heaven and Angels nay did Christ himself offer up this Worship It deeply concerns us to perform it to him 2. Did Christ sollicit his Father for supply of Mercies Why he had right and title to all All was his due How then should we dare to usurp any of God's blessings and not beg them by Prayer at his holy hands Must the Son be a Petitioner and shall the servant intermeddle serve himself in his desires without craving by Prayer Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance Psal. ii 8. 3. Did Christ abound in this grace of Prayer though freed from all Infirmities out of the reach of temptations though full of all graces How then should we who are clogg'd with infirmities incumbred with temptations beset with corruptions How should we abound in this grace to draw supply and strength from heaven 4. Did Christ sue by Prayer He was most certain of the event of every thing knew that all things were set and purposed his own Glory his Churches Redemption yet he would Pray Then earnest Prayers may be made for those things whereof there may be fullest assurance We are told If men may be certain of Grace and Glory why do they pray for it Certainty on God's part doth not weaken but strengthen the force of Prayer Isaac had promise of a son yet he begged him Elijah was sure of rain yet he pray'd for it David was sure his house should be established yet he prayed for it Christ was sure of all yet he abounds in this service of Prayer Prayer it is serviceable to God's Appointments II. Consider our Saviour's Prayer here respectively to his glorious Transfiguration While he prayed he was Transfigured and so it imports an efficacy in his Prayers producing and effecting his Transfiguration Observe the admirable power and efficacy of devout Prayer It is able to transport the soul to ravish the spirit to lift up the heart into an heavenly rapture and to fill soul and body with unspeakable glory A strange doctrine to our drowzy Petitioners they never felt any such thing Well saith S. Chrysostom Sancti intelligunt quid dico They who abound in this Spiritual exercise give testimony to this Truth and find it by experience Thus David professes that Prayer and Praise was to him as marrow and fatness My mouth shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips Psal. lxiii 5. I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears They looked unto him and were lightned and their faces were not ashamed Psal. xxxiv 4 5. Now Prayer hath this power 1. Because it raiseth the soul into heaven far above all earthly vanities or vexations The soul lying groveling upon the earth feels many incumbrances Prayer mounts it above the clouds And then like the woman in the Revelation if the Moon be under thy feet thou shalt be cloathed with the Sun These lower regions are dark and tempestuous get up into heaven by Prayer there is nothing but sereâ—…ity and tranquillity A devout and heavenly Prayer is like the Altar on Olympus no blast of wind blows upon it Say not in thine heart Who shall go up into heaven Prayer will bring thee thither 2. Prayer will breed those ravishing and glorious joys because it brings us into a communion with the fountain of joy and glory It opens heaven to us gives us approach unto that unaccessable glory See Moses being in the Mount in communion with God his face was shining and glorious As a man long conversant in some fragrant place his very cloaths will carry those perfumes with him 3. Prayer shews us the loving and smiling and gracious countenance of God and the sight of that is of a ravishing efficacy In his face is life it self The light of God's countenance gladded David more than oyl and wine Psal. iv If He be angry his frown is the message of death Prayer pacifies him and makes his countenance most amiable If he turn away his countenance we wither our faces droop if he shine upon us we are refreshed 2 Cor. iii. 18. We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 4. Prayer brings this rapture of joy because it brings with it a joyful assurance that our Prayers are accepted Though our Prayers are not always succesful for Impetration yet seldom but they seal up to us God's Acceptation and so bring the fruit of sweet Consolation It lays hold on the golden Scepter breeding in us an heavenly tranquillity peace of conscience joy in the Holy Ghost These secret cheerings are like the fire from heaven that consumed the Sacrifice and testifie God is graciously pleased with thy Petitions What joy like that of Cornelius to have Angels bring tidings of Gods Acceptation Dan. v. 10. Fear not Daniel thy words are heard Prayer encourages us like Manoah's wife The Lord hath received a Burnt-offering and a Meat-offering at our hand he will not kill us Judg. xiii 23. Want of this made Cain's countenance fall This honour'd and encouraged Abel Oh! those inward cheerings that a religious Prayer sheds into our souls they are not inferiour to the tydings of Angels 5. Prayer infuses these glorious joys because it disburthens our grievances all of them into the bosom of God If it be an ease to a troubled mind to communicate its sorrow to some faithful friend how much more comfortable is it by Prayer to unfold our sorrows into God's bosom who pities our griefs drys up our tears Thus David in his sorrows parleys with God and his soul is refresh'd See this in Hannah 1 Sam. i. 18. She was a woman of a sorrowful spirit Elkanah could not comfort her She prays in the bitterness of her soul pours out her soul before the Lord and see what comfort she finds in Prayer Her countenance was no more sad See it in David Psal. vi He was in much sickness and sorrow Lord rebuke me not in thine ire His soul was vexed he was weary with groaning beginning his Prayer with much anguish but vers 8. he breaks out into a sudden joy The Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping vers 9. The Lord hath heard my Supplications the Lord will receive my Prayer Phil. iv 6 7. In every thing by Prayer and Supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God And the Peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Iesus 6. This duty religiously performed even because it is an holy service yields presently a sweet satisfaction and contentment to the conscience That makes it ever applaud it self and secretly to say to it self I am glad I have done this holy duty 1 Chron. xxix 9. The people rejoyced when they offered willingly So at Solomon's Sacrifice the people went
Tabernacle He fill'd that house with glory when Christ came into it 3. A third Time was Tempus Prophetiarum the Age of the Prophets that was yet a fuller Time then there was a more clear and particular foretelling the very manner and circumstances of his Birth and Incarnation Esay calculates and foretels the time At such a year then the Messias shall come Micah foretels the City where he shall be born At Bethleem They bring it nearer and closer home but all of them fail and fall short of this fulness They were but as Heralds and Ushers forewarning and preparing the way before him The Testimony of Iesus is the Spirit of Prophesie His comming gives a being to all their Predictions They all sate like Ionas to see when their Prophesies should be fulfilled like Elijah on mount Carmel looking often and often for his blessed Appearance His presence accomplish'd them and gave them their fulness Thus God dealt with his Church as Boaz with Ruth first he affords her some gleanings then le ts fall handfuls to her then fills her vail with a measure of clean corn dressed and winnowed then at last marries himself to her in his Incarnation So then Is Christ's Comming the fulness of time What improvement shall we make of this point for practice 1. It should teach us to take notice of our happiness that were kept and reserved to live in those times that are fulfill'd by our Saviour's comming It is a great Blessing of God to be born in good times in dayes of Peace and Plenty We pity our forefathers who lived in those Swording times when all was in an uprore and after-ages will do the like for us And one bewail'd himself that he was born nec solo nec coelo nec seculo erudito in barbarous times How happy are Christians who have all the Mysteries of our Redemption accomplish'd in these dayes of the Gospel What saith our Saviour to his Disciples Luk. x. 23. Blessed are the eyes that see the things that ye see for I tell you many Kings and Prophets have desired to see those things that ye see and have not seen them David and Solomon and Iosiah how would they have thrown down their Crowns at his feet and adored him Those Truths concerning Christ which we count common and vulgar and sleight and neglect them how would they have ravished the spirits of those Saints that were before us The Mysterie of the Trinity what dark intimations of it to the Saints of old That Christ was both God and Man Davids Lord and Davids Son it posed all the Doctors in Israel how to conceive it Matth. xxii Our Saviours Incarnation Passion Resurrection Ascension we scorn to spend time to learn them our selves and teach them others and yet the Angels and Arch-angels stand astonished at them They before us received but the Promise God providing a better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Heb. xi 40. 1 Sam. xvi Samuel would not sit down to the Sacrifice till young David was bâ—…ught from tending the sheep Christ's Sacrifice was delayed till the fulness of the Gentiles might come in The Patriarchs were the eldest sons and they were put off with a Kid the fat Calf was kill'd for us the best wine was kept last till now to entertain us 2. This fulness on Gods part doth challenge and require fulness on our part 1. Fulness of knowledge On Gods part Christ is fully revealed all the Mysterie of Godliness laid open and unfolded t is our duty then fully to know him The dim dark imperfect knowledge of the Jewish Church will not suffice the vail is now taken off and we all with open face may see and behold him When I was a child I spake as a child I understood as a child that was the condition of those times Christians must be grown men of a ripe age in understanding The times of our former ignorance God regarded not saith S. Paul but now he warns every man Act. xvii 30. The times of Christianity are foretold to be knowing times Every man shall know me from the least of them to the greatest of them Ier. xxxi 34. The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea saith the Prophet Habakkuk a Spring-tide of knowledge Zachary foretels that the feeblest Christian shall be as David Iohn Baptist a great enlightned Prophet yet the least in the kingdom of heaven may be greater then he in the Mysteries of Religion This fulness on Gods part requires of us 2. Fulness of Faith and of stedfast Assurance We owe our Faith to Gods bare Promises Shall we not fully believe his reall Performances The Saints before Christ met with many difficulties in believing All of them are removed that they cannot hinder our perswasion There were four Difficulties that attended the Promise of Christ as it was propounded to the Patriarchs 1. Was Obscuritas They saw all in a dim light all things were made known in much obscurity they had but the light of a candle to discern by the light of the Sun shines out to us 2. Was Generalitas Christ was promised to them in more general terms not so distinctly and personally as he is to us They heard of a blessed Seed to be born that is all their Faith fastned on We know who he is Iesus the Son of Mary he is pointed out to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with special circumstances Hic Nunc breeds distinct knowledge 3. Was Improbabilitas The Promise was propounded to them with some Improbabilities A Virgin shall conceive and bring forth a Son How can this thing be Yes we know it is performed that holy Virgin hath conceived and born him Performances confute all improbabilities Can there come any good out of Nazareth Come and see 4. Was Longinquitas The Promise of Christ made to the Fathers was for a long time after many hundred years to be spent ere Christ should come Tell a man what shall happen a thousand years hence you can hardly perswade him The Prophesie is for many dayes to come said those mockers in Ezekiel We need not stretch our faith so far the Promise is before us With Thomas we may lay hold on him and say My Lord and my God 3. Hath Christ brought a fulness with him It must work in us fulness of content and satisfaction rest fully in him and in his plentiful Redemption The fulness of Christ is abundantly able to satisfie and fill up all our desires Fills the soul with marrow and fatness All other cravings of the soul may be quieted for a time but they return again as eager as ever 't is like a dream of meat saith the Prophet and when he awakes his soul is empty This heavenly Manna it breeds appetite and yet it pinches not it satisfies the soul and yet it cloys not Indeed Christ hath in him all that we need or can possibly wish
led into heaven Angels are but Inmates in heaven in respect of us And heaven is said to be prepared for us not for Angels Mat. xxv Hell is prepared for the Devil and his Angels but not so Heaven this is not prepared for the Angels but for you The joyes of heaven are called A sitting down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob not with Angels in the kingdom of heaven They are but Pocillatores but Servitours and Attendants upon our Glory 3. It is more comfort to the Apostles to see Men in Glory with Christ rather then Angels Angels in heaven were ab origine there never excluded but to see Men assumed this shews that the virtue of our Mediatour hath opened Paradise again quenched the fiery Sword reconciled us and given entrance for our banished Nature into the state of Glory It was comfort for the captive-Jews to see Daniel and his fellows advanced by the king of Babel and made chief in the kingdom for to see Hester made Queen and Vashti neglected so to see flesh of our flesh Men in the same captivity and condemnation reconciled glorified it bids us hope well for a gracious admission That 's the second their kind Two Men. III. Their specialty their Persons Moses and Elias Why not some other Saints but these must be singled out What reasons are there for their appearance rather then for others Divers reasons may be given reduce them to these four heads 1. Some reasons of this choyce are in respect of Christ. 2. Some in respect of themselves 3. Some in respect of the Apostles 4. Some in respect of the people to whom it was to be published 1. Moses and Elias appear at this Transfiguration respectu Christi in respect of Christ 1. Famulantur ut Domino These chief eminent Saints must do homage to Christ as to their great Lord. It added to Mordecai's honour that Haman the chief Prince must attend his triumph See here the two grand Pillars of the Church the most renowned Prophets Saints high in heaven wait upon our Saviour He calls for Elias see if Elias will come said they scoffingly Behold Elias and Moses are present all their dignity must stoop to him Moses was faithful as a servant of the house but Christ was Lord of the house Kings and Prophets and eminent Saints fall down before him as Ioseph's brethren all honour him all Sheavs bow down to this Sheaf all the Stars worship this Sun of righteousness 2. Attestantur ut Messiae They come and give evidence and testimony that he is the anointed Messias that was promised to the Church He receives testimony and witness from Moses and the Prophets Thus Philip Ioh. i. 45. We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write Iesus of Nazareth Thus S. Peter brings Moses to witness For Moses truly said unto the Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you Act. iii. 22. To him give all the Prophets witness Act. x. 43. And Christ accounts that Moses wrote of him Search the Scriptures they are they which testifie of me Ioh. v. 39. This they foretold now being exhibited they set to their seals of this glorious performance 3. Sociantur ut Legis Prophetarum complementa Moses and Elias attend and behold him as the fulfilling and accomplishment of Law and Prophets to intimate that Law and Prophets all aym at him and all concurr and joyn in him all like lines run to this center All the Patriarchs were Types of him all the Priests and Prophets were representations of him all their Rites and Ceremonies prefigured him all their Saviours and Deliverers were his fore-runners They were but shadows He in coming gave truth and fulness to them It was sorrow to Ionas that his Prophesie was frustrate it was joy to the Prophets to see all their predictions made good in Him To prefigure thee saith Moses I instituted the Passeover and effusion of Blood all my Rites and Ceremonies look'd at thee To foretel thee saith Elias was my message and Ministry All the Prophets from Samuel and after pointed at him Till his coming all things were empty and imperfect now they all clasp and close about him as their drift and argument He is AMEN 4. Venerantur ut Servatorem They appear to adore him as their Saviour and Redeemer Though they are already in heaven and glory yet they know to whose bloud they owe it who gave them entrance and access Moses himself could not convey himself into Canaan the type of heaven much less into heaven it self All the Elders and Saints fling down their Crowns at his feet all worship and are tributary to his glory Elias his Chariot was of Christ's sending as Iacob's came from Ioseph 2. Moses and Elias appear in respect of Themselves for these reasons 1. Conceive them ut eminentes Sancti Moses and Elias were persons of admirable holiness yet they attend and adore our Saviour Not only wicked and prophane men stand in need of him and acknowledg him but the holiest men and most aboundant in righteousness own him for their Redeemer As S. Ambrose speaks For Publicans and Harlots to be justified by Faith is no such wonder but for Abraham so rich in good works yet to stand in need of Faith and Christ it highly advanceth the glory of Christ. The purest Robe must be washed in this bloud the choycest Saint must draw grace from Christ. Abraham the Father of the Faithful was a Son of this adoption of grace 2. Conceive them ut Sancti mortui translati They were Saints out of this life Moses is dead Elias translated yet they do homage to Christ. To teach us that he is Lord of quick and dead While he is upon earth yet is he Lord of the spirits in Heaven Now he is in heaven he is Lord of all on earth All live to him He is the God of Abraham and Isaac and Iacob No state of time or place or condition excludes his Soveraignty All Knees in heaven and earth and under the earth must bow and prostrate to him The Pope who enlargeth his power to the world of spirits yet claims not that authority He hath not jurisdictionem but per modum Suffragii Christ hath an homage of Saints that are dead and translated He is Lord of all quick and dead must do him service 3. Conceive them ut Sancti Veteris Testamenti They were not living under the Gospel but under the Old Testament yet they acknowledg they belong as dependants upon this Messias He had an influence backwards to those former Saints as well as forward to the times of Christians They who went before and they who came after all sing Hosanna to this Son of David The Church of the Patriarchs acknowledged him for their Head All of them were partakers of this common salvation Christ Iesus yesterday to day the same for ever It was a dangerous and blasphemous error of the Manichees and Marcionites
