them for their work sake then ye will love them for their own sake because they are workers and for Gods sake because they are his workers and for your own sakes because the benefit of their work extendeth to you temporally spiritually eternally For bodily exercise profiteth little but godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 Yea love them for their presence and companies sake for much is the benefit that secretly you may receive thereby God blessed Laban for Jacobs sake Gen. 30.27 and Potiphar for Josephs sake Gen. 40.5 yea he gave Saint Paul the lives of all his fellow passengers in that desperate danger of shipwrack Act. 27.24 And if ten righteous could have been found in Sodome all the multitude of miscreants even all the whole citty should have been spared for their sakes Gen. 18.32 And what knowest thou whether the company and acquaintance the society and near neighbourhood of one of Gods favourites may be unto thee and all thine both a prospering in good and a defence from evill But what is the notice that God gives and thereby shews that he took of Moses life Even this That he was his servant Behold then God is no ungratefull Master no man can serve him for nought He observeth as diligently thy obedience to approve and reward it as thy disobedience to reprove and punish it yea though it bee in secret he will reward thee openly Mat. 6.4 yea though it bee but little and of small value that thou doest for a cup of cold water shall not lose its reward Mat. 10.28 The Widdows Mite is not disdained but extolled Luke 21.1 Yea he keeps a book to register every word and a bottle to preserve every tear that true repentance shall bring forth Put my tears into thy bottle are not these things noted in thy book Psal 56.8 O then be not weary of well doing for in due time ye shall reap if ye faint not Gal. 6.9 And say not it is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Commandements and walked humbly before the Lord Mal. 3.14 But be ye stedfast and unmoveable alwaies rich in the work of the Lord for as much as yee know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 But doth God give no other notice of Moses then that he was his servant No this was the height of his honour for the Law afforded but Servantship it is the Gospel that bringeth Sonship the time of Sonship was not yet come For even that Heir the Church of Israel differed nothing from a servant though he were Lord of all but was under Tutors and Governours yea in a kind of bondage under weak and beggarly rudiments Gal. 4. But when the Son became a Servant then servants became sens He made himself of no reputation but took upon him the form of a servant Phil. 2.7 From thence forth that was fulfilled to us Thou art no more a servant but a son Now if thou be a son thou art also the heir of God through Jesus Christ Gal. 4.7 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with with the yoke of bondage Gal. 5.1 The yoke of bondage of the Ceremonial and of the Moral Law Of the Ceremonial Law as touch not tast not handle not which were shaddows of things to come but the body is in Christ Col. 2.21 Of the Morall Law For even that also may prove an entangling yoke of bondage Namely if we stick to the Covenant of Works and presume on our own meriting Beware then with the Dog in the Fable ye lose not the substance by catching at the shaddow That ye go not about to establish your own righteousness not submitting your selves to the righteousnesse of God for Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnes Rom. 10.3 in him we must seek it or else we shall never find it It may prove also a yoke of bondage if we stick to the covenant of it the contrary way namely by dispairing yeelding to the force and sinking under the burthen of the curse of it taking no hold on that Anchor of hope which we have in Christ Heb. 6.19 For Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 In all these respects therefore stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made us free for the sonne having made us free now are we free indeed Joh. 8.36 even of servants we are made sons But how are we made lawless sons and hath the Law indeed no more power over us Not so the curse of it is taken away not the force of it the killing letter is blotted out not the binding Letter We are freed in respect of vengeance from God not in respect of obedience to God so that still we must doe all that ever we can but when all is done we must say we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to doe Luk. 17.10 As free and yet not as having your liberty for a cloak of malitiovsness but as the servants of God 1 Pet. 2.16 For brethren you have been called unto liberty onely use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another Gal. 5.13 For how much more priviledge God affordeth us so much more duty we should afford him acknowledging his service to be perfect freedom And so much of Gods notice taken and given of Moses in his life Of his death also he takes and gives notice Moses my servant is dead shewing that even Gods servants also must dye from that none can be priviledged By Adams sin death went over all men Rom. 5.12 It is appointed to all men once to die Heb. 9.37 Yea though Christ hath taken away his Fathers wrath in the curse of death yet he hath not taken away his Fathers word concerning the course of death he hath turned the curse of death into a blessing because he is merciful He will not alwaies be chiding neither keepeth he his anger for ever Psal 103.9 but he hath not stopped the course of death to stay it from proceeding because he is just and true Heaven and earth shall passe away but his word shall not pass Mat. 24.35 All must dye Let every man therefore from the meanest to the greatest from the worst to the best watch and wait yea provide and prepare for death as unavoydable thy poornesse cannot hide thee thy greatnesse cannot protect thee thy holinesse cannot priviledge thee Moses Gods servant dyed and so must thou Again this sheweth that God taketh notice of the death as well as of the life of his servants and that they who live to him cannot dye from or without him Right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Ps 165.15 he dearly regardeth it he
here for good men but there they shall be taken from good men For God will lighten things hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest 1 Cor. 4.5 Christ discovered one traytor in this world by giving him a sop but God usually covereth rather then discovereth hypocrites by giving them sops of spiritual as well as of temporal blessings but though he feed them with the childrens bread for a while yet he cuts them off at the last and gives them their portion with hypocrites yea the devil who helps to hide them here will do his best to open them there for though he be the father of falshood yet he differs from false men in this they keep light and counterfeit peeces to shuffle them in in great payments But he though he falsifie Gods coyn here in the particulars as much as may be yet in that great and general Audit hee will not have one counterfeit go undiscovered And if he would he could not for all the covering wherewith he clotheth them will not hide them For many saith Christ will say to me in that day Lord Lord have not we by thy name prophecied and by thy name cast out devils and by thy name done many great works And then will I professe to them saying I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity Mat. 7.22 Therefore whiles we have time let us do good Let us be good for as that time finds us so it will take us If it finde us not good it will not make us good Now is the time of growing to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts then will be the time of gathering And gathered the good into vessels c. 2. The second thing observed in this separation was By whom it is That is expressed in the exposition of this Parable namely that it is the Angels ver 49. The Angels shall go forth and sever the bad from among the just So afore ver 39. in the Parable of the tares the Reapers be the Angels The son of man shall send forth his Angels c. And so Mat. 24.31 Hee shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the four winds and from the one end of heaven to the other And no marvail that they have the gathering of us at the last who have the guarding of us at the first For that charge no doubt concerns not only Christ but all that are in Christ He shall give his Angels charge over thee Ps 91.11 And that not only in our life but in our death In our life for the Angel of the Lord tarrieth round about them that fear him and delivereth them Psal 34.7 whereof we have many examples in the Scriptures In our death for Lazarus his lot I doubt not shall be the lot of