his blessings upon us for our temporall benefit The third is most speciall as hee dwels by his gracious and sanctifying Spirit in the hearts of his elect and chosen so much S. Paul affirmes Know 1 Cor. 3. 16. ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you The fourth is most speciall and singular namely when hee is present by his Spirit in Christ so S. Paul In him viz. Christ dwelleth all the fulnesse Coloss 2. 9. of the Godhead bodily And yet in none of these can the brightnesse of the Deity be seen by the eyes of humane flesh and the reason is twofold Either 1. Ex parte objecti apparentis in regard of the excellency of Gods glorious Majestie appearing Or 2. Ex parte subjecti videntis in regard of mans infirmitie in beholding For the first cause Such is the Majestie and brightnesse of Almighty God that the most glorious Angels the Seraphims and Cherubims are Isa 6. 2. forced to cover their faces at his presence And if such created natures yea rather such spirituall substances cannot see that incorporeall uncreated Hom. 14. in Johan Dialog tit Immutabilis Vertue as Chrysostome calls it or as Theodoret that incomprehensible divine Substance much lesse can man If that saying of Christ be objected Matth. 18. Their Angels alwaies behold the face of my Father I answer The Angels see
God but it is according to their capacitie and strength not according to the divine Substance for that is incomprehensible And S. Austin saith that it is one Epist 12. a◠Paulin. thing to see and another thing to comprehend the whole by seeing when as nothing of the whole is concealed but all is seen round about in every part thereof Again If that Citie which is above be so glorious as Saint John speaks the wall is of Jasper the Citie Rev. 21. 18 c. it selfe of pure gold like unto cleare glasse that it needeth not the Sunne or Moon to shine in it c. how glorious then is the Lord God whose glory is the light thereof As then a man may be upon the sea and yet not exactly know the full breadth and depth of the sea even so the Angels themselves although they are in heaven and see God really in his glory yet cannot they fully comprehend either the Ludovic Gratanensis lib. 1. duc peccat depth of his Majestie or the altitude of his Eternitie The divine Essence is of that perfect beauty and of that excellent glory that man is not able to comprehend the fulnesse of Gods Majestie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No man saith Saint John hath 1 John 4. 12. 1 Tim. 6. 16. seen God at any time Hee onely saith S. Paul hath immortalitie and dwels in light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen or can see So holy Job Loe he goeth by me and I see him not hee Job 9 11. 23. 8 9. passeth on also but I perceive it not Behold I goe forward but hee is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him On the left hand where hee doth work but I cannot behold him hee hideth himselfe on the right that I cannot see him Verily saith the Prophet Isa 45. 15. Isaiah thou art a God that hidest thy selfe O God of Israel the Saviour Deus ubique praesens est attamen Greg. in Hom. in Ezek. vix inveniri potest stantem sequimur at apprehendere non valemus Hee is above us and below us before us and behinde us on either side of us yea within us yet we can neither see him nor feel him Per molem corporis nusquam est per incircumscriptam Idem substantiam nusquam deest Hee is above us by his power ruling us hee is below us by his sustentation relieving us hee is without us by his greatnesse environing us and he is within us by his Spirit piercing the very secrets of our hearts For the Essence of God consisteth not of members as doth an humane body nor of affections as doth the soul of man and although members as hands eyes ears feet c. yea and passions of the minde as anger jealousie patience c. are divers times ascribed to God in his word yet are these termes ascribed to him none otherwise then by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the weaknesse of our capacitie for his perfection admits not of the least weaknesse or perturbation Simonides the Poet being demanded by Hiero the Tyrant what God was craved a day to deliberate and not being then able to define the true Nature and Essence of God hee craved two daies more that time being past and himselfe yet unresolved hee craved four dayes still doubling his number and being demanded the reason hereof hee answered that the more he studied and dived into that abysse the lesse able was hee to define what God was so incomprehensible is Gods Essence In a word whatsoever can be said of God cannot fully expresse his infinite Immensity Cujus Greg. in Moral ergo gloriae non sufficit obstupescens conscientia quomodo sufficiet loquens lingua If then the astonished conscience of man cannot sufficiently conceive the Majestie of God how then can his tongue expresse it O! then admire the length breadth heighth and depth of this Deitie whose length is Eternitie whose breadth is Charity whose heighth is Majestie and whose depth is Wisdome Qui amat ut Bern. in considerat Dei Charitas novit ut Veritas sedet ut Aequitas dominatur ut Majostas c. Who loves as cordially as Charity knoweth all things judicially as Verity judgeth uprightly as Equity rules royally as Majestie governs potently as Principalitie protects impregnably as Safety works mightily as Power helps readily as Pietie and is manifested as the Sun in his splendour gloriously His power is inexplicable Hug. Card. lib. 1. de clav ani his goodnesse incomprehensible his wisdome ineffable and his definition is alwayes to be praised by his holy ones Thus much for the excellency of Gods glorious Majestie appearing which cannot be seen by our bodily eye The second cause of mans not seeing God is his infirmity in beholding and this is twofold Either 1. Through the guilt of sin Or 2. Through the frailty of his flesh 1. Through the guilt of sin When God appeared Exod. 3. 