worthily doth the Church honor the holy Trinity the whole Trinity of Persons together as else-where in severals Declaring the wonders that he doth for the children of men Blessing and praising that same sacred Triad with Saint Paul and other Churches out of him Rom. 11.36 Of him and through him and for him are all things unto him be glory for ever Amen Lib. Sent. distinct c. 36. Ex Augustin de Trinit l. 6. c. 10 Where Lombard out of Augustine for as one was the Master so the other was the Founder of the Schools saith ingeniously that these Prepopositions Of Through For are not to be confounded For Ex doth denote the Father of whom are all things Per the Sonne by Whom are all things And In the Holy Ghost in whom are all things God the Father is the Fountain of all goodnesse God the Son as the Conduit and God the Holy Ghost as t were the Cistern And therefore Remeent in Flumina Fontes Let all our streams comfortable Blessings return in Thankfulnesse unto our Fountain As all our Fresh Springs are in thee O GOD so we desire they should also flow back unto thee And therefore turning Contemplation to Devotion Let us with the four and twenty Elders here fall down before him that sits on the Throne saying Thou onely O blessed Trinity art worthy to receive Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast created all things for thy wills sake they are and were created Amen POEM 19. Mysterious Blest and Sacred Trinity Inspire thy Worm that it aspire to Thee AETernall Father whence all Beings spring Deservedly thy Power they doe all sing Thy Providence too ecchoing that power Supporting guiding all things made each hour How strong and sweet through all How bright do st shine That while all take their own wills none but Thine While All things else then keep their first due Station Let not Man fail the End of his Creation Since Essence Life and Motion flows from Thee Le ts ' gratefully Return back all the Three Blest Lamb that dumb before the Shearers wer't Give and Accept a vocall gratefull Heart And let the Golden Fleece of thy rich Merit Purchase us Heavens Kingdom to inherit And loyall to it make us own thy Power As Soveraigne Lord as well as Saviour And thou O sacred sanctifying Dove Descend into our Hearts with wings of love Hatching thy Graces there that once fleg'd wee May back again to Heaven mount with thee To nestle in that Rock those Clifts of Spice And ever chaunt with Birds of Paradice Mean time what gift so fits this Three in One As our Triangled Hearts Rendition The COLLECT PRAYER The Epistle Rev. 4. v. 1. to the end The Gospel John 3. v. 1. to 16. ALmighty and Everlasting God which hast given unto us thy Servants Grace by the confession of a true Faith to acknowledge the glory of the eternall Trinity and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Vnity we beseech thee that through the stedfastnesse of this Faith we may evermore be defended from all adversity which livest and reignest c. Vpon the LORDS DAY in generall DISQUISITION 17. ALmighty God as his mercies are not only private and particular but publick also and Vniversall so will he not be contented only with Family Devotions though those he seasonably expecteth and accepteth but also he will be honored in the visible Congregation of his Saints and Servants and that too not alone in those solemne Anniversaries which are as Constellations of our Gratitude for blessings of the first magnitude But also for his Continuall Mercies which are as the Multiplied Starres renewed every moment And therefore doth justly challenge although he need it not our weekly returns of publick Piety and Gratulation And albeit His Glory be capable of no Accession by us or Diminution according to that of Job Job 9.15 Psal 16.2 and David yet his Revealed will which is our Rule and Conduct and his outward Name and Honour claimeth our best publick Worship and Devotion and that with a speciall Memento in his fourth Commandement Remember thou keep holy c. Where I shall not enter the Lists with the Sabbatarians and their Antagonists which undiscreet Combatants have rather wounded one another then rescued the Sanctimony of the Day Indeed by their Polemicall Discourses making more knots then they have untied The Doctrine of the Christian Sabbath being like a Skein of curious Silk which with affected Hands they have so sullied and be-ruffled Athanas Homil 1. that many well-meaning people know not how to make