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
12.1 Remember thy Creators Isa 42.5 Thus saith God the Lord he that created the Heavens and they that stretched them out The Psalmist Ps 33.6 By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the Host of them by the breath of his mouth That is God the Father by the Son through the Holy Ghost created all Psal 67.6 7. Some observe God is thrice named here to note the Trinity of persons When Moses beginneth to rehearse the Law and to explain it the first thing that he teacheth them is the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity Deutr. 6.4 Hear O Israel the Lord our God the Lord is One Three words answering the three Persons Galatinus and the middle word Our God deciphering fitly the second who assumed our nature Jarchi as is well observ'd by Galatinus R. Solomon Jarchi writing on that Cant. 1.11 We will make c. interprets it I and my Judgment-hall Now a Judgement-hall in Israel consisted of three at least which in their close manner of speech they applied to God John 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it Austin and was glad Abraham in these words acknowledgeth the Mystery of the Trinity saith Austin Add unto these Cottons 7. Vial. p. 5. what Mr. Cotton hath out of Brightman on Rev. 4.3 God is here resembled saith he by three precious stones holding forth the three Persons in Trinity A Jasper having as they say a white Circle round about it representing the Eternity of the Father A Sardine stone of a fleshly colour representing Jesus Christ who took our flesh upon him An Emrald being of a green colour refreshing the eyes of them that look upon it representing the Spirit who is as the Rainbow a token of fair weather and is a comfortable refresher wheresoever he cometh There was Concilium augustissimum as one terms it a most Majestical meeting of the three Persons in Trinity about the work of mans Creation Gen. 1.26 And afterwards about his Redemption Mat. 3.16 17. So likewise in the matter of mans Sanctification remarkable is that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6 7. where the diversities of gifts are said to be of the Spirit The diversities of Ministeries whereby those gifts are administred of the Lord that is of Christ And the diversities of operations effected by the gifts and Ministeries to be of God that is the Father When Jesus was baptized prayed the Heavens were opened and the Aire clarified by a new and glorious light and the Holy Ghost in the manner of a Dove alighted upon his Sacred Head and God the Father gave a voice from Heaven Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased This was the greatest meeting that ever was upon Earth where the whole Cabinet of the mysterious Trinity was opened and shewn as much as the capacities of our present imperfections will permit The second Person in the vail of Humanity the third in the shape or with the motion of a Dove But the first kept his primitive state and as to the Israelites He gave notice by way of Caution Ye saw no shape but ye heard a voyce So now also God the Father gave testimony to his holy Son and appeared only in a voyce without any visible representment Also in the transfiguration of Christ the Son standeth the Father by his voyce witnesseth and the Holy Ghost overshadows him in a Cloud as before by a Dove Now the pur-blind Progeny of Adam being able to discern no clearer of the Godhead than he in the Gospel which saw men walking like Trees O blindness more than gross not to see or seeing not to discern when the Sun it self lodgeth in his Zenith Therefore many have ransack't Nature for Mediums to perswade the Doctrine of the Trinity One tells us That a Spring begets a River and that from both are derived smaller Brooks all which make but one water Another shews a Root from which riseth a Body and from thence Branches yet all but one Tree Another Dyonis de divin nomin 5.2 the Trinity may be shadow'd forth though but darkly by light the Father being as the body of light the Son as the beams and the Holy Ghost as the splendour of both Dionysius illustrateth it by the similitude of three Candles Damâ—sâ—â— de fid l. 1. c. 4. enlightning one and the same Room And Damascen of the Parelii when there appear as it were three and yet it is but one Sun And thus as difficult as the thing is Divines both Ancient and Modern Vid. Zanch. de tribus Elohim l. 8 c. 6. have in their Writings brought many similitudes and resemblances to express it by Amongst them all this is one of the clearest viz. The light of the Sun the light of the Moon and the light of the Aire all which are for nature and substance one and the same light and yet are they notwithstanding three distinct lights too Mr. Perkins on the Creed for the light of the Sun is of it self and from no other the light of the Moon is from the Sun and the light of the Aire is from them both So the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are all one simple and undivided Godhead but yet three distinct Persons the Father having the foundation of Personal subsistence from himself and from no other the Son from the Father of whom he is eternally begotten and the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son from both which he eternally proceedeth And God said let us make man in our Image after our likeness Holy Holy Holy Gen. 1.26 Isa 6.3 is the Lord of Hosts Jesus went up straight way out of the water the Spirit of God descending like a Dove lighted upon him And lo a voyce from Heaven Mat. 3.16 17. saying This is my Beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased Jesus was transfigured Matth. 17.2 5. a bright Cloud overshadowed them and behold a voyce out of the Cloud c. Go Matth. 28.19 and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost For he received from God the Father honour and glory 2 Pet. 1.17 when there came such a voyce to him from the excellent glory 1 John 5.7 There are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one De Christo THE second person in the glorious Trinity is God the Son Jesus Christ The Name Jesus signifieth a Saviour so he was called before at Nomen Jesu salutis ben ficium quod ab illo expectandum denotat and after his birth A Saviour considering his Potency able to save considering his Habit proclaimed by the Angel at his Conception he shall save or regard his Act hence call'd Jesus at his Circumsion Or look into his Passion where he was Victus Victor unloosing others himself being
