Picture can express foolish Creatures that confine him within the narrow lines of any Image 1 Kings 8.27 2 Chron. 2.6 Isa 66.1 Jer. 23.24 Behold the Heaven and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee The Heaven and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him The Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Footstoâ—l Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Of Gods Omnipotency Such is Gods Omnipotency and Infiniteness of power as that to him nothing is impossible Psal 103.20 Other Spirits are Potent Angels excell in strength but he is Omnipotent The Almighty power of this Spirit distinguisheth him from all other spirits Dicitur omnitotens quia omnium tenet potestatem Isidor Thus 1. In that it is Essential for whatsoever God doth is in and by his own Essence but there is a quality 2. In him it is Original in them derived for this is that beginning of all power in the Creature 3. In him it is Absolute whereby he can do whatsoever he will in them it is limited that they can do but what he will 4. In him it is Infinite not only in regard of his infinite Being nor only in regard of infinite Objects which he hath done and can do but also in regard of the powerful manner of effecting things for he never did any thing so powerfully but he could have done it more powerfully he never made any thing so good but he could have made it better In the Creatures there is an Essence and a Paculty whereby they work as in fire the substance and the quality of heat between these God can sunder Dr. Preston and so hinder their working as in the Babylonish fire In the Angels there is an Essence and an executive power God comes between these often and hinders them for doing what they would But now it s otherwise in God he is most simple and entire without mixture or composition Hence his Almightiness is his Essence and his whole Essence is Almighty He is not mighty in respect of some part or faculty as the Creature is but all in God is Mighty There is the 1. Absolute Power of God And 2. Actual Power of God By the former he can do whatsoever he pleaseth make Iron swim Rocks stream forth water stones to yield children unto Abraham Of this when I have spoken my utmost I must intreat the Reader as one the Oratour did his when he spake of Socrates and Lucius Crassus Cicer. 3. â—s Oratore Vt magis quiddam de â—is quà m quae scripta sunt suspicarentur That they should imagine some greater matter than here they find written For well did Gratianus the Emperour observe in his Epistle to Ambrose Loquimur de Deo non quantum debemus sed quantum possumus In speaking of God also of his power we speak not what we ought but what we are able But it is his actual power that men must look to and in this he hath tyed the end and the means together in which respect there are things he cannot say Divines because he will not that is he will not bring man to the end without their using those means which tend thereunto In a word He can do all things possible and honourable he cannot lye dye deny himself for that implieth impotency He can do more than he will but whatsoever he will that he doth in Heaven and Earth and none can say What dost thou Let us therefore tremble before this Mighty God who can with as much ease as Caesar once threatned Metellus in a Bravado and in as little time undo us as bid it be done If the breath of God blow man to destruction and we are but Dust-heaps if he can frown us to death with the rebuke of his countenance What is the weight of his hand that Mighty hand as James calls it wherewith he spans the Heavens and weigheth the Earth in a Ballance Trust we also in his power for performing his promises Deo confisi nunquam confusi He that believeth shall not be ashamed he need no more but stand and see the salvation of the Lord. And let Gods people be comforted in consideration of his power Contemno minutos istos Deos modo Jovem habeam propitium said that Heathen If God be for us What need we fear what Man or Devil can do unto us Yea let us commit our selves unto him who is able to do for us above all we can ask or think and to keep for us what we commit unto him for howsoever the power of all Creatures may be letted by impediments from doing us good yet nothing can be an impediment to hinder his power for our good Gen. 17.1 Cap. 18.14 Dan. 4.37 Luke 1.37 Rev. 4.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am the Almighty God Is any thing too hard for the Lord Those that walk in pride he is able to abase With God nothing shall be unpossible Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty Of Gods Omnipresence God is a Spirit everywhere included Deus ubique semper est nowhere excluded He is purely and simply by his Essence and Presence everywhere A God within all things but contained of nothing a God without all things but sustained of nothing a Spirit dwelling everywhere but without sense or motion In respect of his Essence he is everywhere but in regard of the bright manifestation of his grace and glory he is said to dwell in Heaven Thus also he is said to be far from the wicked not in respect of Essence but the manifestation of his favour and grace Again when God is said to depart and return we must not understand it by motion of Essence but of effect nor by change of place but by change of his action and declaration of some mercy where he is said to return and of his justice where he is said to depart A man in a Boat thinketh the Bank moves though that be unmoveable and all the motions in the Boat so God moveth in regard of his effect in us himself abiding unmoveable he moveth and changeth all things without any motion or change in himself Empedocles could say that God is a Circle whose Center is everywhere whose circumference is nowhere Other Heathens that God is the Soul of the World and that as the Soul is tota in toto and tota in qualibet parte so is he that his eye is in every Corner c. To which purpose they so pourtraied their Goddess Minerva that which way soever one cast his eye she alwayes beheld him Let us therefore in every place fear his presence and avoid sin the Judge is present even to the thoughts Sub Jove sâ—mper erâ—s c. Jovis omnia plena set thy self ever in his sight as David walk with God as Enoch and be sincere in all thy course he filleth all places either to comfort or confound God saith a late Writer is not so far from us as the Bark is from the
but full which as we receive from Antiquity caused a great Philosopher to cry out Suidas in vit Dionys Aut Deus patitur aut patienti compatitur 2. And in the degree being universal as some affirm over all the world or as others which makes it more strange that it was onely in the land of Judea all the world besides enjoying the light of the Sun at that time Which miracle stands opposite to that in Egypt which was plagued with darkness when the Israelites in Goshen enjoyed light whereas then Judea where the Israelites dwelt was covered with darkness the rest of the world enjoying light There remains one more dreadful viz. the Eclipse of Christs most glorious Gospel amongst us that this bright Sun should go down at noon over our heads and our earth be darkened in the clear day Amos 8.9 Pray against that dismal day that it may never be said The glory is departed from our Israel He maketh the morning darkness Amos 4.13 Cap. 5.8 Job 9.7 Non oritur sel tantum est non appareat nam ortus so'is apparitio quaedam est Joel 2.30 31. Cap. 3.15 He turneth the shadow of death into the morning and maketh the day dark with night He commandeth the Sun and it riseth not Lavater in his Comment upon this place reports That in the year 1585. March 12. such a darkness fell upon the earth that the fowls went to roost at Noon as if it had been Sun-setting and all the common people thought the day of Judgment was come I will shew wonders in the heavens The Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon into blood The Sun and the Moon shall be darkned Of the Stars Stella est densior pars orbis ideo lucent astra non coeli quia hi diaphani sunt Magir. Phys rari astra autem densa eoque lucem retinentia reflectentia A Star according to Philosophy is the thicker part of its orb or sphere it is thicker than other parts of the heavens for otherwise it could not hold the light so it could not reflect and send forth the light it could not be a vessel for light or a conveyance for light For Light was created the first day Gen. 1.3 but the Lights were created the fourth day Gen. 1.14 that is certain vessels were created to hold the light All these are placed in the heavens by the special designment of God for the use and good of man Some Mathematicians have taken on them to set down the just number of the Stars saying they are but 2200. in all They are beyond their books too presumptuous to go beyond their limits God can number them all and call them by their name which to man is impossible Abraham was a great Astronomer yet he could never do it Gen. 25.4 De Civ Dei l. 16. And yet Aratus and Eudoxus vainly vaunted saith Aug. that they had cast up the stars and could call them all by their names But that to man it is impossible Aristotle maintaineth against those Astronomers that tell us they are a thousand and some hundreds And the wiser sort of Astrologers have rightly distinguished them into numerable and innumerable as to men For to us they are innumerable as the sand of the Sea is Heb. 11.2 with which they are mentioned The power of God is not only seen in stretching out the Heavens but his excellent skill and infinite wisdom is also displayed in adorning decking and beautifying those Heavens which he hath stretched forth The power and wisdom of God shines in every grass that grows out of the ground yea in every clod of earth much more then in the stars of heaven Especially when such as have skill about the course of Nature do consider 1. The greatness of the Stars it is incredible to ordinary reason such vast bodies shew an infinite power in their constitution 2. The multitude of them A multitude of little sands make a huge body then how great a body do a multitude of great bodies make 3. The swiftness of their motion that these mighty bodies should be carried about every day so far and never tire nor wear 4. The exact order of their motion that innumerable stars should move continually in the heavens and yet not one of them move out of course 5. The efficacious vertue in their influence it is a secret vertue and it is a strong irresistable vertue no power in the creature can stop it Hence a right study of the Heavens and Stars is requisite in them the wonderful works of God are seen and a sober knowledge in Nature may be an advantage unto Grace But for those who are insober this way if their eyes be not blinded with Star-gazing Isa 47.13 14. Gualther I only commend unto them that of Gualther on Zeph. 1.5 Observent ista qui hodie Astrologiam judiciariam profitentur Let those amongst us observe this who profess Judiciary Astrology for these worship the Stars no less than did the Heathens of old calling them by the names of those heathenish deities that ought to be abolished and subjecting to them all events of things yea Man himself as touching all his manners and fortunes which the Scripture affirmeth to depend upon the eternal providence of God alone This is intolerable impiety and they that fall into it shall not escape the just judgment of God Some stars are more excellent of greater vertue and name than others 2 Cor. 15.41 The Apostle gives us this clearly One star differeth from another star in glory God hath made difference and degrees in all creatures in the heavenly as well as earthly As The Pleiades or Seven stars in the end of Aries These joyned together in one Constellation help to bring the Spring Orion a Star that ariseth in the beginning of Winter drawing foul weather after him as with bands so that as the Proverb hath it Winter never rotteth in the air Mazaroth the Southern stars that bring in Summer Arcturus with his sons those Northern stars bringing Autumn with his yearly fruits Hierome Of Arcturus Hierom observeth that semper versatur nunquam mergitur This is most true of Christs Church much tossed never drowned But though Stars differ thus one from another yet they envy not one another Which lessons us to be content Note though God make our names less named in the world than the names of many of our brethren though he trust more talents to or put more light in others than into our selves He made the Stars also Gen. 1.16 Psal 8.3 Gen. 15 5. Heb. 11.12 Psal 147.4 Job 38.31 32. The Stars which thou hast ordained Look now towards heaven and tell the Stars if thou be able to number them So many as the Stars of the sky in multitude He telleth the number of the Stars he calleth them all by their names Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades 〈◊〉 or loose the bands
of Orien Canst thou bring forth Mazaroth in his season Or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons Seek him that maketh the Seven stars Amos 5.8 Job 9.9 Psal 136.9 and Orien Which maketh Arcturus Orion and Pleiadâ—s and the chambers of the South The Moon and Stars to rule by night Of a Year After God had created the Lights in the Firmament of the Heaven to divide the Day from the Night Gen. 1.14 He commanded also Let them be for signes and for seasons and for dayes and years The Year is a remarkable standard of time consisting of twelve Moneths about the quartering out of which there have passed especially two distinctions 1. The first in frequent use with Astronomers according to the cardinal intersections of the Zodiack that is the two Aequinoctials and both the Solstitial points desining that time to be the Spring of the Year wherein the Sun doth pass from the Aequinox of Aries to the Solstice of Cancer The time between the Solstice and the Aequinox of Libra Summer From thence unto the Solstice of Capricornus Autumn and from thence unto the Aequinox of Aries again Winter 2. A second division is observed by Hippocrates and most of the ancient Greeks establishing the account of Seasons from usual alterations and sensible mutations in the Aire discovered upon the rising and setting of divers Stars Accounting The Spring FRom the Aequinoctial point of Aries This is properly the pleasant Quarter of the Year being the Emblem of Man in his Youth Of this season the Song of Songs gives a most dainty description far past any of the Poets who yet have shewed themselves very witty that way The Winter is past Cant. 2.11 12 13. the rain is over and gone the flowers appear on the earth the time of the singing of birds is come and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land The fig-tree putteth forth her green figs and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell The Summer From the rising of the Pleiades or the several stars on the back of Taurus This is properly the hottest season in the Year and the Emblem of Man in his full strength Metaphorically it signifies opportunity or fit time to do things in Prov. 6.8 according to that The Ant provideth her meat in the summer and gathereth her food in the harvest Autumn From the rising of Arcturus a Star between the thighs of Bootes This is the proper season of gathering in the fruits of the Earth and the Emblem of Man in a declining condition Of this the Psalmist The time that corn and wine are increased Psal 4.7 Winter From the setting of the Pleiades It is a dead season in which the weather is cold ways foul days short and the air muddy the clouds commonly returning after the rain It resembles Old age It is figuratively taken for the doleful and dismal condition of such as are not effectually called by Christ Omnis illis dies hybernus est It is ever Winter with them no Spring of grace no Sun-shine of sound comfort The Day is thine the Night also is thine Psal 74.16 17. thou hast prepared the Light and the Sun Thou hast set all the borders of the earth thou hast made Summer and Winter Of the Lowest Heavens THe Lowest Heaven is distinguished from the Sky by waters as the Sky is from the Coelum Empyreum by the Primum Mobile This is the Air whereon we breathe and wherein birds flie clouds swim c. Fire Est elementum callidissimum siccissimum levissimum permeans per omnia omnia pervadens It is an Element dreadful painful sudden in eruption active mereiless and devouring It hath a strong stomack what will not Fire digest It will digest stones iron c. nay the sublunary world at last for 1 Pet. 3.10 the Elements shall melt with fervent heat Lightning and Thunder Fulgetrum seu corruscatio est splendor flammae emicantis per totum aerem uno momento transcurrens per intervalla vel cum nullo vel parvo sonitu ortus ex modicà tenuique exhalatione in nube accensa splendor est eminus apparens longéque sparsus Tonitru est sonitus in aëre aut exagitatione vaporis calidi sicci in nube frigida humida propter antiperista sui excitatus aut ex ejusdem vaporis è nube violenter fracta eruptione generatus aut etiam noâ—unquam ex nubium cavarum collisione coortus Tonitru à terrendo Thunder is so terrible that it hath forced from the greatest Atheist an acknowledgment of a Deity Caligula who dared his Jove to a duel yet if it thundred or lightned but a little would be ready to hoodwink himself Alladius King of the Latines striving to imitate the Thunder by an Engine made him justly perished by a Thunderbolt from heaven His house also where he attempted so to do was consumed with fire In Thunder and Lightning there is much of God to be seen and heard these being the harbingers as it were and officers to make room for him and to manifest his power which the Saints may take comfort in and the greatest must acknowledge He hath made a way for the lightning of the thunder Job 28.26 Psal 77.18 Psal 29. The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven the lightnings lightned the world the earth trembled and shook The voice of the Lord is upon the waters the God of glory thundereth c. Clouds Nubes est corpus velex copioso vapore è locis humentibus in sublime adscendens vel ex maximè humidis partibus aeris in media aeris regione concretum Breviter est vapor humidus adensatus qui in mèdia aëris regione à frigore circumstante constrictus quasi congelatus pendet Vapores enim in sublime elevati vel maximae humidae aëris partes condensatae quae gemina materia est ex qua nubes generantur constant caliginosum aërem efficiunt vapores autem copiosi ex mari adscendune unde aquae maris sunt velut radices nubium Job 36.30 A Cloud is a thick vapour Illiâ— enim fiunt miracu'a magna Vatab. Haec sunt sanè admiranda tremenda Mer. raised up by the heat of the Sun to the middle region of the Air and there by the cold condensed becomes so thick that it stops and intercepteth the Light so that Clouds and Darkness go together How the Clouds are hanged up even in the Air like Archimedes his Pigeon equally poised with their own weight how they are upheld and why they fall here and there and now and then we may well wonder but know not In these God bottleth up the Rain and there keepeth in by main strength though those vessels are as thin and thinner than the liquor that is contained in them Now that God binds up these heavy Vapours and keeps them in the Clouds as a strong man in a cobweb till brought by the Winds
thither Again there was no end why Christ should do thus Either as the Papists hold to bring souls out of hell Vestigia nuâ—â—a retroâ—sum Because this is a rule in Divinity That souls that are once in bell shall never come out thence Or to make further satisfaction for the sins of his people upon earth because Christ had fully satisfied Gods wrath upon the Cross and therefore cried out It is finished Or to vanquish and overcome the Devil because he spoiled Principalities and Powers and triumphed over them in the same Cross Christ by dying destroyed him who had the power of death that is the Devil Heb. 2.14 His Resurrection When the Philistines thought they had Sampson sure within the Ports of Azzah he arose at midnight and took the doors of the gates of the City and the two posts and carried them away with the bars thereof on his shoulders up to the top of the mountain which is before Hebron But our mighty Conqueror and Deliverer Qui agnus extiteâ—at in passione factus est Lâ—â— in resurrectione Bernard hath more excellently magnified his power For being closed in the grave the Sepulchre sealed and guarded with soldiers a stone rolled to the mouth of the grave and he thus clasped in the bands of death He rose again the third day before the rising of the Sun he carried like a Victor the bars and posts of death away â—s upon his shoulders and upon the Mount of Olives he ascended on high leading Captivity captive The manner or specialty of Christs rising 1. In the same Body that fell Feel it saith he to his Disciples Else no resurrection And in this proportion all rise 2. So as he saw no corruption because he knew no sin A specialty and priviledge above the sons of men who must say to corruption Thou art my father 3. By his own power I have power to lay down my life Virtute proprid ut victor prodiâ—t dâ— sepulturâ Idem and to take it up again 4. As a Common blessing as a Representative and not as a Private person All his did the same with him that were within the purchase of his blood Our Phaenix consumed to ashes is now revived The young Lyon of the tribe of Judah of late sleeping in the grave by the quickning yell of his Sire viz. the Power of the Godhead was raised and roused up The stately Stag resumed his shed horns The late withered Flower of the root of Jesse reflourished The Sun of Righteousness once shadowed with a cloud and eclipsed with disgrace shineth put again with brighter beams All was done for which he was put into the grave and why should he be kept any longer in prison the debt being paid Christ is risen from the dead 1 Cor. 15.20 and become the first fruits of them that slept Ascension As the Grissin is like a Lamb in his legs the Lyon in his back and the Eagle in his beak so Christ in his Passion was a Lamb in his Resurrection a Lyon and in his Ascension an Eagle for He went away to his Father Christus ascendit Quo In coelum Aërium Stellatum Empyreum Which is called Domicilium Dei Angelorum hominum beatorum novus Mundus Coelum novum Coelestis Hierosolyma Paradisus Sinus Abrahae c. Thus Christus excelsior coelis factus Secundum quam naturam Humanam hinc localiter visibiliter Quâ potentiâ Suâ non alienà Quando 40 dies post Resurrectionem ut 1. Certi simus de ejus resurrectione 2. Instruat suam Ecclesiam de regno suo ut discerent quae docerent discipuli Effecta sequentia 1. Intercessio Christi 2. Nostra glorificatio 3. Testimonium peccata esse remissa 4. Christum victorem esse 5 Missio Spiritus 6. Nunquam nos carere consolatione Christum nos semper defensurum Hinc in câ—elum circumfusa nube sublatus est ut hominem quem dâ—lexit quem induit quem à morte protexit ad patrem victor imponeret Cypr. de Idol van Thou hast ascended on high Psal 68.18 thou hast led captivity captive When he ascended up on high Eph. 4.8 he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men For such an high Priest became us Hebr. 7.26 who is holy harmless undesiled separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens His session at the Fathers right hand A King having an onely begotten may set him in the throne as heir and successor to reign with him and use right of dominion over all as partner in the Empire Thus David dealt by Solomon Vespasian by Titus and our Henry 2. by his eldest son Henry whom he crowned while he was yet alive though afterwards he suffered him not to be what himself had made him This Exaltation of Christ Christus sedet ut judex stat ut vindex is an argument sufficient to prove his Deity He that sitteth on the right hand of the Majesty on high is God Scripture doth not say he standeth though in another sense he is said so to do that belongs to servants and inferiors but he sitteth Kings Senators Judges sit when they hear causes He sits not at the commandment or appointment of another but of himself He knows his place and takes it not at the left hand but which is higher at the right hand his Fathers Equal Out of this we have two notable comforts If Christ sitteth above in the highest places then he beholdeth all things here below A man that is upon the top of some high Tower may see farre and Christ being in the high Steeple and Tower of Heaven can see all things on Earth If the wicked be laying of plots and snares against his children Christ being in Heaven sees them and in due time will overthrow them He that sitteth in Heaven laugheth them to scorn Moreover this is a singular comfort that our Head King and Defender is in Heaven and hath equal power glory and majesty with God We have a friend that sitteth on the right hand of God and hath all power in Heaven and Earth therefore let us fear nothing he will keep us none shall do us any harm but it shall all turn to our good in the end As Christ sitteth in the heavens so we shall one day sit there with him Many shall come from the East and from the West and from the North Luk. 13.29 and from the South and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God Mat. 19.28 Ye shall sit on the twelve seats and judge the twelve Tribes of Israel Which is not spoken of all the Apostles for Judas never sate there nor yet of the Apostles only but of all Christians Know ye not that we shall judge the world We shall one day sit in heavenly places with Christ we sit there already in our Head but we shall likewise sit there in our own persons with our Head Let this comfort us against
the twelve Tribes of Israel He went into the Sanctum Sanctorum once a year and offered up the prayers of the people Besides him there were a great number of Priests and Levites throughout all the towns and Cities of Israel they offered the sacrifices of the people and made attonement for them before the Lord they taught the people and instructed them in the ways of the Lord. Yet all these are nothing to our Saviour Christ he excells them as much as the Sun doth the Starres or the body the shadow They were all but shadows of him he is the true high-Priest They were but men he is God and man they sinful he without sin they mortal he immortal their sacrifices were but figures of his sacrifice the blood of Lambs Goats offered by them took away no sin his blood purgeth us from all sin they received tithes of their brethren but they themselves paid tithes to Christ they prayed for the people in the Temple Christ prayes for us in heaven Wherein we may behold the supereminent dignity of Christ his Priest-hood It cannot be denied but that Aarons Priest-hood was most glorious As the Psalmist speaketh of the Church many glorious things are recorded of it There was a costly Tabernacle a sumptuous Temple the wonder of the world there was an admirable Altar many oblations and sacrifices there were sundry Sabbaths and new Moons divers festival days the feast of unleavened bread of the blowing of Trumpets of Tabernacles of Dedication c. Which were kept with wonderful solemnity there were many washings and purgings for the clensing of the people Therefore let us magnifie God for this our high-priest by whom we have an entrance into the Kingdom of heaven The high Priest went into the Holy of Holies himself but he carried none of the people with him they stood without Our high-Priest is not only gone into heaven himself but he hath also brought us thither That high-priest offered Bulls Calves Lambs for the sins of the people this high-priest offered himself for us all Therefore let us honour and reverence this our high-priest yea let us subject our selves to him in all things which hath made us Kings and Priests to God his Father that we may reign with him for ever and ever The Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever Psal 110.4 after the order of Melchisedeck For such an high-Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens Hebr. 7.26 27. Who needeth not daily as those high-Priests to offer up sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the peoples for this he did once when he offered up himself Seeing then that we have a great high-Priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession Heb. 4.14 16. And let us come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Of Christs Prophetical Office Christ is said to be a Prophet like unto Moses that is both in the Participation of nature and of office A true man and a true Mediatour Similes they are but not Pares Christ being worthy of more glory than Moses Christ is a Prophet and more than a Prophet the Arch-Prophet to whom Moses and all must vail bonnet Let our mind then be wholly fixed on Christ consider that in him all the treasures of wisdom lie hid he is a rich and plentiful store-house in whom we may find all the pearls and jewels of wholesome doctrine In him there is salvation and in no other therefore all other teachers set aside listen to him When the Judge of an Assizes gives the charge all that be present especially they of the grand Inquest consider seriously what is spoken Christ Jesus the Judge of the whole world gives a charge by his Ministery When the King makes a Speech in Parliament the whole House considers earnestly what he sayes Christ Jesus the King of kings speaks to us in the Ministery of the Word The Queen of Sheba observed Solomon well Behold here is a greater than Solomon therefore let us diligently consider him Besides the matters which this great Prophet declareth are of great moment touching the eternal salvation of our souls If one should talk to us of gold or silver we would be attentive Christ speaks to us of that which surpasseth all the riches in the world what mad-men are we that regard him no more But alas since the Fall every man hath Principium lasum his brain-pan crackt as to heavenly things neither can he recover till Christ open his eyes and give him light Moses truly said unto the Fathers Act 3.22 Quinque dicuntur de Deo Paternitas in nascibilitas filiatio proc ssio communis spiratio Aug. Paternitas innascibilitas conveniunt solum modò Patri Filiatio tantum modò Filio Spiâ—itâ—i verò Sancto processio Communis Spiraâ—io Patri filio respectu Spiritus Sancti A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever I shall say unto you De Spiritu Sancto THE Holy Ghost is the third Person in Trinity proceeding from the Father and the Son being himself most holy and the worker of holiness in all Angels and good men He is distinct from the Father and the Son equal unto the Father and the Son and the same God in Nature and Essence with the Father and the Son though not the same person He is called The Spirit The Holy Spirit A Spirit because he is that essential vertue proceeding and as it were spired or breathed from the Father and the Son Or from his effect who blowing where he listeth inspireth holy motions and graces into the hearts of the Elect. Or because he is a spiritual invisible and incorporeal essence And Holy Spirit 1. For distinction sake for Gods Spirit is holy that is it hath all holiness and it hath it in it self not by illumination from any higher cause and so are not the spirits of Men or Angels holy mens spirits have sin in them on earth And the Angels and blessed souls in heaven have no holiness but what they received 2. Gods Spirit is holy by effect for it is his proper work to sanctifie the Elect and so to work holiness upon the spirits of men by spiritual regeneration The Holy Ghost is oft-times in Scripture signified by Fire Water We shall find it according to the nature of fire 1. To illighten us 1. Mat. 3.11 Isa 4.4 as the least spark of fire lightens it self at least and may be seen in the greatest darkness 2. To enliven and revive us fire is the most active of all other elements as having much form little matter so whatsoever is born of the Spirit is Spirit that is nimble and active full of life and motion
Day As Night is the time of the Suns absence from our Hemisphere so Day is the time of the Suns presence therein They both contain one whole revolution of the Suns motion to the same point of the Meridian in the twenty four hours Day is Natural Artificial The former consisteth of twenty four houres which is measured most usually Exod. 12.29 with Numb 3.13 from the Sun-rising to the Sun-rising or from the Sun-setting to the Sun-setting The latter is from Morning till Night which is the time of light measured out to twelve houres which were not more nor fewer but longer or shorter according to the different proportion of the Days in Summer and Winter which is measured from the Sun-rising to the Sun-setting Joh. 11.9 Mat. 20. Which division was in use both with the Jews and Romans The Romans divided their Day into six parts viz. Godw. Antiq. 1. Diluculum The break of day 2. Mane The full morning 3. Ad meridiem The forenoon 4. Meridies quasi medidies Mid-day or quasi merus dies perfect day Noon 5. Demeridie Afternoon 6. Solis occasus Sun-set Day hath its name in Hebrew from the noise and hurry that is therein In Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gentle or tâ—me because it is appointed for tame creatures Or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I desire because it is to be desired In Latine Dies à Deo Zanch. as a divine thing vel à Dio id est Coelo Sole vel à dividendo quod disjungat lucem à tenebris Evening separates by darkness Morning by light So the one disjoyns day from night the other night from day In this vicissitude of Light and Darkness much of Gods wisdom and goodness is to be seen And we ought not to turn the day into night nor night into day without some very special and urgent occasion And God called the light Day Day unto day uttereth speech Gen. 1.5 Psal 19.2 Ps 119.164 and night unto night sheweth knowledge Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments Of the Visible Heavens HEaven is a building of three stories Triplex est coelum cërium sidercum ac aliud his superius invisibile divinum Dam. 1.2 de Orthodox fide The first is the Air and the Clouds up to the Moon The second reacheth all the Planets and Stars The third is called the Heaven of Heavens the place of Gods most glorious residence who filleth Heaven and Earth The Apostle reduceth them to Visible Invisible Col. 1.16 The Visible Heavens are two Starry Airy The Starry Heaven is that vast expanse region where the Stars have their motion Here are the Sun and the Moon those great lights the infinite number of Stars of unconceivable magnitude and motion which we see and we see not This according to the doctrine of Astronomers is distinguished into several Orbs and Spheres in seven of which seven special Stars are said to move and all the rest to be fixed in the eighth The Apostle Jude seems to give a hint of those Planetical Orbs Jud. v. 13. where he justly reproacheth unsetled spirits by the name of wandring stars or planets to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever Of this speaks Moses calling it The firmament of the heaven Gen. 1.17 Josh 10.13 Psal 8.3 And in Joshua's time the Sun stood still in the midst of heaven And David When I consider thy heavens the work of thy fingers the moon and the stars whiâ—â— thou hast ordained And again Psal 19.1 The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-work The Airy heaven is the Air with all her regions reaching up to the Moon herein are Winds Clouds Meteors c. This is called by Job Job 26.7 Super mane quod juxta communâ—tà opinionem intelligi debet Vulgo enim totum spatium à terra â—sque ad coelum vacaun pâ—tatur quum plenum aëre sit Gen. 8.2 Gen. 19.24 Psal 8.8 Mat. 6.26 the empty place He stretcheth out the north over the empty place Not that the Air is indeed empty there is no vacuity no empty place in nature Nature will put it self into strange courses to avoid a vacuity Water will ascend to avoid vacuity and it will not descend to avoid vacuity But though the Air be not empty or void taking emptiness strictly and Philosophically for every place hath its filling yet as emptiness is taken largely and vulgarly so the Air may be called an empty place For as when we come into a room where there is no artificial furniture we say it is an empty room so the space between us and the Heavens in a vulgar sense is an empty plâ—ce Of this speaks Scripture when it sâ—th The windows of heaven the rain from heaven The Lord rained brimstone and fire out of heaven It is very probable from the upper region of the air where Meteors be So the birds of the air are called the fowls of heaven Of the Invisible Heavens The Invisible Heaven Eph. 4.10 is that place whither Christ ascended far above all aspectable Heavens Called the Third Heaven the seat of the blessed Saints of the elect Angels and happy souls which are dead in the Lord also Abrahams bosom Yet this is not the place of Gods Essence or infinite Substance 1 King 8.27 for so the Heaven of heavens is not able to contain him But the place of his presence and glory not to consine or limit his glory in but wherein he will make it appear most glorious as a Prince will have some room to shew his state and magnificence in This Heaven is not every where as the Lutherans and some others falsly assert 1. Because then it is no longer Gods seat but God himself For whatsoever is Omnipresent Jer. 23.24 must needs be God as himself proveth Do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord 2. The Scripture speaketh of it as a limited and confined place where Gods glory shineth more than in any other place where Christ promiseth the Thief to be with him in Paradise he denieth him to be in hell or earth Here 's a ground of comfort That such a place is made for our rest and habitation wherein to enjoy fully the blessed and glorious presence of God Let us contemn these houses of clay in comparison and desirously exchange this temporal for an eternal and blessed condition 1. Why should we prefer such base Cottages before so Princely a Court Why should we strive for Earth and lose the third Heaven Why should we grieve to leave a Prison for the Palace of God himself 2. Christ is there to be with whom is best of all Yea let us learn contentation with our present estate whatever it is and hear afflictions patiently We are now unknown in a strange countrey but we shall come home to our own inheritance
things hoped for and alwayes goes before Hope follows after 4. Lastly Faith is our Logick to conceive what we must believe Hope our Rhetorick to perswade us in tribulation unto patience In a word the difference between Faith and Hope in Divinity Sodullus Minorit is the same as is between Fortitude and Prudence in Policy Fortitude not guided by Prudence is rashnesse and Prudence not joyned with Fortitude is vain Perfectionem legis habet qucredit in Christum Ambr. in Rom. 10.4 Chrysologue so Faith without Hope is nothing and without Faith Hope is meer presumption Whosoever touched the consecrated things that belonged unto the Tabernacle was holy so is he that toucheth Christ by faith Accedere ad Christum est credere qui credit accedit qui negat recedit Vertues seperated are annihilated Neither in the flint alone nor in the steel alone any fire is to be seen but extracted by conjunction and collision Faith is so well eyed and so sharp sighted that as the Eagles eye being aloft in the clouds can notwithstanding espye sâ—â— frutice 〈◊〉 sub 〈◊〉 piscem so faith here on earth can notwithstanding search into the deep things of God in heaven most perfectly seeing those things which humane sense can no way perceive So heaven by joyning faith and good works together Herein a faithful man exceeds all other that to him there is nothing impossible he walks every day with his Maker and talks with him familiarly he lives in heaven though be be seen on earth when he goes in to converse with God he wears not his owne cloathes but takes them still out of the rich ward-robe of his Redeemer and then dares boldly prease in and challenge a blessing The Celestial Spirits not scorn his company yea his service he deals in wordly affaires as a stranger and hath his heart ever at home his war is perpetual without truce without intermission his victory is certain he meets with the infernal powers and tramples them under feet the shield that he bears before him can neither be missed nor pierced if his hand be wounded his heart is safe he is often tripped never foiled and if sometimes foiled yet never vanquished iniquity hath oft craved entertainment but with a repulse if sin of force will be his tenant his Lord he cannot be his faults are few and those he hath God will not see he is set so high that he dare call God Father his Saviour Brother heaven his Patrimony and thinkes it no presumption to trust to the attendance of any else There is no more love in his heart than liberty in his tongue what he knowes he dare confess if torments stand between him and Christ he contemns them banishment he doth not esteem for he seeth the Evangelist in Pathmos cutting in pieces Esay under the saw Joâ—as drowning in the gulf the three chrildren in the furnace Daniel in the lyons den Stephen stoning the Baptists neck bleeding in Herodias platter he emulates their paine their strength their glory he knows whither death can lead him and outsâ—ceth death with his resurrection Abels faith is a never-dying Preacher Perkins on Heb. 11. Oportet in fide stare in side ambulare in fide perseverare Orig. Invoco te tanquam languidâ imbecillà fide Cruciger sed fide tamen Lawrence Saunders a Martyr in a letter to his wife wrote thus Fain would this flesh make strange Act. Mon. of that which the Spirit doth embrace O Lord how loth is this loytering sluggard to passe forth into Gods path were it not for the force of faith which pulleth it forwards by the reines of Gods most sweet promise and hope which prickes on behind great adventure there would be of fainting by the way Aristotle said Anxius vixi dubius morior nescio quo vado But Paul I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Terra fremit regna asta crepant ruat ortus orcus Si modò firma fides nuilae ruina nocet The just shall live by faith Heb. 10.38 Vnbeleif Infidelity is a grievous sin As faith is the greatest vertue so infidelity is the greatest vice It is a barre to keep out Gods blessings Christ could do nothing among his own brethren for their unbelief sake As wine a strong remedy against hem-lock yet mingled with it doubleth the force of the poison so it is with the Word when mingled with unbelief Unbelief rejects the remedy frustrates the meanes holds a man in an universal pollution and leaves him under a double condemnation One from the law wherein Christ found him and another from the Gospel for refusing the remedy In a word it shuts a man up close Prisoner in the lawes dark dungeon till death come with a writ of Habeas Corpus and hell with a writ of Habeas animam Yea this leads the ring-dance of the rout of reprobates Therefore let us labour to pluck up this bitter root out of the hearts of us all Take heed brethren Heb. 3.12 lest there be in any of you an evil hert of unbelief Hope Philosophers call it extensionâ—â—â— appetitiâ—s naturalis Spâ—i objectum est boâ—um futurum arduum possibile adipisci Aquinas The object of Faith is verbum Dei of Hope res verbi Alsted Hope is a grace of God whereby we expect good to come patiently abiding till it come As joy is an affection whereby we take delight in the good that is present Spes in humanis incerti nomen boni spes in divinis nomenest certissimi as proceeding from faith unfained which can beleeve God upon his bare word and that against sense in things invisible and against reason in things incredible Hope makes absent joyes present wants plenitudes and beguiles calamity as good company doth the time This life would be little better than hell saith Bernard if it were not for the hopes of heaven Sâ—d superest sperare selutem and this holds head above water this keepes the heart aloft all flouds and afflictions as the cork doth the line or bladders do the dody in swimming It 's the grace of Hope that sets a man in heaven when he is on earth A Christian could not go to heaven on earth Dr. Holdsworth and take a spiritual slight but for hope The promise brings down heaven to the heart it inverts that speech of St. Paul he saith while we are present in the body we are absent from the Lord. But hope turns it and makes it while we are in the body it teacheth us how to be present in heaven Here is the benefit of hope Alexander an Heathen had such a notion about an earthly hope Juvenes multum babeâ—t de futuro parum de praeterito ideo quia memoria est praeteriti spes autem futuri parum habent de memoriâ sed multùm vivunt in spe Idem which had no ground neither but the great things his owne
is better than the mighty And he that ruleth his spirit Prov. 16.32 than he that taketh a city See I Cor. 15.57 Gain An argument from profit is very forcible This was Hamans cozenage Hest 3.8 It is not for the Kings profit to suffer the Jews Why are men so desirous of sheep because they are profitable creatures Why do men give so much money for an office because it is profitable and bringeth great gains with it Why do men strive to make their sons Lawyers because the Lawyers go away with all the profit Godlinesse of all things is most profitable to procure us the peace of conscience in this world and to save us in the world to come Hope of profit will turn some spirits into any posture Some men will be in any action so they may gain by it they will mourn for hire and curse for hire So did Balaam When he was sent for to curse the people of God Num. 22. He made many delayes and seemingly conscientious scruples yet at last goes about the work as black and bad as it was What overcame him and answered all doubts He loved the wages of unrighteousnesse Nay which is the highest argument of a mercinary spirit some act holinesse for hire and are godly for outward gain But ill gain in a little time becomes heavie to the conscience as heavie as Judas his thirty pieces He sed his thoughts with the hope of the money before he had it and pleased his eye with it when he had it but now in a few hours in the sight of the money he sees his sin the sight of his hateful sin works horror of conscience horror of conscience brings in despair despair causeth self-murther Godlinesse it self is great gain if we have no more but godlinesse brings in gain in abundance besides it self Whatsoever drops out of any promise of the Gospel falls into the lap of a godly man When the promises open at any time and give forth their vertue they must needs give it forth to him that is godly for golinesse hath the promises Hence godly persons are said in Latine Deum colere because they are sure by sowing to the Spirit to reap of the Spirit life everlasting Gal. 6.8 Godlinesse is great gain 1 Tim. 6.6 Riches Antiquus quidam Philosophus execratur cos Indivitijs capidâ—tatem reprehendit non facultatem qui primi utilitatem ab hontstate sejunxerunt Riches in themselves are not evil Ne putcutur mala daâ—tut bonis nè putentur summa bona dantur malis Therefore we tell you from him whose title is rich in mercy that you may be at once rich and godly Yet it oft comes to passe Difficile est opibus non tradere mentem they are irritamenta malorum Divitiae superbie sunt inseperabilia sicut Jonathan à Davide It is as hard for a rich man to be proud as for a cholerick man to be angry The Duke of Venica shewing the Emperor of Germany his house Haec nos faciunt invitos mori he made him this answer These things even make us unwilling to die Riches unto the covetous are thornes in this life and the next life their pricks are threefold in this life Namely Punctura 1. Laboris in acquisitione 2. Timoris in possessione 3. Doloris in amissione Cyprian speaking of possessions shew me saith he all the stately edifices and tell me what they exceed the Swallows nest which may for a time endure but in winter even of themselves they fall down What doth he here mean by winter but the day of judgment when as these our houses of clay will sail us to whom they have been nests all this summer and sun-shine of the Gospel But what then shall we like the Swallows take the wing and so fly into some hotter Countrey No alas we have been so bewitched with the flesh the nest of our soul that we cannot part from it but even die with it and if we happen as we shall into some hotter place it shall be into fire that shall burn not that shall aford any moderate heat to comfort us Search if you can find any ill-gotten wealth amongst your heaps and away with it as you love your selves else know as Chrysostom saith ye have lockt up a thief in your Counting-house Omnis mihi Copia quae Deus meus nen est agestus est Aug. which will carry away all and if you look not to it the sooner your souls with it Oh that this could be our ambition as Nazianzen reports of Philagrius Lutum contemnere to scorn this base and pardon my homely word dirty God of this world Ambiant terrena Consider that Coyne which passeth in Forrain Countreys serves but for Counters with us All our pieces of Coyne are but currant to the brim of the grave there they cease We justly laugh at the folly of those Eastern Pagans which put coyne into the dead mans hand for his provision in another world Therefore if we will be wise Merchants thrifty and happy Usurers part with that which we cannot keep that we may gain that which we cannot lose For those are true riches which being once had cannot be lost Riches are not 1. Distinguishing 2. Satisfying 3. Sanctifying But they are 1. Deceiving 2. Defiling 3. Perishing If it were fatal for Gehazi to take what the Prophet refused then much more to us to gather up what Christ rejected Lay not up for your selves treasures up on earth but in heaven Matth. 6.19 20 21. For where your treasure is there will your heart be also Odours Of Odours there is a lawful use why else were they created to please the sense refresh the spirits comfort the brain c. But the excesse and abuse of them is utterly unlawful and hath been justly punished Posthume non bene olet qui bene semper olet Saith Martial And another saith That woman smelleth best that smelleth of nothing Spiret antem soemina Christum Let women learn and labour to smell of Christ saith Clemens Alexandrinus who is the royal unction and let them ever be anointed with chastity that chiefest ointment Aristotle writes of a parcel of ground in Sicily that sendeth forth such a strong smell of fragrant flowers that no hound can hunt there Labour we so to resent heavenly sweetnesse that we may have no mind to hunt after earthly vanities Alexanders body is said to be of such an exact constitution that it gave a sweet sent where it went However Christ the true Carcasse smells so sweet to all heavenly Eagles that being now lifted up he draws them after him All thy garments smell of Myrre and Aloes and Cassia Cant. 1.3 Psal 45.8 Protection A shadow in Scripture being taken properly is that darknesse which is caused by the interposition of a thick body between us and the Sun But by a trope any thing of defence is called a shadow Judg. 9.9 15.
