Hee is a Surgion If thou beest sicke Hee is a Physition If thou burne Hee is a Fountaine If thou beest cold Hee is a Fire If thou beest a sinner Hee is Sanctity If thou beest laden with iniquity Hee is Iustice If thou wantest helpe Hee is a Succour If thou beest weake Hee is Strength If thou beest weary Hee is a Shadow If thou fearest death Hee is Life If thou hatest darkenesse Hee is Light If thou wouldst see GOD Hee is thy Glasse If thou wouldst haue accesse to GOD Hee is the Way If thou wouldst enter into heauen Hee is the Dore the Key the Keeper O LORD how sweete is Thy Name How pleasing is Thy Seruice How easie is Thy Yoke In truth he is worthy death who refuseth to liue to Thee Hee is a foole that is not wise to Thee Hee is iust nothing that would bee something out of Thee It is meete that hee should wither that will not grow in Thee Hee deserues to perish wandring that will not walke in Thee Misery bee his end that seekes not Blisse in Thee Death bee his Destiny that seekes not life in Thee And Hell his heritage that seekes not Heauen in Thee Thou mad'st all things for thy Selfe Hee that will bee some-thing to himselfe nothing to Thee amongst all things hee beginnes to bee nothing and of things euill hee deserues the worst Keepe mee therefore in Thy loue that I may not leaue Thee Preserue mee in Thy Breast and doe not loose mee If I leaue Thee I loose Thee in loosing Thee I loose my soule my selfe and all things with mee Of the Holy Ghost THE third Person of the blessed Trinity is called the Holy SPIRIT because Hee hallowes vs and being Himselfe Spired doth also inspire good things into vs. The scholler learnes quickely when the Holy GHOST is his Teacher The eye sees distinctly when the Holy GHOST doth enlighten it A man iudgeth truely when Hee doth direct him and liueth holily when Hee doth dispose him The SPIRIT is but one In Person yet seuen yea seuenty times seuen in His gracious Operations Hee hath Wisedome for thee against thy folly Vnderstanding against thy dulnesse Counsell against thy giddinesse Courage against thy cowardice Cheerefulnes against thy sluggishnesse Tendernesse against thy hardnesse Comfort against thy feares Light against thy darkenesse Truth against thy lies Humility against thy pride Faith against thy dissidence Hope against thy desperation and Charity against thy cruelty Hee is giuen vnto men for saluation when their heart returnes vnto GOD for succour when in our agonies Hee relieues our infirmitie for solace when Hee whispers into our hearts that we are GODS Children and for heate when Hee kindles in our soules the zeale of GOD and Charity to our neighbour for CHRIST His sake Thinke wee well it is of Him Will wee well It is by Him Affect wee well It is His worke Or liue wee well It is by His direction Hee lightens our mind giudes our reason strengthens our memory moues our will and rules our affections But because a man sees Him not therefore shall hee deny his Essence or his Presence Thou seest not Aire the Wind thine Heart thy Braines thy Soule The operations of the Aire doth shew it the noise and whirling of the Wind doth proue it the panting of the heart doth expresse it the thoughts and imaginations of the Braines doth declare them and life sense and motion doth shew thy soule is in thee Euen so spirituall motions and an holy conuersation doth argue the presence and presidence of the SPIRIT in vs. The Holy GHOST appeared in a Doue and in fiery tongues Hee dwels in them that are innocent meek and constant and whom Hee fils Hee makes them seruent and likewise eloquent Hee inflames their hearts with the heauenly fire of an holy zeale and makes them speake the praises of GOD Hee therefore hath the Holy GHOST who with his mildenesse and simplicity quenches not his zeale nor with bitternesse of zeale looses not his mildensse but harboureth both together in a discreet pious and peaceable Spirit Of the Holy and Indiuiduall Trinity THREE are better then One but here Three are One and One is Three and hee that hath One hath All and hee that wants One wants All. What One is All are What One hath None lackes All Three are one GOD all Three haue one LORDSHIP Amongst Them there is distinction but not diuision a plurality of Persons but a singularity of Nature Consubstantiall Coëternall and Co-aequall To bee busy in inquisition about the TRINITY is wicked curiosity to bleeue It soberly is faithfull security but to see It as It is is perfect and full felicity Nature cannot match this Mystery therefore the similitudes vsed to expresse It must bee warily considered and not strained too farre As that of the Sunne and Fire which haue three things motion light and heate of the Iewish Ephah a measure of three bushels of the Soule which is furnished with Memory Vnderstanding and Will of Water in the Spring Riuer and Pond or of the Finger Hand and Arme. Then here there can bee no where more dangerous crring nor more painefull seeking not more