all the faithful his soul was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom Luk. 16.22 Which excellency of power and exactness of knowledge in their so generall guarding here and gathering there the elect of God though it doth not expresse any such infinitenesse in the Angels as to make us worship them for I doubt not this so absolute knowledge is not theirs properly and alwaies by creation but received for the present by special illumination For I read The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 but I read not that any Angel knoweth who are his Yet the consideration of this their general Ministry yeeldeth us a great deal of fear and a great deal of comfort A great deal of fear in our conversation considering their watchfulness over us and their frequent presence for what fear and shame what reverence and holyness what purity and cleanness may be sufficient for us in the presence of such holy blessed and glorious creatures For if St. Paul propose a rule of modesty to women because of the Angels 1 Cor. 11.10 why should not the same rule hold to all upon the same reason even because of the Angels It may be they come to guard and defend us as they did unto Elisha 2 King 6.16 It may be to converse with us as unto Abraham Gen. 18.2 It may be to pluck us out of some ill company as unto Lot Gen. 19.15 It may be to rid ue of some captivity as to the Apostles Act. 5.19 It may be to try or to exercise our strength as to Jacob Gen. 22. It may be to bring us some good news as to Zacharias to the Virgin Mary to the Shepheards Howsoever seeing they are ministring spirits and have frequent commerce with us let us fear alwaies to commit uncleanness that may annoy them and seeing God thus giveth us heaven upon earth in regard of the Angels ministring let us so pass the time of our dwelling here in fear that we may also on our parts make heaven upon earth by our holy conversing Again without fear here is also a great deal of comfort offered us in that the Angels are our continuall guardians for though the great dragon the old serpent the devil be come down upon the earth and hath great wrath Rev. 12. and walketh about as a roaring lyon seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 And hath many Angels of his own kind and instruments of our kind to annoy and vex us yet what of that This is Gods host saith Jacob when he saw the good Angels Gen. 32.2 And if Gods host and strength be with us no strength shall be able to hurt us Therefore let nothing in all our life terrifie us no nor yet in our death For Gods Angels are ready not only to conveigh our souls to heaven but even to conduct our bodies to the earth as appears in that Moses body was defended and protected against the devil by the striving of Michael the Archangel Jude 9. Yea as they guard us to our lying down in the grave so will they gather us at our rising up from thence and therefore against the fear of death and the grave and the corruption thereof we may say with comfort I will lay me down in peace and take my rest for it is thou Lord only that makest me dwel in safety Ps 4.8 3. The third and last thing observed in this separation is to what end it is And gathered the good into vessels but cast the bad away Here is a plain difference and dissimilitude as in most Allegories commonly there is for the casting away of the refuse fish into the sea again is their desired life and safety and the gathering of the good fish into vessels is their death and destruction Yet contrariwise the bad fish cast away doe here signifie the reprobate condemned and the good fish gathered do signifie the elect saved And gathered the good into vessels that is to good use and purpose to be reserved and saved as afore in the Parable of the Tares Gather my wheat into my barn but cast the bad away that is to
lyeth still till the quill of breath be quite wasted the life of man posteth speedily and never baits nor rests till it comes to its last Inne of death the life of man passeth quickly and admitteth no stops nor pauses till the last gasp make a full period For when the shuttle lyeth still the weavers life flyeth on when the Post baiteth his life keepeth on its journey when the tale-teller pauseth it is no stop to his life Nay when time or at least the measurers of time the sun and moon stood still in the dayes of Josuah yet then there was no stay in the course of life but many mens death were hastned and they ran to their ends faster then they could run from their Enemies as yee may read in the tenth of Jos Nay when the sun went backwards in the daies of Hezekiah even then no doubt mens lives went forward 1 Kin. 20. for wee not read that God brought backe any mans mans life when hee brought back the shadow he did onely adde some time to Hezekiahs life he gave him a longer journey to go he did not give him leave to goe it at his own leasure and pleasure but it was with Hezekiah as it is with all mens else there is no manner nor measure of stop or stay in the course of life but whether we wake or sleep eat or drink work or play still our glasses run and every moment we draw nearer and nearer to our ends My life is but a wind saith Job Job 7.7 Thou hast made my daies as it were a span long saith David Ps 39.5 What is your life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away saith St James Ja. 4.14 And herein I doubt not mans vilenesse is also much discovered namely in the shortness as well as in the miseries of his life And from hence I pray take out a twofold use First somewhat concerning God then concerning our selves 1 Vse Concerning God wee have here a discovery both of his mercie and of his justice I say of his mercie as well as of his justice for though indeed shortnesse of life came upon man at the first Nomine poenae in the name of a curse yet now Rebus sic stantibus the case standing as it doth the children of God may take it for a blessing For they endure many crosses and afflictions in this world but let them be comforted their life is but short they shall not endure them long and hereis Gods mercie Again for the wicked they prosper and flourish but let them fear and tremble their life is but short They spend their daies in wealth and in a moment go down to the grave Ps 1.21 And here is Gods justice The godly are Pilgrims and strangers upon Earth but they have an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved for them in heaven 1 Pet. 1.4 therefore their life is but short that they may not long be kept from it Behold a work of mercie But on the contrary the wicked have their portion here and all their felicity in this world as they are set forth speaking Wisd 2.9 Come let us enjoy the good things that are present For this is our portion and our lot is this therefore their life is but short that they may not long enjoy it Behold a work of justice And I hold it to be worth the observing that as the strength of sin hath increased and the times grown worse and worse Aetas parentum prior avis c. our fathers age worse then our grandfathers ours worse then theirs so the age of man hath decreased and grown lesse and lesse In so much that now adaies we do scarce reach to the tenth part of the time that the Fathers in the first ages did live To the end that the more iniquity doth abound and the more sin mischief and evill there is in the world the lesse the Saints of God might be incumbred with it might not be constrained to dwell with Mesech and to have their habitation among the tents of Kedar Ps 120 therefore the age of man is shortned and here is Gods mercie Again the more that wicked men do solace themselves in sin and take pleasure in unrighteousnesse the lesse time they might have to delight and rejoyce therein And here is Gods justice Mercie and truth are met together righteousness and peace have kissed each other Ps 85.10 In this one action of setting so short a date and stint upon the life of man both the hands of God 〈◊〉 may so speak with reverence his mercie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justice are exercised together And so ye have 〈◊〉 concerning God viz. the discoverie of his mercie and justice 2. Vse Again concerning our selves Seeing our life is so short swift and slippery that it flyeth faster then imagination O then I may cry out unto you in the words of Saint Peter what manner of persons ought we to be in holy conversation and godlinesse what a monstrous madness is it for men still to live as if they should never dye and never to prepare for the entertaining of death untill they hear him knocking at their dores Indeed 't is true death is a great man and a guest of Kings and therefore commonly hee sendeth one of his harbingers before him sicknesse or old age to take up his lodging But yet many yea very many times he rideth