nos fecit fideles I obtained mercy to be faithfull saâ—es the Apostle The Hebrew Doctors somewhat agree with Arminius and would have a man disposed to good before the spirit of prophecy light on him but the spirit found Saul nought and Balaam mingled with malice and covetousnesse Elisha was not composed in mind tho sanctified when to prophecy and cals for a Minstrell to dispell griefe for Elisha's death Aquinas affirmes dispositionem non requiri ne ad prophetiam whether God reveale himselfe by Vision Dream or the more noble way as he did to Christ by word Spiritus replet pastorum Armentarium Prophetam facit Yet when the spirit of prophecie lighted on one undisposed to good as Balaam or Saul especially if in a Vision or Dream they might be abstracted from these vices during the prohpecie and time of illumination the soule being in a trance oft and so most fixed on the object ordained or elected to life for then all would have been prayed for Iohn 17. v. 9. and all would beleeve for as many as were ordained to eternal life beleeved Acts 13.48 But we see few beleeve and persevere to the end yet all Christ's do and shall beleeve increase of them is dayly seen every lost groat shall be found nothing can hinder they when built are built upon a sure foundation Christ the Rock the gates of hell that is hells strength and policy shall not prevaile against them No weapon formed against them shall prosper Esa 54. ver ult Christ's the builder the Word and Spirit the meanes which cannot faile If God send his Word great shall be the company of them that Praise him even in this sense the building as it shall go forward so it will last since the foundation Christ cannot shrink Christ assures us his blood was shed not for all but for many for remission of sinnes those he loves those he will continue to love to the end according to the text whom he loves he loves unto the end In the former part of this chapt consider the love and lowlinesse of Christ his love in so willingly departing out of this world for us ver 1. his lowlinesse in washing his Disciples feet ver 5. that the Head and Master Christ should stoop to the feet of his servants and wash and wipe them is an unparalleld example of humility The first verse speaks him God and man God in that he knew his houre of departing out of this world for as God he knew all things though as man he was ignorant of many about the time of the sacrificing the Passeover Christ our Pasteover was sacrificed for us Man in that by death depart he must for the God-head could not suffer this one text evinceth what ever Jewes Mahometans Hereticks or heathens may falsely conceive of Christ Intimations and characters of his Divinity run as parallel with those of his Humanity almost throughout the Histories in the Gospel concerning him His birth spake him a man but to be borne of a Virgin and as some conceive without * The punishment in sorrow shalt thou bring forth was to the woman not the child So Christs being without sin ordinarily excuses not the Virgin Mary who had sin and a Redeemer or Saviour My soule has rejoyced in God my Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas de sententiis Dionysii paine together with a strange Starre and quire of Angels proclaimed him God His swadling bands and the Manger spake him man one disrespected amongst men but the Shepheards and Wise men worshipping him expressed him God His Baptisme administred by Iohn declared him man but the voice from Heaven to be God Tempted in the Wildernesse man overcame as God Wept for Lazerus man raised him from the dead God stept on the seas man but after he was awaked stilled the waves God tempered the clay with spittle man but opened the eyes of one borne blind God Lastly by his death shewed himself man by his powerful and most to us comfortable resurrection God Each sentence shewes his lowlinesse in that he was made man and his love in that lowlinesse who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God but made himself of no reputation took upon him the form of a servant he humbled himself and became obedient even to death even the death of the Crosse Phil. 2. v. 6 7 8. Supplicii genus crudelissimum deterrimumque inquit Cicero The constancy of that love is expressed in the words he loves unto the end the earnestnesse and integrity of it is observable in the word there used to love importing in the original to love with the heart and mind by adhering to the thing loved with content and satisfaction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 magis est quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut Amo apud Latinos magis est quamdiligo Me aut amabis aut quo contentus sim diliges Cicero As Christ thus loves his owne so ought they to love him Thou shalt love the same words the Lord thy God with all thy heart Matth. 