profitable finding It shall not grieue mee if I doubt to aske It shall not shame mee if I faile to learne O Verity Charity Eternity O Blessed and Blessing TRINITY Holy Holy Holy LORD GOD of Hosts Heauen and Earth are full the Maiesty of Thy Glory Whiles I thinke of Three I shut vp my thoughts in One and whilst I muse on One mine eies are dazeled with the sight of Three It is my misery that I am a stranger from Thee I shall bee happy when I shall bee with Thee see Thee and enioy Thee Of Christ OVr blessed LORD and Sauiour is called IESVS CHRIST The former Name is Hebrew the latter Greeke the one signifying a SAVIOVR the other ANNOINTED for Hee is both to Iew and Gentle an Annointed Sauiour Annointed with the oile of gladnesse aboue his fellowes to be a King Priest and Prophet vnto his Body His Person is but one but his Natures are two One Diuine and Vncreated the other Humane and Created Hee must bee man that Hee might bee able to die Hee must bee GOD that his death might bee Meritorious Hee must bee Man for man had finned and Man must therefore suffer Hee must bee GOD that in suffering Hee might ouercome and that dying Hee might raise Himselfe to life Man indeed could suffer but GOD alone could vanquish and ouercome O inestimable fauour GOD would become Man that wee men might bee reconciled vnto GOD. The Sonne of GOD was made the sonne of Man that the sonnes of men might bee made the sonnes of GOD. Hee became a Seruant to make vs free Hee would bee inglorious that wee might bee glorious and being LORD of Life Hee would suffer death that wee which had deserued death might haue by Him eternall Life LORD IESVS whom haue I to intercede for mee with
yet his desire and endeuour should bee euer to liue and loue as one not of this world but redeemed from the world Many are Christians in name not so in deed for they that are CHRISTS do crucify the flesh and fleshly desires and are not ruled by their flesh but gouerned by His SPIRIT In vaine is hee called Christian that is in nothing like to CHRIST What will it pleasure a man to be reputed that hee is not Hee is indeed a Christian that resembles CHRIST his Maister that sheweth mercy to the miserable that feeleth the smart of others that being iniured breakes not forth vnto reuenge that can liue inglorious for the glory to bee reuealed that preferreth heauen to earth and GOD to Mammon that counts it his meate and drinke and pleasure to doe the Will of his Father that takes vp his Crosse in this life and beares it with patience and which iudges him onely happy in his death which dyeth either in CHRIST or for CHRIST CHRIST endured the Crosse before Hee obtained the Crowne and suffered Shame before Hee entred into His Glory O Christian thou art a delicate Souldier if thou thinkest to winne the field without fighting or to triumph without troubles For the whole life of a Christian if hee liue according to the Gospell is labour toyle trouble crosses Martyrdome Of the Ministers of Christ ALL the Apostles had equall power What Peter was all were what Peter could all could There was indeed amongst them disparity of gifts inequality in yeares difference in conditions but an identity of power an equality of authority all being equally partakers of one and the selfe-same Office of one and the selfe-same Power These had authority ouer nature to sure it ouer diuels to subdue them ouer all men to conuert them To these CHRIST IESVS gaue power to worke mighty wonders to bind and to loose to open and shut the dores of heauen These hee sent into the world as the Sunne his beames as the Rose her sweete smels and as the Fire his sparkles that as the Sunne appeareth in his beames as the Rose is perceiued in his smels and as the Fire is seene in his sparkes so the potency of CHRIST might be acknowledged in their Vertues and His Maiestie discerned in their Ministery These were the Planters of GODS Vine-yard the Architects of His Temple the Fathers of His Church the Champions of the Faith and Trumpetters of the Gospell who with their siluer-sounding blasts made the Vallies sing the Mountaines ring and fil'd the eares of all These were men of mercy such as had obtained mercy shewed mercy and by whom GOD wrought his works of mercy They neither liued to themselues nor dyed but vnto Him that dyed for them and for His sake also euen for vs receiuing light from the Father of Lights and spending themselues like Lampes in giuing light vnto others Successors to these are all faithfull Bishops and Priests who are not Maisters of the Church but Ministers not Lords but Seruants not Authours of the Faith but Preachers not Makers of the Truth but Keepers To whom is committed the word of reconciliation the dispensation of the Mysteries of GOD the power of remitting and retaining sinnes the care of the Churches and the keeping of the Faith These simply as they are Ecclesiasticall persons haue no secular power and authority for if the Maister then the seruant