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
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
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
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
him without the camp bearing his reproach for here we have no continuing City Heb. 13.13 14 15. but we seek one to come by him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name who is the Author and finisher of our salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be ascribed all honour glory power and dominion in heaven and in earth by men and Angels both now and for ever world without end Amen The Necessity of CHRISTS PASSION AND Resurrection ACTS 17.3 Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead GLory which is the proper scope of a noble disposition and the intended end of honourable intents did Christ make to be the necessary consequence of his fore-running passion His life seem'd to the worlds eye inglorious in that he affected not popularity so did his death to those that knew not the mystery of our Redemption By general judgment he was reputed the most unhappy breathing he was rejected and despised of men Yet in this his rejected and contemptible condition was sowen his immortal happiness which indeed was sowen in weakness but was raised in power sowen in dishonor but raised in glory For as by the eternal constitution of the Almighty he ought to have been brought to the lowest degree of misery by suffering divers and fearful punishments so ought he not perpetually to abide in that state but at length to be elevated thence to the highest pitch of glory In order to which as Christ must needs have suffered so also must he rise again from the dead The point now by divine assistance to be discust is part of Christs exaltation a theame of an high nature And herein first of the person exalted Christ Christ was exalted according to both natures 1. In regard of his Godhead 2. In regard of his Manhood The exaltation of the Godhead of Christ was the manifestation of the Godhead in the Manhood mightily declaring therein that he was the Son of God Which manifestation was altogether active no way passive the effects produced by him having no other proper agent but God For who could overcome Satan death the world the grave but God And albeit the Divine nature be thus exalted yet it is without all manner of alteration For to speak properly in it self it cannot be made the subject of exaltation but as it is considered joined with the Manhood into the unity of one person For albeit Christ from the very time of the assumption of our nature whereby he was incarnate was both God and man and his Godhead all the time he liv'd dwelt in his Manhood yet from the hour of his Nativity unto the hour of giving up the Ghost and a while after the Godhead did little shew it self The glorious majesty of his Deity whiles he was in the for me and low state of a servant lay hid under the vaile of his flesh as the soul doth in the body when a man is sleeping And in the time of his passion the brightness of the glory of the sun of righteousnesse was obscured as the sun running in the height of heaven oftimes over clouded or eclipsed by a darker body thereby in 〈◊〉 humane nature to undergo the curse of the law and perfect the work of our redemption in subjecting himself to the death even the cursed death of the crosse But as soone as this work was finished and happily accomplished he began by degrees to make known the power of his Godhead in his Manhood And so to rise again Secondly Christ was exalted in regard of his Manhood which consisteth in these two things In depositione servilis suaâ—conditionis in laying down and quitting himself from all the infirmities that 〈◊〉 mans nature which he submitted himself unto except sin so long as he remained in the state of a servant he was subject to weariness to hunger to thirst to fear to death from all which in this state of exaltation he is perfectly delivered his natural body is a glorious body those wounds and stripes which in his body he suffered for our sins remain not in him as testimonies of that compleat conquest to be obtained over his and our enemies But are rather quite abolished because they were a part of that ignominious condition wherein our Saviour was upon the crosse whereof in his glorified state he is not to be partaker Yet if they still remain as some think they do they are no deformity to the glorious body of the Lord but are in him in some unspeakable and to us unknown manner glorified In susceptione donoxum in receiving such graces and qualities of glory as bring with them ornament beauty perfection happiness exceeding the or 〈◊〉 beauty perfection and happiness of any other creature in heaven or earth 〈◊〉 to his soul and body As for his soul look upon the intellectuall part you shall find a mind enrich with as much knowledge and understanding as well in respect of the act as the habit as a creature can possibly be capable of the measure of it being more than all men and Angels put together have Look upon his will and affections you shall find them furnished with the fulness of grace and compleatly adorned with the invaluable riches and incomparable gifts of Gods holy Spirit As for his body it is not now subject to dissolution from being natural it is become spiritual not by the destruction of the essence but by the alteration of the qualities Aquinas Est ejusdem naturae sed alterius gloriae said Thomas for God would not suffer his holy one to see corruption The nature and essential proprietles of a true body as length breadth thickness locality still remain in him the addition of glory and brightness not changing the nature of it so that it is free from all bodily imperfections and made bright and glorious a resemblance whereof was his transiguration on the mount Matth. 