22.37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel ad finem vel ad seculum vel perfectionem significat The constancy and perpetuity of Christs love may be noted from the word in the Original signifying the end it may be rendred by perfection till we become perfect men in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 4 13 He loves us he loves here to the end of dayes and for ever hereafter Hence observe these conclusions God through Christ loves his own Then or secondly he loves them for ever The truth of this conclusion will appeare in the ensuing discourse Why God loved lost man not the Angels being more excellent creatures man in whom was nothing but deformity no other reason can be rendred à priori but his own will and pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foreseeing the death of Christ as the meanes both of love and election though not the cause of either redemption being the effect of Gods love in the general he loves man now because redeemed by the death of Christ justified by his blood adopted to be conformable to his image sanctified in part by his Spirit because the member of Christ the temple of the holy Spirit the Spouse of Christ and subject of him the King of Saints Revel 15. v. 3. God loves his people first and gives Christ for them then love them because they are Christs and partakers of his graces 2. Conclusion God loves unchangably and everlastingly This is set down Jer. 31. v. 3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love God being love love as God must be everlasting which he extends to his people he loved his people in Christ by way of election defore the foundation of the world for to this effect Paul speaks Ephes 1 v. 4 and will continue to love them till the world shal be no more and after Solomon saies A friend loves at all
love in Christ is to be seen in provideing heaven for man when he was not and when after most sinfull the joyes of a man in Christ eare has not heard eye hath not seene nor entred into mans heart to conceive 1 Cor. 2. v. 9. those joyes are like the new name which no man knowes but he that has it Revel 2. v. 17. but the joyes in heaven with Christ exceed the Apostle that was there sayes they are not to be uttered but unspeakable and most likely since out of love provided by such infinite wisdome we see the pavement of that glorious edifice how bespangled with lights but what then must the inner glory thereof be I say modestly of it as one did I will not too earnestly covet to know its glory before I come there lest striving to know its glory I forget the â—â—ay thither then my losse will seeme greater knowing the greatnesse of the losse But with a parenthesis I know whom I have beleeved and am verily perswaded he will keep me safe and present me spotlesse at that day Consider what most intolerable yet to be undergone and everlasting and most exquisite paines Christ out of love has delivered his from What never slaking tortures what mercilesse furie of unweariable tormentors what utter despaire of any possibility of release what never dying death ever renewing torments never pitied never intermitted damnation His love appears in giving his his guard of Angels to keep them in all their wayes Bernard dixit Bonus Angelus videt te peccantem do let malus gaudet cave deus videt qui judicat ergo ne pecces those which wait upon his own throne guard the cottages of his people Psal 34.7 Whether each Saint has his Angel I affirm not saies Calvin yet two places seem plain Matth. 18.10 their Angels behold and Acts 12. v. 15. 't is his Angel See the Churches opinion then how ever 't is certaine the Angels take care of them put good thoughts into the soules which the Spirit must sanctifie why shall not they be allowed to put good thoughts into us as well as the Divel bad they oft resist Satan unknown to the Saints when he would else appear to frighten nay to devoure See the Jearned M. Leigh on the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus Daniel may be understood 12.1 Then stood up Michael your Prince which is for the people for though Christ may be meant oft by Michael the Archangel yet the Archangel is used distinct from Christ 1 Thes 4.16 the Lord shal descend speaking of Christ with a shout the voyce of the rather of an Archangel Master Perkins We read Christ shal come with his holy Angels are not the Angels distinct from Christ Now by the by If one Archangel why not more the Jewes rekon seven Michael Gabriel Raphael Daniel but to omit their testimony in Daniel 10. v. 13. Michael is called one of the chiefe Princes or the first one implies more a first a second David stirs up himself by the example of Angels praysing God the true meaning of that Psalme 103. v. 20. but whom means he they excell in strength man that were no honour hee 's but dust they excel not only the wicked spirits but one another the excellers are Archangels Peter saies as much compare Peter with Jude 9. the Angels excelling in strength bring nota railing accusation 2 Pet. 2.11 Iude saies Michael the Archangel did not bring a railing accusation quoting the same * Satan branded Moses for a murderer because of the Egyptian though hee was in commission from God but his brethren understood it not Acts 7.25 and would have the murderer his sepulchre known because a murderer but his aime was that Israel most prone to Idolatry might worship and Idolize the bones and Sepulchre story the same Agents or Disputants onely one in the singular number the other the plural A Habrâ—isme one Gospel saies theeves railed on Christ the other one of the theeves thus understand Revel 4.5 of the seven spirits before the throne not because seven