alone like an ordinary guest and comes unlookt for yea like a thiefe in the night at an hour when wee are most secure and unaware And therefore it cannot be denyed but that it is a good and godly prayer which we were wont to have in our Letanie From sudden death good Lord deliver us though indeed properly in it self death cannot be said to be sudden to them that ore of ripe age For how can he be said to die suddenly who having lived 50. or 40. or but 20. years hath had all or most of all that time to make himself ready death therfore cannot be said to be sudden unlesse it take us in our infancie before wee have had any time to prepare and make us ready for the very short and swift condition of our life is or should be a sufficient Item warning or notice of death Let us therefore remember the fearfull censure and judgement pronounced upon that servant that said in his hetar my master will defer his coming That servants master will come in a day when hee looketh not for him and in an hour when he is not aware and shall cut him off and appoint him his portion with hypocrits there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 24.48 And now my hour being out and requiring an end of my present discourse I pray give me leave to press upon you the duty of preparing for death by the sad occasion that is now offered to us and is so strong upon us namely the death of our late honorable Lady Wee little
giveth her no other Mat. 1.18 Luk. 1.27 12. Q. Doe we then owe her no more honour then so A. Yes we are bound to honour her in praising God for her in reverent estimation and memory of her and imitation of her Virtues and Graces but without any trusting in her or worshipping of her 13. Q. VVhat learn you for practise out of this aforesaid of the third article A. That seeing God hath so honoured my nature as to unite it himself I must take heed of dishonouring it in my self or in others Secondly that I must doe good for evill because to redeem man that would be God God became Man Sect. 13. Of the fourth Article 1. Q. WHat is the fourth Article A. Suffered under Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buried And some doe adde to this as part of Christs Humiliation He descended into Hell Others do refer it as part of his Exaltation to the fifth Article 2. Q. How could Christ suffer being God A. He was also man and suffered in his humane nature and so are those places to be understood Act. 20.28 Act. 3.15 1 Cor. 2.8 3. Q. VVho was Pontius Pilate A. The Roman Emperours Deputy Governour Luk. 3.1 4. Q. VVhat doe you gather from that A. That the Scepter being then departed from Judah Christ was the promised Messiah Gen. 49.10 5. Q. VVhat manner of suffering was Christs A. Besides many other he was Crucified 6. Q. VVhat was that A. He was nayled in his hands and feet to a wooden Crosse 7. Q. VVhy did he die this kind of death A. Partly to fulfill the foregone Signs and Figures of him viz. the Heave-offering Exod. 29.28 and the Brasen serpent Joh. 3.14 and partly to undergoe the curse of the Law for us Gal. 3 13. 8. Q. VVas Christs buriall part of his suffering A. Not properly but being part of his Humiliation it is an appurtenance of his suffering 9. Q. VVhat needed his buriall seeing death could not hold him long A. Besides the charitable respect both of dead and living alwaies had of all in use of burying it helped to prove and confirm the truth both of his death and resurrection 10. Q. VVhat is Christs death and buriall to us seeing we dye nevertheless A. It hath taken away the proper nature of death that is cursednesse Hos 13.14 2 Tim. 1.10 and hath turned it into a blessing and the grave into a bed oâ— rest Rev. 14.13 11. How is this interpreted He descended into hell A. Some take it for the locall descension of Christ soul and some for the hellish paines he suffered in thâ— Garden and upon the Crosse 12. Q. VVhat is out of question and of all sides confessed in and concerning this A. That Christ did suffer nothing after his death for at his death he said It is finished Joh. 19.30 and he fulfilled whatsoever was necessary to redeem us 1 Joh. 2.2 Heb. 1.3 11. Q. What doe you gather for practise out of all aforesaid of the fourth Article A. 1. That I must be ready to suffer for Christ whatsoever extremity and under whatsoever authority seeing he so suffered for us Rom. 8.17 Secondly that I must not fear death nor the grave seeing Christ hath taken away the curse and shame thereof Ps 4.8 Thirdly that I must imitate Christs death spiritually Rom. 6.4 1 Cor. 15.31 Sect. 14. Of the fifth Article or next following 1. Q. WHat is the fifth Article or the next following A. The third day he rose again from the dead 2. Q. How could Christ properly be said to rise being dead A. Because it was by his own power being God as well as man 3. Q. What proof is there of his bodies rising A. Besides his many appearances the Jews did prove it by their own lye Mat 28.13 4. Q. What especiall proofs did he himself shew A. His palpablenesse his wounds and his eating Luk. 24.39 c. 5. Q. Was his body then still a natural body A. Yes in respect of substance though spiritual in â—espect of accidents and qualities 1 Cor. 15.44 6. Q. And were his wounds still to be reserved A. Some think so that they shall be for convictioâ— of the wicked at the last day Rev. 1.7 Others think they were but for present purpose to confirm the Disciples as no doubt his eating only was 7. Q. Why did not Christ rise till the third day A. To confirm the truth of his death Mat. 18.16 and to fulfill the Figure foreshewed in Jonah Mat. 12.40 8. Q. What use is now made of Christs rising day A. It is ordained to be our Sabbath as appears both by the use of it Act. 20.7 1 Cor. 16.1 2. and by the name of it Rev. 1.10 For it is plain that Christ rose the first day of the Jews week Mat. 28.1 2. 9. Q. What benefit have we by Christs Resurrection A. We have the first Resurrection taught us and the second warranted us 10. Q. What mean you by the first Resurrection A. The rising of the soul from sin Rev. 20.6 Col. 3.1 11. Q. How is this taught us A. We are baptised into Christ therefore into the similitude of his death and resurrection Rom. 6.3 4. 12. Q. What mean you by the second Resurrection A. The rising again of our bodies from the Grave 13. Q. How is this warranted to us A. Because Christ being our Head and we his Members we are sure to partake of all his benefits and therefore to follow him in the resurrection 1 Cor. 15.12 14. Q. What learn you for practise out of this aforesaid of the fift article A. To feed spiritually and not carnally in the Sacrament because Christs body being still substantial cannot be in many places at once therefore not really in the Sacrament Secondly to use the Sabbath to the honour of the Son of righteousness Mal. 4.2 Thirdly to dye unto sin that I may rise unto righteousnesse Sect. 15. Of the sixth Article or next following 1. Q. WHat is the sixth article or the next following A. He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty 2. Q. What mean you by this He ascended into Heaven A. That in his humane nature soul and body he left the earth and went up into that third heaven or Paradise 2 Cor. 12.2 3. Q. How then is that fulfilled Lo I am with you alway unto the end of the world Mat. 28.20 A. He is alwaies present to his by his power providence protection and continuall work of his Spirit 4. Q. When did Christ ascend A. Forty dayes after his resurrection Act. 1.3 5. Q. Why no sooner A. Partly for more proof of his resurrection partly to provide for the setling of his Church in things pertaining to the order and government thereof Act. 1.3 6. Q. How did he ascend A. No doubt in glory and triumph 7. Q. How may that appear A. Partly as it is probable in the attendance of the raised bodies Mat. 27.52 but especially
