imbraceth his body and spurneth his feet No no but Quicquid propter Deum fit aequaliter fit Hee that serves God aright serves him with an equall mind and saith with the Psalmist I have respect unto all thy Commandements Ps 119.6 and resolves with Saint James that he who faileth in one point of the Law is guilty of all But in their later falshood ye may behold and wonder that they should be precisest in smallest matters O but there was great skill and cunning in that for thereby they stayed the world from looking after their greatest businesses For it could not be easily imagined or suspected that they who were so conscionable as to tyth herbes yea the basest and vilest of their herbs would be unconscionable in the greatest matters of judgement and mercie that they which did strain at a gnat could possibly swallow a Cammell Let the discovery of this evill be enough of it self to make us not to learn it but to loath it to learn that of Christ This ought ye to have done and not to have left the other undone The greatest duties are first to be respected and the least after not to be neglected 4. Lastly their righteousnesse was vainglorious Yea this was that whereof all their other services did relish and whereby their imperfections were as it were perfected and made up For why was their righteousnesse verball why formall why partiall but for vainglory sake And if this sauce sowreth the best service as indeed it doth how tart then did it make their services which were every one so harsh in themselves and how fulsome a messe did they make being all put together Yea in their vain-glory wee may observe which indeed is naturall to all pride not onely the advancing of themselves but the abasing of other This I say is prides propertie for every ascent is by pressing or treading somewhat down This no doubt the Pharisees were guilty of else Christ would never have taxed and charged them with such a boasting as Lu. 18. to set them forth speaking so proudly to the contempt and condemning of all others I am not as other men are Whereupon Saint Augustine De ver Dom. ser 36. Diceret saltem sicut multi homines Quid est caeteri homines nisi omnes praeter ipsum He might have said not as many men but now he saith not as other men what is it but that he condemneth all men And that not in a few or light things but many and great Extortioners Unjust Adulterers Yea he is not content with indefinite or generall speaking but dares touch upon particular saying Or even as this Publican Whereupon again Saint Augustine Insulat non exultat Hom. 44. Hee doth but insult upon his fellowes hee doth not rightly rejoice in himself There is a holy rising of the soul a rising by humility as the Eagle is said to rise highest out the lowest Valley So the virgin mothers rising was My soul doth magnifie the Lord saith she and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour for he hath regarded the low linesse of his hand mayden but the Pharisees rising was both presumptuous and contemptible to rise by trampling on the necks and crowns of others Thus yee see how still they dip their soules in a double die of sinne breaking the rule of faith which saith Christ came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chief 1 Tim. 1.15 And breaking And breaking the rule of of faith which willeth that every man esteem another better then himself Phil. 2.3 Acquitting where they should condemne I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Rem 7.18 and condemning where they should acquit Charity thinketh not evill believeth all things hopeth all things 1 Cor. 13. Beware therefore as of double sin in every kind for in one sin shalt thou not be unpunished so especially of this swelling and trampling pride For every one that exalteth himself shall be brought low and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted Finis Serm. sive tract 6. Trino-uni gloria Per me Gulielmum Gaium Two SERMONS upon Ps 8.4 The former of them for a Funerall farewell to the late Honorable the Conutesse of Manchester preached in my place in Manchester house in Canon Row Westminster in a Right Honoable presence Ian. 8. 1653. Text. Psa 8.4 What is man that thou art mindfull of him IT is a naturall thing to naturall men to affect knowledge therefore our first parents in Paradise could not be content with all the trees in the Garden but they must needs have a tast of the tree of Knowledge though God himself had forgiven them But it is a supernaturall thing to regenerate men to affect the Knowledge of themselves Therefore though the heathen men had that excellent saying among them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know thy self Yet they had it as from the Oracle of Apollo and they held it for no humane but for a Divine precept Therefore also when Adam forgetting himselfe desired that high Knowledge which was forbidden him God himself came and told him his own and what he was Dust thou art and dust thou shalt return Upbraiding his pride and condemning his folly that he would presume to desire so high Knowledge which was too wonderfull and excellent for him and in the mean time neglect that Knowledge which was more proper and sutable to him namely the knowledge of himself Indeed Saint Paul saith Knowledge puffeth up 1 Cor. 8.1 but no doubt hee meaneth outward Knowledge of things without us which is called Scientia as for the knowledge of our self which is rather to be called Conscientia if it be right and true it can not puffe us up it will rather beat us down and humble us For he that knoweth himself knoweth that he is a creature therefore that he hath a creature that he is not of himself nor by himself nor for himself but that his creation is from God his preservation by God and his whole being in God And so the knowledge of a mans self brings him to the knowledge of God So that as Saint John saith of Love 1. Joh. 4.2 How can he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen love God whom he hath not seen So may I say of Knowledge How can hee that knoweth not himself whom he hath seen know God whom he hath not seen Hugo lib. 3. de Anima Frustra cordis oculum erigit ad Deum qui nondum idoneus est ad videndum seipsum Hee doth in vain lift up his eyes to see God who is not yet fitted to see himself Chrys Est primum hominis sapientiam affectantis contemplare quod ipse sit It is the chief property of a man that affecteth wisdome to contemplate what himself is Wherefore this holy Prophet David was very carefull in seeking for this knowledge and very diligent in searching the state and condition of himself And howsoever no doubt he studied
with God there is not magis minus his infinitenesse admitteth no degrees of comparison how much more I say is his providence exercised concerning that World of Worlds his Church wherein every Member is a little World renewed or made new And how much most of all towards those who are the Stars of that World I mean the Ministers who are ordained to shine not onely in glory hereafter They that turn many unto righteousness shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 but also in grace here for they are the light of the World Mat. 1.14 Yea Stars already The seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches Rev. 1.20 This that I have said is plainly exprest in this Text now read wherein is shewed Gods great care and love towards his Church in fitting them with Ministers Moses and Joshua to guide and lead them I call them Ministers for though they were not properly Priests in Sacrificing yet they were Ministers in teaching they were Ministerial Magistrates Teachers as well as Governours Gods providence towards them and theirs in them appeareth in two parts of the Text viz. In his approbation of th' one deceased Moses my servant is dead and in the ordination of th' other to succeed Now therefore arise Joshua His approbation of Moses is in taking and giving notice of his life that he was his servant and of his death that he was dead 1. He taketh notice of his life for he calleth him his servant Note here God is