souls for himself For the first Sinners despair because they cannot be perswaded of mercy only viewing the severity of God and poring upon that Alas I have offended God and am afflicted in conscience I have deserv'd to be a fire-brand of Hell but yet consider the sweet goodness of God he is just to damn stubborn sinners but to such as humble themselves and with penitent hearts beg for mercy he is a gracious God witness Manasses Magdalen Paul c. For the latter Satan will tell thee thou may'st take thy liberty follow thy pleasures needest not be so precise for God is merciful The remedy is to consider not only the mercy but the severity of God also Remember how severely he hath dealt with the Jews for their Rebellion against Christ and his Gospel with David for the matter of Vriah with Moses for striking the Rock when he should only have spoken to it c. For as the act of seeing is hindered both by no light and by too much so the light and comfort of conscience is hindered either by not seeing of mercy or by seeing nothing else but mercy which causeth presumption Here is to be refuted the wicked opinion of the Manichees and Marcionites who held that there were two Beginnings or to speak plainly two Gods one good full of gentleness and mercy the other severe and cruel this they made the Author of the Old Testament and the other of the New But the answer is 1. That Scripture maketh one and the same God both bountiful and full of goodness and the same also severe 2. And though severity and mercy seem to be contrary yet that is not in respect of the Subject for the Divine Nature is not capable of contrary and repugnant qualities But in regard of the contrary effects which are produced in contrary Subjects Like as the Magistrate is not contrary to himself if he shew mercy unto those that are willing to be reformed and be severe in punishing obstinate offenders Or as the Sun by the same heat worketh contrary effects in subjects of a diverse and contrary disposition and quality To conclude then Who have goodness and who have severity If thou repentest and obeyest the Gospel thou art an happy man the sweetness of God and his goodness is to thee But if thou beest a profane unbelieving impenitent wretch and dyest in this estate the most just God will in his great severity cast thee into Hell 1 Sam. 25.29 as out of the middle of a sling The Lord God Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the childrens children unto the third Ezra 8.22 Psal 18.25 26. and to the fourth generation The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him With the merciful thou wilt shew thy self merciful Psal 34.15 16. And with the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry The face of the Lord is against them that do evil Psal 101.1 to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth I will sing of mercy and judgment unto thee O Lord Rom. 11.22 will I sing Behold the goodness and severity of God Of the Mercy of God Mercy as it is referred to God Movet enim pium judicem fragilitas considerata peccantium Cassied Exod. 34. is the Divine Essence inclining it self to pity and relieve the miseries of all his Creatures but more peculiarly of his Elect Children without respect of merit God is most glorious in mercy Shew me thy Glory saith Moses It follows what it was The Lord God merciful and gracious c. In this he is superlative and outstrips Mercy is 1. General 1. In helping his Elect and comforting 2. In scattering and confounding their Enemies 2. More particular 1. In promising 2. In performing And these are the Flagons of wine to comfort distressed souls Mercy is an Attribute in the manifestation of which as all our happiness consists so God takes greatest complacency and delights in it above all his other works He punishes to the third and fourth Generation but shewes mercy unto thousands Exod. 20.5 6. Therefore the Jewes have a saying That Michael flies with one wing and Gabriel with two meaning that the pacifying Angel the Minister of Mercy flies swift but the exterminating Angel the Messenger of wrath is slow The more mercy we receive the more humble we ought to be 1. Because we are thereby more indebted 2. In danger to be more sinful worms crawle after Rain 3. We have more to account for But alas even as the glorious Sun darting out his illustrious beams shines upon the stinking Carrion but still it remains a Carrion when the beams are gone so the mercy of God shines as I may say upon the wicked but still he remains wicked For the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting The Lord is good to all Psal 100.5 Psal 145.9 Micah 7.18 and his tender mercies are over all his works He delighteth in mercy I proceed no further in these only add That for a Creature to believe the infinite Attributes of God he is never able to do it thoroughly without supernatural grace Of the Sacred Trinity De Trinitate THat God should be Three in one and One in three this is a Divine Truth Impossibile est per rationem naturalem ad Trinitat is Divinarum pâ—rsonarum cognitionem pervenice Aquin. Du Bartas ex Lombard Sens. lib. 1. dist 2. more certainly to be received by Faith than to be conceived by Reason for it is the most mysterious of all the Mysteries contained in the Bible which our Divine Poet sings thus In Sacred Sheets of either Testament 'T is hard to find an higher Argument More deep to sound more busie to discuss More useful known unknown more dangerous Some damnable Hereticks especially the Jewes at this day hold an indistinct Essence in the Deity without distinction of persons We assert a real distinction there is but there can be no separation If any stumble at the word Trinity and say it cannot be found in the Scriptures I answer yet the Doctrine is if not according to the letter yet according to the sense Besides there is expresly the word Three 1 John 5.7 from whence Trinity comes The Hebrews of old Siâ—rectè dicuntur tres Elohâ—m etiam recté dici possit tres Dii nam Elobim Latinè sonat Dii vel Deus Drus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 1.1 were no strangers to this Mystery though their posterity understood it not Moses Gen. 1.1 Dii creavit Elihu Job 35.10 God my Makers Solomon Eccl.