performances 4. It is not suitable to the Glory and Truth of Christ to delude men with shadows and empty Appearances He was most real as of himself handle me feel me All these are evidences for a real Appearance Now this reality of Appearance assures us of two Truths 1. Is Veritas Immortalitatis the truth of the Immortality of souls and spirits The spirits of these two holy men are living and immortal It is a wicked opinion of the Sadduces now raigning among the Jews that the souls are extinguished with the bodies Here is not onely Elias whom they rejected but Moses whom they believed is here really exhibited This is the assurance of our Faith Ye are come to the spirits of just men made perfect This is a foundation of Religion If no Immortality hereafter no Piety here How carnally drunk do many live as if there were no soul or no Immortality 2. Is Veritas the truth nay more facilitas Resurrectionis the easiness of the Resurrection Elias indeed in body was translated but Moses was dead and buried in the plain of Moab yet here his body is united to his soul and appears in Glory How easily can the Lord of our bodies and souls raise and place our bodies in Glory See he beckens Elias out of heaven Moses out of his grave Moses his body was not as Lazarus's four days but two thousand years in the grave yet at the nutus of Christ is it raised and united Our bodies and souls shall be in his hands not onely for safety and custody but for guidance and disposal Speak but the word Lord and thy servants shall revive That 's the first a real Appearance II. It is a glorious Appearance Appear'd in Glory Moses and Elias being attendants upon Christ appear in Glory as Noblemen appear in greatest Magnificence to attend the King 1. Here is the glory of the Saints to attend Christ in Glory The Jews thought if Christ were advanced Moses must down Whosoever preached Christ spake against Moses No Moses was never so glorious as in this Attendance It is otherwise with this Sun of righteousness and the Saints then with the body of the Sun and the Stars These do occidere heliace not appear when they come nearer to the Sun But our Sun of Glory makes these Stars the nearer they be to be the more glorious As in Ioseph's dream the Sun Moon and Stars were all shining together 2. Moses and Elias appear gloriously in Christ's presence Moses is then made manifest and clear when Christ comes Take Moses asunder and without Christ 1. He is obscure there is no luster no clearness he is under a vail but Christ he with his Coming if he appear with Moses he makes all gloriously clear and evident to us 2. He is imperfect nothing but emptiness and shadows Christ gives a fulness to Moses He is not so much the abolition as the consummation of the Law Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ. Paul calls them beggerly rudiments void of Christ. 3. Moses apart from Christ he is fearful and terrible The Law causeth wrath Ay but look upon Moses standing with Christ then he is comfortable Make Moses a servant to Christ the Law to Faith and never look upon Moses but see Christ with him and above him and that will rejoyce thee That 's the second the manner of their appearance in Glory Thirdly see their Action and Employment They talked with him In it three things 1. The Action Collocuti 2. The Person Cum Christo. 3. The Matter de Exitu I. The Action Collocuti They talked It was no dumb shew and representation to gaze upon but an holy and heavenly communication Moses and Elias if they appear they appear as Prophets speaking and conferring either speaking of God or to God It is the life of a Prophet in heaven day and night without ceasing there is nothing but speaking We have here too Moses and the Prophets let us conferr with them and Christ it is a glimpse of Glory In the Scriptures we find Moses and the Prophets conferring with Christ which S. Peter preferrs before this Vision and calls 2 Pet. i. 19. A more sure word of Prophecy Now this Colloquium this Speaking implyes two things 1. Consensum 2. Familiaritatem 1. Consensum It teaches us That there is a sweet agreement betwixt Moses and Elias with our Saviour Christ that there is no repugnancy or contradiction 'twixt the Old and New Testament but a sweet harmony and agreement Here the Law and the Prophets like the two Cherubs are both compassing and looking upon the Mercy-Seat This Christ taught his Disciples All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes concerning me Luk. xxiv 44. There were certain Hereticks in S. Aug. time who professed themselves enemies to the Law and the Prophets But Non potes segregare Legem ab Evangelio ut nec umbram à corpore The Lord thy God will raise unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy brethren like unto me saith Moses Deut. xviii 15. Like unto me not contrary to me The same Religion the same substantial Truth the same Grace and Salvation is in both Testaments There is a variety of Ceremonies but the same Truth and Substance there is the same Authour of both Thus S. Iames answers this doubt Known to the Lord are all his works from the beginning it is no change in God As the prescripts of the Physician are some of one kind to day to morrow of another both ayming at the health of the Patient Aug. The Gospel was comprehended in the Law the Law is explained and cleared in the Gospel The Law shews Moses vailed the Gospel unvails him 2. Denotat familiaritatem Their talk and conference betokeneth a sweet and holy familiarity and communion with God on earth As of Moses it was said The Lord spake unto Moses face to face as a man speaketh unto his friend Exod. xxxiii 11. Observe Moses and Elias were men of much communion with God upon earth many heavenly entercourses passed between them and now they are admitted into a near and sweet and familiar communication Men of communion with God here shall be received with more free access and familiar conversation with Christ in heaven They who never maintain speech with God here how can they look to have access in heaven They who love to come into his presence delight in hearing him speak to them and they to him by Prayer and Meditation they shall have nearest and freest and sweetest communion hereafter That 's the first the Action Collocuti sunt They talked II. The Person Cum Christo With Christ Not with the Apostles nor the Apostles with them Here was a miraculous Apparition but no parley nor entercourse Observe Here is no shew or appearance of any entercourse 'twixt Christians on earth and the Saints in heaven no invocation or salutation on the Apostles part
Gloriae and to foreshew us the happiness of heaven Then we shall see and know certainly all the Saints past and gone As Samuel lumine Prophetiae knew Saul antea non visum so shall we converse with all the Saints Adam knew his wife as soon as she was brought to him THE FIFTH SERMON ON S. LUKE ix 33. And it came to pass as they departed from him Peter said unto Iesus Master it is good for us to be here and let us make three Tabernacles one for Thee and one for Moses and one for Elias not knowing what he said WE have seen the Entertainment that the Apostles gave to this glorious Transfiguration First In their weakness and indisposition Secondly In their more attentive view and contemplation Now follows Thirdly Their manner of Entertainment in a sudden and passionate and affectionate Suit and Petition The Text then represents that Effect which this glorious Appearance wrought in the Apostles This ravishing joy stirs up in them a sudden passionate Suit and Request for a constant enjoying of this glorious Vision And it stands upon three particulars 1. Is the occasion of this Request that is the departing and withdrawing of Moses and Elias As they departed from him 2 Is the summ and substance of their Request specified 1. In the person who makes it Peter Peter said 2. In the person to whom it is tendred to Christ Iesus Master 3. The Request it self In it 1. A motion for continuance It is good for us to be here 2. A proffer of service to further this continuance And let us make three Tabernacles one for Thee and one for Moses and one for Elias 3. The censure of this Request what judgement the Holy Ghost passes upon it it was unwarrantable unadvised Not knowing what he said First The occasion of this Request The departure of Moses and Elias These two Saints now withdraw themselves from this glorious Appearance and betake themselves to those Eternal Habitations from whence they were called to attend our Saviour The Reason and Purpose of this present departure and leaving Mount Tabor may be given in divers congruities 1. Respectively to themselves 2. Respectively to Christ. 3. Respectively to the Apostles I. Respectively to themselves They departed 1. Quia officio functi They have performed that service for which they were sent they had testified of Jesus his Deity and Mediatourship done homage to him as their God and Saviour Having performed this service they depart from him and leave the world It represents to us the date of the Saints continuance with us they have their employment and having finished that work they are removed and withdrawn from us Till Moses hath done his work no weakness nor decay appeared in him when that time is finish'd no strength can prolong him Elias must not be weary of his life till he hath finished his course when that is accomplished he is fetched away presently The Saints in this respect are like to Iacob's vision of Angels they were all Ascendentes descendentes non commorantes As S. Chrysostom comparing those two places in the Acts first S. Paul's escaping in a basket out of Damascus Acts ix 24. and his resolute going to Ierusalem Acts xxi 13. observes till S. Paul had done his work he shifts for his life when he had finished it he offers himself to death It is the condition of all the Saints Having served their generations according to the counsel of God they are withdrawn and no more converse with us As a faithful servant makes no lingring or delays but being sent and having dispatched his business as Elizaeus-servant salutes no man but returns back again We wish the continuance of the Saints with us No they have their work set them their time set them and having accomplished that they must not fix here but return to him whose Agents and Servants they are Moses and Elias discharging their Office of Attestation to Christ are called into heaven again They departed 2. Quia à visione removendi They have a view of Christ Incarnate but they must not yet fully and constantly enjoy him but transiently and so depart from him Their joy in heaven will not be full till Christ be there at his glorious Ascension Now they are graced with this temporary enterview and withdrawn from it Even the glory of the Saints in heaven is thus dispensatively and by degrees vouchsafed unto them They in heaven lived in expectation of this blessed Appearance and till then lissening and looking to see their Saviour they cry How long Lord how long As before his Descention the Saints on earth cried Oh that thou wouldst bow the heavens and come down So they in heaven were wishing Oh that the heavens might open to receive him back again Their full consummation will not be made perfect till we with Christ be caught up in the clouds They are Sub Altare non super Thronos They are cloathed in Whites Sed nondum Duplicibus induuntur they must wait for that accomplishment We are in Tabernaculis they in Atriis but not in Thronis 3. Quia ad statum redituri Because they were to return to their former state This their Appearance on earth was Extraordinary and Miraculous by special Dispensation but their Abode and Mansion that 's in heaven The presence of the Saints departed is not to be expected nor imagined but onely in these cases of Miraculous Employment There is not onely a gulph of Separation 'twixt hell and heaven but a distance of Separation also 'twixt heaven and us We have heard in Popery of the many Walkings and Appearances of the Saints departed But they are all of them dreams of deceived Men or lyes of deceiving Devils except this Appearance There is no conversation of dead men on earth Lazarus must not leave Abraham's bosome not to ease Dives not to convert his brethren What is said of Christ is true of the Saints Whom the heavens must contain They go from hence and are seen no more They departed II. Respectively to Christ. 1. They depart from Christ Gloriam deposituro This Attendance and Service done to Christ by these Saints it is but temporary and to cease and so these glorious Spirits having honoured him with their presence are sequestred from him As Christ assumed this Transfiguration so now he resumes his state of Abasement When he is invested with his full Glory then they follow the 〈◊〉 wheresoever he goes Now he leaves his glorious guard of Angels and Saints and sorts himself with mortal weak contemptible men This Transfiguration it was Actus Gloriae but not Status As to Moses and Elias he shews his Glory as he passeth by them they saw but his back-parts but till his full Consummatum est he puts himself into the exercise of his Humiliation 2. They depart from him In Ecclesia permansuro Moses and Elias they have their limited time but they must vanish Christ he abides in his Church and remains for
excess hath brought this judgment upon you God usually meets with men in their own ways Covetousness and earthly-mindedness luxury and excess all of them are abuses of these good gifts of God To punish us in the loss of these is a proper punishment 3. This calamity of dearth and scarcity the failing of the creatures that the earth doth not give her increase 't is a proportionable judgment The creatures are made to be our servants we are made to be Gods servants As long as we do perform our service to him the creatures shall yield their strength and increase and prove serviceable to us But if we fail God how just is it then that the creatures should fail us As S. Aug. sweetly observes our Reason would not obey God therefore our Sense shall not obey Reason As Hushi said to Absalom Whom all Israel makes King and serves him will I serve excusing his seeming revolt from David so when the creatures start aside and revolt from us prove unserviceable to us 't is their real profession They must serve their grand Lord if we revolt from him they revolt from us The Father's words are these Lib. 13. de Civit. 113. Qui superiorem Dominum deseruerunt inferiorem famulum ad suum arbitrium non tenebant And de Nupt. Conjug lib. 1. cap. 16. Injustum erat ut ei obtemperetur à servo suo qui non obediverat domino suo 4. God oft-times singles out dearth and famine to punish a Nation with it is a deep and evident and apparent judgment War and oppression and captivity many other calamities mans hand is seen in them they are agents and instruments in bringing them upon us And in such calamities we can be content not to see Gods hand in them but to charge our sufferings upon the malice of men as if God and we were in good terms God oft-times loses the glory of such afflictions As indeed the heart of man is exceeding desirous in all afflictions if it be possible to prove that God is not the authour but some other cause As Pharaoh laboured a long time to prove that God sent not those plagues upon him but that Moses wrought them some other way his Enchanters could do as much as that came to till at last they cried out It is the finger of God Now in such a judgment as want and famine to weaken the strength of nature to make that fruitfull womb of the earth barren to us none but God can do it He onely can make the heavens as brass and the earth as Iron and restrain the celestial influences Can man bind the sweet influences of Pleiades or loose the bonds of Orion Iob xxxviii 31. Can any but God forbid the clouds to drop fatness No these Judgments are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must cry out God fights against us 5. Famine it is a Scourge wherewith he uses to chastise a people as being a comprehensive Judgment like a chain-shot that bears all before it Many other calamities that are brought upon us by humane means are most-what avoidable by humane helps Wisdom or riches or strength may exempt or secure from some other annoyances but scarcity and famine that strikes at the life of every man All must beg daily bread The profit of the earth is for all the King himself is served by the field Eccles. v. 9. No King can help against this Judgment If the Lord do not help thee whence shall I help thee Out of the barn-floor or out of the wine-press said the King of Israel in the famine of Samaria 2 Kings vi 27. These extremities are unavoidable They will make us look up to heaven and say with Iehosaphat O Lord we have no might against this Judgment that comes upon us Neither know we what to do but our eyes are towards thee 2 Chron. xx 12. III. A third Extraction from the Text is Gods own children and servants are lyable to these extremities of want and scarcity which God brings upon the world as well as others The Prophet here in his own name and in the name of the Church hath a fearfull apprehension of them Indeed sometimes and in some Judgments God vouchsafes a special exemption to his Church and Children Instance in three cases 1. To preserve an holy portion of his People and a Nursery for his Church Isaiah acknowledges it Chap. i. 9. Except the Lord of hosts had left us a small remnant we should have been as Sodom and like unto Gomorrah Still a remnant shall be saved And S. Paul applies it to the preservation of his chosen People Rom. ix 29. Gods Church must remain to all Posterity no Judgment must sweep them all away In this case when common Judgments are sent upon the world he exempts his own When the deluge came upon the old world an Ark was provided to save Noah and the holy seed When he visits them he doth it in measure he makes not a full end of them 2. God exempts his own People from common Judgments when the Judgments are sent in the cause of his Church to manifest and maintain that they are his People and that their sufferings from the world are most unjust then usually he puts a difference and exempts his own from common calamities Thus in all the plagues of Egypt Gosben was priviledged he put a difference betwixt the Hebrews and the Egyptians he passed over them when he plagued their enemies Thus in the case of famine Isaiah tells the enemies of Gods People Behold my servants shall eat but ye shall be hungry Behold my servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty Behold my servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed Isai. lxv 13. Malachi assures them of this exemption and that God will make it appear Who are his Chap. iii. 17. In that day when I make up my jewels I will spare them as a man spares his own Son that serves him and then shall ye diseevn between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serves him not 3. In the pùnishment of those sins which his children have withstood opposed protested against and mourned for usually in that case God exempts such Saints and Servants of his This obtained Lot's exemption out of Sodom's overthrow he mourned for the abominations that were done in Sodom and S. Peter makes it a ruling case and argues from it 2 Pet. ii 5. If God spared not the old world but saved Noah the eighth person a Preacher of Righteousness and in the overthrow of Sodom verf. 7. delivered just Lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked thence he gathers this Conclusion vers 9. The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation This protected Ieremiah and kept him out of captivity This holy carriage exempted Baruch his life was given him for a prey Those that mourned for the abominations of the Land were marked out by God for escapal and deliverance