must also say My Kingdome is not of this world CHRIST came not to make them Princes but Priests Not Monarkes but Ministers Hee gaue them the keyes of heauen and not of Citties or Kingdomes Hee committed the Word vnto them but not the Sword and gaue them authority to deale with mens soules but not with their States or Substance Now to make a true Minister it is requisite that he haue a true Power a true Mission for otherwise he runnes vnsent and rules but not by CHRIST And that hee Preach the Truth or else hee abuses his Power This is a most reuerent and holy calling not instituted by man nor Angell nor any other creature but by IESVS CHRIST the Head and Husband of the Church And they that are thereof had neede to haue a thousand eies because they liue not to themselues onely but to the people also And they are as a Beacon vpon a Hill a Citty vpon a Mountaine a Candle vpon a Table all mens eies are fixed on them By teaching and liuing well they teach the people to beleeue and liue well but by liuing ill they teach GOD how to condemne them And in truth a good life is a good Sermon and oftentimes an ill Pastor destroyes as much with his ill life as hee buildeth vp with his good doctrine Of men no man is better then a Christian and of Christians no man is better then a good Priest But hee that is vicious is like a peece of dung with a Diamond in it and as the water in Baptisme which is profitable to others but perishes it selfe But yet GOD may worke effectually by the Ministery of wicked men for their power and calling is His and their wickednesse is their owne that is holy though they bee vnholy Their authority is not the better for their godlinesse nor the worse for their vngodlinesse The light is not polluted though it passe by polluted places or persons neither is the soule corrupted though it should bee in a corrupted body so neither is the power and authority of the Minister stained though hee bee full of staines himselfe And as water whether it run through a pipe of Wood or Stone or Siluer doth good vnto the ground so the Word and Sacraments are auaileable to the Receiuers whatsoeuer the Minister be that giues them Neither are wee to respect riches age greatnesse of gifts noblenesse of birth in a Minister as if hee were to bee contemned when these things are wanting but wee are to regard especially his place and power for the power varies not with the man neither is the Word and Sacraments of greater respect for any personall respects in the Minister Water hath the properties and effects of water whether brought in an earthen Pitcher or a cup of gold or siluer And though the more excellent gifts a Minister hath the better it is yet his power is not thereby greater or more excellent but still it is the same as a Diamond is whether set in gold or siluer Or as the authority of a Iustice is the same whether hee haue more wisedome godlinesse and insight in the Law or a lesser measure of the same And of all faithfull and true Ministers of CHRIST it may bee said how different soeuer in their Age Wealth Birth Breeding Gifts They are the Dispensers of the Secrets of GOD and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Co-workers with Him For without them Hee will not saue men and without Him they cannot saue men I say He will not for who that contemnes the Baptisme of man is Baptized with the Holy GHOST
LORD Thy loue vnto vs redeemeth vs from our bondage saueth vs from hell treadeth downe our enemies protects and directs vs in the world and safely brings vs into the Land of Promise the Land of the Liuing where wee shall see Thy Face and enioy the ioyes of blisse for euermore O LORD Thy loue is life Thy fauour is felicity LORD let the light of Thy countenance shine vpon mee and grant mee Thy loue which Thou bearest vnto those whom Thou louest euer and leauest neuer Of Mans loue to God LOVE of GOD doth knit fast the heart vnto Him makes it delight in Him and to bee contented with Him What cause hath man to loue Him it is not hard to conceiue seeing Hee is altogether good in Himselfe and the cause of all good in and to him Are wee liue wee vnderstand wee Wee must ascribe it vnto GOD. Are wee men or are wee good men Haue wee Grace or expect we Glory The praise belongs to Him The measure of our loue should bee vnmeasureable and the end endlesse The heart wherewith wee loue Him should not bee halfe nor hollow but such as Hee made in vs whole and vndiuided simple and not double How equall is it that man should loue His GOD seeing it is the substance of His Law and seeing he is so much obliged to Him for the tokens of His loue to Him How needfull is it seeing otherwise hee cannot loue his neighbour in Him no nor performe any Act or Office of Religion pleasingly in His sight And how comfortable seeing it is the worke of GODS SPIRIT in him and an vndoubted effect and token of GODS loue to Him and of his faith in GOD And yet it is a wonder to see how rare this duety