of Christendome with their continual intelligence is thought to advise most of that mischief which the Turks put in execution against us I omit what Authors report of them concerning the judgement of God upon their bodies that they are to this day a nasty people much addicted to the leprosie Hence that fable in Tacitus that the Israelites were driven out of Egypt Symmâ Dâ—i bonitate id factum est nè populos ad lepram proclives animal leprosissimum magis ac magis infestaret Theat Nat. p. 354. for that lothsome disease Mind Bodinus his observation He observes it for a special providence of God that in Arabia which bordereth upon Judea there are no swine to be found lest that most leprous creature saith he should more and more infest and infect that people who are naturally subject to the leprosie And therefore some have thought they were forbidden to eat Swines-flesh and Hares-flesh because in diseased bodies it easily turnes to ill humours They are so despicable a people for their unexpiable guilt in crucifying Christ that they are therefore banished as it were out of the world by a common consent of Nations Yea the very Turks themselves so hate them Iudaus sim si fallo that they use to say in detestation of a thing I wish I might die a Jew if so and so But chiefly Gods judgement for their unbelief is upon their mindes as may be read at large Rom. 11. Whence we may observe Note that God in his just judgment gives over such as are enemies to the Gospel to the Devil to be blinded that they cannot convert This is a fearful estate But yet for all this before the end of the world they shall be called That Nation lies under many promises Therefore it is our duty not to despise them nor despaire of their conversion but to pray for them as they did for us when we had no breasts Cant. 8.8 The natural Branches Rom. 11.21 Gentiles Great was the knowledge of the Heathen sages witness the seven wise men of Greece Archimedes of Syracuse who had a name and fame saith Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of humane but of a kinde of divine wisdome So had Socrates so had Apollonius of whom Philostratus saith Non doctus sed natus sapiens that he was not taught but born a wise man These all were the worlds wizards but what came they to Lactantius truly telleth us in the name of the whole community of Christians That all the wisdome of a man consisteth in this Instit l. 3. c. 30. to know God and worship him aright But this they never attained unto The Tyrians had an hand in building the Temple the molten sea stood upon twelve oxen which looked towards East West North and South The new Jerusalem hath twelve gates A. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 D. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 M. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To shew that there is every way accesse for all sorts to Christ who is also fitly called the second Adam the Greek letters of which name as Cyprian observeth do severally signifie all the quarters of the earth He was born in an Inne to shew that he receives all commers His garments were divided into four parts to shew that out of what part of the world soever we come Christ is willing to entertain us Jether an Ishmaelite may become an Israelite and Araunah the Jebusite may be made an exemplary Profelyte The Gentiles saith one were converted by vertue of this prayer Gen. 9.27 as Paul was by Stephens But this text Mal. 1.11 the perverse Jews could never abide to hear of nor can they to this day And therefore it is that they have in their expositions basely depraved it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and corrupted the true sense of it Calling us still Goi Mamzer bastard Gentiles Let us pity and pray for them as Isa 25.7 8. And let us praise God who hath made us Gentiles meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 And take heed we sin not away our light causing God to take his Kingdom from us and give it to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof God shall perswade Japhet Gen. 9.27 and shall dwell in the tents of Shem. Countrey A mans native countrey is pleasant and sweet to all Nos patriae fines dulcia linquimus arva Nos patriae sines Nescio quâ natale solum dulcedine cunctos ducit immemores non sinit esse sui Vlysses was very desirous to see the smoke of his countrey Shall I leave my countery that hath been as a mother to bring me into the world and to nourish me in it A man in conscience by the law of Nature is bound to his own countrey But this world is not our countrey Socrates is highly commended for his answer Omne solum sorti patria est being demanded what countrey man he was he answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mundanus the world is my countrey all countreys are alike to me Yet in truth we have no countrey in the world Heaven properly to speak is our countrey and we must seek it Desire a better countrey Heb. 11.16 that is an heavenly Signes Signum est quod seipsum seu sui praeter se aliquid animo repraesentat There are signs 1. Of Gods wrath such are prodigious events 2. Of his power such are Miracles 3. Of his grace such are Sacraments For irreverent using of good means Vzziah was smitten with leprosie Fifty thousand Bethshemites for looking irreverently into the Ark which was a sign of mercy These signes of mercy proved means of misery Signa sunt triplicia 1. Memorativa quae praeteritum aliquid in memoriam reducunt Hujusmodi voluit Deus esse Irieum 2. Demonstrativa quae praesentia monstrant Vt fumus ignem 3. Prognostica quae futura praenunciant ut varius solis color dum occidit Juxta illud Poetae Caeruleas pluvias denunciat igneus Eurus As God hath given us signes and foretokens of a tempest so hath he also of an ensuing judgement and blames those that take not notice thereof sending them to school to the Stork and Swallow Jerem. 8.7 If Elias see but a cloud as an hand arising from Carmel he can tell that great store of rain will follow that the whole heaven will anon be covered Many prodigies there were before the last desolation of Jerusalem A terrible tempest at Rome the same year that Luther began to stir Blood raining at Brixia in Italie in the year 874. for three dayes and three nights c. Gods signes have a voice and words speaking both to our eyes and ears A prudent man foreseeth the evil not by divination or star-gazing but by a judicious collection and connection of causes and consequents As if God be the same that ever as holy just powerful c. If sinne be