a thing of evil is made good as in Regeneration Create in me a clean heart 3. When the bodies shall be raised out of the dust at the Resurrection The first is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Resurrection is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a new creation There be several Pillars for the Resurrection to lean upon Resurrectio mortuorum fiducia Christianorum 1. The Power of God Idoneus est reficere qui fecit 2. The Justice of God Psal 58.11 3. The solemn Funerals that be in all Nations When we go to a Burial we go to a lowing of seed 4. The Resurrection of Christ 1 Cor. 15.20 Facilius est restituere quà m constituere The First-fruits the Head the Husband is in heaven therefore the second fruits the members the Wife shall be there also Adde hereunto 1. Bonitas Dei Absit ut Deus manuum suarum operam ingenii sui curam afflatus sui vaginam libertatis suae haeredem testimonii sui militem Tertul. Spiritus sancti templum in aeternum destituat exitium 2. Exempla resurgentium in the Old and New Testament Christ raised up three The one in demo the daughter of Jairus the other in feretro the Widows son of Naim the third in sepulchro which was Lazarus when he began to stink These are praeludia nostrae resurrectionis 3. Dulcis titulus mortis 1 Thess 4.13 14. Joh. 11.12 The dead are but asleep Quaedam partes ab animantibus divulsae Zanard de gen corrup arte medici iterum reliquis uniuntur Imo D. Aug. super Psal 101. Refert à quibusdam traditum Pelicanum restro pullos suos occidere sed post seipsum sauciando sanguinem effundere eoque super pullos effuso eos ad vitam revocare Deus pari modo nuntium nobis mortem mittit ut ad vitam restauraret In Ireland there are birds called Martins as some write which if they be hung in a dry place when they are dead Grimst p. 34. they renew their feathers every year The husbandman prizeth as much the corn sowen in the field as that which is in the garner Tertul. Dies moritur in noctem tamen rursus cum suo cultu universo orbi reviviscit Hinc Job 17.12 Post tenebras spero lucem Fear not saith God to Jacob Gen. 46.4 to go down to Egypt for I will go down with thee and I will also surely bring thee up again The like may be said to every godly person going down to the grave All shall rise again good and bad Cain shall rise with the same hand wherewith he slew his brother Jezabel with the same body that was eaten up by the dogs Rabsekeh with the same tongue wherewith he railed on the God of Israel Judas with the same lips wherewith he traiterously betrayed our Saviour Christ Such like as these shall rise with horror of conscience But the godly that have stuck to Christ shall rise with comfortable consciences Sive comedo Hierom. sive bibo sive aliquid aliud facio semper vox illa terribilis sonat in auribus meis Surgite mortui venite ad judicium Marvel not at this Joh. 5.28 29. for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice And shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation Judicium Vltimum After the Resurrection comes Judgment Death were nothing if there were no Judgment The Assises were nothing if there were no Execution Dies judicii exinde probatur Si non sit judicium tum non est Deus justus Si non est Deus justus tum non est Deus si non Deus tum non est mundus si non sit mundus tum nulli sunt homines Sic ratione probatur Then shall be signes in the Sun The Sun of Righteousness appears in three signes Viz. 1. Leo Roaring in the Law as the people could not endure the voice thereof 2. Virgo Born of a Virgin in the Gospel 3. Libra Weighing our works in his ballance at the last and dreadful Audit Which Bernard uttered elegantly saying Christ comes three manner of ways Viz. 1. Ad homines 2. In homines 3. Contra homines Christ ha tha fourfold Exaltation and the last is the greatest Viz. In 1. Mount Tabor his Transfiguration 2. Jerusalem his Resurrection 3. Mount Olivet his Ascension 4. The Clouds his coming to Judgment If the Queen of Sheba condemned the men of that age how shall she condemn us She was a Queen and we but Subjects she left her kingdom and country we sit under our own vines under our own fig-trees in our own soil in our own country she came from the farthest part of the earth to Solomon but Christ cometh from heaven to see us she was moved only by his fame we both hear Christ in his Word and see him in his Sacraments she coming to Solomon brought presents Christ coming to us gives us rewards she came to behold Solomon a meer man but we may behold Christ God and Man A greater than Solomon greater in wisdom for never man spake as he did He did all things well therefore greater in might He made the deaf to hear the blind to see the lame to go c. never man did as he did Greater in Majesty for Solomon in all his royalty was but a type of our King coming in the clouds Without repentance surely this Queen shall arise up with a witness in judgment against us and condemn us at the dreadful day Poena damni poenalior est quà m poena sensus If Esau Erugiit clamore magno to see his younger brother Jacob to have got the blessing roared with a great cry out of measure how loud will the Reprobate roar when he shall behold the Saints figured in Jacob to have got the benediction of the Heavenly Father Venite benedicti If Belshazzar at the sight of an hand-writing against him which only concerned the losing of his temporal Kingdom was so changed in his look and troubled in his thoughts that the joints of his bones were loosed and his knees smote one against another how shall the Reprobate be perplexed in his wits and crossed in his will when he shall see and hear Christ thundring out against him Ite maledicti Memento 1. Peccati ut doleas 2. Mortis ut desinas 3. Divinae justitiae ut timeas 4. Misericordiae ne desperas Above all remember those four last things viz. 1. Death 2. Judgment 3. Heaven 4. Hell But the chiefest is Judgment for all the rest attend it Death is usher to Judgment going before and Hell the execution following after Death would not be so fearful if Judgment did not follow Hell would not be so painful if Judgment went not before Italians in great Thunder use to ring their Bells and
12. and from the guilt of original sin 2. They are confirmed in the joyful expectation of a perfect holinesse he that was so careful to have his natural body so exquisitely fitted will not certainly neglect his Mystical body the Church being bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh but will sanctifie and cleanse it that he may present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wricnkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Ephes 5.26 27. Therefore to make us so such an High-Priest became us who is holy harmlesse As our High-Prie st was thus in his original innocent so was he in the whole course of his life undefiled Men and Devils did indeed conspire to bring him within their compasse but could not prevail their guilded Pills of corruption plausible to flesh and blood could not be swallowed down of him his unblemisht foul was of a purer condition than that it should be infected by those foul spirits The Master of Sentences gives a double reason for it Lomb. Sent l. 3. 1. Because it was hypostatically united to the eternal Son of God 2. Because the Spirit was given unto him sine mensura without measure he was full of grace and truth John 1.14 Now it is a rule delivered by Romes Angelical Doctor that Quanto aliquid receptivum propinquius est causae influenti tanto abundantius recipit Aquin. by how much any that receiveth is more near to the flowing cause by so much doth it the more plentifully receive Wherefore the holinesse of our gracious Mediatour is such as being God and man inseperably that he could not possibly be defiled by actual sin The Apostle saith directly that he knew no sin that is experimentally in his own person he is called a Lamb undefiled and without spot Pilate that gave him over into the hands of sinners to be crucified ingeniously confest he could find no fault in him at all that good thief as a father calls him that was crucified with Christ made a good confession when he said We receive a due reward of our deeds but this man hath done nothing amisse hence there is added to his sacred name the title of righteous Jesus Christ the righteous 1 John 2.1 for the end why he came into the world was to fulfil all righteousnesse thereby to save sinners Qui caeteros salvos faceret debuit ibse peccato vitio carere saith Augustine Wherefore August Daniel 9. he is said to be the most holy and to have everlasting righteousness So that he gave most compleat and perfect obedience to the Law of God in every point applauded by a voice from heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased This actual righteousness void of all tincture of evil was not only for himself but was efficacious for us for as many as believe in him to the end of the world for Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 For this cause did the Prophet Jeremy foreshew the name whereby he should be called and that is THE LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNESSE Legis finis interficiens perficiens Aug. Jer. 23.6 This makes good that Apostolical assertion we read 2 Cor. 5.21 That he was made sinne for us that is a Sacrifice to expiate our sin who knew no finne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him So that we have as solid justification to life by his obedience as ever we were subject to death by Adams disobedience for as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one Rom. 5.19 shall many be made righteous From this Fountain of grace do flow those streams of peace like those in Paradise that make glad the City of our God Peace with God with our selves with men with all the creatures haven and earth are met together in a blessed league For in him it pleased the Father should all fulnesse of divine graces dwell and by him to reconcile all things to himself by him I say whether they be things in heaven or things in earth Col. 1.20 This serves also for another purpose to be a pattern for our imitation to be holy as he is holy to be undefiled members of that body whereof he is the head to walk before him and be upright with Abraham that believed in him The title of Christian which we all have by him should make us so to adhere to him in a conformity to his life Vt quia sine ipso nihil esse possumus per ipsum possimus esse quod dicimur that because without him we can be nothing by him we may be in truth what we are said to be the words are Bernards I must tell you what Saint Peter told them to whom he wrote his first Epistle Bern. 1 Pet. 2 9. Vilelatens viâ—tus quid â—â—m submeâ—sa tâ—vebris Proderit c. Claud. ye are a chosen generation a royal Priesthood a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the vertues or praises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of him who hath called you out of darnesse into his marvellous light They are the words of Gregory the great in his Epistle to Theodorus Duke of Sardinia Justitiam quam mente geritis oportet coram heminibus luce operum demonstretis the integrity or righteousness ye bear in your mind ye ought besure to express and shew it before men by the light of works which doth justly accord with our Saviours mind Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in heaven The greatest light in the firmament of the Church which is the heaven upon earth Hierom said that he did deligere Christum habitantem in Augustino is Christ himself the light of the lesser lights is but borrowed from him not to be concealed but to be seene to the eyes of the world after the example of the greatest light who hath lest us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 And believe me none are blessed but they alone that with our undefiled High-Priest are in some measure undefiled in the way who after him walk in the Law of the Lord. Ye shall hear how Saint Bernard on the Canticles Censures him that doth not frame his life to the obedience of the Gospel of Christ Dignus plane est morte Bern. in Cant. qui tibi Christe vecusat rivere he is without all doubt worthy of death who denies O Christ to live to thee Good reason then it is that we who are the redeemed of the Lord washed in his blood should in an honourable respect of our potent Redeemer conform our selves to the like strickt godly life he did and not to wallow in the sordid sins of the damned crue from which that we might be withdrawn according to the working of his mighty power Such an High-Priest
became us For our better assurance of our High-Priests original and actual righteousness whereby he was harmless and undefiled he was being planted in a noble height seperate from sinners not but that he did communicate of the same common nature with all men but not of their guilt which is a necessary consequent of the violation of the heavenly law for where there is no transgression there is no guilt which is a binding over the offendor to receive a deserved puishment 'T is true One of those natural notions the Devil could never blot out of mans mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the punishment due to sinners was transfer'd to him but by his own voluntary submission thereunto as not for any sin of his own committing so without any guilt of his own contracting for had he been guilty before God the just Judge of all the world he could never be a propitiation for the sins of the whole world he could never satisfie the provoked justice of the Almighty thereby to appease his wrath and effect an eternal reconciliation betwixt him and us he could never obtain the free remission of our sins whereby to bring us into grace again neither were his intercession for transgressors any way available being subject to the same condemnation As he could not give a sufficient ransome for the redemption of mankind by the sacrificing of himself were he conscious of those crimes whereof sinners are So neither would his supplications prevail to benefit us for we know that God heareth not sinners Joh. 9.31 Wherefore to remove all rubs out of the way that might hinder his faithful execution of the Priestly function in all its parts and that there might no question be made of an absolute impetration and procurement of salvation to be confer'd upon as many as do beleave in him and obey him to the end he was as in respect of sin so in respect of guilt seperate from sinners This seperation was not local or in regard of place he dwelt among us and came to call sinners to repentance but vertuall in relation to his unstained condition and those divine qualities where with be was replemisht and whereof sinful men during their abode in the flesh are altogether uncapable By this means all his moral actions done in obedience to the supream authority which were infallible tokens of his inwrad pureness were meritorious for us Such is their unparalell'd worth that though them for the Authors lake the father is become propitions unto men Insomuch as for our everlasting comfort I may speak it Christ Jesus our high-Priest is able to save them to the utmost that come unto God by him Now there remaines no more but that with David we betake our selves to him q. d. abseis ergo ut de islâ—s quisquiliis sim anxius Beza with the words of the same King Now Lord what wait we for our hope it even in thee Psal 39.7 Our hope is in thee to take off from us the weight of our sins our hope is in thee to suppresse the dominion of death our hope is in thee to deliver us from the Tyranny of the Prince of darknesse and to bring us reconcil'd into the highest place where thy honour dwelleth where thou are made higher than the heavens Thus am I happily devolved to the speculation of the dignity to which our high-Priest as became both him and us is above all heavens advanced After our Saviours humiliation there followed his exaltation for as he descended from heaven to earth so when he had finisht what he came for he ascended from earth to heaven returning to the place whence he came Albeit he endured many a fierce combate here yet having at length obtained the victory be went in triumph leading captivity captive to the place of his glory Ascendit ad Caloâ— Ruffin in Symbol Apostel non ubi verbum Deus anté non fuerat sed ubi verbum care factum ante non sederas Saith Ruffinus he went up into heaven not where the Word that was made God never was before but where the Word made flesh never sate before Something was to be done above by the man Christ Jesus when glorified as well as here below when humbled This was the place for oblation specially but that for perpetuall intercession Here he died for our sins but rose again for our justification Ephes 4.10 and ascending up on high fitteth in Majestie at the right hand of God making intercession for us that so he might fulfil all things all things requisite for the salvation of man that were to be expected from a Mediatour So that now he is declared mightily not onely to be the onely Son of God but to be our High-Priest for ever In being made higher than the heavens Earth which is his foot-stoole was no fit place for his glorious presence but his throne which is heaven For had he taken up his rest here for ever then had he not entred into the holyest of all not of this building but eternal in the heavens Now that he entred but once for all unto this whereas the Priests of Aarons order entred once annually into the sepond Tabernacle which was within the vaile called the most holy place 't is an argument of the perfection of his Priesthood of the imperfection of theirs for as it is Heb. 9.24 Christ is not entred into the holy place made with hands which are the figures of the true but into heaven it self to appear in the presence of God for us having obtained eternal redemption What Priest of what order soever beside him ever came to this height Who as he hath done ever paid such a price as the eternal redemption of the wicked is worth Or by their own power passed into heaven to appear as an Advocate to plead in the be half of sinners we find none but this we find First that hereby the world sin death the grave and hell are past peradventure overcome he remained not under their dominion but when brought to the lowest â—â—be of a wretched estate up he gets again and gets all power both in heaven and earth Mat. 2.18 to be given to him So that better may this King of Kings say than the King of Spain Sol mihi semper lucet for he is Catholick Monarch Secondly hereby he hath opened the gates of heaven for all beleevers and made way for them to God wherein he hath shewed himself to be our Priest abundantly for if the were on earth he should not be a Priest saith the Authour to the Hebrewes Cap. 8.4 for if he had not gone before us it is impossible sin lying so heavily upon us we should have admission into his presence in which there is fullness of joy foâ— evermore but now he is there to prepare immortal mansions for them that come to him whereby they may dwell with him in happiness There saith Anselme Infirmitas Anselm de similitudin bus
body whereof Christ is the head Be we then exhorted as sensible of being in the presence of God to the love one of another which as learned Scaliger defines it Appetitus unionis Scaliger Exercitation a desire and inclination to a quiet union Charity is the soveraign preservative of peace and nothing makes us more like God than it saith one As all things are fill'd with his goodness so the universal is partaker of the good mans spreading love Let me also dehort from malice and envie which is a grand enemy to peace Invidia siculi non invenere Tyranni majut tormentum the Sicilian tyrants never invented a more cruel a more cursed torment Give it no countenance no harbour for it ever thirsteth after revenge and attributes to it self what belongs to God vengeance It is like Vipers wine which being drunk will never leave working until it discover it self and those intestine humours that depend upon it by stirring up strifes for hatred stirreth up strifes Prov. 10.12 Pliny Nat. Hist lib. 8. cap. 28. Mark the monstrous nature of this unnatural humour whereas all plants and other creatures have their growth and increase to a period and then their declination and decay except only the Crocodile Dalington in his Aphorism who ever groweth bigger and bigger even till death as Plinie did observe So saith ingenious Dalington have all passions and perturbations in the mind of man their intentions and remissions increase and decrease except only malicious revenge for this the longer it lasteth the stronger it waxeth and worketh still even when the maligne humour of avarice and ambition are setled or spent And would you know how this Crocodile-like sin growes bigger and bigger I will tell you It is Galens observation Galenus ' that when a humour is strong and predominant it not only converteth his proper nutriment but even that which is apt for contrary humours into its own nature and quality Of like force is this strong and wilful vice it not only feeds upon agreeable motions but makes even those reasons which are strongest against it to be most for it and so swells immeasurably big If therefore any one be troubled with this malady whereby this peace of Christians is disquieted I will give him a receipt of a medicine taken out of St. Cyprian which will cure him Venena fellis evome Cypr. lib. de Zelo livere discordiarum virus exclude purgetur mens quam serpentinus livor infecerat amaritudo omnis qua intus insederat Christi dulcedine leniatur Disgorge thy self of the poyson of thy gall cast out the venome of discords purge thy mind which is infected with serpentine envie and let all bitternesse which setled in thy heart be gently mittigated with the sweetnesse with the meeknesse of Christ Jesus It is the voice of God Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart Levit. 19.17 1 Joh. 3.15 Eph. 4.31 32 Homo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nec minum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tremelius of Cranmer he that hateth his brother is a murderer and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him This may somewhat satiate and allay the boiling heat of a revengeful mind Lest then this sin kill your souls following the Apostles counsel let all bitternesse and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice and be ye kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even at God for Christs sake hath forgiven you For Christs sake then in the bowels of compassion forgive and forget all offences Cyprian 1. Forgive Demittentur tibi debita quando ipse dimiseris accipientur sacrificia cum pacificus ad Deum veneris saith Cyprian Thy sins shall be forgiven thee of God when thou forgivest other thy sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving shall be acceptable to the Almighty when thou shalt come peaceably before him Xenophon No mercy shall be shewed to them that shew no mercy 2. Forget Xenophon reports of Trasibulus that after he recovered his countrey he ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a forgetfulness of all injuries as indeed not worth keeping in mind the part truly of a generous spirit and heroick disposition which may well befit the best Christian to imitate O let Abrahams speech to Lot beget in every one of us ever hereafter a well grounded resolution of preserving peace Let there be no strife between me and thee for we be brethren saith he Religion tyes us beside reason to keep and maintain the Kings peace on earth if we will have the peace of Kings in heaven I have read of one Archidamus being chosen to decide a controversie between two that disagreed being sworn to stand to his judgment I lay this injunction upon you that neither of you depart this place until ye be reconciled to each other The like charge I lay on all Chistians by authority from heaven that at least ye depart not this life but in peace having your hearts cleansed from the leaven of malice and hypocrisie and filled with Christian amity and brotherly love I charge you as Joseph did his brethren at their departure from him see that ye fall not out by the way Ye are in the way to heaven go close together as hand in hand so heart in heart until you come to your journeys end heaven Now for a conclusion of the point I will use the same prayer for you which Paul did for the Thessalonians 1 Thes 3.12 The Lord make you to encrease and to abound in love one towards another and towards all men And thus much concerning Civil peace The second is Ecclesi astical the peace of the Church which is interrupted either by Heresie or Schisme Gal. 1.8 9. the one breeding dissention in Doctrine the other disorder in Discipline Against the authors and upholders of the first Saint Paul hath pronounced an Anathema If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received let him be accursed Against the abettors of the second it is his judicial and Apostolical sentence seperate them from among you As faction divides so infection devours the Church of God if not prevented We who are Messengers of peace ought to walk like Paul and Titus Eodem spiritu iisdem vestigiis in the same spirit touching faith in the same steps touching good life Acts 4.32 It was reported of the Beleevers that they were all of one mind and one heart Oh! I would to God that all of us that bring the message of peace in our mouths who should be the sons of peace and brethren of unity were so affected as to suppresse all pragmatical dispositions in us Beleeve me my brethren fiery spirits apter for innovation than administration become not the servants of Christ Jesus The principles of Religion which Hereticks call into question are infallible grounds where on we should build our faith not disputable points
of such difficulty that if he withdraw the supporting assistance of his active Spirit from us we cannot hold out Do we preach 't is as the Spirits gives us utterance do we pray the Spirit helpeth our infirmities do we beleeve he increaseth our faith and helps our unbelief do we live the life of grace Christ liveth in us by his Spirit Are we constant in our profession and holy exercises of Religion that constancy cometh from above by the effectual working of the divine power In all these his grace is sufficient for us and in doing them his Spirit worketh with us Thus much concerning Gods good will towards men expressed in spiritual matters As for his good will in temporal it is as clear as the sun we need no demonstration But because the extraordinary favours of God may not slip out of our memories think upon our deliverance from that intended invasion in eighty eight how that part of the invaders became as weak as water and part were over whelmed in the depths of the sea alive like Pharaoh and his host Think upon that horrid work of darkness the Gunpowder plot how vain the conspiratours were in their imaginations The Lords stretched out arme overcame the one his all-seeing eye discovered the other See thy RegÃna Dierum and by his Providence were both brought to nothing Think upon the Stupendious works of Divine Providence in the wonderful safegarding and happy restoring of our gracious King to which I have abundantly spoken upon occasion Without doubt all these and infinite more are sensible tokens of Gods good will in Christ toward us Wherefore 1. We may with comfort confidently approach to the throne of grace where we may receive of the Father whatsoever we ask in his Sons name for for his sake he will deny us no good thing seeing that in him he beares good will toward us Thus much the occasion of this text may assure us of which is the incarnation and birth of our Saviour It being the foundation of all our joyes and all good things we enjoy By it God comforts Adam the seed of the woman shall break the serpents head Jacob is comforted by the vision of a ladder reaching from heaven to earth and the Angels ascending and descending by it the mystery whereof may be this The ladder is Christ the foot of it on earth noteth his humanity man of the substance of his mother born in the world the top reaching to heaven noteth his divinity Job 19.25 God of the substance of his Father begotten before all worlds perfect God and perfect man by which union of natures he hath joined earth and heaven together that is God and man The going up and down of Angels by the ladder sheweth how by Christ the service of Angels is purchased unto us all which accordeth with that in Joh. 1.51 Verily verily I say unto you faith our Saviour hereafter ye shall see the heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man Job again comforts himself in this that his Redeemer of his own flesh as the word signifieth liveth In the Old Testament they which sought to God came to the Ark or Propitiatory and there were they heard and received Gods blessing Now Christ God and man is instead thereof his Godhead being the fountain of all good things and his flesh or Manhood a pipe or conduit to conveigh the fame unto us Wherefore let us rejoyce in God our Saviour and comfort our selves in his good will towards men Moreover 2. We may the better bear temptations and afflictions and slight the assaults of the world That which in Spaniards deserveth the greatest commendations is an unmoved patience in suffering adversity accompanied with a settled resolution of overcoming them This if we attain unto in Christianity will shield us from despair and distrust for we may be well assured that God to his distressed servants is the neerest when he seemeth furthest then sweetest when he seemeth sowrest and then up in wrath to revenge our wrongs when the world doth think he hath forgot us For still he beares goad will towards us Lastly we must acknowledge Gods good will through Christ to be the sole cause of all our happiness It is a true Maxime in Divinity Publisht in Austins time Vniversa salus nostra Aug. Ned. Cap. 34. magna miserecordia tua Our safety on earth our salvation in heaven proceed from thy abundant mercies O Lord. Thus the Father the Son and the holy Ghost do all join together in one immutable resolution to prove their good will towards men The issue whereof cannot be but exceeding good For as Astronomers do well observe that when three of the superiour lights do meet in conjunction it bringeth forth some admirable effects So now seeing that these three infinite lights of the world three persons of the Deity are met together in one good-will towards men this benevolous aspect produceth this admirable effect that all true beleevers shall be hereby exalted into glory For which with thankful hearts we ought ever to pay the tribute of obedience And in assurance whereof to rest in Gods promises which can never faile In his name I end as I did begin To whom as the Angels did before us and duty ever binds us be rendred all honour and glory both now and for ever Amen The Necessity of CHRISTS PASSION AND Resurrection ACTS 17.3 Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead I Am induced by these words to relate the greatest wonder of the world wherein is comprehended the profoundest Mystery of our salvation That the Son of God should become the Son of man that the Lord of glory should come in the forme of an humble and dejected servant that the Sun of righteousnesse should be deprived of light and then that the sole Author of our life should be put to death Weigh but the reason and the wonder is the greater It was for our redemption all this was effected and can there be a greater wonder then that he that knew no sin would putting on mortality suffer unutterable tortures both in soul and body and be content to die to save those that knew nothing but sin certainly there cannot be a greater wonder The most professed enemy to sinners herein did become to sinners the most professed friend He is ready to save who might be more ready to destroy But mercy binds the hands of justice and justice is overcome of mercy The eternal wisdome beholding from above with the gracious eye of pay the forlorne estate of mankind after their apostasy and treacherous violation of the sacred Covenant contrived a project not to be contrived by the Art of man whereby our Redemption should be wrought and liberty obtained Gods love to us did exceed our sins Our sins are not so great are not so many but his love can cover them and his mercy pardon them And where men come
Christian Reader I Have perused the greatest part of this Body of Divinity and find that the Learned and Reverend Author hath so mingled Utile Dulce together that it cannot but in many respects minister much benefit and delight to the Readers of it The Variety of the Matters the Brevity of each Particular the Holiness and Orthodoxy of Doctrine the Delicacy of Choise and Curious Notions the many accurate Collections out of learned Writers Philosophical Historical Theological are such as rendred it to me like a large Botanick garden wherein there are Fruits for the Palate Simples for the Health Flowers for the Eye Rarities for the Curious Walks for Recreation Arbors for Refreshment something or other to please and entertain every comer Or like a Jewel made up of many Diamonds where each little stone contributeth to the beauty and sparkling of the whole There is scarce any subject of Divinity or Morality concerning which we may not here find some elegant Strictures The whole composure of the Work being not intended for a large full and close Tractation of the Subjects therein contained but for a Collection of sundry wholsom and delightful Observations gathered together like Pearls in a Bracelet or Suckets in a Banquet to adorn the Argument and delight the Reader I shall say of it what the Scripture saith of the Land of Canaan that it is full of Milk and Honey and hath in it many Beds of Spices which with their fragrancy and sweetness cannot but refresh and recreate the minds of the Readers So variously hath the Lord distributed his Gifts for the service of his Tabernacle that some bring Wood and Skins some Sîlver and Gold some Blue and Purple some Scarlet and fine Linnen some Onyx and Precious stones some of which Materials are compacted into one Body and Frame others serve for Embroidery and Beauty All for the sanctity and glory of the whole So Christ divideth the spoils of Men as David did those of the Nations and consecrateth them to the uses of his Temple making one mans Judgment and Reason anothers Wit and Fancy anothers Memory and Reading anothers Oratory and Eloquence to be variously useful to the Edification of his Church and Glory of his Name Whereunto let all of us endeavour sincerely to consecrate both our selves and all that measure of Talents and enjoyments wherewith the Lord hath intrusted us Thine in our Common Saviour EDW. NORWICH SYNTAGMA THEOLOGICVM OR A TREATISE Wherein is concisely comprehended THE Body of Divinity AND THE FVNDAMENTALS of RELIGION Orderly Discussed Î Ïολογοσ The Prologue DIVINITY or inspired Philosophy Theologia est scientia vel sapientia rerum divinarum divinitus revelata ad Dei gloriam rationâ—lium creaturarum Salutem Walaeus in lâ—â— Commun is as the Haven or Sabbath of all mans contemplations It differeth from all other sciences for although they be busied about man as physick for the health of his body Ethicks for his civil conversation c. Yet none of them leads him to the consideration of his Maker Besides Divinity passeth for the most part from the material and formal cause and thinketh upon the efficient and final the first and the last cause And so while other sciences are either plunged in the baseness of the matter or curiously search into the forms of things which can hardly be known the Divine is carried back to the contemplation of the first cause to eternity and to the last cause in eternity which are the only comfortable meditations Divinity is the book of Gods Word Philosophy the book of Gods Works For Natural Theology is that knowledge or rudiment of knowledge concerning God which may be obtained by the contemplation of his Creatures which knowledge may be termed truly Divine in respect of the object and natural in respect of the light The bounds of this knowledge are that it suffiâ—eth to convince Atheism but not to inform Religion Hence there was never miracle wrought to convince an Atheist because the light of nature might have led him to confess a God But the Idolaters and Superstitious had need of miracles because no light of nature extendeth to declare the Will and true Worship of God Gods works shew his wisdom and power not his image and therefore never honoured with the title of Gods image but only the work of his hands The contemplations of man do either penetrate to God or are circumfer'd to nature or are reflected or reverted upon himself Out of which several inquiries there do arise three knowledges 1. Divine Philosophy 2. Natural Philosophy 3. And Humane Philosophy or Humanity for all things are marked and stamped with this triple character 1. The power of God 2. The difference of nature 3. And the use of man Now out of the contemplation of nature or ground of humane knowledge to induce any verity or perswasion concerning the points of faith is not safe Da fidei quae fidei sunt For the Heathens themselves conclude as much in that excellent and divine Fable of the Golden Chain That mea and gods were not able to draw Jupiter down to the earth but contrarywise Jupiter was able to draw them up to heaven So as we ought not to attempt to draw down or submit the mysteries of God to our reason but contrarywise to raise and advance our reason to the divine Truth Cullen Div. It is most apparent that Aristotle though stiled Natures chief Secretary and by those Divines who set forth a Book concerning his Salvation Christs forerunner in Naturals Metaphys l. 1. 12. as John Baptist had been in Super-naturals yet writes many things most absurdly concerning God which I list not to recite And I greatly fear for what have I to do to judge that is too true which a cleer head hath said concerning him and others of his Tribe Quantò doctiores tantò nequiores viz. The wiser they were the vainer they were and the further from God and his Kingdom their learning hung in their light Eth. l. 7. c. 3 4. and served but to light them into utter darkness Yea Aristotle confesseth the disability of moral knowledge to rectifie the intemperance of nature which he also confirmed in his own practice I guess this to be one reason why Tertullian saith That the Philosophers were the Patriarchs of the Hereticks Not but that there is an excellent and necessary use of Philosophy which is a gift of God and a great help to Divinity called by some her Hand-maid But captious subtilties and Sophismes or the measuring of Heavenly mysteries by natural reason these are to be avoided as vain deceits idle speculations and aëry nothings Hence the Apostle saith Rom. 1.21 22 23. They became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned Professing themselves to be wise they became fools And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God 1 Cor. 2.14 into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and
fourfooted beasts and creeping things For the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God Col. 2.8 for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Therefore beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ It is concluded then that to seek Divinity in Philosophy is to seek the living amongst the dead even as to seek Philosophy amongst Divinity is to seek the dead amongst the living For certainly it is not a natural knowledge either by the notions imprinted in mans mind whereby the conscience is convinced or by the consideration of the creatures that is sufficient unto salvation though enough to leave us without exuse But it must be the revealed knowledge that which is attained by the Word of God wherein God though he dwell in the light which none can attain unto yet hath revealed himself so far as he saw sit son us to understand We shall therefore make the written Word of God the man of our counsel in this present undertaking And seeing the Globe of Divinity parts it self into two hemispheres 1. Credenda 2. Agenda The things we are to know and believe Joh. 13.17 Objectum Theologia religio religion is Deus Armin. in disp theol Thes 1. parag 4. and the things we are to do and perform so said the Doctor of the Chair If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them We shall have respect unto both Seeing also that the prime and chief place of Divinity is concerning God I shall begin with him who is without either beginning of days or end of life Heb. 11.6 For he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Joh. 17.3 And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent De Deo THere is no Nation under Heaven so barbarous but yields that there is a God It is much ado for Atheism to find a perfect and continual assent in mans heart Some ruines of this truth do still remain in him since the fall And although he may deny all by day his conscience will make him startle by night Protagoras doubted whether there was a God therefore was banished by the Athenians And Diagoras denied flatly that there was a God But leave we such persons to the consure of the Scripture The fool hath said in his heart There is no God The Philosophers I except not the Epicures did with one consent affirm there is a God They called him Nomine Deum Naturâ Spiritum Psal 14.1 Ordine causam primam Perfectione ens divinissimum Motione motorem primum But knew him not Hence Atheniensium Altaris inscripto Deo ignoto Arguments to prove there is a God viz. 1. Consent of the Heathen and confession of all Nations 2. Instinct of nature and natural propensity to worship a God 3. Confession of Atheists themselves 4. Difference and conscience of good and evil received of all 5. The Creation of the World great and little 6. His Providence and the order of things 7. His judgements over some particular men Quid est totus mâ—ndus nisi Dèus explicatus Kingdoms and Common-wealths especially the four Monarchies Quiequid vides quicquid non vides Deus est Whatsoever thou seest and whatsoever thou seest not is God That is all things visible and invisible do express unto thee a Deity and lead thee as by the hand to contemplate heavenly spiritual and eternal things God is known Ex postico tergo lices non ex â—â—tieâ â—aâ—is By his effects adextra though not his Essence ad intra Seculum est speculum Ramus the creation of the world is a glass Rom. 1.20 wherein saith St. Paul we may behold his eternal power and Godhead Which the Divine Poet Paraphrastically Du Bart. The World 's a School where in a general Story God alway reads dumb Lectures of his Glory Every simple man that cannot read may notwithstanding spell that there is a God St. Austin having gone thorow all creatures Solilâ—quiis and seeing in them the Characters of the God-head imprinted and seriously inquiring of them for God Not one or two but all made him this answer with an audible voice Non sum ego sed per ipsum sum ego quem quaris in me I am not he but by him I am whom thou seekest in me It was a good Speech of him who being asked What God was answered Si scirem Deus essem If I knew that I should be a God It far exceedeth the reach of reason and is above created capacity we may stand at gaze and be agast and that is the nearest that we poor finite foolish creatures can approach towards the comprehension of so infinite a Being Dei nomen mirabile nomen Dionysius Omnium supremus altissimorum altissimus Isa 57.17 super omne nomen sed sine nomine Deus est circulus cujus centrum est ubique circumferentia verò nusquam As God is without quality so without quantity Altior est coelo profundior inferno latior terrâ mari diffusior Nusquam est ubique est Deus magnus est sed sine quantitate bonus sed sine qualitate at verò à nobis magnum sine quantitate bonum sine qualitate directe plenè concipi est impossibile Contineâ— omnia tamen non continetur ab aliquo Three ways the Schools mention of knowing of God or rather somthing of God Per viam 1. Causalitatis The prime supreme and universal cause of all good whatsoever 2. Eminentiae Attributing to God whatsoever perfection or worth is in any or all the creatures And that as being in him after a more eminent manner 3. Remotionis When denying of him whatever imperfection and defect is observable in the creature A taste of all these the Apostle giveth us 1 Joh. 1.5 This then is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you That God is light and in him is no darkness at all It is subtilly observed by Picus Mirandula That in the Creation of the world God gave the water to the fishes the earth to the beasts the air to the fowls heaven to the Angels And after all these were bestowed he made man according to his own likeness and image That he might say with the Prophet Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee Aug. Tract in Johan Si esuris panis tibi est si sitis aqua tibi est si in tenebris es lumen est c. Habet omnia qui habet habentem omnia 1 Cor. 8.5 6. For though there be that are called whether in heaven or in earth as there be gods
bound giving life to others losing his own being crucified slew Satan on the Cross and through death destroyed the Devil the Authour of destruction There is but one only Saviour because the Gospel proclaims it One only way to salvation whereby Abraham became righteous and the Patriarchs Apostles and Prophets entred Heaven One Lord one Faith one Baptism In him alone was fulfilled all that was spoken of the Messiah He only satisfied Gods Justice by a punishment which could be infinite for so is God or equal to infinite for so was Christ though for time finite yet for value infinite which no other Creature ought not could ought not if it be not the soul that sinned could not because Gods wrath is unquenchable Angels could not do it they are incarnate and finite our selves could not we are carnal sold under sin He alone was God and Man 1. Man that sin might be punished in the nature offending yet man without sin to fulfill all righteousness 2. God 1. To bear the burden of Gods wrath 2. To vanquish sin death hell and Satan 3. To restore life and righteousness to Man He must be Man for Mans Redemption but not sinful Man for Mans salvation He alone could perform the Office of a Saviour internally and externally 1. Internally illuminating our minds with faith hope and charity 2. Externally in Doctrine and Works He alone took away the sins of the World His blood alone was paid to God the Father as the price of our Redemption God only was our Creditor ours the debt and Jesus the Pay-master who gave himself for us to God and blotted out the hand-writing that was against us The Devils ordinary way of driving to despair is by shewing a man his sin but not his Saviour Joseph of Arimathea first begged the body of Jesus and then laid it in a new Sepulchre so should we and then lay him in a new heart If a man will have his Beloved he must part with his Beloved if he will have his beloved Saviour he must part with his beloved sin Dulce nomen Jesus In Cant. Serm. 15. sayes Bernard Mel in ore melos in aure jubilus in corde Honey in the mouth melody in the ear joy and exultation in the heart Melius mihi non esse Medit. Cap. 39. sayes Austin quà m sine Jesu esse melius est non vivere quà m vivere sine vitâ I had rather be in Hell with Jesus than in Heaven without Jesus if it were possible Joshua which was a Type of Christ hath the same name with our Saviour Christ yet in a diverse manner Joshua was a Saviour for them in temporal things Christ in spiritual and eternal things He saved them from the Canaanites earthly enemies Christ from sin death hell and Satan spiritual enemies He gave them a Land flowing with milk and honey in this World Christ gives us an everlasting habitation a celestial Paradise in the World to come She shall bring forth a Son Matth. 1.21 and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins 1 Thes 1.10 Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come Neither is there salvation in any other Acts 4.12 for there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Let it be here noted that the very name Jesuite savoureth of blasphemous arrogancy One of their own gives the reason because our Saviour hath communicated unto us the thing signified by the name Christ but not by the name Jesus But we see also their nature in their 1. Craft and 2. Cruelty The Jesuites have a device at this day in handling Texts of Scripture by their nice distinctions to perplex and obscure the clearest places and for those that are doubtful not at all to distinguish or illustrate them Again in points of controversie they make a great puther about that which we deny not but say little or nothing to the main business Besides how have they formerly for a long time shut or rolled up the Book of the holy Scriptures yea and cast them under foot using in the mean time the Fathers Scholasticks In primâ regulâ tradunt Papae Romani vocem no◠aliter ac Christi Sermonem audiendam esse Sententiaries Canonists Legends c. And since this Book of God began again to be opened how have they laboured to roll it up again questioning the Authority thereof not accounting the same to be Divine but as it is confirmed by the judgment of the Church that is of the pope For thus they expresly write That in it there is so much of the Deity as the Popes Church attributes unto it neither ought God to be believed but because of the Church A Jesuite hath peace in his mouth war in his heart He courteth with the smooth tongue of an Harlot when either he hath poyson in his cup or Powder-plots in his head They say their weapons are prayers and tears but see the contrary The truth is they are the Popes Blood-hounds Simulata sanctitas duplex iniquitas trusting more to the prey than to their prayers They strive under pretence of long prayers and dissembled sanctity which is double iniquity to subdue all to the Pope and the Pope to themselves These shall receive the greater damnation Matth. 23.14 The name Christ signifieth Anointed the oyle wherewith he was anointed is called the oyle of gladness Kimchi Quia totus mundus in unctione Christi ejus missione laetabitur because the whole World should be cheared up by the Unction and Mission of Messiah He received the Spirit without measure that of his fulness we might all receive and grace for grace righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost That none of any Degree Calling Condition or Countrey are excluded from partaking of Christ it is well taken notice of that the place of Christs Birth was Domus publici juris not a private House but an Inne which is open for all Passengers and that not in a Chamber but the Stable which is the commonest place of the Inne Besides the Superscription upon his Cross was written in Hebrew Greek Cyril Theoph. and Latine the three languages that were best known and most used all the World over Moreover the Cross it self was erected not within the City but without the Gate to intimate saith Leo Vt Crux Christi non Templi effet Ara Leo. sed Mundi That it was not an Altar of the Temple but the World However this we are sure is Gods Truth That there is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female but all are one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.28 Christ is the Way the Truth and the Life 1. Via in Exemplo Bern. 2. Veritas in Promisso 3. Vita in Praemio Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Hebr. 13.8 Christ is idem
goodness to us upon whom the glorious light of the Gospel shineth The vail remaineth untaken away 2 Cor. 3.14 18 Mat. 13.16 17 in reading of the Old Testament But we all with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord. Blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear For verily I say unto you That many Prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things Which ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them Of Scripture-Interpretation ROgo Greg. Ratio divina in medullá non in supersicie Tert. non verbum ex verbo sed sensum ex sensu transferte quia plerunque dum proprietâ—s verborum attenditur sensuum virtus amittitur Greg. Epist ad Aristobolum That is a false Exposition which is 1. Praeter fundamentum veritatis when it agrees not with the place treated of but is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliena à proposito 2. Prater fundamentum salutiis when it is not only beside the verity but beside the foundation Christ 3. Circa fundamentum salutis when it weakneth the foundation 4. Contra fundamentum salutis when it raseth the foundation not keeping to the head Christ True interpretation is that which is super fundamentum upon the foundation Hence the Jewish Doctors were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 builders Aedificantes because they were bound to build upon the foundation That there are no real though seeming contradictions Epiphan Epiphanius doth illustrate by this comparison When a man is drawing water out of a deep Well with two vessels of a different metal the water if a man look into the Well as it is coming up will seem to be of a different colour but as it comes nearer and nearer to him the diversity of colours vanisheth and the water in both vessels appears to be of one colour and when we taste it is hath the same relish So although at first sight there may seem to be some contradiction in the holy Scriptures yet when we better consider of it we shall find no contrariety at all but a perfect harmony The Scriptures are difficult 1. In respect of seeming Contradictions 2. Because clothed with dark Phrases Parables c. 3. Because of Prophecies to come not yet fulfilled 4. Because of some places in the Old Testament quoted in the New either not to be found or not in that sense 5. Because of different acceptations of one and the same word The reason of this obscurity is 1. To humble proud man that thinks to know Omne scibile 2. To put a difference between Earth and Heaven 3. To make us painful 4. To shew what need we have of the Ministery Act. 8.30 31. No man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in heavenly literature Well saith one He that here is Scholar to himself hath a Fool to his Master Helps to understand the Scripture 1. Pray 2. Read reverently 3. Practise what we know One said The way to understand the difficulty in Pauls Epistle to the Romans Nunquam Pauli sensum ingredieris nisi Pauli spiritum imbiberis Bern. ad cap. 12. was to practise the plain precepts from thence usque ad finem It is said that Origen was the first that wrote Commentaries upon the holy Scripture The Inditer of Scripture is the best Expositor thereof for he knows four things which no man attains to know Viz. 1. The mysteries of Heaven 2. The perfection of the Laws of Nature 3. The secrets of the heart of man 4. The future succession of Ages 2 Pet. 1.20 No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation Of Gods Fore-knowledge and Decree Praescientia NOn est causa futurorum eventuum Prasâ—iâ—ntia Dei est coâ—â—oscitiva non câ—â—saâ—ivâ— Orig. Pro hoc doctissimè satis amplè argumentatur Origen In Genes Prescience or Foreknowledge in God is to be considered Largely or Strictly In the former sense it notes the whole act of Preordination in the latter the Knowledge of God preceding in order the appointment to the end And thus by the Schoolmen it is distributed into Absolute and Special The first is that by which God from eternity doth know all things simply and absolutely The latter is that by which God not only knoweth the Elect as he knoweth other things but acknowledgeth them for his and loves them above all others This is called the Knowledge of approbation Consider it now in the former sense that is as absolute Foreknowledge And there is difference between Providence Predestination and Prescience for Providence reacheth to all that God would do Predestination only to the counsel of God about reasonable creatures but Prescience reacheth unto all things to be done either by God or any other and so to Sins Now we are not able to express the manner of this divine knowledge unless it be by way of negation that is by denying to God those ways of knowledge which are in the creatures and do note imperfection For God doth not know things 1. By sense These things are spoken of God metaphorically or by an Anthropopathy 2. Nor by opinion or conjecture for that is neither certain nor evident 3. Nor by faith for that comes by relation and report of others 4. Nor by Art for that must be by defining dividing compounding comparing reasoning c. 5. Nor successively for God knows all things in one view and not one after another 6. But by his Essence by a way more excellent above all Men and Angels by a knowledge most true certain evident and perfect Produce your cause Isa 41.21 22 23. saith the Lord bring forth your strong reasons saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth and shew us what shall happen let them shew the former things What they be that we may consider them and know the latter end of them Isa 42.9 or declare us things for to come Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that ye are gods Behold the former things are come to pass and now things do I declare before they spring forth I tell you of them Decretum Gods Decree is both unsearchable and inevitable Zech. 6. Diviâ—um confilium dâ—m devitatur impletur Greg. compared to mountains of brass which the Poets hammer'd at in their Inelâ—ctabile fatum as they called it Gods decrees lie hid till they come to execution They run as a river under-ground till they break out and shew themselves Only when he hath once signified his will then we understand it which before lay hid from us that is to use tho Prophets phrase when the chariots come out from between the mountains of brass when the event declareth what was the immutable Decree of God The Decree of God is so far from calling us off from that it obligeth us to the use of all due means For the life of the body The absoluteness
and irrevocability of Gods decrees concerning the number of our days doth not disengage us from the use of means and second helps for the continuance and lengthening of them Man must not say God hath decreed how long I shall live therefore I need not take any care of my life this were to resist the Command of God while we think we submit to his Decree whereas indeed all the commands of God are subordinate and ministerial to the fulfilling of his decrees Will any man say God hath determined my days which I cannot pass therefore when I am hungry I will not eat when I am sick Hominum excusationes sunt Dei tentationes I will not take physick not use medicines When Satan tempted Christ to throw himself down from the pinacle of the Temple he answers Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God And then much more in reference to spiritual and eternal life Some will say God hath made a Decree which cannot pass who shall be saved and who damned therefore what need we use the means of salvation what need we avoid the ways of damnation But remember the same word bids us depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 which saith The foundation of God standeth sure and he knoweth who are his 'T is as much our duty to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure as it is to believe that the election and calling of God are sure It is our part to say Amen to Gods Amen and to put our Fiat and Placet to his saying in every thing The will of the Lord be done Thy judgments are a great deep The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever Psal 36 6. Psal 33.11 the thoughts of his heart to all generations De Creatione WHat God did or how be imployed himself before the Creation is a Sea Creatiâ— est actiâ— Dei exterua quâ in principle temporâ—â— sex dierum spatlâ— mundum produxit sole voluntatis suae imperio ad nominis sui gloriam Wendelinus Picus Mirand over which no ship hath sailed a Mine into which no spade hath deived an Abyss into which no bucket hath dived Our sight is too tender to behold this Sun Wisely and well said that Italian Philosophy seeks after truth Divinity onely finds it Religion improves it Whatever therefore the Chaldaean and Egyptian Astronomers or some other natural Philosophers have fancied of the Worlds eternity or at least for the first matter of it to be coeternal with the Creator We will look upon it as an error repugnant both to true Religion and right reason and will take the truth which is contrary to it though not for a Maxim in Philosophy yet for an Article of Faith Aufer Argumenta ubi Fides quaritur I believe and that 's enough though I cannot prove Principles Aristotle held That the world was eternal Plato Plus apud me valent illa quinque verba In principio creavit Deus coelum terram quà m omnia Aristotelis caterâ—ruÌ„mque Philosophorum argumenta quibus docent mundum carere initio Eras Epist Pellicano 1.19 That God made the heavens and Angels but the Angels made the bodies of men and beasts and that there was praeexistent matter or materia prima And thus professing themselves to be wise they became fools But In principio creavit Deus decides all doubts A Picture of Apelles making would be in great request The World is the glorious workmanship of God Almighty therefore to be admired of us all We see what a goodly coat the Earth hath Solomon in all his royalty was not so clothed as it We see the Sun in the Firmament the Moon the Stars God Almighty his candles the Birds of the Air the Beasts of the Field Fishes of the Sea The Gentiles had no book but this to look upon yet it left them without excuse But though the World be a worthy work yet let us not admire it too much As there was a time when it was set up so there is a time when it shall be pulled down The Disciples stood gazing on the Temple wondring at the workmanship of it but Christ told them that one stone should not be left upon another So the time shall come as S. Peter speaketh when the whole world shall pase away with a noise The World was made in time hath continued in time and shall end in time Here let me insert a word concerning that of the Apostle Rom. 8.20 21. For the creature was made subject to vanity But it shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption The creature is defiled by mans sin and must therefore be purged by the fire of the last day aâ— the vessels that held the sin-offering were purged by the sire of the Sanctuary The creature is said to be subject to vanity Mr. Trapp and bondage of corruption 1. As corruptible 2. As teachers of men 3. As they are instruments of mans punishment 4. As they are forced to serve wicked mens turns and uses who have no peace with the creature and should have no service from them The vanity of the creatures is not natural Parr but accidental by sin which though it be expiate by the blood of Christ yet the creature shall not be freed till sin be taken out of the nature of things Sin hath involved the creature under the curse and makes it to groan not the sin of it but of us The manner how the creature shall be restored is difficult to determine There are three opinions The first opinion holdeth That this earth and visible heaven even the whole nature of these things shall perish This heaven and earth being appointed by God to be the habitation of man while he is Viator and therefore that there shall be no need of it when he shall be Comprehensor The second opinion is That some of the creatures shall be abolished and some restored The heavens and the elements to remain the rest to perish The third opinion That all creatures shall be restored remembring that we speak not of reasonable creatures nor of the Heaven of heavens The two first opinions seem unlikely the third is most probable if the restoring be only to some singulars of all kinds But it is not safe walking in the dark without a light We know not how it shall be but this we may be sure of that all things shall be most wisely and excellently brought to pass The loast and meanest of Gods creatures serve to set forth the glory of him their Creator and may be in their places some way or other useful to man For saith Mr. Ramolds as in Musick every prick and quaver and rest do serve in their order to commend the cunning of the Artist and to delight the ear of the hearer as well as the more perfect notes So the least and meanest of the creatures were at first filled with so much goodness as might not only declare the glory of God but