a right use of it and it may well be feared that Charity hath lost more by them then Truth hath gained And therefore waving the fruitlesse Controversie I shall herein keep the Scope of my Whole Book and endeavour briefly to vindicate the Piety of the Christian Sabbath The Jewish Term is Sabboth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Saxon appellation Sunday and the Christian from Christs Resurrection the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. The LORD changed the Sabbath into his own day for a Seminary of the Gospel Lords Day nor need either Denomination inject a scruple to wise men so long as All retain agreement in the sanctification of it And indeed as Saint Austine well though in another case Desiderant auditorem potius quam expositorem The Commandements are so well known and so often expounded this especially that we rather want Hearts to practise them then heads to understand them And this you know designeth both the Time and Place of Gods holy publick Worship Levit. 19.30 Not as there were any inherent holinesse in either or any thing below but onely relative i. e. as chalenged by GOD Athanas Homil. and by Man devoted And so both are the Time and Place Holy Day and Holy Place Holy Sanctuary holy Ordinances both equally sacred Levit. 26.2 You shall keep my Sabboths and reverence my Sanctuary c. Now one that assisted the Reformation of Religion with as much Learning and Modesty as any defines this Commandement well to be Morale praeceptum de Ceremoniali A morall precept wrapped up in * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. The Lord changed the Sabboth into his own day for a Seminary of his Gospel Tract 50. in Johan Ceremonials For sure there was somewhat of both in it the Ceremoniall part not now in force is first the Precise seventh day from the Creation Which in cases of Travell and remote distances is impossible to be retained the same universally Secondly the strictness according to the rigid Letter Thirdly the Mode of hollowing it with Oblations and Ablutions c. The Morality of it chiefly consisteth in these First the fixing of a Time for Divine publick Worship Secondly That Time to be at least one day of Seven Thirdly that day to be hallowed by corporall rest and spirituall Devotion so that it is Morale quoad genus Ceremoniale quoad speciem
c. and great praise by St Stephen his Protomartyr and by St. John that same beloved Disciple as fore-shewed but you see his praise is made perfect by the mouthes of these Babes and Innocents who here came to the Haven without knowing tempests injoying the comforts of an other life Giron in Fest before they knew the miseries of this Qui prius in capitibus Coronaâ— Quam capillos accepistis as one wittily Blessed babes that have your heads Crowned with happinesse e're covered with Hairs Herods crueltie was turned by God into a felicitie translating you from your earthly Mothers armes in a valley of tears to your heavenly Fathers bosom in his Kingdome of Glory It hath been a custome and yet is else where to whip up the Children on this morning that the story might stick the closer but this is to act it over again in kind by a moderate proportion * Lewis 11. Of France was so seri us a remembrancer of this Martyrdome that he would not be interâ—upted in it by any affaires of state how important soever Phil. de Com. while all then seem to condemne the literall crueltie of Herod I wish they may not imitate him in the Figure snatching them from the armes of their mother Church and from her breasts of holy Baptisme and so as much as in them lyeth killing them spiritually not regarding Christs words Mat. 19.14 Suffer little children and forbid them not to come unto me Mat 19.14 for of such is the Kingdome of heaven or his Apostles 1 Cor. 14. instead then of injuring them 1 Cor. 14.20 become like unto them for humilitie for innocence for obedience for dependance who so humbleth himself as a little childe the same shall be great in the Kingdom of heaven POEM IX A Double Prophesie's this day fulfill'd In these young Innocents by Herod kill'd Here 's Ramah's cry and Davids song of praise Which from these Babes and Sucklings God did raise Whose early vertues Men for shame improve Their humble innocence and Docil love That how so'ere our Fathers us dispose We be submissive patient meeke as those And then though crop'd like these flowers e're their Prime Blisse shall but sooner