17. where his face did shine as the sun and his rayment was as white as the light the purity whereof is unblemished the agility whereof such as is indifferent to move upward or downward the brightness thereof cannot be obscured nor the strength thereof match't by any creature For by his power he shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body Hhil 3.21 according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself These gifts of glory in Christ's body are not infinite but bounded within limits because his humane nature being but a creature and therefore finite could not receive infinite graces and gifts of glory To make then infiniteness ubiquity and omnipotency incommunicable attributes of God attributes of Christ's glorified body is to destroy the nature of a body and say that the body of Christ is transformed into the Deity or Deified and that he is all
like the saint pulse at the hour of death yet if they thereby by the Spirit make requests unto God it shall be heard of him and albeit those things which they sigh after be not alwayes manifestly and the Spirit moving thereunto distinctly seen of them yet God who is infinite in knowledge doth perceive their desires or rather the desires of the Spirit in them This mental crying is not common to all but proper to the children of the regeneration 1 Cor. 12.3 without which none can hardly call God Father as none can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost The next kind of crying is that which is only vocal consisting only of words Thus Hypocrites cry and pray for fashion not for conscience sake Vox praeteria nihil all voice no hearts they can cry loud enough in a Pharisaical pride Lord Lord and none shall stop their mouths but such heartlesse Christians shall not enter into the Kingdom of heaven These are they that draw near unto the Lord with their mouth and with their lips do honour him but have removed their heart far from him as he complains Isa 29.13 This is saith one Precationis inane simulachrum and in truth that prayer or cry which is only a lip-labour not proceeding from the heart is but as sounding brasse or a tinkling Cymbal it is like the Play called the Motions wherein though there is motion yet no life and although there be never so glorious and pompous observation of outward ceremonies and in that complemental manner only come before God and offer up their prayers unto him yet shall they have the repulse for their vain ostentation Thus Isaiah the first the Lord speaking of the hypocritial Jews that were curious in the external worship and service of God and would seem to pretermit nothing therefore professeth unto them because their services were not performed with the heart that when they made many prayers he would not hear them And the same Prophet Cap. 64.7 in effect calls such prayers no prayers when as be saith There is none that calleth upon the name of God he that cryes not to God with his whole heart cryes not at all to God for he that worships God must worship him in Spirit and in Truth not in bare formalities This kind of crying is but a vain beating of the aire is anothing available whereof the Spirit is no author and unless the Spirit cry in the heart there can be no true but a false crying Abba Father There remains yet a third kind of crying or praying viz. both mental and vocal wherein both the heart and the voice are directed to God the mind and the mouth both consonant both jump together here out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh And this is that pure language which the Lord speaking by the Prophet Zephany said that he would turn to the people that they might all call upon the name of the Lord. The Prophet Hosea advertiseth the Israelites Cap. 3.7 Cap. 14.2 Nec lecta neé neglecta Psal 77.1 to take to them words and to turn to the Lord that is such words as may make a true report unto God of their hearty conversion to him and lively saith in him Thus saith David I cryed unto God with my voice even unto God with my voice and he gave ear unto me Such a cry as is this is no false alarum but a true testimony of a sanctified soul of our confidence in him and is ever powerful with God The prayer of the faithful availeth much saith St. James for it is framed and composed by the admirable Art of the Spirit of God in their hearts ere it be uttered with the tongue The voice then reflecting on the heart the heart is made more zealous and then what is said of fame may be said of it Vires acquirit eundo it gathers strength in the uttering Let your voice therefore in prayer be conformed and correspond to the affections and wishes of your hearts that they may run together and let the affections and wishes of your hearts be guided by the Holy Ghost which if ye do it is without all contradiction a most certain Argument that God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father From the act of crying I passe to the object Abba Father The Spirit saith the Apostle beareth witnesse with our spirits Rom. 8. that we are the sont of God This testification of the