in their places minister content to the mind of man In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth Gen. 1.1 Heb. 11.3 Psal 145.10 Through faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear All thy works shall praise thee O Lord. Of Light and Darkness Lux. ESt qualitas corporis lucidi quâ ipsum lucidum est alia illuminat agitque in ea non est substantia sed accidens seu affectio corporis Light was that bright quality immediately created by God Calv. and inherent in some meet subject Or the first day which God could make without means as Calvin well observeth This Light was the first ornament of the visible world and so is still of the hidden man of the heart the new creature The first thing in Pauls commission was to open mens eyes and to turn them from darkness to light To dart such a saving light into the soul as might illighten both organ and object So as that they who erst were darkness are now light in the Lord and do preach forth the praises of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light Light is not a body nor as some will have it a substance but an accident Non constar ex lumine 〈◊〉 qâ—id sit naturâ— laminis The truth is no man can tell what it is of any certainty An admirable creature it is surely a divine and heavenly thing than which nothing is more desirable nothing more profitable There are two excellent uses of Light 1. To refresh men by the sight of the earth and the things thereon Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing for the eyes to behold the Sun 2. To set us upon serious employments Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening It is called the wings of the morning because it diffuseth in an instant the whole Welkin over In a word The most noble among inanimate creatures is Light Tenebrae As Light is the most noble among inanimate creatures so the contrary to iâ— Darkness is a defect and deformity The darkness mentioned Gen. 1.2 which covered that confused heap God created not for it was but the want of light The darkness in Egypt was extraordinary Exod. 10. when God did so thicken the Air that they might take notice of it not only by the eye but by the hand when they could rather feel than see what was next unto them so that for three days space they stirred not from their places So was also that in Judea at Christs suffering Mat. 27.45 This darkness some think was universal not onely over all the land of Jury but over the whole earth and so the Text may be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tiberius say they was sensible of it at Rome Dionysius writes to Polycarpus that they had it in Egypt And it should seem that the great Astronomer Ptolomy was so amazed at it that he pronounced Either Nature now determineth or the God of Nature suffereth Sol non fert aspectum illum miserandum quem sine rubore fronte Judaei irnident saith Aretius Aret. The Sun hid his head in a mantle of black as ashamed to behold those base indignities done to the Sun of righteousness by the sons of men Darkness is either Natural or Metaphorical Darkness of Nature properly and literally so called is the absence of Light when the Sun taketh its leave of our horizon and all things are envelloped in the sable mantle of the night then we justly say it is dark Darkness used in a horrowed sense serveth in Scripture to represent a state 1. Of ignorance in divine matters 2. Luk. 1. â—â— Eph. 5â—â— when the mind is destitute of spiritual knowledge unacquainted with the mysteries of salvation 2. Of misery and that of all sorts Temporal Psal 107.10 Isa 50.10 Mat. 22.13 Spiritual Eternal 3. Of iniquity In this respect it is that the power of sin ruling in mens hearts is called The power of darkness Col. 1.12 Eph. 5 11. Rom. 13.12 13. The works of sin which they act in their lives are called The works of darkness And especially flagitious enormities such as rioting and drunkness c. To say that God dwelt in darkness till he had created light was a devilish sarcasme of the Manichees for God is light it self and the Father of lights and ever was a Heaven to himself ere ever the mountains were brought forth or ever he had formed the earth and the world even from everlasting to everlasting being God Hell is called utter darkness being an expulsion from the blessed presence of God who is mentium lumen And God said Gen. 1.3 4.2 Cor. 4.6 Let there be light and there was light And God divided the light from the darkness God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Of Night and Day Night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 NIght is so called in Hebrew Ps 104.20 21. from the yelling of wild beasts therein according to that of the Psalmist Thou makest darkness and it is night wherein all the beasts of the forrest do creep forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Varre the young lyons roar after their prey In Greek à pungendo quia ad somnum pungit Or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to strike to which the Latine answers Nox à nocendo Some say of an Hebrew word which signifies to rest because men take their ease and sleep then So the Psalmist Man goeth forth unto his work vers 23. and to his labour until the evening It is a time of silence and fit for designe so sings the Poet Statuunt sub nocte silenti Ovid. Met. 4. Fallere custodes foribúsque excedere tentant The Jewes divided the Night into four watches Mark 13.35 1. Even 2. Midnight 3. Cock-crowing 4. The Morning The Romans divided their Night into ten parts viz. 1. Crepusculum Godw Antiq. The dusk of the evening 2. Prima fax Candle-tinning 3. Vesper The night 4. Concubium Bed-time 5. Nox intempesta The first sleep 6. Admediam noctem Towards Midnight 7. Media nox Midnight 9. De média nocte A little after Midnight 9. Gallicinium Cock-crowing 10. Conticinium All the time from Cock-crowing to the Break of day The darkness God called Night Gen. 1.5 Psal 63.5 Psal 16.7 Psal 42.8 Psal 119.55 O God I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night-watches My reins instruct me in the night-seasons The Lord will command his loving kindness in the day-time and in the night his song shall be with me and my prayer unto the God of my life I have remembred thy name O Lord in the night and have kept thy law
where we shall be known and well entertained Paul pronounceth his afflictions light when he weighed them with that weight of Glory and looked on things not seen And let us use the means and hold the way to this blessed place 1. Promoting Gods glory 2. Seeking to please him in all things 3. Beginning heaven upon earth 4. Studying sanctification decking our selves with grace and getting the Wedding-garment for that Wedding-day for without Holiness none shall see God 1 King 8.27 2 Cor. 11.12 Isa 63.15 Luk. 16.22 Heb. 11.10 Joh. 14.2 2 Cor. 5.1 in that Presence-chamber of his Glory Scripture calls this place The Heaven of heavens The third heaven The habitation of Gods holiness and of his glory Abrahams bosâ—me A city which hath foundations whose maker and builder is God Christs Fathers house in which are many mansions A building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heaven The new Jerusalem The Paradise of God An holy place c. De Angelis ANgels were created it is conceived in the beginning Psal 33.6 when the Heavens were for saith the Psalmist By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth And it is likely before Man Job 38.4 7. by those words Where wast thou when the Morning-stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy Angels are Spirits of Heaven resembling their Creator as children do their father both in their substance which is incorporeal and in their excellent properties Life and immortality excellency blessedness and glory They are called 1. Spirits Nomen essentiae 2. Angels Nomen officii For their number they are said to be Thousands and Ten thousand thousands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 7.10 Myriads Heb. 12.22 which because of the vastness of the number we render innumerable They are innumerable to us so are our sins the hairs of our heads the sands of the sea-shore the stars in the firmament not to God The supposed Dionysius the Senator of Athens Niceph. 1.2 cap. 20. ordered the Celestial Hierarchy thus That the first degree is given to the Angels of Love termed Seraphim The second to the Angels of Light termed Cherubim The third and so the following degrees to Thrones Principalities and the rest which are all Angels of power and ministration So that upon this account the Angels of knowledge and illumination are placed before the Angels of office and domination I think such curious brains put all out of order Augustine is of a more modest spirit Quomodo se babeat beatissima illa ac superna Civitas quid inter se distent quatuor illa vocabula Col. 1.16 dicant qui possunt Enchyâ— ad Laurent c. 58. si tamen possunt probare quod dâ—cant Ego me isthaec ignorare consiteor Let the like humility be imitated of us all Let no man presume to understand above that which is written And there their several degrees and dignities are only hinted as well among themselves as in regard of the inferior world and the government thereof The wisdom and knowledge of these Spirits is admirable Aug. Cognitiâ— concâ—eata acquisita Schoolmen The Devils know much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much more do the good Angels They have matutinam vespertinam scientiam Their morning-knowledge they have by creation and a continual contemplation of God their evening-knowledge they have by observation from the creatures and a diligent inspection into the Church Their power also is as wonderful Their office is to minister perpetually to God in obeying his will unto Christ as the Head of the Church and are also sent out to minister for the good and salvation of the Saints for Christs sake Not that God needeth them as Princes need the counsel and aid of their subjects But he maketh use of their service about us 1. For the honour of his Majesty and comfort of our infirmity 2. To make out his love unto us by employing such noble creatures for our good 3. To make and maintain love and correspondency between us and Angels till we our selves come to be like unto them The truth is though they excell in strength yet do they Gods commandments Luk. 20.36 hearkening to the voice of his word which they perform chearfully faithfully diligently speedily and constantly ever standing before the face of our heavenly Father and rejoycing more in their names of service than of honour of imployment than preferment to be called Angels that is messengers than Principalities Thrones c. accounting it better to do good than to be great to dispense Gods benefits than to enjoy them Let us imitate these good Spirits chiefly 1. In subjecting our selves to Christ as our Lord and King Phil. 2.9 This is their bowing of the knee and ours too 2. In doing the will of God alway chearfully as they do and therefore are said to have wings thus we pray Mat. 6.10 Laudant Deum Angeli adorant tremunt tremere dicuntur non metu formidinis l. 2. c. 50. de sacr Altar myster cum sint perfectè beati sed administrationis vel obedientiae affectu saith Innocent 3. Wise 2 Sam. 14.20 Psal 103.20 Heb. 1.14 according to the wisdom of an Angel of God Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that do his commandments hearkening unto the voice of his word Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation Of the Celestial Lights Of the Sun Sol quasi solus vâ—l quia solus ex omnibus sideribus est tantus vil quia quum est exortus obscuratis aliis solus appareat Martinius THe Sun is the Prince of Planets coursing about with incredible swiftness so sweet a creature that Eudoxus the Philosopher professed that he would be content to be burnt up with the heat of it so he might be admitted to come so near it as to learn the nature of it The Sun is as it were a vessel whereinto the Lord gathered the Light which till then was scattered in the whole body of the heavens This David beheld with admiration not adoration Psal 8. Jer. 44. as those Idolaters that worshipped the Queen of heaven For that was a witty speech of Cyril They were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atheists by night who worshipped the Sun and Atheists by day who worshiped the Moon and Stars And well he might for Chrysostom wondreth at this That whereas all fire naturally ascendeth God hath turned the beams of the Sun toward the earth making the light thereof to stream downwards This is the Lords own work and it ought to be wonderful in our eyes The Sun hath his name in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a servant as being the servant-general of mankind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while he shines indifferently upon the evil and the good imparting to both light
and heat The Sun is called light by an excellency Gracè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. splendore â— Orus Pscud Epid. p. 248. The Egyptians call him Orus from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are not able to look into the body of the shining Sun Quia nimiùm sensibile ladit sensum Furthermore In this Distinguisher of Time as Doctor Brown terms it the Sun besides its glory and other benefits the artifice of its Maker is much illustrated from two considerations especially 1. In its motion that it moveth at all for had it stood still and were fixed like the Earth there had been then no distinction of times either of Day or Year of Spring of Autumn of Summer or of Winter for these seasons are defined by the motions of the Sun 2. No less wonderful also in contriving the line of its revolution which God hath so effected that by a vicissitude in one body and light it sufficeth the whole Earth and that is the line Ecliptick all which to effect by any other circle it had been impossible As for its swiftness Bellarm saith Such is his velocity that he runneth in the eight part of an houre 7000 miles Si tanta pulchritudo in creaturâ quanta in ereatoreâ— This dumb creature saith a Divine gives check to our dulness as Balaam's Ass did also to the Prophets madness And for beauty it is compared to a Bridegroom coming out of his chamber If a creature be so glorious how much more is the Creator And surely if Solomon in all his glory was not like a Lilly of the field much less can earthly glory be like that of the Sun in the Heavens The Sun-shine is a sweet mercy but not prized because ordinary as Manna was counted a light meat because lightly come by But should we be left in palpable darkness as were the Egyptians for three days together so that no man stirred off the stool he sate on this common benefit would be better set by And certainly Solem è mundo tollere is to make the World a Cyclops a huge body without eyes Sol in mundo sicut cor in corpore The Sun in the world Aben-Ezra is as the heart in the body All things feel the quickning heat of the Sun not only the roots of trees plants c. but metals and minerals in the bowels of the earth Of the two great Luminaries the Sun is the greater indeed being as Astronomers resolve though rather upon probable conjecture than certain demonstration One hundred and sixty six times greater than the earth God made two great lights the greater light to rule the day Gon. 1.16 Deut. 33.14 The precious fruits brought forth by the Sun In them hath he set a tabernacle for the Sun which is as a Bridegroom coming out of his chamber Psal 19 4 5 6. and rejoyceth as a strong man to run a race His going forth is from the end of the heaven and his circuit unto the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof Psal 104.19 Psal 136.8 The Sun knoweth his going down The Sun to rule by day He maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good Truly the light is sweet Eccl. 11.7 1 Cor. 15.41 and a pleasant thing is it for the eyes to behold the Sun There is one glory of the Sun another of the Moon and another of the Stars Of the Moon The Moon is one of those two great lights which God created Luna à lucendo Tully quia solâ lucet nocte Varro But though she is so called and in appearance seems the greatest next the Sun yet she is the least but one and that is Mercury of all the Planets and of far narrower compass than the fixed stars Nevertheless the Moon being the lowest of these shining bodies it appeareth to be bigger in quantity and ministreth more light to mans use than any of the single stars of the greatest magnitude yea than all of them together when it is at the full yet this fulness of light is for a great part of it but a borrowed brightness from the body of the Sun which the Moon receiveth and reflecteth like a Looking-glass God seems saith a Doctor therefore to have set it lowest in the Heavens and nearest the Earth that it might daily put us in mind of the constancie of the one and inconstancie of the other herself in some sort partaking of both though in a different manner of the one in her substance of the other in her visage The meer Irish saith Grimston Hist p. 34. for they are divided like unto the Scottish kneel down when they see the New Moon and speaking unto her say Leave us in as good health as thou hast found us The superstitious Jews offered cakes unto the Moon and worshipped her by the name of Regina Caeli the Queen of Heaven as the Papists do the Virgin Mary Surely saith a Wit she deserves to be deposed from her regency if willingly accepting of this usurped title and their unlawful offerings But seeing mans importunity forced them upon her against consent she is free from idolatry The World is compared unto the Moon for its changes and chances Rev. 12.1 which the Woman in the Revelations is said to tread under her feet And certainly it is good and necessary that every Child of that beautiful Mother keep it there for if it once get into the heart or head it makes them lunatick The lesser Light to rule the night Gen. 1.16 Psal 135.9 Psal 104.19 He made the Moon to rule by night He appointed the Moon for seasons Of Eclipses Eclipses are disappearings of the Sun or Moon which though they come in a course of nature and are by natural light foreseen many years before they come yet there is somewhat in them which should fill us up with high thoughts of the power of God Of a dismal one Lucan saith Ipse caput medio Titan cum ferret Olympo Lucan lib. x. Condidit ardentes atrâ caligine currus InvolvÃtque orbem tenebris gentésque coegit Desperare diem And that they are terrifying and prodigious another sings sadly Signa dabant luctus Superi haud incerta futuri Ovid. Metavs lib. 15. Saepe faces visae solis qucque tristis imago Caerulus vultum ferrugine Lucifer atrâ Sparsus erat sparsi lunares sanguine currus Though an Eclipse be no miracle yet God once made one and can do so again when Christ the Sun of Righteousness was shamefully crucified the Sun in the Heavens as ashamed to look upon that act as from man of prodigious cruelty and injustice hid his face and provided as it were a veil for the nakedness of Jesus that the women might be present and himself die with modesty That Eclipse was miraculous 1. Both in the manner because the Moon was not then in conjunction
of the earth it causeth an inward warmth to it and so maketh it very fruitful In which respects the Rabbines say That one day of snow doth more good than five of rain Gregory allegorizing those words Gregor Job 38.22 sheweth that earthly treasures are treasures of snow We see little children what pains they take to rake and scrape together snow to make a snow-ball Right so they that scrape together the treasure of this world have but a snow-ball of it so soon as the Sun shineth and God breatheth upon it and so entreth into it by and by it cometh to nothing He saith to the snow Be thou on the earth Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow Job 37.6 Cap. 38.22 Psa 147.16 He giveth snow like Wooll Frost It is the excess of cold by the blowing of the coldest winds which are sometime called the breath of God These congeal the waters and turn them into ice contracting them into a narrower room Hence it is that as any Countrey is more Northerly so it is colder the Sea also is frozen and unpassable The hoar-frost heateth and drieth the cold and moist earth nipping the buds of trees Vnde pruina dicitur à perurenda Hence also perhaps is that Psal 147.16 He scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes Cinis monet ignem subesse quem foveat By the breath of God frost is given Job 37.10 and the breadth of the Waters is straitued Dew Est vapor subtilior tenuior qui levi miti frigore in terrae aut herbarum superficie adeo compactus est tum adeaâ— fovendum recreandumque à flacciditate aestu contract â tum ad juvandum terrae foecunditatem tum etiam ad aërem ipsum in quo versamur refrigerandum These round orient pearls that come from heaven in a clear night do sweetly refresh whatsoever groweth in fields and meadows The dew 1. It comes when the air is clear 2. It refresheth and cherisheth the dry and fady fields plants and herbs thereby recover life and beauty 3. It allayeth great heats and moisteneth and mollifieth the earth that it may fructifie Who hath begotten the drops of dew Job 38.28 Isa 26.19 Thy dew is as the dew of herbs I will be as the dew unto Israel As the dew of Hermon Hos 14.5 Psal 133.3 Prov. 3.20 and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion By his knowledge the depths are broken up and the clouds drop down the dew Of all these Meteors watery windy fiery whether pure or mixed c. I say with Brentius Fides non in ordinem operis sed in Authorem oculos suos dirigit All these are of the Lord and faith seeth God in all Fowls of Heaven It is very observable that birds though they have more of the earth than of the other three elements for out of the earth was every fowl of the air formed as well as every beast of the field Gen. 2.19 yet are light which is a wonder delighting in high-flying which is innate to them Of Birds mentioned in Scripture these are some The Eagle Called the Queen of fowls She is famous 1. For her loftiness Aquila non captat muscâ—â— she minds great things flies and petty things she looks not after 2. Swiftness of flight and motion 3. Strength herein they are the chief of all have wings 4. Sagacity looking intently upon the Sun without being dazled and by that property makes proof of her young ones A 〈◊〉 â—nectus Prov. 5. Vivacity renewing her youth and health till she come to be very old Aug. observeth that when her bill is over-grown that she cannot take in her meat she beateth it against a Rock Excâ—tit onus rostri striking off the cumbersome part and thereby recovereth her eating Thy youth is renewed like the Eagles Psal 103 5. Peacock Priding himself in his feathers and is all in changeable colours like friends now adays as often changed as moved Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the Peacocks Job 39.13 Pelican Reported to open her breast with her bill and feed her young ones with the blood distilling from her Therefore an Hiereglyphick of piety and pity among the Egyptians However a melancholy bird living in lonely places and crying out dolefully I am like a Pelican of the Wilderness Psal 102.6 Ostrich Called by reason of his bigness Elianâ— Cumâ—interim tot â coâ—poris mole promiâ—eat Plin. Peremptores potius quam Parentes Struthio-Camelus He is very swift of foot but so foolish that being pursued if he can hide his head only so as to see no body he thinks himself safe and that no body seeth him though his great bulk be all in sight Her leaving her eggs makes her the Hieroglyphick of unnatural and careless therefore cruel Parents The Ostrich Job 39.13 which leaveth her eggs in the earth c. Raven Their young ones are fed of God when forsaken of their dams and lest bare and destitute For out of their dung and carrion saith Aristotle brought before to the nest ariseth a worm which creepeth to their mouth and feedeth them Who feedeth the young Ravens which cry Psal 147.9 I forbear to mention any more Only much of Gods wisdom power and goodness may be seen in these inhabitants of the air in the admirable variety of their colours tunes tastes c. Also to these creatures God sends us to learn setting before us as in a picture the lively resemblance of many excellent vertues which we ought to pursue and practice The fowls of the air they shall tell thee Job 12.7 Jer. 8.7 Mat. 6.26 The stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming Behold the fowls of the air for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly Father feedeth them Are ye not much better than they Of the Earth BY earth I understand not that great material mass made up of the two heaviest elements earth and water whereof all terrestrial and celestial bodies were made Gen. 1.2 But the earth as distinctly severed from the other parts of the world which was not made untill the third day vers 10. Elementum siccae frigidaeque naturae densum in medio mundi collocatum râ—undum in proprio loco immobile The earth is round as an apple is notwithstanding some knots and bunches in it and therefore naturally apt for motion as the heavens are that yet therefore it should stand firm and unmoveable is admirable It is upheld by the infinite and Almighty power of God The air will scarce bear a feather because it will descend unless kept up by a breath of wind Ponderibus librata sais and yet this vast globe of earth and water hangs as a Ball in the air Terra pilae similis nullo fulcimine nixa Ovid. Aere sublato
Mount Tabor where he shall be transfigured for ever Give thy possession on earth for expectation in Heaven Not as that French Cardinal who said He would not give his part in Paris for his part in Paradise Man is to be considered in a four-fold estate In statu 1. Confectionis as he was created 2. Corruptionis as he was corrupted 3. Refectionis as he was renewed 4. Perfectionis as he shall be glorified In the first estate we give to man a liberty of nature Adamus habuit pâ—sse si vellet sed non habuit velle quod posset In the third we grant a liberty of grace for if the Son make you free ye shall be free indeed And in the fourth estate we confess a liberty in glory All the doubt betwixt us and the Papists is of the second estate how man corrupted is renewed how he cometh into regeneration after degeneration And yet herein we consent that the will of man is turning unto God and in doing good is not a stock or stone in all and every respect passive for every man is willingly converted and by Gods grace at the very time of his conversion he willeth his own conversion And so the will of man is in some sort co-worker with grace for this cause Paul exhorteth us not to receive the grace of God in vain And to this purpose that saying of Austin is very remarkable Qui fecit te sine te nen justificabit te sine te Fecit nescientem justificat volentem The difference then is this they write that our will is a co-worker with grace by the force of nature we say that it works with grace by grace we will indeed but God worketh in us both to will and to work Man is called earth thrice by the Prophet Jeremiah Cap. 22.29 O earth earth earth hear the Word of the Lord that is as Bernard expounds Earth by 1. Procreation 2. Sustentation 3. Corruption Alas what is man Nothing I had almost said Somewhat less than nothing embarqued nine months in a living vessel at last he arives in the world Lord of the Land yet weeps at his possession in infancy and age fourfooted in youth scarce drest makes not his Will till he lie a dying and then dyes to think he must make his Will O quà m contempta res est homo nisi supra humana se erexerit Tantus quisque est quantus est apud Deum And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground Gen. 2.7 and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul After the man is the woman made Gatak as a yoke-fellow standing on even ground with him though drawing on the left side Mulier quasi mollior the weaker vessel therefore to bo born withal Origen speaks somewhat contemptibly of women When Christ came into the Coasts of Tyrus and Sidon In Mat. 15.22 Behold a Woman Mira res Evangelista A strange thing O Evangelist that is the Author of transgression the mother o sin the weapon of the Devil the cause of our expulsion out of Paradise But Christ honoured women in lying in the womb of a woman He appeared first to women after his Resurrection and made them Apostolas apostolorum Apostles to preach his Resurrection to the Apostles There have been women of special note Sarah the Mother of the Faithful Hester the Nurse and preserver of the Faithful Women that ministred to Christ of their own substance c. There have been learned women Theano Crotoniatis was a Philosopher and a Poor too Pythagoras learned his natural Philosophy of his sister Themistocleas Clem. Alex. Olympia Fulvia Morata an Italian of the City of Ferrara taught the Greek and Latine tongues at Heidelberg Anno 1554. Aratha read openly in the Schools at Athens Leoptia wrote against Theophrastus c. Neverthelesse neither is the man without the woman 1 Cor. 11.11 neither the woman without the the man in the Lord. Mans Body PVulchrum corpus infirmis anima Isocrat est tanquam bonum navis malus gubernator The Philosophers say in respect of the substance of the body it consists most of earth and water but in respect of the vertue and efficacie it consists more of fire and ayre and so the body is kept in an equal temperature in the operation of the elementary qualities Omnia operatus est Dominus in pondere numero mensurâ that the humours may keep a proportionable harmony amongst themselves if this harmony be broken it bringeth destruction to the body As if the heat prevail then it bringeth Feavers if the cold prevail then it bringeth Lethargies if the moist prevail then it bringeth Hydropsies So that the extreme qualities heat and cold must be temperate by the middle qualities moist and dry For the body of man is like a Clock if one wheele be a misse all the rest are disordered the whole fabrick suffers Bodine observeth that there are three regions within mans body besides all that is seen without answerable to those three regions of the world Elementary Etherial and Caelestial His entrails and whatsoever is under his heart resemble the elementary region wherein only there is generation and corruption The heart and vitals that are divided from those entrails by the Diaphragma resemble the etherial religion As the brain doth the heavenly which consisteth of intelligible creatures Austin complaineth that men much wonder at the high mountains of the earth Hugo waves the sea deep falls of rivers the vastnesse of the Ocean the motion of the Starres Et relinquunt seipsos nec mirantur but wonder not at all at their wonderful selves And truly the greatest miracle in the world is that little world or rather Isle of man in whose very body how much more in his soul are miracles enow betwixt head and feet to fill a volume The body is not one member but many 1 Cor. 24.44 Head The head is the most excellent part of the body therefore the chief part of any thing is called the head Christ is called the Head of the Church and the Husband the head of the Wife And Israel is promised upon obedience to be made the head and not the taile Hence we uncover our head when we do homage to any man to signifie that our most excellent part reverenceth and acknowledgeth him In the head our reason and understanding dwells and all the senses are placed in the head except the touch which is spread thorow the whole body Besides the head is supereminent above the rest of the body and giveth influence to it There is also a conformity betwixt the head and the rest of the body And thus it is betwixt Christ and his Church he hath graces above the rest of his members he giveth influence and grace to them and he is like them The hair of the head as also the nails is an excrement 1 Cor. 11.14 and not to be
fountain near Monacris in Arcadia Nat. Hist l. 2. c. 103. of which whosoever drinks presently falls down dead the name of the fountain is Styx so called because it was of all men abhorred So should we be affected to the evil of sin as to a thing that brings present death Man drinks iniquity like water but every draught slayes the soul as the water of Styx the body As thou wouldest not drink poyson so beware of it The Poets have feigned a river to be in hell called by the same name Rom. 12.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sometime is taken for hell it self Art thou afraid of hell be also as much afraid of evil Pro peccato magno paululum supplicii satis est pati Thinks the sinner a small punishment may serve for a great offence But if God do punish the punishment shall have the same proportion with the offence God proportions the punishment of man with his sin and that two manner of wayes 1. In the quality and manner of it 2. In the quantity or degree of it The justice of God is visible in both Adonibezek was and so have many others been punished in the same manner that he had sinned But all shall be punished in the same degree that they have sinned 〈◊〉 abyssus 〈◊〉 a invocat When the iniquity of the Amorite is full he shall have his fill of wrath When God is pressed with sin as a cart with sheaves then he layes on load in judgment If sin be great so shall the punishment of it be Gods judgments against sinners are feathered from themselves as a fowl shot with an arrow feathered from her own body Which is according to Julians Motto Propriis pennis perire grave est No sooner had man sinned but the earth was cursed for his sake It was never beautiful nor chearful since and lookes to be burnt up shortly with her workes But yet the Punishment of sin may come long after the comitting of sin The one is a seed-time the other a reaping-time betwixt which there is a distance of time Job 4.8 The seeds of sin may lye many years under the furrowes A man may commit a sin in his youth and not find the harvest of it till old age The strongest sinner shall not escape punishment There are no sons of Zerviah too hard for God God desires in a special manner to be dealing with these for they in the pride of their spirits think themselves a match for God though indeed their strength is but weaknesse and their wisdom foolishness hence like Pharoah they send defiance to Heaven and say who is the Lord When God sees the hearts of men swoln to this height of insolent madnesse he delights to shew himself and grapple with them that the pride of man may be abased and every one that is exalted may be laid low that he onely may be exalted and his name set up in that day Behold Numb 32.23 ye have sinned against the Lord and be sure your sin will find you out Evill shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him Psal 140.11 Evil pursueth sinners Pro. 13.21 The wicked is driven away in his wickednesse Cap. 14.32 Thine owne wickednesse shall correct thee Jer. 2.19 and thy back-slidings shall reprove thee know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my fear is not in thee saith the Lord God of hosts Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee Cap. 4.18 this is thy wickednesse because it is bitter because it reacheth unto thine heart If thou doest not well Gen. 4.7 sin lieth at the door Supplicium imminet idâ— proximum et presentissinium saith Junius there Then when lust hath conceived Jam. 1.15 it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death What fruit had ye then in those things Rom. 6.21 Whereof ye are now ashamed For the end of those things is death For the wages of sin is death vâ—s 23. Free-will THere are a generation of men The Motto Mâ—hi solâ—d beo that will needs hammer out their own happiness like the Spider climbing by a thread of her owne weaving But Sub laudibus naturae latent inimicigratiae saith Aug. The friends of free-will are enemies to free-grace But whoever doth well weigh Auâ— observes our Saviour saith not pâ—rfâ—â—re but facere John 6.44 with cap. 15.5 and other places of Scripture must needs conclude that down goes the Dagon of free-will with all that vitreum acumen of all the Patrons thereof whether Pagans or Papagans Pelagians or Semipelagians c. Pareus in Revel 22.17 Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely glosseth thus He saith whosoever will he saith not that it is in the power of free-will but requires the will to receive it The will is ours but the will of receiving is not in us it is the gift of grace For what have we that are have not received 1 Cor. 4.7 Mind but the case of Paul Act. 9. and of Lydia cap. 16. and it will be clear that God comes into the heart while the doors of it are shut The Arminians and Papists as to that great and special truth which the Orthodox maintain against them will grant an irresistable work of light from God upon the understanding they will grant also a potent work upon the affections but this they will not yield that God makes the will to will that is so boweth and changeth the heart that it readily imbraceth what once it abhorred yet in all that are converted this power so efficacious must needs be acknowledged for will not experience witnesse that every mans will before converting grace came was as opposite to God and as averse to all holinesse as any natural mans in the world Simpliciter velle hominis est malè velle corruptae naturae Bern. bene velle supernaturalis gratiae Quem trahit Deus volentem trahit saith Chrysostom Vbi non est Spiritus Domini non est libertas arbitrii Aug. To which August Certum est nos velle cum volumus sed ille facit ut velimus qui operatur in nobis velle Therefore he addes Da Domine quod jubes jube quod vis Cyrus had this written upon his Tomb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I could do all things as Arrianus reports So could Paul too but it was through Christ strengthening him Phil. 4.13 To which the same Apostle addes elsewhere Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Joh. 6.44 For without me ye can do nothing Cap. 15.5 For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2.13
faith were alone Tanquam sponsus cum sponsà in Thalamo howbeit it is such a faith as works by love 3. He that can rightly distinguish betwixt Law and Gospel let him praise God for his skill and know himself to be a good Divine For ever O Lord thy Word is setled in heaven Ideo moralis lex vocatur quia de moribusâ—est omni beminum generi semper communis Zanch. The Moral Law it is eternal and albeit some special duties of certain commandments shall cease when we come to heaven yet the substance of every one remaineth We live by the same Law in effect as the Saints above do and do Gods Will on earth as they in heaven The ministerials of this Law shall pass away together with this life the substantials shall pass into our glorified natures and shine therein as in a Mirrour for ever Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets Mat. 5.17 Ne minima quidem litera Luth. Rom. 3.31 I am not come to destroy but to fulfill For verily I say unto you It is easier for Heaven and earth to pass than one title of the Law to fail Do we then make void the Law through faith God forbid yea we establish the Law For the Law is holy and just Cap. 7.12 and good Lex Talionis Lex Talionis Aâ—â—st quandâ— quis idem patitur quod alteri fecit Vocatur à Graecis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi reciproâ—â— mutua passio à verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est vicissim patior A Latinis Talio jus talionis quia talia tribuuntur qualia quis fâ—cit Aulus Gâ—llius in Histor aut alteri praestitit Vnde apud Gellium dicitur retaliare quasi talia retribuere qualia alter secit De hoc jure etiam in sacris literis extat preceptum Moses exigit vitam pro animo oculum pro oculo Christus in Evangeliâ— inquit quâ— mensurâ— metieritis remetietur vebis Et Propheta Esaias vae tibi qui spolias alterum quoniam ipse spâ—liaberis What wouldest thou have done with me said Tamerlane to the fierce Bajazet Turk hist fol. 220. then his prisoner had it been my fortune to have fallen into thy hands as thou art now in mine I would said Bajazet have inclosed thee in a Cage of Iron and so in triumph have carried thee up and down my Kingdom Even so said Tamerlane shalt thou be served One Perillus gave to Phalaris King of Cicile Necenim â—ex justor â—lla est Quamnâ—cis artisicâ—s arte pâ—riâ—â— sâ—â— an hollow or brazen Bull wherein to scortch and torment men by fire praising the device with this commendation That the noise of the tormented would be like the bellowing of a Bull. But there was a due reward unto the inventour for the first trial was made of himself God usually retaliates and dealeth with men according to the manner and way of their wickedness The sin and suffering oft meet in some remarkable circumstance Babylon hath blood for blood Jacob cometh as the elder to Isaac and Leah cometh as the younger to Jacâ—b He that denied a crumb wanted a drop Asa that set the Prophet in the stocks had a disease in his seet Sodom sinned in fulness of bread and it is expresly noted that their victuals were taken from them by the four Kings Their eyes were full of uncleanness and they were smitten with blindness They burned with lust and were burned with fire They sinned against nature and against the course of nature fire descends and consumes them Sisera annoy's Gods People with his Iron Charets and is slain by a nail of Iron Jesabels braâ—s that devised mischief against the innocent are strew'd upon the stones By a Letter sent from Jezreel she shed the blood of Naboth and by a Letter from Jezreel the blood of her sons is shed Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Solomons Temple the seven years work of so many thousands therefore he is turned a grazing and seven seasons pass over him The blasphemers in the Revelations gnaw their tongues through pain and Dives was tormented in that part chiefly Cyprian yielding the reason of it Quia lingua plus peccaverat Thus God delights to give men their own to pay them home in their own coyn to remete them their own measure to beat them with their own weapons to over-shoot them in their own bows and to shape their estates according to their own patterns When it is thus know the sin by the judgement and silence murmuring Adonibezek an Heathen observed As I have done God hath done to me With what judgement ye judge Mat 7.2 ye shall be judged and with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again The Gospel THE word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of to bâ—â—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nuntius 〈◊〉 unutium Evangelium signifieth glad-tidings that is the proper notation of the Original word And the same may our English word Gospel admit for Spel in ancient signified speech Gespel then is a good speech Or quasi Gods-spell Gods power or charm to call us to be Christians as Romans 1.16 The Gospel is the Power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth It is sometimes taken for the Sacrifice which the Heathen offered to their gods It is so used in Xenophon Homer Odyss for joyful news And sometimes for the reward which is given to him who bringeth glad-ridings In Scripture it is taken for glad-tidings in general For the history of Christ But by an excellency it is restrained to signifie The most joyful message of salvation And sometimes for the publishing of the Doctrine of Christ Consider the Gospels 1. Antiquity 2. Excellency It is at least as old as Moses which was the first writer that we read of The Athenians thought it to be a new Doctrine Yet it is as ancient as Moses nay as Adam for the Doctrine of the Gospel was in Paradise The Law was before the Gospel yet the Gospel is more worthy than it darkness went before the light the night before the day yet the day is more glorious than the night All creatures were made before man yet man excelleth them all The Sword-bearer goes before the Major yet he is not greater than the Major All things are not to be esteemed by their precedency and priority in the world There cometh one after me said John yet in honour and dignity he is before me So the Gospel cometh after the Law yet it is more excellent than the Law In the Law there is nothing but matter of fear in the Gospel of love in the Law God is against us in the Gospel he is Emanuel God with us The Law curseth the Gospel blesseth The Law is a denunciation of wrath of a curse against us because of transgression only the Gospel is an annunciation of mercy and forgiveness That breatheth forth only a cold blast a North-wind of
all the calamities of this life here the children of God are oftentimes made the wickeds footstools they sit on them and tread on them A rich man though wicked shall be more esteemed Here they sit as forlorn persons none regards them Many times they sit weeping and wailing for their sins for their sufferings But let this comfort us against them all how contemptible soever we sit here we shall sit with Christ Jesus though not in that degree of glory yet in the same Kingdom of glory with him for ever This man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever Heb. 10.12 sate down on the right hand of God Cap. 8.1 We have such an High Priest who is set on the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens To which of the Angels said he at any time sit on my right hand Cap. 1.13 until I make thine enemies thy footstool Intercession The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is attributed in Scripture both to Christ and the Spirit but when it is attributed to the Spirit it is rendred by Comforte when to Christ by Advocate And not without reason since the Spirits work is to speak comfortably to us and Christs to plead powerfully for us It is said The Holy Ghost maketh intercession for us yet the Holy Ghost is not our Intercessor He doth not in our nature pray for us as Christ doth Rom. â— 26 but he teacheth us to pray Neither doth he in his own person make intercession with sighs and groans for the Holy Ghost cannot sigh and groan but he stirres up to it Christus Oratur à nobis As the Father Orat in nobis By his holy Spirit Orat pro nobis As our Advocate Oramus Ad illum Per illum In illo Aug. Ad Deum non opus est suffragatore sed mente devotâ for Christ is our eye whereby we see the Father and our mouth whereby we speak to the Father And none is in such favour with the Father as the only Son that lyeth in his bosome When Christ is said to intercede we must not imagine he doth it in heaven after the same manner he did when he was on the earth to fancy a supplicating voice bended knees with sighs and groans or with strong cries and tears This suiteth not with the Majesty of Christ in heaven neither doth he it after such a carnal manner But Christ is said to make intercession for us two kind of wayes 1. Non voce sed miseratione not by uttering any voice to his Father but by having pity and compassion on us 1. By a fourfold presentation Vnigenito filio Deum pro homine interpellare est apud coaeternum patrem sâ—ipsum hominë demonstrare Greg. l. 21. Moral c. 13. viz. 1. Of his Person in both natures Divine and Humane 2. Of his merit the force and efficacie of his Passion the recordation of his obedience 3. Of his will and desire in our behalf not in a begging or precarious way yet he signifieth it 4. Of our Prayers and Supplications which we make in behalf of our selves and others and the Prayers of the Church which she maketh in our behalf He perfumes our prayers with the odour of his sacrifice and so presents them to his Father The consideration of Christs perpetual intercession in Heaven for us may be singular comfort to all Christians Preces sacrisicii sai odore sanctificat Calv. We count him happy that hath a friend in the Court then how happy are we that have such a friend as Christ in the Court of Heaven Say on my Mother said Solomon to Bathsheba I will not say thee nay So saies God the Father to Christ Say on my Son make intercession for thy members I will not say thee nay Blessed are we that have such an Intercessor let us flie to him Only let us not grieve him with our sins but glorifie him by an holy life then we may boldly commence our suits to him and he will prefer them to his Father to our everlasting joy and comfort We have an Advocate with the Father 1 Joh. 2.1 Jesus Christ the righteous Christ is entred into heaven it self Hebr. 9.24 now to appear in the presence of God for us He ever liveth to make intercession for us Cap. 7.25 Predestination JNterpreters have observed Praedestinare nihil aut majus aut minus significat quà m destinare Chamierus that this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies to predestinate is but six times found in the New Testament and never in the Old And it is used either De rebus concerning things twice Acts 4.28 and 1 Cor. 2.7 Or else De personis concerning persons four times Rom. 8.29 30. and Eph. 1.5 11. And so Significat non simpliciter praedestinare ad aliquid saith Mr. Leigh out of Zanchy Sed ita praedestinare ad aliquam rem ut etiam sines terminos constituas Quâ—tenus pro objecto habet homines est aeternum et immutabile Dei decretum de suturo hominum statu aeterno Wendelinus quibus ad rem consequendam certò deducatur is quem praedestinasti puta media omnia tempus loca alia id genus They say it is never applied to Reprobates However Divines under Predestination do usually consider the Decree both of Election and Reprobation It will not be good for any to teach this Doctrine till they have well learned and digested it for about it have been many disputes with unhappy issue and it is a Doctrine which hath been if it be not by some at this day much misused and exagitated In Rom. 8. we see our calling was according to Gods purpose Crit. Sacr. so I say our calling justification glorification do depend upon Predestination not Predestination upon them Before Augustines time Prelates and Doctors of the Church some I meane having no occasion to enter into an exact handling of this point taught that men are Predestinated for the foresight of some things in themselves of which opinion was Augustine at first but after reclaimed But it seems the will of the Arminians hath made a foord in the depths of God it hath found out the wayes that are past finding out It made Paul stand at a stay and cry O the depth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but these lead along their Scholars that they passe over almost with dry feet The path of Election and grace is discovered and these men will tell you the reason of Gods counsel But we say and so doth the Scripture Elegit nos ab aterno ad gratiam ad gloriam ad salutem ad salutis viam quam praeparavit ut in ea ambulemus Act. 18.48 Crediderunt quotquot erant ordinati ad vitam etaernam Credere est effectum ordinationis The Turks use to say what is by God written in a mans forehead before his birth cannot in his life be a voided But let none be so
understood so Sin spiritually The Regenerate mans actions are as contrary to those that he did before as fire and water so that it may be said of him as it was once of Troy being taken Senec. Thalamis Troja perlucet novis every act word and work are all altered every chamber made new and swept to entertain the Object of the regenerate It was a strange change that Satan mentioned and motioned to our Saviour of turning stones into bread But nothing so strange as the work of Regeneration and Renovation a turning of stony hearts into hearts of flesh In this great work the substance of the Soul is the same only the qualities and operations are altered In Regeneration our natures are translated not destroyed no not our constitution and complexion The melancholy man doth not cease to be so after conversion only the humor is sanctified to a fitness for godly sorrow holy meditation c. and so of the other The fountain of blessed Immortality is the new birth which is the unmaking of a man and the making of him up again The whole frame of the old corrupt conversation is to be dissolved that a better may be erected The dignity and necessity of this work are motive enough to labour it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It s a being heaven born as the word imports from above and without it Heaven will be too hot a place to hold us A man with Job may come to curse the day of his first but shall never have occasion to curse the day of his new-birth Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God John 3.3 Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit vers 5. he nannot enter into the Kingdom of God That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit vers 6. is Spirit Justification There is a twofold Justification by 1. Infusion 2. Imputation Justificare est ex imputatione justitiae Christi pro justo reputare Inquit Lorinus Jesuita in Psal 45. St. Paul saying we are justified by Faith without works Rom. 3.28 And St. James saying that we are justified by works and not by Faith only Jam. 2.24 may be thus reconciled His Sermon of Christ crucified pag. 68. There hath been saith Mr. Fox a long contention and much ado in the Church to reconcile these two places of Scripture but when all is said that may be said touching them there is none that can better reconcile these two different places than you your selves to whom we preach And how is that I will tell you saith he do you joyn the lively Faith that St. Paul speaks of with those good works that St. James speaks of and bring them both together in one life and then hast thou reconciled them for so shalt thou be sure to be justified both before God by St. Pauls Faith and before men by St. James works That we are justified only by the righteousness of Christ apprehended by Faith is the very Basis Foundation and State of Christian Religion whereby it is distinguished from all other Religions whatsoever Jews Turks Pagans and Papists explode an imputed righteousness yea Papists jear it calling it a putative Righteousness Let us therefore hold fast this comfortable and faithful word and transmit this doctrine safe and sound to posterity It was Luthers great fear that when he was dead it would be lost again out of the world Christ is in the midst of his Church whose righteousness is communicated to every true Believer who only comes within the Sphear of his activity The more vertuous the central Agent is in any thing the larger will his Semidiameters be and consequently his circumference The more powerful the fire is the further will it cast its heat circularly By Christ all that believe Act. 13.39 are justified from all things from which we could not be justified by the Law of Moses For what saith the Scripture Rom. 4.2 Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for Righteousness Therefore we conclude Rom. 3.28 that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law Vnion with Christ This Union is neither natural nor corporal nor Political nor personal but mystical and Spiritual Unitas not compaginat uni Our unity with Christ makes us one â—ith him and yet it is no less true and real than that of God the Father and God the Son For as the Holy Ghost did unite in the Virgins womb the divine and humane natures of Christ and made them one person by reason whereof Christ is of our flesh and of our bones so the Spirit unites the person of Christ his whole person God-man with our persons by reason whereof we are of his flesh and of his bones Our Union with Christ is exprest in Scripture by five Similitudes 1. By marriage Christ the Husband we the Spouse 2. By a body Christ the Head we the Members 3. By a building Christ the Foundation we the Superstructure 4. By ingraffing Christ the Vine we the Branches ingraffed into him 5. By the Similitude of feoding Christ the food we the body nourished As the Spirit of man quickens no seperate part Ezek. 37.9 neither could those dry bones live till they came together bone to his bone and the wind breathed upon them Aug. so nor Christ any that are not united to him Christ and his Members make one spiritual body Whiles Christ layes hold on us by his Spirit we lay hold on him by Faith Hence the Church is called Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 And the fulness of Christ Eph. 1.23 Yea hence we have the honor of making Christ perfect O happy union the ground of communion Omnis communio fundatur in unione O happy Interest the ground of influence Hence we have communication of Christs Secrets 1 Cor. 2.16 The Testimony of Jesus 1 Cor. 1.5 Consolation in all Afflictions 2 Cor. 1.5 Sanctification of all occurrances Phil. 1.21 Participation of Christs merit and Spirit and what not I am the vine ye are the branches Joh. 15.5 He that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 For we are Members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5.30 Sanctification Justification and Sanctification are inseperable concomitants indeed they are not to be confounded but withall they ought not to be severed distinguished they must be divided they cannot and therefore they are fitly called Twins in the womb of Free Grace Hence it is that we find those two frequently joyned together 1 Cor. 6.11 Ezek. 36.26 Mic. 7.19 One bade his Fellow at the Sun-rising look towards the West instead of the East where he might the better see the appearance of the Sun upon the tops of the Turrets even so the assurance of Election is best seen in Conversion and Sanctification 2 Pet. 1.10 Malac. 4.2 Sanctification is an universal healing of all the