flames and smoke which the horrible mountain of Aetna doth in part represent with that sulpherous Vesuvius in Naples As Cassius reports which belcheth out the inward bowels of the earth with stones flames fumes and ashes and that in such sury as if it imitated the Giants warre and meant to overthrow the God of heaven and all his Saints to draw the sun down to the earth and turn the night into day The burning ashes of this hellish place with the smoke thereof are reported to choake the birds that flie in the aire and with the stones thereof hath overthrown many neighbourting Cities whilest the people sate in the Theatre The variety and acerbity of hells torments cannot be conceived much lesse uttered where there is no order but eternal horror and horrid blasphemies which the unhappy souls break our against God as an enemy against Christ as a Judge against the Saints as Parâ—iall There will be such a noise and tumult that if we here could but hear it it would deprive us of all our senses and strike us as dead as stones Think with thy self that thou must be amongst serpents Draggons Basilisks and other Monsters compast in with horrible forms of Devils who with a perpetual hatred against the damned heap sorrow on sorrow Thomas Bilney a godly Martyr did use before his burning to put his finger into the candle Act. and Mon. to feel how hot the fire was It were good if the desperate sinner who imagines lewdnesse upon his bed would consider how he shall endure to dwell in that unquenchable lake with everlasting burnings I conclude with that savory speech of Bernard Let us go down to hell while we are alive that we may not go to hell when we are dead Let those things seize upon our hearts If we will think of hellish torments while we live it is the way to keep from these torments when we dye Fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell Mat. 10.28 Where is the place of torment Luk. 16.28 Where is everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 Where is outer darknesse and shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 8.12 Where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched Mark 9.44 Where men seek death and shall not find it desiring to die and death flees from them Rev. 9.6 Be warned to flee from the wrath to come Mat. 3.7 Eternal joy makes eternity but as a moment as eternal pain will make every moment an eternity Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter Eccl. 12 13 14. Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man For God shall bring every work into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil FINIS EXERCITATIONES THEOLOGICAE OR Divine Discourses Carefully extracted and orderly digested into XII SECTIONS Wherein these HEADS are handled 1. The Express Character of Christ our Redeemer 2. Gloria in altissimis or the Angelical Anthem 3. The Necessity of Christs Passion and Resurrection 4. The Blessed Ambassador or The Best sent into the basest 5. St. Paul's Apology 6. Holy Fear the fence of the Soul 7. Ordine quisque suo or the Excellent Order 8. The Royal Remembrancer or Promises put in suit 9. The Watchmans watch-word 10. Scala Jacobi or St. James his Ladder 11. Decus Sanctorum or the Saints Dignity 12. Warrantable Separation without breach of Vnion By HENRY HIBBERT Preacher at S. Alhallows the Less London Holding fast the faithful Word Tit. 1.9 Ama Scripturas Sacras amabit te Sapientia Aug. LONDON Printed for and sold by John Clark at Mercers-Chappel in Cheapside near the Great Conduit 1662. THE EXPRESS CHARACTER OF CHRIST Our Redeemer HEB. 7.26 For such an High-Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens THis small parcel of Sacred truth is the Express Character of Christ our Redeemer as he is in another sense of his Father our Maker Cap. 3. The brightuess of his Fathers glory appeared in him the brightness of his in this He is Lux munds Gloria coeli the Light of this world below the glory of that above Among the whole world of men from Adam until now none arose like him like him shall none arise till he come again His Conception was without sin in the womb of his Virgin Mother so was his Nativity His whole Conversation upon Earth was holy harmless undefiled He was separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens Of none of the sons of men may thus much be said because proper unto him who being the Eternal Son of God was by Divine dispensation and the power of the most High made the unspotted Son of Man None but such a one could possibly be an High-Priest to procure a perfect peace for us sinners with our justly incensed God The first Man was the first ordered Priest who for his disobedient disorder in going beyond his Commission and violating the sacred League betwixt God and him was with shame enough degraded 'T is the constant practice of Divine justice what is recorded 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour saith the Lord and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed Neither was this Adam's case alone All mankind whose person and cause he did undergo feel the smart of that extream loss This lost the Priestly dignity and that Covenant ceased by reason of transgression So that God was no more their God their King nor they his people or a Kingdom of Priests to him The Priesthood ended there being not any found in the whole world of ability to discharge that function according to the primitive obligation The sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving failed Man forgetting his due respects to his Infinite Creator Invocation on the Name of God by devout Prayers proceeding from a pure heart vanish'd through the corruption wherewith the heart of man was miserably infected In fine the gracious communication which was and to be betwixt God and man received a period by Adam's ejection out of Paradise for his grand apostacie As things then went Mankind was then in a most deplorable state if that People be truly reported blest whose God is the Lord. To hope for a change into a better was but vain unless God did open the bowels of his mercy to recelve us into favour and enter into a new Covenant the former being abolish'd a Covenant of Grace wherefore the Lord commiserating our distress'd condition did set his wisdom on work to find out a way to free us from lamentable perplexities To this purpose a Mediator is appointed by our Judge himself to follicit him as an Advocate for sinners whereby to make up the breachâ— whose part was not as the case then stood to present an Eucharistical sacrifice for benefits conferr'd on mankind nor an oblation of prayers for an augmentation
are reconciled to God St. Chrys on those words in Colos Chrysost in Cap. 1. Epist ad Cosos it pleased the Father by him that is by Christ to reconcile all things unto himself whether they be things in earth or things in heaven understandeth by things in heaven the holy Angels of God who saith he became enemies to all men by reason of their universal rebellion against the Lord their God But now beare good will to us after we are reconciled to God by Christ and are of the houshold of faith Hereupon it is as our Saviour saith that the Angels in heaven rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner unto God Heb. 1 14. and the Apostle writing to the Hebrews saith they are all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation They guard such as their proper charge saith devout Perkins that be in Gods favour and carry them as a nurse doth a child in her armes that they dash not their foot against a stone Perkins on Revel 1. Psal 91.11 Wherefore some Christian Philosophers out of Act. 12.15 where speech being made of St. Peter it is said it is not he it is