true author of all grace help and comfort Jam. 1.17 Secondly to do my endeavour to help to build and not to pull down this Kingdom 1 Thes 5.11 Thirdly to abhor the Popish Headship and Government of the Church in the title of General Vicar Sect. 26. Of the third Petition 1. Q. WHat is the third Petition A. Thy will bee done in earth as it is in heaven 2. Q. Is it not idle to pray Gods will may be done which will be done whether we will or no Psal 135.6 Dan. 4.35 A. No for we doe not pray for God in respect of his absolute will in working but for our selves in respect of his will in relation to us in commanding or requiring 3. Q. And how far may we understand this will A. Both in what he will doe to or with us and in what he will have us doe to or for him 4. Q. How doe we ask the former to be done A. That by faith and patience we may bear whatsoever his will is to lay upon us as Mat. 26.39 5. Q. How do we ask the latter to be done A. By our fulfilling the rules of his revealed will 6. Q. Where are those rules revealed A. In the Scriptures which are therefore called Gods Testaments Gal. 4.24 7. Q. And what are those rules A. They are two especially the one of Faith Ioh. 6.40 the other of holinesse 1 Thes 4.3 8. Q. But how can Gods will be done in earth being changeable as it seems by that of Abraham Gen. 22. and of Balaam Num. 22 A. Gods will was not changed but fulfilled to and by Abraham for it was but the tryall of his Faith which he fulfilled Heb. 11.17 Neither was it changed to Balaam for God withstood not simply his going but his loving the wages of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2.15 16. 9. Q. Do we not pray against our selves and the forgivenesse of our sins when we pray his will be done seeing he is just A. No for we pray to him as to our Father and for the fulfilling of his Fatherly will in grace 10. Q. Why doe you say as it is in heaven A. Not for equalities sake to match the Saints and the Angels but for similitude that wee may imitate them in spirituall worship Joh. 4.24 11. Q. In what particulars A. Freenesse readinesse sincerenesse unpartialnesse constantnesse 12. Q. VVhat doe you learn for practise out of all aforesaid of the third petition A. First to deny mine own will that I may fulfill Gods Secondly to search and enquire into my heavenly Fathers will Thirdly to being heaven upon earth worshipping God in spirit and truth Ps 3.20 Sect. 27. Of the fourth Petition 1. Q. VVHat is the fourth Article A. Give us this day our daily bread 2. Q. What do you understand here by Bread A. 1. All temporall and corporall necessaries 2. Gods blessing upon them 3 Q. How do you bring all temporall and corporall necessaries under the name of Bread A. Because that is the chiefest Gen. 28.20 Is 55.2 4. Q. How do you bring Gods blessings under the name of Bread A. Because Bread unblest hath no strength or nourishment Ps 78.30 31. Hag. 1.6 Luk. 12.15 5. Q. Why do you ask Bread to be given A. Because we doe not inherit it we cannot earn it nor of our selves provide it 6. Q. Why do we not inherit it A. Because in Adams fall we have lost our right 1 Cor. 15.22 7. Q. Why can we not earn it A. Because that doing all that we are commanded is but our duty Luk. 17.10 Gen. 32.10 8. Q. Why can we not of our selves provide it A. Because God alone createth and prospereth and we cannot make one hair white or black Mat. 5.36 9. Q. How then may Bread become ours A. By Gods free gift through our Adoption in Christ Heb. 1.2 1 Cor. 3.22 and through his blessing upon our lawfull calling 2 Thes 3.12 10. Q. Is it not lawfull to provide Bread for to morrow seeing we say our daily bread A. Yes for Joseph in plenty stored for Famine Gen. 41.48 and we must provide for our houshold 1 Tim. 5.8 11. Q. Why then doe we so speak A. To shew our moderatenesse in our selves in respect of our caring Mat. 6.25 and our confidence and dependance upon Gods renewing his blessings every morning Lam. 3.23 12. Q. What do you learn for practise out of all aforesaid of the fourth Petition A. First to apply my self chiefly to God for my having of Bread Jam. 1.17 Secondly to apply my self to means of labour and not to think to have it by bare asking 2 Thes 3.10 Thirdly to be thankfull for having it and not to forget the giver Deut. 6.11 12. Sect. 28 Of the fifth Petition 1. Q. WHat is the fifth Petition A. And forgive us our trespasses as wee forgive them that trespasse against us 2. Q. What do you understand by Trespasses A. Both the fault and the punishment of our sins 3. Q. How do you gather this A. Because Mat. 6.12 it is said debts which must needs be punishments For we owe to God not sinnes but suffering for sins but Luk. 11.4 it is said sins which plainly signifieth the act or fault 4. Q. What do you understand in the word forgive A. Both parts of our Justification viz. the not imputing our sins to us Rom. 4.7 and the imputing of righteousnesse to us ver 5. 5. Q. Are we to ask forgiveness of sins onely in generall A. No for we are directed also to particular confession Prov. 28.13 6. Q. Who may forgive sins A. None but God Mar. 2.7 7. Q. Must we not then forgive one another A. Yes as concerning our own wrongs Mat. 18.21 8. Q. But doth not Christ give power to the Ministers to forgive sins Mat. 18.18 Joh. 20.23 A. Not properly to forgive sins but to pronounce and declare it as also in the Sacrament not to give but to sign and seal grace as also the Levitical Priests had power to pronounce but not to make cleane Lev. 13. 9. Q. Must we say as we forgive or for we also forgive A. Either of both for the former is given us Mat. 6.12 and the latter Luk. 11.4 10. Q. Do we compare with God in the former A. No but we shew our selves ready to imitate and obey him Luk. 6.36 11. Q. Doe we in the latter plead cause of Gods forgiving us A. No but doe comfort our selves in his promise Mat. 6.14 12. Q. Must we then forgive all wrongs and injuries A. Yes in respect of malice and private revenge Rom. 12.19 13. Q. What ground then have private quarrels and duels A. None but natures corruption as in Cain Gen. 4. 14. Q. But did not David undertake a duell 1 Sam. 17. A. Not in his own cause nor out of a private spirit nor by ordinary motion 15. Q. What doe you learn for practise out of all aforesaid of the fifth petition A. First to confesse my sins to God
action and instruction of Christ but rather referre them to all his actions and instructions yea to all the will of God revealed in his word Hee that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven saith Christ Mat. 7.21 The matter I say wherein our knowing and doing must be exercised is Gods revealed Will his Will revealed in his Word And in a word I may refer you for the totall of it to that of the Psalmist My hands will I lift up to thy Commandements there 's work for his hands and my study shall be in thy statutes there is the same work for his head It is Gods Commandements and Statutes Gods Will revealed in his Word that we must know and do If ye know these things blessed are ye if ye doe them Here therefore some go too far and some come too short Some go too far for they will not be contented with Gods revealed will but they must needs dive into his secrets as into the incomprehensible mysterie of the Trinity into the unsearchable counsell of Reprobation into the secret and hidden time of generall judgement But in these and the like things we should not enquire but admire and stand amazed with David and say such knowledge is too wonderfull and excellent for me I cannot attain unto it Psal 139. and cry out with St. Paul How unsearchable are his judgements and his waies past finding out Rom. 11. For secret things belong to the Lord our God but things revealed to us and to our children Deut. 29. We must know and doe revealed things but leave secret things to God and not meddle with them no more then David did I do not exercise my self saith he in great matters that are too high for me Again on the contrary part others there are that come too short for they will have nothing to be the revealed will of God but what is so in plain terms and proper words expressed or what their private spirit interpreteth or conceiteth to be implyed But if they would stand to the rule they should lose the use of many things because there be no plain words for them in the Scriptures which yet neverthelesse they doe and may lawfully use and with a good conscience because though not in plain words yet by sufficient consequence the Scripture doth approve them Non nostrum est tantas componere lites I cannot think to stint this great strife yet I may presume to give my advise as one that hath also obtained mercy 1 Cor. 7.25 And that is that we be not so affraid of the shaddow as to lose the substance nor stand talking so much of the proportion of the doores and windows as to forget to build the house Nor to make our selves like to the Picture of Justice that is to have ears and mouth but no eyes nor hands to be all for hearing and speaking and yet be blind in knowledge lame in good works Or if we have eyes that we be not like the Idols that have eyes and see not Nor be so troubled with the beam of blind zeal or with the motes of dissention or with the scales of self-conceit as to be pore-blind and to see but unperfectly as he that saw men walking and could not discern them from trees Mar. 8.24 And if wee have hands that they be not hands that handle not or else withered hands that handle without feeling or else such hands as the souldiers were Mat. 27.27 busied in nothing but renting tearing the body of Christ that is the Church with wounds of Schism dissention And our learning and knowledge be not such as St. Paul saith puffeth up And what knowledge is that that puffeth up ye may