Crown us beyond Time These infants by that Tyrants raging mood Were baptiz'd unto Christ in their own bloud And though unable yet to speake his Name Dy'd the first fruits of Martyrs for the same Multipli'd Persecution that destroyes Thousands of Parents lives wrap'd in the Boyes Yet the impartiall wretch spares not his own Better his Swine then Son a proverb grown The Fox worrys the Lambs and t is the sinne With which the world will end as t'did begin The COLLECT PRAYER The Epistle Rev. 14. v. 1. to the end The Gospel Mat. 2. ver 13. to 19. Almighty God whose praise this day the young innocents thy witnesses have confessed and shewed forth not in speaking but in dying mortifie and kill all vices in us that in our conversation our life may express thy faith which with our tongues we doe confesse through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Circumcision Luc 2. 21. And when eyght dayes were accomplished for the circumcising of the childe his name was called Iesus which was soe named of the Angell before hee was conceiued in the wombe The Plate here Vpon the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ DISQUISITION 7. A Lmighty God both before and after the fall of man before under and after the Law still manifested his wil by two things especially viz. an understanding Mind and a perceiving Sense as in Paradise at first Adam had his word and that witnessed by a double sign the Tree of life and that of knowledge Gen. 2. Gen. 2. After his lapse he had a promise c. 3.15 Gen. 3. and thereunto sacrifices added as outward signes so after the Flood a promise of no more Deluge and the Rain-bow a signe c. 9.13 Gen. 9. Arcus sine sagittâ a Bow without an Arrow or if with any shot against himself in his Sonne for it stands bent alwaies towards heaven the promise of deliverance from Egypt is sealed with the Pasohal Lamb Exod. 12. and that to Abraham Exod. 12. of multiplying and magnifying his seed signalized by instituting this Circumcision Gen. 17. Lastly Gen. 17. Joh. 13.16 God giving his Sonne and by him everlasting life to believers confirms all with two Sacraments as seals of his grace viz. Baptisme and the Lords Supper Thus the Father of mercies hath in all ages provided for mans weakness Psal 3.149 that He might tast and see how gracious the Lord is Psal 34. and therefore those that pretend to be so spiritual as not to endure significant Ceremonies and outward Rites in the Church runne a violent course quite contrarie to the goodnesse of God Apud Martyr in Rom. 4. and the meeknesse of his holy Spirit who doth instruct the conceiving Mind by the perceiving Sense and by visible words as Augustine calls the Sacraments one of which was this of Circumcision to the Jewes and that may well appeare in a red Letter as being their bloudy Sacrament who therefore when they Circumcised a childe called him Sponsum sanguinis applying those words of Zippora unto him Exo. 4. Thou art a bloody Husband Exod. 4.25 because that day they hold the child is married to the Covenant There was in this of the old as in the Sacraments of the New Testament two constitutive parts signum signaculum both the signe The two parts of a Sacrament and the seal of a sacred Covenant not onely bare badges as the defective Anabaptists nor immediate justifiers ex opere operato Hook l. 5. s 60. as some others in the excess sta non tribuunt quod per ista tribuitur They doe not confer what is conferred by them This Circumcision here was a triple signe 1. Memorative of the promise to Abraham touching his seed his inheritance and the Messiah to come of him 2. Distinctive of the Jews from all other people and of the Sex Males only undergoing it Females yet being within the Covenant Reductive as sprung from Circumcised Fathers and married to such husbands 3. Prefigurative of Baptisme and the spiritual Circumcision of the heart Againe as Circumcision was thus a various signe so was it a Seale also a double one on Gods part as the Paten of Kings for confirmation on Abrahams part Ardens in locum as his obedience and faiths Attestation Some note a threefold Circumcision viz. Carnall under the Law Spirituall under Grace Celestiall in the Kingdom of Glory The first is Nascentium good in its due time of children the eight day Gen. 17. Gen. 17. The second Renascentium at all times better of such as are born again and that of the heart in the spirit Rom. 2.29 Rom. 2.29 effected by the sword of the spirit sharper then all the flinty knives of circumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