revenge but out of Christian fortitude because he may not he hath so conquered himself that wrongs cannot conquer him and here he finds that victory consists in yielding he is above nature whiles he frames below himself not to resist being urged is more than heroical he is Gods best witnesse and when he stands before the barre for truth he heares his unjust sentence and rejoyceth the Jaylors that attend him are to him his Pages of honour his Dungeon the Vault of Heaven his Rack or Wheel the stairs of his ascent to glory good Laws serve for his protection not for his revenge he trieth the Sea after many shipracks and beats still at the dore he never saw opened when crosses afflict him he sees a Divine hand invisibly striking with these sensible scourges against which he dares not rebel nor murmure This man only can turn necessity into vertue and put evil to good use he is the surest friend the easiest enemy the greatest conqueror in a word he is so much more happy than others by how much he could abide to be more miserable Patientia est honestatis ac utilitatis causâ Cicer. voluntaria ac diuturna perpessio rerum arduarum In Christian Patience there must be not a stoical Apathy or senselesness Non sentire mala non est hominis non fâ—rre non est vire that it should be as pleasant a thing to us to be in Equuleo as in lecto Christians as Christ did feel pain but they patiently endure it there can be no patience when there is no sense of evil Neither is it as your Moralists a meer yielding to necessity But it supposeth a sence of evil and then in the formality of it is a submission of the whole soul to the will of God If we suffer any misery it must be in a good cause Thieves by land Miranda est duâ—itia sed neganda patientia and Pyrats by sea suffer much hardship Catiline did patiently abide cold and other extremities Baal Priests endured cutting and slashing And covetous misers and earchworms will endure much to get money yet that is no patience There must be a good affection and a good end Saul was patient when men despised him he gave them not a word but it was in Policy Some have patience perforce because they cannot be avenged they have no power to do it that is dissimulation Others suffer much for vain-glory as hereticks have done But we must suffer for Gods glory c. Our Patience must be continual as our crosses are perpetual while we are in this world so our Patience must be perpetual Philosophers have discoursed of Patience and commended it but Christians themselves have staggered when they have been exercised with a sharp sense of evils Which shews us that its easier in a calme and sedate condition to discourse of patience than to exercise in time of trial Patience is a noble vertue Nobile vincendi genus est Patientia 1. Sapientem demonstrat David shewed himselfe a wise man when he bare patiently the railing of Shemei So did Hezekiah when he answered not Rabshakeh The world counts them fools that put up reviling speeches yet they be the true wise men 2. Forttiudinem superet He that is slow to anger saith Solomon is better than the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag It is counted cowardlinesse not to resist yet it is the best valour in the world 3. Sine ictu de hoste triumphat Non feriendâ— fed ferendo We give our enemy never a blow and yet we overcome him It is a victory gotten not onely without blood-shed but without the striking of a stroak 4. In marte vitam conservat As the Salamander is said to live in the fire So Patience makes us to live in the fire of afflictions 5. De regno securitatem praestat Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven Therefore let this excellent vertue be imbraced by us all As faith inlayed with charity is Regina virtutum So Patience is one of the chief Maidens of honour that wait upon her By faith we live and patience we possesse our souls after we begin to live in Christ By faith we have an interest in the Kingdome of Heaven and by patience we sail through the tempestuous sea of this world till we come to the haven of rest By faith we apprehend the promises And Patience is an iron pillar for the just to lean upon to uphold them against all crosses and afflictions Ye have need of Patience Heb. 10.36 that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise In your patience possesse your souls Luk. 21.19 But let patience have her perfect work Jam 1.4 that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing Murmuring The Hebrewes in their Talmud say that the Moon complained in the day of her creation Buxto fâ— that she was not appointed for so good a use as the Sun to shine in the day time but in the night because of her grudging they say that God appointed she should not shine from the day of her creation till the sixth day It s a dangerous thing to sit sick of the sullens or be discontented at any of Gods dispensations To complain more than we have cause is sinful and therefore much more to complain when we have no cause at all Yet some are ready to complain when they are encompassed about with many mercies Mr. Caryl and are not satisfied when they are filled they complain because they have not what they would or because others have more than they though themselves have enough if they knew what is enough Some complain when they have meat enough because they have not sauce yea some complain when they have enough of both Fortuna multis dat nimis nulli satis the affluence of all things not onely for necessity but delight These are never well neither full nor fasting being so far from having learned the Apostle's lesson to be content in all estates that they are content in none The people of Israel murmured not only when they wanted bread but when they had it when they had Manna they murmured for Quailes and at last they murmured at their very Mannah their souls loathed that light bread Consider how great their sin is who complain upon such termes as these who complain before they are hurt yea when they have cause to be very thankful We live in complaining times nothing pleaseth many among us because every thing is not as they please The Lord hath healed all our stroakes in great degree but our complainings are not healed If we be found complaining when we have no cause we may quickly provoke God to give us cause enough of complaining When children cry for nothing they are usually made to feel something This
Andronicus the old Emperour of Greece in his speech to his young Nephew said Forasmuch as I next unto God have been the Author of thy nativity and increase give me my life Turk Hist fol. 172. spare thy fathers head with violent weapon spill not that blood from which thou thy self hast taken the fountain of life Man truly beholdeth heaven and earth and heaven and earth behold mens actions Wherfore make not the heaven and the earth beholders of so wicked an outrage as never man ever committed If brothers blood long ago cryed out unto the Lord against Cain how much lowder shall the fathers blood cry unto the Lord and declare so great a wickednesse unto the earth the sun and starres and make it abhorred of all the Princes of the world Regard my miserable old age which of it self promiseth unto me shortly death Reverence the hands which have oftentimes most lovingly embraced thee yet crying in thy swathing clouts Reverence those lips which have oftentimes most lovingly kissed thee and called thee my other soul c. Charles the ninth of France Author of the bloody Massacre of Paris died of exceeding bleeding Richard the third of this Kingdome and Q. Mary had the shortest raigns of any since the conquest Absolom and Achitophel came to tragical and unhappy ends So did all the Primitive persecutors according to that Psal 55.23 Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their dayes Phidias painted the image of Minerva with his own that none could deface the one but both So hath God imprinted his own image upon man And though its true by the fall it is defaced and abolished yet are there some reliques thereof still abiding which God will not have destroyed Consider if hatred be so damnable what is murder It is the destruction of Gods image of a member of Christ for whom Christ died and a Temple of the Holy Ghost The land is polluted by it and cannot be expiated but by blood If Dives be in Hell for not saving life how shall they escape Hell that destroy it Whose sheddeth mans blood Gen. 9.6 by man shall his blood be shed for in the imagâ— of God made he man The Law is made for the lawlesse and disobedient for murderers of fathers 1 Tim. 1.9 and murderers of mothers Deliver me from blood-guiltiness Psal 51.14 O God Ingratitude Omne dixeris maledictum cum ingratum hominem dixeris To render good for evil is divine to render good for good is humane to render evil for evil is bruitish but to render evil for good is devillish While I hold up his chin to save him from drowning he with his heel should kick me under water Lycurgus the Lacedemonian law-giver would make no law against such Quod prodigiosares esset beneficium non rependere because it could not be imagined that any would be so unworthy as not to recompence one kindnesse with another And the old Romanes decreed that such as were found guilty of this fault should be cast alive to the Cormorant to be pulled in pieces and devoured Ingrato quod donatur deperditur saith Seneca And Amare non redamentem Ille non dignus est dandis qui ingratus est de datis Speed est amoris impendia perdere saith Hierom All 's lost that is laid out upon an unthankful person He buries benefits as the barren earth doth the seed He is as once was said of the Pope like a Mouse in a satchel or a Snake in ones bosom who do but ill repay their Hostess for their lodging An unthankful man is a naughty man nay he is an ugly man Therefore our Saviour fitly yokes them together To the unthankful and to the evil Luk. 6 35. Injury Qui nescit ferri injurias vivere nescit Socrates when one gave him a box on the eâ—r in the market-place said Quà m molestum est nescire homines quando prodire debeant cum gratiâ What an odd thing it is to go abroad without an head-piece Pestifera vis est valere ad nocendum saith Seneca And yet again bars revenge Hydrae uno capite resecto septem alia repullala bant Vnde Proverbium Hydram secaâ— For saith he Quemadmodum praecisae arboâ—es plurimis ramis repullulant ita crudelitas auget inimicorum numerum tollendo For it engageth all their relations against us in the quarrel In a matter of strise saith Basil he hath the worse that carries it And Aristotle himself yieldeth That of the twain it is better to suffer the greatest wrong than to do the least But how many have we like the angry Bee that care not to sting another though it be to the loss of their own lives Whiles we are thus busie in breaking those darts that men shoot from afar against us we are oppressed by the Devil near hand us Nay in thus resisting evil we give place to the Devil whom if by patience and forbearance we could resist he would flie from us Not rendring evil for evil 1 Pet. 3.9 Innocency After that Bajazet and his four sons were made away Turk Hist. fol. 782. at the command of Solyman the Magnificent there remained the youngest but new-born and at nurse who was now upon the death of his father commanded by his said Grandfather to be strangled also The Eunuch sent by Solyman to have done the deed and loth to do it himself took with him one of the Porters of the Court a desperate and otherwise an hard-hearted Ruffian a man thought fit to have performed any villany He coming into the chamber where the Child lay and fitting the bow-string to the Childs neck to have strangled him the innocent Babe smiled upon him and lifting up it self as well as it could with open arms offered to have embraced the Villain about the neck and kissed him Which guiltless simplicity so wounded the stony-hearted man that he was not able to perform the intended butchery of the poor simple Child but fell down in a swoun and there lay for dead Such is the rare force of Innocency Yet we must neither be Foxes nor Asses The Romane rule was Neâ— fugere nâ—â— soqui He that makes himself too much a Sheep shall scarce escape worrying with Dogs Columbine simplicity doth well when it is mixed with Serpentine subtilty A Serpents eye saith one in a Doves head is an excellent ornament Be wise as Serpents and harmless as Doves Mat. 10.16 Contentation Pirrhus being demanded of Cyneas What he intended after he had won his many great intended Victories answered Live merrily To whom he replied So he might do already would he but be content with his own It is not the great Cage that maketh the Bird sing Nor the great Estate that brings inward joy and cordial contentment As a Bird with a little eye and the advantage of a wing to soar with may see far wider than an Oxe with a greater so the Righteous
Complices and Judas the Traitor Yea there was one Bruno found that wrote an Oration in commendation of the Devil who hath given him his reward no doubt by this unless he recanted that monstrous madness These unjust men of violence may prosper for a while And God suffers it to be so 1. That men may have opportunity to discover themselves what they are 2. To make them more unexcusable for being what they are Hence such as will not let God rest yet God lets them rest Though they would throw God out of Heaven if they could yet he will not throw them out of the Earth though he can But yet mark the issue when we come to see the opening of Gods hand It 's a sad thing for men to feed upon those murthering morsels of sin which they must even be disgesting in hell We may not wrong or rob any man either by force or fraud directly or indirectly Mr. Perkins makes mention of a good man who being ready to starve stole á Lamb And being about to eat of it with his poor children and as his manner was afore-meat to crave a blessing durst not do it but fell into a great perplexity of conscience acknowledged his fault to the owner and promised restitution if ever able to make it Samuel could say 1 Sam. 12.3 Whose oxe have I taken or whose ass have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed It were well such innocency could be found in men now adayes We have bee full of plundering and spoiling one another yea many have been spoiled of all they had A poor mans livelihood is his life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bâ—oâ— victum substantiam Mar. 12.44 Luk. 8.43 He is in his house as a snail in his shell crush that and you kill him quite God therefore who loves Par pari referre to pay oppressors home in their own coin will have life for life if they may escape so Pro. 22.23 and not be cast to hell among those cruel ones Oh that these Cannibals would think of this before the cold Grave hold their bodies and hot Hell hold their souls I shall conclude with telling you what David saith Psal 140.11 Evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him That is Certain ruine abides the violent man One judgment of God or other will hunt him like a wild beast till he be overthrown Yea his own violent dealings shall come upon him and overwhelm him Thou shalt not steal Exod. 2â— 15 Isa 33.1 Wo to thee that spoilest and thou wast not spoiled When thou shalt cease to spoil thou shalt be spoiled Trust not in oppression Psal 62.10 become not vain in robbery Vsury Erubescit Vsura nomen Usura dicitur quasi usu ara i.e. usuâ— aris est commodum certum quod propter usum reâ— mutuatae recipitur sed lucrum non erubescit In Usury three things are considerable 1. Lending 2. Gaining 3. Covenanting Tolend money for gain Vsura est lucrum quod accipitur solius mutuationis causâ Ursiâ— interposita pactionâ— that is Usury It is gain taken meerly for the lending of a thing Herein it 's conceived lies the formality of it viz. the covenanting agreeing and contracting to have so much for what is lent Gregory Nyssen gives this character of an Usurer comparing him to one giving water to another in a Fever which doth him no good but a great deal of mischief So he seems for the present to relieve his brother but afterwards greatly â—â—â—ments him Another thus An Usurer is an exacting Creditor Qui nullum diem gratis occidere creditori permittit His money is to Necessity like cold water to an hot Ague that for a time refresheth but prolongeth the disease The Usurer follows his Debtors as Eagles or Vultures do an Army to prey upon the dead corpses Men come to him as birds to an heap of corn they desire to seed but are destroyed in the neâ—s He loves no labour but lives a sedentary life his Pen is his plough Parchment his field Ink his seed and Time his rain to ripen his greedy desires This man hath no excuse for hard-heartedness for where can he cast his eyes that he beholds not objects of charity Usually he is as unwilling to part with what he hath unjustly gotten as what he hath good title unto As is the proverb or rather fable of the young Kite that thought she had vomited up her own guts when it was only the garbage of some other fowl that she had hastily swallowed and was not able to digest The Usurer saith one breeding money of money to the third and fourth generation proves like the Butlers box which at length draws all the Counters to it Agis the Athenian General Pluâ— set fire upon all the Usurers books and bonds in the Market-place than which fire Agesilaus was wont to say he never saw a fairer Aristotle in one page condemneth the Usurer and the Dicer Ethiâ— l. 4. c. 1. and yet some Christians blush at neither Many are the evasions which men have framed amongst the rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distinguishing biting Vsury from toothless Vsury But both these are condemned Hzek 18.8.13 And no man of note in all Antiquity Jews and Manichees excepted for one thousand five hundred years after Christ hath ever undertaken the defence thereof neither is there any ground in Scripture for that distinction Indeed whereas mention is made of biting Usury it telleth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Usurers are Men-eaters Psal 14.4 Like Pickrels in a pond or Sharks in the sea that devour the lesser fishes These Ostriches can digest any metal especially Money I conclude There is no footing for Usury in the Word of God Ab hoc usâ—ram eâ—ige quem non sit crimen occidere Ambrose Vel minimus fâ—uctus expecuâ—iâ pâ—rcipinoâ— potest sine Dei offensione proxiâ—â— injuriâ Calv. Fanus est animae funus It rather makes void three great rules which our Lord and Saviour hath given us in the Gospel Read them and ponder them Mat. 7.12 Luk. 6.35 Heb. 13.5 Let men therefore take heed how they meddle with Usury seeing there is such a cloud of witnesses against it and not trust to a distinction of mans brain making biting Usury unlawful and other Usury lawful lest by this distinction they get money in their coffers and lose their souls at last For as Alphonsus saith Such gain is the sepulchre of the soul and he must not sojourn in the Tabernacle of the Lord that puts his money to usury And surely it 's an ill Trade that excludes a man from Heaven Lord who shall abide in thy tabernacle who shall dwell in thy holy hill Psal 15.1 Vers 5. Exod. 22.25 Neherâ— 5.7 10. He that putteth not out his money to Vsury If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee thou shalt not be to him as an
everlasting rest Our Saviour is the Author of salvation not to all that talk of him c. But as a Physician is the cause of health to those patients that will follow his directions so Christ is the Author of salvation unto all those that obey him Let us then examine our obedience Christ wills us to avoid sins that cause his Gospel to be ill spoken of By good works to adorn it to stop the mouths of adversaries c. Do we so doth not drunkennesse covetousnesse pride malice and uncleannesse abound As they said and promised to Joshua so let us to Christ Voluntatem eâ— promptitudinem nihil aliud exigit deuâ— Chrys Hom. ult in Mat. Whatsoever thou commandest us we will do and whithersoever thou sendest uâ— we will go Doth Christ command us to abandon covetousnesse which is idolatry and the root of all evil then let us not be glewed to the world Doth he forbid us drunkenness malice pride c. Let us have no fellowship with those unfruitful morks of darkness but rather reprove them let us forsake father and mother c. and follow him for without obedience there is no salvation 1. And let us obey Fully the young man in the Gospel most proudly vaunted that he had kept all the commandments from his youth let us endeavour that we may say so in truth and sincere heart And as Zachary and Elizabeth let us walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless 2. Cheerfully God loves a cheerful giver I was glad saith the Psalmist when they said let us go up into the house of the Lord. 3. Constantly A runner hath not the prize till he come to the Goal A traveller hath not his money till he come to his journey's end Here we are as children growing higher and higher in knowledge faith love obedience c. Let us hold out to the end running constantly in the way of obedience Triplex obedientâ—â— 1 Voâ—i 2. Coâ—formitatâ—â— 3 Resignationis that we may have eternal salvation Obedience is the Touch-stone of Faith As the tree is known by the fruits so Faith by obedience We shoul do by Christ and his Word as some flowers by the sun open and shut with it Behold 1 Sam. 15.22 to obey is better than sacrifice Action As the life of things stands in goodnesse So the life of goodness in action The chiefest goods are most active the best good a meer act Religion as it is communicative like light so it is active like fire Those who rest either in hearing or contemplation alone put Paralogisms that is tricks and fallacies Sophister-like upon themselves and upon their own soules and will prove egregious fooles in the end Therefore it is most safe to follow Davids example Not onely to prick up our ears but also to put our hands unto Gods commandments My hands will I lift up unto thy Commandments Psal 119 48. which I have loved Civil Justice Delphidio Oratori vehementer quendam accusanti Pet. Manâ— in vit Julian pre argumentorum 〈◊〉 tandem exclamanti Ecquis Florentissime Caesar volens esse paterit usquam 〈◊〉 â—â—gare sufficerit Respondet Julianus Ecquis innocens esse poterit si accusâsse sufficiet Justitia 1. Commutativa 2. Distributiva Sicut justum est ut in delinquentes digna debeat vindista procedere itâ— iniquum est Greg. Epist l. 2â— quibusdam afflictionibus quempiam irrationabilitur subjacere Excellent was the Epistle of Adrian the Emperour to Minutius Fundaâ—â—â— the Proconsul of Asia Eâ—scb l. 2. c. 9. in the behalf of the Christians If your Provincial can prove ought against the Christians whereof they charge them and justifie it before the barre let them proceed on and not appeach them only for the name with making outcries against them For it is very expedient that if any be disposed to accuse the accusation be throughly known of you and sifted Therefore if any accuse the Christians that they transgresse the laws see that you judge and punish according to the quality of the offence But in plain words if any upon spite or malice in way of cavillation complain against them see you chastise him for his malice and punish him with revengement Par tibi culpa fuit Par tibi paena subit Nec culpa est levior nec tibi paena minor Righteousnesse exalteth a Nation Prov. 14.34 but sin is a reproach to any people Alms. The sun that fountain of light and heat who continually sends his light and beams upon the earth the earth net being able to return them to heaven again in Oblique line reflects them to us and the other creatures In like manner we whosoever we are being heated by the sun-shine of the Sun of righteousness being we are not able to reflect them upon him must communicate them to our brethren about us Our Aâ—ms should come up before God as the smoke of the incense from the censer of the Angel or the golden Altar before the Throne Man that came naked out of the womb of the earth was even so rich that all things were his Heaven was his roof or Canopie bespangled with goodly starres of all magnitudes Earth his floore The sea his fish-pond The Sun and Moon his torches and all creatures his vassalls And if he lost the fulness of his Lordship by being a slave to sin yet we have Dominium gratificium Gersonâ— Every son of Abraham is heir of the world Freely we having received freely we ought to give Beneficium qui dedit taceat narret qui accipit haec sâ—ilicet inter duos beneficii lex est alter statim oblivisei debet dati alter accepti nunquam He that doth a good turn must instantly forget it but he that receives it must alway remember Charity best appeares when we can say Quantum ex quantillo Lumen de suo lumine c. Ennius Yet still this rule is to be observed Omni petenti not omnia petenti I will so light another mans candle as I will not put out my own Nè dormiat in the sauris â—uis quod pauperi prodesse potest Cypr. Munus bonum est Eleemosyna omnibus qui faciunt eam coram summo deo Idem Qui pauperi Eleemosynam dat deo suavitatis odorem sacrificat Mr. Fox being asked if he remembred a poor man he used to relieve answered The Christian Primitives were no Possessives they sold their possessions and goods and parted to every man that stood in need Non enim â—ta divites saith Chrysoft none were so rich c. Bis dat qui citò dat I forget Lords and Ladies to remember such Liberality implyeth liberty yet many there are like spunges suck up water a pace but they let not fall a drop though they he full till they be squeezed They part with their Penny as with blood out of their hearts Citius aquam ex punice clavam ex
suffered for me We are all as an unclean thing Isa 64.6 Luk. 17.10 and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants Rom. 3.20 We have done that which was our duty to do Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight The Church true and false Ecclesia WHen the Original world was overwhelmed with waters Ecclesia Coetus est hominum è turbâ reliquorum mortatium â—vocatus advitam aeternam none were saved but such as were in the Ark when Sodom was burnt with sire none were saved but those of the family of Lot when Jericho was destroyed none were preserved but those which were in the family of Rahab These are figures shadowing to us that when the Lord comes to cut down the wicked to cast them for ever into the wine-presse of his wrath Salvation shall belong to the houshold of faith even that family whereof God in Christ Jesus is the Father Ecclesia 1. Invisibilis 2. Visibilis But when we say Extra Ecclesiam non est salus it is not ment of a visible but of the invisible or universal Church which is the whole company of the elect in heaven in earth and not yet born for the visible Church or particular Congregations it may be said there are many Wolves within and Sheep without Therefore it is not satisfactory to us to be gathered out of the general masse of mankind into the fellowship of the Church visible but we must examine how we are in the Lords floor whether as Chaffe or Corne for a day of winnowing will assuredly come wherein the Lord shall gather his good Corne into his Garner and the cast Chaffe into unquenchable fire Many would deal with the Church as Amnon with his sister Tamar first ravish her then defile her and then turn her out of doors The Church of God in this world is like a man of war at sea whose Master is Christ whose Mast his Crosse whose Sails his Sanctimony whose tackle patience and perseverance whose cast-peeces the Prophets Apostles Preachers Premuntur justi ut pressi clament clamentes exaudiantur exauditi glorificent Deum Quint. Curâ— 1.8 whose Mariners the Angels whose Fraught is the souls of just men whose Rudder is Charity whose Anchor is hope whose Flag in the top of her is Faith and the word written in it is this Premimur non opprimimur we are cast down but we perish not 2 Cor. 4.8 The Church Militant is sometime fluctuant as the Ark of Noah sometime movable as the Ark in the Wildernesse sometime at rest as the Ark in the Temple In persecution in removes in peace What is the colour of the Church saith one but black her armes but the Crosse her song but the note the oppressed servant in Aristophanes sung I suffer affliction For the world is a Sea a threshing-floore a Presse a Furnace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Church the Ship the Wheat the Grape the Gold and afflictions the winds the waves the flaile the fire O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted Isa 54.11 Yet Built upon the rock that the gates of Hell shall not prevail aaginst Mat. 16.18 And Glorious things are spoken of thee dicta praedicta O City of God Psal 87.3 Saints The word signifies a thing or person separated or set a part from common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and dedicated to a special especially a holy use Holinesse in the general nature of it is nothing else but a seperation from common and dedication to a divine service such are the Saints persons separated from the world and set apart unto God The Church in general which is a company of Saints is taken out of and severed from the world The Church is a fountain sealed and a Garden inclosed so also every particular Saint is a person severed and inclosed from the common throng and multitude of the world 2 Cor. 6.17 Or thus A Saint is an holy one or a person called to holinesse having the perfect holinesse of Christ put upon him by imputation of faith and the quality of imperfect holinesse poured into his heart by the spirit of sanctification Unless even ancient professors saith a Divine look very well to themselves they may take a great deal of pâ—ins and when all comâ— to all after all their praying fasting hearing c. they may be found to be nothing in the world but men that walk after the flesh that is according to the refined and well educated Principles of old Adam Men may be Ishmaels brought up in Isaach's family and yet be built upon Mount Sinai when all is done Now the way that God judgeth of all men is as they are the Children either of the old or of the new Adam and not as men do according to such a proportion of strictness in their lives for the Pharisees went beyond many weak Professours in common righteousness Saints therefore are not to be judged according to some kind of holinesse they may come up to but according to the Principles they walk by either as they walk according to the flesh or according to the Spirit And thus Paul distinguisheth Saints and others 2 Cor. 5.16 Saints are called Eagles for their 1. Delight in high flying 2. Sharp-sightednes and stedfast looking into the sun of righttousness 3. Singular sagacity in smelling out Christ and resenting things above 4. Feeding upon the bloody sacrifice of Christ Mat. 24.28 Saints must walk in a divers way to a world of wicked people as Noah did really reproving their darkness by his light Solus ipse diversâ ambulavit viâ Chrys their pride by his lowliness their vain-glory by his modesty their ostentation by his secret devotion Not onely Planet-like keeping a constant counter-motion to the corrupt manners of the most but also shining forth fair with a singularity of heavenly light spiritual goodness and Gods sincere service in the darkest mid-night of damned impiety True Saints of God are earthly Angels So Chrysostom calleth Paul Angelum terrestrem And Dr. Taylor Martyr blessed God that ever he came in company with that Angel of God John Bradford Aâ—â— Mon. Saints may be called Heaven and that in a double respect 1. Because God is said to dwell in the Saints they are his habitation And wheresoever God dwells he makes a Heaven 2. Because the Saints not onely those of Heaven but they on earth have their conversation in heaven Phil. 3.20 So that as carnal and earthly minded men are called earth because their hearts and conversations are fixed to the earth so spiritual and heavenly-minded men may be called Heaven because their hearts and conversations are fixed in heaven Thus Saints are glorious wonderful magnificent Princes in all lands of an excellent spirit more excellent than their neighbours A Crown of glory a
that we hold or do out of bare ignorance of the truth But Heresie is an Errour and more having these three things in it Viz. 1. In regard of the matter it must be in some great and fundamental truths 2. It is accompanied with pertinacy and obstinacy after clear light offered 3. There is in it a taking of pleasure or delight It is numbred among the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5.20 Hereticks like the dog in the fable lose the substance of Religion while they gape too earnestly at the shadow Fire proves gold the furnace vessels tribulation friends wars good subjects Permittit Deus haereses ut qui probati sunt appareant and schisme or heresie the true Christian Therefore it behoves that there be heresies in the Church as it is necessary there should be poison and venemous creatures in the world because out of them God will work medicines 1 Cor. 11.19 Tertullian compares hereticks to the sepiae a kind of fish who lest they should be taken of their pursuers cast behind them abundance of black matter and so escape out of sight Epiphanius was semper haereticorum acerrimus oppugnator And Knox the Scottish Divine he so fully answered all his adversaries objections Lot Com. Heresie is exceedingly infectious and for most part mortal hence the Italian Proverb Jealousie Frensie and Heresie can hardly be cured Tit. 3. 〈…〉 that one of them said I see all our shifts will serve nothing before God they serve us in so small stead before men All heresies are found to flow saith Chemnitius either from the superstitious pride of Samosatenus or from the sophistry of Arrius or from the ignorance of Aelius These mens wits will better serve them to devise a thousand shifts to elude the truth than their pride will suffer them to acknowledge it And here St. Pauls rule takes place A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject Knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself See Hos 4.17 Blasphemie Blasphemers set their mouths against heaven Blasphemous speeches Leviter volant sed non leviter violant and their words are stout against God Such are all desperate speeches imposing upon God any thing unbeseeming of his Majestie which he can by no means away with The Church-Historian reports of Julian the Apostate that when he was wounded in the battel against the Parthians he took of his blood Theod. l. 3.6.20 Niceph. l. 10. c. 35. and threw it up to heaven he stretcheth out his hand against God saying in derision of Christ O Galilaean thou hast overcome This outward gesture of his body expressed the secret indignation of his minde And indeed blaspheming of God Vicisti Galilaeâ— properly taken is ever joyned with an intent to cast reproach upon God Amalachitâ— Israelitas in exitu de Egypto vel ob lassitudinem vel ob legalem immunditiem extra castra degentes â—cciderunt corum circumcisionem amputatam in subsannationem Dei projecerunt in coelum Euseb l. 2. c. 6. And it is observed by Hierom who saith he received it from the tradition of the Jews that the Amalekites who were professed enemies to them did lie upon the watch to take all advantages against them In their march from Aegypt to Canaan and when at any time they turned aside out of the way either because of legal uncleannesse or upon any natural necessity they would fall upon them and slay them which being done they cut off that member which had the seal of the Covenant Circumcision upon it and with their hand stretched out threw it up toward heaven as if they would challenge God himself to revenge their blasphemy of him and the contempt of that sacred institution Such was the blasphemy of Caius Caligula that he set up his picture in many places and claimed mens prayers unto himself and dedicated the Temple in the holy City to his proper use translating and consecrating the name to new Caius as a famous God This was far beyond the Bishop of Constantinople who onely desiring to be called Universal Gregory the great calls it Nâ—mâ—nistud blasphemia It is a sin against the light of Nature which Princes have severely punished some by searing their lips with an hot iron and others with death The very Turks cannot endure them that wound the eares of heaven but punish the Christians their Prisoners when they through impatience or desperateness do blaspheme Christ But how piercing is it to the heart of God and his people visible vengeance hath fallen upon such wretches and they have come to a fearful end Mr. Anno 1553. in Helvetia at a town 3. miles distant from Lucerna on a Lords day under the town-wall The truth of this relation is farther attested by others Iob Tincelius Philip Loincerus Theat Hist p. 142. Isa 37.23 Psal 42.10 Psal 56.7 Trapp in his Exposition on Malachy recites a terrible story out of Andrew Musculus concerning a desperate Dice-player who having lost a great deal of money swore that if he lost the next cast he would sling his dagger at the face of God He lost it and in a rage threw up his daggar with all his might toward heaven The daggar vanished in the ayr and was seen no more five drops of blood fell down upon the table where they were playing which could never be washed out part of it is still kept in the town for a Monument and the blasphemer was fetcht away presently body and soul by the Devil with such an horrible noise as affrighted the whole town The other two came to a miserable end shortly after Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice and lifted up thine eyes on high even against the holy one of Israel As with a sword in my bones mine enemies reproach me while they say daily unto me where is thy God Shall they escape by iniquity in thine anger cast down the people O God Types ΤΥΠΟΙ A Type is a shadow of things to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Typus vestigium figura exemplar forma signum rei futurae Sometimes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subostentio obscura repraesentatio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 umbra Heb. 9.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All that was in the Ceremonial Law were types of our Saviour Christ and of the Kingdom of heaven The Sanctuary a shadow of heaven the Tabernacle of Christs body the High-Priests of Christ Their sacrifices types of his the brazen serpent a figure of him c. They had the shadow and we the substance The Levitical Ordinance is also called a figure or Parable That is such a form of service as intimated some greater matter than to the sense appeared And called upon the people to look through the type to the truth of things through the history to the mystery When the sun is behind the shadow is before when the sun is
by the assistance of the Holy Ghost yet it was not meritorious It was the power of the Deity that made Christs blood meritorious That gave both value and vertue to it both to satisfy and to sanctify And so we come to have a double benefit by the blood of Christ justification and sanctification from sins which are dead works The blood of Christ may be considered two wayes in the work of redemption 1. As the price of our Redemption Eph. 1.7 2. As it carries the right of Redemption Blood implies neernesse of relation Act. 17.26 As the blood of Adam runs in the veines of all his posterity and so there is a natural relation among all mankind So God hath made Christ and us of one blood Heb. 2.14 Christ as God had power to redeem us but as being Immanuel God with us he had also a right to redeem us The Pelican with her blood both feeds her young and cureth them being sâ—ung with serpents This is applicable to Christ in a spiritual sence The Idolaters offered the blood of their sons and daughters to their Idols but they would not offer their own But Christ gave not any blood but his own by his own blood he made a way into Heaven for us Constantine being told that nothing would cure his Leprosie but the blood of Infants would rather dye But Christ was content his blood should be shed to cure us A mother brings up her child with her owne milke but Christ his children with his owne blood Is not this the water said David 2 Sam. 23.17 for the which three worthy men ventured their lives he would not drink of it though very thirsty Our swearing drunkenness c. these cost the blood of the Son of God We are washed from them in the blood of Christ and shall we wollow in them When we are provoked to sin let us reason with our selves Indeed the water of these sins is sweet but did it not cost the blood of Christ We think sin to be nothing yet all the Martyrs on the earth and all the Angels in heaven could not have freed us from 〈◊〉 Christs blood is the price of our redemption the Son of God must shed his blood for it Therefore let the consideration hereof be a perpetual bridle to restrain us from sin Without shedding of blood is no remission Hebr. 9.22 Mass A certain Sorbonist finding it written in the end of St. Paul's Epistles Missa est Buxto f. c. bragged he had found the Mass in the Bible And another in reading in Joh. 1.41 Invenimus Messiam made the same conclusion Some of them as Bellarmine for one would fain ground it on Malac. 1.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Others fetch the Missa from an Hebrew word which signifyes tribute coming of another which signifies to melt because it many times melteth away mens estates Rectè quidem Rivet per Missam scilicet piet as omnis liquefacta dissoluta Upon these words Heb. 7.18 Reprobatio quidem fit praecedentis mandatâ— c. Here the Jesuites shew themselves very acute their wit mounteth above the Moon The old Mandate say they is gone viz. the Levitical Priesthood with the sacrifices thereof And the new Mandate is come in the room thereof that is the Gospel with the sacrifice thereof the Mass Whereof Maunday Thursday 〈◊〉 his name quasi Mandat Thursday because then the old Mandate of the â—ascal Lambe was abolished and the new Mandate of the sacrifice of the Mass was ordained in the supper Indeed Dr. Jones well observes it was once called Shear-Thursday because the Priests did shear their hair and shave their crownes on that dayâ— Afterwards it had the name of Maunday Thursday not of the Latine word Mandâtum that is far fetched but rather of the English word Maund or basket because the People brought their provision for feasting on that day in such To love one another is called the new Mandate but the supper hath never that name But here the Jesuites it may be make this note rather to shew their wit than Divinity Object In the time of the Law there was many sacrifycing Priests but now in the time of the Gospel there is but one sacrificing Priest and that is our Saviour Christ which offered one sacrifice once for the sins of the world Indeed spiritually we are all Priests to offer spiritual sacrifices to God but there is no Priest to offer an external sacrifice for sin but Christ This is firm there is but one sacrifice of the New Testament whereby the daily sacrifice of the Mass is over thrown There is but one bloody sacrifice which was once offered on the crosse but there is an unbloody sacrifice which Christ instituted at his last Supper Cum faciam vitulâ pro fâ—â—gibus ipse venito where the body and blood of Christ are offered under the similitudes of bread and wine which is a commemoration and an applification of his sacrifice on the crosse to usâ— for Christ said to his Disciples Hoc facite that is sacrificate As the Poets say Answ But where do they read in any Author the Hoc facite with an Accusative case doth signifie to sacrifice The Poet doth not say facere vitulam Besides Christ then ordained no Propitiatory sacrifice which was to be offered every day he instituted a Sacrament not such a sacrifice Moreover 1. In every sacrifice there is sensibile quiddam as Bellarmine confesseth and they also say it is an eternal thing and they call it Visibile sacrifiolum But in this imaginary sacrifice there is no outward sensible thing that may be discerned by the senses They say that the body and blood of Christ are there invisible under the shape of bread and wine therefore by their own Position it is no sacrifice 2. They confesse it to be an unbloody sacrifice and then no Propitiatory for the quick and dead Sacrificium incruentum as they will have it For without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins There is no blood shed therefore no remission of sins Then a Mass is worth nothing but a Phantastical dream of their own The Papists were used to say the sacrifice of the Mass that it was propitiatory for the quick and the dead but being forced to it by the light of Scripture they let go that hold and affirm that it is onely representativum commemorativum applicativum of the sacrifice on the crosse But however they minse it all the sacrifices instituted by God must cease after the oblation of that sacrifice whereby eternal redemption is obtained for us And then this new forged sacrifice is but a bird of their own hatching and must cease Besides if Christ be offered up in the sacrifice of the Mass then he suffers at every Mass for there can be no offering of Christ without suffering but he suffers not even in the judgment of the Papists Neither Bellarmine nor any of them
do hurt by it However Truth may challenge credit It needs not stand begging audience or creep upon the ground with flattering insinuations Truth is a great Prince Magna veritâ—s praevalet it commands rather than entreats every word of it being a Law or charge Truth is not afraid to be tried It often lieth in a corner but never seeks corners as ashamed to be seen or discussed by men Truth as some have said lieth in a deep pit it is hard to finde it out it lieth out of sight yet Truth doth not hide it self but dares stand forth in the face of all the world It no more fears the tryal than pure gold fears the touch-stone or than a schollar who hath made good progresse in his learning fears to be examined He that hath Truth with him needs not care who appears against him Nay more Truth the more it hath been opposed the more it hath appeared Veritas abscondi erubescit saith Tertullian It was Zwinglius his prophecy scio veritatem superaturam esse ubi ossa mea in favillam erunt redacta occiditur quidem Christus sed brevi resurgit ac de hostibus triumphat Tom. 2. p. 323. Râ—primi non dâ—pâ—imi potest In respons ad Epist amici cujusdam non vulgaris Truth may be overclouded but like the Sun it will break out and appear more glorious Mahomet the great Turk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeing his beautiful wife Irene was the occasion of his neglect of his Realme and his people ready to rebel against him by his dallying with her In the midst of his Bassa's struck off her head Even so rather than hazard truth and a good conscience let go peace which her name in Greek signifies We must know no relations in Truths case Socrates is my friend Amicus Socrates amicus Plato sed magis amica veritas and Plato is my friend but Truth is a better friend than both Whosoever dares speak against truth we must dare to speak for it 'T is noble to shew our selves friends to Truth though we lose friends by it and enemies to errour though we get enemies by it Veritatem desiderant multi sed ad eam viam ignorant Vt è fonte aqua haâ—ritur ex igne accenditur ignis ex lumine lumen ita ex Christo qui est veritas Dei veritas Veritas est in Jesu Jesus est veritas veritas Deus est qui deum novit veritatem novit Note further that according to the Philosophers there is a threefold truth 1. Metaphysical in being the conforming of a thing to the Idea Veritas in Essendâ— cognoscâ—ndo sign sicando by which it was framed 2. Logical in knowing the conformity of the understanding with the thing 3. Ethical in signifying the conformity both sermonis and facti of our words to the things and our actions to right reason by which distinction it manifestly appeareth that there is a practical as well as a speculative truth 1 John 1.6 And the Truth is done Either 1. Objectively which is to conform in doing to the Truth that is the Word of God the rule and square of Truth to make the Law of God the rule of our conversation Ezek. 18.5 Or 2. Modally which is to do what we do heartily and sincerely for it is not sufficient that we do what is right but that we do it truly with a good and upright heart Isa 38.2 To the former speaks Cyril and Tollet Facere veritatem est operari secundùm legem justitiae rectitudinis honestatis And to the latter thus Facere veritatem nihil aliud est quà m fâ—nâ—erè agere Vorst Mercy and Truth are met together Psal 85.10 11. righteousnesse and peace have kissed each other Truth shall spring out of the earth and righteousnesse shall look down from heaven Lying Pythagoraâ— was wont to say Mendacium à mendâ— that in two things we become like unto God 1. In bestowing benefits 2. In telling truth Mentiri Mendacium est falsa ennciatio cum intentione fallendi is contra mentem ire to lie is to utter a known untruth with an intention to deceive or hurt There is Mendacium 1. Malltiosum 2. Officiosum 3. Jocosum For the first it hath been the practice of the Christians enemies first to belie them and then persecute them Thus Epiphanius testifieth that after Saul was turned Christian the Grecians with whom he sometime was forward to joyn against Stephen sought his death but first they gave out that he turned meerly out of discontent because he could not obtain to wife the high-Priests daughter And before the French Massacre it was given out that the Protestants in their night-meetings committed most abominable uncleannesse Those that kill a dog saith the French proverb make the world believe he was mad first The Devil was first a liar and then a murtherer and he hath taught his Impes Diligi proximum ut teipsum nolite destruere ut alium extruas first to take away the credit of the Church and than to wound her For the second that is a good rule In mendacio officiosâ— memento nè destruas spiritum tuum ut serves alterius corpus And for the last lie not in jest lest God send thee to Hell in earnest The Cretians were loud liars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Tit. 1.12 And Tertullian saith of Tacitus he was mendaciorum loquacissimus he never opened his mouth but there came forth a swarm of lies It was grown to a common Proverb A Frier a Liar One of them undertook to shew a feather of the wing of the Angel Gabriel The poor people are perswaded to believe that the thunder of the Popes Excommunication hath so blasted the English Hereticks that their faces are grown all black and and ugly as Devils their eyes and looks gastly their breath noisome and pestilent c. That they are grown barbarous and eat children blaspheme God and all his Saints It was a golden age when that argument took place Sacerdos est non fallet Christianus est non mentietur Hierom writeth of one upon the rack that uttered these words Non ideò negare volo nè peream sed ideò negare volo nè peccem Gods people are children that will not lie they will die rather Seneca observes Epist 97. ad finem Mendacium vitro pellucidius that a lie is of a thin and transparent nature a diligent eye may see through it Lying is a blushful evil therefore doth the liar deny his lie Aristotle saith it is in it self evil and wicked destructive to humane societiy and contrary to the order of nature which hath given words to expresse mens minds and meanings There is a threefold lie which we must both avoid and oppose 1. Verbal when a man tells a false tale or bringeth up a false report Mendax hâ—â—â—â—cratur ut cum vera aixerit non credatur
Deut. 8.10 The fed hawk soon forgets her Master Therefore when thou shalt have eaten and be full then beware lest thou forget the Lord. Let us be careful we forget not Gods word neither let slip any one sermon without some profit There are several helps to memory Attention Men remember what they heed and regard Attend to my sayings saith wisdom keep them in the midst of thine heart that is in such a place where nothing can come to take them away Where there is attention there will be retention the memory is the chest and Ark of divine truths and a man should see them carefully locked up Affection That 's a great help to memory men remember what they care for Delight and love are ever reviving and renewing the object upon our thoughts Application and appropriation of truths We will remember that which concerneth our selves Hear this and know it for thy good This I must remember for my comfort Meditation This is a covering of the word that the fowles of the air do not snatch it from us As an apple which is tossed in the hand leaveth the odour and smell of it behind so often revolving the word upon the thoughts Mary kept Christs sayings and pondered them in her heart Conference with others The Disciples that travelled to Emmaus conferred together The Bereans that came from St. Paul his sermon took their Bibles and conferred together Many eyes see more than one that which one hath forgotten another may remember Repetition will be as a nail to fasten the things we have heard Prayer Our corporal meat will do us no good except God bless it no more can the food of our souls And beg the Spirit of God whose work it is to bring things to our remembrance And observe the accomplishment of truths such occasions observed will make old truths come to mind afresh Practise Christians can remember the circumstances of that sermon In sucoum sangâ—inem by which they get profit This is the digesting of our spiritual meat and the converting of it into our substance It is never our own truly and indeed till it be practised Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard Heb. 2.1 Nè praeteâ—flâ—amus lest at any time we should let them slip Abstinence Nature is contented with a little Natura pauâ—is contenta For who perceiveth not that at all things are seasoned by the desires Darius in his flight when he drunk of the water that was dirty and polluted with dead Carkasses affirmed he never drank sweeter or more pleasant The reason is because he never abstained from drink untill he was thirsty Cicer. Quest. Tusâ— It is necessary that every one be so far forth continent as may destroy the vices not the flesh for oftentimes in the pursuit of the enemy Greg. therein we kill the Citizen whom we love And oftentime while we do as it were spare our fellow-Citizen we further the enemy in the skirmish Abstaine from all appearance of evil 1 Thes 5.22 Testimony Testimonium est fallibile in fide humanâ in fide divinâ infallibile The witnesse of the Holy Ghost is the work of faith the witnesse of our spirits the sense of faith wrought This is better felt by experience than expressed by words known altogether and onely to them that have it The state of Gods children is full of sweet certainty and assurance he that having a cause to be tried and hath two sufficient witnesses doubts not of the day Now Gods Children have two witnesses Omni exceptione majores 1. Their own spirit which is not to be condemned for if conscience a natural thing be a thousend witnesses much more the spirit which is a supernatural power given of God 2. The Holy Ghost which cannot deceive or be deceived witnesseth with our spirits Besides what an honour is this to the Saints that the Holy Ghost should bear witness at the bar of their consciences There are several wayes of bearing witnesse to Christ 1. By openly publishing the truth of Christ promulging of the Evangelical truths concerning the Messiah 2. By leading lives answerable to the Christian profession holinesse and uprightness of conversation doth attest and credit the Doctrine of Christ 3. By suffering especially death it self for Christs cause and the Gospels To such the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is eminently applied Under the law one witnesse was allowed sufficient in case of Religion Deut. 29.16 17. Malitia tua te adduxit ad mortem non nos Lyran. Vâ—erque Diabolum habet isle in linguâ ille in aâ—re Dav. Detractores Canini dentes Diaboli Paâ—isien But two were required in civil cases Cap. 19.15 Witnesses of old were wont to put their hand upon the head of the offendor and say It is thy own wickednesse which condemns thee and not we We may neither raise an evil report nor receive it neither be the tale-bearer nor tale-hearer The one carries the Devil in his tongue the other in his ear Not only those that make a lye but those that love it when it is made to their hands are shut out of heaven Rev. 22.15 Every man hath two great witnesses either for or against him 1. Conscience within him 2. God above him Other faculties may rest but no passage shall be able to scape the record of conscience Conscia mens ut cuique sua est Ovid. ita concipit intra Pectora pro facto spemque metúmque suo This is Gods deputy-judge holding court in the whole soul bearing witnesse of all a mans doings and desires and accordingly excusing or accusing absolving or condemning comforting or tormenting But yet the witness of God is the most desireable witness The witnesse we have on earth is nothing worth unless we have a witnesse in Heaven If we have not the inward witnesse of our own conscience it is little advantage though we have a thousand outward witnesses Conscience is more than a thousand witnesses but God is more than ten thousand consciences As the witnesse of good men is more desirable than the witnesse of all other men and the witnesse of a good conscience is more desirable than the witnesse of good men so the witnesse of God is more desirable than without which we cannot have it and with which we shall have it the witnesse of a good conscience Job 16.19 Behold my witnesse is in heaven and my record is on high Contemplation A contemplative life without practice is like unto Rachel Jacobs wife beautiful and bright-sighted but yet barren It is good therefore to have Rachels beautiful face to be seconded with Leah's fruitful womb If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them John 13.17 Consideration Cras tibi respondebo said Melanchton to his adversary Eccius It is but little that can be learned in this life without due and deep consideration which is an
act of the practical understanding whereby it reflects and stayes upon its own intentions and comparing them with the rule it proceeds to lay a command upon the will and affections to put them in execution Without this though a man had all possible knowledge lockt up in his brain and breast it would be but like fire in a flint-stone insensible and unprofitable till beaten out by sound consideration But when consideration hath soundly inlightned a mans mind informed his judgment and determined his will according to rule then it must needs bring forth sound resolutions purposes and practices Solomon got much of his wisedome by this means as appeareth by his Ecclesiastes which some have not unfitly called Solomons Soliloquy Commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still Psal 4.4 Study A wise mans tongue runs not before his wit but he weighs his words before he utters them He dippeth his words in his mind as Plutarch saith Phocian did ere men see what colour they are of Such a one was Melanchton who when some hard question was propounded to him would take three dayes deliberation to answer it In some that is verefied Studium partium maxima parâ— studiorum Above all let us study to go to Heaven 1. We have a place to study in enter often into the closet of our own hearts examine whether we be in regia via or not that leadeth to heaven 2. We have a book to study on the book of books the sacred book of holy Scriptures 3. We have a light to study by Gods Spirit who must enlighten our eyes that we may see the wonders of Gods lawes 4. And we have a time to study in from infancy to old age from the cradle to the grave the terme of our life so far as is possible In which study we must use all diligence 2 Pet. 1.10 Aquinas at Lewis the French Kings table was so deep in his study when others were chatting that he forgate himself and smiting upon the table said Jam contra Minichaeos conclusum est When Rainolds friends desired him he would not perdere substantiam propter accidentia his answer was Nec propter vitam vivendi perdere causas One calls Scaliger Portentosi ingenii juvenem of a stupendious wit And it is said of Willet that when he preached in Cambridge he shewed himself to be the man Quem rus non infuscavit Study to shew thy self approved unto God 2 Tim. 2.15 Read Pro. 15.28 Eccl. 12.12 Heb. 4.11 c. Soliloquy A wise man can never want with whom to discourse though he be alone It s good to have our eyes in our head with Solomons wise man yea to have our eyes like the windowes in Solomons Temple broad inward But mens minds are naturally as ill set as their eyes they turn neither of them inward Lamiae-like they are sharp-sighted abroad to discern other mens faults but mole-like blind at home to take notice of their own Corrupt nature shews no sin Men deal with their souls as some do with their bodies who when their beauty is decayed they desire to hide it from themselves by false glasses and from others by painting So their sins from themselves by false-glasses and from others by excuses A good mans businesse lyeth much within doors and he taketh the fittest time for the better dispatch of it when he is in secret putting his hand into his bosom and recoiling upon his own heart by self-reflection But as it is a signe that there are great distempers in that family where husband and wife go divers days together and speak not the one to the other So in that soul that flieth from it self and can go long without self-examination Fanne your selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea fanne your selves Zeph. 2.1 So Tremel Excutite vos iterumque excutite Read 2 Cor. 13.5 Lam. 3.4 Psal 4.4 Psal 77.6 Confession There is no way to purge the sick soul but upwards Confessio peccati ost vomitus sordium animae But to shew how unwilling men are to confess their sins they are apt saith one to decline sin through every case as In Nominativo per superbiam striving to get them a name In Genitivo per luxuriam In Dativo per symoniam In Accusativo per detractationem In Vocativo per adulationem And in Ablativo per rapinam But yet they will not confesse so much in any case Per miserere mei tollitur ira Dei. Homo agnoscit Deus ignoscit Man no sooner confesseth the debt but God crosseth the book Certainly Bellarmine with reverence to his learning missed the cusheon wretchedly when he could not find in all the book of God any Promise made to confession of sin to God If we confesse our sins 1 John 1 9. God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse Read 2 Sam. 12.13 Prov. 28.13 Psal 32.5 Contrition The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Great comfort to a soul that is at the next door to despair This comforted Bernard on his death-bed he died with this sentence in his mouth And Austin caused it to be written on the wall over against the bed where he lay sick and died Happy when a man with those converts Act. 2. is so pricked and pierced that he feels the nails wherewith he hath crucified Christ sticking fast in his own heart as so many sharp daggers or stings of Scorpions But it is the Spirit that convinceth of sin These waters flow not till his wind bloweth Neither can a sigh for sin be breathed out untill he imbreath it into us the eye is the instrument both of sight and sorrow What the eye never sees the heart neveâ— ruâ—s Sight of sinne must precede sorrow for sin Let us therefore get our eyes anointed with this eye-salve I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem Zech. 12.10 the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall look upon him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his onely son and shall be in bitternesse for him as one that is in bitternesse for his first-born Teares All tears are not pleasing to God There be 1. Lachrymae rancoris indignationis such were the tears of Esau he wept more upon stomack being vexed in his mind that he should be thus defrauded by his brother than for any grief for sin More for the loss than the fault 2. Lachrymae Simulationis such are Crocodiles tears Vt flâ—rent oculos erudiere suos Ovid. and as they say some womens tears that have them at command 3. Lachrymae compunctionis being pricked with sorrow for sin These be good tears which the Angels in heaven rejoyce at Some report of Mary Magdalen that after our Saviours resurrection Adeò ut lachrymae cutem genarum exederint she