watchfull over men and specially over special men 1. He is watchful over men even generally over all for he can neither slumber nor sleep Psal 121.4 It was a mockage of the false God It may be hee sleepeth 1 King 18.27 But the eyes of the Lord in every place behold the evill and the good Prov. 15.3 Yea and that not only for actions but for words and thoughts Thou art about my path and about my bed and spiest out all my wayes for loe there is not a word in my tongue but thou O Lord knowest it altogether Psal 139.3 4. This teacheth us to beware of hiding both before hand and after hand Before hand in respect of practise Wo unto them that seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord Is 29.15 And so do all that practise evil For every one that evill doth hateth the light Joh. 3.20 But in vain for the darkness is no darkness with him but the night is as clear as the day the darkness and light to thee are both alike Psal 139.11 He that planteth the ear shall not he hear or he that made the eye shall not he see Yes all things are naked and open to his eyes Heb. 4.13 Walk with God then as in his presence since out of his presence thou canst not goe And after hand likewise beware of hiding and not confessing For hast thou been shameless and fearless in doing and wilt thou be ashamed and afraid to confesse what thou hast done Doest thou not see it is one wrong to God to transgress his will and another to think thou canst deceive him by hiding it Forget not thy self then so much at any time as to practise the works of darkness as if God did not see thee but if thou hast so forgotten O remember at last thou wast mistaken and freely open what thou canst not hide For he that hideth his sin shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Prov. 28.13 2. But God is especially watchfull over speciall men generally his Elect The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open to their prayers Ps 34.14 And specially to the special ones the heads and principals and that in his Donation Protection Offence Acceptance 1. In his Donation to whom he gives greater place to them he gives greater grace that he may prepare them to greater glory Solomon having a great government had a great gift of wisdom 1 King 3. I say must have his lips touched with an hot coal from the Altar Is 6.6 Moses hath a word of warrant I will be with thy mouth and will teach thee what thou shalt say Exed 3.12 And the Disciples I will give you a mouth and wisdome where against all your adversaries shall not be able to speake or to resist Luke 21.15 My use of this shall be to my self I trust God will make this good in me that with my greater place I shall receive greater grace gift of Ability as well as of Imployment and the Lord grant it not for mine but for his own honour and glory in the good of you whom he hath given me 2 In his Protection Touch not mine Annointed and doe my Prophets no harm Ps 105.15 The Disciples are warranted there shall not one hair of your head perish Luk. 21.18 Beware then of opposing Gods Ordinance and offer no despite nor despising to the Magistrate or to the Minister think not to prevail by stubborness for ye shall therein but imagine a vain thing Ps 2.1 Why doe the heathen rage and the people imagine a vaine thing Yea ve shall be found but fighters against God Act. 5.39 He that resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Rom. 13.2 3. In Offence For they are the apple of his eye Zach. 2.8 He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye Ps 17.8 Keep me as the apple of the eye their blemishes as well as their touches are his great offence see it in his reckoning with David 2 Sam. 12.7 and with his people Mic. 6.3 Beware then of playing the wanton with God turn not his grace into wantonness let not his favour imbolden thee to sin for the more his kindnesse is unto thee the more unkindly he takes thy sin Therefore grieve not the good Spirit of God for the more he loves thee the more offence he takes at thy lack of love to him 4. In Acceptance For though the Lord is generally gracious and mercifull loving unto every man nigh unto all men that call upon him Ps 145. Yet some mens calling upon him is of speciall acceptance with him yea not only for themselves but also for others insomuch that some are commanded to make use rather of their then of their own calling Abraham must pray for Abimelech Gen. 20.7 and Job for his friends Job 42.8 Yea God hath ordained and set an order and function of men to be petitioners for others even the Ministry with promise of speciall acceptance Jam. 5.14.15 And while Moses held up his bands Israel prevailed but when he let down his hands Amaleck prevailed Exod. 17.11 Learn therefore to love them whom God so accepteth Now we beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake 1 Thes 5.12 13. For if you love
Christ hath suffered for sins excepting no sins but that every one should have liberty to infer conclude and say for my sins Art thou a young sinner Christ hath suffered for sins Art thou an old sinner Christ hath suffered for sins Art thou a Jew sinner Christ hath suffered for sins Art thou a Gentile sinner Christ hath suffered for sins Art thou a bond sinner art thou a free sinner art thou a male sinner art thou a female sinner art thou a great sinner art thou a grievous sinner Christ hath suffered for sins Who ever thou art or whatever thy sins be here is no exception to thee or to them but thou mayst safely infer and say Christ hath suffered for sins therefore for my sins Only let thy sins be sins and think them not to be virtues say not All these things have I kept from my youth up say not I fast twice a week I give tythe of all that I possesse say not I have no sin for then what hast thou to doe with the sufferings of Christ be suffered for sins The whole need not the Physician but they that are sick He came not to call the righteous but sinners Therefore excuse not thy sinne as Adam did saying The woman which thou gavest me Neither colour it as Judas did saying Haile Master neither deny it as Gehazi did saying Thy servant went no whither neither defend it as Jonah did saying I doe well to be angry But freely and penitently confesse it as David did saying I have sinned against the Lord For then as David was so shalt thou be answered The Lord hath put away thy sin thou shalt not die and then thou mayst comfortably lay hold on the sufferings of Christ and apply them to thine own soul else thou hast no part or portion in him or them for Christ hath suffered for sins For sins I say in general all and of all Mr. Theoph. Thynne at Longleat And therefore also of this Infant whom our present businesse doth concern For all the seed of the Faithfull are within the Covenant of Grace as is proved Rom. 4. to wit that the promise is made to Abraham and his seed as well spiritual as natural even to all the faithful yea and to their seed also Act. 2.39 And though Infants have not actuall faith themselves yet being presented by the faithfull they are accepted as faithfull De liber arb lib. 3. cap. 23. as saith St. Augustin Pie recteque creditur prodesse parvulo corum fidem à quibus consecrandus offertur It is godly and rightly beleeved that the Infant in Baptism is profited by their Faith by whom it is offered And again De ver Apo. Ser. 10. Accommodat illis mater ecclesia aliorum pedes ut veniant aliorum cor ut credant aliorum linguam ut fateantur Our Mother the Church doth lend unto them the feet of others that they may come the heart of others that they may beleeve Ser. 3. de Annun the tongue of others that they may confesse And St. Bernard Supplet munus gratiae quod in eis habet natura minus possibile The work of Grace supplyeth in them that which in nature is impossible Yea they are said in some sort to have faith in as much as they have the Sacrament of Faith Aug Bonifacio Epist 23. And as the same Augustine speaketh Sacramentum fidei fides est Respondetur fidem habere c. The Sacrament of Faith is to them Faith It is answered they have faith in respect of the Sacrament