of all creatures Man and to whom they are all subservient yet this large Commission of the Apostles is since again contracted into Provinces Dioces and parishes yet too with some latitude of preaching any where Acts 1.9 as need or occasion shall require And when he had spoken those things he was taken up Acts 1. ver 9. not till then Observe the God of Order Hee would not leave the World as it were Forbeares his Glory untill hee had first established all things in a composed setlednesse it is Christian wisdom then the timely ordering of our Affaires e're Death prevent the care Achitophell was so far commendable 2 Sam. 17.23 that He set his house in order before he disordered himself 2 Sam. 17. It is counsell worthy a Prophet to give and a King to receive Set thine house in order for thou must die 2 King 20. thy treble house of Soul 2 Kin. 20.1 Body and Estate and when he had spoken these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was taken up the word intimateth not any outward aid or supportation a glorified body needing no such advantages as is foreshewed etsi Angelico comitatus obsequio Bern. in festum non tamen fulius Auxilio though Angels bare Him company they bare not Him They were his Servitors not his Porters and you know the Apostles saw them in the place of Attendance below him far behinde him Act. 1.10 Act. 1.10 Yea he who of his own Will laid down his body in the dust the same by his own Power raised it up to Heaven so the Apostle using the Active voice likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4.10 He that descended even the same also is he which ascended Ephes 4. And with the affectionate Disciples now to look a little at the Circumstances of our ascending Saviour The Time you know was forty dayes after his Resurrection Acts 1.3 so long was his second life on earth repressis adhuc fulgoris sui radiis Moses-like vailing the splendor of his glorious countenance 40 daies His body had formerly been acquainted with that number Mat. 4.2 Matth. 4. having forty dayes miraculously abstained all naturall sustenance and here again abstaining in some kind if not somewhat of his celestiall Banquet yet at least his Banqueting-house of Heaven 40 dayes Of all which time himself can onely give an account 'T is not for flesh and bloud to trace the ways of Immortality Yet sure we are The time of Christs Ascension that his stay was not as some of his Apostles thought then to restore again the Kingdom to Israel S. Bernard calleth those weak thoughts of so well instructed Disciples What should an heavenly body do with an earthly Throne how poor a businesse is the temporall Kingdome of Israel for the King of all eternity and me thinks the fond Millinaries should be cautioned by these Misprisions No a more acceptable reason why our Saviour did not immediately ascend from Golgotha to Paradise from his Grave to Heaven per saltum which had been all one to his omnipotence was more fully to convince the diffident world of the infallible evidences of his Resurrection as also more fully to instruct his Apostles in the mysteries pertaining to the Kingdom of God Acts 1.3 Acts 1.3 Yet longer then forty dayes he tarried not saith Augustine ne videretur terrena meditari least he should seem to affect or meditate on earthly things and thereby I hope lendeth our souls wings to fly along with him to Heaven yet by the way take notice of the place of Christs Ascension And therein of a duplex terminus the place from whence and the place whither the Terminus à quo St. Luke in his Gospel telleth us was Bethania Luk. 34.50 in his book of the Acts The Mount of Olives But he will soon be Reconciled to himself if we take notice that Bethania in latere Montis oliveti sita Act. 1.12 that the village Bethany is scituate in the way and on the side of the Mount of Olives both neer Jerusalem This Mount you know our Saviour much frequented so that a Reverend Prelate of our own calleth it his Pulpit Bishop Hall Thence indeed was his Doctrine wont to distil like the dew and his Prayers to ascend as Incense and this very mount was the place of his Agony but now the Hill of his Triumph and victory once he found it planted with Thorns Cant. 8.14 or worse but now one of those Mountaines of spices Cant. 8. how fit was it the same place which had witnessed his Humanity