Spirit in our hearts who is an infallible informer of the things that are given us of God makes to cry Abba Father For we can never call God Father except we be first informed and perswaded by the Spirit that we are the sons of God The Hebrew or Syriack word Abba and the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being in the Original here together gave occasion to some to observe that hereby is intimated the calling and union of Hebrews and Greeks of Jewes and Gentiles into one Church whereof Christ is the head But though this be true yet this Text is no sufficient warrant for this observation and therefore not to be insisted upon The gemination here Abba Father which is Father Father noteth the earnest affection and vehement zeal of Gods children in crying and praying unto the Father of Spirits their prayers are pressing and urgent cries and never satisfied until heard which ardency of theirs is grounded 1. Upon the sence of their wants necessity constrains them to use all earnestnesse in their own behalf they must knock hard they must seek hard they must cry hard Father Father ere they shall be heard or their suits obtained 2. Upon the knowledge of their own insufficiency and disability of furnishing themselves with corporal necessaries pertaining to the body or spiritual blessings and habiliments pertaining to the soul They know that the blessings of this life and the life to come must come from their Father which is in heaven 3. Upon Gods willingnesse and readinesse to do them all the good he can He is faithful in promising and as faithful in performing The word Abbah signifieth to be willing from whence God hath this Appellation a father is willing to protect his child from all dangers and to relieve him upon all occasions and although just cause of anger be offered him yet nature in time will work it out Even such is the tender affection of our heavenly Father known to his beloved sons that they are hereby the more emboldened to prosecute what they would have brought to passe They have his heart to be set upon them his eares alwayes to be open unto them his eyes continually watching over them his best wishes ever with them and all his blessings reserved for them These are encouragements for them to approach unto him who is more forward to give unto themall things than they themselves to demand any thing Hence it comes to passe that coming unto
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
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
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
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
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
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
Adam as thou damnest all by the first I say Zach. 3.2 thou art not love and shalt light short of my love O hellish blasphemy The Lord rebuke thee Our recreation or redemption is a greater might and mercy than all the rest for in the creation God made man like himself but in the redemption he made himselfe like man Māgna est redemptio cum et precium datur et pecunia non videtur Tertul. Illic participes nos fecit honorum suorum hîc particeps est factus malorum nostrorum In making the world he spake the word onely but to redeeme the world Dixit multa et fecit mira Passus est dura verba duriora verbera The Creation of the world was a work as it were of his fingers Psal 8.3 But redemption is called the work of his Arme Psal 98.1 Also it is a greater work to bring men from sin to grace than being in the state of grace to bring them to glory because sin is far more distant from grace than grace is from glory By Christ we have a plenary redemption of soul and body out of the clawes of Satan As the bird is in the fowlers net so were we in the Devils snare but we may say with them in the Psalme the net is broken and we are delivered yea we are delivered eternally we shall never fall into that bondage again The afflictions whereunto we are incident in this life viz. Sickness poverty malevolent tongues imprisonment death it self c. are temporal but our redemption and joy are eternal Let that comfort us in all the calamities of this life We love them that obtain a temporal redemption for us If a young man be bound prentise to an hard Master for fourteen or twelve yeares and if one should buy out his Apprentiship and set him free would he not take himself much beholden to him If thou wert a Gall-yslave under the Turk and one should rid thee out of it wert thou not much beholden to him We were bound Prentises to Sathan he kept us in his snare at his will and pleasure being his bondmen we should have remained in hell-fire world without end Now Christ Jesus hath redeemed us and made us the free-men of God and Citizens of heaven how are we indebted to him Christ hath brought us out of the Gally of sin and damnation therefore let us sound forth his praises all the dayes of our life In the work of redemption God layes naked to us the tendrest bowels of his Fatherly compassion For by giving us his Son he shewed us all his love at once as it were imbodyed All other spiritual blessings meet in this as the lines in the center as the streames in the fountaine If the Centurion were held worthy of respect because he loved our Nation said they and built us a Synagogue What shall we say of Almighty God who so loved our soules that he gave his onely begotten Son c. The end of our redemption is to serve God we are redeemed from our old conversation not to our old conversation we are bought with the blood of Christ not to serve the Devil our selves the flesh the world we have served them too much already from henceforth we must serve God Heb. 9.14 Christ hath therefore broke the devils yoke saith one from off our necks Servati sumus ut serviamus that we may