of faith Ipsius fidei sacramentum fidelem facit the Sacrament of Faith makes the child faithfull Non rei ipsi mente annuendo sed ipsius rei sacramentum percipiendo not by assenting to the matter it self but by partaking the Sacrament thereof Doubt yee not therefore but earnestly beleeve that this Infant also hath his part in Christs sufferings which is thus generall for sins And thus I have briefly run thorough the three chief parts or points of this Text the sufferer his sufferings and the occasion of his sufferings Now considering the majesty of the sufferer the extremity of his sufferings and the vilenesse of the occasion I cannot let all this so slightly pass but I must needs draw out of it some further use and instruction And first it doth justly drive me into admiration of Christs wonderfull love to us When David heard of the death of his dear friend Jonathan he was so rapt with passion so ravished with admiration thorough the remembrance of his love that he calleth it wonderfull Wo is me saith he for thee my brother Jonathan very kind hast thou been to me thy love to me was wonderfull 2 Sam. 1. But now O David let me tell thee thy wonder was nothing it was but a shaddow to this love of Christ which we have to wonder at For Jonathan loved thee for that thy carriage and behaviour both toward him and his Father did deserve it but Christ loved us notwithstanding our carriage and behaviour deserved his and his Fathers hatred Jonathan loved thee well for that he much enjoyed the present and much more expected the future requitall of thy love to him but Christ loved us when he enjoyed our present enmity and had no hope of any future recompence Jonathan bewrayed his love to thee in that he clothed thee with his ornaments his robes and his garments 1 Sam. 18.4 and armed thee with his own weapons his sword and his bow but Christ bewrayed I had almost said betrayed his love to us in that he not onely clothed and armed us with his own spirituall robes and weapons but also took our raggs of corporall infirmity yea our sins upon himself Jonathan loved thy life and safety well but yet he loved his own better for when his father for anger against thee cast his spear at him he avoyded and fled and would not abide his Fathers fury but Christ loved our life and safety so well that for it hee was content to lose his own and did not shrink his own side from the spear If ever therefore O David thou hadst cause to call Jonathans love wonderfull much more cause have wee to give the same title to the love of Christ and to say to him very kind hast thou been to us O sweet Saviour thy love to us was wonderfull Yea needs must his love be wonderful seeing he himself is wonderfull for so the Prophet speaketh Is 9.6 He shall call his name wonderfull Wonderfull then is his name and wonderfull is his love for behold what wonders it worketh It caused the second person being God to take our nature to become flesh and to unite two natures God and Man Joh. 1.14 in one person behold a wonder It caused a Virgin to conceive breed and bear a sonne and to be at once a mother and a mayd behold a wonder It caused an innocent person to give his life and shed his
blood not for his friends but his for his enemies behold a wonder It caused the Lord of life to be billed as St. Peter speaketh Act. 3.15 and the Lord of glory to be crucified as St. Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 2.8 Behold a wonder yea it is so wonderfull that it is supra omnem creaturam ultra omnem mensuram contra omnem naturam above all creatures beyond all measure contrary to all nature Above all creatures for it is above the Angels and therefore above all others Beyond all measure for time did not begin it time shall never end it place doth not bound it sinnes doth not exceed it no estate no age no sex is denyed it tongues cannot expresse it understandings cannot conceive it Contrary to all nature for what nature can love where it is hated can forgive where it is provoked can offer reconcilement where it receiveth wrong can heap up kindnesse upon contempt favour upon ingratitude mercy upon sinne Well therefore and much more justly then David may wee make use of that speech and say to Christ Very kind hast thou been to us O dear Saviour thy love to us was wonderfull And now I can no longer stand in admiration of this wonder for behold another wonder offereth it self to take me off from this and that is the wonderment of our lack of love to him for his so wonderful loving us doth make this also to be a wonder that we should lack love to him The Scripture saith that in doing works of love unto our enemy we doe heap coales of fire upon his head Rom. 12. Love is compared to fire in heaping love we heap up fire Now the property of fire is to turne all it meets withall into its own nature fire makes all things fire the coale maketh burning coales Prov. 26.21 And is it not a wonder then that Christ having heaped such abundance of the fiery coales of his love upon our heads we should yet remain key-cold in love to him what mettall are we made of that Christs fiery love cannot work upon us or enflame us Can a man take fire in his bosome and his cloathes not be burnt or can a man goe upon coales and his feet not be burnt Prov. 6.27 And is it not a wonder then that we can take the fervent fire of Christs love into the bosome of our memories that wee can remember it and passe over it with the feet of our cogitations that we can thinke upon it and yet receive no heat or inflamation from it Moses wondered why the bush consumed not when he saw it all on fire Exod. 3.3 but behold I shew you a greater wonder we walk like those three children in the fiery furnace Dan. 3. even in the midst of Christs fiery love flaming round about us and yet alass how little true smell of that sweet fire is there to be felt upon us But there may be some reason rendred of this wonder namely because we are too much overwhelmed with the love of the world for as love is compared to fire so the world is compared to the sea Now the sea is a contrary element to the fire and doth hinder the working of it So long then as wee lye soked in the love of the world the love of Christ cannot inflame us Let us therefore rouze our selves and shake off from us this waterish worldly love that so wee may bee fit matter for Christs fiery love to work upon that our hearts being hot and the fire being kindled within us it may break forth continually in our tongues and in our hands in our words and in our works to his praise and glory Thirdly the consideration of Christs sufferings doth move us not onely to admire his love to us nor onely to be ashamed of our lack of love to him but it doth also move us to love those that are like him in suffering the poor and needy the miserable and afflicted are lively images and resemblances and therefore also should be remembrances to us of Christ When we meet a man that is like some friend of ours we rejoyce to doe him all the love and kindnesse that we can for our friends sake whom hee doth resemble And shall wee not also rejoyce to shew love and kindnesse to the afflicted and miserable seeing they doe so lively resemble their chief and best yea indeed our only true friend Christ Yea they doe so lively resemble him that hee speaks of them as if they were himselfe and puts himself in their stead I was hungry and yee gave mee no meat thirsty and ye gave mee no drink for in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these my brethren ye did it not to me Mat. 25. It is then a great presumption and a shrewd suspition that wee never took Christ for our friend or that now wee have forgotten our friendship if we shew no love or respect to those who are so well like him And if we shew our selves so forgetfull of him here as to take no notice of him in his so lively images it will be just that hee also forget us hereafter and answer us with Nescio vos I know you not Fourthly the consideration of Christs sufferings doth move us not only to admire his love to us nor onely to love him again nor onely