wait upon the Lord our God untill he have mercy upon us Observe saith the Father here upon earth we have Masters and Mistrisses but in heaven Non habemus Dominum Dominam but onely our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ that must have mercy upon us Now follows Elisha's desire I pray thee let a double portion of thy Spirit be upon me He answers not Elijah as Ahaz to Isaiah when he bad him ask a Sign no I will not ask Isai. vii 11 12. Elijah no sooner maks proffer but he lays hold on it 'T is good making use of Elijah while we have him with us unfold our wants to him that he may supply them Elijah must not always continue among us The times may come when we shall wish to see one of the days of the Son of man and it shall not be Oh in this thy day now the Angel is stirring the water yet Elijah is among us do as Elisha he makes haste petitions him presently Of which Petition take a double Consideration 1. Quid Supponit 2. Quid Petit. I. Quid Supponit Here are four Supposals 1. The first Supposal is Identitas Spiritus He supposes the same Spirit shall be settled upon him that rested on Elijah Here is a continuation of the same Spirit in a succession of men Elijah is taken away Yes but his Spirit shall remain The means and instruments of grace may be removed but the gifts of the Spirit shall continue still It is worth the observing God ties not himself to any personal perfections Oh we think If such a Saint dies what will become of the Church 'T is a loss but yet in diversity of men here is the same Spirit When Moses died his spirit rested upon Ioshua Aaron died Eleazar was invested and clothed with the same Spirit It must comfort us when we see glorious Instruments taken from us Paul a Luther c. yet the same spirit remains and breathes in his Church As it was said to the evil servant Tolle talentum da so of the good The Lord needs no mans person or parts he can set his Spirit upon another 2. A second Supposal is Portio Spiritus The Spirit of Elijah is apportioned out in a limited dispensation It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We receive but in part no man hath all in kind or degrees To one is given by the Spirit the word of Wisdom to another the word Knowledge by the same Spirit to another the gifts of Healing to another Prophecie c. 1 Cor. xii 8 9. 10. The most enriched Saint hath but what he enjoys in measure they have indeed a fulness but then it is onely 1. A fulness of Capacity 2. A fulness of Sufficiency for their use but not of absolute Perfection Aaron had the Spirit poured on him others had it but sprinkled Quantum causa exigit propter quam datur Ambros. 3. A third Supposal is Inaequalitas portionum There is a single portion and a double portion Some have one talent some two another five There is not any Saint but hath one not any that have all but some more some less Benjamin's mess was five times as much as any of the rest of his brethrens 4. A fourth Supposal is Duplicatio in juniore Elisha the successour and junior may have a double Portion more then Elijah his predecessour God can cross his hands as Iacob did and lay his right hand upon Ephraims head who was the younger and his left hand upon Manassehs head who was the first-born Gen. xlviii 14. We cannot prescribe to God 'T is neither the age of men nor the precedency of times that is any thing but the Lord may be as bountifull to this Age as unto Antiquity It is no disparagement to Elijah that Elisha exceeds him After-ages may be furnished with more eminent men in some kinds then the more Primitive and Ancient times have been We worthily reverence Antiquity and rise up at the gray head but yet God may double some gifts on their successours Augustine Hierom the rest were most reverend yet Luther Calvin others more famous in their generation There is a double Use of a double Portion 1. For Founding 2. For Repairing and Reforming of Churches And as great a measure of the Spirit is as necessary for this as that Iohn must come in Spiritu Eliae to found the Gospel After-ages have the promise of the spirit of Elias too in reforming The one to preach Christ the other to resist Antichrist How do some slight our late Worthies These Novelists Modern Yester-day-Divines But Quis contempsit diem parvulorum And let no man despise thy youth As it is said of some good Kings none like David none like Hezekiah none like to Iosiah before or after Why because each excelled in some personal grace of zeal or piety or integrity So these late-ones were eminent in some things before all other that preceded Patres tum demum vincunt cum vincuntur à filiis Ancients would have gloried in their posterity and why enviest thou for their sakes That 's for the first Quid Supponit Now follows II. Quid Petit The summ of his Desire That a double portion of thy Spirit may be upon me In it observe two things 1. The Matter of his Desire that 's Elijah's Spirit 2. The Measure of it A double portion First The Matter of his Request Had many of us such a large Offer made us to ask what we would I fear we should not have pitched upon this request of Elisha for a spiritual blessing Elijah had a power of curing and raising from the dead health and long life some would have asked Elijah could cause plenty bring famine increase oyl others would have urged a supply of riches Elijah could bring down fire to consume his enemies others would have desired victory and safety The Lord implies that naturally these are our carnal desires in his reply to Solomon 1 Kings iii. 11. Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thy self long life neither hast asked riches for thy self nor hast asked the life of thine enemies c. See here is one who passes by all these and knows how to frame a Petition aright that he is sure shall speed the prayer for the Spirit Oh 't is a great advantage to know what to pray for Docet dare qui prudenter rogat The choosing of the better part prevails with God Herod offers to the Damosel to ask what she will and she asks the head of S. Iohn the Baptist the life of her enemy Piety will ask the spirk of the Baptist. But why doth Elisha pitch upon this request Why begs he the Spirit 1. He had Spirium vocantem now he begs the Spirit enabling He was called to a spiritual Function now he sues for a spiritual enablement for the discharge and execution of it If God puts us into a Calling we must beg and seek for gifts answerable to it See Moses
to cry out I am a man of unclean lips Esai vi 5. And S. Paul to cry out Who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. ii 16. 2. It urges soberness in the Partakers who are admitted to the fellowship of this Mysterie As all irreverence so all vain curiosity is forbidden We must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these mysteries we must be wise to Sobriety Rom. xii 3. Gravity and Sobriety they are the Handmayds of Piety the Ushers that always attend Religion The applying of any matter in Religion to an inferiour use 't is to debase it The holy Ointment was not to be appliable to common use no Confection to be made like unto it Is it a mysterie then 3. Fide percipiendum Religion and our Christian Doctrine it is a mysterie therefore to be apprehended by Faith not to be fathomed by Reason Reason will judge that to be a foolery which Faith reverences and adores as a mysterie 'T is called The mysterie of Faith 1 Tim. iii. 9. not the mysterie of Reason or Understanding And they who are initiated into these mysteries they are called Believers not men of Reason and Understanding We are called Credentes not Rationales saith S. Aug. 'T is not Intelligendi vivacitas but Credendi simplicitas that must converse in these mysteries Reason laughs at that in Sarah which Faith in Abraham embraces and rejoyces in Faith looks for a Revelation that God saith it is so searches not after Demonstration or Reason why it should be so Sufficit pro universis rationibus autor Deus The mysteries of Religion check and silence Reason as the Angel did Zacharias for asking Whereby shall I know this he would have Reason What saith the Angel Luk. i. 20. Behold thou shalt be dumb he stops his mouth Reason deduced from the principles of Faith and subordinate to the doctrine of Faith 't is lawful but when it opposes Faith then it is unlawful Hagar when she obeys Sarah may be entertain'd as a servant but if she wax malepert against Sarah Cast out the Bondwoman Abandon Reason if it contradicts Faith It is one excellency of Faith 't is quietativa Intellectûs it quiets and satisfies all enquiries with this answer It is a mysterie Reason that questions How can three Persons be one God-head Faith quiets Reason My soul keep thou silence unto God believe and adore it it is a mysterie Reason questions How can God be made man the Divinity and Humanity joyn'd in one Person Faith hears an Oracle of Scripture I must not enquire it is a mysterie Reason murmurs How can a man be born again and regenerate and dye anew and live anew How can water wash away sin Faith answers The work is Spiritual beyond Reason it is a mysterie Reason that cavils How can Christ give us his Flesh to eat and his Bloud to drink How can a piece of Bread and a tast of Wine convey Grace seal up Salvation How can our souls be nourished how united to Christ sitting in heaven Faith answers all 'T is a mysterie Magis sentio quam intelligo Tota ratio operis est potentia operantis No in these supernatural Truths Sapientia hominis it is Officina erroris exclude Reasoning make use of Believing Habet palatum Fides cui sapit mel Dei Aug. 'T is the tast of Faith that can rellish this hidden Manna Faith saith Parisiensis 1. It is Religio Intellectus the Religion of our Intellectual part 2. It is Adoratio Intellectus the Adoration of the Understanding Credendo incurvamus Intellectum ad adorandum Deum 3. It is Fortitudo Intellectus 't is the Strength of the Understanding Sicut molestias perferre 't is Fortitudo Voluntatis sic improbabilia credere 't is Fortitudo Intellectus We have seen the Nature of it 't is a Mysterie Now follows II. The quantity and just proportion of this mysterie it is no petty and inferiour Truth but a mysterie of the first magnitude A great Mysterie The Scripture advances it with all superlative terms magnifies the greatness of it Phil. iii. 8. S. Paul calls it an Excellent Knowledge I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Iesus Christ. Rom. xi 33. it is called a Rich Knowledge Solomon saith it furnishes a man with all precious and pleasant Riches Prov. xxiv 4. It enriches him that hath it It furnishes and enriches the noblest part of man his Soul the highest faculty of that his Spirit and Understanding Our Saviour accounts the seeking of this Knowledge the seeking of precious Pearls Mat. xiii 45. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a Merchant-man seeking goodly Pearls This of all other is a Pearl of great price They who are conversant in this mysterie they deal with the choysest Commodities with the â—…ichest Pearls The finding of this Knowledge is the finding 〈◊〉 hidden Treasure vers 44. It makes him for ever that is so 〈◊〉 as to meet with it All other knowledge is but poverty to this Treasure all other jewels but pebbles to this Pearl See how the Scripture extends and enlarges the greatness of this mysterie S. Paul ascribes to it all the dimensions of Magnitude Ephes. iii. 18. That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth of this mysterie And Iob thus magnifies the exceeding and incomprehensible largeness of this Knowledge Chap. xi 8 9. It is as high as heaven deeper then hell longer then the earth broader then the sea It exceeds the scantling of all created Perfections The greatness of all other creatures may be fathomed the height of heaven the depth of hell the length of the earth the breadth of the sea all limited and bounded and the understanding of man may reach them As David speaks I see an end of all other perfections but thy Word is exceeding large 1. This mysterie of God-Incarnate 't is a great mysterie because 't is multiplex Mysterium a comprehensive Truth including in it manifold mysteries 'T is a mysterie pregnant to the making up of which many deep mysteries concur God manifested in the Flesh. 1. Here is the mysterie of Christ's two Natures his Divinity and his Humanity A glorious mysterie Christ true and perfect God and true and perfect man too the glory of the Deity and the infirmity of his Manhood both concurring in him 2. Here is the mysterie of the Union and conjoyning both these in one A strange conjunction The circumference of his infinite Deity joyned to the lowest center of Humanity Eternity made subject to Time Infinity comprehended in a poor finite creature Omnipotency joyned with infirmity This is so great a mysterie that it made the Iews to imagine a double Messiah One a weak frail mortal man lyable to sufferings the other an Eternal Omnipotent Immortal God They could not reconcile the several predictions of his glorious Divinity and his infirm Humanity as this mysterie teaches us 3. Here is the
Ob solitudinem for retiredness and privacie he withdraws himself from tumults and multitudes sequesters himself to a more intimate Devotion This is a blessed opportunity for Devotion retiredness and solitude Christ bids them enter into their Closet to recollect their thoughts They Pray in plateis in the streets who suffer their thoughts to wander in worldly cogitations Christ when he raised the Woman put out the Minstrells Matth. ix Abraham left his servants below Iacob sent his carriages over the River stay'd alone to wrestle with God 2. Ob elevationem This bodily ascent teaches us to raise up our thoughts in Prayer above the sphere of the world Prayer it is Ascensus mentis ad Deum the scale and Ladder to get up to Heaven We must mount up as Eagles clamber as Ionathan and his Armour-bearer to the top of this Rock Devout Prayer mounts the Soul up transports it into Heaven It makes our conversation to be in Heaven 3. Mons typus coeli Heaven is prefigured and compared to a Mountain Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord Ps. xxiiii 3. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help Ps. cxxi 1. The Temple the type of Heaven was reared on a Mountain Heaven 1. It is stabile ut Mons stable as a Mountain not moved nor shaken 2. It is excelsum ut Mons high as a Mountain 3. It is amoenum delightful it is Mons olei 4. It is arduum ut Mons much pains to ascend and gain the top of it 5. It is securum Mountains are places of strength so is Heaven 4. Ibi liberior conspectus coeli It gives a glorious view of the beauty of Heaven and so administers thoughts of Prayer and Praysing The aspect of that goodly Frame how should it raise our thoughts to enlarged Meditations Thus David viewing the Heavens breaks forth into admiration of God Psal. xix A Psalm penn'd as some conceive upon his being a Shepheard and so lying abroad and contemplating the Heavens THE SECOND SERMON ON S. LUKE ix 29. And as he prayed the fashion of his countenance was altered and his raiment was white and glistring S. MATTH xvii 2. He was Transfigured before them and his face did shine as the Sun and his rayment was white as the light S. MARK ix 2 3. He was Transfigured before them And his rayment became shining exceeding white as snow so as no Fuller on earth can white them HAving seen our Saviour's solemn Preparation unto his glorious Transfiguration vers 28. Come we now to the actual Entrance and Manifestation of this his Glory And the Text sets it out in two particulars 1. His holy Disposition and Action in which he was conversant when he was Transfigured As he prayed 2. His glorious Transfiguration it self The fashion of his countenance was altered and did shine as the Sun c. First his holy Disposition and Action In it two things 1. Consider it in the absolute Performance Quòd or avit that he Prayed 2. In the respective Accommodation of it to this Transfiguration When he prayed then he was Transfigured I. Consider it absolutely that Christ prayed And the Observation from hence is thus much That our blessed Saviour in the dayes of his flesh was religiously conversant in this Duty of prayer Many Instances of this in Scripture And this he did for divers Reasons 1. Ut cultum servitium Deo exhiberet To do homage and honour to God his Father Christ as Man was inferiour to Him and so was to perform this recognition of his Father's Soveraignty Adoration is due from the most glorious Creatures to God All knees must bow to him and therefore Christ the first of all the creatures of God tenders this homage to him Prayer it is our Moral and Real and Spiritual Sacrifice enjoyned us by the law of Nature In recognitionem Universalis Supremi Dominii 2. Christ was conversant in Prayer Ut Orationem exemplo sanciret dedicaret And so to make it by his performance a welcome and acceptable service to him Christ was not sanctified by Prayer but Prayer was sanctified by Christ. As Baptism did not sanctifie him but he sanctified and consecrated it All God's Ordinances convey holiness into us in the performance of them but they drew sanctity from Christ. He makes Word Prayer Sacraments the holier for his performing of them The Altar sanctifies the Gift 3. Christ was conversant in Prayer That so he might put himself into the exercise of all kind of graces He prayed not out of absolute necessity as we do but to stir up and beautifie himself with the practice of all kind of graces As he said of S. Iohn's Baptism What though he needed not Yet thus it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness The grace of Prayer is so holy a grace the Art of Prayer so heavenly that Christ would abound in this as in all other endowments The Saints they are more plentiful in some gifts and more scanty in others but Christ was abundant in all 4. Christ was conversant in Prayer To testifie his state of Humiliation Therefore he prayes not onely by way of Compellation or Intimation but by way of humble Petition and Supplication Thereby acknowledging himself 1. To be Man 2. To be in a continual subjection and dependance from God 3. That he had put himself into a state of want and deficiency and so craves a gracious supply from the hand of God 5. Christ was conversant in Prayer as a special performance of his office of Mediatour He is our High-Priest all his requests are meritorious for us He was set up for us in the things of God This is a special excellency in Christ's Prayers The best of our Prayers have but the virtue of Impetration and the grace of Acceptation but Christ's Prayers were of a Meritorious value We know that besides the great Paschal Sacrifice the daily Incense was to be offered so besides Christ's Passion his Prayer was to be tendred for our Redemption 6. Christ was conversant in Prayer for Spiritual Solace and Consolation The enjoying of the sweetness of Communication with God it was to the spirit of Christ above all comforts As to Preach so to Pray was meat that he fed upon and Spiritual refection We see when he was wearied with the multitudes Matth. xiv He went up to a mountain to pray as the most ravishing refreshment he had If any be afflicted heavy sorrowful thirsting after joy and gladness let them get into these holy parleys with God suck honey out of this honey-comb it will glad them presently Well then 1. Did Christ the natural Son of God carefully and religiously tender up this honour to God How should we be assiduous in this homage who are the lowest and meanest and unworthiest of his creatures He who in his Deity was equal to God yet bowes and prostrates himself How should we humble our selves in this holy Adoration Do Saints in