his Angel collect that every elect man of God hath his good Angel to protect him to guide him in all his wayes and upon occasion when it seemes good to God many as Elijah had Thus we are at peace with good Angels as for the bad we must have no peace with them Origen onâ— Rom. 5. for then we shall have no peace with God Origen on the 5. of the Romanes tells us that Ipse supra omnes cateros pacem habet apuà Deum qui impugnatur à diabolo c. he above all others hath peace with God who is ever combating with Satan Warre against Satan procures peace with God Wherefore being he will do us no good the Lord so works as that he shall do us no hurt As for the other creatures all of them are in league with a good man their lesive facultie is restrained by the supreme power from doing violence to the Lords redeemed whereas the wicked are still exposed to the danger of their power The starres in their courses fought for Israel against Sisera Judg. 5.20 The fire did not hurt the three children in the fierie surnace The hungry lyon preyed not upon Daniel in the den Isa 11.6 8 9. lying at the mercy of that ravenous beast A little child saith the Prophet Isaiah shall lead the young lyon the sucking child shall play on the hole of the Aspe and the weaned child shall put his hand on the Cocokatrices den neither these nor any of the rest shall hurt or destroy in his holy mountaine in his holy Church It was a most comfortable promise which God made to Judah and Israel and in them to his peculiar people that he would make a covenant for them with all creatures Hos 2.18 the beasts of the field the fowles of the aire the creeping things of the ground heaven earth corn oyle and all Yea the child of God shall tread upon the lyon and the serpent and they shall not hurt him Thou shalt be in league saith Eliphaz the Temanite to Job with the stones of the field Psal 91.13 Job 5.23 and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee Thus Gods Children in Christ Jesus shall receive no detriment by any thing that God made but by his blessed providence they shall find assistance and comfort from all his creatures Now the God of peace that sent his Son with the Gospel of peace and his messengers with the glad tidings of good things grant that we may live in peace and depart in peace according to his word to leade an everlasting Sabboth of rest in the highest heavens Great mens births are commonly celebrated with the joyful acclamation of their dependants every one being in a readiness to noise abroad the newes that includes happinesse whereby others might be partakers of their joys and excited to do the like in imitation Thus the glorious and blessed Angels the inhabitants of heaven and the immediate attendants of the most high do the birth of the Son of God the King of Kings like wel-bred Courtiers in significant terms divulge the birth of so great a Prince and melodiously express what good what great benefits come by the birth of so good so great a person Which ought to be a forcible incentive unto us after their example to render due honour unto God and â—o worship that day-star which from on high hath visited us with everlasting comforts All the holy Angels of God are obliged to praise him but we much more he restored not them to any felicity for they lost none we lost the primitive goodness of our unblemished creation and yet restored he us He redeemed not them they needed it not nor the wicked Angels that needed it but wrought our redemption when we were enemies worthy condemnation O then let us praise the Lord for his peace and merce for both endure for ever What the Angels sung will serve our turn Glory be to God on high c. The parts of our discourse are 1. The glory we owe to God 2. The peace God sent on earth 3. Gods good will towards men Concerning the two first I have no more to say than what I have already but proceed unto that last and maine point whereupon depend all our future hopes of eternal blisse which is Gods good will and mercy I confesse that the very name of peace is a sweet word and sweeter the work but sweetest that of mercy which is the cause of it Being then that mercy must be the subject of my present meditations first I betake my self to thee O God of mercy and eternal Spirit of truth humbly beseeching thee to enable me by thy gracious illumination and to rectifie the retired cogitations of my soule that whilest I display thy mercy thy goodness thy salvation and when all is done there may be in mens hearts a deep impression of true joy and a perfect sense may be obtained of thy loving kindness and good-will toward them To behold God sitting in his throne of justice is to a sinner most full of dismal horrour but to view him seated in his throne of mercy is to a distressed soule most full of heavenly consolation If there be any that obstinately forget God and carelesly cast behind their backs his sacred ordinances let them expect to be torn in picees of him and none to deliver them let them look to be consumed of that God whose Jealousie burns like fire If there be any that are heartily submissive and sincerely penitent in the sight of our all-seeing God for their enormities let them joy up in abundance for in him there is mercy and plenty of redemption although all of us have highly offended him and multiplyed our transgressions above measure yet if we can
heartily cry in a low straine of humility Pecoav◠against thee thee 〈◊〉 O Lord have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight If we can confidently set up our whole rest in our Redeemers alsufficiency we may presume that according to his promise he will extend his mercy and his favour unto all of us For this very purpose did he send his Son unto us that he might be well pleased with us in him in whom alone he is well pleased and was content from all eternity with the death of his Son to manifest in the fulness of time his good will towards men This is the reason why the Prophet Isaiah cals the year of Christs Nativity Isa 61.2 or the whole time of the Gospel The acceptable year of the Lord for the Lord accepts of us in him and no otherwise than as we are in him and being in him he gives us of his good will a secure conduct through all the various casualties of mortality wherefore saith the holy singer Thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous Psal 5.22 with favour wilt thou compasse him as with a shirld To make good this his good will further unto us he hath together with his Son made us a deed of gift of all things Rom. 8.32 For he that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all would not but with him also freely give us all things Should I go about to describe the immense amplitude of my Gods liberality my words would rather extenuate than enlarge it not being able to reach to so holy a slrain as the excellency and worth thereof requires His love beside his gifts is boundless without all limits of time from eternity to eternity I use the Apostles words as wanting of mine own for a fit expression he did praedestinate us before the foundation of the world unto the Adoption of Children Eph. 