There are some who have attained the last degree or step of old age who have not attained the first degree of wisdome And this is sad upon a double account 1 Because it is the duty of old men to shew forth wisdome 2. They have had a great opportunity to gather wisdome a price hath been in their hands though possibly they have not had hearts to make use of it How much time every one bath had such a talent he hath had and he shall be reckoned with answerably Time is not an empty duration God hath filled time with helps to eternity Turpis et ridiculus esi 〈◊〉 clementacius and with meanes to know him the onely true God which is life eternall An old man ignorant is more childish than a child It is bad enough when children and young men are ignorant but to see old men ignorant of the things of God with what teares should we lament it Old men are to be reverenced 1. Propter ipsam atatem Levit. 19.32 2. Propter prudentiam Job 12.12 3. Propter Experientiam 4. Propter Pietatem Pro. 16.31 Canities tunc venerabilis est quando ea gerit quae canitiem decent c. Cgrysost Else it is mucor potius qâ—à m canities As Manna the longer it was kept against the command of God the more it stanke Sâ—epe nigium cor est capâ—t album Mult a 〈…〉 câ—mveniunt in commoda Horat. The white rose is soonest cankered so is the white head soonest corrupted Satan got great advantage against old Solomon Asa Lot and others whom when young he could never so deceive The Heathens can warn us to look well to our old age as that which cometh not alone but is infected with many diseases both of body and mind To live long and dye in a full age is a blessing yet it is infinitely better to be full of grace than to be full of dayes but to be full dayes and full of grace too a venerable spectacle To be full of years and full of faith full of the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Christ this is comely and beautifull beyond all the beauty and comelinesse of youth Such may be truly said to have filled their dayes for those dayes are filled indeed which are full of Goodnesse Semper aliqrid novi ad poâ—taâ— Solet senâ—ctusesse deformis infirma obliviosa edulenta lucrosa indocilis et molesta saith Cato in Plutarch As Africa is never without some Monster so never is old age without some ailement Old age and misery are never seperated Therefore let no man be so besotted as to make that â—he talke of his old age which should be the trade of his whole life I have been young Psal 37.25 and now am old The evil dayes the years when it will be said I have no pleasure in them Eccl. 12.1 Cast me not off in the time of old age forsake me not when my strength faileth Psal 71.9 The World Mundus THE great body of the world Heil Geog. l. 1.31 like the body of man though it have many parts and members is but one body onely A body of so exact a forme and of so compleat a Symmetry in respect of the particular parts and all those parts so beautified and adorned by the God of Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab ornatu mundus à munditie that from the Elegancy and beauties of it it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Grecians and Mundus by the Latines both names declaring the composure of it to be full of ornament and all those ornaments conducting mankind of the knowledge of God There is 1. Mundus mundanus Act. 17.24 2. Mundus immundus 1 John 5.19 3. Mundus mundatus 2 Cor. 5.19 There are two sorts of men in the world 1. Of the world Psal 17.14 2. Not of the world John 17.16 The former are opposed to the Citizens of the new Jerusalem Terrigena fratres animam hà bentes triticeam such as have incarnated their souls are of the earth speak of the earth and mind earthly things as if they were born for no other purpose The latter indeed have their commoration on earth but their conversation is in heaven Pearls though they grow in the Sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet they have affinity with the heaven the beauty and brightnesse whereof they resemble That which the soul is in the body that are Christians in the world Chrysost for as the soul is in but not of the body so Christians are in but not of the world Two things occasion fashion in this world 1. Multitude 2. Greatnesse For as Cyprian said Insipit esse licitum quod solet esse publiâ—um Quod est consueâ—um praesumitur esse justum custome is not only another nurture but another nature What is done of many speak the Lawyers is at length thought lawful for any It is an Axiom in the Bible that amity with the world is enmity with God He that is a Parasite to men is not the servant of Christ it is an unhappy thing to converse in the tents of Kedar As in a Chess-play so long as the game is in playing all men stand in their order and are respected according to the place First the King then the Queen then the Bishops c. But when once the game is ended they are all confusedly tumbled into a bagge and perhaps the King is lowest Even so it is with us in this life the world is a Stage or Theatre Vâ—iversus mundus exercet Histriouem whereon some play the part of sicut supra but when our Lord shall come with his Angels to judge the world all are alike great men and mean persons in the same sin shall be bound together and cast as a fagot into hell Let us not then conform our selves according to the greatest for Ego Rex meus is no good plea when God shall reckon with us at the last dreadful day The world is both 1. Transitory and 2. Unsatisfactory The fashion of this world passeth away One of the Kings of Egypt minding one day to ride in pomp caused his Chariot to be drawn with four captive Kings the hindermost of which looking back nodded his head at one of the wheeles which the King observing asked him his reason he answered it did resemble the changable fortune and affaires of the world which the King seriously considering set them at liberty and restored them In mundo nihil constat in orbem vertitur orbis Quidmirum recti quod sit in orbe nihil Yea the ruine of the goodliest pieces in the world Arist Polit. foreshews the destruction of the whole How ill beseeming and unworthy a thing is it then for a Christian to set his heart on the things of this world Omnia praetereunt praeter amare Deum considering that they are vain and transitory rather shews and shadows of things than
Paraclete Cursed Mahomet called the dead fits of his falling-sicknesse his extasie and ravishment at the appearance of the Angel Gabriel and his Dove inured to fetch food out of his ear is pretended no lesse than the Holy Ghost sent whisperingly to intimate what he should enact for the people Heathenish Politicians had like pretences to win credit to their lawes Numa Pompilius receives his from the goddesse Aegeria Lycurgus his from Apollo And how many have we now adayes our Modern Enthusiasts that dream their Midianitish dreames and then tell it for Gospel to their neighbours as wise as themselves leading men into the lyons mouth that roaring lyon under pretence of a Revelation as that old Impostour did the young Prophet 1 King 13. This we may be sure of that many illusions have come in the likenesse of visions and absurd fancies under pretence of raptures and what some have called the spirit of Prophecy hath been the spirit of lying and contemplation hath been nothing but Melancholy and unnatural lengths and stilnesse of prayer hath been a meer dream and hypochondriacal devotion and hath ended in pride or despair or some sottish and dangerous temptation Much like unto Heron the Monk of whom it is reported that having lived a retired and mortified life together for many years at last the Devil taking advantage of the weakness of his Melancholy and unsetled spirit gave him a transportantion and an extasie in which he fancied himself to have attained so great perfection that Angels would be his security so dear he was to God though he threw himself into the bottome of a well he obeyed his fancy and temptation did so bruised himself to death and died possessed with a perswasion of the verity of that extasie and transportation It is more healthful and nutritive to dig the earth and eat of her fruits than to stare upon the greatest glories of the Heavens and live upon the beams of the sun So though all violencies and extravagancies of a religious fancy are not illusions yet they are all unnatural little secure little reasonable little consisting with humility and so unsatisfying to the soul that they often distract the faculties seldom advantage piety and are full of danger in their greatest lustre Be not soon shaken in mind 2 Thes 2.2 neither by spirit Apparition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to appear or seem It is that which either a man seeth or vainly imagineth that he seeth If any say how hath a spirit a form or an image or how can that be seen Answ It is not a Spirit abstracted or naked in it self but a Spirit joyned with a form and a shape that is seen So Angels or Spirits did usually appear to the Ancients taking a body or some form upon them and those Apparitions when a body was assumed were called spirits When therefore it is said that the Disciples beholding Jesus after his resurrection standing in the midst of them they were terrified and affrighted supposing that they had seen a spirit Luk. 24.36 37. Know the Apostles were not so absurd as to beleeve a spirit in it self a spirit abstracted could be seen but they called it a spirit because they thought it onely the representation of Christs body and not the true body So a spirit may assume some outward shape in which it is clothed to the eye Some observe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haec vox significat sic aliquid praeteâ—irae ut â—tiam mutetur Schind that the motions of spirits clothed with bodies in their Apparitions is not like the motion of men who move lifting up their feet one after another but it is a passing as a ship moveth with a gale of wind rather a gliding than a going Job 4.15 Among the Heathen this was made the chief difference to distinguish a Numen or spirit coming in any shape from a natural body The steddinesse of their eyes was one Pedes vestis desluxit ad imos Et vera incesses patuit Dea. Virg. l. 1. Aen. the not transposing their feet was another and a cleerer evidence So saith Heliodor Numina venientia ad nos in homines se transformant Ex oculis autem notari possunt cum continuo obtuitu intueantur palbebras nunquam concludant Et magis ex incessus qui non ex dimotione pedum neque ex transpositione existit Sed quodam impetu â—â—rio vi expedita findentium magis auras quam transeuntium Quamobrem statuas quoque Deorum Egyptii ponunt conjungentes illis pedes quasi unientes In Aethiopicis l. 3. A spirit passed before my face Joâ—â— 12.13 14 15 16. Witch Witchcraft in general signifyes all curious arts wrought by the operation of the Devil The ground is a league or compact with him Either 1. Open when men invocate the Devil in expresse words or otherwise make any manifest covenant with him Or 2. Secret when men use means which they know have no force but by the operation of the Devil Of Witchcraft there are three kinds 1. Superstitious Divination of which before 2. Jugling to work feats beyond the order of nature as did the Magicians of Egypt 3. Charming or inchanting which is by the pronouncing of words to procure speedy hurt or speedy help A Witch is one that wittingly and willingly useth the assistance of the Devil himself for the revealing of secrets working of some mischief or effecting of some strange cure There are indeed other superstitious persons who use charming and by it do many cures perswading themselves that the words which they use have force in them or that God hath given them to do strange things Such in a natural honesty may detest all known society with the Devil and in that respect are not the Witches which the Scripture adjudgeth to death yet are they at the next door to them and are to be admonished to relinquish their superstitious practices Because 1. The efficacy of things that comes by any other means than the ordinance of God which efficacy was either put into the thing in the Creation or since by some new institution in the Word is by Satanical operation 2. Charms Inchantments and Spells have no force unless we believe they can do us good which faith is false and the service of the Devil for we must believe hope do nothing without or against the Word of God To discover a Witch is very hard for they do their feats in close manner not only by soul and open cursing but also by fair speaking and by praising of things Nevertheless there are five special things for discovery Viz. 1. Free confession of the accused and suspected 2. Confestion of the associates with the suspected 3. Invocation of the Devil for that is to renounce Baptism 4. Evidence of entertaining a Familiar spirit 5. Evidence of any action or actions that necessarily presuppose a league made with the Devil There are besides these other signs
put upon him nor any limit-lines drawn about him A great Prince once said That he had a circle indeed about his head meaning his Crown but he would not bear it to have a circle about his feet he must go which way himself pleased and do whatsoever his soul desired Yet there are circles drawn about all the powers of the world only God hath none That which is most sinful in man is most holy in God to act according to his own Will Gods Will is sometimes done against mans will he compelling the Devil and his limbs sometimes though against their wills to serve him and his servants Thus Haman must cloth Mordecai in royal apparel c. full fore against stomack be sure he could rather have torn out his heart and eaten it with salt but how could he help it Saul pronounceth David more righteous than he Judas and Pilate give testimony to Christs innocency These are the servants of the high God which shew unto us the way of salvation said the Pythonisse concerning Paul and his Companions Acts 16.17 Canes lingunt uscerd Lazari 'T is the duty of man to submit himself unto 2 Sam. 3.36 Placet mihi quod regi placet and acquiesce in the mind of God The mind of God rests and we ought to rest in his mind Whatever pleaseth God should please us A gracious heart tastes sweetness in Gall and VVormwood considered under this notion as it is the VVill of God he should drink it or feed upon it Thy Will be done in earth Mat. 6.10 as it is in heaven Persecution Gods people are most fitly resembled unto sheep 1. Because they are humble Herba trabit ovem 2. Harmless 3. Profitable 4. Ruled by their Shepherd 5. Led into pastures and folds 6. And they are obnoxious to many dangers to Wolves Bryars Thieves Dogs So Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivers them out of them all Many can be content to be Gods sheep provided they may wear golden fleeces However happy are the sheep that have such a Shepherd Excellent things are spoken of the Church of God a woman clothed with the Sun crowned with the Stars treading upon the Moon yet travelling in birth pursued with the Dragon ready to be devoured both her self and little babe But heaven sung her triumph against the accuser of the brethren and he was cast down which accused them before God both day and night To accuse before men is much but before God Now and then to be accused is much but day and night Thus it happeneth to the children of God while nature disrobe us of corruption Quater luctatus est Jacob in utero cum Esau in via cum eodem in Mesopotamia cum Laban in Bethel cum Angelo To teach us if we will be true Israelites we wust arme our selves against all assaults at all times places persons For speaking against sin Elias was hated of Ahab Isaiah as they say was sawn asunder of Manasses Jeremiah stoned by Tahaphanes Stephen stoned of the Jews John beheaded of Herod Ignatius delivered to lions and Chrysostom hated of the Clergy De persecutione in Hybernia Epist l. 2 Epist 36. de quâ omnes ejus Episcopi Gregorio scripserunt rescripsit Gregorius Quòd dum non rationabiliter sustinetur ne quaquam proficit ad salutem nam nulli fas est retributionem praemiorum expectare pro culpâ debetis scire Sicut beatus Cyprianus dixit quod Martyrom non facit poena sed causa Dum igitur ita sit incongruum nimis est de eâ vos quam dicitis persecutione gloriari per quam vos constat ad aterna praemia minimè provehi The Jesuites have alwayes boasted of their bonds imprisonment and Martyrdome Luke 23.41 but it would be good for them to know there be vincti Diaboli and vincti Christi That speech delivered by him on the Cross would better befit them We indeed suffer justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds And yet I find that very few if any at all of latter times have been imprisoned or put to death simply for Religion if they could have kept their fingers out of treason De fimpl Praelat they might have kept their necks out of the halter I wish they may listen to that of Cyprian Ardeant licet flammis c. What though they give their bodies to be burnt though they be cast to wild beasts Non erit illa fidei corona sed poena perfidiae non religiosae viâ—tutis exitus gloriosus sed desperationis interitus The Donatists likewise complained of their persecution as the Brownists Sectaries Quid laudas panam at nou ostandiscausam and Bedlam-Quakers upon slight occasions have done and do amongst us But as Austin told them Ye suffer Non propter Christum sed contra Christum Persecutionem patimini non à nobis sed à factis vestris Christ was whipped that was persecution Christ whipped some out of the Temple that was no persecution Ishmael mocked Isaac and that the Apostle calleth persocution but Sarah beat Hagar and that he calls no pesecution It is said to be the custom of a certain people in Ethiopia called the Atlantes Solin Plin. frequently mentioned in divers Histories who living under the torrid Zone in an extream hot climate used to curse the Sun when it arose because it scorched them with vehement heat This made them in love with the night and hate the day Many saith father Latimer will follow Christ usque ad ignem exclusivè not inclusivè Against a great battel in Greece Xerxes would sit in presence to the encouragement of his souldiers and caused scribes to sit by him and note down how each one plaid his part It is a glorious thing to say with Paul for the hope of Israel am I bound with this chaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostome there can be no greater thing to glory of than this The Apostles themselves gloried in it that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ It was the Queen of Bohemiah's Motto Intra fortunae sortem extra imperium Persecutors may kill but cannot hurt saith Justin Martyr The more we are mowen down by you the more we rise up said Tertullian Beleeve me said Philpot Martyr there is no such joy in the world Act. Mon. as the people of Christ have under the crosse when our enemies imprison our bodies they set our souls at libertie with God when they cast us down they lift us up yea Siccur se victum gaudeat hostis habet Ovid. Trist l. 2. when they kill us then do they bring us to everlasting life And what greater glory can there be than to be at conformity with Christ which afflictions do work in us I praise God said another that ever I lived to see this day and blessed be my God and merciful Father that ever he gave me a
that he might the sooner be out of his pain but he half in choler replied that he would not lose the least step of his gate for all the whipping in Paris That which in Christians deserves greatest commendations is an unmoved patience in suffering adversities accompanied with a setled resolution of over-coming themâ— Bishop Hooper seeing a Pardon lying by him to be given him if he would recant Act. Mon. cried to them that stood by If you love my soul away with it His answer to Master Kingston advisinghim to save his life by recanting is worth noting Life indeed is sweet and death bitter But alas consider that the death to come is more bitter and the life to come more sweet Therefore for the desire and love I have to the one and the fear and terror I have of the other I do not so much regard this death nor esteeme this life but have setled my self through the strength of Gods Spirit patienly to passe through the torments and extremities of the fire now prepared for me rather than to deny Gods Word and Truth 'T was resolutely spoken of Bishop Ridley to Latimer at the stake Be of good comfort brother for God will either asswage the fury of the fire or else strengthen us to abide it Newes being brought to John Philpot of his burning the next day he answered undauntedly I am ready God grant me strength a joyful resurrection I might adde abundantly Who puts to Sea for a long Voyage and at a great charge must resolve to hold on his course against all winds and weather or accidents that may offer to stop him So we in Christianity must wrestle with all difficulties rather than quit the enterprise Being once embarqued on we must with a Caesarean confidence and a Spartan resolution to go on with the sword or fall on the sword I am ready not to be bound only Acts 21.13 but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus Vox verè Christianorum Martyrdom We must expect persecutions here for how should God wipe away tears from our eyes in heaven if on earth we shed no tears How can Heaven be a place of rest if on earth we find it How could we desire to be at home if in our journey we did find no grief How could we so often call upon God and talk with him if our enemy did sleep all the day long How could we elsewhere be made like unto Christ in joy if in sorrow we sob'd not with him If we will have joy and felicity we must needs feel sorrow and misery If we will go to heaven we must sail by hell If we will embrace Christ in his robes we must not think scorn of him in his rags If we will siâ— at table with Christ in his Kingdom we must first abide with him in his temptations If we drink of his cup of glory forsake not his cup of ignominy Can the head-corner-stone be rejected and the other more base stones in Gods building be in this world set by We are of his living stones be content then to be hewen thereby to be fitted to be joyned to your fellows that suffer We are Gods corn fear not therefore the flail the fan miln-stone nor Oven We are all Christs lambs look to be fleeced and slain Ignatius qui Apostolorum temporibus proximus fuit Quid hoc mali est cujus reus gaudet cujus accusatio votum est cujus poena feli citas Tertul. cum ex Syriâ usque Romam ad bestias duceretur inter alia scribebat O salutares bestiae quae preparantur mihi quando venient quando emittentur quando eis frui licebit carnibus meis De eodem scribit Irenaeus Frumentum Christi sum dentius bestiaerum molor ut mundus Dei panis inveniar King Henry the fourth deposer of King Richard the second was the first of all English Kings that began the unmerciful burning of Christs Saints for standing against the Pope And William Sawtree was the first of all them in Wickliff's time that was burned he suffered Anno Dom. 1400. saith Fox Bishop Hooper in a Letter to Mistris Warcope Dear sister take heed you shall in your journey towards heaven meet with many a monstrous beast Paul fought with some at Ephesus If there be any way saith Bradford to heaven on horse-back 't is Persecution Should we look for fire to quench our thirst Even as soon shall Christs true servants find peace in Antichrists regiment It was likewise his saying At God sent for Elijah in a fiery chariot so sendeth he for me for by fire my dross must be purified that I may be fine gold in his sight Queen Anne wife to King Henry the 8. led to the Tower to be beheaded said The King was constant in his course of advancing her For from a Private Gentlewoman to a Marchioness then to a Queen and when he could no higher then to a Martyr Cansa non poena Martyrem facit ait Cyprian Nam ut dixit Gregor Cum Christo crucem periturus latro suscepit sed quum reatus proprius tenuit pro crucifixo non absolvit Aug. Diverso fine fato Bucholc It is one thing to suffer as a Martyr and another thing to suffer as a Malefactor Ibi erat Christus ubi latrones Similis poena dissimilis causa Sampson died with the Philistins by the fall of the same house but for another end and by a different destiny Martyrdom is the lowest subjection that can be to God but the highest honour It brings death in the one hand and life in the other for while it kills the body it crowns the soul When one said to a certain Martyr Take heed 't is a hard matter to burn Indeed said he it is for him that hath his soul linked to his body as a Thiefs foot is in a pair of fetters And they loved not their lives unto the death Revel 12.11 Spiritual Warfare Our life is compared to a warfare The chief Captain General on the one side is the Mighty Lion of the Tribe of Judah the Prince of Peace the Conqueror of death hell and sin The grand Captain on our enemies part is the great red Dragon the old crafty Serpent the Governor of Darkness The Lieutenants of the fields are Fleshly Sensuality against Spiritual Reason The Serjeants of the Band are the cursed children of Darkness against the faithful children of Light The common souldiers are the Law of our Members warring against the Law of our Mind the effects of the Flesh against the fruits of the Spirit Sathans souldiers handle such like arms as these The Breast-plate of Injury the Girdle of Falshood the Shoos of Discord the Shield of Insidelity the Helmet of Mistrust the piercing Darts of Cruelty the Canon-shot of spightful Reproachâ—s the Arrows of lying Slanders the Sword of the Flesh c. On the contrary Scripture shews us the
discharge their Canon-shot that the roaring of the one may lessen the terror of the other In like sort Satan hangs tinkling cymbals in our ears and delights us with the musick and vanities of this world that we may forget the sonnd of the last Trumpet There is a threefold Judgment saith Aquinas 1. Discussionis 2. Condemnationis 3. Absolutionis It 's good for every man to judge himself in the two first He must examine himself and upon examination condemn himself The certainty of Judgment may teach us not to be too curious or careless It is a kind of sacriledge to pry into Gods holy place his secret Sanctuary Non judicium luti sed figuli To determine who shall be saved and who shall be damned is not belonging to the Clay but the Potter in whose power it is to make of the same lump one vessel of honor another to dishonor Austin desired to see three things especially viz. 1. Rome in her glory 2. Paul in the Pulpit 3. Christ in the flesh So let us desire three things 1. The conversion or else confusion of Rome and Babylon 2. The consolation of Israel and all Gods chosen 3. The coming of Christ not in the flesh but unto Judgment Oh that happy and merry Day Act. Mon. said Robert Samuel Martyr It is called Eternal Judgment Heb. 6.2 Because 1. It is of things eternal Eternal life or eternal death 2. The Sentence of that Judgment is eternal Elect and Reprobate go eternally to the place appointed 3. The Judge is Eternal 4. The persons judged are eternal some to enjoy eternal happiness and some to suffer eternal punishment The Judgment it self is not eternal it lasteth not ever but the fruit and event of it is eternal Oh that the cogitation of this Judgment were deeply fixed in the hearts of us all Momentaneum est quod delectat aeternum quod cruciat What shall the Fornicator get enduring an ocean of torture for a drop or dram of pleasure The total sum is The breach of all the Commandments If these Accounts be not crost in this life we shall never have our Quietus est in the life to come The times of ignorance God winked at Act. 17.30 31. but now commandeth all men every where to repent Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead Eternal Life Electra in Senec. movet hanc quaestionem Mortem aliquid ultra est Cui respondet Aegisthus Vita si cupias mori Ethnicus resurrectionem vel saltem vitam aeternam agnoscit Contemnenda est omnis injuria praesentium malorum Cypr. fiduciâ futurorum bonorum We that have received the first-fruits of the Spirit sigh and sob by these waters of Babylon because we cannot sing the Lords song in a strange land but then we shall sit and shine in the Kingdom of Heaven with Albs of innocency on our backs Palms of victory in our hands Crowns of glory on our heads and Songs of triumph in our mouths Then shall we enter into the Holy of holies then shall we celebrate the Sabbath of Sabbaths then shall we sing the Song of songs which none can learn but those that are redeemed from the earth Vita aeterna est vita vera Prima vita primum bonum ultimum malum Secunda vita primum malum ultimum bonum habet Hug◠de sanct vict The first life hath first good and afterwards that which is evil The second life hath first evil and afterwards good This life Christus 1. Promisit Luk. 12.32 2. Promeruit Rom. 6.23 3. Praeparavit Joh. 14.2 4. Inchoat Joh. 6.47 5. Reddet Joh. 11.25 This is the promise that he hath promised us Dav. in Coloss 1 Joh. 2.25 even eternal life Caelum Heaven is three-fold where 1. Fowles are the airy heaven Gen. 1.30 2. Starres are the firmament Gen. 1.17 3. Souls are the glorious or heaven of heavens 1 Kings 18.27 Heaven is not obtained by chance as the Milesian fisherman got the golden tripos Assurance of heaven is to be got three manner of wayes 1. By faith 1 Pet. 1.9 Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls 2. By conformity to Christ Rom. 8.29 For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be made conformable to the image of his Son 3. By the sealing work of the Spirit Ephes 1.13 After that ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise cap. 4.30 unto the day of redemption In the world if a man purchase a Lordship his heart is alwayes there he pulls down he builds he plants Christ hath bought the Kingdom of Heaven for us and hath paid for it at an high rate even with his most precious blood Anselm where he hath prepared mansions for us that are Denisons All our joy therefore should be there Corpore ambulantes in terra corde habitantes in Caelo Nonius chose rather to lose all his honours and fortunes than to quit his Opal Ring to Anthony But a far fairer Jewel is the Kingdom of God so sweet and precious that it deserves the selling of all we have and running into any hazard for it Luther gave his opinion the day before his death that in heaven we shall know one another because Adam knew Eve at first sight Lay up for your selves treasures in heaven Mat. 6.20 where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal Heavens Glory The Christalline walks of that new City are not for muddy feet nor shall lust-infected eyes look within those holy doors Rev. 21.27 There is a room without for such cap. 22.15 a black room for black works God will not set a golden head on earthen feet give the glory of heaven to him that delights in the glory of earth The Angels those Caelestial porters that carry the souls of the Saints as they did the soul of Lazarus to Abrahams bosome have no commission to pull a wicked mans soul to heaven Trajane erected many monuments and buildings insomuch that Constantine the great in emulation was wont to call him Parietaria the Wall-flower because his name was upon so many walls Babels Tower raised an head of Majesty 5164 Heyl. Geog. paces frow the ground having its basis and circumference equal to the height the passage to go up went winding about the outside and was of an exceeding great breadth there being not only roome for horses carts c. to meet and turn but lodgings also for man and beast and as some report grasse and corn-fields for their nourishment Pharos a watch-tower in Egypt was built by Ptolomie Philadelph all of white marble Plin. l. 36. c. 12. The work of those famous Pyramides though it do not appear who were the founders was
de Gebennâ dissereretur non enim sinet in Gehennam incidere Gebennae meminisse Oh that men knew more of it and did believe in any measure that eternity of extremity that is there to he endured Oh that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end Oh that they would be forewarned to flie from this wrath to come He that doth but hear of Hell saith Nyssen is without any farther labour or study taken off from sinful pleasures But if a man had but once a glimpse of it it were enough saith Bellarm. to make him not only turn Christian and sober but Anchorite and Monke to live after the strictest rule that can be But alas we cannot get men to think of it till they be plunged headlong into it Esse aliquos manes c. Nec pueri credunt nisi qui nondum are lavantur Juvenal No though one should come from the dead to testifie unto them they would not be perswaded Luke 16.31 What the torments of the damned in Hell are Non mihi si centum linguae si ferrea vox non Omnia poenarum percurrere nomina possum is a Quaere may make any heart tremble If a man had the tongue of men and Angels he is not able to unfold the extreme misery of a tormented soul To say something the torments of the damned they are twofold Viz. 1. Privative or 2. Positive Either punishment of losse or punishment of sense as the Schoolmen call it For the first great is their losse they lose and are deprived of 1. The favourable presence of God which is more than a thousand worlds 2. The company of Saints and Angels for ever Matth. 22.13 cap. 25.41 3. Heaven the place of blessednesse Luke 16.20 4. All pity from God and Christ and the Saints of God Prov. 1.16 Psal 52.8 Rev. 14.10 Nec Creator nec creatura ulla erga damnatos afficientur sympathia 5. All hope of recovery And for the second Consider but 1. The variety of the torments ten thousand wayes 2. Universality to afflict both body and soul in all the parts and powers thereof 3. Extremity lying under the guilt of sin but an hour or two made the Son of God sweat drops of blood 4. The society with whom tormented Devils and damned souls 5 The continuance of these torments without intermission Rev. 20.10 6. The quality of the place a prison of darknesse c. 7. The cruelty of the tormentors Mat. 18.34 8. The eternity of all this These make the torments of Hell to be dismal indeed That the torments of Hell are eternal Scripture speaks it Matth. 18.8 Jude 7. Matth. 25.6 2 Thes 1 9. Dan. 12.2 And Reason confirmes it Because Quamdin calum erit caelum inferi erunt inseri quadiu caelum beablt sanctos tamdiu improbostorquebunt inferi 1. The justice of God which they have wronged can never be satisfied 2. Wicked will sin to all eternity Sin is like oyl and Gods wrath like fire Rev. 14.11 cap. 16.9 11 21. 3. The godly shall be in everlasting joy and their torments shall last as long for their condition shall be quite contrary to one another 4. Every thing that is conducible to the torments of the damned is eternal 1. God that damns them Isa 33.14 Rom. 16.26 2. The fire that torments them Isa 30.33 cap. 66.24 3. The Prison that receives them Jude 6. 4. The worm that gnaws them Mark 9.44 5. The sentence passed against them Adde hereunto the body and soul that is the subject of torments is eternal Rev. 9.6 Concerning the punishment of sense Paena damni poenalier est quà m poena sensus Aquin. and punishment of losse many dispute which of these is the greatest and most determine that the punishment of losse is greater than that of sense This losse is a great punishment in this life not to enjoy God by saith in Ordinances promises and dispensations Cain complains chiefly of this Gen. 4.14 But how woful to be excluded the presence of his glory If any ask why eternal punishment in hell can be just for sin committed in time I answer Peecare si velis tu in aeterno tuo punire aequam est te Deum in aeterno suo True it is the whole time of a mans life in which sin is committed is but a short time a nothing to eternity yet this is a rational demonstration of the justice of God in awarding eternal punishment for sin committed in time because if they could have lived to eternity they would have done evil to eternity Did not the grave stop such a man his heart would never stop him from sin Wicked men do evil as they can and as long as they can Seeing then there is a principle in man to sin eternally it is but just with God if he punish him eternally O quà m diuturna immensa est aeternitas Vbi mors semper vivit finis semper incipit spe sublata sola manet aterna desperatio Drexel A child with a spoon may sooner empty the Sea than the damned accomplish their misery A river of brimstone is not consumed by burning There is punishment without pity misery without mercy sorrow without succor crying without compassion mischief without measure torment without end and past imagination The torments in hell are all the same 1. Ratione durationis 2. Ratione privationis 3. Ratione expectationis Yet this is certain that one shall endure more pain and torment than another By Scripture Mat. 10.15 cap. 11.22 Luke 12.47 48. Mat. 23.14 15. And Reason Because 1. Some men commit greater sins upon earth Aug. than others do John 19.11 cap. 15.22 Mat. 7.4 cap. 23.24 Tantò gravior singulis poena quantò gravius quisque peccavit 2. There are degrees of glory in heaven As those that are most eminent in grace shall have the greatest degrees of glory in heaven So those that are most vile in sin shall have most torments and punishments in hell 2 Cor. 5.10 Pleasure hath bought complexion and hath painted her face a damask Rose in a field of Lilies but her end like the whorish woman is bitter as wormwood Whereunto shall I liken her lovers they are like to thieves that go through a fair flowred meadow to the Gallows they are like to rivers that run fresh and sweet or fishes sporting but fall into the salt Sea Or like to travellers laid along to sleep under the shade but awaking find themselves scorched with the heat of the removed Sun When they have ended and lavish't all at last comes conscience and calls for a reckoning then comes death with a napkin on his sleeve and his trenclier-knife in his hand and with his voyder takes all away If the wrath of God once smoke against you he will set all your sins in order before your eyes that though you turn your back yet like furies they shall haunt you and like
flames and smoke which the horrible mountain of Aetna doth in part represent with that sulpherous Vesuvius in Naples As Cassius reports which belcheth out the inward bowels of the earth with stones flames fumes and ashes and that in such sury as if it imitated the Giants warre and meant to overthrow the God of heaven and all his Saints to draw the sun down to the earth and turn the night into day The burning ashes of this hellish place with the smoke thereof are reported to choake the birds that flie in the aire and with the stones thereof hath overthrown many neighbourting Cities whilest the people sate in the Theatre The variety and acerbity of hells torments cannot be conceived much lesse uttered where there is no order but eternal horror and horrid blasphemies which the unhappy souls break our against God as an enemy against Christ as a Judge against the Saints as Parâ—iall There will be such a noise and tumult that if we here could but hear it it would deprive us of all our senses and strike us as dead as stones Think with thy self that thou must be amongst serpents Draggons Basilisks and other Monsters compast in with horrible forms of Devils who with a perpetual hatred against the damned heap sorrow on sorrow Thomas Bilney a godly Martyr did use before his burning to put his finger into the candle Act. and Mon. to feel how hot the fire was It were good if the desperate sinner who imagines lewdnesse upon his bed would consider how he shall endure to dwell in that unquenchable lake with everlasting burnings I conclude with that savory speech of Bernard Let us go down to hell while we are alive that we may not go to hell when we are dead Let those things seize upon our hearts If we will think of hellish torments while we live it is the way to keep from these torments when we dye Fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell Mat. 10.28 Where is the place of torment Luk. 16.28 Where is everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 Where is outer darknesse and shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 8.12 Where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched Mark 9.44 Where men seek death and shall not find it desiring to die and death flees from them Rev. 9.6 Be warned to flee from the wrath to come Mat. 3.7 Eternal joy makes eternity but as a moment as eternal pain will make every moment an eternity Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter Eccl. 12 13 14. Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man For God shall bring every work into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil FINIS EXERCITATIONES THEOLOGICAE OR Divine Discourses Carefully extracted and orderly digested into XII SECTIONS Wherein these HEADS are handled 1. The Express Character of Christ our Redeemer 2. Gloria in altissimis or the Angelical Anthem 3. The Necessity of Christs Passion and Resurrection 4. The Blessed Ambassador or The Best sent into the basest 5. St. Paul's Apology 6. Holy Fear the fence of the Soul 7. Ordine quisque suo or the Excellent Order 8. The Royal Remembrancer or Promises put in suit 9. The Watchmans watch-word 10. Scala Jacobi or St. James his Ladder 11. Decus Sanctorum or the Saints Dignity 12. Warrantable Separation without breach of Vnion By HENRY HIBBERT Preacher at S. Alhallows the Less London Holding fast the faithful Word Tit. 1.9 Ama Scripturas Sacras amabit te Sapientia Aug. LONDON Printed for and sold by John Clark at Mercers-Chappel in Cheapside near the Great Conduit 1662. THE EXPRESS CHARACTER OF CHRIST Our Redeemer HEB. 7.26 For such an High-Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens THis small parcel of Sacred truth is the Express Character of Christ our Redeemer as he is in another sense of his Father our Maker Cap. 3. The brightuess of his Fathers glory appeared in him the brightness of his in this He is Lux munds Gloria coeli the Light of this world below the glory of that above Among the whole world of men from Adam until now none arose like him like him shall none arise till he come again His Conception was without sin in the womb of his Virgin Mother so was his Nativity His whole Conversation upon Earth was holy harmless undefiled He was separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens Of none of the sons of men may thus much be said because proper unto him who being the Eternal Son of God was by Divine dispensation and the power of the most High made the unspotted Son of Man None but such a one could possibly be an High-Priest to procure a perfect peace for us sinners with our justly incensed God The first Man was the first ordered Priest who for his disobedient disorder in going beyond his Commission and violating the sacred League betwixt God and him was with shame enough degraded 'T is the constant practice of Divine justice what is recorded 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour saith the Lord and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed Neither was this Adam's case alone All mankind whose person and cause he did undergo feel the smart of that extream loss This lost the Priestly dignity and that Covenant ceased by reason of transgression So that God was no more their God their King nor they his people or a Kingdom of Priests to him The Priesthood ended there being not any found in the whole world of ability to discharge that function according to the primitive obligation The sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving failed Man forgetting his due respects to his Infinite Creator Invocation on the Name of God by devout Prayers proceeding from a pure heart vanish'd through the corruption wherewith the heart of man was miserably infected In fine the gracious communication which was and to be betwixt God and man received a period by Adam's ejection out of Paradise for his grand apostacie As things then went Mankind was then in a most deplorable state if that People be truly reported blest whose God is the Lord. To hope for a change into a better was but vain unless God did open the bowels of his mercy to recelve us into favour and enter into a new Covenant the former being abolish'd a Covenant of Grace wherefore the Lord commiserating our distress'd condition did set his wisdom on work to find out a way to free us from lamentable perplexities To this purpose a Mediator is appointed by our Judge himself to follicit him as an Advocate for sinners whereby to make up the breachâ— whose part was not as the case then stood to present an Eucharistical sacrifice for benefits conferr'd on mankind nor an oblation of prayers for an augmentation
flesh yet without sin to take away sin Heb. 2.17 18. Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco In all things it behoved him to be mâde like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people who being tempted might be able to succour them that are tempted Now to participate of the nature of Mankind by propagation he was as was requisite born of a Woman an unspotted Maid whose womb was the seminary of our happiness according to the prediction Gen. 3. The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head And not to participate of Mans sin but to be Holiness to the Lord Armin. He was conceived by the Holy Ghost Quo nativitas saith one qua erat supra naturam sed pro naturâ mirabili excellentiâ naturam superans eandem virtute mysterii repararet Whereby the Birth which was above the sphere of Natures activity yet for nature surmounting Nature through the excellence of a miracle might repair the same by the unparallel'd virtue of an admired Mystery Thus the Word was made flesh by whose powerful word Flesh and all things visible and invisible in Heaven and Earth were made To him the Father of Heaven gave the order of Priesthood determining to have no other consideration or price for the ransom of transgressors but his flesh His righteous soul poured out for them should save theirs This was the reason why the Angel named him by command from Heaven JESVS At which reverend and holy Name carrying in it an intimation of our Redemption we the redeemed of the Lord in remembrance of the benefit purchased for as by him 1 Cor. 6.20 with a religious lowliness ought to bow to him the soul the body for the Lord Jesus hath bought both So that I may justifie with a forein Doctor Quòd faelix videri culpa possit quae talem meruit habere Redemptorem That sin may seem somwhat happy that stood in need of and obtained so prevalent so worthy a Redeemer To make good what hitherto hath been said of the Lords Messias I must pitch my thoughts upon two points 1. Upon the manner of ordering Christ Jesus our High-Priest 2. Upon his efficacious execution of this office He was ordered our High-Priest by covenant by oath The first was usual in the ordination of the Levitical Priests Cap. 2.5 My covenant saith the Lord by the Prophet Malachy was with Levi of life and peace This other is peculiar to the Priesthood of the Son of God after the similitude of Melchisedeck's For those Priestwere made without swearing of an oath but this by an oath by him that said unto him The Lord sware and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck In the covenant on Gods side with Christ Jesus our High-Priest there are two things The demand of an act to be performed and the promise of a liberal remuneration The thing demanded of him was the laying down of life for the life of the world a voluntary submission to the death of the Cross to free us from the cross of the second death The thing promised upon performance was He should see his seed Isa 53.10 he should prolong his dayes the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand He should remain a Priest time out of mind and that according to the order of Melchisedeck that is by the punctual exercise whereof he should be advanced to the Regal dignity The covenant again on our Saviours side with God consisted also in other two things answerable to the former A free promise of yieldance to the demand of his Father and the acceptation of the promised reward See his reply Heb. 10.9 Lo I come to do thy will O God Which done being the shedding of his blood for the remission of sins to the lowest step of humiliation and exact obedience God did highly exalt him unto glory to be King of righteousness and Prince of peace Mutus fit oportet qui non laudarit Herculem giving him a name which is above every name that at the name of JESVS every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth c. Such was his heroick spirit anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows that He endured the cross and despised the shame for the joy that was set before him Of this joy we with others that believe in him shall one day have an exuberant fruition For to this very end such an High-Priest became us To this Covenant of grace and peace God addeth an Oath which hath its use in this blessed Contract It tends 1. To the ratification of this Priesthood to make it sure 2. To the demonstration of the immutability and dignity of it For the first Albeit no word of God coming from his mouth can be taxt of the least inconstancy yet is he pleased to imitate men in their manner of contracting in matters of moment 1. To raise up our weak hopes to a sublime pitch of assurance in him 2. That our High-Priest trusting to a double Anchor that cannot be removed the one of Promise the other of an Oath might with an undaunted confidence sleight the reproach and undergo the pain that was to befall him For the second Gods oath exempts both this Priesthood and the second Covenant from all immutability containing in it a peremptory implicit decree for their eternity Quicquid juramento confirmat Deus id aeternum est immutabile Whatever God confirms with an oath is perpetual and unchangeable The reason why the Lord did not establish Levi's Priesthood and the first Covenant of Works with the sacred religion of a solemn oath was because he intended it an alteration in time to make the Lord Jesus a Surety of a better Testament not after the Law of a tarnal Commandement but after the power of an endless life By my self have I sworne said Abrahams God to him in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed This Seed is Christ proceeding from him after many successions of ages and generations this Blessing is the Redemption of Man-kind by that seed term'd the Son of Man in the execution of his Priestly Office which is irrecoverable A Saviour in solidum by which he is able to save them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the uttermost that come unto God by him Faelices nos quorum causà Deus jurare voluit miseros si ne juranti quidem credimus Happy are we for whose sakes God would swear Most unhappy we if when he swears we believe him not but be disobedient It makes also for the dignity and honour of this Priesthood 't is of an higher estimation than that of Levi for unto that were sinners called to this onely the most Holy the Son of God The sacrifices of that though many
according as the Apostle writes Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Being thus lifted up in the very gall of bitterness there was given him gall and vinegar to drink his last that so the second Adam might bear the punishment of the first Adams offence in tasting the juice of the forbidden fruit Neither did the malice of men fix it self here till they fixed both his hands and his feet to the Cross with nails which assures us of the blotting out of the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us both of the dissolution of all Ceremonial pactions and of the full cancelling of the Bond Moral for so much as concerns the forfeiting that lay upon us This did not satiate their cursed humours Col. 2.14 but a spear must be thrust through his side that we might find an open passage to the Heavenly Jerusalem for our selves cleansed with his blood that cleanseth from all sin and washt away with the water of Regeneration flowing from him as from a bottomless Fountain of eternal life Thus was our Saviour roughly handled in his last gasp till he gave up the ghost Therefore did he come That mundus ex mundo that he might minister and give his life a ransom for many Mat. 20.28 A ransom for all 1 Tim. 2.6 To be a Propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2.2 even of them that deny him who bought them and bring justly on themselves swift destruction 2 Pet. 2.1 And such an High-Priest became us When this Oblation was finish'd 2. He made another of the same Body revived and raised from death but sprinkled with his blood This he did in the Heavens in the glorious presence of the Divine Majesty to be a perpetual remembrance and token of the payment of our Ransom of the impetration of our Redemption For Christ being come an High-Priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this building neither by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us Heb. 9.11 12. So that he offered up himself first here below after above The first being done ceased For in that he died he died once to sin Rom. 6.10 The second is perpetuated Because he continueth for ever he hath an unchangeable Priesthood Heb. 7.24 He accomplish'd the first ut Agnus mactandus as a Lamb to be slain This he doth always at Agnus mactatus as a Lamb slain but quickned again by the Spirit That was consummated in the state of his Humiliation this continueth in the state of his Exaltation both prosecuted in the height of his love for the glory of God and the benefit of man For the first He was sanctified with the unction of the Spirit For the last He was consecrated by his manifold passions anointed with his own blood So that upon Earth he provided himself by the first to do the last in the Heavens being made higher than the Heavens And certainly such an High-Priest became us As this our High-Priest made himself an Offering for sin 1 Tim. 2.5 so made he also and ever makes intercession for transgressors Isa 53.12 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 Joh. 2.2 S. Paul calleth him the Mediator betwixt God and man who speaks a good word for us that we might be where he is and as he is free from condemnation Rom. 3.34 Tam recens mâ—bâ— nuâ—c Christus est acsi â—âc borâ fudiffet sanguinem Luth. For saith he Who shall condemn It is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen again who is also at the right hand of God making intercession for us and to that end ever liveth Hence will he never fail to do it in all ages because consecrated to iâ— for evermore All accusations are here hereby nonsuited and removed which either men or devils may make against us But lest some should vainly surmise that Christ intercedes for all promiscuously To prevent all such misconception remember what he saith I pray not for the world Joh. 27.9 but for them which thou hast given me Unbelievers and disobedient are excluded from the benefit of his Intercession as well as the merits of his Passion only the Elect faithful that are constant to the death and continue to the end shall be partakers of both And this is the second part of his Priesthood practised by him in the execution of it which is not done in the anguish of his soul or humbly bending of the knee or kissing of the hand as if he were prostrate at the feet of his Father but in confidence of his blood-shed which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel which he presents to his Fathers aspect as a never to be forgotten spectacle of a cursed death voluntarily suffered for the sins of men upon the value and worth whereof depends the whole efficacie of his function by which we have admittance to the Throne of grace and entrance into the place of the blessed Heb. 10.19 Hence Gods favour is established upon us and he not provoked against us Gods compassion is vouchsafed us in the times of distress the Devils power is restrained that he cannot hurt us our faith kept that it may not fail us our sins forgiven he pleading for us protection granted us against the worlds hatred our supplications and suits obtained our imperfections by degrees abolisht our hope of the heavenly glory within the vail made sure unto us needful blessings in the interim confer'd upon us for the Father alwayes heareth the Son and resteth well-pleased in him and through him in us I could wish the men of Rome would rest well pleased in him with whom the Father is well pleased would hear of no other meriting Intercessor but of him whom the Father heareth alwayes nor of any other Redeemer than of him only whom the Father appointed to bring us to him But such is their Sacrilegious bounty that in that office which is bestowed only on the Kings Son they most injuriously would employ the Kings servants A greater blurr cannot be put upon our Saviour to disparage him nor any thing sound more harsh in the ears of well-informed Christians they may not think they may put this off with honour with allowing him to be the only Mediatour of redemption but not of intercession their practice contradicts their speeches for they do not only beg the prayers of the Saints but their merits too to purge away their sins and supply their wants So they part the whole mediation betwixt God and man betwixt Christ and the Saints the Son of God and the sons of men But
saith Bernard Offenso Dee c. Bern Jer. 17.5 When God is offended with me Who shall pray for me to make man my refuge I am inhibited under the pain of a dreadful execration Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and whose heart departeth from the Lord. To commit our cause to the blessed heavenly Courtiers that are indeed ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them that shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 We have no such warrant c. Therefore his conclusion it Talis ergo requirendus ad orandum qui sit idoneus ad placandum we must therefore seek to such a one to pray for us who is of a competent ability to make God propitious to us And such alone is the Angel of the Covenant the mâ—â— Christ Jesus For none cometh to the Father but by him none are reconciled to God but by his passion by his intercession And such an High-Priest became us Now the Lord Jesus Christ the great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make us perfect in every good work to do his will working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight Christian Religion hath for its object Christ and him crucified which to know is in the end life without end All our happinesse is enwrapt in him for in him alone 1 Cor. 1.30 and by him shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed he is made to us of God wisdom righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Hence he became our High-Priest to reveale to us the will of the Father whereby we may become wise unto salvation thus he is our wisdom To bestow upon us everlasting righteousnesse whereby we may be justified in the sight of heaven thus he is our righteousnesse To infuse into our hearts the saving graces of his quickning Spirit whereby we may be holinesse to the Lord so our sanctification Lastly to pour out his righteous soul a sacrifice for sin whereby to redeem us from the power of our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us thus our redemption So that of this fulnesse we do all receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 1.16 and grace for grace Gratia N.T. pro gratia V. the grace of the new Law the Law of faith for the grace of the old Law Theophil the Law of works saith Theophilact that is the grace by which we receive the remission of sinne next the grace by which we receive at last everlasting life saith August which is the free gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. August Rom. 6. ult First the grace of God towards his Son after the grace of the Son toward us to make us the sons of God say Divines But with Musculus I say Musculus that our receiving of grace for grace is of grace upon grace intimating the pouring out upon us an over-flowing measure and a copious multiplication of supernatural gifts without discrimination First we receive one then another than to that with an augmentation of all according to the divine dispensation wherefore the Father of mercies is said to blesse us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Ephes 1. electing us in him before the foundation of the world adopting us in him his Son to be his sons in him making us uccepted in him as in his beloved redeeming us through the precious blood of him as of a Lamb without spot vouchsafing us the forgivenesse of our sins for his sake according to the riches of his grace unfolding unto us by the divine illumination of his Spirit the secret mysteries of salvation and sealing us by the same Spirit to the glorious day of our full and perfect redemption John 14 6. Sequemur Demine te perte ad te te quia veritas per te quia vita ad te quia vita Bern. Our High-Priest himself tells us that He is the way the truth and the life whereupon Saint Agustine Ambulare vis est via falli non vis est veritas mori non vis est vita wilt thou walk uprightly He is the way wilt thou not be deceived He is the truth Wilt thou not die He is the life The like saith Saint Ambrose Si Caelum desideras via est si errorem fugis veritas est si mortem times vita est If thou desirest heaven He is the way if thou declinest error He is the truth if thou fearest death He is life He hath laid open the gates of heaven for them to enter that believe in him that walk in him He is the way he hath dispel'd all the clouds of ignorance and mists of error that we might see the truth and embrace it He is the truth he hath swullowed up death in victory that we might in him triumph over death and the grave and live in him with him and by him and He is the life All these is our High-Priest to us the way truth and life in whom the fulnesse of the God-head dwelleth bodily He is holy harmlesse undefiled seperate from sinners Davenant in Colos 2. and made higher than the heavens For such an High-Priest became us Which leads me to his gracious qualities Thy gracious assistance therefore my blessed Saviour deny me not but supply my wants out of the largenesse of thy bounty fill my heart with heavenly meditations then guide my pen to set forth thy praise being holy harmlesse c. Quo major est cujusque virtus eo difficilius est de ipso dicere Bertius in Oraf by how much more eminent are the good parts of any man by so much the more difficult is it to report exactly of his deserved commendations The glorious shine of my Saviours worth the Sun of righteousnesse doth so dazle I professe my weak understanding that as I cannot fully comprehend his admired worth so I cannot but be defective in delineating his matchlesse qualities wherefore foreseeing I shall come short perhaps of the Readers expectation but certainly of a perfect decyphering of such a High-Priests character as the Spirit hath exprest be so charitably affected as either to passe it over with a friendly connivance or to taxe it with an easie censure In confidence therefore of Divine assistance and Christian good-will I proceed under correction because of polluted lips to treat of the holinesse of our High-Priest He is holy as he is God for God cannot be tempted with evil James 1.13 There is no unrighteousnesse in the holy one of Israel Hearken unto me saith Job cap. 34.10 ye men of understanding far be it from God All sin is offensivum Dei adversivum á Deo that he should do wickednesse and from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity Hither tends that part of Davids prayer Psal 5.4 Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickednesse neither shall evil dwell with thee Either therefore we must confesse him