see it 1 Tim. 6.3 If any man consenteth not to the doctrine that is according to godliness he saith not to the express words of Scripture but to the doctrine that is according to godliness he is puft up Finally that wee think the judgement of our betters to be better then our own and that we owe much to the consent and authority of the Church Knowing this first that no prophecie of scripture is of any private interpretation 2 Pet. 1.20 The fourth point observed is that neither knowing alone nor doing alone sufficeth unto blessednesse but both are required If ye know these things blessed are ye if ye do them We are mixt creatures compounded of the four Elements not all of the light ones nor all of the heavy ones but indifferently of both we must not therefore be all levitie to ascend nor all gravity to descend but of both indifferently mixt Not all of the fire aspiring beyond the Moon hot and dry hot in knowledge dry in works Nor all of the water cold and moyst moyst and fluent in works but cold in knowledge Not all of the air nothing but a subtill lightnesse of knowledge nor all of the earth nothing but a grosse massie heap of actions but having faces looking upward to heaven we should ascend up to God in knowledge and having feet treading upon the earth wee should descend to our brethren in our actions For it is not enough to know onely nor to doe only but both must go together to make us blessed If ye know these things blessed are ye if ye do them First that knowing is not sufficient I told you before that knowing if it be right doth imply doing And that knowledge indeed is a beleeving and therefore a working and therefore a saving knowledge and therefore it is sufficient But knowledge according to the common acceptance is such as the Devils have I know thee who thou art saith the Devill to Christ Mar. 1.24 And this is an unbeleeving therefore an idle therefore a condemning knowledge Scientia quae illuminat intellectum non accendit affectum A knowledge that doth lighten understanding but doth not enflame the affection And of this knowledge ye may read Rom. 1. That it did them no good that had it for when they knew God and did not glorifie him as God God gave them up to their own hearts lasts Nay so far is such knowledge from being sufficient that it will rather accuse then excuse us and make our condemnation the greater He that had five Talents delivered him had more to answer for then he that had but one For to whomsoever much is given of him much shall be required and to whom men much commit the more of him will they ask Luk. 12.48 Therefore Solomon saith He that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow Eccl. 1. because the more a man knows the more he must doe and the more hee hath to answer for if he doe it not Therefore also St. Peter saith It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousnesse then after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandement 2 Pet. 2.21 Therefore St. Augustine prayeth Sic doce me ut agam non tantummodo ut sciam quid agere debeam Teach me O
utter destruction and condemnation as it followeth in the exposition And shall cast them into a furnace of fire Briefly the sum is that here are two several ends proposed and answerable to the twofold condition of the subjects the one of safety and gathered the good into vessels that is into everlasting habitations as Christ speaketh Luk. 16.9 the other of destruction but cast the bad away that is into everlasting condemnation into the furnace of fire as the exposition sheweth Of which two estates or ends how shall I speak seeing I cannot understand how shall I utter that I cannot comprehend for the eye hath not seen nor the ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man that which God hath prepared for them that love him and consequently neither that which he hath prepared for them that hate him For which may somewhat save my labour the greatness of th' one sets forth the greatness of th' other the one is the fulness of joy therefore the other must needs be the fulness of wo the one is the enjoying of all things in the enjoying God the other is the losing of all things in the losing God the one is everlasting life that 's perfection of excellencie the other is everlasting death that 's perfection of misery yea the happiness is double considering the escape of misery and the punishment is double considering the loss of felicity And what then is there any need of use or application of this to be made unto you will ye look for my sparing it hath it not life enough to speak it self will ye expect my pressing it is not the weight of it sufficient to press and oppress your consciences When Paul disputed of judgement to come it made Felix an Infidel to tremble so that he could not endure the hearing of it and shall not all Christian hearts shake and tremble and be astonished at the very thought of it If you will have any use or instruction of it take it of St. Peter The day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night in which the heavens shall pass away with a noise and the elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt up Seeing therefore that all these things must be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in holy conversation and godliness looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God by the which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with heat Wherefore beloved seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless 2 Pet. 3.10 He speaketh by way of exhortation but the wise man speaketh by way of threatning Rejoice O young man in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee in the dayes of thy youth and walk in the waies of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement Eccl. 11.9 As if he would as it were dare any man to fin having but the remembrance of this judgement before him Wherefore let us not dare to heap up wrath against the day of wrath but walk circumspectly not as unwise men but as wise redeeming the time because these daies are evill especially because that day is so evill And so abide in him here by true faith and the fruits thereof love and fear that when he shall appear we may be bold and not be ashamed before him at his coming which the Lord grant to us all c. Finis Serm. sive tract 4. Trino-uni gloria TWO SERMONS preached at the Feast of the Nativitie of CHRIST and here set forth in one continued tract Text. JOH 1.16 And of his fulnesse have all we received grace for grace THis time is a speciall time of Grace both exhibited and returned Of Grace exhibited from God to man in and through Christ Of Grace returned from man to God in piety from man to man in charity from man to God in piety sanctifying dayes to Gods publick service in hearing praying communicating from man to man in charitie almes to the poor inviting neighbours visiting friends hospitality to all And well do we apply our selves to the practise and exercise of these two speciall duties for this speciall time and business sake this solemnizing and celebrating of the coming of Christ For these Piety and Charity are twins of the Holy Ghost never begotten one without th' other for true faith worketh by love Gal. 5.6 And true love must be with faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 What then It is right and fit that we present him with this joynt issue of the spirit from whom joyntly with the Father the spirit proceedeth and upon us descended that he should be honoured by th' effects and works of the spirit by and from whom we receive the gift of the spirit When the comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the spirit of truth Joh. 15.26 Again Piety and Charity are the two feet of the soul whereon it standeth wherewith it walketh though feet of different nature and divers qualitie even like those feet of Nebuchadnezars Image Dan. 2.33 part of iron part of clay part of iron strong to God-ward in the duties of the first Table so is Piety part of clay plyable to man in the duties of the second Table so is Charity What then we can doe no lesse then extend these footsteps in both kinds whiles we intend the meeting or entertaining of him that comes in both kinds We necessarily express our right respect at once to both natures for the honour of him who comes at once in both natures in one person to visit us for in him God was manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 Again Piety and Charity are the two hands of the soul by the hands the body holdeth by these the soul holdeth For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith that worketh by love Gal. 5.6 And these are well like the Spiders hands mentioned Prov. 30.28 For though they work weakly yet are they so ambitious as to take hold in the Kings Palace yea even in the Palace of the King of Kings What then Now especially is it convenient for us to stretch forth these hands and to exercise this hold in the heavenly palace because the heavenly King to fetch us thither vouchsafeth to descend not to a palace but to a vile place his humiliation opportuneth importuneth our exaltation our exultation For Behold saith the Angels to the shepheards Luk. 2. I bring you glad tidings of great joy which shall be to all people that is that unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Again Piety and Charity are the two wings of the soul whereon it mounteth even as high as heaven For though worldly