6. to Moses Moses hid his face because hee knew himselfe to be a sinfull man The guilt of sin makes a man conscious to himselfe and afraid to look even an earthly Judge in the face much more to behold so glorious a Majestie as is the divine Essence thus Adam went and hid himselfe Gen. 3. 8. when he had transgressed by eating the forbidden fruit And if when the voice of God walked in Note the cool of the day hee hid himselfe oh how would hee have trembled if God had come in the heat of the day When Christ was transfigured upon the Mount and his face did shine like the Mark 9. 6. Sun and his raiment was white as the light Peter and the other Apostles were afraid and knew not what to say So also when Peter saw the Majestie of his Master in that great draught of fishes he falls down at Jesus his feet and saith Depart from mee O Luk. 5. 8. Lord for I am a sinfull man Oh then sith horrour of conscience in regard of sin makes men afraid of the face of God that men would remember that his eyes are upon the Job 34. 21 22. wayes of man and hee seeth all his goings There is no darknesse nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves As also that nothing terrifies the conscience so much as doth the guilt of sin which is the mother of fear Conscience is that book in which all our sins are registred Et Cassiod lib. 4. Epist 8. quid acquiri putatur ubi mala conscientia praedicatur aut in qua parte possit homo proficere si innocentiam probatus fuerit amisisse What can be gained where conscience preacheth terrour or what can a man plead for himself if guilt of sin tortures and terrifies A sinfull guilty conscience cannot endure to behold so infinite a Presence but soon shall be swallowed up with
of members and lineaments of body though that also be exceeding glorious above the shape of all visible creatures whatsoever Os homini sublime dedit c. for the outward shape of man is accidentall not substantiall but I mean the substantiall part of man which makes him to be the glory of all creatures consisting in reason understanding and will in which hee neerest doth resemble his Creatour Imago Dei homo est non ratione corporis sed spiritûs Deus enim Spiritus est non corpus And as a man is thus the image of God hee hath dominion over all other creatures For it is worth observation that man hath his preheminence over other creatures not in regard of such things as are common to him with them as swiftnesse strength bulk of body or the like for wee see that creatures are far swifter much stronger more corpulent then man but in regard of reason will knowledge c. His glory consisteth not in things common to him with brute beasts but in those things of which they are not capable To conclude therefore this third Observation As the beauty of the body consisteth in the members well proportions and in comelinesse of complexion so doth the beauty of the soule consist in the light of understanding reason and will For when the soule of man shineth with wisdome and his will with uprightnesse then is God said to delight Psal 49. 20. in man but when man whom God hath thus created to honour hath no understanding hee is compared to the beasts that perish Fourthly Consider wee the end why man was created and that is twofold First intrinsecall or inward and so a thing is then said to be made when the end for which it was made is fully finished and compleatly perfected thus a Palace is then said to be finished when all things requisite to the full adorning thereof are so compleat that nothing more is wanting Thus also a tree is then said to be a good and perfect tree when it spreads forth its branches shoots forth its leaves and brings forth good fruit And in this sense is man said to be created when hee attaineth unto that end for which hee was created namely when hee hath attained to eternall happinesse which shall be when hee shall enjoy the fulnesse of Gods presence and be transformed into his image The 1 John 3. 2. second end why man was created is extrinsecall or outward namely to manifest unto the world the glory of that God who created him and this by offering to God e Psal 50. 23. Josh 7. 19 20. prayer and praises by f Rev. 7. 15. serving him day and night by confessing his mercies and g Num. 20. 12. sanctifying him in the eyes of the people which is done by beleeving on him and if God shall see good to suffer the losse of all even life it selfe for Christs cause and the Gospels O happy hee who 1 Pet. 4. 16. is not ashamed to glorifie God on this behalfe As then the outward end why a Palace was built was for the honour of him that builded it as Nebuchadnezzar could vaunt Is not this great Babel that I have Dan. 4. 