to love those that are like him in sufferings but further also to love and embrace his very sufferings themselves cheerfully and comfortably to entertain misery and affliction seeing it was the speciall ornament wherewith Christ was swadled at his birth clothed in his life and crowned in his death We use to make much accompt of those robes and ornaments which our loving friends were went to wear therefore some doe superstitiously worship the reliques of Christ and of his Saints but behold misery and affliction is the chiefest relique that Christ hath left behind him for with it he clothed himself at his birth as with a garment and wore it all his life and never put it off until he dyed It was the first and the last thing that he wore he never slept nor waked without it If then we love and make accompt of Christ we wil also love and make much accompt of this relique which he hath left behind him wil think it rather a grace then any disgrace unto us Never was Jacob more gracious and acceptable to his Father Isaac then when he stood before him clothed in the garments of his rough brother Esau then the Father smelling the savour of the elder brothers garments said behold the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed Gen. 27. And never are we more gracious and acceptable to God our heavenly Father then when we stand before him clothed in the rough garments of Christs miseries and afflictions for then especially we become noisom to our selves and to the world and therefore then especially we are as a
fragrant field unto the Lord. I speak not this to perswade any man wilfully to make himself miserable for our Saviour himself hath pronounced it to be A more blessed thing to give then to receive Neither doe I speak to commend or justifie the counterfeit zeal of those that mock the world with a false shew of wilfull poverty whiles shutting themselves up in a Cloister that they may seem to forsake the world they do indeed enjoy it in all superfluity Or at the least the worst of their misery is no more then that which that holy man prayeth for Pro. 30.8 Give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me If they have no excesse they are sure to feel no want but to be sufficiently provided for both for back and belly so long as they live there and are they not then very zealous think you in binding themselves to such a misery But my speech is to hearten all those with comfort on whom God hath layd affliction that they may bee so far from impatience as rather to rejoyce in tribulation Rom. 5.3 because it was their Masters common lot and portion for the Disciple is not above his Master nor the servant above his Lord it is enough for the Disciple to be as his Master and the servant as his Lord. Yea not onely the afflictions of life but death it self and the grave should be welcom and acceptable to us for Christ also hath passed them and by suffering hath sanctified them unto us so that the curse of death is turned into a blessing and the grave is become a bed of rest Rev. 14.13 and that Prophecie Is 11.8 is fulfilled The sucking child shall play upon the holt of the Asp and the weaned child shall put his hand upon the Cockatrice hole There is now no danger to Gods children in the hole of death that is the Grave for death hath lost his sting and cannot hurt us so that we may triumph and say O death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thanks be to God which hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. In the last place let us learn not onely to admire Christs love to us nor onely to love him again nor only to love those that are like to him in suffering nor onely to love his sufferings themselves but withall to hate sin which was the occasion of his sufferings Sin was the occasion of Christs sufferings for had not Adam sinned Christ had had no cause or need to suffer If therefore wee love him wee cannot chuse but hate that which was to him the occasion of such a miserable life and such a shamefull painfull and cruell death David 2 Sam. 23. being an high Captaine though he longed for the water of Bethleem yet would not tast it when hee had it because it cost his three souldiers the hazard of their lives thathe might have it Much more we being servile souldiers though our soules long for the sweet waters of sin yet should we forbear to tast it because it cost our high Captaine Christ not the hazard but the very loss of his life that we might not have it God shewed Moses a tree wherewith he might make the bitter waters sweet Exo. 15.25 but behold I shew you a tree wherewith ye may make the sweet waters of sin to become bitter Look upon the tree of Christ remember his Cross and the pains he suffered thereon and the false sweetnesse of sin will quickly vanish and ye shall rightly rellish the bitterness of it If the delight of any sinne offer it self unto you cast Christ his Cross into it do but remember his sufferings for sin and all sin will presently grow distastfull For how can it choose but be hatefull to us if we consider how hurtfull it was to him The Jews would not put those thirty peeces into their Treasury because they thought them to bee the price of blood Mat. 27.6 but therein I must say they were deceived for Judas for that money did rather sell himself and his own soul then Christ or Christs blood For Christ was sold before even God had sold him before to death for the sin of man For when in the fall of man the devil offered sin unto God then did God threaten Christ unto him namely That the seed the woman should break the serpents head Gen. 3. And had not Christ been so sold before to death for sin not all the treasure in Jerusalem nor in all the world could have bought him Seeing then that Sin was the true and proper price for which Christ was sold how unworthy are wee the name of Christians yea how much worse are we then Jews if we suffer this price of blood to come into the treasury of our hearts If therefore any motion of pride arise in thy mind answer and tell it thou art the price of blood If any temptation of lust be offered to thine eyes answer and tell it thou art the price of blood If any provocation of anger or revenge be urged to thy hands answer and tell it thou art the price of blood If any greedinesse of gain move thee to wrong or oppression answer and tell it thou art the price of blood And whatsoever sin thou art tempted to answer and tell it thou art the occasion of my Saviours death thou art the price of Christs blood thou mayst not therefore come into the treasury of my heart O blessed Lord and sweet Saviour we do even with astonishment admire thy passing great love towards us we pray thee also by the fervent fire of thy great love that is upon us to kindle in us true love to thee again yea to all that are like thee in thy sufferings yea to thy sufferings themselves that we may patiently bear them whensoever they befall us But make us truly to hate sinne that was the occasion of thy sufferings We beleeve O Lord that by thy blood thou hast washt us from the guilt of sin wee beseech thee also make us more and more effectually find and feele that by thy spirit thou doest purge us from the love of sin that so our consciences may be comforted in all our life and especially in our death and our soules and bodies eternally saved in the life to come by and thorough thy all-sufficient sufferings and satisfactions For which unto thee with the Father and the Holy Ghost three persons one eternall God wee render all possible praise and thanksgiving and desire all honour and glory might and majesty may be ascribed for ever and ever Amen Finis Serm. 2. Trino-uni gloria Per me Gulielmum Gaium Martial At male si recites incipit esse tuus A SERMON preached at the Visitation held at Campden May 4. 1636. Text. JOH 13.17 If ye know these things blessed or happy are ye if ye doe them