home with joy As every sin leaves a sting after it so the duties of Piety and Devotion calm the soul and fill it with much joy and glory even as if they heard an Euge from heaven Now that this glorious effect may follow our Prayers three conditions are required 1. They must be frequent To be strange with God to keep aloof from him and yet to think that our rare and disused Prayers shall find such success it is groundless Daniel who would not abstain thirty dayes but thrice every day prayed he had an Angel to assure him Knock Seek they are words of diligence Daniel's thrice David's seven times these find joy Thou who art strange to God canst thou wonder if he be strange to thee if he impart not those joyes that are for his Favourites 2. They must be cheerful We must delight in this communion God he delights to hear us pray Cant. ii 14. Let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voyce for sweet is thy voyce and thy countenance is comely If he delights to hear our Prayers how should we delight in offering them to him They who count it the burthen of their lives to pray irksome tedious can expect little sweetness in this communion No David is glad to put himself into this communion Psal. xxvii 8. My heart hath talked of thee Seek ye my face Thy face Lord will I seek 3. They must be fervent Our remiss feeble benummed suits what force have they to work upon God or upon our selves See here our Saviour prayes himself into heaven In the garden prayes himself into an Agony Paul praying was carried up into the third heaven S. Peter praying was cast into a trance S. Iohn was ravish'd in spirit Zeal it is the wing of Prayer the ladder of Heaven like Elijah's fiery Chariot Whereas our cold slumbering suits like Meteors in the Ayr vanish into nothing Nay so far are they from Intention and Zeal that they scarce have any Attention and Mind Can such cold formalities invite God home into their heart They at Emmaus were importunate with Christ constrain'd him to stay with them Lot urged the Angels to turn in to his house Use these violences and thou breakest open heaven David's heart panted for God Oh! When wilt thou come unto me Oh! keep this passage open 'twixt God and thee let no neglect stop or damm it up We have seen his disposition Oravit He prayed Now follows Secondly his glorious Transfiguration In it two things 1. The nature and condition of it 2. The reason and purpose of it First The nature and condition of it It is called here an Alteration S. Matthew calls it a Transfiguration or a Transformation In it three things 1. The Alteration it self 2. The Subject of it It was 1. In Vultu in his Countenance 2. In Vestitu in his Garments 3. The Manner Shining as the Sun that 's for his Countenance Exceeding white that 's for his Rayment 1. Ut Nix As the Snow 2. Ut Lux As the Light 3. Whiter then any Fuller on earth can white them I. For the Alteration it self He was Transfigured That implies two things 1. It was Passiva mutatio A passive Alteration Non Transfiguravit se sed Transfiguratus est He did not Transfigure himself but he was Transfigured 1. Because his Humanity was only patient and receptive in this glorious Alteration had no activity to infuse this glory That was but as a Lanthorn which gives not light of it self a Candle within it must shine and enlighten it 2. To intimate that it was the Action of God the Father putting Honour and Glory upon his Son and not so much the Action of the Son assuming Glory to himself Father Glorifie thy Son that thy Son may Glorifie thee The Merits were the Son 's the Rewards his Father's 2. It was Qualitativa mutatio A Transfiguration a glorious Alteration in the appearance and qualities of his Body not a substantial Alteration in the substance of it Assumpsit gloriam non deposuit naturam Hieron And from it gather these Corollaries 1. Haec fides nostra It is a rule for our Faith It was the same body of Christ in nature and substance before and in and after Glorification Ubiquitaries and so Papists make Christ's Glorification not to consist in investing of his body with glorious qualities but in the abolishing or turning his flesh into his Deity No Christ's body here and in heaven is not changed in the natural proportion but enriched and beautified with heavenly endowments His nature is not abolish'd but onely replenish'd with Glory Glory freed him from natural infirmities it doth not strip him of natural properties Still eadem quantitâ—…s Ubiquitaries say by virtue of Union and glorification it must be every where Papists say by virtue of glorification it may be any where in a thousand places at once Thus in the Sacrament they have built him a Tabernacle of accidents and shadowes No Glory as Grace perfects Nature it doth not destroy it It is a qualitative not a substantial alteration 2. Haec gloria nostra It was a qualitative alteration his body remaining the same this is our glory Our flesh is glorified in Christ and he communicates to it a glorious condition This is the advancement of our bodies He assumed our body not only for passion but for glorification Fond Hereticks say he left this body behind him No he hath united it undividedly to him dedicated it in himself to glory Securae estote caro sanguis occupâstis coelum in Christo Hieron 3. Haec spes nostra This is our hope that these our frail earthly bodies shall be in his good time transfigured and made like his glorious Body Anabaptists dream of new bodies to be made No what he hath shewed me in his own he can and will perform in ours Our vile bodies shall be made like his glorious body His glorified body was primitiae the First-fruits and they are pledges of the whole Crop So much for the first the kind or nature of this alteration Now II. For the Subject of it 1. It is Corpus not Anima his Body not his Soul this was not enriched with any new encrease of glory but his body only The Soul by virtue of the hypostatical Union was replenished with all grace and glory from his Conception Then he was annointed with the Oyl of gladness He was comprehensor quoad animam ab instanti but he was viator in corpore that was in a state of infirmity and so capable of increase of glory Addition of glory to his Soul 1. It was needless 2. It was useless This Transfiguration was purposed for the good and profit of the Apostles and so to be such as was observeable by them 2. It was vultus his Face or countenance No question all his Body was cloathed with Majesty but his Countenance was most Resplendent That is sedes majestatis What the natural beauty of our Saviour's countenance
extrinsecus by conferring with God as a Mudd-wall when the Sun shines upon it but Christ's glory came from within from his Deity to his Soul 2. Moses his shining was not in such glory that was concealed and hid by the covering of a Vail Christ's darts through his Garments His shinings were radii divinitatis Damasc. Moses had splendorem sub velamento Christ had velamen in splendore 3. Moses his shining was terrible Christ's was comfortble The Apostles were loth to lose the sight of it 2. Christ was Transfigured to prefigure the glory of his second comming at the day of Judgment Then he will have his Saints about him as Moses and Elias and his Apostles to be present with him and he Himself will be in his glory His first Coming was in infirmity but the Kingdom of God shall come with power Look upon Mount Tabor and then believe the glory of his second Appearance 3. Christ was Transfigured consignare Resurrectionem It shews the possibility nay the facility of his own and our resurrection He who can transform himself thus into glory how easily can he raise up himself and us also and translate us into glory Look upon Mount Tabor and then doubt not but Mount Golgotha shall give up her dead 4. Christ was Transfigured armare contra scandalum crucis He had told his Disciples of his Cross and sufferings It greived and troubled them Now to remove this scandal of his Cross he arrayes himself in glory This Face that shall be spitt upon I can make it as the Sun this Body that is to be tortured shall shine as the Light these Garments that are to be parted shall be made resplendent Look to Mount Tabor and be not offended at Mount Calvarie 5. He shews himself in glory to his Apostles gives them a glimpse of Heaven to quicken up their appetites to the longing for it These praeludia of Heaven will support any drooping spirit As Ionathan the tast of Hony revived him presently As Caleb cut down a bunch of Grapes from Eschol and by the presenting of that encouraged the people to desire Canaan Fix thy Meditations upon these glories behold by faith Christ in his glory not attended only with Moses and Elias but with innumerable Angels behold thy Throne thy Crown thy white Robes it will make thee couragious and desirous to be dissolved THE THIRD SERMON ON S. LUKE ix 30 31. And behold there talked with him two men which were Moses and Elias Who appeared in Glory and spake of his Decease which he should accomplish at Ierusalem NOw follows Christ's honourable Attendance that accompanied him in his glorious Transfiguration And in it observe three particulars 1. The Persons who are present 2. The Manner of their presence They appeared in glory 3. Their Action and Employment An holy and heavenly Conference They spake of his decease First The Persons that attended and were present at his Transfiguration And they present themselves in three considerable notions 1. Their number Two 2. Their kind Two men 3. Their specialty Moses and Elias I. Their number Two Why so small a number of glorious Attendants He could have commanded twelve Legions All the assembly of the Saints were ambitious of this honour heaven would have emptied it self upon this Mountain to celebrate this glorious Transfiguration of Christ. Yet but two admitted 1. This Transfiguration of Christ was but a glimpse of his Glory no full manifestation He shews here but one beam of his Majesty not the full lustre and splendour of it When he comes in full Glory troops and millions of Saints and Angels shall wait upon him Now he more privately discovers himself in the view of a few and if he be now so glorious how resplendent will he be in all his Saints and holy Angels 2. These Saints present are not present for attendance only but as witnesses to give testimony to the Son of God And two witnesses of such choice and note of so great authority to seal and assure us of Christ's glorious Divinity are sufficient At the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall a matter be established Deut. xix 15. There need no more Here therefore onely three from earth are assumed to this vision and two onely from heaven Hereafter Every eye shall see him Now the sight of him is more reserved and mystical and of a more reserved dispensation 3. Two Saints are assumed into attendance of this Glory others are omitted to shew and figure out a disparity and diversity of Glory in those blessed Spirits All the Saints have their portion of bliss but in their proportion not in a just equality As from earth he hath his favourites three choyse Apostles the rest stood at a more remote distance so in heaven though all are happy yet have they their measures and degrees of Glory These two in the Text are taken into a greater nearness admitted to a more full view of Christ others were waiting his coming into heaven longing for and expecting his glorious Ascension These had the favour of seeing him before in the dayes of their flesh Moses and Elias saw his back-parts These again are dignified with this glorious Apparition assumed with him into his triumphant Chariot as Iehu did assume Ionadab That 's the first their number two II. Their kind two men Why was he not attended with glorious Angels Why were not these commanded to wait upon him and worship him No he assumes not Angels but these holy men 1. They were magis idonei Testes more competent and convenient witnesses of his Deity and Mediatourship then the choicest Angels Moses and Elias should be of more prevailing Autherity then the Angels These had Authority of teaching in the Church And they bear record here in relation to what they were before with respect to the Scriptures of which they were the Pen-men and Teachers This is a great assurance of Truth that those Saints who first published the tidings of Salvation are now eye-witnesses feel and find the truth of what they Preached Remember them who have spoken to you the word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation Heb. xiii 7. That Doctrine which they taught brought them to Glory 2. Duo homines Two men they attend this Glory of Christ because they are more concerned in Christ's Incarnation and Mediatourship These are not onely Spectators but Partners Our Salvation and bliss is the main aym of Christ the glory of the Angels is less principal and accessory He took not upon him their nature fulfilled not their Covenant To us he was born to us he lived for us he died They are not the Spouse but the friends of the Spouse The Church is Christ's Spouse they like S. Iohn the Baptist rejoyce at the sight of it As when God led the Israelites into Canaan a mixed people followed them and entred in with them so we are the choise people who are
no revelation or instruction on these Prophets part The Lord hath purposely estranged us from all entercourse 'twixt us and the Spirits departed There is no need of Moses and Elias to speak from heaven we have Moses and Elias and all that they can say behoofeful for us in their Books and Writings Ye are come to the Spirits of just men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediatour of the New Testament Heb. xii 23 24. He is the onely Mediatour III. The Matter of this Conference His decease which he should accomplish at Ierusalem Had some the reporting of this Conference it should have been of some other matters May be of the Succession of Times and Kingdoms of the rising and falling of Monarchies These the Prophets were acquainted with but these they talk not of Others would have reported some Seraphical discourse of the nine Orders of Angels and those Hierarchies or some great discourse of Limbus Patrum or of the souls in Purgatory No such matter it is here De morte Christi Of Christ's decease But 1. Why do they conferr about this 2. How do they talk of it 3. Why do they conferr about the death of Christ 1. This is the grand necessary fundamental Work of Christ for his Church If such a Synod as this meet it is not for trifles but they talk of the Common Salvation of the Church That is the Capital Truth the ground-work of all our Faith and Salvation This takes up their discourse Nay it is the Meditation of God His ancient thought from Eternity was busied about this That Christ should dye for our Redemption 2. This they talked of as a thing that was a great grief and offence to the Apostles A little before Peter abhorred to hear of Christ's death It bred in them 1. Scandalum tristitiae They were very sad 2. Scandalum dubitationis It troubled their Faith how the Messiah should suffer We trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel Luk. xxiv 21. but he is dead Purposely Christ and these Saints conferr about this To acquaint the Apostles with this Mysterie that so it must be and that our salvation depended upon it 3. This they talked of as the thing that both Law and Prophets prefigured and foretold All their Sacrifices were Representations of his Death all their Prophesies Predictions of it Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer Luk. xxiv 46. In this sense He was the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world 4. This they talked of as the matter of Christ's greatest Glory and Renown They being to Adore Christ and to put Honour upon him they invest him with his Garments dipp'd in Blood Isa. lxiii 1. Who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed Garments from Bozrah This that is glorious in his Apparel travelling in the greatness of his strength mighty to save What Honour like this to dye for his Church to be the Sacrifice of the World the Ransom of Mankind the Conquerour of Hell the Purchaser of his Chosen Quapropter Wherefore God also hath given him a Name which is far above every name Philip. ii 9. Absit therefore saith S. Paul ut gloriarer nisi in Cruce Christi God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of Christ Galat. vi 14. 5. This they talked of as the main matter of heavenly discourse What do Moses and the Prophets Angels and Archangels talk and discourse of They wonder at and Adore the death of Christ and Redemption of the Church 6. This they talked of in care and solicitude for the Church on earth They themselves are in Glory Ay but their brethren yet as the two Tribes fight for their brethren Securi de se Soliciti pro nobis But 2. How do they talk of it Reduce all to these three heads 1. Praedicentes Foretelling him of it Not but that Christ foresaw it himself but this Dispensation he used to know it by Scriptures and these Revelations 2. Gratias agentes Adoring him for it magnifying his goodness as the twenty four Elders Thou art worthy to receive Honour and Blessing for thou hast Redeemed us 3. Orantes ut acceleret Begging the accomplishment Peter solicits him not to dye Moses and Elias they solicit him to finish that glorious work upon which their Salvation and the Salvation of the whole Church depended Use. 1. Christus in gloria meditatur de morte His Glory makes him not forget his Death How should we season all our thoughts of joy with thoughts of our departure 2. Do these glorious Saints talk of Death Oh! let it take up our thoughts let it be much in our meditations THE FOURTH SERMON ON S. LUKE ix 31 32. Who appeared in Glory and spake of his Decease which he should accomplish at Ierusalem But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep and when they were awake they saw his Glory and the two Men that stood with him WE have seen in general the summ of this Conference about Christ's Decease Now look upon it more particularly and with accommodation to our selves So we discover four Particulars 1. Here is Colloquium de Morte They talk and conferr of his Death and Passion 2. Here is Natura Conditio Mortis T is exodus a deceasing or departure 3. Here is Susceptio hujus conditionis It is a fulfilling 4. Here is Circumstantia susceptionis It must be at Ierusalem First Here is Colloquium de Morte Christ puts himself into this premeditation of Death for two purposes 1. As a moderation of his present Glory and Majesty into which he is advanced Being thus magnified by his Father and raised to an high pitch of Glory he seasons it with this deep and serious meditation of his Death and Passion The thoughts of our end and dissolution are never unseasonable but yet they are most sutable and seasonable in our greatest advancements and prosperity When you abound with all outward comforts then allay and moderate thy joy with this mortifying Meditation I must lye down in the grave Thus Christ interchangeably In his Humiliation he refresheth himself with the expectation of Glory When he stands at the Bar Ye shall see saith he the Son of man sitting on the right hand of Power and coming in the clouds of heaven Matth. xxvi 64. And so before his Passion O Father glorifie me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was Ioh. xvii 5. Contrarily being in the state of Glory he puts himself into the cogitations of Death When the Graecians came to visit and do honour to him he discourseth of his Passion Except a corn of Wheat fall into the ground and dye it abideth alone Ioh. xii 24. Naturally Abundance and worldly prosperity raises our thoughts too high makes us forgetful nay to abhor the mention of death Greatness like Ahashuerus will have no mourning nor sackcloth Esther iv 2. to appear before him As