is a perfect number in Scripture therefore that number used not understand septemplicem spiritus operationem qui tamen in se unissimus est but understand seven spirits or Archangels being more agreeable to that place so understand Job 38 v. 7. when morning stars sang together and sons of God shouted for joy There are no morning stars but one Venus sometime she is the morning star sometime the evening nor were stars created till the fourth day therefore could not sing at laying the foundation of the earth as these in Job did again stars cannot properly be said to sing remember the chief of Divels is called Lucifer the or a morning star Esa 14.12 Lastly God had at laying the foundation of the earth no other sons but Angels man not created long after by morning stars Archangels are to be understood as excelling by sons of God Angels Gods sons by creation Envine not man and his guard on earth more guarded then * Sine custode metuendum est multomajus a custode est metuendum C.A. dixit regarded thy guard O beloved love thee rejoyce at mans good are thousands of thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand Dan. 7. v. 10. had we our eyes opened as Elisha's servant we should see more for us then against us How great is man O Lord how hast thou in love visited him After this life they like Chariot and horses of fire convoy the soul of the Saint as conquerour through Christ to heaven mark what an honourable and safe convoy the blessed souls have John proves the Saints able to discern the truth from falshood Christ fró Antichrist and to overcome because of this annoynting of the spirit 1 John cap. 2. v. 13 20. veritas enim est index sui obliqui little doth the world think what a noble person it abuses when it abuses a Saint Think not O Saint I wrong Christ by saying he is not the Archangel only used in Scripture behold I rather praise him shewing his glory in his glorious creatures Christs love appears in giving his people his holy spirit as he has fenced them without so he has strengthened them within to resist and overcome hence those soveraign graces to stand in time of temptation to be heartned against all doubts and feares assured of Christs love and salvation enabled to cry Abba Father so in the might of God his people may bid defiance to the gates of hell let all principalities and powers rulers of darknes do their worst his people in right of him whose they are are above their malice though weak in themselves strong in him sinful in themselves but Christ is their righteousnesse How canst thou be but comforted O Christian that hast the holy spirit the Comforter with thee I will shew thee in a word or two by way of digression Be of good comfort saies Christ
cress of our Lord Iesus Christ rejoyce at one anothers ruine but as Israel mourne for the losse of our brother Benjamin Judg. 21.2 3. saying Lord why is it come to passe that one Tribe and more is lost this day in Israel If we loved would we not relieve the poor distressed brethren Can we truly say we are Christs and our purses our own Are not all our goods put into our hands as stewards Must we not give an account how imployed 'T is strange having a note under Gods own hand even his word to disburse to the poor so much and he would allow of it that we refuse If we should chance lodge our brother a night 't were rare But as the Jewes formerly said The first day a man was Oreach a guest the second Toreach a burden the third heaven and salvation not earthly things are the subject of Saints rejoycings Barach a runnagate So we fish and guesse in three dayes stink In the primitive time all things were common some sold their houses for the common good The Macedonians are commended by the apostle for giving themselves to Christ and theirs to saints as need required 2 Cor. 8.5 we must not as some do now a dayes say all thine is mine and mine my own but all mine is thine and thine thy own If we loved we would not so easily jar let us see the danger of it and the profit of love Scylurus his will is common a bundle of Arrows to his sons while the Arrows fast together in a bundle none easily broken while his sons knit together in brotherly love all safe but dum singuli pugnant vincuntur omnes T was Cyrus policy in taking Babylon the great rivers running thorow the city hindered its taking therefore he cut it out into channels and then it was even fordable and feasable if love were among us soon would peace and then we should see how concordiâ parva crescerent ut magna jam dilabuntur small things would increase as now great things grow small de Clem. lib. 1. cap. 4. Cesars safety sayes Seneca was the Romans Peace ille ut vinculum per quod resp cohaeret ille spiritus vitalis quem tot millia trahunt nihil ipsa per se futura nisi onus et praeda si mens illa imperij subtrahatur dolentem dicere verum quid vetat rege incolumi mens omnibus una Amisso rupere fidem For want of love are wars hint caedes venena urbium clades et totarum exitia gentium et principum sub civili hasta capita venalia et subjecta tectis faces et ingentia spacia regionum hostili flamma reâ—ucentia aspice tot nobilissimarum urbium fundimenta vix notabilia haec ira dejecit Aspice solitadines per multa millia sine habitatione disertas has ira