1.5 6 7. by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved in whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Whereupon it is to be infer'd that without Christ there is no hope of mercy God in him expresses his good will to us in him we are elected by him called through him saved In solo dilecto suo Jes◠Christo Robertus Stephous in glos Deus charos sibi reddit quotquot in hoc selegit faith Stephanus in his gloss as many as God hath selected out of the world to be a peculiar people to himself are indeared unto him in his dear Son So that every one that belongs to the election of grace according to the dispensation of his immortal riches may truly say as Abraham did to Sarah it may be well with me for thy sake and my soul shall live because of thee The Lord when he looks upon his Son and on us in him remembers mercy You may be pleased to call to mind what use the rain-bow serves for which is a pregnant figure of Christ our Saviour whereby we are inform'd to use the words of a reverend Prelate that when either the dark blackness of ugly sin Dr. Babington Bish of Worcester in Gen. 9. or the thick clouds of grief and adversity do threaten unto us any fearful overthrow we should clap our eyes upon our rain-bow Christ Jesus and be assured that although that blacknesse of sin be never so great yet in him and by him it shall be done away and never have power to undo us Although those mists and fogs of adversity be never so thick yet shall they by him as by a hot and strong sun be disperst and never able to drown us The greatest rain we know shall end ere it come to such a flood again and so shall these things before we fall Ecce signum behold Christ is put for a sure signe and token of Gods good will towards men But now I will close neerer and shew what in his good will he hath done for our souls I can pass by Gods sending of his Son as presupposed being the occasion of this blessed ditty but I can never pass by our restitution unto grace by him the greatest act of good will that ever was for when sin had overblackt us with such deformities as left no part cleare when we stood in direct point of diameter to his holyness and could not avoid the sentence of condemnation through his tender mercy the day-spring from on high did visit us and the light of his countenance did shine upon us to give light unto us that sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the wayes of peace Whereby we now stand on firmer and fairer terms of happiness and prosperity than before our first declination There is a more established safety in the condition we have by Christ in Christ than in that first wherein we were lest unto our selves For we fell from that first from this last we cannot and being fallen from that a better a surer cannot be compassed but by him Soul and body were so debilitated through the corruption of our degenerated nature and we so desperately praecipitate in sinful deliberations as that we could not help our selves in this time of need Potui per me sancte Pater offendere sed non valui per me placare saith Aug. in his Manual O my God I could easily offend thee Aug. Manuale cap. 8. by my self but by my self never appease thee nor expiate my offence God therefore unwilling to strive with man for ever who for ever without his mercy he found inclin'd to mischief in a relenting affection remembring we are but dust Pathetically pities our case and in his good will sends us a Redeemer for which the Angels sing Beleeve me O ye servants of my God beleeve me my God can as soon cease to be God which is impossible as cast away his eyes of pity and mercy from us but like as a father pitieth his children Psal 103. so doth the Lord the Workmanship of his hands Blesse the Lord O my soul saith David and all that is within me bless his holy name Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies Boys Postil Ephes 3. The love of God saith one in his Postils is like a Sea into which when a man is cast he neither seeth bank nor seeleth bottom Accordingly saith the Apostle The length the breadth the depth and the height of this love passeth all humane knowledge And as his love is thus without all measure greater by infinite degrees than that of Jonathan to David so are his favours innumerable It was a Martyrs speech worthy registring to posterity To
number the mercies of God to me in particular saith he were to number the drops of water which are in the Ocean the sands on the shore the stars in the sky Mirrour of Martyrs This one act of his good will his Sons mission exceeds the capacity of a whole world of men to give it a due value He would not destroy us being his enemies when he might in justice destroy us but to save us inglorious miscreants sent his Son from glory and did as Abraham would have done with Isaac his onely and beloved darling offer him up to death to redeem us from it As King Solomon said to Abiathar the Priest Thou art worthy of death but I will not at this time put thee to death So said the Soveraign of Soveraigns to us His Son is destined to what we deserved to make us partakers of his deserts Salvator noster natus est nobis crucifixus mortuus est pro nobis ut morte suâ mortem nostram destrueret Aug. Man cap. 27. saith an uncertain Author Our Saviour is born to us crucified and dead for us that by his death lie might destroy our death for ever Wherefore the Lord Jesus upon the Cross giving the foil to our malicious enemies Sin Satan and Death Sin Satan and Death have lost the day to our endless comfort and the glorious manifestation of Gods good-will towards men I may not smother in thankless silence the blessed consequences of my Saviours life and death tendred for our restauration how happily they took effect with the Father in our behalf and accorded in every point of his decree with the good pleasure of his will For first there followed the imputation of Christs righteousness for the remission of our sins And then the Sanctification of us by his Spirit sent into our hearts for the suppressing of the dominion of sin in us Both which shew as speaks the Apostle the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness to us Ephes 2.7 through Christ Jesus First it pleased the Father that the fulness of the Spirit should dwell in him and that of his fulness we should all receive His righteousness then is made over unto us by the goodness of a righteous God whose purity as it admits no mixture of imperfection so neither without Christs perfection any justification of a sinner For none are justified but such to whom God imputes no sin and such are they only to whom God imputeth righteousness without works Which righteousness Rom. 4.6 7. being without our works and imputed must proceed not from our selves full of the soul stains of ugly sins but from another even from him alone in whom dwell all perfections Jesus Christ the righteous Thus and thus alone is God in his Son the Author and finisher of our salvation not imputing our sins unto us but reconciling us unto himself by the imputed righteousness of his Son by whom we have access unto the Father and are no more