have of those unconceivable joyes are like our selves low and unproportionable Ask the piercingest judgement of those After-joyes How must they stammer and fumble and bewray Ignorance If it should be asked 1. What is that Eternity of Being which we look for in heaven We cannot comprehend it 2. What are those heavenly Speeches that souls and spirits use in Glory We cannot conceive them 3. What is that Impassibility and Agility of our bodies in heaven We cannot imagine it 4. What is that Beatifical Vision and sight of the Essence of God We cannot attain to it As Christ to Nicodemus If we cannot understand more earthly things as The work of Grace Union with Christ The manner of Regeneration How can we understand him when he speaks of heavenly O! Eye hath not seen and that sees far Ear hath not heard and that receives much nay Heart hath not ability to imagine or conceive those hidden things In this case we are no more able to conceive what that life of Glory is then a child in the womb can conceive what is the condition of this present life Our discourses of heaven are like theirs who talk of Countreys they never saw Nay S. Paul who was there yet found them unutterable All other knowledge hath some help and hint from nature but this is a Mysterie hid from Generations and Ages and lock'd up in that store-house of Eternity This inconsiderate unadvised Motion of Peter He knew not what he said 3. It arose from the surcharge and overwhelming of this great Glory The exceeding Glory of Christ hath overwhelmed the soul and mind and capacity of Peter and overcomes his understanding Excellens objectum corrumpit Our understanding is shallow limited finite proportionable to these lower things but God and the fulness of his Glory are too high for us As it is with our Brains be we on the ground then they are steddy but upon some high mountain or steeple they fail us Bonorum quorundam sicut malorum intolerabilis magnitudo est Tertull. Not onely the torments of hell would consume us but if God should not put strength into our souls the very joyes of heaven would swallow us up Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love Cant. ii 5. As we say of crazy bodies Too pure an ayr and too accurate a diet will overthrow them So our crazy souls are not able to undergo the eminency of that Glory Such knowledge is too wonderful for me it is high I cannot attain unto it Psal. cxxxix 6. Hence they say we must have Lumen Gloriae confortans elevans intellectum Our understandings enlarged and raised and strengthened to undergo that weight of Glory The Sun puts out a Candle So the light of Glory will soon damp our poor glimmering Spark This makes the very Angels stand aloof and cover their faces He dwelleth in that light that cannot be approached unto that light is like the Sun-beams to sore eys The Queen of Sheba 1 Kings x. 5. was overcome with the sight of Solomons magnificence she was spent with admiration There was no more spirit in her We have seen the nature and condition of this Motion whence it arises Secondly Consider the particular conviction of this rashness in S. Peter in the many particularities of his erroneous Motion Formerly we have seen what commendable things were contained in this his suit but we see it here censured as unadvised and imprudent Let us review these Motions of S. Peter and see his failings I. In his Motion of Continuance Master it is good being here 1. The first Error 'T is good being here He would fain abide here always He errs in desiring a perpetuity of that condition which was but transient and momentany This Vision was but a taste of Glory but a drop from the Honey-comb not a full repast of Glory intended onely to strengthen their Faith incourage their Diligence correct their Error quicken their Hope all these purposes are omitted and he must not part with this Vision of Christ but must have it perpetual As Mary she embraceth the feet of Christ would never have left him Christ bids us leave off these were but extraordinary Appearances not to be dwelt upon Besides the vileness of noysom lusts which still would be craying even the spirit of man loves to glut it self in spiritual refreshments How loath were the Apostles to part with Christ's bodily presence So in many extraordinary Appearances which are not intended as perpetual yet there is Libido and Luxuria spiritualis we would fain enjoy those ravishing joyes which are but for a time No as the Angel that refresh'd Elias said to him Feed and be walking thou must live in the strength of it forty dayes it may be all thy life time No stick to Faith that 's our Ordnary As Dives who lived deliciously every day so some Christians if they be not caught up into heaven do not see Visions of Angels they are discontent 2. A second Error is in that he places the fulness of joy in the view of the Humanity of Christ but gloriously Transfigured and can be content never to see more or go further but to behold this Glory True it is a great accomplishment to our bliss to see that price of our Redemption the Body of our Saviour in Glory but yet it is not the main and original No created Glory can be the fountain and fulness of Glory to us Even the Manhood of Christ is blessed by derivation and participation from an higher Fountain The Society of the Saints is comfortable the view of that Lamb of God most ravishing but yet it is the blessed God-head the face of God himself the adoring and enjoying an heavenly communion with the Sacred Trinity that is our true prime original happiness Shew us the Father and it sufficeth Ioh. xiv 8. The increated Glory of Christ's Deity that is the matter and summ of our blessedness Ioh. xvii Our happiness is to behold the Glory which Christ had with God not on Mount Tabor but before the world was This is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is Light 1 Ioh. i. 5. that we may have fellowship with the Father and with the Son vers 4. Our hearts are restless till setled upon this All our affections are flowing and running till they are swallowed up in this Ocean The eyes of our body indeed shall have Christs Body as the most glorious Spectacle of all Comfort but the eye of our soul that goes higher As the eye of Faith rests not upon the Humanity of Christ but upon his Divinity and so on the whole Trinity so doth the eye of Beatifical Vision that succeeds Faith 3. A third Error 'T is good being here He would settle his rest upon Mount Tabor This was an error to bring down heaven upon earth To enjoy Tabor he can be content to part with heaven and resign
up that place to enjoy this Like the two Tribes of Reuben and Gad because the land on this side Iordan was rich and commodious they beg to be settled there care not for the Land of Promise Like some vain Traveller who can be content to settle in some Inn on the road because he finds good usage there and never hasten on to his own Countrey to his own home Not onely wicked men would fain settle here but sometimes Gods children could be content with the life of grace here and think not sufficiently of heaven above No we must know Tabor is but a viaticum to heaven It is Manna indeed but not for our stay onely for our Journal in the Wilderness Heaven is the Countrey that is the Region and Land of Promise Grace never leaves us till it brings us thither As Waters will ascend as high as from whence they rise so Grace that comes from heaven and it will thither again Hierusalem is from above Tabor is but a Colony that belongs to it 4. A fourth Error 'T is good being here Peter would have Christ set up his rest here and never go down more from Mount Tabor What shall become then of Christs Death and Passion and the Redemption of Mankind by his being Crucified All our happiness this on Mount Tabor that in heaven depends all upon this He hath heard our Saviour forewarn it yet is he so transported with this passionate joy that Christ must not suffer now he must forget his message and the command of his Father and the Redemption of his Church to bear Peter company upon Mount Tabor Nay as some conceive purposely he moves it to Christ and proffers his assistance that so he may escape the death of the Cross. So carnally sometimes are our affections set that we think we love Christ and our selves when we cross him most No Christ must descend from Mount Tabor and ascend Mount Calvary Thus it is written that Christ must suffer and so enter into his Glory How else should the Scripture be fulfilled the Church redeemed Heaven purchased the Devil vanquished How dangerous are our carnal desires of what fearful consequence if God should give way to them 5. A fifth Error 'T is good being here He would never leave this place of Glory but enter upon the possession of it presently Ey but much labour is to be undergone many services to be performed to attain this rest No Peter would slip into heaven in an instant Oh! But 1. Laboranduni Peter should say Let us go down and perform those conditions of gaining heaven We must not so linger for heaven as not to be content to take pains for it The Spies that discovered Canaan came back and said Come let us fight for it it is a good Land 2. Prius patiendum There is a Cup to be tasted of and Baptisme to be baptized with first Through many afflictions we must enter into heaven Fain would we go to heaven without the Cross and pass A deliciis ad delicias No we must be made conformable to our Head who was consecrated by afflictions Crux scala Coeli the Cross is the ladder by which we must ascend to the Crown 3. Moriendum We must pass through Golgotha to come up to this Mount Peter indeed as well all are loth to be uncloathed but we would be cloathed upon that mortality may be swallowed up of life 2 Cor. v. 4. The valley of death leads to this Mountain That straight must be passed Peter after is content to lay down his Tabernacle here he forgets it It is the Supper of the Lamb the labour of the day and the evening of death must first come 6. A sixth Error Good being here Fain would he hold Christ ever upon Mount Tabor Why what shall become of all other Saints Peter will engross Christ here to himself Moses and Elias from heaven and three Apostles on earth shall enjoy Christ no matter for others he takes no thought of them He will deprive heaven of Christ those in heaven must go without him And for the Saints on earth he never thinks of them neither so he may have his full of Glory Whereas a more advised spirit would have provoked Peter to have been zealous to call in and invite others to the fellowship of these joyes Indeed other worldly blessings are diminished by many partakers but this is more encreased The Lepers 2 King vii said We do not do well we do not carry tidings into the City The spirit of Piety naturally provokes us to call in others to share in Christ with us The woman of Samaria Ioh. iv 29. calls out all her neighbours to enjoy Christ. Thus Cornelius brought in his kindred Acts x. 24. Had Andrew served Peter thus what share had he had in Christ He went and found out his brother Simon Ioh. i. 41. Peters Motion would have put this Light of the world under a bushel Whereas 1. Love to Christ that will enforce us to encrease his kingdome 2. Love to our brethren that will quicken us up to gain them Matthew calls his acquaintance to be in Christ's company Luke v. 29. 3. This will make our selves fuller partakers of Glory The more we gain the more we shall shine It is a sowing and that will end in bringing sheaves Peter should have been content to have parted with this Glory for a time for the conversion and good of others When God bids Moses go down from the Mount for the peoples cause Moses saith not 'T is good being here S. Paul knew what the joyes of heaven were yet for the Churches sake he was not onely content to be out of heauen some time but Anathema for ever Domine si adhuc populo tuo sum necessarius non recuso laborem fiat voluntas tua desidero requiem sed non recuso laborem So said S. Martin in S. Bernard We have seen Peters Errors in his Motion for continuance Now let us see what failings there were II. In his proffer of building Tabernacles In it He knew not what he said That proffer hath blemishes and imperfections 1. Being here as he supposes in Christs kingdom of Glory he forecasts an erection of three Tabernacles One for Christ one for Moses one for Elias Christ here hath his family and Moses his and Elias his Whereas Christs Tabernacle and Church being erected Moses and Elias must not persist All must be in Christs Tabernacle or utterly excluded Elias must have a distinct Tabernacle from Moses till Christ comes and pitches his Tabernacle among men but then they must resign and give place to him Unum ovile all must be under one Head all one Flock and one Shepherd No man must Ducere familiam be the Master of the house but onely Christ all must come in and hide themselves in Christs Pavilion Thus the Corinthians they would build many Tabernacles One sets up a Tabernacle for Cephas another for Paul another Tabernacle for Apollo Paul
we gain by Gods Presence is That it brings with it the Glory of a Nation It is the high dignity and renown and honour of a people that God abides with them as S. Paul speaks Rom. iii. 1. What advantage then hath the Iew What is the dignity of having God so near to them Much every way Thus Moses sets out the dignity of the Jews from this near reference 'twixt God and them Deut. xxvi 18. The Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people And vers 19. To make thee high above all Nations which he hath made in praise and in name and in honour This nearness of Gods Presence God compares in Ior. xiii 11. to a Girdle cleaving to his loyns As the girdlâ—… cleaves to the loyns of a man so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel that they might be unto me for a people and for a name and for a praise and for a glory So likewise Isa. xliii 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee When God reckons up the dignities of his people this is the main Psal. lxxxvii 5. Of Zion it shall be said that he was born in her Thus Moses re-minds the Israelites wherein their dignity consists Deut. x. 21. He is thy praise and he is thy God There are many titles of Honour amongst men but this above all is the truly honourable Title that we have God near unto us Deut. iv 7. What Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is to us While he vouchsafed his Presence to them how renowned were they When he withdrew himself and cast them off how became they a vile people the hatred and scorn and contempt of all Nations A 3 d. Advantage that Gods Presence brings 't is the Strength and Safety of a Nation I'sal xlvi 5. God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved He calls himself 1 Sam. xv 29. the Strength of Israel Balaam could not fasten a curse upon Israel while God was among them Num. xxiii 21. The Lord his God is with him and the shout of a King is among them It was this that encouraged the people of Israel against the Canaanites Numb xiv 9. Their defence is departed from them and the Lord is with us fear them not Though there were Giants and their Cities be walled up to heaven yet fear them not So again Moses encourages them Deut. vii 21. Thou shalt not be affrighted at them for the Lord thy God is among you a mighty God and terrible And so on the contrary when the people being in a great sin would needs go up to fight Moses dislwades them God had then withdrawn himself Go not up for the Lord is not amongst you Sampson wist not that God was departed from him and the Philistines prevail'd over him How did Moses lament when God said He would not go with them So doth the Psalmist Thou goest not forth with our Armies His Presence it is our Palladium our Shield and Fortress The Shields of the earth belong unto God Psal. xlvii 9. It was said to Constantine In hoc vinces Well then If so much good comes to us by Gods Presence amongst us it is worth the enquiry Wherein doth this Presence of God consist How is he said and known to dwell in a Nation I mean not now his substantiall Presence so he is present in all places that Presence fills heaven and earth Ier. xxiii Nor do we now speak of his glorious Presence where his Majesty and Glory shines that is in the heavens Heaven is his Throne No nor yet do we mean his miraculous Presence where he manifests himself in some extraordinary work of his Power thus the Israelites when they were in want question'd his Presence Is the Lord amongst us yea or no No besides all these he hath a gracious Presence by which he dwells amongst us Yes that gracious and merciful and beneficial Presence is that we speak of How shall that appear to us 1. God dwells in a Nation which he chuses to be his Peculiar people the people of his Covenant amongst whom he fixes his Sanctuary and establishes his Worship As David speaks The Lord hath chosen Iacob to be his Inheritance Thus Hosea calls the Nation and Countrey of the Jews The Lords Land Hos. ix 3. All the world is his dominion but by special purchase and possession so the Church is his That is like the Lords Demeans which himself holds in his own hand 2. The place of Gods delight that is the residence of his special Presence Delight fixes a man to his abode When we are such a people that God takes pleasure in us then he saith Here will I dwell for I have a delight in it The Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation here will I dwell and rest in it Psal. cxxxii 3. There are we to reckon of Gods special Presence where he sets his Family that is the usual place of presence and abode Where we see God gathers to himself a Church is daily collecting to himself a people to know him and worship him there we may conclude God vouchsafes his Presence Thus Christ is described to walk among the Churches Rev. i. When it may be said of a place as God saith of Corinth Acts xviii 10. I have much people in this City there resolve that God is present When they grow thinner and thinner it is to be feared God is then removing 4. There we conclude is a place of Presence and abode where a man bestows most cost A Land-lord will keep up all his possessions so doth God the World but his chiefest care is for his Mansion-house Do we see a people enriched with his choysest blessings His eyes are over them continually no favour is too dear for them Surely God dwells among such a people 5. A man is said to dwell where his abode is most constantly Sometimes God makes his Progress and Excursions into other places as he did to Niniveh by the preaching of Ionah He may be sometimes as a way-faring man that lodges for a night Ier. xiv 8. He may shew some rare tokens of his being amongst them But when he pitches his Tabernacle where his Ordinances are constantly and he fixes them there that is the place of his Presence We have done with the first God's presence it is the happiness of a Nation II. The second Consideration is T is the bitter fruit of sin that causeth God to withdraw his presence and to turn away from us 1. This is the malignant effect of sin that it parts God and us makes a separation moves him to withdraw and turn away from us He rejoyces in the habitable parts of the world and his delights are with the sons of men Prov. viii 31. But sin and wickedness causes an alienation in him and estrangeth him from
means of this life there is a Worm of Corruption that will breed in them This uncertainty and failing in the Creature will appear to us in these three Particulars 1. In their production and breeding there is a great deal of uncertainty In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening with-hold not thine hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that saith Salomon Ecclesiast xi 6. He who sowes sowes in hope upon adventure God gives it a body at his pleasure The dew of Heaven the influences of the Stars the lust and strength of the Soil all uncertainties to mans Providence Ye have sown much and bring in little saith God in Haggai chap. i. 6. Ye looked for twenty measure and there were but ten for fifty vessels and there were but twenty chap. 2. 16. A great uncertainty in their Production 2. There is a great deal of uncertainty and insufficiency in their use there may be a failing in that It is possible we may receive the fruits of the earth in plenty and abundance and yet come shoâ—…t of the comforts of them The Prophet tells us of Bread and of a Staff of Bread This Staff of Bread may be broken and then that supply of life is weak and impotent Levit. xxvi 26. When I have broken the Staff of your Bread then ye shall eat and not be satisfied There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bread and the Foison and nourishing strength in Bread We may have the first and yet miss of the second and so that creature will prove empty and insufficient to us And the reason is because the vigour and nourishing power of the creatures are not originally in them but by a voluntary derivation from God into them He is the Authour and Fountain of Life Thou sendest forth thy Spirit and they are quickned Psal. civ 30. It is in him that we live and move and have our being This strength and helpfulness in the creature it is but as a beam from the Sun intercept the Sun and the beam vanisheth It is as a branch from the root divide it from the root and the branch withereth It is but as a stream from the fountain seal up the fountain and the stream dries up Our Saviviour tells us Matth. iv 4. Man lives not by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God He must speak that word or our bread will not nourish us There is a threefold Word on which it doth depend 1. A Verbo ordinante He hath given an original Law and command to the creatures that they may nourish us 2. A Verbo sustentante These weak creatures must in their use be supported by the word of his Power or they cannot comfort us If he withdraws away his face they perish Psal. civ 29. 3. A Verbo benedicente That virtue that is in them will lye dead unable to put forth it self except his Blessing gives it an actual working to refresh and cherish us 'T is he who fills our hearts with food and gladness Acts xiv 17. Without which influence from God how poor and insufficient are all helps of nature As the Prophet Haggai expresses it Chap. i. 6. Ye eat but ye have not enough ye drink but ye are not filled with drink ye cloath you but there is none warm Of themselves they are poor beggerly elements empty husks their goodness is not inclosed in them The comfort they convey unto us 't is from an higher fountain That 's the second they may fail in their use 3. The very being and substance of these natural helps carry with it this condition That they are vanishing and fading 1. As creatures so there is a seed of decay and fading in them The most excellent and permanent creature of it self tends to nothing if not supported with the word of Gods Power Heb. i. 6. There is a Pondus Naturae and there must be Manutenentia Divina that must sustain it As S. Augustine speaks of man He is Terraefilius Nihili nepos the Earth was his Mother Nothing was his Grandfather As all creatures came out of Nothing so thither would they sink again and return to nothing 2. As sublunary creatures so by their natural composition they are subject to fading and corruption All things under the Moon are fading and transitory The heavens have a frame of perpetuity but these creatures that are the means of our lives they are full of variety uncertainty contrariety all grounds of corruption 3. Consider the creatures as living under Gods curse for the sin of man and so they are subject to a greater weakness and vanity Gods displeasure doth blast them suck out the strength and vigour of them and it brings upon them not only Adam's punishment not to yield us fruit without our labour but often times Cain's curse they are barren fruitless though we do labour As his Blessing can put a strange virtue and vivacity into them Daniel's Pulse was more nourishing then the King 's Dainties It made a little Meal in the barrel and Oyl in the cruse to yield plenty So on the contrary his Indignation consumes the strength and vigour of nature Master the tree that thou cursedst is presently withered See this in the Israelites they must needs have Quails and Dainties the most nourishing food he sent it them to the full but what saith David He sent leanness withall into their soul Psal. cvi 15. It never thrives with them He sent among his fat ones leanness Isa. x. 16. This vanishing weakness of the creatures should make us think what to reckon of our lives Such as the fewel is such must needs be the fire Straw and stubble yield but a sudden blaze and soon out again And if these succours and supports of life be thus vanishing and fading sure then Life it self is but a transitory thing no matter of consistence Weak materials make no strong buildings and vanishing meats breed but a vanishing life Our Saviour calls them but perishing meats Labour not for the meat that perisheth Iohn vi 27. And S. Paul sets out this condition both of meat and life 1 Cor. vi 13. Meats for the belly and the belly for meats but God shall destroy both it and them Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again Iohn iv 13. These outward helps may for a time refresh but not alwayes preserve and support our lives All these outward things they are but Consolatiunculae temporales as S. Augustine calls them petty transient comforts like the refreshings of Ionah's gourd but the shade of a few leaves and there is a worm at the root of it that will consume it presently So much of the first Extraction The creatures are weak and may fail us II. A second Extraction from the Text is When Scarcity and Want comes as a judgement from God and from his wrath and heavy displeasure then it is extreme and extraordinary and