everlastingly an ext ensive and distributive flowing of goodnesse from God even unto us even before we were How not actually to us because of our not being and yet actually in him because of his decreeing not actually in regard of our participating yet actually in regard of his determining and disposing and by purpose decree actuall exhibiting For Gods grace was given us in Christ before the world began 2 Tim. 1.9 And he hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world Eph. 1.4 And he hath loved us with an everlasting love Jer. 31.3 No doubt both waies everlasting as wel without beginning as without ending And what shall I need to shew the continuall flowing and streaming of his goodness when as we cannot be ignorant that in him we live and move and have our being Act. 17.28 Yea that by him all things consist Col. 1.17 O come hither and bring forth your goodnesse all ye that professe to have it shew it by this light measure it by this rule try it by this touch namely whether it hath any flowing or streaming or no For what goodnesse was there ever lockt up or buried in it self The Heathen concluded virtus in actione that virtue consisteth in action let not us Christians then talk of goodnesse without action or expression but let it have its course according to its kind let the stream appear both temporally and spiritually Temporally for though Charity beginneth at home yet it is not bounded nor ended there but rather there taketh the rule and measure of its extent namely thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Spiritually for though we must worship God in spirit and serve him in secret yet not without both lighting and drawing others Not vvithout lighting others for our light must so shine before men that they may see our good works Mat. 5.16 Not without drawing others for we must consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works and to exhort one another Heb. 10.24 What then do those Monopolists those inclosers of good the Laick Cofferer the Clerick cloysterer who resolve to live onely to themselves the one for this worlds sake th' other for the next What doe they but invert the order and pervert the nature of goodnesse and make it run ordine retrogrado the quite contrary way nothing outwardly but altogether inwardly to themselves What are they but barren trees which suck up the substance and the sweet juice and moysture both of earth and heaven onely to increase their own sap but not to bring forth fruit and therefore deserves that censure of the fruitlesse tree Cut it down why cumbreth it the ground Luk. 13.7 What are they but savage monsters and of that cruel Lyons kind of whom it is said omnia te advorsum spectantia nulla retrorsum He entertained all comers into his den but let none come forth again Yea in a word Judas may bee a sufficient glasse to both kinds of ingrossers they may see themselves in him and fear his punishment he received much both temporally and spiritually hee had both kinds of income but wanting vent and having no right use or utterance it brake him at the last he burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out Act. 1.18 But what is this stream of this fountain here expressed Have all we received Note here the Nature and the Objects how and to whom it runneth 1. The nature how Received It is not Inherited it is not purchased it is not earned 1. It is not Inherited for in Adam all dye 1 Cor. 15.22 We are by nature the children of wrath Eph. 2.3 2. It is not purchased For who hath given to him first and he shall be recompensed Rom. 11.35 3. It is not earned for when we have done all that ever we can doe we must say we are but unprofitable servants we have done but our duty Luk. 17.10 What is it then The true property of a stream is here in Grace It runs not compelled not procured but freely and voluntarily all men even the best men are but receivers so is the Text All we have received It is not of our selves but altogether of God It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9.16 We are as meerly passive in the first receipt of Grace as the earth is in the receipt of the running or overflowing or dropping water as meerly passive in our new making as in our first making not like the half dead man Luk. 10.30 who had some motion in him to help himself but like Lazarus so stark dead as even become stinking ripe You hath he quickened that were dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2.1 The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Joh. 5.25 Where then is our piety where is our humility where is our charity Where is our piety towards God both in tongue and hand in word and deed in thankfulnesse and in all holynesse What shall I render unto the Lord for all the benefits he hath done unto me I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord I will pay my vows unto the Lord even now in the presence of all his people Ps 116.12 Where is our humility in our selves inwardly and outwardly towards God and towards man in respect of corporall temporall spirituall eternall goods and riches prerogatives and preheminences that no man presume above that which is written that one swel not against another for who separateth thee and what hast thou that thou hast not received If thou have received it why boastest thou as thou hadst not received it 1 Cor. 4.6 Where is our charity toward our neighbour for If God so loved us we ought also to love one another 1 Joh. 4.11 His free dealing with us is for our imitation to exercise it one to another Be mercifull as your heavenly father is mercifull Luk. 6.36 Freely have ye received freely give Mat. 10.8 Not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a chearfull giver 2 Cor. 9.7 Secondly with the nature how note also the objects to whom this stream of Grace doth flow all we here is a certainty we and yet a generality all A generall certainty then or certain generality if ye will ye may call it First certainty for we implyeth a certain number it hath relation to some expresse company This certainty may be taken both waies both on Gods part and on our own both to God and to our selves To God for he is not subject to any ignorance therefore not such ignorance as to give he knows not to whom No but the foundation of God remaineth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 Whom he knew before them he predestinated Rom. 8.29 Therefore to whom God affordeth not this stream of Grace them he is said not to know Mat. 7.23 I never knew you depart
having now given himself wholly to us we may also give our selves fully and wholly unto him That that which was the true successe of this feast in the Apostles though wrongfully objected may be verifyed in us What They are full of wine Act. 2.13 Jam enim fuerat magnus ille botrus calcatus Aug. Ser. 2. in 2. fer Pent. in Ps 63.8 This is that wine that floweth from that heavenly Vine the Son of God I am the true vine Joh. 15.1 He is the true Vine and this is the true wine even which truly maketh glad the heart of man It is the true Vine and it is the new wine whereof that old bottle the Jewish Synagogue was not capable With this holy wine the influence and affluence or rather the superfluence of the holy spirit were the Apostles drunken and so should we endeavour to be God hath fulfilled his promise Inebriabuntur as the vulgar hath it they shall be drunken or abundantly filled with the plenteousnesse of thy house and thou shalt give them drink of thy pleasures as out of the River Ps 36.8 It behooveth us then to fulfill this precept Comedite amici bibite inebriamini charissimi Eat O friends drink and be drunken O well beloved Can 5.1 Drink and be drunken how Be not drunken with wine wherein is excesse saith the Apostle Eph. 5.18 but be ye filled with the spirit I may adde wherein is no excesse No excesse No for Amoris in Deum modus sine modo sit the measure of our love to God must be without measure Rise up early therefore to follow this drunkennesse and continue till night till this wine doth inflame thee Is 5. Be mighty to drink this wine be strong to powre in this strong drink Look upon this wine because it