for it overspreadeth all the world there is depth for it extendeth from heaven to earth But with what line or plumet shall we measure or take these dimensions hear Saint Paul Eph. 3.18 when he had prayed for the Ephesians that they might be able to comprehend what is the bredth and length and depth and height he addeth as the sum of all what And to know the love of Christ so that there is no measure of Gods love but his love no cause rule or reason of his will but his will He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy Rom. 9.15 he loved Israel onely because he loved them Deut. 7.7 Talke not then of universall grace or power of will in all men to repent and believe to begin to hold and to break at their pleasure Talk not of inherent grace of our own which doth gratum facere that our own righteousnesse doth make us accepted and hath part in the work of our justification Away with all such conceipts for we see here the current of grace runns as it were within it self It is grace in beginning and grace in proceeding and grace in concluding Gods will and work still and not our own It begins no small measure the seed of the word the first fruits of the spirit but at length pro ripis littorae pulsat It becomes an unmeasurable Sea which eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can enter into the heart of man Wherefore let us resolve here to set up our rest saying with David This shall be my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have a delight therein Ps 132. And seeing we cannot search or measure this fountain this stream these banks for the love of Christ passeth knowledge Eph. 3.19 Aristoteles non capit Euripum Euripus capiet Aristotelem let us cast our selves wholly into it seeing in following this stream of grace we are come to the Sea of glory now in our meditation let us rest and dwell therein constantly by our contemplation untill our souls be loosed from these bonds of flesh be carried with full wind and tide into the full fruition and eternall possession thereof Which the Lord grant to us all c. Finis Tract 5. Trino-uni gloria THere is a sermon set forth in print upon this same last text Jo. 1.16 preached by that learned and reverend Divine Mr. Dr. Preston which Sermon God knowes I never saw or heard of till long after this was finished Neither am I any whit the more asham'd of this notwithstanding in some few things we have met and hit on the same or very like notes or touches W.G. Three SERMONS here set forth in one continued Tract or discourse upon Act. 2. ver 1 2.3 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all with one accord in one place and suddenly there came a sound from Heaven c. WHatsoever is difficult and hard to be understood and apprehended the same is more hard to be expressed and uttered For the apprehension of things is the soules immediate work she doth it her self therefore therein she is more full and free But the expression of things is her secondary and mediate work wrought by Organs Instruments and meanes therefore therein she must needs be more scant and weak Tusc quest li 1. Therefore Cicero a free and fluent speaker saith Fieri ante potest ut recte quis sentiat id quod sentit polite eloqui non possit A quick apprehension may be weak in expression Now there is not any thing no not the things that are most common and familiar to us that do not yeeld some difficulty and hardnesse to be understood and more to be uttered Thine owne things and such as are grown up with thee canst thou not know saith the Angell to Esdras concerning the wind and the fire and the day 2 Esd 4.10 For even in the creature the Creator hath so involved himselfe that we cannot look readily upon those visible things but our eyes must needs be dazeled with his invisibility And if the Sun-beams be so resplendent what eye then can behold the body of the Sun it self If the nature of the creature be so unsearchable how shall wee be able to think of him who is the Creator of all And if to think be so transcendent how much more to speak rightly of him is it impossible Wherefore Cornelius Mussus calleth it Concio in ser 2. Pent. Antiquum à maximis theologis celebratum adagium an old and common adage amongst the greatest Divines what De deo dicere verum periculosum To speak truth of God is a dangerous thing And if this be true indefinitely taken and in generall how much more specially and in particular Namely concerning his personality And if of the Trinity absolutely it may astonish us to think or speak how much more respectively of this third person For if that mystery of Father and Son be so ineffable and above relation that the Prophet saith Who shall declare this generation Is 53.8 Notwithstanding wee have the words begetting and being begotten to help to expresse it doth not the being of the Holy Ghost seeme more incomprehensible seeing neither to be made created nor begotten belongeth unto him but to proceed It may so seem but in it self it cannot so be For we may say there are three who are incomprehensible the Father the Son the Holy Ghost but not three incomprehensibles but one incomprehensible therefore not different in degree We may not through our infirmity tax God of infirmity to make him subject to magis minus as if one person were greater or lesse then another for they are Coeternall together and Coequal Be it so then In themselves they are and must be one and yet unto us I may presume with reverence to say this revelation of the third person is the speciall revelation This feast continued after Christ 1 Cor. 16.8 Act. 20.16 at least suffered and morals survive Ceremonies and this feast of Pentecost the speciall feast of the Church First it it is the speciall reveration For wee could not be able to behold that ilustrious mystery of the Trinity but by the inlightning help of this third person That is the body of the Son this the speciall beam to guide us thereunto Or rather If I may dare so to spaek for fearfull ye see it is to speak herein the speciall mean or medium through which we may look thereon I say especiall not in regard of God in whom there is no difference but in respect of us to whom his works do differ Especially then to us the revelation of the Trinity is perfected in and by this third person the Holy Ghost First in him for without him there were not a Trinity God in revealing him hath fully revealed himself The Father was revealed by the Creation the Son by the Incarnation but till this fulnesse of time came God to us was not
fully come For now and not before did his servants receive his full name in their foreheads being baptised in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And now being made known to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his triple unity revealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of speciall excellencie he is become to us a King and we to him a Kingdom For now especially hee hath vouchsafed to specifie his Church by the name of his Kingdome Mat. 11. Hee that is least in the Kingdome of God that is in the state of his Church after this third revealing of himself This is the compleat mystery of godlinesse God is manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 And as In him so also By him to us is the Trinity especially perfected For this God of order allwaies observeth order as ad intra in his personall proprieties so ad extra in his outward works The Father creating the Son redeeming the Holy Ghost sanctifying And what had the former two works been without this third The Son of God had his two-fold marriage one personall with his flesh the other mysticall with his Church and in each the Father was the Donor the Son the Receiver there wanted not Bride or Bridegoom or giver But who could be worthy to be the minister in these holy conjunctions None but the Holy Ghost He was the Minister in the personall marriage For the word was made flesh but how he was conceived of the Holy Ghost Conceived the flesh supernaturally formed the Word hypostatically united And in the mysticall marriage likewise he is the Minister For if any man have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his But as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the Sons of God For this is that spirit of adoption