exhausil aspice tot memoriae proditoâ— duces mali exempla fati alium ira in cubili suo confodit Sen. de ira lib 1. cap. 2. hence wars murders poyson ruining of Cities Kingdoms Nations hence that Princes heads are uncivilly saleable Crowns and Scepters trampled under foot miscenstrue me not Reader I am translating Seneca hence that famous Cities scarce known by their ruines hence Countreys Provinces dispeopled in a flame O my native bleeding countrey note that every agreement is not commendable it must be secundum Christum-saints do agree in truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 4.15 otherwise it is conspiracy so all haeretikes agree as Pilate and Herod are made friends against Christ as Sampsons foxes turn tail to tail to do hurt Miror quâ— omnes heretici inter se dissentiunt contra Christum consentiunt Ireland the historian said discord was Venenum in civibus Romanis poison among them Love by the psalmist is resembled to Balsam or the precious ointment Psal 133. which healeth if love among ministers we would with the milch kine carry our ark neither turning to the right hand nor left if the apostle rebuked the Corinthians because some said I am of Apollo I of Cephas or Peter onely magnifying their own minister and asked is Christ divided would he not if alive now ask is Christ torn in pieces so many men so many mindes quot capita tot opiniones I had almost said religiones deus bone in quae tempora reservasti nos I am sure there should be one judgement de jure and one practise or charity though de facto neither Jerem. 32.39 I will give them one heart and one way In Acts 4.32 the multitude was of one heart and one soul where there are differences in opinion there needs charity consider all not at the same time nor equally enlightened consider Christs demeanure to his disciples in this case Acts 1. they beleeved Christ should as a temporall King restore Israel he modestly answers It was not for them to know times and seasons Thus he deales with obstinate Thomas Reach hither thy fingers be not faithlesse Joh. 20.2 But what place is this I see like the Almanacks Anatomy full of piercings Is this that England the glory of I lands and envy of Continents Is this that Isle which strangers came to see A reed shaken with the winde rather shattered in peeces Poore England like Rebecca with more then twinnes in her wombe and whoever prevailes she smarts Poor England like a Rock cut and hammered into a Quarry to dig stones to build up her self in a newer fashion Poor England like an Oake cleft asunder with wedges taken out of her own body Where 's the friendship between families the love of brethren the seamlesse coat of Christ spared by the violent Romane souldiers Where 's the thought of comming from one Adam and redeemed by one Christ being one in Christ Where 's the thought of one Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one hope of salvation Quis talia fando temperet à I will summe up all with that of the Poet never more seasonable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiodus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The peacefull Ministers begin to jarre And each Mechanick wages warre There 's peace in hell 'mongst us a strange confusion Is this from heaven in part sure hells delusion But disputations may beget knowledge though ofttimes strife as two flints knockt together do light Know diversities of opinions must be too to manifest their faith who are approved I Cor. 11.19 The Lord now doth try his people and prove them Deut. 13 1. 'T is partly want of love makes us censure The Apostles when Christ told them one of them should betray him began to examine and accuse themselves rather then others every one saying Is it I Not straight Sure it is Peter Judas Let us to prevent censuring look upon our own unworthinesse Non videmus id manticae quod in ter go est I have read
〈…〉 carry his crosse quire along Simon Cirenaeus helped Compare the Gospels greater love then this has no man that one should lay down his life for his friends so calle in respect of election and Christs deat foreseen and consequently reconciliation nature at his death put on mourning apparel the earth trembled to bear a dying Saviour the rocks rent because mans heart was so hard and a stranger to Israel cryed out seeing such an Eclips Vel Deus naturae patitur vel hic mundus dissolvitur So much Christ by dying has done for his that no Latine word can expresse his salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uno vocabulo Latino non potest exprimi sayes Tully fere his verbis Servator comes short of it Christ may be said to be Servator daemonum as preserving them from relapsing to nothing Salvator doth not expresse it he was Salvator angelorum keeping them safe from fall but restored man to all lost priviledges and farre better foelix lapsus qui talem meruit Servatorem Some would have the Greek rendred by Sospitator sospitantur enim ea quaefuerunt perdita Laurent in 2 Pet 1.1 Servantur vero salvantur ea quaenon fuerunt perdiâ—a But Antigonus for liberty restored to the Lacedemonians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Were we lost in Adam and are we not found 〈◊〉 Christ we were sons by creation â—o are the wicked even Dives