makes him look Death in the face undauntedly Alass we how doth any appearance of death affright us If we see but another man die the cold sweat and the pale face and the pangs of death upon him how doth it dismay us Iob finds all these in himself and speaks comfortably of them 'T is S. Augustin's pious counsel Si times mortem ama resurrectionem If thou beest afraid of death acquaint thy self with the hope of the resurrection If a man go to prison and be able to say I know I shall be bayled I have one who will quit my debt and enlarge me such an one fears not the Prison Let death arrest us Christ shall enlarge us We are prisoners of hope Zech. ix How cheerfully did Iacob take his journey when God spake to him Gen. xlvi Fear not to go down into Egypt I will go down with thee and I will surely bring thee up again This hope made Iob not onely not to fear death but even to desire it Chap. xiv Oh that thou wouldst hide me in the Grave then he asks this question If a man die shall he live again Yes saith he Thou shalt call and I will answer thee thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands That 's the second Alacritas fidei 3. There is yet another print of Piety Sancta expectatio Fidei What is the thing his Faith longs for at the resurrection It is the seeing of his Saviour the beholding of God the enjoying of his Redeemer In my flesh shall I see God and mine eyes shall behold him 'T is that that makes the resurrection comfortable not that we shall live ever but be ever with the Lord. It was small joy for Absalom to dwell at Ierusalem and not be admitted to see the Kings face 2 Sam. xiv Heaven is not Heaven but a place of confinement without this glorious and blessed Vision Though Moses and Elias vanish on Mount Tabor yet to see Christ in glory is abundant happiness Do occidere heliace the glory of the Sun swallows up the glory of the lesser Stars Whom have I in heaven but thee and whom do I desire in comparison of thee Psal. lxxiii The good women at the Sepulchre this Day saw a Vision of Angels but that contented them not till Christ himself appeared Iob knew he should enjoy the society of Saints and Angels sit down and feast it with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of Heaven but here is the height of his happiness I shall see my Saviour Heaven as it is Coenaculum sponsi the Guest-chamber for the supper of the Lamb 't is a place of comfort but as it is Thaelamus sponsi the Bride-chamber of the Lamb where the Spouse enjoys him whom her soul loves it is the place of blessedness Thirdly the last thing remains that 's Beneficium fidei the use and benefit Iob makes to himself of this Meditation And the benefit is threefold suitable and seasonable to a threefold condition in which Iob now was 1. Iob was overlaid and opprest with affliction Suitable to this condition this Meditation affords Vim sustentaetivam it supports his spirits amidst all his afflictions Here is the patience of the Saints mockings and scourgings and bonds and imprisonments they endured them all because they expected a better resurrection Heb. xi That blessed day will make amends for all It was this hope that sustained S. Paul kept him from fainting 2 Cor. iv Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Iesus shall raise us up also with Iesus and for this cause we faint not Thus also he comforts and cheers up other Christians If in this life onely we had hope in Christ we were of all men most miserable But there is a Resurrection after this life we have hope in Christ and therefore of all men most happy This assurance will stand by us when all things else fail It was Esau's confession Behold I am at the point to die and what profit shall this birth-right do to me But to be Filius resurrectionis that Birth-right will relieve us at our last agony and support us comfortably Iob felt the good of this Meditation and he insists upon it Here is Masticatio fidei he chews it in his mouth and sucks out the sweetness of it 2. You may see Iob in another condition transported with passion and suitable to that this Meditation it had Vim quietativam a great virtue he found in it to settle and compose him In the Verses going before his spirit is stirred within him he is full of complainings and murmurings and quarrellings with God and expostulations See how he rebukes and allays these storms and tempests with this Meditation O my soul keep silence unto God for of him comes my salvation Thus David stills discontents Why art thou so troubled O my soul Why art thou so disquieted within me I shall yet praise him The day shall come that I shall see his countenance and for ever enjoy him Mortale mori is one ground of settlement against these perplexities and Iob makes use of it Chap. xiv but Mortuum reviviscere is satisfaction with advantage that will calm and quiet all his complainings 3. Lastly behold Iob in another condition he is charged by his friends with the sin of hypocrisie and then this Meditation it hath Vim apologeticam 't is his defence and apologie against that accusation Against all their surmises and suspicions of his integrity this he opposes for his justification It is God that justifies me who are ye that condemn me 'T is Christ that is dead and now risen again he shall judge and acquit me O! hypocrisie shrinks at the thought of death trembles to hear of a resurrection These painted Sepulchres till then make a goodly shew they are the beautifullest parts that are in the Church but when the Vault shall be open'd and all secrets disclosed nothing will appear then but horrour and confusion rottenness and corruption But truth and integrity appeals unto that great Trial knows that the Name that 's written in Heaven shall one day be cleared from slanders on earth My witness is in Heaven and my record is on high That 's the great avowment of Iobs truth and integrity till then it matters not much what the world says of us Lingua Petiliani non est ventilabrum Christi there lies an appeal of all mens censures to that days trial before the great Tribunal A joyfull appearance before which He grant unto us who as this Day overcame death for us and opened unto us the Gate of eternal life even Jesus that hath delivered us from the wrath to come To whom with the Father c. ON EASTER-DAY The Second Sermon ROM viii 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you IN this Context and passage
that were in the Old That as the motion of the Sun makes the shadow sometimes before the body sometimes after it so the divers dispensations of God make these Shadows sometimes useful before the Messiah by way of prefiguration sometimes after the body by way of after-remembrance and representation In particular Those two glorious mysteries of our Faith Christs Ascention and his Donation of the Spirit the one lately Celebrated the other the subject of this day's Solemnity they were lively prefigured in the Prophet Elijah Christs Ascension was typified in Elijah's Fiery-Chariot The gift of the Holy-Ghost was typified in this gift and Grant that is made to Elisha The doubling the spirit of Elijah upon him That was upon Elisha The Spirit of Christ upon his Disciples The Text 't is a relation of the settling the gift and spirit of Prophesie upon Elisha And it is conferred upon him not suddenly and unexpectedly but by the interposition of some mutual entercourse betwixt the Prophet and Elisha This entercourse stands upon two parts 1. Elijahs gracious proffer Ask what I shall do for thee before I be taken away from thee 2. Elisha's wise and religious desire I pray thee let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me First In Elijah's proffer there are two things 1. The Substance of the Motion Ask what I shall do for thee 2. The Circumstance of Time and so the Opportunity of it Before I be taken away from thee I. For the Substance of Elijah's proffer In it these four particulars are remarkable 1. The forwardness and freeness of it 'T is a preventing offer Elijah stayes not till Elisha sues to him but prevents him and makes the Motion first and freely invites him to enjoy a blessing from him True Charity and desire of doing good stayes not for entreaties expects not importunity but freely offers it self and begins first Thus Isaac called his son to bless him unsought-to Thus Christ called Matthew who never look'd after him bids himself to Zacheus As the Prophet bids the Widow borrow vessels of her neighbours to pour Oyl into so Charity borrows and begs of others to receive the communion of those graces with which she is furnished Elisha's first calling was a preventing favour now his second calling 't is by prevention Christian Charity is not like a dry and deep Pump that must be often pumped before it sends out water but like a full Fountain flowing over and streaming to all about it T is S. Chrysostoms observation of S. Pauls readiness to the Macedonians it must be an express revelation that must forbid him to preach in Asia and Bithynia They who are of Elijahs and S. Pauls spirit expect nothing but the opportunities and advantages of communicating their goodness Acts xvi That 's the first the freeness of it 2. A second thing observable is the fulness and largeness of this his Offer Ask what thou wilt The Popish Saints are limited to some sorts of blessing wherein they may prevail Such a Saint he can pleasure thee in thy health such an one is for such a disease such an one can bestow such a favour Here is a Favourite of heaven can speed any suit procure any favour or blessing that is fitting for thee What cannot the prayer of an Elijah obtain He can open and shut heaven bring down Fire or Water as S. Iames speaks of him Am I God to kill and make alive that this man doth send to me said the King of Israel to those that were sent to him from Syria 2 Kings v. But what saith Elisha Let him come now to me and he shall know that there is a Prophet in Israel God hath given a kind of Omnipotency to the prayers of his Saints The King can deny you nothing Prayer is a key that opens all Gods Store-houses And he gives this key to his Saints and Children Happy they who enjoy the society of such an Elias But thrice happy they who have the spirit of Elijah who can be agents for themselves and all who seek to them But I demand Was it safe to make such an unlimited offer to Elisha To trust him with such an unbounded wish to ask what he would I answer We must conceive this large and liberal proffer is bounded and circumscribed with these limitations 1. The Caveat of lawful Conditions and matter of Expediency God never gives us so ample a power to ask what we will but straitens it up with these proviso s If lawful If useful If absolutely necessary If agreeable to his Will If serviceable to his Glory Observe these Proviso's and ask what thou wilt Solomon in 1 Kings ii 21. bids Bathsheba Ask on my mother for I will not say thee nay But yet her unadvised petition was justly denied her If we ask things agreeable to his will we know he heareth us 1 Iohn v. 14. Then God saith as to the woman of Canaan Matth. xv 28. Be it unto thee even as thou wilt 2. A second limitation is Congruitas vocationis If Elisha means to speed it must be a Suit answerable and fitting to his State and Calling Elisha was a Prophet let him ask what befits a Prophet to ask and he shall not return empty The mother of Zebedees sons sped not in her request to Christ. Why Her suit in general might be lawful but it agreed not with them to ask such favours Ye know not what ye ask Are ye able to drink of the Cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the baptism that I am to be baptized with Matth. xx 22. So Ieremy to Baruch Seekest thou great things for thy self Seek them not Ier. xlv 5. 3. A third limitation is Idonietas personâ—… 〈◊〉 Ask what is fit for Elijah to grant thee Dost thou meet with a Prophet Ask the proper gift of a Prophet We must learn the art of making the best improvement of the Saints of God to share in those excellencies wherewith God hath furnished them As Christ saith to the woman of Samaria If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee Give me to drink thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee Living water As S. Peter said to the lame man Silver and gold have I none but such as I have I give thee In the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth Rise up and walk Actâ—… iii. 6. Thus where the Apostles or Christ came they brought out their sick and their blind and their dumb and their deaf Dost thou gain the opportunities of an Elijah 〈◊〉 Ask that which is proper to an Elijah to grant When one said to Christ Master speak to my brother that he divide the Inheritance with me He said unto him Man Who made me a Iudge or a Divider ever you 4. A fourth limitation that warrants this Offer is Intima directio That Spirit that directed him to offer would direct Elisha to ask We know not what we should pray
for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us Rom. viii 26. God bids Solomon ask what he would but withall inspires him with such a prayer as should find acceptance 3. A third thing observable is the Reality and Efficacie of this proffer What shall I do for thee There is Substance and Reality in that word Alas What can Elijah do For temporal blessings he was to seek himself for spiritual they are the immediate dispensations of God himself True and yet he calls it a Doing and Giving Faith reckons upon Prayers and Intercessions it makes according to the will of God as if they were real and full Donations is as sure to obtain them as if it were already put into the possession of them See this in Isaac's benediction and blessing of Iacob Gen. xxvii 37. Behold I have made him thy lord and all his brethren have I given to him for servants and with corn and wine have I sustained him How did he this vers 28. He said God give it thee God give thee of the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth and plenty of corn and wine A faithful Prayer it is as good as an actual Donation Thus S. Paul 2 Cor. vi 10. As poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing and bestowing all things Oratio 't is promâ—… 〈◊〉 It is set over all Gods Store-houses They under God are the true Benefactours that are to God most religious suiters and petitioners Here is a way by which the poorest may be beneficial give make rich Prize these Prayers especially the Prayers of those whom God hath appointed to bless in his name 4. A fourth thing observable is the Wisdom and Order of this proffer He will have him ask it before he gives it Though Gods grace be never so free yet he requires that we should crave it of him There is one blessing that God gives unask'd and that is the grace of Asking After-graces are given when we pray onely he prevents us with the grace of Prayer God is found of them that sought not for him Isai. lxv 1. to wit by giving them the grace to seek for him We must not look for his Spirit to enter into us sleeping or without thinking of it Ask and it shall be given you Seek and you shall find Knock and it shall be opened unto you Matth. vii 7. Your heavenly Father will give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Luke xi 13. The Well of Grace is deep but Oratio 't is situla gratiae the Bucket without which there is no drawing up any water of Grace Happy we who may have Grace for asking Wretched we who will not ask when we may have it We have done with the Substance of Elijah's proffer Come we now II. To the Circumstance of time Before I be taken from thee Before I be taken from thee beg what thou wilt 1. Observe Elijah being to leave the world his thoughts are for after-succession that he may leave a Prophet in the Church of God he will not leave the Church unfurnished the people of God unprovided for Oh! The Saints of God are solicitous not onely for the present age wherein they live but forecast for succession that the worship of God may survive them and that after-posterities may be converted Moses how doth he pray for a Leader after him Numb xxvii 16 17. Let the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh set a man over the Congregation which may go out before them and may go in before them and which may lead them out and which may bring them in that the Congregation of the Lord be not as Sheep which have no Shepheard How doth S. Paul charge the Churches for things after his death Acts xx S. Peter being to dye fore-warns the Elders 2 Pet. i. How wicked are they who so they may see peace and prosperity in their dayes little care what may befall the Church in succeeding generations Good David though he was forbid to build the Temple yet how did he store up for Solomons Temple 1 Chron. xxii Oh! we enjoy the worship and service of God and now stand by the care of others let us not be wanting in our cares and prayers that a perpetual service may be offered by those who shall live after us til the coming of Iesus Christ to Judgment 2. Observe he provides for the enabling of Elisha He did not onely anoint him but now furnishes him being himself to dye and to leave the world Flesh and Bloud would have thought Let him be imperfect and deficient they will wish me again his defects will be a foil for my excellencies An unworthy Successour commends his Predecessour Oh no He desires to empty out all his Graces into Elisha and rejoyced to see an Elisha so able to succeed him The Nobles prayed 1 King i. 37. The Lord make the Throne of Solomon greater then the Throne of King David yet there was no jealousie in David Glad they are that the Graces in their Successours may obscure them that they may not be missed 3. Observe Elijah is now most forward and ready to do good when he is to depart and to leave this world Saints though they are alwayes desirous to do good yet at their death oh then they are more abundant in all holy desires of doing good Full of blessing they are alwayes but at their leaving the world then they deal their benedictions more plentifully about them So did Moses in his Song so dealt Isaac and Iacob and so did Elisha deal with the King of Israel Christ with his Disciples on mount Olivet S. Peter when he was to lay down his Tabernacle Oh then all Graces are most pregnant their Faith their Repentance their Hope their Prayers their Blessings Counsels Reproofs they will take their fill of them The box of Oyntment when it is broken fills the house with the smell They love to be sacrificed upon the service of the Church S. Paul leaving the Ephesians preached till midnight imparts all to them 4. Observe he saith Ask of me before I be taken from thee Had Elijah been of the Faith of Rome there had been no need of this limitation nay rather Ask of me and invocate and pray to me after I am in heaven there I shall sue for thee call then upon me No such matter If we will make use of Elijah do it now We may use reverend compellations now not tender religious supplications thither Heb. xii 23. Ye are come to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediatour of the New Covenant they are not Mediatours Ioseph desired the Butler to remember him but he forgat him It was the pious meditation of S. Augustine upon those words of the Psalmist Psal. oxxiii 2. Behold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Mistriss so our eyes