by whom we cry Abba Father Rom. 8. He worketh the application of Christ unto us by faith and of us unto Christ by love and so is that marriage made The father is our Physitian the Son our Physick But the Holy Ghost is that blessed Apothecary which applyeth of this salve to every sore and administreth portions of this portion distributing to every one severally even as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 The Father was the sacrificer the Son the Sacrifice but where was the fire Wis 16. This charitas Dei this loving spirit this love of God Tit. 3.4 or rather this God Love for God is love 1 Jo. 4.8 was that heavenly fire wherein this sacrifice was finished For God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son Jo. 3.16 And through the eternall spirit Christ offered himself without spot to God Heb. 9.14 The Son is the arme the Holy Ghost is the hand the Father the body from which they issue or are derived And as in the body naturall the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee 1 Cor. 12. Yea the feeble members are so necessary that to the lesse honorable members we give more abundant honor so in this body of bodies this fountain of beings the holy deity the plurality of persons is no waies needlesse but their perfection consisteth not lesse in their Trinity then in their unty And lest we should think the Holy Ghost because he is the third in order to be the third in honor behold what abundant honor we are to give him The arm and hand work together and at once with the body and in and with the same strength yet the perfection and consequently the honor of the work more immediately belongeth to the arme and most immediately to the hand This Holy Ghost is the holy hand of God by which all the works of God are to us most immediately perfected With a mighty hand a stretched out arm he brought his Israel out of corporall bondage And with that stretched arme the redemption of the Sonne and this mighty hand the operation of the Holy Ghost he bringeth his Israel out of spirituall bondage I cannot shew you all the fingers of this hand for they abound yet not superfluously like that monstrous creature who had six upon each hand 2 Sam. 21. but richly as it becometh the Creator being Lord of all to be rich unto all Let it suffice that some of these fingers are expressed in the Scriptures Exo. 8.19 Pharaohs inchanters spake concerning the plague of lice This is the finger of God there is medius the strong finger of Power Exo. 31. Moses received the two Tables written with the finger of God there is Index the pointing finger of wisdom Lu. 11.20 Christ saith If I by the finger of God cast out Devills there is medicus the healing finger of mercy These are not those writing fingers in Belshazars vision Dan. 5. they write no fearfull inditement but they are those dropping fingers Can. 5. which droppe down pure myrrhe blessed distillations of grace and mercie to blot out the old handwriting that was against us Yea this hand enableth them on whom it resteth to prevail with God by holy wrastling as Jacob did Gen. 32.28 and to make violent entry by force into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 11.12 No marvell that Christ saith It is expedient for you that I go away Joh. 16.7 Why that the third person might take his course and turn that God unto us-ward might be perfected In him in respect of revelation By him in respect of application and operation Again this feast of the comming and appearing of the Holy Ghost is to us the feast of feasts the speciall feast We may compare it yea with reverence be it spoken we may preferre it to the feast of the Nativity in the former respects Namely in our own behalf this being the consummation of that unto us the Catastrophe the last scene of that divine act of the blessed Trinity In that feast God unchanged in himself descended unto man In this man changed and renewed from himself is lifted up unto God In that God became partaker of the humane nature in this man is made partaker of the divine nature In that one man was made the Temple of God 1 Cor. 6.19 in this every one of the faithfull is made so feverally and all-together jointly Eph. 2.21 That was begun secretly in the Virgins womb and accomplished obscurely in a stable This was done openly and publickly at a great feast and a solemn assembly In a word as the beginning without the end were vain so the end would not be without the beginning Therefore let no man put asunder that which God hath joyned together Yet exitus acta probat unto us the end and consummation is all in all Be it so then and let Saint Bernards player teach us the use of it Ser. 3. in Pent. that I follow it not further Solemnitatem praecipuam hodie celebramus utinam devotione praecipua Wee celebrate a speciall feast to day God grant we do it with speciall devotion that God
may truly use Jacobs words here and say This is none other but the house of God and this is the gatef heaven Gen. 28.17 Two things we may especially observe in the Text the matter and the manner the substance and the circumstance of the businesse here related The matter and substance is the coming and appearing of the Holy Ghost in sensible forms The circumstance is manifold chiefly it may be referred to the time when and the persons to whom this apparition was made With these points of the circumstance I will begin so to make way to the substance of the matter which is the larger and weighter point and part First then for the time And when the day of Pentecost was fully come This day as it is commonly held was the day of the publishing the Law upon Mount Smai In memory whereof the Jews kept a solemn feast which they commonly called The feast of weeks Deut. 16.10 It got also this name Pentecost because of the number of fifty being fifty daies after their Pascha the fiftieth day after their coming out of Egypt they received the Law and that day they kept this holy feast in remembrance thereof And this day was the fiftieth after Christs resurrection For it is plain that Christ suffered on the Jews preparation day of their Passeover and that the Passeover that year fell on the Sabbath which is therefore called An high day or the great Sabbath Joh. 19.31 and that they reckoned their fifty daies from the first of or after the Sabbath Lev. 23.11 15. which was Christs rising day the first day of their week So then this Pentecost was the fiftieth day from their Passeover exclusively and the fiftieth from Christs resurrection inclusively What then Behold the truth answerable to the figure that shaddow fulfilled in this substance As on the fiftieth day after their Passeover and their deliverance from corporall bondage under Pharoah they received Legem timoris the Law of fear upon Mount Sinai so on the fiftieth after day the accomplishment of our Passeover the Lamb of God slain and risen and our deliverance from the spirituall bondage under Satan we received Legem amoris the Law of love upon Mount Sion For Christ also is a Law-giver even the giver of a new Law as he himself speaketh Joh. 13.34 A new commandement give I you What That ye love one another Which yet is not a new or another Law but the fulfilling and consummation of the old Love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 The end of the commandement is love 1 Tim. 1.5 This Law was given when the Holy Ghost was given For the fruit of the spirit is love Gal. 5.22 The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of love 2 Tim. 1.7 This is that Law of liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free Gal. 5.1 Free in regard of the outward man because the inner man is accepted In my mind I serve the law of God though in my flesh the law of sin Rom. 7.25 Free not in the tie of obedience which is still upon us but in the tax of disobedience that is punishment which he hath taken from us Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 Well then brethren ye see your calling the sum of all is love Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart love thy neighbour as thy self the sincerity of the inside Truth in the inward parts Psal 51.6 For he is an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile Joh. 3. 