counted strangers forreiners and exiles but are reimpatriated and made fellow-citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Whereupon it is that by the grace of God to use the Apostles speech we are what we are And if by the grace and good will of God then surely not of debt not of merit for grace excludeth both To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace Rom. 4.4 Cap. 11.6 but of debt And here I could wish with all my soul that this and other infallible Oracles of highest Truth could heat our adversaries from Humane Merits and bring them to the Divine Mercies from Free-will and Possibilities of Nature to the Grace and Good-will of God To merit Heaven by all we can do is a fetch beyond all power of Nature and to aver it a strain as of excessive pride so beyond all true Divinity Merits in us are no such props to our faith as Mercies in God The first grounded upon self-conceit and fond opinion the last upon the demonstration of the Spirit The first all of the Romish faction receive for Orthodoxal truth which we reject for false the last they reject for false which we embrace for truth That Italian-Priest who Achan-like troubles all Israel the festered Head of an infected Body hath so distempered the world with this plausible assertion as that all his Abettors from the most learned Dogmatist to the meanest Papist stand rather to their own strength for their Justification than fly to Gods mercy as having more confidence in their own abilities and pretended merits than in the alsufficiency of Christs Mediation and Redemption or at least as much Who whilst they stand thus affected what do they but detracting both from the Lord and from his Anointed ascribe the honour of the day and glory of our salvation as well to the Free-will of Man Saunders his Petition as Good-will of God But O my soul come not thou within their secrets neither be partaker of their defections Chuse rather than combine with them ever to pray with that zealous Martyr in this wise O my heavenly Father look upon me in the face of Christ or else I shall not be able to abide thy countenance such is my filthiness The best of us may confess with the leprous person We are unclean we are unclean and therefore without him no blessedness to be obtained by the best of us Joh. 14.6 No man cometh to the Father but by me saith Christ And no man cometh unto me saith Christ again except the Father draw him Thus betwixt the Father and the Son we are well provided for without whom who thinks to be saved Plaut Merca. doth take his mark amiss Vbicunque putant vivere runnt maximè as the Comedian speaks Where they think to live most happily they die most wretchedly Wherefore for us to repose any confidence in our own imperfect works or to seek a shelter under the Merits of Saints recorded in the Pope's Kalendar or wheresoever else is utterly to renounce the Merits of Christ and the good-will of God Neque enim qui habet virtutem amplius opus habet neque qui valet viribus Clem. Alex. eget instauratione saith Clement of Alexandria For he that is perfect needs not to be beholding to another neither needeth he any reparation his proper strength is already compleat They that are whole need not the Physician but they that are sick saith the Physician of souls Let then the swolne Pharisees of the Roman Court in humility of spirit learn here to check their insolent boasting of their natural goodness and meritorious actions referring all to the goodness of the Chiefest Good Let them march under Christs colours as the Captain of their salvation Let them set up their rest in him as the securest Sanctuary for distressed souls O worthy Elizeus how affectionate were thine Obsequies You may remember that he could neither be perswaded nor beguiled nor forced from Elijah when he
sic jubeo then there is Reason that thinks of the means to compass the intent of the Will which being found there is a Power which is still in action till the Will as I may so say gets its will and obtains its end whence is drawn a similitude to express the profound mystery of the Trinity The Father is compared to the Will for he is the beginning of the action the Son to Reason for to him is given the dispensation of all things and he is the Wisdom of the Father the Holy Ghost to the Faculty or Power of effecting it who is the Perfecter of every act called The Power of the most High These three saculties are in the soul of man yet one soul not three and 't is a question never satisfactorily decided since first moved Whether these essentially and really differ from the soul or no If then these three faculties of the soul be one soul and one soul these three faculties why may not the Essence of the Godhead be communitated to three Persons and these three Persons remain one onely God Thus the glimmering light of Nature hath given us some light in this matter Lombard lib. 1. dist 12. E. which as the Master of Sentences saith Etsi sensu non percipiam tamen teneo conscientià Though unperceptible to mine outward sense yet in my conscience I hold for true Rules of Divinity exceeding our capacity are to be embraced by Faith not to be discussed by Reason And thus much for the Person sent the Spirit of the Son I proceed to the Person sending which is said to be God God the Father by his Son sent forth the Spirit of his Son In which discourse as much compendiousness as may be All that we enjoy in the time of our pilgrimage here on Earth are sent us from God the Giver of every good and perfect gift What Earth cannot afford us Heaven supplies The mission or donation of the Holy Ghost comes not within the reach of any mortal or immortal creature Wherefore the Father considering we cannot have a we being in this life but our condition should be without him miserable He sent us the Holy Ghost the onely Comforter of our distressed souls the onely Supporter of our future hopes of happiness to strengthen us and fill our hearts with joys unspeakable O the wonderful mercy of Almighty God! Qui misit unigeâ—â—tum immisit spiritum promisit vnltum quid tandem tibi negaturus est Bâ—rn de temp Nihil unquam ei negasse credendum est quem ad vitull bortatur esum Hierom. He sent his Son to save us and his Sons Spirit to comfort us God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts He denies us nothing that may further our good but sends us all things even his Spirit who deserve a denial of all things It is believe it it is his Mercy that is over all his works He makes our misery the object of his goodness our necessities the object of his bounty hence the Apostle discourseth thus God gave us his Son when we were enemies and how shall he not with him give unto us all things even to the Spirit of his Son God sent forth the Spirit of his Son It is counted a great gift that Jacob sent by the hands of his servants to paciâ—ie his brother Esau Gen. 32.14 15. It is counted a great gift that Joseph sent to Jacob his father Gen. 45.22 23. and that he gave to Benjamin It is counted a great gift that Pharaoh gave to Joseph giving him rule over all the land of Egypt Gen. 41.43 It was a Princely gift