30. built for the house of the kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majestie Or as the cause why trees are planted is for the pleasure and benefit of him that planted them even so the end why man was created was to set forth the glory of the Creatour for God created him for himself All other things are made for man and man alone is made for God and this gives mee two other Observations worthy your heedfullest attention 1. That all things created by God either in the heavens earth or seas are not ordained for themselves but for the use and service of man Thus the heavens emptie themselves upon the earth to make it fruitfull and the earth again returneth her fertilitie and all is for the behoof and benefit of man man onely is reserved for the glory of God 2. That all other things spend themselves to maintain and enrich man yet cannot man enrich God God stands not in need of mans performances Nullâ re indiget Deus sith * Psal 50. 10 11 12. all things are at his command The totall reward gain and profit of mans service to God redoundeth unto man So wonderfully excellent is God in all his works so superabundantly gracious is hee to his chiefest work man and yet in a more peculiar manner is hee like a tender Father to them that fear him in that hee hath laid up for them a crown of life and himselfe will be unto Rev. 2. 10. them a diademe of beauty And what is this Isa 28. 5. Matth 25. 21. Crown but an entring into the joy of our Lord a fruition of eternall rest with glory which is a good beyond all apprehension so saith S. Paul repeating Isa 64. 4. 1 Cor. 2. 9. it out of the Prophet Isaiah Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Sith then God hath thus provided for man man is obliged to glorifie God This may suffice to have been spoken concerning God manifested in man or how the image of God is seen in man Our next discourse shall be the Heavens in which God hath placed those glorious lights of the world the Sun the Moon and the Starres so extolled by that Kingly Prophet When I consider Psal 8. 3. the heavens c. In which let us see how God is pleased to manifest himself unto us The heavens declare the glory of God and the Psal 19. 1. firmament sheweth his handy-work being all gloriously adorned and curiously bespangled with starres Nor doth the prophet onely mean the heavens but by a Synecdoche the whole fabrick of the world for there is not the least angle of the world but even in it after some certain manner the eternall power and God-head is manifested but because the glory of God is more exactly and apparently engraven in the heavens then in any other irrationall creature therefore hee the rather names them whose glorious splendour is seen unto all throughout the world yea he layeth down the manner how the wisdome and power of God is discerned in them in the ensuing verse One day Psal 19. 2. telleth another and one night certifieth another that is they evidently declare that they were not made by chance or fortune but by that most wise and omnipotent Architector even by that most excellent Creator whose glory they doe manifest So that if man had no other book to read God in but onely the book of the Creatures the Heavens themselves would sufficiently declare the Majestie the Power and the Goodnesse of Almighty God For consider how God hath placed in the firmament of the heavens those glorious
The brightnesse of this knowledge breaks forth in this life when of sinners wee are made righteous by justification but attains not to its perfect heighth till wee are transformed into that image Thus wee passe from the glory of creation to the glory of justification and from the glory of being the sons of God to the glory of being like unto God Alluding hereunto is that of S. John Beloved wee are 1 John 3. 2. now the sons of God yet it doth not appeare what wee shall be but wee know that when hee shall appear wee shall be like him for wee shall see him as hee is In this life wee cannot in the life to come wee shall receive the endowments of perfect beatitude both in soule and body Here wee may onely conceive him with the eyes of our mindes but then we shall perceive him with the eyes of our bodies Even with these same eyes saith Job onely wee must Job 19. 26 27. grant that corruption must first put on incorruption for Flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome 1 Cor. 15. 50. of God Our bodies shall not then be earthy animated onely by a soule and separable from them as now they are but spirituall all danger and cause of separation being done away by the Spirit of Christ quickning us Nor yet may wee with Origen suppose that our bodies shall be aeriall and not consist of flesh and bones this repugneth Jobs confession and our Saviours body after his resurrection was not a spirit for that hath not flesh and bones as his bodie had which is Luk. 24. 39. an assurance that our very bodies shall rise again though not fraile as now they are but as Augustine Aug. epist 145. ad Consent sheweth they shall be spirituall not that the flesh shall be abolished but spirituall because fully guided by the spirit and vivified to a life being without all sustenance never to have end And reason there is why this our corruption should put on incorruption for how else can wee enjoy the incorruptible crowne of glory 1 Pet. 5. 