by suffering there should likewise testifie his Deity by his ascending thence the same place for both Passionem Ascensionem Eodem spectare docet The place of Christs Ascension demonstrates both his Passion and Ascension tended to the same end mans salvation And in that he ascended from Bethania which signifieth an house of affliction and obedience how doth it incite us to that better sacrifice obedience and forewarn us that we must not likewise look to ascend but from the place of sufferings Per varios casus per tot discrimina Rerum Tendimus in Latium Through many Tribulations must we enter into that Kingdom Acts 14.22 Now the Terminus ad Quem Act. 14.22 to which he ascended was the highest heaven I whether else but home to his own habitation jam cum se Dominum universorum quae sunt in terrâ mari inferno probasset and saith holy Bernard having already proved himself Lord of earth sea and hell as the Earth acknowledged him her Lord when at his voice She rendred up his Lazarus and quaked at his passion the Sea obeyed him when as it became a glassy pavement to his feet and his treasury for Tribute And Hell confessed him Conquerour when Satan yeilded in the wildernesse and was out-braved by Him O Hell where is thy victory it therefore now remained that as Lord of Heaven also He should pass through all the yeilding Regions of the aire unto the Glory of the highest Heavens Old Philosophy told us of eight severall Heavens Aristot l. de coelo and new hath since found out three or four Orbes more but the safest guide Theology reduceth all to three 2 Cor. 12. 2 Cor. 12.2 The first taken for that Element of aire Gen. 1. and frequently in Scripture the fowles of Heaven The 2d. for the whole Frame of the coelestiall Orbes viz. the Firmament and Planets Psal 19. Coeli enarrant Gloriam Dei Every Star is as a Golden Tongue materially to speak the praises of their Maker But the third is Sedes Beatorum that Glorious Mansion where are the many Mansions of the Blessed called by some Coelum Empyreum not as being of any burning nature but of a Fire-like lightsome brightnesse Saint Paul who was wrapt thither calleth it the third Heaven in relation to the former two Saint Augustine giveth another proper Tripartition of
Coelum corporale Saint Austin Coelum 3. spirituale super intellectuale the Corporal Heaven saith he conteins the Spheres and whole materiall Fabrick the Spiritual One is the Habitacle of Angels all blessed Spirits the Super-intellectual is a Place apart a Sanctū sanctorum solely appropriated to the Deity and thither saith he Christ ascended as the Apostle meaneth Eph. 4.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 farr above all heavens Ephes 4. into that true Paradise that habitation of light that light inaccessible the Kingdom of Heaven But read we not of others that ascended before Christ yes but like those that rose before him with difference enough Enoch indeed walked with God Gen. 5.24 and was taken away Gen. 5. and Elijah found a Coach-way to Heaven 2. King 2. So me dare not think these bodily ascended 2 King 2. but as 't is said of Moses Deut. 34. that God buried them no man knowing of their sepulchre unto this day Others dreaming that they are still alive reserved in some by part of the world personally to fight with Antichrist but suâ fruantur insaniâ let them have their Phansie to themselves Greg. the great in locum while we here distinguish with Gregory Homo purus Adjutorio indigebat These though purest of men wanted supporters you see a Chariot from Heaven and Angels to draw it but Christ by his own power whereby he first made all things lifted himself now above all things nay indeed Causa fuit ejus Ascensio His Ascension though later in time yet in order of Nature before was the sole efficient of their elevation as shall be one day of ours Next for the Instruments of his Ascension Ps 104 3. Act. 1.9.11 a cloud saith the text received him out of their sight and not unprophesied posuit Nubem vehiculum Psalm 104. He it was that made the Clouds his Chariots and rode upon the wings of the wind I that cloud was the Canopy of the King of glory which the blessed Angels carried over him while he was now going to that high Court of Parliament the Court of the most high to treat about a Peace 'twixt Heaven and Earth A cloud received him out of their sight we cannot without a just Reprehension pry with curiosity where God hath interposed a