47. Truth of heart supplyeth defect of hand for ye are called into liberty Gal. 5.13 The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath freed us from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 And where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 Stand fast therefore in this liberty of love Gal. 5.1 As free and not having the liberty for a cloak of malitiousness but as the servants of God 1 Pet 2. Not usin your liberty as an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another Gal. 5 13. For indeed Love is the bond of perfectness Col. 3.14 binding not onely us one to another for the unity of the spirit is in the bond of peace Eph. 4.3 but binding us unto God and God unto us For he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 Joh. 4.16 and that not for a time but for ever For this Law is not written with ink or in tables of stone corruptibly but in fleshly tables of the heart yea in the immortall table of the soul incorruptibly For though tongues cease or knowledge vanish away yet love never falleth away 1 Cor. 13. Now abideth Faith Hope Love but the chief of these is Love For Faith apprehendeth the promise hope attendeth the matter but Love sealeth and assureth confirmeth and strengtheneth both Again this coming of the Holy Ghost was the fiftieth day after Christs Resurrection and therefore the tenth day after his Ascension for he ascended not till the fortieth day Act. 1.3 and then he made his last promise of this which he now performed Ye shall be baptised with the holy Ghost not many daies hence Act. 1.5 He deferred it till the tenth day and on the tenth day he fulfilled it He deferred it till the tenth day that they might be exercised with expectation and whetted with delay For Gods delaies are nothing else but whettings His delay of judgements to the wicked is a whetting of his anger For if a man will not turn he will whet his sword Psal 7.13 Yea he will fourbish it that it may consume Ezek. 21.28 But his delay of grace to his children is a whetting to their zeal For the Physitian by restraint of dyet gaineth stomack health and strength unto his patient And God who best knoweth what is best for us by denying or by deferring grace oftentimes gives grace unto his children Else why did not St. Pauls threefold petition prevaile for his deliverance from that buffeting messenger of Satan but that he might receive a sufficiency of grace to strengthen him 2 Cor. 12. And else why did the prayer of the woman of Canaan suffer likewise a threefold repulse but even to whet her importunity and constancy that at the last she might receive that acclamation O woman great is thy faith Mat. 15.28 Again as untill the tenth day so no longer then the tenth day did Christ defer his promise but on that day he did fulfill it for God is not slack as some men count slackness 2 Pet. 3.9 Not so slack as to forget his promise Hath he said and shall he not doe it hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it Numb 23.19 No but heaven and earth shall sooner passe away Patientia est non negligentia Aug. de ver ap ser 20. then one
from you Jam. 4.7 And with God to get a blessing from him I will not let thee go except thou blesse me Gen. 32.26 Precisenesse is a common reproach to vilifie men but let us answer it with Davids resolution I will be more vile then so 2 Sam. 6.22 even for Saint Peters conclusions sake What manner of persons ought yee to be in holy conversation and godlinesse 2 Pet. 3.11 And so much of the former general part of the text the warning it selfe Beware ye or take heed to your selves Now for the latter part that is the thing forewarned or spoken of against The leaven of the Pharisees which is Hypocrisie This is here doubly set forth 1. Figuratively by a similitude The leaven of the Pharisees then literally by its owne proper name which is Hypocrisie The later is fit first to be considered First what it is and then what it is like First what it is Hypocrisie Saint Augustine doth thus describe it de temp ser 59. Hypocrita Graeco sermone simulator interpretator qui cum intus malus sit bonum se palam ostendit An Hypocrite is nothing else but a dissembler who would seem to be what hee is not If I should go about to describe unto you this evill to the full and to set out all the parts of it I should not onely exceed my hour but go beyond my self and undertake what I could not perform It is so copious and various that it hath more colours then the rainbow what pensill can paint it more shapes then Proteus what knot can hold it I may compare it for fruitfullnesse not to Danaus who had fifty Daughters a breeding brood but to that many headed monster which could supply the losse of every head with sudden issue of many in the room of it But that I may containe my selfe within my times limit and mine own measure let me bring all the particulars of it into 2. summes Simulation and Dissimulation faming of good and hiding of evill These be two in name but one in practise like Janus they have two faces but one body To us they are distinguished but in themselves never divided For on the one side good can not be pretended falsely shewed but it argueth defect of what should be and that is dissimulation And on the other side evill can not be covered but by pretence and shew of good and that is simulation Every false shew of good is a hiding of evill and every hiding of evill is a false shew of good So yee see what necessary relation and dependance there is between them Mutuo se ponunt auferunt the one cannot be without the other Though therefore many have taken worthy and profitable paines in handling them severally yet let my present paines for your profit be to speak of them jointly And as it is said of those whom God hath united Let no man put them asunder so let me say of these which Satan hath united for this time let them go together Briefly then the summe of all here is that Christ here forbiddeth his Disciples all falshood and therein sheweth that sincerity is the practise of a Christian yea the perfection of a Christian For he strikes not at a branch but at the root of sinne hee speakes not here against against any single or severall evill but against that which is Lernamalorum the sum of all evill that which truly turneth good into evill and falsely maketh good of evill So that in avoiding hereof a man may seem to have attained his perfection For it is indeed onely Christs perfection to be free both from sinne and guile who did no sin neither was there guile found in his mouth 1 Pet. 2.22 But it is a Christians perfection to be free onely from guile Behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile Joh. 1.47 And therfore it is that David is said to be a man after Gods own heart and that Noah Job Lot Zacharie and Elisabeth are said to be perfect just righteous or the like not because they were no sinners but because they were no dissemblers For what doth God require Loe saith David thou requirest truth in the inward parts Ps 51.6 This is Gods portion My Son give me thy heart Pro. 23.26 For if there be truth within there may be failing and falling but not falsifying without O then how strongly should we strive hereunto and how fearfull should wee be to fall into the contrary For seeing on the one side by obtaining we reach the height of our perfection it must needs follow that by failing on the other side we fall into the depth of imperfection For as sincerity is to God most acceptable so hypocrisie is to him most abhominable Witnesse the earnest passion which Christ expresseth in inveighing against this evill more then any other as in many places so especially Mat. 23. denouncing eight woes immediately one after another upon it and not so content concludeth yet more bitterly Yee serpeats yee generation of vipers how should yee escape the damnation of Hell Serpents and Vipers why are there no other creatures that may resemble the hypocrite but these