4. By consequence therefore it must follow that whilest wee are clothed with corruptible clay Ex parte tantùm cognoscimus modicum ex multo Wee know but in part and alas lesse then wee ought wee are not able to discern the pure and perfect vision of the Deity Whilest we live in these earthy tabernacles our primest knowledge of God in respect of his incomprehensible Essence is like the knowledge of a childe to a man of riper yeeres weak and tender for children have not sapientiam ad sensum knowledge according to discretion The perfectest light that wee have of God in this life may well be compared to a kingdom descryed by a small land-skip here a citie there a castle here a village there a mountain here a forrest there a river here beasts there men all which are done with very little touches to represent greater bodies Even so our best knowledge of God is clouded and imperfect and our brightest speculation admits of much weaknesse and imperfection of many fogs and mists yea our knowledge in Theologie and Divine mysteries is obscure and in part quia fide nititur because it is built upon faith now that which reason cannot apprehend faith doth beleeve ideoque ex parte tantùm est scientia our knowledge therefore must needs be in part faith being the evidence of things not seen Wee see saith the Apostle sed per speculum as through a 1 Cor. 13. 12. glasse darkly our knowledge at the best being like dim-sighted eyes which see somewhat indeed of God through the glasse of the creatures and Scriptures or at the most by similitudes and figures by which God exhibiteth himselfe to such as are most in favour with him as to the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 12. 2. when hee was taken up into the third heaven and to S. John in Patmos in the Spirit Object But some may object and say If wee see God thorow a glasse then wee see him cleerly Speculum enim non rei imaginem sed rem ipsam oculis exhibet A glasse doth not set forth to us the image of the thing but the thing it selfe Sol. True a glasse doth demonstrate the thing it selfe to the eye yet so that still it is per radium non directum sed reflexum by a ray or beam not direct but reflexed and therefore not properly clearly and distinctly but at a distance obscurely and confusedly and such is our knowledge of God and divine mysteries in this mortall life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as through a glasse darkly per speculare as through spectacles which you know make things legible and visible which before were not and that per medium obscurum similitudinem umbrosam or as the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a riddle or as in my Text per cancellos per transennam as thorow grates or lattesses which is a Metaphoricall speech borrowed from merchants or trades-men qui per cancellos vimineos expandunt mercaturas who thorow grates or lattesses expose their wares for sale and to be viewed by such as passe along non propè sed procul non distinctè sed confuso modo not nigh at hand but at a distance not distinctly but confusedly And thus Almighty God manifesteth himselfe to us in this life not really and fully apparent but as from behind a wall as thorow grates or lattesses And yet not altogether so obscurely as that no knowledge can be had of him but that a true Christian by the eye of unblemished faith may be assured that there he stands for saith his Spouse Behold hee standeth behind our wall which is the fourth Generall of the Text. Behold hee standeth behinde our wall hee looketh forth c. By the way I pray observe that this word behold is not to be understood in this place as a note of attention but of demonstration quasi Ecclesia digito monstravit quem corde dilexit as if his Spouse pointed him out with her finger whom she loved in her heart Behold he standeth c. Quest But how is his Spouse assured of his voice and presence Resol Per visibilia invisibilem by things visible and audible shee is ascertained that it is onely hee for shee is assured that it is his voice that Cant. 5. 2. knocketh and calleth to her to open unto him she is assured that shee seeth him in the variety and beauty of the creatures shee is assured that shee heareth him in the book of the Scriptures shee is assured that shee feeleth him in the checks of her conscience shee is assured that shee smelleth him Cant. 5. 13. in the fragrancy of his graces and shee is assured that shee tasteth him in the sweetnesse of his word which the Apostle Peter calleth sincere milk and 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. Heb. 6. 4. the Apostle Paul the good word of God These are the windows thorow
which God shineth inwardly upon her soul Haec quasi speculum Creatorem suum repraesentant God through these manifesteth himselfe so farre unto her as shee is able to apprehend him in them and by them Ex effectibus Dei demonstrari Aquin. potest Deum esse licèt per eos effectus non possimus eum perfectè cognoscere secundùm suam Essentiam By the works of God it is evident that there is a God although even by those works wee cannot perfectly discern his Essence Yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what may be known of God by the light of nature is manifested in the creature as that there is a God that there is but one God that hee is Eternall Omnipotent the sole Creator of heaven and earth and all therein that hee is most holy most wise and most just the rewarder of the godly and the punisher of the wicked But yet this light of nature is not of it selfe sufficient unlesse it be holpen by a supernaturall light For Non potuerint Gentiles per solum naturae lumen unum agnoscere solum esse Deum the Heathen by the dim light of nature were not able to know that this God is but One. To those therefore whom the holy Spirit maketh to discern God the same Spirit conferreth the spirit of wisdome and sanctified knowledge by means whereof they doe see God Hence that speech of Christ Hee that seeth mee seeth my Father John 14. 