take upon us his sweet yoke and not carry our selves as sons of Belial Serve we must still but after another manner as the Israelites did when brought out of the Egyptian bondage yet thou shalt keep this service saith Moses Exod. 12.25 Ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods 1 Cor. 6.19 20 By his own blood Christ entred in once into the Holy place Hebr. 9.12 having obtained eternal redemption for us In whom we have redemption through his blood Eph. 1.7 Ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred Rev. 5.9 and tongue and People and Nation Reconciliation It is the note of Chrysostome upon the phrases of reconciling and making peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys hom 3. in Colos that the one implieth an enmity the other a war and it is elsewhere asserted that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousnesse and ungodliness of men and consequently against men for all their unrighteousnesse and ungodliness in this respect it is that all men by nature are children of wrath So long as man stood in his integrity there was Pax amicitiae a peace of amity and friendship between God and man but when man sought out many inventions God was most justly provoked to anger Thus at first and ever since sin hath proved the make-bate the kindle-coal that incendiary between the Creatour and his creature The meditation of which may convince us of 1. The odious nature of sin Pro. 6.19 No persons more abominable than the contentious Solomon justly declameth against him that soweth discord among brethren That beatitude of our Saviour Mat. 5.9 carrieth in it according to the rule of contraries a curse Cursed are the peace-breakers for they shall be called the children of the Devil But oh how accursed and hateful a thing is sin which hath broke the peace not between man and man brother and brother only but God and man father and son Let our anger wax hot against that which causeth his wrath to wax hot against us 2. The miserable estate of a sinner Caelestis ira quos premit miseres facit Sen. Trag. because he is under the wrath of God Divine anger is an unsupportable burthen No wonder if the Psalmist put the question who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry Psal 76.7 Not Angels in heaven Jude 6. Nor great men on earth Rev. 6.15 16. David seeling some drops or sparks of this anger saith there was no rest in his bones by reason of it Those that do not feel have cause continually to be in fear Mind this against Socinians But now by Christ we are not onely reconciled to God but God is also reconciled to us there being a pacification of Divine wrath by Christs death Under the Law the High-Priest made an attonement for the people Levit. 16. So did Christ for his people God and man were fallen out Christ made us friends God was displeased with us he pacified his wrath towards us which the Father by an audible voice winesses from heaven Mat. 3.17 This is my beloved Son In quo hominibus bona volu◠Euthym. in whom I am well pleased That is as Cajetan and others Habeo in
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
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
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
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
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
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
Decor corporis It hath parts civil and parts effeminate For Neither gold nor precious stone so glistereth saith Plato as the prudent mind of a pious person Nothing so beautifieth as grace doth cleanness of body was ever esteemed to proceed from a due reverence to God to society and to our selves As for artificial decoration it is well worthy of deficiency being neither fine enough to deceive nor handsom to use nor wholsom to please Behaviour seemeth to me as a garment of the mind and to have the conditions of a garment It ought to be made in fashion it ought not to be too curious It ought to be shaped so as to set forth any good making of the mind and hide any deformity and above all it ought not to be too strait or restrained for exercise or motion Too much outward neatness saith one is a signe of inward nastiness The Kings daughter is all glorious within Psal 45 13. Food Animantis cujusque vita est in fuga Were it not for the repair of nutrition the natural life would be extinguished The Latines call Bread Panis of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is the chief nourishment In pane conclusus est quasi baculus qui nos sustineat therefore called the staff of bread yet without Gods blessing it can no more nourish us than a clod of clay God can out of stones raise up children unto Abraham yea God out of Christ Jesus the Corner-stone hath raised up the children of Abraham And whereas Sathan said to Christ Command these stones to be made bread He himself the chief Corner-stone of his Church is the bread of life that came down from heaven Meat doth not nourish by its own power but by Gods appointment Else it would be more likely to choak than to feed But his word of command is able to soften stones Fides famem non formidat and make poyson to be both meat and medicine Therefore if bread fail feed on faith Daniel and his fellows their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the Kings meat Mat. 4.4 God hath given us the creature Beza not only for necessity but for delight Deus multa plura condidit quibus facilè carere possemus quà m quibus necessariò nobis opus est Our Saviour Christ himself was at a feast in Cana of Galilee where when wine failed he supplied it by miracle But have a care we turn not this liberty into wantonness being the most wicked when we should be most thankful and grieving God most when he gives us both occasion and means of