but Cain brought his Offering to the Lord And 2. It was Cultus legitimus such a worship as was prescribed no superstitious worship invented by themselves but taught by Revelation received by Prophetical Instruction such as we see God allowed by after-approbation These brethren were not like Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu they offer no strange fire to God but proceed by rule and direction This way of worship Abel learn'd it from Adam Adam he was taught it of God and taught it his children saith Pererius Inventions of Gods Worship are but Superstitions That God is to be worshipped even Nature teaches us but how he is to be worshipped He alone must direct us As Moses said to Pharaoh Exod. x. 26. We know not with what we must serve the Lord till we come thither and he teach us Indeed the times when Cain and Abel offered were Primitive Times the Form of Religion was not yet degenerate and corrupted Idolatry and the setting up of false Gods and false Worship were not yet crept into the Church It is the dignity of true Religion it hath the Precedency of all before Idolatry and Superstition Idolatry is a post-natus to Religion of an after-birth The Field was first sown with good Seed the envious man came afterwards and sowed his Tares Matth. xiii Idolatry it is a Super-semination Id verum quod prius id falsum adulterinum quod posterius Tertul. True Religion hath the Birth-right pleads Prescription before all false Worships Christ in his Reformation brings the Jews back to that which was first Abinitio non fuit sic checks all Superstitions with this Exception It was not so from the beginning It is our Plea Where was Invocation of Saints and Angels or Worship of Images Did Moses or Abraham or Abel so worship No it was the malice of Satan that sowed these Tares foisted in these Corruptions Purposely God kept Religion untainted in the beginning of the World Though a deluge of other sins brake early into the World Cruelty and Lust and Violent Oppression yet Idolatry was kept out that the very novelty of it might make it suspected 3. A third thing observable in this Worship of Cain and Abel is Unitas Cultus their joynt brotherly consent and unity in their worship of God As they were twins in their birth so as twins they joyn hand in hand to compass Gods Altar We read not of an Altar that Cain erected and another that Abel set up apart for himself but as they were of the same family and natural fraternity so they joyn as Members of the same Church as pertaining to the same Altar The Jews conceive it was all one place where Adam sacrificed and now his Sons and after Noah Though they go too far when they say it was where Abraham sacrificed Isaac and after David sacrificed and where after Solomon built the Temple and erected the Altar Surely Concord in the Worship of God 't is most necessary and comely Without these two Truth and Unity God accepts no service Truth and Peace are the Supports of Religion Thus S. Peter forbidding discord and commending to Christians domestick peace presses this reason for it That your prayers be not hindred 1 Pet. iii. 7. Discord breeds Distraction in holy duties Quarrelling and Contention it is the bane of Devotion See how uncomely was Aaron and Miriam's quarrelling with Moses Num. xii What Disturbance did it breed in the publick affairs of the people of Israel It hindred their Progress into the Land of Canaan and set it back 'T is said the people journied not till Miriam was brought in again and the breach made up again So on the contrary what a gracious promise doth Christ make to Prayers made in the spirit of Unity Matth. xviii 19. If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven These two Brothers here they came in Unity They had one God one Altar one kind of Service by Sacrifice one Time too and no doubt they came in one Affection the grudge grew afterwards See with how many bonds S. Paul labours to continue Christians together in an holy Concord Eph. iv 5. There is one Lord one faith one baptism one God and Father of all one body one spirit one hope of our calling therefore keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Christians must say We are all one mans children Our cognizance is Love and Unity and Concord The quarrels and contentions that did arise amongst Christians 't was a great hinderance to the Conversion of the Gentiles When they could not answer the Christians Arguments then they objected the Contentions of Christians that they could not agree amongst themselves Hoc est Opprobrium Gentium saith S. Augustine Non consentitis The Gentiles cast that in their teeth that there was not Concord and Unity amongst them That 's the third 4. A fourth thing observable in these two brethrens Worship of God it was Cultus cum sumptu They did not put off God with empty shews but they are at charge here in the worship of God they can be content to be at cost in honouring of him according to their state and condition Cain he is an husbandman he brings of the fruit of the ground to honour God with a Sacrifice of Corn. Abel he is a Shepherd he brings his Offering of the Herd and Flock Nature it self teacheth us this Truth If there be a God then sure he must be worshipped and that worship must be maintained though with cost and charges 'T is a spice of Atheism to say as Pharaoh did Go ye your selves and worship God but let your flocks alone as S. Augustine complains of the wealthy men in his time they would be rich at Home but poor at Church they would leave their purses at home that they might not be at charge for any Church-contribution Leave your flocks behind you No saith Moses we must have them with us Of them we must offer a sacrifice to our God This Solomon commands us Honour God with thy substance and the first-fruits of thine encrease Prov. iii. 9. And he learnt it of his father David he chose to be at cost in serving of God 2 Sam. xxiv 24. I will not serve the Lord with that which cost me nothing Thus doing we honour our God ey and we honour our selves and our substance too The Jews knew how to prevail with Christ for the good Centurion He loves our Nation nay he loves our Religion and hath built us a Synagogue As Origen discoursing of the liberal Contribution for the erecting of the Tabernacle Quam gloriosum erit saith he How great an honour is it that it shall be said This mans Gold made the Ark This mans Silver made the Pillars and Sockets for them This mans Wealth furnisht the Tabernacle And it is also an honour to our wealth to be thus employed
As Protarchus in Aristotle said Those stones were happy stones of which Altars were made Sure 't is an happy employment of what God gives to us that we give something of it again to God to maintain his Worship Superstition spares for no cost and shall Religion be close-handed The Jews that lavish'd out their gold Ear-rings and Jewels to make the Golden Calf were afterwards as forward to contribute their gold and silver for the Ark and Tabernacle Our Christian Worship it is more spiritual then that of the Jews but that discharges us not of this duty God's House his Ministers the Provision for his Worship they must be supported and honourably supplied This is strange doctrine to the world We count nothing too mean too homely for the Service of God If we remove the Ark put it in a Cart if we give place to it lodge it in a Cottage That Religion is best we think that is best-cheap 5. A fifth thing observable is that it was Cultus per sacrificium a publick worship by solemn Sacrifice a consuming and burning upon Gods Altar their Gifts and Oblations Burnt-Offering and Sacrifice was the most awful and solemn Worship the Church offered up to God before Christ. Moses gives Rules and Canons for this Service Nay as Christ saith of Circumcision we may say of Sacrifice It was not of Moses but of the Fathers all from Adam and downwards Abel Noah Abraham and the rest of the Patriarchs abounded in this Service And it carries with it these significations 1. It was a real Recognition and acknowledgment of Gods Soveraign Dominion and of their Dependency and Subjection to him Mittite agnum dominatori terrâ—… Isai. xvi 7. Seâ—…d ye a lamb to the Ruler of the land as a Sacrifice of Homage and Subjection 2. It was a sad Remembrance and acknowledgment of sin and of the due debt and just desert of death by sin The slaying of the Sacrifice was a confession that they deserved death and destruction 3. It was a Protestation and Profession of their faith in Christ the great Atonement to be offered for them the true Lamb of God the great whole burnt-Offering to satisfie for sin 4. They were Testimonies and Professions of humble thankfulness for mercies received But then the Inquiry must be Where is our Christian-Sacrifice Have not Christians something to offer and sacrifice to God I answer These carnal and external Sacrifices of Beasts belong all to the Law of Ceremonies and so cease now and are out of date Christ hath put an end to them The Salt that did season their Sacrifices was Gods Institution now they want that Salt and so they corrupt and putrefy The Mannah that was kept longer then Gods appointment bred worms and corrupted such now are all Jewish Sacrifices Now they are no sweet savour but a loathsome stench in the nostrils of God But then have Christians no Sacrifice Yes verily The summe and substance of those Sacrifices is compleat in Christ. He is the onely Priest and Sacrifice of the New Testament He offered up himself once for all He gave himself as an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour Eph. v. 2. A Sacrifice of that efficacy that it need not be offered often it was once offered and is for ever effectual S. Chrysostom compares the Jewish Sacrifices to weak Plaisters that must be often renewed Christs bloud was like a Soveraign plaister Semel impositum semper sanat once applied it perfectly cures us But yet though we have now no proper Sacrifice external and bodily yet we have still our Evangelical and spiritual Sacrifices For besides that every good work and holy action done for the honour of God is a Christian Sacrifice Feci Deo as David speaks makes it a Sacrifice As S. Augustine speaks Opus bonum quod fit ut sancta societate inhaereamus Deo Any good work that may joyn us to God and commend us to his acceptation that 's a Sacrifice Besides that a Christian offers up to God a fourfold Sacrifice 1. Sacrificium cordis contriti The Sacrifice of a Contrite heart in the practice of Repentance Thus S. Paul calls the Repentance and Conversion of the Gentiles The Offering up of the Gentiles or the sacrificing of them And David acknowledgeth The Sacrifice of God is a broken and contrite heart Psal. lâ—… The killing of our lusts the mortifying of our sins 't is an holy and acceptable Sacrifice and Service unto God A Christian hath 2. Sacrificium cordis devoti the Sacrifice of a devout heart that 's the Sacrifice of Prayer and our great Christian Sacrifice when the soul by prayer ascends up to heaven as upon the Altar of Incense Thus David acknowledgeth Let my prayer be as Incense and the lifting up of my hands as the evening Sacrifice Psal. cxli. 2. Theodoret observes when Christ cast out the sheep and the doves out of the Temple and said My house shall be called an house of prayer he abolish'd all other Sacrifices and appointed prayer to be the solemn Sacrifice and Service of the Church 3. A Christian hath another Sacrifice that 's Sacrificium cordis grati the sacrifice of a thankful heart the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving unto God Thus we see Psal. l. God rejects their bloudy sacrifices in stead of them he tells them Whosoever offers praise and thanks to him he honours him Will I eat the flesh of Bulls or drink the bloud of goats Offer unto God thanksgiving He takes away the first that he may establish the second And Heb. xiii 15. Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name And in this kind the great sacrifice of the Christian Church is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the great commemoration of the great benefit of our Redemption The most religious and mysterious benediction and praising of God 't is the Cup of blessing and calling upon the name of the Lord. 4. A Christian hath yet another Sacrifice that 's Sacrificium cordis benefici the sacrifice of Alms-deeds and charitable communication the distributing to the necessities of our poor brethren that 's accounted by God a Christian Sacrifice The relief which the Philippians sent to S. Paul 't is called An Odour of a sweet smell a Sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing to God chap. iv 18. So the Apostle To do good and to distribute forget not for with such Sacrifices God is well-pleased Heb. xiii 16. These four 1. The Sacrifice of a Contrite heart 2. The Sacrifice of a Devout heart 3. The Sacrifice of a Thankful heart 4. The Sacrifice of a Charitable and Compassionate heart these are the Sacrifices of a Christian which God accepts of him We have seen the Performance of this Service Now follows Secondly the Success and Acceptance of it Abel and his Service is respected but Cain and his Offering is rejected We have seen them go hand in hand in this
his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live So Psal. civ I will sing praise to my God while I have my being my meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. A SERMON ON PSAL. xix 12 13. Who can understand his errours c. THIS Psalm is a pious and devout Meditation of the Prophet David Now Naturalists observe that there be two acts of the soul of hardest performance 1. The act of Reflexion to make the soul look inwards and to recoyl upon it self Motus reflexus it is duplex motus a double motion 2. The act of Meditation to make the soul ascend and look upwards to keep it still upon the wing And therefore the Psalmist to maintain and strengthen his meditation uses an inspection into a threefold Book 1. Is Inspectio libri Creaturae into the book of the creatures Vers. 1. The heavens declare the glory of God c. He looks upon that great Volume of Heaven and Earth and there reads in Capital Letters the Prints and Characters of Gods glory Aliter pictura aliter scriptura placet he gazes not as children upon gaudes in books but reades and meditates and deeply considers them 2. His Meditation ascends higher by a second Inspection and that is Inspectio libri Scripturae verse 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul c. And this Book is more precious then the former The other the Book of the Creature is but as the Inventory of the Goods this of the Scripture is the Evidence and Conveyance and Assurance of all to us In it he sees the riches of Gods wisdom and his precious promises As S. Ambrose observes of Abraham's journals he came out of the land of Chaldea into the land of Promise God bids him look up to the stars and the Chaldeans were great beholders of the stars and firmament but yet Abraham asks In quo cognoscam How shall I know that I shall inherit it He could not gather that by beholding the Creatures the Word of Promise and the Book of the Scripture must give Assurance of that 3. He proceeds further and feeds his Meditation by a third Inspection and that is Inspectio in librum Conscientiae he unclasps that which is the compendium and sum and transcript of the other Book the Book of the Scripture and there dwells upon a serious and sad Meditation Who can understand his errours 1. He looks up to Heaven and wonders as it Who can comprehend the number of the stars Quis intelligit potentiam Who can understand his power 2. He looks into the Scriptures and finds this a more large Book The former is but a shrivelled Scrole to this sacred Volume as Christ compares it Who can understand those sacred Truths and profound Mysteries Who can conceive the Perfection of the Law 3. He looks into his own heart makes a search into his Conscience brings that Book out of the Rubbish as they did the Book of the Law in Iosiah's time who can count and number up the blemishes of his soul who can understand the errours of his life 1. The first Book Convincit it hath a power of Conviction Meditate on it and observe Gods Power or thou art an Atheist 2. The second Book Convertit it hath a power of Conversion Meditate upon it and learn his will and worship out of it or thou art an Infidel 3. The third Book Accusat it hath the power of Accusation Look and meditate upon it and there discover and bewail thy sins or thou art an Hypocrite The Text then contains David's Meditation upon that third Inspection into the Book of his Conscience Wherein we may observe four Particulars 1. An holy Perplexity in the soul of David which makes him cry out Who can understand his errours 2. An holy Redress he seeks in this perplexity O cleanse me from my secret faults 3. An holy Prevention for the time to come Keep thy servant from presumptuous sins let them not have dominion over me 4. An holy both Resolution and Consolation Then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great Transgression 1. In the first Part we see the nature of Sin it casts a man into Perplexity it breeds gripings and anguishes in the soul and conscience 2. In the second we see the nature of Mercy that pardons and purges and pacifies the conscience that rebukes the storms and brings in a sudden calm into our souls again 3. In the third we see the nature of Grace that prevents keeps us from presumptuous relapses that preserves us so that no wickedness shall have dominion over us 4. In the fourth Part we see the nature of Integrity that gives comfort and consolation that strengthens it self in all good purposes and resolutions And these Particulars represent unto us the whole life of a Christian they set in order the motions of the soul in the beginnings and progress of his conversion 1. What is the first Motion and quickning of life in a Christian Examen Conscientiae a searching out of his sins not a confident stepping into Heaven in a present assurance but a sorrowful penitential perplexity 2. The second Motion in the heart of a Christian is Supplication and Suit for pardon and peace Cleanse me purge me 3. The third Motion is imploring of help Prayer for grace and assistance against Relapses establish me with thy spirit Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins 4. The fourth Motion is Studium integritatis and Gaudium in studio resolutions and endeavours for integrity and all possible innocency and the keeping of a good conscience towards God and man Now put these together and then we may discover three Combinations 1. A Combination of two sorts of Sins not all of the same size and magnitude here are Errores and Contumaciae sins of Infirmity and sins of Presumption sins of a weaker tincture and sins of a double die Lapsus in via and Excursiones extra viam Slips and lapses in the way and voluntary departings and forsakings of the way 2. A Combination of two sorts of Graces here is Gratia purgans and Gratia custodiens 1. Pardoning and purging grace 2. Preserving and protecting grace That is the grace of subvention when we have sinned this the grace of prevention that we may not sin 3. A Combination of two states and conditions of a Christian 1. Purgandus à secretis for sins of Infirmity who can avoid them 2. Custodiendus à contumacibus for sins of Presumption we must not come near them We cannot be free A Culpa from sins of daily Incursion but we may and must be free A Crimine from sins that waste the Conscience and havock Piety The first thing considerable is David's holy Perplexity Who can understand his errours And of it take a double Consideration 1. Quae occasio What 's the occasion of this Perplexity 2. Quae conditio What 's the nature of it