is red and sheweth its colour in the cuppe and goeth down pleasantly For Quicquid boni in malo falso quaeritur in Deo vere reperitur Aug. co li. 2 ca. 6. What good soever men falsely seek in sinne in God it is truly to be found Here your Carowses will be true healths health of soul eternall health and that both to the giver and to the taker and therefore the more it is used the more truly it will prove you to be true good-fellowes Suck therefore and soak your selves in this Divine Wine-cellar of grace by invocation by gratulation by contemplation by all holy devotion untill the signes of true spirituall drunkennesse do appear in you For it hath also its signes and though they be supernaturall yet may they go under naturall names and namely these Vomiting stammering reeling 1. Vomiting for there is a holy vomiting belongeth to this heavenly drunkennesse Namely of sin For if thou eat at the table of the evill man thou shalt vomit thy morsells saith Solomon Pro. 23.8 And that we all doe In many things we sin all And this surfet is so strong that a little portion of this heavenly wine of grace a little measure of this holy drunkennesse will quickly turn our stomacks and set us a vomiting By confession by contrition by reformation by restitution which implyeth all the rest So Zachee when that heavenly Vine the Son of God had drop't a little of this his juice into him he presently fell into this happy fit Behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him fourfold Lu. 19.8 And if thou take not this spirituall then beware of that naturall vomit which ariseth from the surfet it self for that is a bursting one as that of Judas which proceeding not from this divine but from his naturall or rather from the infernall spirit made him overstrain himself and burst asunder in the midst Act. 1.18 Secondly the stammering or faultering or idle talking or failing of the tongue is a necessary token of our spirituall drunkennesse And it is shewed sometimes in fear sometimes in joy sometimes in fervencie of zeale Sometimes in fear as in Hezekiah Like a Crane or a swallow so did I chatter Is 38.14 Sometime in joy as in St. Peter Master saith he let us make here three Tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias And wist not what he said Lu. 9. Sometimes in fervencie of zeale As in Moses first making a stoppe to his words If thou wilt pardon their sinne and then a greater stop to himself but if thou wilt not I pray thee-raze me out of the book which thou hast written Exo. 32.32 Such another kind of holy idle talking was that of St. Paul Rom. 9.3 Pro Christo velle anathema esse a Christo wishing for Christs sake to be separated from Christ I could wish my selfe saith he to be separated from Christ for my brethren And no marvell that this divers failing of the tongue should appear in our spirituall drunkennesse for St. Paul ravished in the spirit heard conceived apprehended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unspeakable words not possible to be uttered 2 Cor. 12.4 And the spirit maketh request as for us so no doubt in us gemitibus ineffabilibus with sighs and groans which cannot be expressed Rom. 8.26 3. A third token to be shewed of our spirituall drunkenness is Reeling not of the body but of the mind when between grace and nature yea between grace and grace the love of God and of our neighbour we cannot go stedfastly without reeling sometimes to heaven-ward sometimes to earth-ward sometimes to our own advantage sometimes to our masters and fellows advantage sometimes wishing our work were done that we might receive our reward sometimes for the greatness of the reward rejoycing in the doing and continuing of our work Such a reeling was St. Paul possest withall Phil. 1. being in a strait between two and not knowing what to choose desiring to depart and to be with Christ which is far better yet having confidence to abide and continue for the good of his people They that sail at sea are subject to reeling but how Not unlesse the winds doe blow in the calm they feel it not for at his word the stormy wind ariseth which lifteth up the waves thereof then they are carried up to the heaven and down again to the deep they reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end This world is our sea and we are all sailers in it And so long as we are becalm'd of grace we feel no reeling but we are as one that sleepeth in the midst of the sea like him that sleepeth on the top of the mast Prov. 23. But when that holy wind doth blow then we are up and down we know not whether heaven or earth should hold us All this while I have but stood at the door of my Text and no marvail that I have stood so long having so glorious a fabrick to behold Now let us reverently enter as into the house of God For we
filled Chap. 2. ver 4. yea so abundantly filled that each one was able to fill multitudes For by Saint Peters preaching the same day there were added to the Church about 3000. soules ver 41. Thus this heavenly fire hid since the world began and from all ages Col. 1.26 now breaking forth sheweth most heat and light Thus our Zacheus for that name whether you expound it Just or Pure may well stand for him who is the fountain of all Justice and purity recompenseth his former hoording and sparing by giving fourfold Thus the holy and precious oile of gladnesse powred upon the head of the Church runneth down to the skirts of his clothing even to all his members and parts For saith Saint Peter here ver 16. This is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel And it shall be in the last daies saith God that I will powre out of my spirit upon all flesh And this is that which is cited Heb. 8.11 They shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know ye the Lord for all such know me from the least of them to the greatest Thirdly not to like end was the Holy Ghost before come or given For before he was given to foretell things to come and to be done now to tell and declare things done and finished Before to set forth the shadow of good things to come now to minister the substance of the things themselves Before to teach men but now we may say in some sort to teach Angells For now unto principalities and powers in heavenly places is made known by the Church the manifold wisdome of God Eph. 3.10 And in the ministry of the Gospell the things are now shewed which the Angells desire to behold 1. Pet. 1.12 Before it was to prepare the bride for the marriage of the Lamb Now it is to keep the keies of the bridechamber dore to bind and loose open and shut I will give thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth shal be loosed in Heaven saith Christ to Saint Peter Mat. 16.19 For which causes I doubt not it is that the least of the Kingdom of God that is as aforesaid after this third and full revelation of the Trinity is said to be greater then John the Baptist whose time was but a little before it Mat. 11.11 What followeth then for our instruction out of this inlargement of the holy Spirit to us but this that we also be inlarged in the holinesse of our spirits unto him that as he hath abounded unto us so we may abound unto him and that as he to us so we to him be renued In our manner Not with eye service as men-pleasers but heartily as to the Lord. Col. 3.23 In our measure Rich in faith rich in good works In our end Not minding earthly things but having our conversation in heaven Phil. 3.20 But how was this new and great coming of the Holy Ghost It was in or under signs and figures types and emblems For the Son came to take our nature because he was to stand in our room to act our cause therefore his coming must be hypostaticall he must be that he seems to be The Word was made flesh Joh. 1. But the Holy Ghost was to renew us into his nature that we might be partakers of the godly nature 2 Pet. 1.4 therefore it sufficeth that his coming be symbolicall not becoming or being what he shews but shewing what he is his properties and effects As excellently here hee doth in three notable symboles or signs Namely Wind Fire and Tongues And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing and a mighty wind c. To seek all the agreements between these shaddows and their substance were to attempt that impossibility 2 Esd 4.5 Weigh me the weight of the fire or measure me the blast of the wind Expect not all then but be content with some And first of the wind The Wind hath two especiall properties Secretness and Activeness First Secretness and that both in its arising and its working 1. Secretnesse in its arising It is so secret that it cannot be known for I will rather believe Christ who telleth me that I cannot tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth Joh. 3.8 then I would yeeld to the wisdom of man if all Philosophers