is amongst vs. How sildome doe wee thinke of GOD or of His seruice What capitall and foule enormities are euery where heaped vp against Him How vsuall is it with men to turne His Grace into wantonnesse How doe the pleasures and cares of the world depriue Him of our hearts How common is the contempt of His holy Ordinances How great is the profanation of His holy Day How customably is His fearefull and glorious Name vainely vsed And how wantonly doe men deale with His sacred Word What little zeale and courage is there in vs for His Glory Alas wee talke of loue but demonstrate little The heart of the louer is rather where it loues then where it liues a man cannot but obey his Lord whom hee deerely loueth and will make much of any thing that belongs to that hee loues But our hearts are buried in the earth wee are euer rooting in the ground wee haue cast off the yoke of GODS Commandements wee are frozen in our dregges and make account of any thing rather then that which concernes His Honour which doth discouer our hypocrisie and witnesseth against vs that wee are louers of pleasures profite preferments of any thing rather then of Him Yet is there nothing able to doe vs so much good as Hee Nothing so worthy of our loue as Hee Nothing to which wee are so much indebted as to Him Nothing wherein wee can finde so much comfort in the loue thereof as in the loue of Him Nothing so well able to rauish our hearts with the delight thereof as Hee is And no man so regardfull of our loue as Hee is and yet standeth not in neede of vs at all nor of our loue Wee desire His loue to vs why then should we not remonstrate ours to Him Wee would haue our children and seruants loue vs it is reason therefore that wee should bestow our loue on Him being our Louing LORD and gracious FATHER in IESVS CHRIST Of the Loue of Christ CHRIST is our LORD and SAVIOVR therefore wee ought to loue Him as men in loue redeemed by Him and receiued into His seruice Hee loues Him as his LORD that willingly submits his soule vnto His Scepter and offers himselfe to bee ruled by His Lawes Hee loues Him as his SAVIOVR that relies vpon His Merites seekes to Him for His Grace and resteth in those meanes of life and godlinesse which Hee hath ordained in His Church CHRIST is the Husband of His people and therefore to bee beloued of them as of His Wife And those loue Him as their Husband that wed not their hearts to any other that keepe their soules chaste for Him that delight to bee vnder His shadow and which in their hearts say with the Spouse in the Canticles Stay mee with flagons and comfort mee with apples set mee as a Seale on Thine heart and as a Signet vpon Thine Arme Thy Loue is better then wine If euer our loue was deserued of any then of CHRIST IESVS Who became man to bring vs into grace with GOD Who was poore to make vs rich Who humbled Himselfe to exalt vs Who came downe from heauen to fetch vs from hell to heauen Who both liued and dyed for vs that wee might escape eternall death and might obtaine Eternall Life And finally because perfection procureth fauour and beauty is the Load-stone vnto loue Wee must needs bestow our loue on Him in whom is nothing but perfection nothing but beauty In Him are all the Treasures of Wisedome and Knowledge hidden In Him is the fulnesse of the God-head Bodily Hee is Fairer then the sonnes of men Grace is diffused in His Lips GOD hath annointed Him with the Oile of Gladnesse aboue His Fellowes Hee is White and Ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand wholly delectable LORD IESVS tie mine heart fast to Thee by loue seuer it from all earthly things euen from it selfe that it may be wedded wholly and solely vnto Thee vnto Thee and vnto none but Thee and that for euer Of Selfe-loue CHRITY beginnes at home It is naturall for a man to loue himselfe Hee that loues not himselfe is vnfit to loue another Or how can hee take care of another that is carelesse of himselfe True selfe-loue is a furtherer of all vertues specially of temperance and such other as concerne our selues For hee that loues himselfe truely wils well and does well vnto himselfe and embraces those vertues gladly by which hee may be mended There is a blind and foolish selfe-loue too too common in the world You shall haue some rauished with the admiration of themselues they are the Mountaines all others are but Mole-hils all their Geese are Swans all their vertues are ten-foote long and all their actions are good because they are theirs all is spoken in Print that is spoke by them they see not their wants but imagine they haue that they haue not So they swimme they care not though all doe sinke so they may haue they care not though all besides doe want they will forgiue and flatter themselues in most grieuous vices excusing themselues extenuating their faults and contemning all the admonitions of others And finally their praises of others is very sparing almost nothing but they can speake bigly of