cap. 44. nulla sanitas indefessa nihilancommodi omnia ad voluntatem there is no infirmity there is health without weariness there is no discommodity there all things fall out to our own hearts desire This is that to which our Saviour doth invite us Come unto me Mat. 11. all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Thirdly hereby he hath strongly ratified the merits of his life and death in that he there by them never ceaseth interceding for the faithful never faileth in applying of them to the faithful Tot habet linguas pro nobis lequentet quot vulnera prâ— nobiâ— accepit Fr. Joh. de Combis l. 4. â—sp 24. he hath also so many tongues speaking in our behalf as he received wounds for our sakes He is never from the sight of God but always in action before him pleading for us by the mystery of his holy incarnation by his holy nativity and circumcision by his baptisme fasting and temptation by his agony and bloody sweet by his crosse and Passion by his precious death and buriall by his glorious resurrection and ascension So that as Johannes de Combis a Friar Minorite doth observe Ibi nulla potest esse repulsa ubi tot concurrunt amoris in signia there can be no denyal given where so many tokens and pledges of true love are met together Wherefore considering our misery was extream great and universal our enemies exceeding strong and maliciously bent and that the blessings we desire were above our reach in the highest heavens Questionlesse such an High-Priest became us Of all debasements that of our Saviours was the lowest of all advancements that of him the highest He bowed the heavens and came down to the earth where he was a worm he left the earth and became higher than the heavens he descended into hell the lowest of all places and now sitteth on the right hand of God the highest of promotions We have such an High-Priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens 'T is St. Ambrose assertion that this sitting on Gods right hand Heb. 8.1 intimates no other thing nisi honoris aqualitatem than an equality of honour of authority that he hath an equal stroke with the Father in the government and administration of all things God himself gave him this place in heavenly places far above all Principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come Eph. 1.20 21. Quantum inter flellas luna minores Cap. 1.3 4. When he had by himself saith the Apostle to the Hebrews purged our sins he sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high being made so much better than the Angels as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellént name than they Those heavenly spirits are subject unto him who at his incarnanion was made a little lower than they so in his glorification he is made far higher even in that nature wherein he was made low So that now being Crowned with glory and honour all things are put under his feet all rule is put into his hand This is the reason why all the Angels of God worship him and why we ought in the service of our spirit and subjection of our consciences devoutly adore him adore him who is God adore him who is man which adoration in the judgment of acute Zanchius is not to be directed simply to the humane nature considered in itself aâ— essential unto it Zanch. l. 2. de tribus Elohim c. 1. pag. 38. but as it is personally united to the God-head through which union together with the God-head of the Son it is adored and worshipped with Divine honour Saith that famous English Divine if any misconceiving this doctrine Mr. Perkins shall charge us with an Idolatrous worshipping of the creature I say with Athanasius in his Epistle to Adelphius cited by Matthias to this same purpose Athanas they shall know at length Nos qui deminum in carne adoramus nen creaturam adorare sed createrem corpere creato indutum that we who do worship the Lord in the flesh worship â—ot the creature but the Creatour clad with a created body That honour then and homage which we give him in the humblest manner tendit in infinitum looks unto him that is infinite as the proper object that bounds our divine service to whom 't is due in the highest respect being higher than the heavens For the greater glory of our Saviours man-hood some from these words do attribute unto it an Vbiquity a being in every place at one and the same time and not in heaven onely as if in his glorification there were a transfusion of the proprieties of the God-head into the humanity How far this is from truth may be easily judged Sceundum esse naturale Christus non est ubique secundum esse Personale Christus est ubique Pract. of Piet. P. 15. 1. By this that Omnipresence is a proper attribute of the divinity no way at all communicable to corporeal substances which as they are limited with terms of essence by their definition so of place by circumscription for although our Saviours body be highly promoted and come to the height of so much perfection as it is capable of yet hath it not lost the nature of a body he is still as God so man whom as man according to St. Peters doctrine must the heavens contain untill the times of restitution of all things Act. 3.21 2. By this that hereupon doth follow an abolishment of all inferiority and an equality establisht between the creature and Creatour as if either there were an erection of another Deity or as if the essence of the humanity were converted by an unheard of Transubstantiation exceeding that of the Papists in their Mass into the essence of the Deity so that now they remain no more distinct matures in him but one and the self-same and Christ is supposed to be no longer man but altogether God for where there are the properties of any thing there of necessity must the essence be supposed to be they are inseperable Wherefore seeing the grosse nay blasphemous absurdities of this erroneous position grounded upon the misinterpretation of this and the like texts we may not conceive because Christ is made higher than the heavens than the Angels themselves in glory according to the humane nature that presently that nature must be Deified and fill all places at once as if the glory of Christ as man did not exceed that of Angels unless as man he did partake of the ubiquitie of the God-head But to let this go as no ways affected with unnecessary wrangling whereby to disquiet mens Christian thoughts my intention is to endeavour the elevation of our affections to the seeking of those things which are above and above all of Christ who as
he is as man in heaven so he is as man higher than the heavens O praeclarum diem cum ad illud animorum concilium caetumquae proficiscar et cum ex bâc turbd et colluvione discedam Cicer. de sencetute Hebr. 12.24 higher than the heavens which are visible to the eye of man yet in part of the heavens where the God of glory is pleased to make the most ample and immediate manifestation of his glory 't is called the habitation of the highest a new world the new heaven Paradise the heavenly Jereusalem the City of the living God where there are an innumerable company of Angels the general assembly and Church of the first-borne and God the Judge of all and the spirits of just men made perfect There is I say Jesus the Mediatour of the new Covenant and the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel There our high-Priest presents to the Father the propitiatory sacrifice of himself and sprinkles upon us his purifying blood that is by his powerful mediation he applies unto us who are faithful the saving merits of his never to be forgotten passion by which our mortal sins are freely remitted and we destin'd to a Crown incorruptible that never fades away in the highest heavens Thus are we through him had in perpetual remembrance and accepted of God in the beloved as righteous as if we had never offended When a man indeed looks on things directly through the aire they appear in their proper forms and colours as they are but if they be look't upon through a green glasse they all appear green So when God beholds us as we are in our selves we appear vile and squallid but when as presented before his throne in heaven in the person of our Mediatour our high-Priest after the order of Melchisedeck approved of for his merits then we appear before him as Christ himself holy harmlesse undefiled seperate from sinners and in some respect and measure made higher than the heavens for those that overcome by faith and a good conscience being Kings and Priests by him shall be so honourably esteem'd of Revel 3 21. as to be made sit down as coheirs with him in his throne as he sitteth down with his father in his throne As he vouchsafes us to partake of his merits so of his glory Cap. 5.10 making us unto our God Kings and Priests In lieu whereof let us in all humility with the four and twenty Elders fall down before him thut sitteth on the throne Cap. 4.10 and worship him that liveth for ever and ever And with those ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands celestiall spirits Cap. 5.11.12 13. let us say for of him 't is said worthy is the Lambe that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing Vnto thee therefore O our loving Saviour Christ Jesus our high-Priest who art holy harmless undefiled seperate from sinners and made higher than the heavens be ascribed by us as by every creature which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea blessing honour glory and power for ever and ever Amen GLORIA IN ALTISSIMIS OR THE ANGELICAL ANTHEM LUKE 2.14 Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace good will towards men THis is the sacred Anthem which by the heavenly quire of Angelical spirits was most melodiously sung as a pregnant expression of exceeding joy conceived in them at and for the so much desired nativity of our blessed Saviour These ministring spirits I propose as the fittest and compleatest pattern for our pious imitation to whom seeing we are made but little inferiour in regard of the lively image of God imprinted in our soules so be we also but little inferiour to them in expressing the joyes conceived in our hearts I may safely averr without the least smack or touch of Popery that the Angels of God in heaven rejoyce at the good of Gods Church whereof they themselves are apart for such is the spiritual sympathy of their holy affections with ours whose conversation is in heaven though our selves on earth that they bear a part with us in solacing themselves for our happiness The heavens could not hold these Angels from coming to the earth in hast upon the wing to bring the glad tidings of peace and great joy that shall be to all people the sun was anticipated in his course for the Angels proclaim a Saviour ere the sun the worlds eye did discover him That we therefore may not come short of affection if it be possible of them let us in a joyful sense of felicity Psal 103. Incipit à superieribus sinlt in infinis coming unto us by our Saviours coming unto us sing Hallelujah unto God and with David call upon all creatures from the highest to the lowest to publish the praises of the highest Blesse the Lord ye his Angels that excell in strength that do his Commandments hearkning to the voice of his word Blesse ye the Lord all ye his hosts ye Ministers of his that do his pleasure Blesse the Lord all his works in all places of his Dominion Blesse the Lord Kimchi O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy name Elevate your hearts and voices good Christians in harmonical strains with these blessed spirits setting forth in some measure the exceeding greatness and glory of the love of God extended unto us without all measure Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men This Song doth consist of three parts viz. 1. Glory 2. Peace 3. Mercy The 1. is Glory be to God on high there is the honor the reverend obedience the admiration and the divine worship which we ought to give to God The 2. is And on earth peace this is the effect of the former working in the hearts of men whereby the world appears in its most glorious splendor and transporting beauty being an entire chain of intermutual amity The 3. is Good will towards men this is Gods mercy reconciling man to himself after his perfidious apostacie and ungrateful dissertion from his Creatour Glory peace and mercy then must be the welcome subject of my discourse Glory to God Peace to the Kingdomes of the earth and mercy unto sinful men Gods mercy appears in our Saviours appearing to the world which brought peace on earth for which men and Angels glorify the Lord of glory Glory be to God on high The first part comprehends what ought to be the first and principal aim both of our Christian intention and pious execution wherein if we behave our selves well we shall have a part and portion in that inheritance which Christ with his blood purchased for us Glory be to God on high Gods glory is either divine or humane Gods divine gloty is that which is proper to the divinity incommunicable to any creature Which
received more in the second Adam than we lost in the first Where sin abounded grace did much more abound Rom 5.20 In Adam we lost our native innocency in Christ we receive absolute perfection and integrity in Adam we lost Paradise on earth in Christ we receive the Kingdom of heaven the true Paradise of God at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore How then can that infinite mercy repel us from him when we come unto him being now made partakers of his nature much rather being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Rom. 5.10 And this is called the glory of his grace whereby we are made accepted in the beloved in whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Eph. 1.6 7. Gods goodness appears in his justice worthy of admiration for the God of mercy as he was inclined so was he content to pardon sinners if it might stand with the unblemisht reputation of his exactest justice That therefore his justice might not suffer his mercy brought to passe the incarnation of his Son thereby to satisfy his justice and appease his wrath Rom. 3.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Him hath God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past hence he is said to dy for us that is in our stead which taketh away condemnation Cap. 8.34 and bringeth peace to undoubted salvation Cap 5.10 Here is plenary satisfaction to God for us and a peaceful reconciliation betwixt God and us Hence 't is said that he was made sin for us that is a sinner 2 Cor. 5.21 which cannot be but either interna pollutione by an inward infection which was impossible to him vel externâ reputatione by an outward repute and estimate which was no otherwise than by undergoing the punishment due to us which he hath done as was meet by which Gods justice is everlastingly immutably and fully satisfied and we perfectly saved Hence he is said to bear our iniquities Isa 53.4 which is not tollerantia patientiae the bearing of patience though he did bear them patiently but by bearing them he took them away behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world neither is it sola poestas auferendi peccata 1 Pet. 2.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely an authentick power or authority of taking away our sins but which is far more he actually bare our sins in his one body on the tree that is submitting himself to divine censure and justice did suffer the punishments of our offences by which we passe from death to life for by his stripes we are healed by his death we are saved Hence he is said to have paid for us the price of our Redemption we are bought with a price faith the Apostle whereby is intimated our captivity and subjection unto the just vengeance of the Almighty We were debters unto him and were broke like bankrupts upon the matter despoil'd of all good we had and disenabled to pay the price of our redemption which the Son of God undertaking saith of himself Mat. 20 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2.6 that he came to give his life a ransome for many whereof the Apostle making use saith that Christ our Mediatour gave himself a ransome for all The Apostles All are those Many mentioned by the Evangelist Hence he is said to be an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Ephes 5.2 Such a one as hath wrought a perfect reconciliation and an eternal peace betwixt God and us his justice satisfied our sins pardoned our souls saved Such a one as all sacrifices before him were but his shadows and for any to be after him is but needless and most unlawful for he after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God and by that one offering hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Thus to satisfie the justice of God and secure us Heb. 10.12.14 the Sonne of God is sent from God into the world and went stitch-through with the work of our redemption So that it is compleat and cannot admit the least exception nothing in it being defective nothing superfluous To close up this point admire the wonderful temper of Gods mercy and justice which no creature could find out before God did manifest it and none now it is made manifest can fully apprehend it In sending us a Saviour God was merciful that he might be just and just that he might be merciful For in his mercy he sent him he gave him to us in his justice he made him a curse he punished him with death for us which he triumphantly overcame he made him sin for us that knew no sinne to the end that through his mercy again we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Cor. 5.22 Wherefore with holy David unto thee O God do we give thanks unto thee do we give thanks for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare Psal 75.1 The works of thy mercy the works of thy justice are exceeding wonderful in our reparation Thy Name thy nature is near unto us in thy Son Nomen i.c. Numâ—n who being the true IMMANVEL God with us hath wrought and accomplished our deliverance Not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy Name give the glory Tibi gloria nobis lucrum let the glory be thine now the gain is ours Glory be to God on high Thus much concerning the first thing imported in this Glory which is a pious admiration of Gods infinite Wisdom Power and Goodness The second thing imported in this Glory is a religious honour due to God which is evermore the necessary consequent of pious admiration We honour our Benefactors the best we may as the benefit bestowed and the love of the Benefactor doth require and the greater the benefit the greater is the Benefactors love and the greater his love the greater honour is due to him from the receiver Great out of doubt is the Gift God sent to us freely confer'd upon us it is a Gift of an heavenly nature of the highest vaine his own only begotten Son him hath God given that aâ— many as believe in hiâ— should not perish but have everlasting life Seeing then that he graciously vouchsafed to honour us so highly so lovingly we cannot in modesty in honesty in piety but highly honour him again who is the highest Being then upon the point of honour I must fixe upon those two points wherein this honour doth consist which are 1. Obedience not fained but real 2. Divine worship or adoration of him First then because God hath sent a Saviour into the world to visit us his people from on high and to redeem us from below the nethermost hell we are to render all sincere obedience to him
the hearts of all that should read those stories Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Now if any Anabaptistical Humorist who hath a company of Phanatique toyes whiffling about his understanding should censure me for inforcing Bowing and Kneeling I have no more to say to him than this Being that God is the Creator and Redeemer of soul and body that therefore as well with the body as the soul we are to worship him by kneeling bowing and that especially when the act of our Redemption is presented unto us by visible signs as it is in the Lords Supper I conclude this with the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.17 Now unto the King eternal immortal invisible and onely wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen I follow still the Angels strain and pitch my thoughts on the second part the words are these And on earth peace From the time of Mans capital apostasie effected by the cunning project of the subtile Serpent all the creatures of God were at odds with Man affected with reciprocal enmity The fiery Dragon had set the world on fire Combustion and Confusion the two extremities of distempered Passion came on after Hence by reason of the perpetual opposition of the creatures Iniquity did abound and the love of many waxed cold The burden of these disturbances was so ponderous that all things did groan under it So many blustering storms did succeed one upon the neck of another as that the world seemed to despair of peace Mans wicked disobedience was taken so ill at Gods hands as well he might as that he was incensed against him and his posterity and for their sake cursed the earth Here then we find Man in hostility with God with himself with his brethren with all Gods creatures both in heaven and in earth So that he is excluded felicity whereof he was before possessed inviron'd with that deplorable misery which he then could not and we now cannot without Christ Jesus avoid His rebellion against God caused the creatures to rebell against him He neglecting his Creator is both by the Creator and creature neglected His falling from the Lord made the Lord and the servants fall out with him Because the sons of Adam had such aspiring minds as to seek after that which is proper unto God Peace is therefore departed from the sons of Adam Now there was no peace within none without until the Prince of peace Jesus Christ by grace put a period to the mutinous disposition of ill-affected humors until he had so salved the matter betwixt God and us as that all things might work together for the good of us that are the elect of God Wherefore as the Dove after the â—sswaging of the waters of the Deluge brought an Olive branch into the Ark of Noah so Christ as innocent as a Dove came unto the world and brought Peace and Reconciliation with him into the Ark of God which is his Church floating in a restless Ocean of intestine troubles Who was no sooner come but the Heavenly Courtiers invite us men on earth to give glory unto God in Heaven because that the God of Heaven did by his own Son send peace on earth to men For when he came he brought peace to us when he departed Zanch. he left his peace with us Qui pacem dicit dicit uno verbo omnia bona saith Zanchius Who names but peace comprehends in one word all that 's good And indeed all that 's good did in and through Christ descend to us from the Infinite Good out of the inexhaustible treasures of whose uncomprehended fulness we have all received Since then O my God that my soul and discursive faculty must now be fixt upon all that 's good refine I beseâ—ch thee my diviner thoughts and let not all that 's good be in any wise tainted by any unhallowed imperfections of mine Assist with thy Divine power in setting out this Olive-branch of Peace fetcht from Heaven that may in time spring up unto eternal life Our Saviour the Everlasting Son of the Father and blessed Peace-maker of Heaven and Earth wrought for believing men such as shall receive him by faith for whose sake he came into the world a foursold inviolable Peace Viz. 1. Peace with our God 2. Peace with our selves 3. Peace with one another 4. Peace with all the creatures First he wrought our peace with God What befell Adam for his insolent behaviour and disobedience against the Author of his life no son of Adam that hath but the least sense of misery can be ignorant of Upon the apprehension of the transgression he found himself and we since our selves miserably plung'd in a depth of inselicity for by the offence of that one man that first man all became enemies to God and God an enemy to all Thus God and man stood off at a distance never to come together but by a mediation Whereupon the God of mercy that delights not in the death of a sinner unwilling to see so noble a creature perish everlastingly provides and sends a Mediator that Son of his who was in his own bosom to reconcile us unto himself to bring us unto the bosom of his Father ratisying such a league as may if it were possible outlast Eternity Hence it was he took our flesh upon him whereby being God and Man he might bring man to God Oh the hardness of my stony heart saith Bernard in a heavenly extasie Bern. Vtinam Domine sicut Verbum caro factum est ita cor meum carnem fiat I would to God my God and Lord that as the Word was made flesh so were my heart hereby to be seelingly apprehensive of thine infinite mercy in granting pardon to my sin and peace unto my soul through the Lord Jesus It is the Apostles speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is Christ is our Peace Eph. 2.14 our Peace in the very abstract By him our eternal quiet is procured Gods consuming wrath appeâ—sed and by his light are our feet guided into the way of peace A Jesuite spake it and to speak truth 't is Gods received truth Ex inimicis amicos ex servis filios ex filiis irae haredes regni fecit nos per Christum Deus God the God of peace hath made us through Christ that of being his enemies his friends of being his servants his sons of being sons of wrath heirs of a Kingdom not subject to mortality Buâ—lest an headstrong credulity arising out of a flattering misconceit should draw some into a precipitate presumption of concluding themselves to be reconciled to God and restored to favour though they persist in sin and infidelity Learn this Orthodox truth grounded on that of the Apostle That they only who are justified by faith and sanctified by his Spirit have peace with God Rom. 5.1 through our Lord Jesus Christ Happy is that soul alone that hath faith it hath Christ Happy
that soul alone that hath Christ it hath the Spirit of Christ Happy that soul alone that hath the Spirit of Christ it hath God Happy that soul alone that hath God it hath all things The sins of true Believers and all their imperfections do like the Morning-dew at the Suns approach vanish away and dissolve into nothing by the beams of the Sun of Righteousness by whom we have access by faith into his grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Here 's a remedy to stanch a bleeding heart here is rest for a troubled spirit here is a Cordial restorative for a Christian soul that aforetimes did surfeit with the luscious bewitching pleasures of a sinful life and after trembled at the killing fears of the pangs of Hell To say something more how our peace with God was wrought which is worthy of all observation Know the condition of the Obligation of the first Covenant was this Do this and thou shalt live the transgression whereof by necessary consequence must have brought death To reduce us then into grace with God again after our desertion Doing and Suffering was requisite the one serving to give us life the other to save from death both for expiation of our offences and satisfaction of the offended Justice Our peace then is made by Christ's 1. Doing 2. Suffering By Christ's doing For if by our ill doing we undid our peace our peace must be mâ—de up by well doing which we being unsufficient for Christ whose grace is abundantly sufficient for us performed in our stead His conversation iâ— the days of his flesh besides his unspotted and pure Conception was unblemished He came to fulfill all righteousness and did so In the volume of the book it is written of me Heb. 10.9 saith our Saviour Lo I come to do thy will O God I can quickly impannel a sufficient Jury out of the three Kingdoms the Kingdom of this World the Kingdom of Grace and the Kingdom of Glory some friends others foes by their just verdict given up already to justifie the Innocency of our Blessed Redeemer An Angel in the 9. of Daniel calls him The most Holy And the same Angel tells his Virgin Mother that That Holy thing which should be born of her should be called the Son of God The Prophet Isaiah by Divine inspiration saith That he did no sin neither was there guile found in his mouth S. Peter saith He was a Lamb without blemish and without spot The Apostle to the Hebrews describes him to be Holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners S. John insorms us that We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous He is said by the Spouse in the Cantieles to be white and ruddy Ruddy in respect of his bloody Passion and whire in regard of his unstained Innocence Pilate though Christs enemy ingenuously professeth that he could find no fault in him Traiterous Judas when the fact was done confesseth that he did betray the innocent blood Habemus consitentem reum There was Herod's action in causing him to be arrayed in a gorgeous white robe as an implicite testimony of his innocence Pilate's wife bids her husband sitting on the seat of Judgment to have nothing to do with that Just man The Thief upon the Cross condemning himself and his fellow makes this his last and his best confession This man hath done nothing amiss The Centurion when he saw what fell out upon the death of Christ concluded with himself Verily this was the Son of God Luk. 4.34 or as S. Luke hath it Of a truth this was a just man The Devil too I know thee who thou art the Holy one of God For more evidence I can produce from heaven a cloud and innumerable company of witnesses as that Rev. 15.3 Part of the Saints heavenly song is Just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints Lastly take with us the sentence of the just Judge of all the world uttered from Heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased I need to say no more in it 't is a plain case here 's a threefold cord Vox Dei vox populi vox populi Dei The voice of God the voice of the people the voice of the people of God Now for our comfort know thus much Christ's active righteousness was meritorious for our salvation for our peace wherefore Christ is said to be made to us of God righteousness and sanctification and that he knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him By Adam's fatal disobedience the peace was broken by Christs perfect and absolute obedience the peace is renewed As by the disobedience of one man the first Adam many were made sinners and so enemies to God so by the obedience of one man the Man Christ Jesus the second Adam many are made righteous and so reconciled to God Our peace then is made by Christs doing in fulfilling the Law in every point which in every point we did unrighteously violate He did work upon the Earth to work our peace in Heaven Which in like manner he did by suffering as well as doing Which I will by Divine assistance also briefly prosecute Were we not sinners Christ had no need to suffer Had he not now suffered we should not be saved because sinners All our deaths could not have wiped away one sin much less all our sins and therefore not made our peace Eternity of torments is satisfaction indeed to Gods Justice but then what hope of mercy of peace of life What we therefore could not do by suffering eternally Christ hath effected for us by a timely death Rom. 5.10 Act. 20.28 1 Joh. 1.7 We being sinners Christ died for us and being enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Hence he is said to have purchased his Church that is the peace of his Church with his own blood and his blood to cleanse us from all sin Divine Truth terms him The Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world The sin of the world that takes away the world from God the removing where of out of the way makes way for grace and so for peace for a world of men Princeps vitae est interfectus ut nos ad vitam restitueret Dominus gloriae crucifixus est ut nos ad gloriam exaltaret The Prince of life was put to death to restore us from death of life The Lord of glory was ignominiously crucified to exalt us unto glory He was content to be for saken of his Father and to bear his indignation to make peace for us through the blood of his cross to reconcile us who were sometimes aliens and enemies in the body of his flesh through death to present us holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight Col. 1.21 22. Eph. 5.2 For this very purpose he became a Peace-offering for us Christ loved us and hath
given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Oh the unsearchable depth of my loving Saviour's love and the infinite value of my Redeemer's death upon whom fell the chastisement of our peace and on whom the Lord laid the iniquity of us all Oh who would not in a full eareer run and leap out of himself into the bosom of my crucified Lord in whose arms we may receive the solacing embracements of his infinite love None but he can bring us unto God for none but he can grant rest unto our souls As I live I will never seek any other Peace-maker among Angels or Saints in heaven or earth to make my peace with Heaven than him that is the King of the Saints Who though he accounted it no robbery to be equal with God yet for our sakes for my sake did humble himself to death even to the death of the Cross whereby having made our peace be hath freed us from all that 's ill and hath made us partakers of all that 's good He hath freed us from all that 's ill The blessed fruit of an happy peace is a well grounded security which whosoever is at peace with God enjoys Num. 17.23 enjoys a safe protection under his wings Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob neither is there any divination against Israel Subtilty cannot prevail against those whom the Lord hath resolved to bless nor power overcome whom the Lords stretched out arm will support What forces of arms of the mightiest man can resist the powerful arms of the Almighty or what wisdom of the wisest worldling can oppose the wisdom of the wisest God And if all these fail what can the Accuser of the brethren invent whereby to bring us into condemnation The Serpents head is bruised by the Womans Seed and Sin hath lost its sting for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Condemnation nor separation from the love of God Satan and the world may assault but with little good success The flesh and sin may labour to entice us but to little purpose Death and the grave may seise upon us but 't is but for a short time In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us And thanks be to God that giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Forasmuch then as that the Lord hath troden the wine-press of his Fathers wrath alone to free us from all ill Be ye oh be ye who are the Lords redeemed cautelous and circumspect in your conversation that by the errors of your ways and continual transgressions you incense not his wrath against you nor provoke the eyes of his glory Sudden destruction will assuredly surprise that soul that sin keeps at odds with God and Hell gapes wide open for such as will not be reclaimed It was Joram's proposition to Jehu Is it peace And it was Jehu's reply to Joram What peace so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jesabel and her witchcrafts are so many Out of doubt while we persist in wickedness adultery idolatry pride avarice sacriledge extortion oppression bribes perjury I might be endless we cannot be at peace with God and therefore lie ever open to the shot of general dangers As we are unfit through our obliquities to press into Gods presence here so is it impossible for us keeping the same path to be admitted into his glotious presence hereafter or to escape that deserved vengeance that comes swiftly from him to whom vengeance belongeth that driveth more furiously than did Jehu the son of Nimshi Break off then your sins to be at peace with God and Gods peace be with you So shall you receive large immunities as to be free from all ill so to be partakers of all good which is the second effect of this peace The largeness of my Gods bounty and my Saviours merits are not to be comprehended by humane capacity it is infinite Ponder the Apostles reason for this ample favour extended unto us and then let our souls rejolce Gods liberality is propounded in this wise He that spared not his own Son Rom. 8.32 but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things It cannot enter into my head to conceive how that the Lord will withhold what tends to our felicity being he gruâ—g'd not to give us what he loved best his onely Son He gave him without our demand and will therefore give all things without our desert What Paul said to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 3. I say to you that are reconciled to God All things are yours whether things present or things to come and ye are Christ's and Christ is God's The Lord giveth grace and glory saith the Psalmist Grace here Glory elswhere In a peaceable Commonwealth all things flourish men do plentifully enjoy themselves and plenty of all things without interruption whereas the discord and dissentions of factious Licentiates by rebellion against their Prince lays a gap open for ruine to enter upon them So when upon our address to God we have obtained a peaceable condition when we have laid down our arms or weapons intending no more to sight against Heaven when the Mediator of the New Testament by interposing himself betwixt God and us hath concluded an everlasting and unchangeable peace then then in very deed no good thing will be denied us There is no want to them that fear him Psal 34. This is most true For by this peace we are adopted the sons of God and heirs of glory whereby there is conveyed unto us by the eternal constitution of the Possessor of all things a just title to all things to blessings both temporal and eternal the treasures of his graces are conferred upon us the storehouse of his riches is ever open to us and the pure crown of immortality and royal diadem of glory is laid up for us For us who shall depart in peace according to Gods word and whose eyes shall see his salvation One word to you to whom a sinful life is far more pleasing than that that befits a Christian's Your iniquities separate between your God and you and deprive you of all that 's good I call you from Isaiah what he did from the Lord Children of transgression and a seed of falshood whose end cannot be good whilst you walk in those crooked paths wherein whosoever goeth shall not know peace Rectifie your ways alter your wild courses conform your selves to the will of God your Creator accept the Covenant of peace and live accordingly so shall your souls live Isa 55.7 Let the wicked for sake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Then blessed shall ye be in the city and blessed shall ye be in the field blessed shall ye be in the
whereon to found our Phanatick and furious alterations of hare-brain'd opinionists Deut. 27.17 They are like the fixed land-marks in the fields of our earthly inheritance the removing whereof is held accurst The Church of Christ is not to be reputed a common School for Sophisters to wrangle in but for Christs Disciples the faithful to be instructed in The Cannons also and constitutions of the Church concerning matters that are ceremonial and in themselves indifferent are not things to be slighted but to be obeyed God hath enabled the Church with authority to ordain what may tend to good and decent order which none ought to resist and shall any go about to disable it Let the Seperatist who upon such simple reasons as are alledged by him spurrs at the grave authority of the Church take heed that he deprive not himself of the communion of Saints through his sullen segregation and out of a needlesse nicety as one speaks be a thief to himself of those benefits which God hath allowed him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him take heed be have not a bare shew of piety and deny the power thereof Nothing is more pestilent to the Church of God than froward wilfulness covered with fained holiness the one in disturbing Religion the other in deceiving the professors thereof especially the vulgar sort who judging according to the outward appearance which sometime beguileth the most prudent do verily think the most zealous in profession to be most religious in conversation when alas it is not so We may remember what Christ said of Wolves being in sheeps cloathing and what the Apostle too of Satans transforming into an Angel of light For mine own part I have ever vowed my study to be to studie to be quiet and to submit my self to reverent order I know how dangerous a thing it is to be a Church-rebel The Lord speaking of the Church of the Gentiles Cap. ult 12. said by the Prophet Isaiah I will extend peace to her like a river Who now should dare to stop the current which the Lord hath made and to instinge the peace that the highest hath decreed But to let this passe Besides this the Papists insult and triumph to see those those that professe themselves brethren to be at such deadly fewd among themselves Manasses against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasses but both against Judah that is in their sense the Puritan against the Protestant the Protestant against the Puritan and both against the Papist Thinking our dissention a sufficient grace to their Church which maketh unity a special mark of verity I find that the end of Schisme is Heresie commonly the end of Heresie Atheisme the end of Atheisme utter desolation and destruction of soul and body And lastly when men through discontent because their brain may not rule cut themselves off from the Church and so transgress the sacred Lawes of Christian sosciety they are spiritually dead It is S. Aug assertion Spiritus humanus nunquam vivificat membra nisi fuerint unitd Aug. de Civ Dei sic Spiritus sanctus nunquam vivificat membra Ecclesiae nisi fuerint in pace unita The soul of man never quickens but those parts that are united so neither doth the holy Ghost but those members of the Church that are at peace together Wherefore as in Solomons material temple all was covered with gold within and without so in Gods spiritual temple which temple we are let all be beautified with love and peace within and without Remember Christs coat was seamless let us not rent it in peices the souldiers did and what they did in it they did against Christ so Qui pacem Christi concordiam rumpit adversus Christum facit In lib. de unitat Eccl. saith Cyprian he that breaks the peace and concord of Christ opposeth Christ the authour of it I have read a speech of Cassiodorus worth noting Non inveniri potest expressior forma conversationes Angelieae quam unitas socialis Cassiodor in Psal There cannot be a more express form or a more perfect resemblance of an Angelical conversation than friendly unity Far be it then from any of our thoughts to fill the Church of Christ with destraction or in the least measure to oppose the peace thereof Lib. de cur◠Pastorali for it is most certainly true what Gregory the great saith Si Dei vocantur filij qui pacem faciunt proculdubio Satanae sunt filii qui pacem confundunt If they be called the sons of God that make peace and keep it Osiander questionless they are the sons of Satan that break it that confound it It was Osianders motion which I now make mine we are all one spiritual body let us therefore have all one spiritual mind It is unmeet that they should live at variance on earth who hope at last to meet and live together in heaven To conclude this whole point As those States are likely to flourish where execution follows good advice so is man when contemplation and attention are seconded by good action Contemplation and attention do generate Bernard action doth propagate without the first the latter is defective without the last the first is but abortive Barnard compares contemplation to Rachel which was more fair but action to Leah which was more fruitful Let me therefore for the mercies of Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1.10 exhort men to practice what I have now propounded With Paul I will beseech you to do it I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment With the same Paul I will pray for you Rom. 15.5 6. that ye do it Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that we may with one mind and one mouth glorify God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And thus much concerning the third kind of peace that by Christs coming came into the world which is peace one with another The last kind of peace comes now to be treated of which is peace with all Gods creatures of which succinctly After Adam had disobeyed God the creatures began to disobey Adam Enmity attends ever at the heeles of sin Rom. ◠The very creatures were sensible of mans apostasy being made subject by his offence unto vanity and therefore did they take their Creators part and turn enemy to rebellious man But as Christ our powerful Mediatour hath by his ever effectual obedience made our peace with God so by the same hath he made our peace with the Creatures All things work together for the good of those that are elect according to Gods purpose The Angels themselves who are the highest eminency and purest quality among creatures are reconciled to them that
are reconciled to God St. Chrys on those words in Colos Chrysost in Cap. 1. Epist ad Cosos it pleased the Father by him that is by Christ to reconcile all things unto himself whether they be things in earth or things in heaven understandeth by things in heaven the holy Angels of God who saith he became enemies to all men by reason of their universal rebellion against the Lord their God But now beare good will to us after we are reconciled to God by Christ and are of the houshold of faith Hereupon it is as our Saviour saith that the Angels in heaven rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner unto God Heb. 1 14. and the Apostle writing to the Hebrews saith they are all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation They guard such as their proper charge saith devout Perkins that be in Gods favour and carry them as a nurse doth a child in her armes that they dash not their foot against a stone Perkins on Revel 1. Psal 91.11 Wherefore some Christian Philosophers out of Act. 12.15 where speech being made of St. Peter it is said it is not he it is his Angel collect that every elect man of God hath his good Angel to protect him to guide him in all his wayes and upon occasion when it seemes good to God many as Elijah had Thus we are at peace with good Angels as for the bad we must have no peace with them Origen onâ— Rom. 5. for then we shall have no peace with God Origen on the 5. of the Romanes tells us that Ipse supra omnes cateros pacem habet apuà Deum qui impugnatur à diabolo c. he above all others hath peace with God who is ever combating with Satan Warre against Satan procures peace with God Wherefore being he will do us no good the Lord so works as that he shall do us no hurt As for the other creatures all of them are in league with a good man their lesive facultie is restrained by the supreme power from doing violence to the Lords redeemed whereas the wicked are still exposed to the danger of their power The starres in their courses fought for Israel against Sisera Judg. 5.20 The fire did not hurt the three children in the fierie surnace The hungry lyon preyed not upon Daniel in the den Isa 11.6 8 9. lying at the mercy of that ravenous beast A little child saith the Prophet Isaiah shall lead the young lyon the sucking child shall play on the hole of the Aspe and the weaned child shall put his hand on the Cocokatrices den neither these nor any of the rest shall hurt or destroy in his holy mountaine in his holy Church It was a most comfortable promise which God made to Judah and Israel and in them to his peculiar people that he would make a covenant for them with all creatures Hos 2.18 the beasts of the field the fowles of the aire the creeping things of the ground heaven earth corn oyle and all Yea the child of God shall tread upon the lyon and the serpent and they shall not hurt him Thou shalt be in league saith Eliphaz the Temanite to Job with the stones of the field Psal 91.13 Job 5.23 and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee Thus Gods Children in Christ Jesus shall receive no detriment by any thing that God made but by his blessed providence they shall find assistance and comfort from all his creatures Now the God of peace that sent his Son with the Gospel of peace and his messengers with the glad tidings of good things grant that we may live in peace and depart in peace according to his word to leade an everlasting Sabboth of rest in the highest heavens Great mens births are commonly celebrated with the joyful acclamation of their dependants every one being in a readiness to noise abroad the newes that includes happinesse whereby others might be partakers of their joys and excited to do the like in imitation Thus the glorious and blessed Angels the inhabitants of heaven and the immediate attendants of the most high do the birth of the Son of God the King of Kings like wel-bred Courtiers in significant terms divulge the birth of so great a Prince and melodiously express what good what great benefits come by the birth of so good so great a person Which ought to be a forcible incentive unto us after their example to render due honour unto God and â—o worship that day-star which from on high hath visited us with everlasting comforts All the holy Angels of God are obliged to praise him but we much more he restored not them to any felicity for they lost none we lost the primitive goodness of our unblemished creation and yet restored he us He redeemed not them they needed it not nor the wicked Angels that needed it but wrought our redemption when we were enemies worthy condemnation O then let us praise the Lord for his peace and merce for both endure for ever What the Angels sung will serve our turn Glory be to God on high c. The parts of our discourse are 1. The glory we owe to God 2. The peace God sent on earth 3. Gods good will towards men Concerning the two first I have no more to say than what I have already but proceed unto that last and maine point whereupon depend all our future hopes of eternal blisse which is Gods good will and mercy I confesse that the very name of peace is a sweet word and sweeter the work but sweetest that of mercy which is the cause of it Being then that mercy must be the subject of my present meditations first I betake my self to thee O God of mercy and eternal Spirit of truth humbly beseeching thee to enable me by thy gracious illumination and to rectifie the retired cogitations of my soule that whilest I display thy mercy thy goodness thy salvation and when all is done there may be in mens hearts a deep impression of true joy and a perfect sense may be obtained of thy loving kindness and good-will toward them To behold God sitting in his throne of justice is to a sinner most full of dismal horrour but to view him seated in his throne of mercy is to a distressed soule most full of heavenly consolation If there be any that obstinately forget God and carelesly cast behind their backs his sacred ordinances let them expect to be torn in picees of him and none to deliver them let them look to be consumed of that God whose Jealousie burns like fire If there be any that are heartily submissive and sincerely penitent in the sight of our all-seeing God for their enormities let them joy up in abundance for in him there is mercy and plenty of redemption although all of us have highly offended him and multiplyed our transgressions above measure yet if we can
should have been taken from him but left all other thoughts and did cleave to his masters side with an inseparable resolution As the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth I will not leave thee So must we be to Christ in whom God hath manifested his good will to us and say as Peter did To whom should we go thou hast the words of eternal life Gods Mercy is like Daniels goodly tree Dan. 4. whose height reacheth unto the heavens and the sight thereof to all the earth whose pleasant fruit all mortal men do taste and eat and under the shadow of whose fair leaves they take rest and comfort To the defence and succour of this tree must we run in storms and extremity and not then only but at all times lest with ungrateful Popelings we go about in the fairest sunshine to lop the branches Of pions memory is that last speech uttered with the fierce zeal of a dying Martyr burnt in a Tun in Smithfield in the presence of Henry the Fourth King of England Mercy Lord Jesus Christ mercy And of him that with lifted-up hands and singers flaming with fire cried to the people None but Christ none but Christ for ever Cry then ye braving Merit-mongers and say not with the Laodicean Church We are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing when as your consciences tell you as theirs did Ye are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Learn with the Prophet Jeremy to say It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not Make it the height of your ambition with the Apostle to be found in Christ Lam. 3.22 not having your own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith And since the bowels of Gods compassion and good will to us do yearn upon us and the merits of our blessed Saviour are so effectual as to justifie in his sight let all the world conclude with David Thy loving kindness is better than life Psal 63.3 And with the Angels here acknowledge our salvation to proceed from Gods good will Our Justification thus effected a main work of Gods goodness towards man there follows upon the very neck of it our Sanctification And here we find the Well of Gods Mercy to be like Jacob's deep to which whosoever cometh with a thirsting soul may freely drink of the water of life Since then O God thy Mercy and thy Goodness is of that depth that no Mortal is able to found it and it able to satiate all with thy good Spirit that as by thy Son we are justified in thy sight so by thy Spirit we may be sanctified for Holiness becometh that house wherein thou dwellest O Lord. Know then that by an eternal constitution of Gods predestinating will some were ordained to be vessels of dishonor some of honor Those of dishonor are Reprobates and câ—st-aways who spend their days in prophaneness and end in never-ending pains But those of honor are the Elect who being made to be perpetually glorified among the blessed Angels that kept their first station have here their conversation tanquam in coelo as in heaven and following the conduct of that sanctisying Spirit that makes them holy and acceptable to the most Holy end in never-ending happiness The first are passed in silence our speech must be of the latter whom God by special grace vouchsafes to grace with such endowments as fit them for glory There are none begotten by a natural generation exempted from the contagion of sin neither can any in truth glory of a pious conformity of their wills Papists presume upon a natural ability to gain acceptation at the hands of God and Pelagians have given that goodness to remain in our wills which doth not both which whilst the wheel is turning and the sum of all their misfortunes is cast up sleep supinely in carelesness and boast vainly in security Divine truth hath discovered our nakedness and shame so that the naked truth without all contradiction is that what characters of goodness were imprinted in our nature by the hand of our Creator were by the hand of man that catcht hold of the forbidden fruit quite obliterated and blotted out insomuch that unless the same power take us in hand again and put upon us the stamp of a new creation we shall never alter those crooked and wry dispositions which by our offending disobedience we have contracted The life of a Christian doth challenge an higher parentage than from earth when the beauty thereof is marred and the emoluments departed And here the Lords good will hath not been deficient but superabundant above what we are able to ask or think for out of the plentiful treasures of his grace hath he supplied our defects First he sent his Son and behold now he sends his Spirit His Son to free us from condemnation from which otherwise we cannot be free his Spirit for our regeneration which is an act of Divine power whereby being born of God we are reduced to the obedience of his Name Isa 63.18 1 Pet. 2.9 and made like unto him Holy as he is holy hereby becoming the people of his holiness as saith the Prophet and as that Saint of God the Apostle Peter speaks A chosen generation a royal Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people What was written upon the plate of the holy Crown of pure gold belonging to the Priest in the Levitical law is by the singer of God engraven in Capital letters in the hearts of his Saints HOLINESS TO THE LORD Exod. 99.30 Which inward holiness makes them zealous of good works that are like to Pearls as one saith found here below but carry a resemblance of Heaven in their brightness and orient colours To which end our Saviour gave this precept Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in heaven Those sacred actions of obedience that have their original dependencie upon the Divine operation of Gods Spirit in the heart please God wonderfully He is glorified by them and in them his soul takes great pleasure Cui prius non beneplacitum erat in hominibus Theophil nunc pro beneficiis refocillationibus hominum habet opera in quibus quietem habet faith Theophilact on these words God who at first was highly offended with men for their apostacy accepts the good deeds of men though himself be the Author of their good for favours and refreshings wherein he is well pleased As I breathe Christians I cannot but admire the good will of God who dwelling in that light unto which there can be no access would vouchsafe to shine upon us who are darkness in the very abstract or would lift up the light of his countenance upon us whom sin had made so contemptible In good earnest I am transported much more
the ordinance of God for He did all things well Wherefore to shew that God keeps his word and that the truth of his promises is infallible He rose again from the dead In regard of us the end of his Rising is threefold Viz. 1. For our Example 2. For our Justification 3. For our Faith c. First for our Example tending to the information of us in the ways of righteousness in the paths of life That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life that the body of sin might be destroyed Resurectione Domini configuratur vita quae hic geritur and that henceforth we should not serve sin Rom. 6.4.6 The Resurrection of Christ from the dead should be a pattern for us wherein there is some effective vigor to raise us from the death of sin to a gracious life The power of effecting both is in God A Dâ—o est quod unima vivat per gratiam corpus per Animam That the soul lives by grace and the body by the soul comes from God Aquinas who is the Author of life And saith Ames Christ rising from death is tum demonstratio quam initiatio as well a demonstration as the initiation or beginning of our Rusurrection by whom we pass from death unto life Secondly for our Justification They are the express words of the Apostle He was raised again for our justification Rom. 4. ult For now that he hath gotten the victory over death by reviving he applies by the vertue thereof all the benefits of the Gospel unto us to the exceeding great consolation of our souls Lastly for the establishment of our faith concerning the obtaining of life everlasting For indeed if the Head be risen the members may be sure to rise too and if the Head receive life and glory doubtless the members which have their proper dependunce of him shall receive the like perfection for a glorified Head cannot be without a glorified body Now Christ is the head of the body the Church Col. 1.18 who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in all things he may have the preheminence Of the fulness of whose glory in the day of our perfect redemption we shall all receive a full measure For a Conclusion Communi naturae lege moriuntur homines The sons of men composed of dust and ashes die by the common law of nature Eternity is proper to another world not to this to this Inconstancie The Son of the most High himself when he became the Son of man was subjected to Mortality He pleaded no Prerogative royal to be exempted from that end which God setled in the course of nature Our times upon the Earth may be said to be lasting but not everlasting though in the hands of God Heaven decreed a period to our Lives which we cannot prevent and to which Christ at the appointed houre did submit himself with all obedience not able to avoid it Necessity was laid upon him to pay the dubt to Nature which might serve for a payment of our debt to God yet not respectu peccuti Wâ—ems Protralcture of Gods image in man pag. 43. but respectis poenae this necessity was not in respect of sin He was a Lamb without blemish and without spot but in respect of that punishmenâ— which he did oblige himself to undergo for the sins of men Est illata necessiaâ— Adamò innata necessit as nobis assumpta necessitas in Christo Necessity of death was laid upon Adam for his sin necessity of death is imbred in us and by a voluntary assumption there was a necessity of death in Christ A man willingly gives his word for such a summe for his friend but when he hath willingly given it he must of necessity pay it So Christ willingly took this debt upon him and in the fulness of time when 't was exacted paid it down even his life to God and nature But albeit he thus parted from the world yet God hath raised him up Etiam animalula quaedam typâ— Resurrectionis sunt Lavat in Job 14.12 having loos'd the paines of death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it So though the hand of fate by Natures unconfused order reduce us to our first principles yet shall we rise again by the mighty power of our eternal Maker The Judge of all the word hath appointed a day wherein to judge the world to which all must rise And as all must die and after death come to judgment so Christ was once offered to bear the â—ius of many and unto them that look for him shall be appear the second time without sin unto salvation THE BLESSED AMBASSADOR OR THE Best sent into the Basest GALATH. 4.6 And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father GODS love wherewith he hath embrac'd the sons of men in his onely Son is of such large extent as cannot be limited as cannot be measured the breadth and length and depth and height thereof Eph. 3.18 19. doth passe our knowledge Doth passe our finding out The length the breadth the depth of the earth the sea the heavens Mathematicians by their speculations do conjecture but the love of God the most ingenious and judicious cannot it so exceeds so much as conjecture much lesse perfectly know because infinite Would a man part with his only son and alone darling and he content he should die a most ignoble and ignominious death to ransome his servants his cantives his slaves rebels that would cut his throat I cannot be perswaded the world affords such a man such a Phenix there was but one in all the world Abraham found willing to slay his son to rip up his bowels that spruug out of his own when God commanded it Yet the Lord of heaven and earth whose mercies are over all his works sent his only Son to save sinners to dye that by his death we may live Though servants Cantives slaves rebels yet by his Son made Kings Priests Prophets sons and heirs of an eternal inheritance O the depth the height and length and breadth of Gods love He sent his Son forth from him to bring us to him he freely gave him to redeem us from the insulting power of Sathan from the captivity and dominion of sin from the oppressing tyranny of the world to bring us into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God This liberty this sonship is obtained by faith for to as many as beleeve in his name hath he given power to become the Sons of God All ye then that beleeve are no more servants but sons not sons of wrath but sons of God not sons by nature but sons by grace And because sons behold the Lords bounty is enâ—arged toward you the treasures of his graces are open for you the store-house of his riches is