rejoycing And let us mind our selves ab ovo ad mala that our hearts be not drowned in the creature and that we make not our belly our God It is said Aves propter viles escas gratias agunt tâ— preciosissimis opulis pasceris ingraâ—us es Tettul the Elephant turns up the first sprig towards heaven when he comes to feed God is the great House-keeper of the world providing sustenance for all from the greatest to the least from the Elephant to the Mouse from the Eagle to the Sparrow from the Whale to the Shrimp He carves them out their meet measures of meat and at sit seasons Of him they have it per causarum concatiuationem The eyes of all wait upon thee Psal 145.15 16. and thou givest them their meat in due season Thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing Sleep A certain Commander finding the Centinel asleep slew him saying Mortuum inveni mortuum reliqui The Night and Sleep are well called Malorum domitrices the conquerors of evil and victors over sorrow Hence Christ Mat. 6.34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow for the morrow shall take thought for the things of it self sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof Sleep is the sweet Parenthesis of nature a medicine for all diseases They are likeliest to sleep who together with their clothes can put off their cares And say as Lord Burleigh did when he threw off his gown Lie there Lord Treasurer Sweet sleep is not from a soft bed or an easie couch but from the especial blessing of God therefore let us bless God for it and not our beds A good nights rest is the good gift of God and deserves daily acknowledgments by man So he giveth his beloved sleep Psal 127.2 Dream When men are plunged in sleep and are as it were neither in the number of the living nor the dead Then many times the Reasonable soul cometh into the shop of Phantasie and there doth strange works which are vented in our Dreams A Dream is an imagination which the mind of man conceiveth in sleep For the causes and kinds of Dreams they are either 1. Natural from the temper or distemper of the body Or 2. Moral as a man works in the day his fancy works in the night Or 3. Divine The Scripture is full of instances Or 4. Diabolical permitted the Devil causeth sometimes filthy and sinful Dreams Aug. confes l. 10. c. 30. It is conceived by some that the Dream of Pilat's wife Mat. 27.19 was from the Devil because thereby he would have hindered the work of mans Redemption Richard the Third after the murther of his two innocent Nephews and Charls the Ninth of France after the Parasian Massacre had such dreadful Dreams that they became a terror to themselves and to all about them But to instance in better men Calvin being sick of the Gout dreamed Bez. in vit that he heard a great noise of Drums beaten up most vehemently as they use to be in warlike marches Pareus that he saw all Heidelbergh on a thick smoke but the Prince's Palace all on a light fire Phil. Paâ— in vit David Par. operib ejus praefixd The Antients funcied that a Dream had wings like a bird of the air Antiqui somnium Deum fingebant volatilem c. it is so speadily gone Hence a wicked mans joy is but the joy of a Dreamer which quickly vanisheth A beggar dreameth of gold but he awaketh and his purse is empty The prisoner dreameth of liberty but he awaketh and findeth himself in irons Such is the wicked man in his prosperity As a dream when one awaketh so O Lord when thou awakest thou shult Psal 73.20 despise their image Eccl. 5.7 Isa 29.8 Life present Our life is Davids span seventy years half spent in sleep so thirty five remain Abate then days of youth and childhood which Solomon calls vanity in some old age in which we take no pleasure with our dayes of grief which we wish had never been Deduct these the time of sleep youth age sorrow and only a span remains Prosper said to them that wept about him The life I have enjoyed was but given me upon condition to render it up again not grudgingly but gladly Gods child
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
in every one that is called God And forasmuch as the Essence and the Persons are inseparable whatsoever is properly called God is a Person What Motion what Quality what Inspiration can be called God He is a Person because we are baptized in his Name He is the Author of this institution He is the Director of the whole act by his authority by his command by his power the water is sanctified the baptized are renewed the whole work is happily accomplished For all is done in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost not in the name of a Motion of a Quality of an Inspiration He is a Person because the properties of a Person are attributed to him Luk. 11.12 Joh. 16. Joh. 14.1 Cor. 12.11 Act. 13.2.1 Joh. 5.7 Rom. 8. He is sud to teach us heavenly knowledge to lead us into all truth to comfort the afflicted members of Jesus Christ to distribute gifts and graces according to his good pleasure to call and send Apostles to bear witness in heaven with the Father and the Son to bear witness with our spirits that we are the sons of God to cry in our hearts Abba Father to make intercessions for us with groanings that cannot be uttered These are not effects proper to a Motion or a Quality or an Inspiration Lastly He is distinguished most manifestly from the Gifts of God Dona honoraria There are diversity of gifts but the same Spirit the same Spirit distributing these gifts so divers where it will Thus it is apparent that the Spirit of the Son is a Person And as he is a Person so is he 2. A distinct Person from the Father and the Son Non aliud sed alius Not essentially differing noted by the first word but hypostatically noted by the last And as he is a Person so is he 2. A distinct Person from the Father and the Son Non aliud sed alius Not