that Hiram King of Tyre sent to King Solomon 1 King 9.14 and that the Queen of Shtha gave him 1 King 10.10 It was a Princely and magnificent gift that King Ahasuerus sent to Mordecai by the han is of Haman it is registred Esth 6. It was a gift royal that the three Wise-men presented to our Saviour Christ Gold Myrrhe and Frankincense Mat. 2. But it is a far greater and more magnificent gift that the God of Heaven sends into the hearts of the children of men the Spirit of his Son Those are but poor gifts in respect of this for infinite is the difference betwixt them and it They are subject to mutability loss and corruption but God sends forth the immortal and eternal Spirit of his Son very God of very God into our hearts They could not sanctifie them to whom they were sent and given but this doth cleanse those souls from all pollution of sin to whom God sends him They only made them great in the eyes of men this makes men great in the eyes of God Who but a blind man cannot discern the tender affection and exceeding care of Almighty God our heavenly Father towards us who gives us all things to the utmost of his power he thinks nothing too good for us He gives us his Spirit and in giving him he gives himself God over all blessed for ever What greater gift can God give to the sons of men what greater gift can the sons of men expect of God Enough enough Lord thou art God Alsufficient we can ask no more and thou canst send no greater than the Spirit of thy Son into our hearts I will not part from this point till I clear one doubt In that God sends the Spirit of his Son some infer that God and the Holy Spirit are unequal the Sender must ever be greater than the Messenger the Giver than the Gift But by their leaves 1. This is a Principle underâ—â—able That there is no inequality in the Deity 2. Common experience in Civil affairs is able to demonstrate this That equals may send forth equals it is usual 3. S. Cyril Cyrils rule is most forcibly true That Missio obedientia non tollunt aqualitatem Mission and submission nullifie not equality The Father sent his onely begotten Son into the world in the form of a servant and was obedient unto death even the cursed death of the Cross Yet equal to the Father He thought it no robbery Phil. 2. So the Holy Ghost in equality is not a jot diminished nor his authority any thing abated though sent of the Father The Father is not greater than the Son nor the Holy Ghost less than either because all three are one and the same God Infinite in Essence and Lord of all and in Unity there is no Inequality Here I put a period to my discourse of this point and proceed to the next to wit to the Mission or sending of the Holy Ghost the Spirit of the Son God sent forth the Spirit of his Son The sending of the Spirit is either in a visible or invisible manner Visibly he is said to be sent when there are significant signs of his presence Not that the Spirit in its own nature is visible to the eyes of man When he confers his saving graces by the use of external Symbols working
him as unto our Father we come boldly we may come confidently there is nothing more requisite than to put on a good face and a good courage when we sue to God No denial must be taken at the first entrance for this were too dejected pusillanimity The widow in the Gospel through her importunate sollicitation obtained what by a sleight intreaty she could not compasse O let us therefore saith the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews Cap. 4. ult come boldly unto the throne of grace that we obtain mercy and find grace in time of need God hath erected a throne of grace where he sits to receive and to hear all suits directed unto him for mercy He hath a Court for mercy as well as for justice where humane merits must not be pleaded but Gods mercy above all advanced if then any child of God who hath been prodigal in mis-spending what God hath given him come but to him in the time of need modestly bold he shall return with a contented mind and shall find rest sufficient for his soul This may be term'd a holy presumption Upon whom should children presume if not upon their parents Upon whom should we be bold if not upon our provident Creator What father of the flesh will give his children a stone for bread or for fish a Serpent If our fleshly parents know how to give good things to their children when they ask of them how much more knoweth our heavenly Father to confer good things to them that rely upon his Providence and cry to him Since therefore we have free accesse to God cry with all boldnesse unto him who will prosper our endeavours and like an indulgent father fill us with good things and will not return us empty away We may come confidently with assured perswasion of his favor and lenity the very name of Father is of force enough to repel out of our minds all diffidence Christ hath obtained this boon for us at the hands of God that we shall have what we ask in his Name What things soever saith our Saviour Christ Mark 11.24 ye desire when ye pray believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them The Lord Qui exprobrat reposcit Tacitus He giveth liberally without upbraiding to them that ask in faith nothing wavering James 1.5 6. The hope of children must rest on the parents care so ours on God And when we come unto him we come not to him as to a severe revenger of sin and rigorous Judge but as unto a most compassionate Father The Spirit teacheth us and maketh us to cry Abba Father Wherefore learn hence upon all occasions Apage terra quod utinam Deus in Caelo jam tecum essem quid enim est in terrâ quod me vel tan tillum retineat Bern. whether in prosperity or adversity to have recourse unto him Whom have we in heaven but thee saith the Psalmist and saith every Christian and whom in earth do we desire beside thee Do we offend he forgives our iniquities are we sick he healeth all our diseases are we in danger of destruction he redeemeth our life and crowneth us with loving kindness and tender mercies are we bitten with hunger he satisfieth our mouth with good things Provoke we him to anger He is merciful and gracious slow to anger and plenteous in mercy he will not alwayes chide neither will he keep his anger for ever he deals not with us after our sins nor rewandeth us according to our iniquiries but as a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him Psal 103. Then having such free entrance to him and so great hopes of compassing our defires if we come not boldly we come not confidently we are justly worthy to lose our labour and return with shame Let nothing therefore disswade us from calling upon him at all times Remember our Saviours counsel and comfortable promise Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you And if our leisure will not serve us to pour out our souls and to make known our intentions in humble supplications unto the most high in a continued and ample speech we may use a short ejaculation of mind Crebras habere orationes sed brevissimas raptim ejaculatas which is a Prayer short and sweet wherein proceeding from Faith we shall be certainly heard