9. also scil opere Spiritûs sancti namely by the work of the holy Ghost On the contrary they the eyes of whose soules the holy Ghost hath not enlightned with the saving beams of divine truth can never see or know the Father in the Son As then none is said to touch Christ when the Mar. 5. 30 31. multitude thronged him save onely shee who had the bloudy issue so none is properly said to see Christ save onely such in whom the holy Ghost hath wrought faith to beleeve him and his word for it is impossible without faith which is the eye of the soule either to see him or know him and according to each mans faith so shall it be unto him For we must know that there is a twofold sight 1. Of the body 2. Of the minde 1. The eye of the body cannot see God for he is invisible his Essence is spirituall and if a man cannot see his own spirit much lesse can hee see God who is the Father of spirits Now if it be objected Heb. 12. 9. Exod. 33. 11. Gen. 17. 1. that Moses and Abraham saw God I answer that they saw not his substance hee only appeared in similitudes by which hee testified his presence But Job saith In my flesh I shall see God Job 9. 26. and mine owne eyes shall behold him Answ By God in that place is meant the second person of the Trinity who being God was incarnate and so God may be seen in Christ But Paul saith that we shall see God face to face Answ God hath not members 1 Cor. 13. 12. as we have but this is spoken per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to our humane capacitie and the meaning is that we shall have such a full knowledge of God as wee have of him whom wee do see face to face But shall our eyes serve us for no use in heaven Ans Yes with them wee shall behold the glorious Saints and Christ our Judge and Redeemer glorified in his humane nature whom to Acts 3. 13. behold yeelds unconceivable comfort 2. The second is the sight of the minde which in this life is imperfect and only seeth God in his works and word c. by which wee may gather the great love of God towards us in exhibiting himselfe so farre but that perfect sight which the minde shall then have of God is reserved till hereafter when seeing him wee shall be transformed into his image This sight of the minde which properly is called the soule is twofold First Simple as when a man sees a thing absolutely and as it is in it selfe thus God cannot be seen by reason of his Immensity filling all places Secondly Comprehensive namely when a man seeth God so farre forth as hee is capable of the knowledge of him and in this sense wee shall see God perfectly in the world to come and be filled with the fruition of his presence as a vessell may be filled with the water of the sea though it hold not all the water of the sea In this comprehensive manner as the Spouse of Christ is sure that shee seeth him so is shee sure also that shee heareth him for saith shee in the verse preceding the Text Behold the voice of my Beloved shee was a partaker of the first resurrection and so heard his voice which enlivened her John 4. 25. soule and shee was sure that it was his voice indeed and not a strangers their often mutuall conference had given her an exact knowledge thereof As then the true Spouse of Christ can onely rightly discern Christs voice so whosoever hath not plighted his faith to him knowes it not from the voice of a stranger and so may soon be deluded as may appeare by Ahab giving credit to the lying spirit in the mouthes of his false prophets 1 King 22. 22. Object But some may object that saying of Christ No man knoweth the Son but the Father neither Matth. 11. 27. knoweth any man the Father save the Son and hee to whomsoever the Son will reveal him Sol. The words are to be understood comparatively that is as the knowledge of the Son is originally in God the Father and it is by the Fathers revealing of the Son that any come to know the Son that is to beleeve in his Name so the knowledge of the Father is originally in the Son and it must be by the Sonnes revealing of the Father that any can come to know him Excellently therefore saith Chrysostome None know the Chrysost Father with that knowledge with which the Son knoweth him that is fully to obey him and in all things perfectly to conforme to his will which is knowledge unto salvation Of this perfection of knowledge which is solely in Christ the best of Gods children come short in this life 'T is true they know him and see him but here it is weakly and imperfectly as from behinde a wall Or thus As by seeing a piece of coine a man may know whose coine it is by the image and superscription engraven thereon so the Spouse of Christ knoweth whose image is engraven in the heavens and who that is that shewes himselfe in the windowes of the Scriptures and in the grates of Conscience Or thus As by seeing a picture a man may know whom it represents especially if there hath been any former acquaintance so the Church which is Christs Spouse seeing the face of God in the light of the Scriptures and the beauty of the Creatures exactly