and yield to death But Paul is not here barely content to die but longs for that blessed hour judges it best of all to be dissolved and to be with Christ Verse 23. O when shall I appear before the presence of God 2 Cor. v. In this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed with our house which is from heaven S. Aug. tells us of Christians of the weaker and more imperfect sort Such saith he desire and long to live but yet are content to die it God see it fit But other more grown and spiritual Christians and such an one was blessed Paul though they be content to live yet they wish and desire and long to die The former have mortem in patientia vitam in desiderio they die patiently but would live willingly the other as S. Paul here they have vitam in patientia mortem in desiderio this life it is the matter of their patience but a blessed death is the matter of their desire That 's the second 3. See here in Saint Paul an higher degree and growth of Piety 1. Having gained this great Confidence and assurance of Heaven And 2. His soul panting and longing for the enjoyment of it yet that he may do God more service and promote the spiritual estate and welfare of his Church he can be content to delay those enjoyments to forbear his salvation to keep out of Heaven to be serviceable to the Church Desiderat requiem sed non recusat laborem He could wish he were at rest but yet for all that he is willing to labour still and to travel in his Ministery And what that was ye may easily guess In those times to be a faithful Preacher of the Gospel was to be no less then a Martyr Well S. Paul hath counted the cost forecast the worst Pains Poverty Persecutions he can endure them all for the love of Christ and for the good of his Church He chooses to suffer all sorts of miseries and afflictions so he may be serviceable to Christ useful to his Church rather then to leave that holy Work undone and to enter into Heaven Saint Augustine makes it a tryal of our love to God if when God should put the offer to our choice Live as ye list satisfie every lust deny your self nothing I will never punish you for it Sed non videbis faciem meaâ—… onely you shall not see my face if we refuse that offer of outward enjoyments that we may be partakers of that blessed Vision 't is a good argument of our love to God Here is a greater tryal of S. Pauls love to Christ Wilt thou presently enjoy me in Heaven or still serve me on Earth Wilt thou for my sake keep out of Heaven Nay more then so undergo Pains suffer Persecutions for my Churches good Yes S. Paul accepts of this employment on Earth and will forbear his preferment in Heaven O Paul great is thy love to Christ and to his Church Thus S. Chrysostom and S. Bernard express this choice of S. Paul As if a poor Woman should stand at the door of some great Palace wherein are all kinds of Pleasures and Delights and being without cold and hungry should be offered her self to come in but to leave her Children without in the cold there to lie in want and misery though she would fain be within yet she refuses that offer chooses to stay still in the cold to tend her Children then to part with them and enter in So Paul here had rather stay out of Heaven then forsake those Babes in Christ whom he had begot to the Gospel Not onely as Moses he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin but rather then to enjoy the happiness of Heaven Nay see the fervency of his love to the people of God Rom. ix 3. He could wish himself Anathema separated and accursed from Christ for ever for his brethrens sake that he might gain them to God not onely forbear Heaven for a season but forgo it for ever that others may gain it 4. This he desires and this he hopes for still to be continued to them for the furtherance of their faith And yet that being liable to uncertainty Saint Paul not knowing how long God would hold him to this work imploy him in this service uncertainty of life that 's one hazard he was in deaths often and then many vexations and distractions intervening in his Apostolical Function the care of all the Churches lying upon him See here a fourth pitch of Piety his great care and solicitude he hath of their well-doing and growing in grace however God disposes of him by life or death yet his desires are that they should do well This would be his main comfort and crown of rejoycing to see being present to hear being absent that they grow in grace and that his labours amongst them might not prove in vain Onely let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ that whether I come and see you or else be absent I may hear of your affairs that ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel The Words then which I have read unto you are S. Paul's Apostolical and fatherly Charge and Caveat to the Philippians In it observe these three particulars 1. Is the weight and greatness of this Charge the Caveat he gives to them is very ponderous that 's implied in this emphatical word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely 2. Is the extent and largeness of that Charge it hath no stint or limitation it reaches to all seasons and occasions 1. His presence and abode with them 2. His absence or being from them Whether I come and see you or else be absent 3. Is the Charge it self and that 's manifold It consists of a threefold Injunction which he lays upon them 1. Is Sancta conversatio an holy and Christian-like conversation Let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ. 2. Is Sancta concordia unanimity and concord and the spirit of peace That in all their affairs they should stand in one spirit and in one mind 3. Is Sancta constantia an holy resolution and constancy and courage for the truth striving together for the faith of the Gospel 1. In themselves Holiness 2. Amongst themselves Peace 3. Against the enemies of the Gospel Courage and Resolution First Here is considerable the weight and greatness of this charge which he gives them Onely As if he should say 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he elsewhere speaks 't is the main and chief charge I lay upon you the upshot and summ of all my Exhortations let this saying sink deep into your hearts mind this and remember it above all things that your conversation be Christian-like suitable to the Gospel live in peace and concord contend earnestly for the faith which is committed to you And then the strength and Emphasis of this word
professes of himself I delight to do thy will O my God thy Law is within my heart Psal. xl 8. So S. Paul I delight in the Law of God in the inward man Rom. vii Thus Solomon tells us that the course of Piety 't is a delightful course All her wayes are wayes of pleasantness Prov. iii. 17. If men serve and obey God they shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their years in pleasure Iob xxxvi 11. What Christ saith of himself is true in proportion of all Gods servants 'T is their meat and drink to do the will of God Ioh. iv Look upon the several parts of Gods Service those that are most tedious and irksome to a carnal man Gods servants take great delight and felicity in them 1. Prayer and pouring out our souls unto God how dull a thing is it to a carnal man 'T is as easie to make a stone mount upward as for a carnal man to raise up his heart in Prayer and to make it ascend up to the Throne of God But Daevid tells us how delightful it was to him O my soul is filled as with marrow and fatness when he called upon God 'T is a Saints heaven upon earth to enjoy this communion with God by devout Prayer 2. Reading and Hearing and Meditating on Gods Word put a carnal man upon it O 't is tedious and irksome to him he presently cryes out O what a weariness is it Ey but David counted Gods Word His Song in the house of his pilgrimage esteem'd Gods Word above his appointed food it was the very joy of his heart 3. The Lords Day and so the attendance upon the publick Worship a carnal man counts it but loss of time he hath no list to it he can tell how to spend that day to better purpose like those prophane ones in Aâ—…os viii When will the Sabbath be gone But a good Christian counts it and makes it his delight Isai. lviii They rejoyced to hear the joyful sound that call'd to the solemn Assemblies Psal. lxxxix What comfort did David take in it when he went to the house of God with the voyce of joy and praise with a multitude that kept holy-day Psal. xlii 4. Bounty to the poor What saith a carnal man to it Just as Nabal Shall I take my bread and my flesh and give it to I know not whom But the Saints delight in it He will devise liberal things as Isaiah describes him He will draw out his soul to the hungry and satisfie the afflicted soul Isai. lviii Even the most painful works of Christianity a good Christian delights in them I will name but two 1. Mortification and suppressing our natural Lusts and evil concupiscence Flesh and bloud repines at that work but a good Christian delights in it The Spirit that is in him lusts against the flesh Gal. v. 17. delights to cross it to curb it and keep it under 2. The undergoing the Cross and bearing of Afflictions that saith hard to flesh and bloud Carnal men may seem to be Christians Usque ad Crucem as Luther speaks they will pass for good Christians usque ad Crucem til they spie the Cross. They will not suffer for Religion But the Saints of God take delight in persecutions Hear what S. Paul saith 2 Cor. xii 10. I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake And see it in the Apostles Acts v. They rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the Name of Christ. All these hard and difficult services the Saints count them high and noble Functions and delight in them 3. Look upon the Encouragements that Christians find in the service of God they will make it appear that the service of God is no such irksome service The world indeed thinks otherwise of it but S. Bernard gives the reason Vident punctiones nostras sed non vident unctiones This makes the world think the service of God to be an hard service they look upon the labours but they are not acquainted with the comforts and encouragements that sweeten these labours and make them pleasant to us Many Encouragements there are 1. His gracious Assistance God helps and assists his servants in all their works This he doth by putting their souls into a right frame of holiness He answers us with strength in our soul Psal. cxxxviii 3. Till then the faculties of our souls are like the members of our bodies when our shoulder is out of joynt every burthen is grievous but put it into joynt again and the same burthen will sit light upon it So grace sets us in a right frame and makes the Law of God connatural to us That breeds delight when we act according to nature A carnal man set him to do a spiritual work ye put him out of his element but a spiritual man is spiritually affected 2. A second Encouragement is Gods mercifull connivence When his servants that desire to serve him yet fail and fall short of what is their duty God winks at their sailings and passes by them See this graciously promised to us Mal iii. 17. I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serves him A loving father will not quarrel for every failing if his Son doth his best but wink and connive at him Indeed were it not for this there were no serving of him Did he not pass by our failings no flesh would be saved If he should mark all that is done amiss who may abide it But there is mercy with him that he may be feared Plsal cxxx Thus the Prophet Micah admires Gods gracious dealing with his children Micah vii 18. Who is a God like unto thee that passes by the transgressions of his people 3. A third Encouragement is the many heartnings and secret chearings that God vouchsafes to his servants in the course of their obedience He is no churlish Nabal sowr and harsh to his poor servants but puts life and heart into them 1. He vouchsafes his Presence to them as Boaz to his Reapers The Master's eye the chearfulness of his countenance is the mans encouragement 2. He speaks chearfully to their hearts He hath both his Agè and his Eugè for them Go on and Well done faithfull servant Thus he heartned Saint Paul Acts xviii 9. Be not afraid Paul for I am with thee and no man shall hurt thee Which made him work out his heart in the service of Christ. 4. A fourth Encouragement is his loving acceptance of our poor services Our faithfull endeavours our honest desires our sincere intentions are graciously accepted 1. He will accept half-service for whole imperfect obedience goes for good pay 2. He will accept endeavours for performances When we come short of the work yet if we went about it put our strength to it 't is well saith God 3. In some cases the Will shall stand for the Deed 2 Cor. viii If there be a willing mind it
the hatred of the whole Kingdom was upon him he was a man whose life was imbitter'd with sorrows 'T is one blessed end and issue of afflictions they wean us from the desire of life Prosperity glues us to this life Afflictions loosen us O mors quà m amara How bitter is death when we are at ease O mors quà m jucunda How pleasant is it when we are in torments These minores mortes fit us for the great Death S. Paul's fightings with beasts at Ephesus made him willing to grapple with this When the soul of man finds no footing on outward things then it wishes it had the wings of a Dove that it might fly away and be at rest Happy afflictions that fit us for death 2. Grief for the miseries of the Church That goes nearer In private sufferings a Christian can be more contented when it goes well with the publick but if the Church lies under misery that makes an Elias to call for death Old Eli who digested well enough his private sorrow yet when the Ark was taken He fell off from the seat backward and he died The Saints are loth to see evil days to outlive the prosperity of Gods people The Lord shall make thee see Ierusalem in prosperity all thy days 3. Sensus impotentiae An apprehension of an inability to do any more good Elias was tired and wearied-out with the gain-sayings of Idolaters he had conflicted with their obstinacy Ahab is hardned Iezabel enraged Baal restored Gods Prophets are persecuted he sees no success of all his pains he is weary of his life As the soul in the body if it be hindred of action it forsakes the body presently so the spirit of Elias finding he could not prevail it desires to relinquish an ungrateful world and to retire to Heaven 4. Praegustus coeli The anticipation and feeling of those joyes of that rest and bliss whetts the appetite of Elias to desire possession and fruition of them If there be so much comfort in lumine Prophetiae how much more is there in lumine Gloriae If Mount Carmel and the Visions there be so ravishing what is Gods high and holy Mountain and those Revelations No question Saint Paul's rapture bred in him an high measure of heavenly-mindedness If the assistance of one Angel feeding the Prophet was so ravishing what will be the society of innumerable Angels If Communion with God upon Earth be so gladsome how unspeakable will Communion in Heaven be Si bonus es Domine animae quaerenti quanto magis invenienti These were the grounds and occasions of Elias his willingness to die But 3. What evidences of this willingness to die will appear in Gods children and what is the strength and power of it 1. It will appear in encouraging them against the forethoughts of death the thoughts of death are not ghastly to them Their frequent meditations and desires of it make them acquainted with it and familiar to them Nemo timet facere quod se novit benè didicisse Gerson 2. It will free them from dismayedness at the approach of death make them willing to entertain it Gods calling them to death they presently hear Non clamores tantum sed susurros divinos statim percipiunt The very beckning of Gods hand makes them hasten to him It was no more 'twixt Moses and God but Go up and die Thus Saint Paul tell him of bonds I care not for death saith he 3. It will bear them out in the conflict and onset of death Makes a Christian smile at the face of it How peaceably died Iacob Aaron Moses and Simeon As Saint Bernard of Christs yielding up the Ghost Quis tam facilè quando vult dormivit 4. It makes them triumph over the most tormenting and cruel deaths The three Nobles in Daniel slighted the furnace Martyrs kissed the stake they would not accept of deliverance like valiant Souldiers that are desirous to be put upon desperate Services That 's the first Optat Elias wishes to dye so willing is he to it II. Orat He makes his prayer that he may die That imports more 1. Prayer is a deliberate desire Sudden wishes vanish and die in us Many have some pangs of mortification and leaving the world as Balaam had but would be loth God should take them at their word like him in the Fable No Elias and a Saint goes further it is their deliberate wish All things considered they judg it best for them they exercise their hearts towards it waiting with Iob groaning with S. Paul begging with Simeon their dissolution 2. Prayer it is a religious desire a matter of devotion and holy supplication tendred to God framed into their prayer A natural man or a wicked man may have wishes to die and deliberations So had Achitophel and Iudas but they presented not these desires in prayers to God The Saints die like Ioab at the horns of the Altar by prayer sacrificing their lives to God like old Simeon brought by the Spirit into the Temple and there praying for death 3. Prayer it is a restrained desire Prayer extends the will but restrains the power He is willing to die Oh that I had wings like a Dove but is not the disposer of his life to part with it at pleasure Were our lives our own we need not beg leave of God to lay them aside His Petition 't is a real Confession that our time is in Gods hand not in our own We may be waiters and suiters and in desires hastners but not executioners of our own death As Gregory saith we must like Elias be in ore speluncae or in ostio Tabernaculi with Abraham ready to receive death not to hasten it to us In preparation we must hasten not in execution Our hastning must not prevent Gods coming Hastening to the coming of our Lord Iesus 2 Pet. iii. 12. not before his coming That 's the second Orat. III. Resignat Take away my life it is an act of resignation He directs and tenders and resigns it up to him and that upon divers Reasons 1. Ob jus dominii He yields up his life to God as the Lord of it No man lives to himself and no man dies to himself whether we live we live to the Lord whether we die we die to him whether therefore we live or die we are the Lords Rom. xiv 7. placed here in our stations The issues of life belong unto him We are not Masters of our time or life David served his time according to the counsel of God Old Simeon begs his dismission 2. Ob fidem depositi He commits his life to be kept in the hands of God The Saints in their death do not utterly relinquish and for ever depart with life but they depositate and intrust God with it Thus Tertullian Our life is in deposito apud Deum per fidelissimum sequestrem Dei hominum Iesum Christum Those things that I have committed to him he will keep Our lives