essentially differing noted by the first word but hypostatically noted by the last And that because he is the Spirit of the Father and the Son He cannot be said to be his own Spirit as the Father cannot be said to be his own Father or the Son his own Son that is as absurd as this Again because he is said to be another from them both I will ask the Futher Joh. 14.16 and he shall send you another Comforter Christ whilst he was on earth was a Comfort unto his Disciples wherefore lest diffidence and despair by reason of the great persecutions they should suffer after his departure should break their hearts and sorrow ruine them he prays the Father to send them another Comforter and promiseth he will see it done for their assurance cap. 15.26 He will send him from the Father Furthermore He hath a relative property and characteristical note several from theirs putting a difference betwixt them and him He onely proceeds from the Father and the Son He onely appeared under the form of an innocent Dove and of fiery cloven tongues By his immediate operation Christ was conceived in the womb of the Virgin and by his immediate operation Gods children are throughly sanctified and furnished unto every good work Last of all The Father sends him that so sends him whence he is neither the Father nor the Son but one from them It is a marvellous impropriety of speech that a man should be said to send himself but proper it is to say he comes of his own accord Forasmuch therefore as the Spirit is said to be sent from the Father and the Son and as here God sent forth the Spirit of his Son He is a Person distinct from them both Which is the thing I intended to demonstrate As he is a Person so is he the third and last Person not last in time nor last in nature nor last in dignity but last in the order and manner of subsisting and of performing such works as are common to them all called works ab extra as Creation Redemption Preservation Justification Sanctification c. Having briefly gone over these two points I shall endeavour by Gods grace to do the like in the next which is this 3. That there are Three Persons in the Deity to whom the Divine Essence is communicated The Father the Son the Spirit For humane Reason fully to conceive so high a mystery is impossible What therefore we must learn hereof the Scripture teacheth Faith receives and Reason must not contradict Rather imbrace those depths of knowledge with admiration than by an over-curious inquisition to dive into it and return unsatisfied and sore troubled Yet because Ignorance needs information and Curiosity requires confirmation I will say somewhat though little of it The Platonists acknowledge in God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Mind or Understanding a Word a Spirit By Understanding they understand the Father by the Word the Son who by S. Joh. 1.1 is expresly called the Word by Spirit the Third Person proceeding from the Father and the Son called The Love of God Hence Divines conceive the matter thus The Father is quasi Deus intelligens God understanding The Son who is the express Image of the Father is quasi Dens intellectus God understood callâ—d the Wisdom of the Father the Image of the Father the Word of God as a word is but the image of the understanding The Spirit breathed and proceeding from the Father and the Son is quasi Deus dilectus God is Love saith S. Lombard John hence by Lombard said to be that Love wherewith the Father loves the Son the Son the Father So the Text reckons up three the Father the Son the Spirit God sent forth the Spirit of his Son This is indeed a deep mystery Yet as abstruse as this Divine mystery of the Trinity is Nature can give us some insight by similitudes though imperfect of the possibility and truth of it We see that in the Sun there is an indesinent fountain of light a brightness and splendor springing out of it and a quickning and reviving heat proceeding from it yet none will be so foully mistaken as to conclude out of these three that there are three Suns there being still but one So though the Essence of the Godhead be but one yet we must know it is communicated unto three Persons and though communicated unto three Persons yet still the Essence is but one We see that in Man there are two diverse and far different natures a Body and a Soul yet these two make not two Men but one these reteining the unity of one Person If two diverse Natures met together make one Person why may not one Nature and Essence be communicated to Three and those Three having one and the same Essence still remain one God We see that in the Soul of Man there is a Will which is the immediate beginning ab intra of every act proceeding from our selves commanding this or that to be done sic volo
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
head in every state and condition whether we consider his state or the state of the Church 1. If his he was head in the state of his humiliation whilest he was conversant among us here on earth so is he now in his state of exaltation unto glory sitting at the right hand of God the Father 2. In the state of the Church let it be in what state it may be Christ is the head thereof who will be with it even to the end of the world in prosperity in adversity in plenty in poverty in a wastful persecution in a flourishing peace Christ ruleth it Christ protecteth it And it being collected out of divers nations sects vocations and conditions of men Christ doth respect them all equally not for any sinister or worldly respect preferring one before another but receiving all in the bowels of mercy into one mystical body For of a truth he hath no respect of persons the outward or contingent conditions are not reflected upon but into whom the supernatural qualifications of the Spirit are infused be they