not shut against you his fatherly providence is tendred to you he withholds no good thing from you he sent first his Son and now that his Son is ascended to him he sends the Spirit of his Son to you into your hearts that by that meanes he may abide with you for ever But why compared â— the love of God to the love of man mans love in respect of Gods not being so much as a grain of mustard-seed to the whole earth or the whole earth to the vast heavens or the smallest drop of water to the whole Ocean I answer for my 〈◊〉 thus that by the marvellons defect and straitness of the one you may in some though in the smallest measure conceive survey you cannot the infinite greatness of the other He sent his Son but his Son return'd in his presence was joy in his absence griefe wherefore God bereaving us of his Sons bodily presence in his tender love sent the Spirit of his Son to raise our dead spirits to comfort us without him comfortless he adopted us sons being his enemies by his Sons coming now for farther confirmation and stronger assurance he signs it he seals it by sending the Spirit of his Son into our hearts Because sons Not natural but elected adopted sons such as many justly challenge the prerogatives and liberty of sons God That is the Father Hath sent forth As Kings do their Ambassadours to signify their pleasure and desires they neither adde nor diminish from their Commission so the Holy Ghost what he receives from the Father shows to them to whom the Father sends him he speaks not of himself but what he hears he speaks what he receives he delivers The Spirit That is John 16.13 14 the Holy Ghost the third person in Trinity Of his Son To wit of the natural Son of God Jesus Christ Gods Son begotten by eternal generation time out of mind 〈◊〉 your bear tsâ— Into your 〈◊〉 Crying Making you with confidence and assurance to cry the Spirit properly cryes not for then it should cry and pray to it selfe Sic ipse Spiritus postulat i.c. ad postulandum cos quos replevit inslammat but it is said to cry when it works that effect in us according to that Rom. 8.15 Ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby ye cry Abbâ— Father We are said to cry by the Spirit as a man to see by the eye Abba Father Abba it is an Hebrew word derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifyes to be willing here it is translated Father and the reason of that name is rendred to be because of the propensity of the will and desire of a father towards his children being their chiefest wel-willers and wel-wishers The intention then of the words is this The adoption and free election thorough Jesus Christ into the right and liberty of sons pertains not to the Jews alone but to the Gentiles also to the Galatians by the redemption wrought by the Son of God for this purpose annointed by the Father ye receive the adoption of sons God thus making you sons sent his Spirit to you his Spirit sent to you dwells in your hearts and dwelling in your hearts makes you cry with an assurance of his good will Abba Father Of the words there are these parts 1. A person sent the Spirit of the Son 2. A person sending God 3. The sending it self sent 4. The place whither God sends the Spirit of his Son into your hearts 5. The office or effect of the Spirit Crying Abba Father 6. The reason moving and prevailing with God to send his Sons Spirit into your hearts because sons Of the first the person sent the Spirit of the Son the Holy Ghost It will be judg'd in me to be but a labour in vain to endeavour to prove that there is such a Spirit except there be some as I hope there are none so grosly ignorant as those disciples spoken of in the 19. of Acts who profest they did not so much as hear whether there were an Holy Ghest or no. This is a Principle of Religion to be taken of all for granted not to be call'd in question not to be proved to spend words and time in the demonstration hereof is to no more purpose than to prove 't is day when the sun shines this being sufficiently manifest in the works of nature that sufficiently apparent in the effects of grace Divine truth contained in the sacred Word of God stops all gainsaying proceedings in this point None but who will oppose God will oppose it if any man teach otherwise or doubt of the verity hereof he is proud knowing nothing but doting about questions and strifes of words he is a man of a corrupt mind and destitute of the truth carried away with the spirit of giddiness and of error I will therefore spare my pains in convicting such rude and giddy-headed spirits for I direct my lines to Christians well instructed in this Article of our faith not to Turks and Mahumetans and by Gods assistance teach and write what shall be more fit all things well weigh'd for them to learn and me to deliver 1. Why the Holy Ghost is called a Spirit 2. Why he is called the Spirit of the Son The third person is called a Spirit because 1. He is a spiritual incorporeal and invisible essence whose being is not like that of Angels though spirits they are but ministring spirits of Almighty God finite but he is infinite whom the world cannot contain whom the most piercing eye cannot see whom the most sublime wit cannot conceive The reâ—ulgene glory of those heavenly spirits dazzles our understanding in our meditations and discourses of them our imaginations cannot reach their transcendent and Metaphysical nature far distant from our spheare much more are we unable to fix our bodily or intellectual eye upon that spiritual being whose being and glory is absolutely in comprehensible dwelling in that light to which there can be no accesse and in that height to which no created nature can aspire He is called a Spirit 2. Nescis torda mâ—li â—â—ina gratiá Spiritus Sancti Ambros In regard of the mighty power and unresistible efficacy it hath in operation implyed in the rushing wind on the day of Pentecost and the fiery tongues His wonderful activity is made sufficiently manifest by the creation of the world and well known in the hearts of sinners by their conversion and new creation a work not of small importance Act. 2. a concurrence of all the powers of nature cannot effect it Men and Angels can do much but not so much let men of the rarest parts most eminent endowments and of the best quality laying grace aside do what they may say what they will they shall find themselves scanted of ability to begin much lesse to go thorough with so great a work The wind blowes strong and fire is very active so the Holy Spirit blows down the strong
holds of Sat an erected in the hearts of sinful men disperseth all chaffy cogitations of wickedness and filleth every corner of the soul with heavenly inspiration with transporting thoughts and meditations of an higher than an earthly nature and as fire it inflames the heart with the love of God whence proceeds zeal of Gods glory that fire of heaven and a fixt resolution as in Martyrs to suffer fire and fuggot for the profession of his name By reason or the working thus of his mighty power the Scripture stiles him by the name of the power of the most high Eâ— operante creabatur homo eo operante recreatur As by his working power man was created by the same renewed and born again As by his power he gave life Luk. 1. so he gives newness of life by his power Spiritus est qui vivificat it is the Spirit that quickens us before dead in sins and trespasses He is called a spirit 3. Because he is breathed from the Father and the Son that is he is that person by whom the Father and the Son do immediately work heavenly motions and saving graces in the hearts of the elect Spiritus à spirando wherefore when Christ breathed on his Disciples he said unto them receive ye the Holy Ghost Job 20.22 These I conceive to be the reasons why the third person in Trinity is called a Spirit Now must I shew the reasons why he is called the Spirit of the Son they as I Imagine are these First because he proceeds from the Son by an eternal procession and intelligible emanation the essence of the Son is communicated to him hence coeternal coessential consubâ—antial with the Son he is called the Spirit of Christ Contra Arianos Rom. 8.9 not as one saith by way of allenation nor by way of multiplication of the divine essence which can be but one but by communcating the very same numericall essence wherein the Father and the Son subsist unto him in an incomprehensible manner whence he is term'd also the Spirit of the Father Galat. 3. for the essence of the Father is the essence of the Son and the essence of them both the essence of the Spirit he proceeds from both not simply as from two persons but in that they are one in essence not more principally from the Father lesse principally from the Son as Lombard and the schoolmen of this age affirm but from the person of the Father and the son in the unity of essence without any such distinction for upon the admission of this distinction we may justly infer an inequality of the persons of the Deity a thing without blasphemy not to be admitted the Spirit of holyness equally proceeds from both as from one beginning against the definition of the Greek Church but non voluntate sed natura seu necessitate naturae licet secundum voluntat is modum not by the act of the will but by the act of nature or by the necessity of nature according to the manner of the wills working which I cannot conceive in other terms than these that is God willing it He is called the Spirit of the Son 2. Because he is in the Son and the Son in him as the Son is in the Father and the Father in the Son to wit by their eternal essence And besides this the Spirit dwelt in him in the dayes of his flesh inriching his humane nature with all fulness of grace And at his baptisme the heavens opening Mat. 3.16 John saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him He is called the Spirit of the Son 3. Because the Son sends him to seal our adoption to us Joh. 15.26 When the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testify of me He sends that which is his and gives it too Joh. 20.22 receive ye the Holy Ghost And not onely the Son but the Father also sends him but in the Sons name whom the Father will send in my name saith Christ Joh. 14.26 Which shall testify of me Royard in Joh. 14. saith he Joh. 18.26 the Father sends him in his Sons name that is saith Royard to the glory of his name in which respect he is term'd the Spirit of the Son He is called the Spirit of the Son 4. Because he receives the wisdom and knowledge of the Son who is the wisdom of the Father and reveals it unto us He guides us into all truth Joh. 16.13 for as it followeth he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he shall shew you things to come Verse 4. He shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you Verse 15. All things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you All saving knowledge and divine graces coming from the Son in whom the hidden treasures of pure wisdom do rest are confer'd upon us the sons of God by adoption by the Spirit of the Son of God by eternal generation From which discourse may be deduced three conclusions 1. That this Spirit of the Son is a Person he proceeds from the Father and the Son not as an accident but as a Person It was the grosse conceit of some heretical mistaken spirits erroneous in their judgments that this Spirit of the Son is only a motion or quality wrought by God in the hearts of his children or some divine inspiration infused from above by divine grace into the soules of them whom God had chosen out of the world to be more eminent than others Those conceits may seem plausible to corrupted reason not discerning the things of God which are spiritually discerned yet they contradict that which by Infallible consequence may be deducted out of the sacred truths of Gods word and right reason Laying therefore these two Gods word and right reason as two sure foundations and uncontrolable Principles which may justly sway our judgments I will presse the truth of this conclusion against all opposites The Spirit of the Son is a person Because he appeared in a visible shape The Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a Dove upon Christ and he appeared like cloven tongues of fire and sate upon each of the disciples and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance What motion what quality what inspiration can appear in such or any visible similitudes or bodily shapes or give utterance to men He is a person because called God When Peter taâ—t Ananiâ—s of his double dealing he told him he had lyed to the Holy Ghost and in lying to the Holy Ghost Act. 5. thou hast said he to him not lyed unto men but unto God The Essence of God is Tota in qualibet personâ Deitatis whole
sic jubeo then there is Reason that thinks of the means to compass the intent of the Will which being found there is a Power which is still in action till the Will as I may so say gets its will and obtains its end whence is drawn a similitude to express the profound mystery of the Trinity The Father is compared to the Will for he is the beginning of the action the Son to Reason for to him is given the dispensation of all things and he is the Wisdom of the Father the Holy Ghost to the Faculty or Power of effecting it who is the Perfecter of every act called The Power of the most High These three saculties are in the soul of man yet one soul not three and 't is a question never satisfactorily decided since first moved Whether these essentially and really differ from the soul or no If then these three faculties of the soul be one soul and one soul these three faculties why may not the Essence of the Godhead be communitated to three Persons and these three Persons remain one onely God Thus the glimmering light of Nature hath given us some light in this matter Lombard lib. 1. dist 12. E. which as the Master of Sentences saith Etsi sensu non percipiam tamen teneo conscientià Though unperceptible to mine outward sense yet in my conscience I hold for true Rules of Divinity exceeding our capacity are to be embraced by Faith not to be discussed by Reason And thus much for the Person sent the Spirit of the Son I proceed to the Person sending which is said to be God God the Father by his Son sent forth the Spirit of his Son In which discourse as much compendiousness as may be All that we enjoy in the time of our pilgrimage here on Earth are sent us from God the Giver of every good and perfect gift What Earth cannot afford us Heaven supplies The mission or donation of the Holy Ghost comes not within the reach of any mortal or immortal creature Wherefore the Father considering we cannot have a we being in this life but our condition should be without him miserable He sent us the Holy Ghost the onely Comforter of our distressed souls the onely Supporter of our future hopes of happiness to strengthen us and fill our hearts with joys unspeakable O the wonderful mercy of Almighty God! Qui misit unigeâ—â—tum immisit spiritum promisit vnltum quid tandem tibi negaturus est Bâ—rn de temp Nihil unquam ei negasse credendum est quem ad vitull bortatur esum Hierom. He sent his Son to save us and his Sons Spirit to comfort us God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts He denies us nothing that may further our good but sends us all things even his Spirit who deserve a denial of all things It is believe it it is his Mercy that is over all his works He makes our misery the object of his goodness our necessities the object of his bounty hence the Apostle discourseth thus God gave us his Son when we were enemies and how shall he not with him give unto us all things even to the Spirit of his Son God sent forth the Spirit of his Son It is counted a great gift that Jacob sent by the hands of his servants to paciâ—ie his brother Esau Gen. 32.14 15. It is counted a great gift that Joseph sent to Jacob his father Gen. 45.22 23. and that he gave to Benjamin It is counted a great gift that Pharaoh gave to Joseph giving him rule over all the land of Egypt Gen. 41.43 It was a Princely gift that Hiram King of Tyre sent to King Solomon 1 King 9.14 and that the Queen of Shtha gave him 1 King 10.10 It was a Princely and magnificent gift that King Ahasuerus sent to Mordecai by the han is of Haman it is registred Esth 6. It was a gift royal that the three Wise-men presented to our Saviour Christ Gold Myrrhe and Frankincense Mat. 2. But it is a far greater and more magnificent gift that the God of Heaven sends into the hearts of the children of men the Spirit of his Son Those are but poor gifts in respect of this for infinite is the difference betwixt them and it They are subject to mutability loss and corruption but God sends forth the immortal and eternal Spirit of his Son very God of very God into our hearts They could not sanctifie them to whom they were sent and given but this doth cleanse those souls from all pollution of sin to whom God sends him They only made them great in the eyes of men this makes men great in the eyes of God Who but a blind man cannot discern the tender affection and exceeding care of Almighty God our heavenly Father towards us who gives us all things to the utmost of his power he thinks nothing too good for us He gives us his Spirit and in giving him he gives himself God over all blessed for ever What greater gift can God give to the sons of men what greater gift can the sons of men expect of God Enough enough Lord thou art God Alsufficient we can ask no more and thou canst send no greater than the Spirit of thy Son into our hearts I will not part from this point till I clear one doubt In that God sends the Spirit of his Son some infer that God and the Holy Spirit are unequal the Sender must ever be greater than the Messenger the Giver than the Gift But by their leaves 1. This is a Principle underâ—â—able That there is no inequality in the Deity 2. Common experience in Civil affairs is able to demonstrate this That equals may send forth equals it is usual 3. S. Cyril Cyrils rule is most forcibly true That Missio obedientia non tollunt aqualitatem Mission and submission nullifie not equality The Father sent his onely begotten Son into the world in the form of a servant and was obedient unto death even the cursed death of the Cross Yet equal to the Father He thought it no robbery Phil. 2. So the Holy Ghost in equality is not a jot diminished nor his authority any thing abated though sent of the Father The Father is not greater than the Son nor the Holy Ghost less than either because all three are one and the same God Infinite in Essence and Lord of all and in Unity there is no Inequality Here I put a period to my discourse of this point and proceed to the next to wit to the Mission or sending of the Holy Ghost the Spirit of the Son God sent forth the Spirit of his Son The sending of the Spirit is either in a visible or invisible manner Visibly he is said to be sent when there are significant signs of his presence Not that the Spirit in its own nature is visible to the eyes of man When he confers his saving graces by the use of external Symbols working
Faith and Repentance in his Church when by his powerful operation he converteth the souls of sinners from the errors of their way in an outward apparition then is he said to be sent visibly the Dove appearing at Christs Baptism did intimate the presence and the efficacy of the holy Ghost the cloven tongues like fire in the Primitive Church in the times of the Apostles were a demonstration of his presence and power The manifestation of his graces in Christ and his Apostles at those times discovered his presence But he is not sent thus alwayes but at appointed times and upon special occasions thus that Prophesie of Joel 2.28 was fulfilled He is sent invisibly when no signes are used to declare his presence in our hearts only he that hath him knows he is there Thus was he in the Prophets for he spake by them And every Christian that belongs to the election of grace hath the Spirit sent him thus invisibly he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Rom. 8.9 And cum gratia Spiritus sancti datur hominibus profecto mittitur Spiritus à Patre when the grace of the Spirit is confer'd on men of a truth the Spirit of grace is sent then of the Father Christ's Spirit comes not to us by a temporal motion but by the temporal motion of the creature is signified the spiritual and invisible sending of Christ's Spirit Again he is sent unto us by the Ministry of the Word the power of God to our salvation and by the administration of the Sacraments By the Word illuminating our understandings before darkned enabling us to judge of spiritual things our judgment before restrained to carnal working saith love hope peace patience temperance with a reformation of our lives and all other vertues in our hearts By administration of the Sacraments confirming our faith in the promises sealing unto us our adoption perfecting in us the assurance of our reconciliation with God and assuring us that we shall be made partakers with the Saints in glory of the full fruition of the presence of God and be put into the possession of that immortal and eternal inheritance in the highest heavens prepared for Gods children before the foundations of the world were laid This sending of the Spirit of the Son either visibly or invisibly by the Word or Sacraments is not a local motion a going from one place to another descending from heaven to earth but his operation and effectual working in the hearts of Gods Saints He is every where filling heaven and earth and therefore not movable from heaven to earth but ubi operatur ibi est where he works there he is and is said to be sent thither Let us now learn how to conceive of God and be assured of his love had he not loved us he had not sent his Spirit to us He sends his Spirit to us and gives us the best things we must not deny any thing unto him thanklesse creatures then we should be And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby we are sealed to the day of redemption And prepare we our hearts to entertain and receive him sweeping clean the secret chambers of our souls making our bodies also fit temples for the holy Ghost to dwell in The firm ground of all Christian comfort and stedfast foundation of all the heirs of eternal blisse is to be the sons of God Men of this world are ever ambitious of honorable titles and use all means to insinuate themselves into the favor of their Prince aiming hereby at a worldly happinesse Thus men of the world to come so I may term the faithful for they are not of this world are ever in action and the bent of their endeavours ever tending to obtain the honorable title of the sons of God What means God hath ordained for them to win his favour by as obedient children use aiming hereby at an eternal inheritance and at the crown of immortality that never fades away which that as sons they by the grace of God their heavenly Father may compasse they cry and pray without ceasing unto him who is willing to hear and able to fulfil their holy desires to the utmost even above what they ask And that they may be the better able to hold out unto the end and to profecute their earnest intentions in righteous things God because they are sons sends forth the Spirit of his Son into their hearts whereby they cry Abba Father There remains now these three Parts to be treated of The place whither the Spirit is sent the effect of the Spirit there and the reason of all this Now that you may receive with pure hearts and blamelesse affection the sincere truth of Gods holy word whil'st ye are reading these lines sequester your sences and your souls from all wandring and evil thoughts and cast away from you all misdeeming conceits as Elias did his Mantle to the earth when he ascended into heaven or as Moses took off his shoes when he trod on holy ground The next Subject of our Meditation is the place whither God sends forth the Spirit of his Son which is our hearts God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts The estate of every true Christian and child of God in this life is partly carnal partly spiritual they have flesh they have spirit the first state comes by nature call'd the state of nature the second by the free and undeserved grace of God Non habeo domine quodignoscâ—s Donatus call'd the state of grace Hence we may consider them two wayes conditioned 1. They are carnally minded 2. Spiritually minded Their purity is not totally and fully unblemisht he that saith he hath no sinne is a lydr and there is no truth in him 1 John 1.8 For they are subject to a twofold Law 1. To a Law in the members which none can put off until they put off their flesh and thus far they are unregenerate 2. To the Law of the mind which is the Law of God call'd the Law of the mind regenerate and illuminated converted unto God by the Spirit wherein the godly do delight Hence ariseth a mortal warre and an unsppeased enmity within man I see faith Paul another law in my members warring against the law of my mind the good that I would do I do not but the evil which I would not do that do I Rom. 7. The flesh lusteth against the spirit Gal. 5.17 and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other and draw like Sampsons Foxes contrary-wayes The Maxime grounded then upon these words to which my former discourse hath relation is that by nature we are destitute of the Spirit of God and by consequence prone to all evil Had there not been a reflection of Gods goodnesse and mercy upon us did he not by supâ—rlour causes and transcendent means work our regeneration and caused us by a second birth which
warfare and fight the combates of Jesus Christ all that maintain the profession of the truth in sincerity and uprightnesse of heart all that with hearty resolutions begin and prosecute the ruine of the Romish Synagogue the dissolution of their superstitious worships wheresoever within the limits of their jurisdiction Of this order are all those Christians that beholding their sins lay hold on Christs merits and Gods mercy by an unmovable faith for this hold is taken by the strength of Gods Spirit wherewith he doth endow us Of this order are all those who resist the temptations of Satan the provocations of the flesh the alluring vanities of this perishing world these are all vanquisht by the power of the most high that rules in our hearts Of this order are all those who are content to sacrifice their lives for the Name of Christ that so they may be found in him stout hearts have they and full of spirit that spurn at the present pleasures and commodities dignities of this world and are content to part with all hopes of these and all that he hath for the glorious hope of eternal life purchased unto them with the precious blood of the Son of God Such a spirit as this no worldling can be partaker of and such a spirit as this we read to have been in Martyrs even at the stake To conclude this point Of this order are all such as in their greatest necessities and most desperate extremities acknowledge and rely on the gracious protection and fatherly Providence of Almighty God who against all hope rest in hope which is as much as one saith as for a man to shake the whole earth and is as hard a work Hence by reason that the Spirit doth communicate this strength unto us he is called the Spirit of strength thus his strength is shewn in our weaknesse Isa 11.2 whereby great and difficult matters beyond expectation or the reach of our nature are brought to passe All these are sufficient restimonies whereby we may undoubedly and safely conclude that where they are to be found Gods Spirit it is to be found God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into their hearts Wherefore my dearly beloved into whose hearts the Spirit of God hath entred make it appear by his holy conversation that he is in your hearts if ye live in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 ye must walk in the Spirit if by the potent operation of the Spirit ye berdead unto sin and raised up unto newnesse of life you must expresse it by serving in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all they dayes of your life it cannot be said flatly there is any life in him in whom there is no expression of life so unlesse you forsake and abandon your wayes of wickednesse your adultery your pride your extortion your grinding of the faces of the poor by your oppression your cheating your bribery your riot your unjust dealing and whatsoever Gods pure eyes cannot endure to behold by hearty and unfained repentance and sincere obedience unto all that God commands it cannot be truly affirmed that the Spirit of God is in your hearts or that he hath as yet breathed upon you the breath of supernatural or spiritual life Vita animalis probat animam esse in corpore vita spiritualis spiritum in anima Your natural life is an infallible demonstration of the soul's presence in the body your spiritual life of the spirits presence in the soul As they that have no soul have no natural life so they have not spiritual life that have not the Spirit Let therefore your life be such as that all may take notice of what spirit ye are and that the Spirit is in your hearts that so you by your works and others by your example may glorifie your Father which is in heaven Again 1 Thes 4.4 7. if any of you be perswaded of the Spirits dwelling in your hearts let it be your principal care to possesse your vessels your hearts in sanctification unto the Lord for God hath not call'd you hereby unto uncleannesse but unto holinesse Christ could not endure in the Temple of God profane Merchants that defiled it Remember that ye are the temples of God and if any man desile the temple of God 1 Cor. 3.17 Justitiâ verccundia observantia legum communitum Contra Aristog him shall God destroy for the temple of God is holy which temple ye are Demosthenes could say That mans heart was Gods best temple Cleanse therefore your souls from all pollutions of sin that ye may be fit to receive and entertain the Lord of glory If an earthly Prince were to come and lodge in your houses what labour would you take to sweep them clean What provision would you make for him What care would you have of ordering all things decently that your houses may be answerable to his slate And shall your care and provision be lesse in entertaining the King of heaven Let it not be said of you but purifie your hearts and the King of glory shall come in and abide with you to the end of the world Cast off all the works of uncleanness that ye may be blameless in the sight of God Saint Paul biddeth us not to grieve the holy Spirit that is Delicata res est Spiritus Dei Ephes 4.30 seeing that he is pleased to tak up his habitation in us we ought not in any case by our sins to disquiet and vex him but with an awful reverence shew him all service and dutiful respect lest by abusing our selves we make him to depart from us and unclean spirits come in his roome The graces of the Spirit are likened to sparks of fire which a little water may soone quench take heed that ye quench not the Spirit in you by drinking up iniquity like water for hereby as ye deprive your selves of the Spirit so of all spiritual blessings and heavenly comforts which redound unto us by his comfortable fellowship by which as we are guided into all truth in this life so after this life go into the joyes of our Master which is in heaven When I do seriously consider with my selfe the great love of God extended without all desert unto the sinful sons of men I am carried away with a strong admiration thereof I see men plung'd in the depth of misery I see God viewing them in the height of mercy the extremity of our misery moving God to pity Our captivity unto Satan had been endless had not God of his infinite goodness sent forth his Son to bring us forth We were for ever sold under sin without redemption had not God sent forth his Son to redeem us to have bought us with his precious blood Sin and Satan had made us their servants their slaves eternally had not God in the fulness of time sent forth his Son that by him we might receive the Adoption of sons Thus of Captives of bondslaves of servants to our
stand ye idle So say I Quid stamus otiosi To what end stand we idle as if we had nothing to do Let our first time be our worst time our last the best Think that time lost wherein we do not think on God Thus may we carry an upright Conscience made able and at all times ready to yield a good account of our years moneths days and hours to friend or soe If to friend to comfort them if to foe to confute them as Paul did here the false Apostles And thus much for the first part of these words Then after three years It follows I went up to Jerusalem This is his journey He grants here that he went up not commanded not sent for but of his own accord unbidden Here the moral and natural action agree together in the intent of the Agent He went to Jerusalem not to learn any thing but to see Peter That which Luke makes mention of in the 9. of the Acts when Barnabas presented him to the rest of the Apostles acquainting them with Pauls passages in and since his conversion how he saw the Lord in the high-way to Damascus and how he had spoken with him and that he had preached in the name of Christ with audacity there unto them whom he went with letters to apprehend shews plainly that he received not the Gospel of the Apostles neither was he compelled to teach the Gospel according to prescript of the Apostles They were afraid of him at the first sight until after a further and more deliberate trial I will not insist hereon but I proceed to the intent or the impulsive cause of this his Peregrination which was to see Peter Actions of reasonable creatures are to be allowed or disallowed according to the intents of the Agents Therefore I join all three in commission I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter The whole marrow of the matter lies in these words to see Peter shewing most expresly that he came not to Jerusalem to better his knowledge for he had before received the Gospel fully from Christ Peter was not his master nor he Peter's scholar he onely came to see him to salute him or congratulate him as his Coadjutor in the Gospel as also to manifest unto the company of Apostles what he was and to clear himself for a false opinion that some put of him Hierom. and how for the matter of doctrine there was no disagreement between them and him And here Hierom wittily flouts at the flim-flams of Pope Clement who said that Paul went to Jerusalem to behold Peters eyes cheeks and countenance to see whether he were macilent or fat whether his nose were crooked or even set whether his forehead were covered with hair and whether he had a bald pate or no. Certainly saith Hierom he thought to find Peter a God not a man This is but bald stuff all Popish foppery But here we see what love should be betwixt the Ministers of the Gospel to be careful of one anothers health The love he had to the gospel made him to visit Peter Religion and love joins hearts together and that is a religious love And where Religion makes an opposition hearts must not admit a conjunction Both in this are fearful aspects I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter This wâ—s a good deed of him therefore I make this collection That some kind of Peregrination or Pilgrimage is lawful So Jacob with all his family went down to Egypt to see Joseph So the Israelites through fire and water to take possession of Canaan So the Queen of Sheba went to see King Solomon So Paul Peter to Jerusalem The reasons may be these Because that their love may be seen by greeting with a holy kiss And because it increaseth joy Hearts meet with mouths at the meeting of friends It dispels all mists of conceived sorrow John leapt in his momothers womb at the salutation of the Virgin because Christ was there And without all doubt this bred a great comfort in Peter to see Paul converted to Now in that I said that some Peregrination is lawful it follows that there is another unlawful and that is Popish Pilgrimage by Vow or imposition of Popish Impostors Papists out of these words collect a twofold doctrine viz. 1. That Pilgrimage to the Holy Land and other such devoted places is a religious work and merits heaven They ground upon this example of the Apostle I went up to Jerusalem Their second doctrine a main pillar of their Religion is this That Peter had the supremacie of Paul Their reason is because Paul here went to see Peter But I hope it was not as one saith to kiss his feet as if he were Pope The first argues but a piece of poor Papistical Logick out of one particular act of one man to draw a general rule Secondly to make a rule of Religion in a thing where there is no such thing intended Here Papists take their mark amiss and therefore miss the mark of truth I confess in the Old Testament there was an appointed place whither the Israelites were bound to resort to worship God as we may see Deut. 16. They were to hold three feasts they were to go to one certain place three times in the year at these three feasts ver 16. Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall chuse In the feast of unleavened bread and in the feast of weeks and in the feast of tabernacles that is the feast of the Passover the feast of Weeks and the feast of Tabernacles Now this place was first where the Tabernacle of Moses was and so we read how Elkanah with his two wives went out of his city to Shiloh where the Tabernacle then was to offer sacrifice 1 Sam. 1. This continued for the space of four hundred seventy eight years or thereabouts unto the time of King Solomon Then after the Temple was built at Jerusalem Templum Domini the Temple of the Lord all came thither Yea Josephus saith that they came from all places to the feast of Unleavened bread then all of them were killed to the number of Eleven hundred thousand Jews they came when they should not come But now the Sun is come to the Meridian there is no shadow that Law is abolished the places then appointed are quite brought to ruine these were only types of Christ Again God commanded that for his honor the Pope in his own and Papists conceit a little diminutive god but a great man commanded this for his profit But God gave an Item for this Deus non superstitione coli vult sed pictate Mat. 15. In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men Frustra me colunt In vain do they worship me It is not commanded in any part of the New Testament and therefore no part of Gods honor More than this It is against the Scripture being meer
albeit he was his senior Apostle Both of them are called Eodem titulo fundatores Christiani nominis founders of the Christian name Peter among the Jews Paul among the Gentiles And one presumes to call Paul maximum or summum Apostolum the greatest or highest Apostle The reason may be this because he had more revelations than all of them And here the Rhemists because they would not have their foundation pul'd down upon such terms grow to that malapertness that they affirm that the greatest soveraignty in Gods Church Revel 3.7 attributed unto Christ is given to Peter in these words I have the key of David that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth Whatsoever ye bind in earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye loose in earth shall be loosed in heaven It in truth is such blasphemy as a godly man of our Church saith as Peter would have rent his clothes if he had heard any man attribute so much unto him For Christ hath the key of David as the onely true Messias which openeth and no man shutteth shutteth and no man openeth This Key can no man have except he were a Messias Besides the words are in the Plural number whatsoever ye bind whatsoever ye loose And thus you have the true doctrine concerning these two false doctrines to my poor ability wherein you see not onely the absurdity of the doctrines but also the absurd grounding of them on these words I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter I would not be curious because saith the Philosopher Accurate refellere stultas sententias stultum est It serves first to teach us not to build our faith on a staggering foundation such as man is Christ was faine to pray to God that Peters faith fail him not Other foundation can no man lay 1 Cor. 3.11 than that which is laid which is Jesus Christ. To it let us cleave and not cleave it And secondly whereas Peter is called a rock and the Apostles rocks as they have the true rock in them Christ Jesus It teacheth us to put no difference in respect of authority between them but to give equal respect unto all of them Thirdly all of us are rocks as long as we make this confession Thou art the Son of the ever living God Aug. Sweet was St. Austins Application upon Peters confession which I apply unto every one Endeavour that thou mayest be a rock therefore seek the rock not without thee but within thee thy act is thy rock thy mind is thy rock Let thy house be builded upon this rock that it may not be beaten with any storms of spiritual wickedness Faith is this rock faith is the foundation of the Church if thou be a rock thou shalt be in the Church because the Church is upon a rock All Apostolick and Christian men are rocks saith another This Papists might see were they not rockt asleep on Peter and had not dreamed as a Pope had aut Caesar aut nihil for these words I went up to Hierusalem to see Peter To see him as a friend as a companion not as his Master not as King of the Apostles as Papists would have it but not as God would have it The last part and point here is the time o◠Pauls residence with Peter he adode with him fifteen dayes Fifteen dayes to be better acquainted with him Ipse aspectus boni viri delectat Senec. Hierom. Gods children the children of light should delight in the company of one another Cursed is their company that takes pleasure onely in the company of the cursed But godly is their company that loves the company of the godly Fifteen dayes to conferre with him he had no need of great instruction and therefore tarried but a short time with him fifteen dayes Hence we learn that the most learned may not despise to confer with any of his rank albeit he should excel him in gifts This is a fault and must be mended This conference argues also a mutual consent That both of them were of the same mind and agreement This teacheth the Ministers of Gods Word to be always at an agreement in their opinion and albeit there may arise some difference in matters indifferent yet cleave to the foundation be sure that be not shaken or called into question for the foundation of God is sure How should their people ever be at quiet when their shepheards are at variance and ods No strife no wrangling must take place in Christian hearts lest their hearts be consumed in strife and wrangling Ministers as they are messengers of peace so Ministers of peace and therefore never to fall out Pulchrum est concordia cordis oris Moreover he sets down how long he stayed fifteen dayes to shew the absurdity of those false Apostles that thus vexed his soul For how was it possible that he could learn the Gospel of them in so short a space Where we may observe That it is no easy matter to be a Minister of the Gospel This learning is not so easily attained unto Therefore it is a grosse errour of some that no sooner put off the name of Sophister but puts on the name of Minister If they can reckon up Aristotles five Predicables on their fingers ends presently they fall to predication or preaching It were better wait a while hast makes wast saith the Proverb 〈◊〉 longer and fare better Rome was not built in a day no more can it be 〈◊〉 down in a day Thou mayest thunder against it è Rostris but it is not so soon wasted except thou come well provided Thy fourteen years and thy seven years is time too little to furnish thee be not therefore high-minded but fear but labour but wait a while Fifteen dayes Hierome observes a mystery in the fifteen dayes and if it can be found out in fifteen dayes or in fifteen years it is a mystery These are his words Hoc mysterio hebdomadis ogdoadis futurus Gentium Praedicator instruendus erat This mystery is comprehended under the number of seven and eight Seven indeed is called numerus sacer quietarius sacer because it consists of three which is numerus Dei and four which is numerus mundi numerus virtutum cardinalium quietarius because the seventh day is the Sabbath day the day of rest the seventh year the year of rest so in the seventh moneth the trumpet was to sound to the Jubile after so many Sabbaths as make up seven times seven years Levit. 25. which makes forty nine years So eight is called primus numerus and summus in harmonia Thus I have spelled put together who can I cannot And therefore rather than I will be vainly curious in seeking out a mystery where under correction I think there is none I leave this seven and eight at six and seven For all mysteries are wrought by Gods extraordinary and special providence But Paul's abiding here with Peter fifteen dayes
their defects out of the largeness of his bounty copiously supplied with a proportion of grace Old things are past behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 Among which All there is a new Fear by the secret influence of Mercy at the conversion of a sinner diffused into the heart that Fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom Psal 111.10 By it all our desires are cast into a new mould so we frame our dispositions to a corâ—eâ— spondency to the rule of justice Gods will whereof as there is some part reserved in his own bosom from the knowledge of man not to be prayed into so there is aâ— much as concerns us both for faith and fact in acquiring a future everlasting blessed state Divino afflatu by Divine inspiration reveal'd lest to us in writing To this an hearty obedience is expected at our hands which is effected in us by us not by the strength of Nature that 's corrupted but by the power of the Holy Ghost that 's purely vigorous When we are thus wrought upon we become so fâ— in good that worldly persâ—sions be they never so plausible cannot without much reluctation work us to evil Gods elect when called are so altered by spiritual irradiations in their intellectual part by unresistible motions in their concupiscible that the whole bent of their desires of their thoughts through begun fear looks directly at the glory of their Maker Heavenly considerations do so affect them and an actual sense of Gods goodness doth so transport them that the Serpent like insinuation of the World the Flesh the Devil fastens not on them without oppugning what disple seth God Sin is loathsom as making them abominable to him Piety delectable as procuring favour from him His love rightly conceived of them and their expectation of highest preferment in the Heaven of heavens makes them fear lest they should lose both to offend him that dwelleth there So zealous is their care through a sense of misery so affectionate their fear through a sense partly of mercy and of justice partly that they become Argot eyed to look about lest they be foully overtaken with the pollution of sins running source What through infirmities which make them uncapable of perfection in this life they cannot accomplish they through this holy fear compass in desire which of God is graciously accepted accepting the good will for the good deed After this manner was Jacobs mind first moved with a multitude of ambiguous thoughts surprised fearing he had offended through an unreverend incivility His rushing into that place without requisite preparation where he received an heavenly Oracle and of which he held a reverend opinion as being the House of God begat in him such a strong suspicion of respassing that he was afraid Yet not so as to have been diffident of Gods mercy or in an academical suspence of his favour to have grown desperate but his fear was prudently tempered with three pure Ingredients growing in the Paradise of God Faith Hope and Love That fear therefore which was in him at first imperfect and initial by the mixture of these graces with it acquired perfection in him and became filial Comparatively alone are things on Earth perfect Absolute perfection is not here no not in cases spiritual to be aspir'd unto that 's for Heaven What the Apostle writ to the Corinthians cometh to pass as well here below as there above When that that is perfect is come 1 Cor 13.10 then that which is imperfect shall be done away So initial fear which by multiplicity of acts proves in time habitual comes to that height of excellency that it is made filial which also usher'd in by servile and initial causes them to cease and does all it self Not unlike the Dictator in Rome who ruling 1 Joh. 4.18 Timorem sciliceâ— servitem illum non amicalem other Officers did nothing Divine John seeing the Saints love to be full of confidence concludes it perfect and that perfection to exclude fear Perfect love casteth out fear This perfect love is coincident with filial fear which is of the children of the Free-woman The fear that it expels is servile proper unto vassals and is but of Hagars brats Rom. 8. We have not received saith the Doctor of the Gentiles the spirit of fear to bondage but of freedom They that are the freeborn of Heaven Denizens of the New Jerusalem are free from pannick terrors whereunto through the thundring threats of the Law slaves alone are subject and for which Devils tremble That ignoble brood of the Bondwoman who have no heart to serve God have no heart to come boldly to him base spiteful fear captivating their senses makes them flinch and decline his presence who allotteth to the slavishly fearful Rev. 21.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their part as the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death But whose hearts are planted in a noble height being descended from the most High ravish'd with a loving fear of Divine Majesty scorn baseness and through fire and water neglecting themselves run to do him service Glorious are those attributes where with this above all other Fear is honored It is said to be filial where of Bernard gives the reason Quia non timet Deum quasi servus crudâ—lem dominum Rernâ— de timore Dei sed quasi filius dulcissimum patrem Because who hath it fears not God as an offending servant a severe master but as a gracious son a most indulgent father Not without Apostolical authority is it reputed Evangelical because wrought by the Gospel the law of liberty and subject to the Spirit of freedom For good cause it is reported chaste as is observed by learned Zunchy Zanch. lib. 1. de Relig. Quia qui sic timent castum habent cor For who are so given have a chaste heart toward God they fear him as a good wise her loving husband only out of love faith one Weemse In Psal 18. Hierom graceth it with the title of holy for that it is a sacred quality peculiar unto Saints through the propitious infusion of the Most Holy One of Israel Spiritual vigilancie over all our ways in our Christian deportment toward God and toward man springing from it moved a conceited Friar to call it Ostiarium anima the soul's Door-keeper As it admits not the Malignant spirit to break into the soul as it expelleth all unruly motions and unmannerly behaviours in the sight of God as it beats back and shuts the doors against all importunate suggestions of the black Prince of darkness and impious practices of malecontented sinners so it opens the everlasting gates of the immortal soul for the King of Glory to come in to take possession 'T was truly spoke of Siracides They that fear the Lord will keep their hearts to wit to receive him To express what happy security we enjoy by it in the state of
you The worldlings fear disturbeth the souls quiet and putteth the conscience in a manner out of frame But Jacobs fear which is the fear of God is that to which with David we must be ever devoted Psal 119.38 For take it upon the word of a King Holy and reverend is his Name Psal 111.9 Last of all The setled Christian must fear the Highest Power but as a son a father from whom with Adam he must not flie and quiver 'T is for a godless heathen Emperor through the horror of a guilty conscience to run under a bed at the noise of thunder Gods voice 'T is for a proud Felix to tremble when the last Judgment is urged 'T is for a Simon Magus his heart to quake when rebuk'd for the desire of a Simoniacal purchase It did well enough become desperate Judas in an humour to hang himself out of the way for his treachery to his innocent Master fear and despair did drive him to his wits end But he that is confirm'd in Christianity is of a far better resolution and more gracious temper If he offend as who doth not he is not as are some ungodly high-minded but hath learn'd of the Apostle rather like a good child to fear Nor as others hopeless but is both an importunate suiter unto Heaven for mercy and withall zealously addicted to Pauls exercise Act. 24.16 which is to have a good conscience void of offence toward God and toward men In one word From Jacob's fear in coming unprovided into that place which he imagined to be the house of God Learn we when we come into the house of God Eccl. 5.1 as the Preacher warns us to keep our feet from rushing unadvisedly into it our ears from listning to what doth not become it our tongues from uttering any thing rashly in it our heart from hastily conceiting either superstitiously or prophanely of it the whole man from unreverently abusing it 't is the gate of Heaven And here I make a stand God in mercy grant us his Peace to settle our unquiet minds his Spirit to rule our untamed hearts his Joy to solace our afflicted souls his Grace to rectifie our disordered passions his Fear to restrain our unruly wills That by his Peace we may rest in quiet to his Spirit we may yield obedience with his Joy we may be ever cheered in his Fear we may live and die to live with him for ever To whom Father Son and Holy Spirit be ascribed all honour and glory by Angels by men in heaven in earth world without endâ— Amen ORDINE QVISQVE SVO OR THE Excellent Order 1 COR. 11.3 But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is the man and the bead of Christ is God GOD is the God of order and he will have not only some things but all things done in order he commands order commends order delights in order and will have order both in Substantials and Circumstantials in Reals and in Rituals 'T is the Devil who is the Author of disorder and confusion he knows if order go up his Kingdom must go down and therefore he doth his utmost to hinder it Omne ordinatum pulchrum Cant. 6.10 Order is the glory of all Societies A well-ordered Family Army City are comely sights It makes the Church fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an Army with banners Hence God hath set an Order in heaven an Order in Hell an Order amongst Angels an Order amongst the starres an Order amongst Rational creatures an Order amongst sensitive Creatures the very Bees have a King and ruler over them And as it is the glory so it is the safety Take away this and we shall be all in confusion if there were not an Order in the Sea it would over flow the land and drown all The air would poyson us the creatures destroy us and every man would destroy another It s good then or every man to be bound the best are but in part regenerate and being left to themselves may fall into dangerous sins and errors shall therefore insist upon that which is here by the blessed Apostle propounded viz. A pattern of the most excellent Order This Portion of Divine truth is divided into three heads 1. The head of every man which is Christ 2. The head of the woman which is the man 3. The head of Christ which is God For the First The head of every man which is Christ No man is excluded from subjection unto him in regard of his universal dominion and that imperial power by which he ruleth all creatures after which manner he is the head of every wicked man also and of the Devils themselves which thing they do beleeve and at which they tremble But yet in a more peculiar manner and crytical sence he is the head of every man that is elected to life in regard of his special dominion called Dominium officii the dominion of his office whereby he ruleth in the Church of God in which manner he is the head of every man only that is a lively and real member of his mystical body inseperably united unto him by the inviolable bond of the spirit of grace whether he be Jew or Gentile Barbarian or Scythian bond or free rich or poor Whereupon issues this consequence that Christ being the head of every true member of the Church He is also the head of the whole Church Concerning which these two points are to be handled 1. According to what nature 2. In what respect Christ is the head of the Church As for the first point Christ is the head of the Church according to both natures both his divine and humane both which are two springs whence do flow several Observations In that Christ as God is head I Observe 1. The perpetuity of the Church the gates of hell shall not prevail against it 2. That with all reverent respect obedience is to be rendred by us to Christ in all things 3. That albeit Christ be ascended to his Father and our Father to his God and our God yet is not the Church left destitute of an head on earth for heaven and earth is fil'd with the glorious Majesty of his Deity and the Church with the special presence of his Spirit In that Christ as man is head of the Church I Observe 1. That his affection to us is intimate the sence of our miseries in him accute and he most prompt and inclind to help us in all extremities 2. That we may solace our selves wipe away all teares from our eyes and banish all sorrow from our hearts for that nothing is left Satan to triumph for over us being that Christ in our nature hath overcome Satan As for the second point In what respects Christ is the head of the Church My meditations are grounded upon the relation which the head hath to the members and this consists 1. In a