heires we were of an earthly Paradise not comparable in any thing to Heaven we had life should have never died mors à morsu But by Christ we are sons of God adopted more are we beholding for being restored to immunities once lost then the Angels that were only preserved from fall magis gratis datur says Aqui. Christ left the 99 good Angels to seek man that was lost as well as the 99. Proud Pharisees who seem and think to need no Saviour but some temporal deliverer no repentance by Christ we are heirs of that Paradise of which Adam's but a Type and have eternal life through death Adam though great Clerks are against it should never have died not been happy and glorious but through sin and Christ yet with the phites we worship not the Serpent but God who brought good out of evill Question Why then was heaven made before the fall Solu Because God foresaw it Should all men have lived on earth for ever and still begat children the world could not have contained them which God foreknew let Christ be only our Saviour let us have neither other saviours intercessours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pope has he saies the over-plus of other Saints good works to dispose of thus the Saints in that opinioÌ„ so derogatory from Christ save themselves and others but remember the good Angels and Saints have as wise Virgins Mat. 25. little oyle enough for themselves God can charge his Angels Saints with folly The Virgin Mary had sin as Scotus proved for she rejoyced in a Saviour the Apostles were bid to say forgive us our trespasses and those that will not God forgive them now where sin is there no merits are saies judicious Calvin Peter sinned after Christ prayed for him thus the Pope his successor not only in denying his Lord and Master but continually the Apostle Paul speaking of sinners affirms himself cheif 1 Tim. 1.15 and advises the Saints instead of censuring others and preferring themselves to think better or esteeme other better then themselvs 2 Phil. ver 3. Corne the richer in the eare the more it hangs the head the more a man is in Christ the more sensible he is of his natural misery and the more humble pray only to Christ we have one only Mediator 1 Tim. 2.5 and know and acknowledge no other Intercessor unlesse prayers of Saints on earth so understand Job 5. for I am perswaded for particulars Abraham knowes us not and Israel is ignorant of us I say 63.16 and know not our particular wants but thou O Lord art our Redeemer give not his glory to another God is a jealous God Christ saves wo to them that imitate the Devil in striving to destroy and to make men sin if such out of love mercy and Christs example will not forbeare yet let me desire them to be as charitable to themselves and others as Dives I have five brethren to omit that explanation of Moses 5 Books send to them lest they come to this place of torment saies he what charity in hel Aquinas tels us there be no good thoghts there for they were to no purpose but whether a parable or no thus much gather Dives knew his bad example and life had made his brethren sin and therefore concluded he should have the greater damnation to prevent which he would have them by Lazarus admonished Go and do likewise Nothing but blood could redeem I doubt me Zipporah spake more out of passion then faith when she said thou art an husband of blood to Moses Exod. 4.25 yet it may thus be rendred thou art a husband to me preserved by blood The Creation to this was an easie work dictum factum the first but the second cost Christs hearts blood Christ was mastred and overâ—ome by sinful men he wrastled with Jacob and was overcome to prelude to his passion being then as man prevailed over consider his willingnesse I lay down my life yet the occasion ours nihil iste nec potuit mea fraus consider the deformity of sin how did Christ look appearing cloathed with sin deformity of mankind before divine justice God even absents himself from him scarce acknowledging him it was his love to lie in a grave to sweeten it to his people two dayes part of the third the Sabbath was a Type of it together with resting from sin and eternall rest now 't is the Lords day in memorial of his glorious * On the Lords day our first day of the week five things we read done only as the work of the day 1. Being in the spirit or spiritual meditations 2. Preaching ex 20. Actorum Adde in the third place prayer 4 Breaking Bread or Sacraments 5. Distribution to the Saints the Apostle ordained or commanded thus the Church of Galâ—â—ia Dr. Prideaux To worship being the Moral part of the command is kept Resurrection and Ascension let no man therefore judge you in respect of holy dayes the Iewish especially or the new Moon or the Sabbath being shadows Colos 2.16.17 consider his love unto man in giving him his reward out of mercy not merit As soon as dead thou shalt be with me this day in Paradise Luke 23.43 and Lazarus dyed and was immediately carried by the Angels to Abrahams bosome that is heaven where note since Christs death the glory of the Saints is greater then before but no Limbus Christ ascending no doubt gave some more honour to the Saints in heaven as well as his spirit on earth the head is more honourable then the bosome the glory of the S