Lazarusses or Vivesses be they Kings or Beggars be they Jews or Turks or Indian Christ Jesus is their head Last of all Christ Jesus is the head of the Church in all authority It is his own voice that said All power is given unto me both in heaven and in earth Undependent supremacy is proper unto him Hence is he stiled by St. John in the Revelation the King of Saints he exercising dominion over them and they promising professing performing all lawful obedience unto him In the 2. of Hebrewes 10. he is termed the Captain of our salvation which may have allusion unto that Josh 5.15 where he is called the Captain of the Lords host who as he beats down our enemies before us unweaponing them and dispossessing them of all forcible lability to lift up their heads against us so doth he environ and surround us about with his special grace and ever operative Providence as that we do obtain a most secure convoy to the land of the living which is the inheritance of the Saints in glory Life and death are at his most just diposing and none are exempted from awful subjection to his imperial Scepter His authority reacheth over all and the limits of his jurisdiction extend as far as his alsufficient and unresistible omnipotency Thus Christ is head of the Church in all places at all times in all states and conditions and in all authority I put a period to my discourse on this head passing over to the next the womans head And the head of the woman is the man The surpassing wisdom and power of the infinite Creator having made woman an help-meet for man whom he made ruler over all his creatures when he made him implyed by the subject-matter out of which she was made mans soveraignty over her So much also is intimated by the priority of time wherein Adam had being and existence before her upon which ground the Apostle frames this speech I suffer not a woman to usurp authority over the man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2.12 for Adam was first formed then Eve who in the processe of time becoming a pernicious help unto him by the cunning sleight of the subtil serpent wrought both their own overthrowes Whence the Apostle by way of Argument maintains mans principality over the woman Vxor mea tota in fermento est Said he in Plantus proceeding thus vers 13. and Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression whereof the woman being convicted by the righteous Judge of all the world to whom the secrets of all hearts are open in express terms delivers this positive and resolute determination of the case to put it out of all question Genes 3.16 Thy desire shall be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee God the first Author of the sacred bond of Matrimony hath by a definitive sentence ordered that the man shall be the head of the woman the husband of the wife In token whereof it was the custome among the Hebrewes that the wife when first presented to her husband covered her head with a vaile Rebecca took a vaile and covered her self Genes 24.65 and for this cause namely in sign of subjection ought the woman to have power over her head 1 Cor. 11.10 where by power Over all Muscovie it is a custome observed that a maid id time of woing sends to that suiter whom she chooseth for her husband a whip curiously wrought by her self in token of subjection unto him Heyl p. 347 Numb 5 1◠the Apostle understandeth a vaile Should any ask the question why he doth denote this vaile by the name of power especially seeing it was in token of subjection I reply that the Apostle being an Hebrew of the Hebrews might have respect unto the Hebrew word Radid signifying a vail which is derived from the root Radad to bear rule and authority and so might use the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power in the same sence the Hebrews did And intruth what was this subjection to the husband but a kind of power and protection derived unto the wife in comparison of her former state of virginity Wherefore in case her husband were jealous of her among other tokens of sorrow she was commanded to stand at her trial with her head uncovered intimating thereby that if she could not then clear her-self she was from thence forward deprived of all power which before she enjoyed by her husband Now for further satisfactory information in this point my discourse shall be divided into two rarts 1. The one containing the respects wherein the man is the womans head 2. The other the mutuall good offices to be performed by both to each other For the former the man is the head of the woman 1. In respect of discrepancy flowing from the several properties of an head differencing it from all and every singular part of the body 2. In respect of congruity and agreement effected by a uniformity radicated and established in the very nature and essence of the head and members by the immutable law of the Omnipotent God As for the first the respect of discrepancy it is fourfold The head differs from the members in regard of eminency and dignity so man from the woman hence the government of the woman is committed to the man Equity pleads for it for from him she first received her nature her name her honour Her nature she was framed out of the rib of man and 't is a Maxime in the art of reason that Causa est potior effectu the cause doth exceed the effect in excellence Her name she shall be called woman saith Adam for she was taken out of man Her honour in that she is one flesh with man they both shall be one flesh from which unity doth issue a communication of honour For if one member be honoured all the rest rejoyce
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
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
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
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.