discrepancy and distinction from the members 2. In a congruity or agreement with them The relation of a natural head to the members doth consist in a discrepancy which is four-fold 1. The natural head differs from the members in regard of eminence and dignity so Christ from the Church and every single member thereof for he is God over all blessed for ever 2. In regard of perfection so of Christs fulness do we all receive 3. Thirdly in regard of Government so Christ by his Spirit ruleth in the hearts of the faithful and they are at his service 4. In regard of influence so there are infused in the soules of the elect the divine and heavenly motions of grace from Christ through whom they are able to do all things It consisteth likewise in a congruity and agreement which is three-fold 1. The head hath a natural conformity with the members so Christ as man with every one of the Church we are of his body of his flesh and of his bones 2. The head and members do agree in ordination to the same end conspiring together for the preservation of the whole entire So Christ is now in glory and the Church presseth forward to that eternal blessedness which in the day of perfect redemption they shall with Christ be actual possessours of 3. The head and the members do agree in contiguity so there is a spiritual contiguity effected by the supernatural operation of Gods Spirit betwixt Christ and his mystical body whereby they are made one they that are joined unto Christ are one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 And hence those supernal graces whose original is God are with the more facility more copiously diffused and the life of grace with heavenly inspirations the more amply distributed to each part the power of which diffusive distribution principally resideth in Christ the head from whom the prime act of all transcendent information doth proceed For further illustration of this first Christ is the head of the Church 1. In all places 2. At all times 3. In every state and condition considered 4. In all Authority He is the head of the Church in all places for he is every where the Deity cannot be excluded neither yet included All places are full of him and yet all places do not comprehend him he is free from the limits of local circumscription and yet every where present Go from his Spirit we cannot Nocte latent mendae sed non Deum Dco o scura clarent muta respondent silenâ—um conâ—â—itâ—tur faith an Ancient we cannot fly from his all-filling presence if we ascend into heaven he is there if we descend into hell be is there if we take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea even there shall his hand lead us and his right hand shall hold us darkness shall not cover us darkness shall not hide us the night shall be light about us for to him the night shineth as the day Psal 139. An uncontroulable demonstration of this ubiquity and special presence of Christ in Spirit is the universality of the Church which is not comprehended as heretofore within the narrow bounds of Jury or the circumference of one Kingdom but the uttermost parts of the earth are his possession his call hath been heard in all Lands and all Nations The sound of the Apostles Doctrine concerning the Kingdom of Christ Rom. 10.18 went into all the Kingdomes of the earth and their words into the ends of the world Vitra Garamantas Indos protulet imperium all sorts of people are in subjection to his dominion This was intimated to Peter in a vision as is by some wittily observed Act. 10. Where he saw heaven opened and a certain vessel descending unto him as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and fowles of the aire The vessel knit at the four corners did denotate the universality of the Church the four corners of the vessel answering the four corners of the world East West North South The several kind of creatures in it call'd by Peter unclean but by God cleans'd signifies the Church of God collected out of all Nations and conditions of men purified with the blood of Christ and sanctified by his Spirit Wherefore pious was that conclusion which Peter hence deducted that in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness without respect of persons is accepted with him We read Mat. 24.31 that at the end of the world Christ will send forth his Angels to gather together his Elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other which infallibly is a significant expression of the dispersion of Gods Church through all the quarters of the world We may yet ascend higher Christ is not head on earth alone but in heaven also every sainted and glorified man is a triumphant member of this body of Christ Thus Christ is the head of the Church in all places He is also the head of the Church at all times 1. Before the law for then the Patriarchs our forefathers enjoyed the benefit of the same glorious promises made in Christ Jesus that we now do only the circumstance altered they believing that Christ should be incarnate we that he was 2. Under the Law for all the ceremonies services and sacrifices at that time had reference unto him without whom they could do nothing It were through Christ they were vigorous and for his sake acceptable to God and the persons for whom the sacrifices were offered were not respected so much for those sacrifices as for the Principal intended by them Christ Jesus So that his Spirit was in the faithful then elevating their souls to more sublime objects than there presented to the outward view and guiding their actions to an higher end than there appearing 3. He is the Churches Head after the Law under the Gospel For by the Gospel the power of God unto salvation and by his holy Spirit leading us into all truth and filling us with all eminent graces and Celestial benedictions he governeth the Church Gods flock conducting them to that Kingdom which for them he hath purchased with his precious blood And having since his manifestation in the flesh confer'd upon his people a more ample proportion of gifts the assurance of these dayes in Christ and happy communion with him is more apparent than ever before By him we have accesse unto the throne of grace by him we are made partakers of the divine nature In brief he is the head of the Church by an unrevokable constitution from all eternity and so unto eternity shall last No Pontifical competitour can put him by it no proud Prelate of Rome can partake of this honour proper to himself and which he will not give unto another Thus he is the head of the Church at all times And he is the Churches
in the translation of the word Gnuunotho Austin Hierom and Theodoret with almost all the Papists translate it omnis mansuetudinis ejus but Luther Calvin Tremelius and others translate it Cum totâ afflictione ejus So Arias Montanus a Papist Cum universa ejus afflictione ad verbum cum omni affligi ejus we follow the last But to leave off words and come to the matter it is manifest by these words that David had many afflictions yet he was the beloved of the Lord his darling so was Christ yet from the Cradle to the Crosse was he afflicted of whose troubles Davids here were types Therefore Gods dearest children are subject to afflictions they are Gods messengers to bring them to him messengers of life not of death of love not of hate for the Lord chasteneth whom he loveth David was afflicted by Saul and his followers before he had possession of the throne and after he was sole Monarch placed in the throne many were the troubles that attended on him Thus Kings are not exempted from being afflicted Among his manifold troubles this one is recounted the inward care he had of finding out a sit and convenient place where to build a Temple for the Lord. This we may perceive in the verses following he was tost too and fro with many difficulties inwardly perplexed and all for Gods glory Constantine the great was of his mind for no sooner did he conquer Maxentius and Licinius by which victory he ended the Persecution moved in the East and West Churches but he caused Bishops to be consecrated Churches to be built and then the Church of God began to flourish which before was almost drown'd in the red sea of bloody persecution for some hundreds of years I might be infinite in reckoning up the Godly Acts in this kind of Kings and Governours which outward acts shew the inward love they bore to God and true Religion Here is mention made of Davids afflictions to shew the truth or certainty of promise as if they had been therewith seal'd and sign'd Which proves that he endur'd all these troubles because he had so fair promises of God Therefore to whom God doth give comfortable promises no trouble or anguish should annoy him but he should willingly undergo all tribulations for the promise sake It was not for his afflictions that God made him this promise it was gratis Lastly Davids afflictions are put down for an example to incite others to suffer the like To comfort them and to assure them that albeit they suffer never so many troubles that it would seeme impossible that those promises should be accomplished yet should they put their trust and hope in God who out of stones is able to raise up children to Abraham As Solomon prayed thus in his own behalf so let us as the Apostle commands make intercession for Kings and those which are in authority Lord remember our David CHARLES the second by the grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland defender of the Faith c. Thou who art the King of Kings make him a King over many Kings thou who art the King of peace guide the feet of our King in the wayes of peace Sit thou in his heart the chief Defender of his faith Councel thou him from above to have mercy on them to whom mercy belongs and to execute justice to them to whom justice Lord discover all plots and conspiracies intended against his sacred Majesty Let them be taken in their own nets that conspire against him Make him careful of thy Church Fill him with Faith Hope and Charity and at last reward him with a crown of glory And grant that ever after his seed may sit on his throne till the coming of the Messias Amen THE WATCHMAN'S Watch-word ACT. 20.28 Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood WHosoever shall seriously observe Gods powerful providence in Pauls Conversion may discern an act of great mercy in God and a strange alteration in Paul It was the great mercy of the Almighty that ever Paul was converted to the faith He was a raveming wolf of the tribe of Benjamin using his best endeavours to devour the little flock of God breathing out threatnings against the Christian profession and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord. Yet God in whose hands are the hearts of all mâ—n did so suddenly alter his savage disposition and so turn the course of his resolutions another way as for a time seem'd incredible From persecuting the Gospel the Lord won him to the preaching of the Gospel from being a profest Enemy to Christianity to be a strong Pillar of the Christian Religion The time was that his whole aim was bent to the extirpation of the Doctrine of Christ Jesus not a Professor durst hold up his head in his sight his imployment was to find out such and to bring them bound to Hierusalem To this purpose had he Letters framed countenanced by the Great ones and bacht with the chief Authority that his actions might pass unquestioned without contradiction Neither wanted he wit learning and courage to draw his projects into publique view and execution with all dexterity thereby to discharge his warranted Commission with approbation But when he heard that Voice from Heaven Saul Saul why persecutest thou me when he saw the Heavens took notice of his actions he was struck into a maze he trembled exceedingly his courage fell down his heart was astonished and suddenly turns Professor of that faith he erewhile persecuted to the death What before he endeavoured to pull down and trample under foot be took in hand to erect and build up Christ crucified was the subject of his discourse as before the object of his hate for whose sake he was put into as great fears as ever he put others and was subject to as great dangers by others as ever others were by him But in process of time he became a man of so undaunted a spirit as that no threatnings could terrifie him no fierce looks outlook him no power affright him no dangers discourage him from publishing to the world the Doctrine of Peace and Reconciliation through the blood of Jesus Christ call'd then by the Scribes and Pharisees as to this day by the Roman Sectaries Heresie God having thus made him a Chosen vessel to bear his Name before the Gentiles and Kings he went about from place to place preaching That Christ that was crucified was the Son of God Being at length come to Miletus he calls the Elders of the Church together to whom he delivers sundry wholsom Instructions tending to the good of Gods Church committed to their cure This was his Conscio ad Clerum and it was his parting Sermon It begins at the 18. verse of this Chapter and continues to the 36. Part of which Sermon are
these words I am discoursing on Which are a pious Exhortation directed to the Elders of the Church containing a twofold Caution 1. The one respecting themselves Take heed therefore to your selves 2. The other the Church of God And to all the Flock The arguments produc'd to back this Exhortation to a diligent Providence of Gods people are 1. Because they are Overseers of the Flock 2. Because they are called to the performance of that office by Divine election and constitution in these words Over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers 3. Because Gods intent in calling them to that office was to feed the Church of God 4. Because it is not a thing of a small value that is committed to their charge but that which God with his own blood purchased Which he hath purchased with his own blood Before I meddle with the two main particulars the onely matter intended my meditation shall reflect a little upon the ground hereof implied in the illative particle therefore which ever hath relation to a precedent matter Paul protells that he hath declared the whole counsel of God to them and that he is pure from the blood of all men in that he did conceal nothing from them that concerned their salvation Seeing then he leaves them in so good a state acquainting them with the Lords pleasure and counsel he chargeth the Elders to beware of themselves and of the flock Take heed therefore to your selves c. Where you may note how piously Paul is devoted to Religion how zealously affected to Gods Church how provident for their welfare Loth he was to depart until he had setled the affairs Ecclesiastical A Synod therefore assembled he lays himself open to all Like an indulgent Parent departing from his children could not part without an exhortation for preventing future perils He did undoubtedly conclude as well he might the improvidence of Ministers should be fatal to the Church Neglective carelesness hath evermore a dead stroke in the corruption or fall of Religion Where pride pranked with outward semblances goes for gravity where outward observances and ceremonious complements pass for inward zeal and devotion where humane eloquence perhaps impertinent to the matter in hand runs current for profound learning and is preferr'd before the demonstration of the Spirit where Hagar gets the preheminence of Sarah I mean where Philosophy shall coin Articles of Faith and prescribe rules to Divinity where Vice walks in the habit of Vertue where Avarice is counted Thristiness where gain of money and revenue is more desired than gain of souls Gods Vineyard must needs be neglected and without question down comes Religion Take heed therefore to your selves The Apostle in this illation hath yet a further reach In the precedent verse he doth aver that he is pure from the blood of all men and for his justification alleageth that he hath kept back from them no part of Gods counsel which he was pleased to reveal for their endless felicity Take heed therefore to your selves and to all the flock Do ye so likewise Hence it is requisite that you be industrious in the search of heavenly mysteries See that Earth make you not to forget Heaven and so slacken your care but let your studies be spent in finding knowledge that is able to save your souls and them that hear you in doctrine in exhortation in reproof aiming at the perfection of the Saints of God and his glory It is an unquestionable truth That the blood of them who receive little or no instruction of their Pastors or who fall away from the Truth through the Pastors neglect or careless carriage in their vocation will be required at the Pastors hand Ezekiel in his 33. chap. confirms this assertion O son of man I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth Fulmina non verba Eras and warn them from me When I say unto the wicked O wicked man thou shalt surely die if thou doest not speak to warn the wicked from his way that wicked man shall die in his iniquity but his blood will I require at thine hand If you intend the good of Zion if you prefix for your scope the glory of God if you hope for salvation quit your selves my Brethren from the guilt of blood of murdering souls through your negligence Attend to Pauls exhortation Take heed to your selves c. First take heed to your selves The prime care of a faithful Minister of Jesus Christ is how to behave himself in the Church of Christ which is the house of the living God It is an hard task I must confess he is put to a painful work that he takes in hand for the finishing whereof there must be a concurrence of conscience and skill If conscience be without skill the good will and honest intentions may win applause egregiam certe laudem but the Church is not profited If skill and no conscience whilst he teacheth others he himself becomes a reprobate Those instructions he imparts to others will in the end prove his own overthrow Take heed therefore to your selves It is the speech of Evagrius Scholasticus in his Ecclesiastical history Libr. 3. concerning an Emperor That an Emperor is not to be counted of thereafter as he governeth others but as he guideth and ruleth himself It behoveth him to suffer no lascivious motion to root within his breast but valiantly to encounter with Intemperancie and to make his life a pattern of vertue or a lanthorn for his subjects to follow after thereby to lead them to godly instruction This I may apply to the true Divine and true Man of God He must have an observing eye as well upon himself as others All his actions must be so ruled as that we may read piety in each of them and that they may serve for patterns of imitation to the people Surely Nunquam aliorum salutem sedulo curabit qui suam negliget saith one It can never enter into my heart to think much less to believe that he shall be careful for the salvation of others who shall neglect his own It is an argument beyond probability that that man will never respect any good that slights his proper except upon such terms as Moses wished his name blotted out of the book of life or as Paul himself accursed for his bretrhens sake But these were elevated to the highest pitch of zeal which few ever attained unto These were studious both of their own and others safety and of others safety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of their own See then as saith the Apostle that ye walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise Eph. 5.15 Extraordinary circumspection transporting us above the common sphere must be used or else we shall be condemned of extraordinary folly The wise mans eyes are in his head faith Wisdom It is a point of the greatest wisdom for a man to have his wits
none can see him and live Exod 33.20 So terrible the other that the Israelites trembled cap. 19.16 His sight so full of Majesty that Woe is me saith Isaiah I am undone for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts cap. 6.5 So full of terror his Voice that the Israelites said to Moses Speak thou with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us lest we die Exod. 20.20 Thus would God come unto us his sight would dash us his voice would daunt us His presence is accompanied with lightning when he speaks he thunders Sinai was in a burning sever before God the Earth was troubled with a shaking ague the floods ran back at his presence the heavens dropt at the first sight Psal 68.8 The voice of the Lâ—rd is powerful the voice of the Lord is full of majesty Namper Câ—dros intelligit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quicquid est eximium in mundo the voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars the voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire the voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh c. Psal 29. So that the Lord considering that Man is but flesh as weak as water he refrains from coming but not from sending to us for us Not Angels though ministring spirits as he did before the Law but having an eye to mans imbecility flesh of our flesh bone of our bone Men. Because himself would not thunder he sends Boanerges sons of thunder He sends not Angels spirits but Men-angels messengers Mat. 2. but little inferior to Angels And this he doth for several reasons besides that of his love and care viz. 1. To shew us in what reputation Man is with him He makes men not mean men but his Embassadors to men Such as do reveal his secrets Privy Councellors such as represent his Person a kind of Kings And this honour all his Saints have Psal 149.9 2. To exercise us in that high grace of humility God exalts man to humble man If the Lion roar who will not fear Amos 3.8 If the Lord speak who will not who cannot but obey No thanks to him then But when Man speaks and men obey hoc opus this is the work of humility Here he shews himself a true subject when he yields obedience to Gods word spoken by man albeit in dignity he be far inferior unto him 3. Because it is the surest bond of Amity If one needed not the instruction of another but every one should think himself sufficient of himself such is the pride of man what division what debate what contempt of one another Now this is the surest True-loves knot between man and man Let therefore a man so account of us saith the Apostle as the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 And Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Heb. 13.17 SCALA JACOBI OR St James his Ladder JAMES â— 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed ANTIQUITY reports that the statute of Merciery was erected where crosse wayes met to point out to passengers and pilgrims the direct paths they desired to travel So I may conceive of this blessed messenger of God the Apostle James made in the likeness of God In this world we are pilgrims and strangers where we have no abiding City but seek for one to come our way to that City which is the heavenly Hierusalem is through many tribulations and crosses where this Apostle being set up doth shew the way to us wherein we must walk if we will possesse the treasure of our hopes and long'd for felicity And because the way is ascendant leading gradually upward I therefore may compare it to a pair of staires or call it Scalam Jacobi St James his ladder wherein are to be observed 1. The bottome or ground 2. The several steps placed in a due proportion 3. The top or upper part which we aime to arrive at As for the bottome it is that good word of God the Gospel of Christ Jesus which the Holy Ghost by this Sainted Penman is pleased to stile a law describ'd by two singular attributes the one of perfection the other of liberty it is a prefect law of liberty As for the steps they are four the first is Speculation Whoso looketh the second is Perseverance and continueth therein the third is Remembrance he being not a forgetful hearer the fourth is Practice but a doer of the work As for the top of these staires it is the end of this Scripture and shall be I trust of my discourse blessedness this man shall be blessed in his deed I must stand a while upon the bottome of the staires the Gospel of salvation term'd a law the law of the spirit the law of faith the law of the spirit as the prime inditer the law of faith as the prime effect the law of the spirit in regard of the spiritual graces of God produced by it the law of faith as the special duty enjoined us in it Rat io nominis primum inquirenda we are now by the lawes of accurate teaching to enquire specially why the Gospel is called a law and that is 1. Because what is delivered therein to be observed of us is obligatory coming by way of command and having in it the regal stamp of supream authority 2. Because it prescribes punishments to the disobedient transgressors thereof sincere obedience and essectual beleeving in Christ being exacted of us upon pain of death 3. Because it containeth large promises of great rewards to the faithful observers of the sacred contents thereof Bernard as Bernard saith in his Meditations Si tormenta non terreant saltem invitent praemia if threatned punishments do not deterr us promised rewards may the more invite us As it is a law so it is a perfect law perfect in the Author Gods Spirit which is infallible not admitting either Popish legends to delude the People or traditional writs to destroy them Integra est doctrina ac proâ—nde animos redintegrat Jun. Psal 19. Perfect in the manner of delivery divine inspiration as proceeding from the will of God not from the will of man Perfect in operation as converting the soul making wise the simple rejoycing the heart in lightning the eyes and making the man of God perfect thorowly furnished unto every good work Perfect in the contents and matter as full and wanting nothing conducing to the bet tering of our knowledge in the wayes of piety our knowledge contemplative in matters of faith our knowledge practical matters of fact And perfect in the end Gods glory the glory of his mercy
Bernard Bern. But the Spouse in the Canticles saith that the Pillars of the Church are made of Marble standing on Bases of gold made of Marble therefore strong made of Marble standing on Bases of gold therefore glorious to behold Such the Apostles glorious for their good life for their constancy in faith thus many glorious things are spoken of thee O City O Church of God I may say Helcath-â—azzurim O thou field of strong men many glorious things are spoken of thee Solomon erected two Pillars in the Porch of the Temple that on the right hand he called Jachin that is he shall establish that on the left hand he called Boaz in it is strength by the first is meant if you believe Hugo Peter by the last Paul but give me leave to say all Christ's Apostles were like these two Pillars against the assaults of Satan for the gates of hell did not could not prevail against them shall not cannot against Gods faithful messengers Therefore Elias was called the Charets and horsemen of Israel that is Israels strength So God said unto Jeremy Jerem. 1. Behold I have made thee this day a walled City and a Pillar of iron And besides Pillars I may call the Apostles Lions like those two that stood besides Solomons throne for strength and beauty As strong so high like Kings high and mighty 1 King 10. high like Saul higher by head and shoulders than any other people by head for the understanding the mysteries of Religion by the shoulders to support them near heaven the higher the Pillar the nearer heaven Mighty like Sampson that they may pull down the rotten pillars of the adversaries on their head High to see over being overseers of Gods heritage Mighty because ordained to pull down the strong holds of Satan casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God Nemo sibi de suo palpet quâ—sque sibi Satan est and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. High belonging to the most High they must reach to heaven over Nations over Kingdoms Jer. 1.10 Mighty not in Word only but in power and much assurance 1 Thes 1.5 Hence they are called able Ministers 2 Cor. 3.6 Thus they were and Gods Ministers are as the people of Canaan in respect of the Israelites Deut. 1.28 greater and taller than they who is able to stand before them But let not this make them high-minded for the greater a man is the more he ought to bow down under mercies and humble himself The authority of the Gospel must not be defended with high looks they must not look big about them on the businesse lest the pestilence of Ambition creep in among the Evangelical vertues saith Erasmus on John 6. Erasmus in Joh. 6. Therefore though great and high yet humble like unto Piramids seeming smallest where highest Thus Paul in nothing I am behind the chiefest Apostles 2 Cor. 12.11 here 's his greatnesse here 's his height though I be nothing here 's his humility here 's his lowlinesse He is something he is nothing riddle me this Of this after The Pillars of the Tabernacle were upright so as also the Pillars of Solomons Temple So were the Apostles so must Ministers Paul said unto the lame man stand upright on thy feet the Lord said unto the Levites thou shalt be upright and sincere with the Lord thy God upright fide conscientiâ holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience Hence proceed purity of doctrine 1 Tim. 3.9 good endeavour conscionable diligence good example not to be carried away with diverse strange doctrines Heb. 10.23 but holding fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea Jam. 1.6 driven with the wind and tossed Upright in faith without bending either to the right hand or to the left left they fall and great be the fall of them for by faith ye stand 2 Cor. 1.24 From my former speech I deduce this consequence we may make these Pillars our pillows as Jacob made the stone his Gen. 28. where we may lie down secure sleep quietly without disturbance rest comfortably without annoyance Malè cubans suaviter dormit faeliciter dormiat Here we may find what Jacob found where he lay the gate of heaven I mean Christ I am the door saith he Now let us make this use that we maintain and not budge from the doctrine of the Apostles Take heed faith the Lord Adpenuitatem benefitiorum necessariò sequitur ignorantia sacerdotum Panormkan that thou forsake not the Levites as long as thou livest on the earth Deut. 12.19 Would therefore Papists know our Religion Would they know the Judge of all controversies We produce all the Apostles as witnesses of our Religion every Apostle as a several Pillar and all of them together as an heap on whose doctrine we rely This again is our confession this our profession as Jacob said unto Laban concerning the Pillars that they erected Gen. 31.51 So say we of all and every one of these Pillars behold this heap and behold this Pillar which I have cast betwixt us this heap be witnesse and this Pillar be witnesse that I will not passe over this heap to thee and that thou shalt not passe over this heap unto me for harme If you would know the reason take it their words are Gods words Gods Oracles No buckram * Of Rome Bishop of them all no Jesuites Knights of the Post can passe currant without Gods warrant Thus saith the Lord. In a word let me use a word of exhortation I direct it to such as be Ministers indeed be strong and beautiful in life and doctrine for how beautiful are the feet of those that bring the glad tidings of salvation be upright in faith and a pure conscience awake awake put on thy strength O Zion Isa 52.1 put on thy beautiful garments O Jerusalem and as they so shall we be Such honour have all his Saints Psal 149.9 I cannot passe over these Pillars yet yet I will not stay long on them We read that the Lord went before the Israelites in a pillar of cloud by day Exod. 13.21 So doth he now this blessed day this Sunshine of the Gospel go before us in a cloud of Witnesses Prophets Patriarchs Apostles we are compassed about with a great cloud of witnesses Heb. 12.1 We read also the Lord went before them in a Pillar of fire he goes before us in the Apostles as in Pillars of fire that give light unto us in this night of sin this vale of misery this shadow of death John Baptist was a burning lamp and the Apostles were the light of the world faith Christ Suâ fide sua doctrinà suis operibus luminaria facts sunt By their faith by their doctrine by their works they were made stars
Revel 1. Hence the Angels of the seven Churches are called stars fixt in Christ's right hand tanquam in firmamento as in the firmament of heaven not unlike to that star that directed the three wise men unto Christ Mat. 2. Now when these stars these Pillars of fire by the light of grace which shined in them perceived the grace which was given unto Paul When James Cephas and John who seemed to be pillars perceived the grace that was given unto me And thus I come to the ground or hand of the union the fodder that knit them together grace perceived the grace that was given unto me Grace is either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Active or Passive The active is Gods love and free grace ready to grace us The Passive Gods graces Gods gifts whereby we are graced wherewith we are glorified graced here to be glorified hereafter The first is a branch or a blossom of his goodnesse that tree of life that tree of good The last the fruit sweet as honey in the heart as the little book in the Revelation was in Saint John's mouth By that active grace God decreed mans Election Rev. 10.20 ere any thing had a being and by that active grace he doth bestow in the dispensation of the fulnesse of times the riches of his mercy heaven upon earth By it God comes to man ere man can go to God He comes to man with his preventing grace inspiring him with religious thoughts breathing into him the true breath of life and ravishing him with the desire of things supernatural out of natures compasse and sphere of activity that thus man might come to him he comes to man by his preparing grace casting his understanding and will into a new mould that thence he may become a new man wise unto salvation obedient to the death He comes to man by his operating grace God first prepares then works he first makes man capable o◠his works then works on him works in him and works of wonder actually freeing from the tyranny of sin and renewing him in the inward man the understanding will affections He comes to man by his cooperating grace As by his operating grace he moves the will to will that which is good so by this cooperating grace he makes him able to effect what the will desires to work out salvation with fear and trembling He comes unto man by his consummating grace giving him power to be constant to the end till he come to the full period Eternal glory the height of his ambition Heaven Eph. 2.5 Ye are saved by grace Thus God begins by his grace by his grace he doth finish what he hath begun Now beloved this active grace of God distinguished by the diversities of its gracious acts works in man passive grace those heavenly characters of the Deity drawn by the finger of God Some of these are common to the Reprobate with the Elect some proper only to the elect some are saving graces of the Spirit some not Some of these are called gratin gratis data others gratia gratis data gratum faciens Vocation Christian doctrine Prudence in businesses Patience in labour Fortitude in dangers the gift of Prophecy the gift of Tongues the gift of Miracles and such like are gifts of grace but not saving graces of the Spirit neither are these of any moment except God gives the earnest of the Spirit in the heart 2 Cor. 1.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I may use the Apostles phrase except they be seasoned with the grace of God I mean the saving graces which make a man acceptable in the sight of God Faith Hope Charity Faith justifies as the hand makes rich Hope maketh not ashamed Charity beareth all things 1 Cor. 13. believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things it never faileth But whether there be Prophecies they shall fail whether there be Tongues they shall cease whether there be Knowledge it shall vanish away Now all these together are like the sweet Incense in the spoons that were offered by the twelve Heads of Israel at the dedication of the Tabernacle Numb 7.86 Or like Noah's Sacrifice after the Deluge making a sweet favour in the nostrils of God Bernard S. Bernard makes mention of a threefold grace One whereby we are converted another whereby we are aided in fiery trials a third whereby after trial we are rewarded The first is initial whereby we are called the second beneficial whereby we are justified the last is final whereby we are glorified The first is Gods free grace the second is Christs merit the third the reward glory Of the first it is said Of his fulness have we all received Of the two last grace for grace as Bernard expounds it Munera gloriae aeterna merita temporalis militiae Which give me leave to interpret for my self Not for any merit of ours but for Christs merits for us The two first make way for the last the last cannot be obtained while the soul dwelleth in this prison of mortality but the two first with those I have spoken of already make up a perfect man in Jesus Christ in some measure in this life The original of these graces if we would know we must run to God Every good and perfect gift cometh from above Jam. 1. Non per naturam insita sed divinitus data they are transcendent they are given When Christ led captivity captive he gave gifts unto men He poured forth his Spirit saith Joel He gave he poured forth Ephes 1. Joel 2. that is active grace gifts unto men his Spirit that is gifts of his Spirit that is passive grace Grace is given of God by grace A blessed Giver a blessed gift The earth of our hearts brings not forth such branches of vertue but as the earth after Gods curse upon it thorns and thistles I will not here encounter with Papists concerning Free-will in both kinds of Gods graces but leave it to some other David who can better cut off Goliah's head as with the sword of the Spirit as with his own sword and beat them with their own weapons Only let me ask them one question What have we that we have not received 1 Cor. 4.7 And conclude this with that of the Psalmist Not unto us not unto us then O Lord but unto thy Name give the glory Thus we have had a sight of the riches of Gods mercy Now will I shew you the man to whom it was given by grace to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven that we may know who is he and we will call him blessed Therefore as Samuel said of King Saul I apply to our Saul here See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen It is Paul justified sanctified made gracious made glorious 1 Sam. 10. Once a Persecuter now as Saul once among the Prophets a Prophet so Saul now among the Apostles an Apostle by the
grace that was given him Once a profest Enemy to Christianity now a profest Preacher of the Gospel of grace Once a Subverter of Gods Church now a Converter unto Gods Church On whom I will pass my censure as one did on Origen for his writing Vbi bene nemo melius â—bi male nemb pejus Where he hath done well none did better where ill none worse We read of two names that were given him Saul and Paul Hierom. S. Hierom is of opinion that he was first called Saul and by converting Sergius Paulus to the faith received that name Paul tanquam trophaeum as a victory Others suppose that he being a Pharisee was called Saul but after his conversion Paul that his Religion being changed he changed his name Origen thinks he had two names Origen as Matthew is called Levi and Solomon Jedidiah But it matters not much whether you call him Saul or Paul In both names is contained a Prognostication of good Saul signifies Lent of the Lord Lent of the Lord to try his people lent of the Lord to convert the Elect yet unregenerate lent of the Lord to confirm all in the faith of Jesus Christ praedicando precando by preaching praying by preaching to them by praying for them lent of the Lord to glorifie his Name by doing his will here on earth as it is in heaven As lent of the Lord so lent to the Lord As Hannah said of Samuel I have lent him unto the Lord as long as he liveth he shall be to the Lord. 1 Sam. 1.28 And as for his other name Paul that signifies Wonderful or Rest Wonderful for his Conversion for his Conversation All that heard him preach were amazed Act. 9. Wonderful for his Conversion respecting circumstances Light from heaven shining about him his blindness his falling to the earth going with a bloody mind post-haste to Damascus his hearing of a voice from heaven his trembling and astonishment his receiving of his sight by Ananias Wonderful for his Conversation in preaching in working miracles casting out evil spirits healing the sick whether absent or present Wonderful for patience in tribulation in labours in perils in death in all miseries In a word wonderful for faith See my Waters of Marah for life for doctrine wisdom understanding And here he took up his Rest resting from blaspheming Gods Name resting from persecuting Gods chosen Israel resting from all errors of faith of doctrine of life for a time in grace and now for ever by grace in glory by the grace that was given him And forasmuch as he was of the Tribe of Benjamin we may apply unto him the prophesie and blessing that Jacob gave to Benjamin Benjamin shall raven as a wolf in the morning he shall devour the prey and at night he shall divide the spoil Paul in his youth before his Conversion as a ravening Wolf persecuted and devoured the faithful but being made of a ravening Wolf as quiet as a Lamb he distributed the food of the Gospel unto the world by the grace that was given unto him Baronius speaking of Paul Baronius derives his name from the Latine word Paulus little We read of King Saul how he debased himself Am not I a Benjamite of the smallest of the tribes of Israel 1 Sam. 9.21 1 Cor. 15.9 Paulus quasi Paululus and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin We read the like of our Saul I am the least of the Apostles that am not meet to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God but by the grace of God I am what I am And again I am made a Minister of the Gospel according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me Opulentissima metâ—lla quo um in also latent venae unto me who am less than the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Eph. 3.8 9. So that Paul thus despicable in his own sight Sen. ep 23. Ruth 2.10 might say unto the Lord as Ruth said unto Boaz Why have I found grace in thine eyes that thou shouldst take knowledge of me Thus you have heard of the Man who was inricht with the rich treasures of spiritual wisdom concerning whom I may demand of you as Pharaoh did of his servants concerning Joseph Can we find such a one as this is a man in whom the Spirit of God is Unto which demand I annex Pharaoh's answer Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this there is none so discreet and wise as thou art O Paul Therefore as Tully was called Phaenix Oratorum the Phenix of Orators Lactantius Phaenix Christianorum the Phenix of Christians and Cyprian the Christian Caesar Why not Paul Phaenix Apostolorum the Phenix or None-such of Apostles For his rare vertues for his invaluable gifts for the light of grace seen known understood perceived of James Cephas and John which when they had seen known understood and perceived they gave unto him the right hand of fellowship And thus I come to the act of union Grace brings in love and love union whereof it is an affection Perceived the grace that was given unto me they gave unto me and Barnabas the right hund of fellowship 1 Sam. 3.8 When they perceived Gods graces to him in him as Eli perceived that the Lord called the child Samuel they gave unto me the right hand of fellowship dextras societatis they made him a right Benjamite by spiritual union a son of the right hand they admit him into their fraternity or as Citizens speak they make him brother of their company Thus they go hand in hand to shew that Birds of a feather flock together Men indued with the same graces called by the same Spirit must be hand-fastned and heart-fastned by the same Gordian knot of love Let me not transcend the limits of these words I take it then that we have infimated here unto us the sweet harmony the consent the sympathy between the Ministers of the Gospel of grace This is pleasant musick in the ears of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity Psal 133. The curtains coupled together compassing the Tabernacle typically represented the concord and agreement of Ministers So a garment without seam about Christ the true Tabernacle full of Gods glory in whom dwelt the fulness of the Godhead bodily Their agreement must be like unto that of the parts of mans body exprest by Hippocrates one agreement one confluence all consenting being tied and united by the strong ligament of grace or love This union is spiritual therefore it must be an union of spirits an union of unions a meeting of friends exprest by the text fellowship But if you would know what fellowship you may find it Phil. 1.5 a fellowship in the Gospel and ver 27. stedfast in
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he burst out into an holy heat he wrought with a kind of anger against himself and others because the work went on no faster i. e. animum accendit Hic in bonum sumitur est studii ardentis non irae Buxt Chrysostome saith of Peter that he was like a man made all of fire And Basil was said to be a Pillar of fire such was their Zeal When Polycarpus had heard of any false doctrine broached by any he was wont to stop his cares saying Ah my Lord why hast thou reserved me to these times And would presently go his way Old father Latimer said we had good things in England onely deest ignis viz. Zelus Give God thine affections else thine actions are still-born and have no life in them The best way to keep fire alive is under ashes So Zeal which is the fire of the spirit is best preserved in an humble soul remembring it self to be dust and ashes Gen. 18.27 Job 42.6 Jesus Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity Tins 2.14 and purify unto himself a pecullar people zealous of good works Luke-Warmness A luke-warm Christian is one that standeth indifferently affected neither eager for the truth nor an open adversary thereunto Neither a Zealous professour nor a professed enemy to Religion but a neuter Such saith a Divine are our civil Justiciaries Quoties Judaeos foeliciter degere videant cognatos corum se appellant ut pote à Joseph oriundi Quando verò cos rebus adversis constictari intelligant adfirmare nihil eos ad se pertinere Politick professors neuter-passive Christians a fair day mends them not and a foul day pairs them not peremptory nover to be more precise resolved to keepe on the warm side of the hedge to sleep in a whole skin suffer nothing do nothing that may interfere with their hopes or prejudice their preferments Thinking they can at once keep correspondency both with God and the world And therefore Camelion-like turn themselves into any colour and accommodate themselves to any company Such of old were those Assyrian Colonies 2 King 17.41 that feared the Lord and withal served their graven images And such like were their successors the Samaritanes of whom Josophus recordeth the Jewes while they flourished should be their dear Cousins but if at any time under-hatches they would not once own them Such were the ancient Ebionites of whom Eusebius tells us that they would Keep the Sabbath with the Jewes and the Lords day with the Christians And still we have now a days more than a good many in utrunque parati unresolved and ready to be any thing with the time Such Profligate Professours and temporizing Gospellers the Lord holds in such special detestation that they are held worthy to be set in the front and to lead the ring-dance of such reprobates as shall be hurl'd into hell Yea the Lord will spew such parasites out of his mouth as too loathsome morsels for his stomack to brook or bear with I know thy works Rev. 3 15. Vers 16. that thou art neither cold nor hot I would thou wert cold or hot So then beause thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot I will spue thee out of my mouth Vigilancy True Christian watchfulnesse is an earnest care and bending of the mind to live every day as one would live upon his dying or upon his judgment day which may fall out to be every day for ought that we know 1. There is a watchfulness in reference to God We should watch 1. What God doth 2. What God saith 2. And we should watch in reference to our selves We should watch 1 What we do 2. What we speak 3. What we think Every thought word and work must be accounted for and brought to judgment And therefore it is as much our wisdom as it is our duty to watch over them VVhilst Ishbosheth slept upon his bed at none Baanah and Rechab took away his head Scilicèt ut paratum intentum momentis omnibus quò vellet subitò educeret Sueton. Whilst the Crocodile sleepeth with open mouth the Indian Rat gets into him and eateth his entrails Our enemy is alwayes ready to annoy us should we not therefore be vigilant It was a piece of Julius Caesars policy never to fore-acquaint his souldiers of any set time of removal or on-set that he might ever have them in readinesse to draw forth whithersoever he would Christ who is called the Captain of our salvation deales in like manner Meritâ— semper sonare auribus nostris debet haec vox vigilaete This word Watch should be ever sounding in our eares running in our minds Bucer in Mark cap. 13.37 It fareth with the best as with a drowsie person who though awakened and set to work is ready to fall asleep at it So Peter James and John those pillars as they are called Gal. 2. fell asleep at their very prayers Mat. 26.40 Such dull mettal are the best men made of and so weak is the flesh be the spirit never so willing so ill disposed is our most noble and immortal part the soul to supernal and supernatural employements Meditation and Prayer are the creatures of the Holy Ghost Jude 20. and that we may not run out into extravagancies or put up yawning petitions we must watch and pray yea watch while we are praying meditating c. against corruption within the sin that doth so easily beset us Heb. 12.1 and temptations without whether from the world the things whereof are so neer us and natural unto us Or from the Devil who is ever busiest with the best as flies with sweet-meates and with the best part of their best performances as in the end of their prayers when the heart should close up it self with most comfort Keep thy heart with all diligence Pro. 4.23 otherwise it will presently be a dunghill of all filthy and abominable lusts and the life a long châ—in of sinfull actions a very continued web of wickednesse Take heed where you set gun-powder sith fire is in your heart Austin thankes God that the heart and temptation did not meet together Beside Satan will be interrupting as the Pythoniss did Paul praying Act. 16.16 as the fowles did Abraham sacrificing Gen. 15.11 as the enemies did Nehemiah with his Jews building Who therefore praid and watcht and watcht and praid What I say unto you I say unto all Watch. Mark 13.37 Security There is a twofold security 1. Spiritual and good 2. Carnal and sinful The one ariseth from the actings of a vigorous faith grounded upon the promise and Word of God Hope in God is the security and settlement of the soul Spes illa solùm firmitatam hahet qua Deo nititur God is the Saints Anchor-hold they cannot be removed by any storm when once they have fastened upon him He is the hope of all the ends of the earth and hope in him
shall never end but in a full enjoyment of him in heaven But the latter is accompanied with the neglect of good meanes and with a presumption of a good end Security is a life led sine curâ it abandoneth the fear of God chaseth a way faith ripeneth sin and hasteneth judgements For it willingly sleepeth in sin as unwilling to be awakened blesseth it self in iniquity and therefore the curse must needs be neer For a man to become so secure as not to have any feeling of the danger wherewith he is inclosed such a one seemeth to be strangely metamorphosed into a man of iron When Callipolis was taken by the Turks Turk Hist fol. 186. and the newes thereof brought to Constantinople such was the madnesse of the Greeks that they made small account thereof and to extenuate the matter when they had any talk thereof in jesting-wise commonly they said That the Turks had but taken from them a pottle of wine But for that it proved a right great losse and much concerned the State as the issue made to appear For the manner of the taking of Babylon Heredotus reports that upon one of their great Holy-dayes when all the City were in their dancing and disports Ex inopinato eis Persae astiterunt Chron. 35. on a sudden the Persians came upon them they came into the City and took a part of it when the other part sung out their song and danced on and knew not that the enemy had surprized them To shake us out of security consider 1. Our whole life is a Temptation 2. A godly man is never without a treasure and a thief to steale it 3. No place admitteth security 4. The further sin goeth the more deadly it is 5. No wise man contenteth himself with present â—ase nor liveth by things present but providently forecasteth for after times A man is never lesse safe Bern. si vis securus esse time securitatem fortuna quem nimiùm fovet stultum fâ—cit than when he seemes furthest from danger fear of security being the guard of safety great fortunes being the recks of ruine If thou wouldest be secure then fear security for whomsoever fortune too much cherisheth she makes a fool Which the wisest King expresseth thus Pro. 10.2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing Herein not much unlike to Merchants who having had good successe at Sea adventure for more and so lose all So that it is too true that as much light hurts the eyes so too much felicity clouds the understanding making the conceit of a safety the cause of sorrow Hence is that golden rule of Solomon Pro. 28.14 Beatus est home qui semper est pavidus In the dayes of Noe Mat. 24.38.39 that were before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage untill the day that Noe entred into the Ark and know not untill the flood came and took them all away When they shall say peace and safety 1 Thes 5.3 then sudden destruction commeth upon them as travaâ—l upon a woman with child and they shall not escape Fortitude He that will not strive against the wind will not reach the Port it becomes men as well to oppose misfortunes as children to cry over them A valiant man undertakes without rashness and performs without fear he seeks not for dangers but when they find him he beares them with courage and success he hath oftimes looked death in the face and passed by with a smile and when he sees he must yield he both welcomes and contemns it he forecasts the worst of all events and encounters them before they come in a secret and mental warre he is the master of himself and subdues his passions to reason and by this inward victory works his own peace he is afraid of nothing but the displeasure of the highest and runs away from nothing but sin he looks not how strong he is but how innocens his sword is to him the last of his trials and he draws still as defendant not as challenger where no man better manageth it with more safety with more favour be had rather have his blood seen than his back and disdains life upon base conditions he had rather smother an in jury than revenge himself of the impotent and it is a question whether he more detests cowardliness or cruelty he talks little and brags lesse he lyes ever armed with wise resolution he is neither prodigal of blood to mis-spend it idely Posse et nolle nobile nor niggardly to grudge it when either God calls for it or his countrey his power is limited by his will and he holds it the noblestrevenge that he might hurt and doth not he is so ballasted with wisdome that he floats safely in the midst of all tempests When Modestus the Praefect would have wonne Basil to that heresy first he gave him fair speeches Alas Sir saith he this language is fit to catch little children Know you not saith the Praefect who we are that command it No body saith â—asil whilest you command such things Your goods shall be confiscated Answ He needs not fear confiscation that hath nothing to lose nor banishment to whom heaven is his onely countrey nor torments when his body will be dasht with one blow nor death the onely way to set him at liberty You are mad said the Praefect Opto me in aternum sic delivare said Basil I have torne garments and a few books and so I live in the world as one that is always ready to leave it As for my body it is so weak one blow will make it insensible of grief and tormments Ignis crux bestiarum conflictationes said Ignatius yea let all the torment men and Devils can invent fall upon me so I may enjoy my Lord Jesus Christ And again Frumentum dei sum Lyons teeth are but like a Milne which bruiseth but wasteth not the good wheat onely makes it fit to be good bread Polycarp being bidden by the Proconsul to defie Christ and he should be safe answered Octoginta sex annos illi jam inservivi c. Rather dy a thousand deaths than deny my Lord Jesus Contemptus à me est Romanus favor furor said Luther Again Mallem vivere cum Christo quam regnare cum Caesare And again in the cause of God he was content Totius mundi odium impetum sustinere He said to God concerning outward things Valdè protestatus sum me nolle sic satiari ab eo Sr. Anthony Kingston coming to Hooper and telling him life was sweet Act. and Mon. and death bitter His answer was The death to come is more bitter and the life to come more sweet The Earl of Murray said by John Knox a Scottish divine when interred here lyes the body of him who in his life time never feared the face of any man Thou therefore endure hardness as a good souldier of Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 2 3. Fear
continual use of Art Yet is it quickly blasted Such as Storms and Temposts are in the air such are Diseases in the body Storms make as it were a confusion among the 〈◊〉 ments and are the distemper of nature Diseases make a confusion among the humors and distemper the constitution and spirits of the body And if the humors be a little stirr'd they quickly turn to â—disease and this house of day is ready to dissolve and fall The body is not to be neglected that thou mayst have a good wagon for thy soul Mons sana in corpore sano Ex te bona prâ—nia Deus ex Deo mco salus mihi univrrsa Aug. but thy soul is far more to be respected Otherwise thou art like a man that sets forth his maid bravely and suffers his wife to go basely And truly the soul is in health and prospereth when it hath close communion with God and enjoys the light of his loving countenance preferring his favour before the worlds warm sun Beloved 2 Joh. 2. I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospereth Strength Lysimachus being commanded to be cast to a Lion valiantly thrust his arm into the Lions mouth and pulling forth his tongue killed him The like did Sampson Judg. 14.16 David 1 Sam. 17.36 Benaiah 2 Sam. 23.20 But yet we by faith may do more even stop the mouth of that roaring Liou Heb. 11.33 One Hebrew word signifieth both Strength and Pride 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elatio superbia robur fortitudo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 90.10 Robur aut superbi a eorum Leigh Hence the proper name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aegyptus ob fortitudinem fastum Psal 87.4 Bithner I think because men are usually proud of their strength Any kind of strength is apt to make men proud strength of purse strength of parts strength of body strength of wit and understanding which is the highest and noblest natural strength yea so strange are the ways and methods of temptation the very strength of grace or spiritual strength hath blown up some with pride For though humility properly flow from the strength of grace and the more grace the more humility yet upon a presumption of the greatness and strength of their graces some have been proud and high-minded that is they have not lived in such dependance on Christ as they ought Our strength lies much in the sense of our weakness because then we go out of our selves for strength to Christ whereas they who are strong in themselves must needs be weak because the strength of God goeth out against them There is no strength of the creature that can protect it from the wrath of God Job 41.27 Zenacherib thinks himself a Leviathan who as he is described esteemeth iron as straw and brass as rotten wood Yet the Lord will deal with him as if he were but a Sprat 2 King 19.28 Neither is Strength any desence at all against Death There are no sons of Zerviah too hard for it nor doth it stay to take men at an advantage when they are weakned with age and sickness as Simeon and Levi did the Shechemites when they were fore Death can do its work as easily in health as in sickness in strength as in weakness Let not the mighty man glory in his might Jer. 9.23 Swiftness A Horse is so swift Terram prae cursus celeritate ebibere epotare videtur Merc. that Job saith he eateth up the ground cap. 39.24 And the Persians dedicated him to their god the Sun as the swistest creature to the swiftest Power divine A Dromedary is said to be a very swift beast hence a slow body is called a Dromedary per Antiphrasin The Panther also is a swift creature whence the Proverb Panther á velocior But let a man be as swift as Asahel or Atalanta yet he cannot escape what Gods providence hath appointed God can easily overtake him his sin will find him out and he shall but in running from his death run to it As the Sun in heaven can neither be out-run nor stopt in his race so neither by men nor means can God be frustrated or his anger avoided As the Cony that flies to the holes in the rocks doth easily avoid the dogs that pursue her when the Hare that trusts in the swistness of her legs is at length overtaken and torne in peeces So those that trust in God shall be secured whereas those that confide in themselves or the creature shall be surprised The race is not to the swift Eccl. 9.11 Victory Gods children shall tread on the necks of their enemies as the Captains of the Israelites did on the necks of the five Kings Josh 10. If we make God our shield with David and the Lord our defence with Moses Deborah shall be too strong for Jabin Judith for Holofernes Moses for five Kings Semiramis vanquished the warlike Scythians Iphicrates conquered the thought-unconquerable Agesilaus Plus valâ—t unus Sanctus orando quà m mille peccatores praliando and young Scipio renowned Hannibal c. The Lord will cast them out before you saith Moses Only pray and God will deliver Prayer is like Ajax shield to defend young Telemon It was Samuels armour against the Philistines Hezekiahs defence against Sennacherib yea a godly mans prayer prevails more to save a Country than the swords of a thousand sinners to hurt the enemy It is said of Hannibal the Carthaginian General That he knew how to get but not how to use a Victory A Christian soldier may die but never be overcome Those saith one are indeed the true Victories which neither draw blood out of the veins nor tears out of the eyes I suppose his meaning to be when great and glorious Conquests are got with small change only gained with resolution without peril It was the saying of Valentinian the Emperor upon his death-bed That among all his victories over his enemies this one only comforted him viz. That by the grace and power of Christ Jesus he had got the better of his corruptions and was now more than a Conqueror even a Triumpher And truly what shall it profit a man to conquer Countries and yet be vanquished of Vices To tread upon his enemies and yet be taken captive by the Devil at his pleasure To command the whole World and yet be as those Persian Kings that for all that were themselves commanded by their Concubines So they by their base lusts by yielding whereunto they give place unto the very Devil and receive him into their very bosoms Latiùs regnes avidum domando Spiritum Horat. quà m si Lybiam remotis Gadibus jungas uterque Poenus Serviat uni None was to triumph in Rome that had not got five Victories Isidor He shall never triumph in Heaven that subdueth not his five Senses himself He that is slow to anger