cloud of secresie Act. 1.11 and therefore let not the Piety of our Affections spend it self in vain desires of an Earthly Pilgrimage to see the pretended steps of our Ascending Saviour the Pressures of his Feet still on Mount Olivet but rather veiw and trace his spirituall footsteps I am sure more certain less expensive in his sacred Oracles of Scriptures for thereunto are we called saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. for Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example 1 Pet. 2.21 that we might follow his steps though not Passibus aequis yet Amoris Ephes 5. Eph. 5.2 Be ye followers of God c. and walk in love as Christ hath loved us Lastly the end of his Ascension was ut impleret omnia Ephes 4.10 that he might fulfill all things all things concerning us all that concerned himself for us to compleat the work of our Redemption and to Prepare each of us one of those many Mansions to open the Kingdom of heaven to all beleevers The day of Christs Ascension Pro Nobis facta saith Saint Bernard Christ his Ascension was also for our exaltation assuring us here with a confirmed hope that our souls shall whensoever separated ascend to him and at length our soul and body both like his by his to heaven John 14.3 And as unto himself to fulfill Prophesies Psalm 68. Thou art gone up on high Ps 68 18. hast led captivity captive c. Also to shew an irrefragable Demonstration of his Godhead by that exalting his Manhood into heaven to manifest to the whole world to Heaven as well as earth that glorious Majesty of his which by Divine dispensation had so long lay shrowded in the form of a servan till now by entring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and Man into Heaven such a new Guest as the glad Angels never saw there before and how readily me thinks how joyfully did those Dorekeepers of the house of our God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 open unto him when hee called Aperite Portas stand ope yee Gates bee you lift up yee Everlasting dores that the King of glory may come in And if some serious devotions have beleeved that at Christs Passion the whole Quire of Angels and Saints were interrupted in their sacred Hymns and for a season ceased their Singing Haliluiahs O what increase of joys by Rule of contrariety may we here imagine when he returned Triumphantly unto his Throne of Glory David as though he had heard that Musick of the Spheres awakeneth his Harp and Lute bears a part with them Psalm 47. Psal 47.5 Deus ascendit cum Jubilatione God is gone up with a merry noise and the Lord with the voice of Melody Gone up I to the third and highest steppe of all his exaltation and that is the Right hand of God And but a touch of that which mortalls cannot handle Dextra Majestratem Gloriam Honorem Denotat Gods Right hand what the Right hand is a Metaphor expressing Power Honour Glory Empire and dominion to all which Christ was here exalted Ephes 1.21 Raised from the dead Ephes 1.21 set at Gods right hand in Heavenly places farr above all principalities and powers might and Dominion and every name that is named in this world or that to come Indeed his Resurrection and Ascension were but Motus ad hunc Terminum Onely the motion tending to this perfection This being Solium Triumphale his transcendent Throne of Glory where Triumphing over sinne death and Hell He shall Raigne saith the Apostle till He hath put all things under him 1 Corinthians 15. 1 Cor. 15. And whereas the other two Resurrection and Ascension shall be in some manner common to us with Christ thorough his infinite goodnesse one day to Arise and ascend to Glory but to Sit at the right hand of God in his Kingdome of Glory is too high for the most beloved Disciple Heb. 1.13 that is onely the Fathers Gift and the Sonns Prerogative not communicable either to Man or Angell Hebr. 1.13 There he Sitteth alone the Posture of State of Rest of Judgement as one pithily and sweetly Quiescentis Regnantis Judicantis est Well is our Redeemer after his Passion and Ascension said to Sit at the Right hand of God saith he Quia post Laborem Requiescit Ardens in locum post praelium Regnat postquam Judicatus est Judicat as keeping his Sabbath of Rest after his six grand * His Nativity Circumcision Presentation Baptism Passion Resurrection Ascension Raulin in Festum Labours as after Conquest raigning and after himselfe adjudged being the Judg of all things and what a comfort