Yes many The swan is alwaies washing her feet yet never makes them white And though she be white in feather yet her flesh is black to the eye bitter to the tast and heavy to the stomack so the hypocrite is alwais waving in the water of fair profession and yet his laies are never the cleaner ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth And though his appearances be white yet are his performances black to the eye if yee look upon them bitter to the tongue if yee speak of them and cloying to the conscience if ye follow them The fox is a subtile creature and so running to hide himselfe that he will not be found without labour and when he is found he yeilds nothing but a stinking savour except it be his case which indeed is better then his body neither is there any use to be made of him but onely to take his stink which is accounted medicinable for the shaking grief And such is the hypocrite cunning to hide hard to be discovered And if you find him he yeelds you nothing but noysomnesse except his case his covering his profession that 's all he is worth Neither is there any use to be made of him but onely to take his stink that is to hate and abhor him For that is medicinable to stay the shaking of faith hope and love Of love 1. Joh. 3.18 Let us not love in word nor in tongue but in deed and verity truth maketh love strong Of hope Iob 8.13 The hypocrites hope shall perish therefore the sincere mans hope shall stand truth makes hope strong Of faith Eph. 6.14 First gird your loines with verity and then take the shield of Faith Truth makes faith tstrong The Crocodile faineth weeping when he intendeth murthering So the hypocrit maketh long prayers to
seeing our miseries are such in our temporall condition in respect of getting keeping losing why then I may justly say what is there in this vale of tears that may deserve our love or be worthy of our affection Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity saith Solomon and wee our selves know that we are certain in nothing here but in an uncertain course of things and a continuall interchange of joy and sorrow Why then should these vanities and vexations like so many bewitching Cirees transform us into swinish quality that we should delight rather to ly wallowing in the miry mudde and puddle of worldlinesse then to be translated into the glory and blisse of Paradise why should they like so many Sirens with their deceitfull musick and melodie stop our course and stay our journy when we should be travelling into our own country why should they intice us to lie floating on the troublous and dangerous waves of this world when we should be striving to get into the Haven and Harbor of rest why should they so much deceive us as to make us make this our Paradise where wee find nothing but misery and here to settle our hearts where there is nothing that can satisfie our desire Love not the world saith Saint John nor the things of the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him Here is the privative use here is that we must not do what is the positive use what is that we must doe Our Saviour teacheth both together Mat. 6.19 Lay not up for your selves treasures upon Earth ther 's that we must not do but lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven there 's that wee must do It is Heaven that is our Country and inheritance on earth wee are but pilgrims and strangers It is Heaven where we shall have the fulnesse of joy there all our comforts are crost with cares Learn therefore of Saint Phil. 3.8 to count all things loss and to judge them to be dung that wee may win Christ Or if ye can not reach that perfection to despise the world yet at least labour and strive that yee may be able to use the world as though yee used it not and to have your conversation in Heaven And so much of the discovery of mans vileness out of the consideration of his temporall estate and condition in respect of the miseries of his life The same also will appear in respect of the shortnesse of his life For mans dignity and honor in his creation was in his being the Image of God and that was partly in his immortality whereof during his innocencie he was capable Potens non mori having a possibility not to die His immortality therefore and length of life being then his honor and excellencie it must needs follow by the rule of contraries that his mortality and shortness of life is his dishonor and vilenesse But out of the Scriptute also it may bee shown that long life is an honor and short life a dishonor a reproach and vilenesse unto man For in the ninteenth of Lev. ver 32. it is said Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head and honor the face of the old man And in the Commandements Ex. 20. the only promise of reward expressed is that of long life That thy daies may be long in the land c. And as this is a reward and honor so on the contrary short life is a punishment and dishonor For 1 Sam. 2.32 when God would execute judgement and justice upon Eli one of his greatest punishments was that there should never be an old man in his house but his seed should be cut off before it should be ripe And often in the Scriptures we find long life as a blessing to the god ly and short life as a curse to the wicked on the one side promised on the other side threatned Let us look then upon the shortnesse of our life and consider the vileness of our condition therein Ye know Moses his accompt Ps 90.10 The daies of our years are threescore years and ten and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years yet in their strength labour and sorrow He accounts it the utmost of our age but a little For to that purpose he closeth therewith this for it is soon cut off and we fly away It is soon cut off as if he should say It is a time of no considerable endurance But as touching the shortnesse of mans life the heathen man Tully by the twilight of nature could see to say thus Lib. de senect Quid est in vita hominis diu what length is there in the life of man Mihi quidem ne diuturnum quidquam videtur in quo est aliquid extremum me thinks there 's nothing long or lasting which hath an end For indeed when that is once come then 't is all nothing But Saint Augustine goes farther and saith Conf. lib. 11. cap. 15. that the life of man is neither long nor short but that it is not at all Quo pacto illud longum est aut breve quod omnino non est How can that be long or short which at all is not Praeteritum enim jam non est futurum nondum est For the time past is not now and the time to come is not yet So that then we can count our life nothing but the same to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that same instant present moment of time Now which the Philosophers make an end of the time past and the beginning of the time to come which is indeed so near to nothing that wee can hardly make any thing of it For now we live and now again that time is past And again Now we live and now again that time is past Dum loquimur fugit invida aetas saith the Poet whiles we speak our envious time flies away Yea sooner then we are able to pronounce that one syllable Now it is a hazard a doubt and question whether we live or no. So short and swift and slippery is that time which wee may boldly venture to call our life that it is gone before we can speak it yea before we can think it It is even swifter then conceit And therefore to shew the shortnesse and swiftnesse of our life the Scriptures do set it forth by the shortest and swiftest things as namely a weavers shuttle Job 7.6 a Post Job 9.25 a tale that is told Ps 90.9 And yet these shadowes and types short and swift as they are they are too long to measure the shortnesse of mans life For though the shuttle flyeth swiftly yet sometimes it lyeth still before the quil of yarn be quite spent though the Post rideth or runneth speedily yet sometimes hee baites and rests before he comes to his journies end though a tale passe quickly yet it hath some stops and pauses before it comes to the last full point But the life of man flyeth swiftly and never