could as indeed they cannot agree together to tell me from whence it cometh God bringeth them out of his treasures Ps 135.7 No doubt out of those treasures of light and and might knowledge and power the light which no man can attain unto 1 Tim. 6.16 And secondly it hath Secretness in its working too for it unsensibly pierceth the sensible joynts and bones Zephyrus quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vitam ferens and worketh sensible refreshing on the unsensible herbs and plants And to the Holy Ghost also is secretnesse proper both in his beginning or arising and in his working In his beginning for we say he hath a beginning of personality though not of nature A beginning from the Father and the Son not in time being coeternall but by proceeding Whereof the proceeding of the stream from the fountain of the heat from the fire and of the light from the sun is all too short and weak expressions and yet these in time we are still together And in his working also he is secret Entring in to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit and the joynts and the marrow Heb. 4.12 And as the true Zephyrus breathing breath of lives upon all the plants which the heavenly father hath planted and that unsensibly as the wind blowing when and where and how he listeth The former secresie is for our admiration the greater it is the farther we must stand from it For qui scrutatur majestatem opprimetur à gloria He that searcheth Gods majesty shall be oppressed of his glory It is enough to cry out O the deepness of this secret The latter is for our examination for we must prove our selves whether we are in the faith or no 2 Cor. 13.5 If we live in the spirit we must walk in the spirit Gal. 5.25 And as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God Rom 8.14 Again Activenesse also is another property of the wind It is active constantly strongly subtilly variously 1. Constantly for it is alwaies in motion its being consisteth in action for it is not wind if it do not blow And though it be not in all places alwaies alike perceived yet never can it be said to be in no place at all 2. Strongly for it bendeth the pliant plants but breaketh or overturneth the stiffe and sturdy oaks 3. Subtilly for it findeth the chaffe in the middest of the wheat and purgeth and scattereth it quite away 4. Variously for it bringeth sometimes lightning sometimes rain
seeing our miseries are such in our temporall condition in respect of getting keeping losing why then I may justly say what is there in this vale of tears that may deserve our love or be worthy of our affection Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity saith Solomon and wee our selves know that we are certain in nothing here but in an uncertain course of things and a continuall interchange of joy and sorrow Why then should these vanities and vexations like so many bewitching Cirees transform us into swinish quality that we should delight rather to ly wallowing in the miry mudde and puddle of worldlinesse then to be translated into the glory and blisse of Paradise why should they like so many Sirens with their deceitfull musick and melodie stop our course and stay our journy when we should be travelling into our own country why should they intice us to lie floating on the troublous and dangerous waves of this world when we should be striving to get into the Haven and Harbor of rest why should they so much deceive us as to make us make this our Paradise where wee find nothing but misery and here to settle our hearts where there is nothing that can satisfie our desire Love not the world saith Saint John nor the things of the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him Here is the privative use here is that we must not do what is the positive use what is that we must doe Our Saviour teacheth both together Mat. 6.19 Lay not up for your selves treasures upon Earth ther 's that we must not do but lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven there 's that wee must do It is Heaven that is our Country and inheritance on earth wee are but pilgrims and strangers It is Heaven where we shall have the fulnesse of joy there all our comforts are crost with cares Learn therefore of Saint Phil. 3.8 to count all things loss and to judge them to be dung that wee may win Christ Or if ye can not reach that perfection to despise the world yet at least labour and strive that yee may be able to use the world as though yee used it not and to have your conversation in Heaven And so much of the discovery of mans vileness out of the consideration of his temporall estate and condition in respect of the miseries of his life The same also will appear in respect of the shortnesse of his life For mans dignity and honor in his creation was in his being the Image of God and that was partly in his immortality whereof during his innocencie he was capable Potens non mori having a possibility not to die His immortality therefore and length of life being then his honor and excellencie it must needs follow by the rule of contraries that his mortality and shortness of life is his dishonor and vilenesse But out of the Scriptute also it may bee shown that long life is an honor and short life a dishonor a reproach and vilenesse unto man For in the ninteenth of Lev. ver 32. it is said Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head and honor the face of the old man And in the Commandements Ex. 20. the only promise of reward expressed is that of long life That thy daies may be long in the land c. And as this is a reward and honor so on the contrary short life is a punishment and dishonor For 1 Sam. 2.32 when God would execute judgement and justice upon Eli one of his greatest punishments was that there should never be an old man in his house but his seed should be cut off before it should be ripe And often in the Scriptures we find long life as a blessing to the god ly and short life as a curse to the wicked on the one side promised on the other side threatned Let us look then upon the shortnesse of our life and consider the vileness of our condition therein Ye know Moses his accompt Ps 90.10 The daies of our years are threescore years and ten and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years yet in their strength labour and sorrow He accounts it the utmost of our age but a little For to that purpose he closeth therewith this for it is soon cut off and we fly away It is soon cut off as if he should say It is a time of no considerable endurance But as touching the shortnesse of mans life the heathen man Tully by the twilight of nature could see to say thus Lib. de senect Quid est in vita hominis diu what length is there in the life of man Mihi quidem ne diuturnum quidquam videtur in quo est aliquid extremum me thinks there 's nothing long or lasting which hath an end For indeed when that is once come then 't is all nothing But Saint Augustine goes farther and saith Conf. lib. 11. cap. 15. that the life of man is neither long nor short but that it is not at all Quo pacto illud longum est aut breve quod omnino non est How can that be long or short which at all is not Praeteritum enim jam non est futurum nondum est For the time past is not now and the time to come is not yet So that then we can count our life nothing but the same to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that same instant present moment of time Now which the Philosophers make an end of the time past and the beginning of the time to come which is indeed so near to nothing that wee can hardly make any thing of it For now we live and now again that time is past And again Now we live and now again that time is past Dum loquimur fugit invida aetas saith the Poet whiles we speak our envious time flies away Yea sooner then we are able to pronounce that one syllable Now it is a hazard a doubt and question whether we live or no. So short and swift and slippery is that time which wee may boldly venture to call our life that it is gone before we can speak it yea before we can think it It is even swifter then conceit And therefore to shew the shortnesse and swiftnesse of our life the Scriptures do set it forth by the shortest and swiftest things as namely a weavers shuttle Job 7.6 a Post Job 9.25 a tale that is told Ps 90.9 And yet these shadowes and types short and swift as they are they are too long to measure the shortnesse of mans life For though the shuttle flyeth swiftly yet sometimes it lyeth still before the quil of yarn be quite spent though the Post rideth or runneth speedily yet sometimes hee baites and rests before he comes to his journies end though a tale passe quickly yet it hath some stops and pauses before it comes to the last full point But the life of man flyeth swiftly and never