For if we cannot speak we may sob sigh groan and weep unto which God will have a gracious respect The efficacy hereof depends upon the operation of the Spirit in our hearts by whose power we are made to sob to sigh to groan to weep and to cry of whom none are partakers but sons and by whom none but sons cry Abba Father And thus much for the effect of the Spirit in the hearts of the sons of God The last part that remains to be treated of is the ground of the Spirits being in our hearts crying thus Because sons There are sons by nature and so there are no sons of God but one Christ Jesus called the onely begotten Sonne of God and though the regenerate be said to be born of God it is spiritually to be understood of a new creation called regeneration not of any natural descent There are sons of God by creation so Angels and men are called the children of God There are sons of God by Participation Thus Kings and Magistrates are sons to whom he doth communicate some part of his power and Majesty There are sons of God by ageneral Profession of Religion so they who live in the visible Church of Christ professing the true worship of God in Christ Jesus are called sons of God And theâ—e sons of God by adoption or special grace of which sort are all they into whose hearts God sends forth the Spirit of his Son Herein we are to note two things 1. The ground of our Adoption 2. The benefits that redound unto us thereby The ground of our Adoption as of our salvation through the tender mercy of our God is Christ Jesus for for this end came he into the world for this end by his precious blood did he redeem us whereas before we were his enemies and sons of wrath This is exprest in the fourth and fifth verses of this Chapter where it is said that God sent forth his Son made of a woman John 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nonnu to redeem us that so we might receive the adoption of sons As many as received Christ by faith hath he given power or as Nonnus renders it heavenly honour to become the sons of God We must first have spiritual being in Christ which is done by faith ere we can be reputed sons The Apostle tells us Ephes 1.5 6 7. that our sonship was decreed in heaven from all eternity God did predestinnte us saith he unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself according to the good
Revel 1. Hence the Angels of the seven Churches are called stars fixt in Christ's right hand tanquam in firmamento as in the firmament of heaven not unlike to that star that directed the three wise men unto Christ Mat. 2. Now when these stars these Pillars of fire by the light of grace which shined in them perceived the grace which was given unto Paul When James Cephas and John who seemed to be pillars perceived the grace that was given unto me And thus I come to the ground or hand of the union the fodder that knit them together grace perceived the grace that was given unto me Grace is either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Active or Passive The active is Gods love and free grace ready to grace us The Passive Gods graces Gods gifts whereby we are graced wherewith we are glorified graced here to be glorified hereafter The first is a branch or a blossom of his goodnesse that tree of life that tree of good The last the fruit sweet as honey in the heart as the little book in the Revelation was in Saint John's mouth By that active grace God decreed mans Election Rev. 10.20 ere any thing had a being and by that active grace he doth bestow in the dispensation of the fulnesse of times the riches of his mercy heaven upon earth By it God comes to man ere man can go to God He comes to man with his preventing grace inspiring him with religious thoughts breathing into him the true breath of life and ravishing him with the desire of things supernatural out of natures compasse and sphere of activity that thus man might come to him he comes to man by his preparing grace casting his understanding and will into a new mould that thence he may become a new man wise unto salvation obedient to the death He comes to man by his operating grace God first prepares then works he first makes man capable o◠his works then works on him works in him and works of wonder actually freeing from the tyranny of sin and renewing him in the inward man the understanding will affections He comes to man by his cooperating grace As by his operating grace he moves the will to will that which is good so by this cooperating grace he makes him able to effect what the will desires to work out salvation with fear and trembling He comes unto man by his consummating grace giving him power to be constant to the end till he come to the full period Eternal glory the height of his ambition Heaven Eph. 2.5 Ye are saved by grace Thus God begins by his grace by his grace he doth finish what he hath begun Now beloved this active grace of God distinguished by the diversities of its gracious acts works in man passive grace those heavenly characters of the Deity drawn by the finger of God Some of these are common to the Reprobate with the Elect some proper only to the elect some are saving graces of the Spirit some not Some of these are called gratin gratis data others gratia gratis data gratum faciens Vocation Christian doctrine Prudence in businesses Patience in labour Fortitude in dangers the gift of Prophecy the gift of Tongues the gift of Miracles and such like are gifts of grace but not saving graces of the Spirit neither are these of any moment except God gives the earnest of the Spirit in the heart 2 Cor. 1.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I may use the Apostles phrase except they be seasoned with the grace of God I mean the saving graces which make a man acceptable in the sight of God Faith Hope Charity Faith justifies as the hand makes rich Hope maketh not ashamed Charity beareth all things 1 Cor. 13. believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things it never faileth But whether there be Prophecies they shall fail whether there be Tongues they shall cease whether there be Knowledge it shall vanish away Now all these together are like the sweet Incense in the spoons that were offered by the twelve Heads of Israel at the dedication of the Tabernacle Numb 7.86 Or like Noah's Sacrifice after the Deluge making a sweet favour in the nostrils of God Bernard S. Bernard makes mention of a threefold grace One whereby we are converted another whereby we are aided in fiery trials a third whereby after trial we are rewarded The first is initial whereby we are called the second beneficial whereby we are justified the last is final whereby we are glorified The first is Gods free grace the second is Christs merit the third the reward glory Of the first it is said Of his fulness have we all received Of the two last grace for grace as Bernard expounds it Munera gloriae aeterna merita temporalis militiae Which give me leave to interpret for my self Not for any merit of ours but for Christs merits for us The two first make way for the last the last cannot be obtained while the soul dwelleth in this prison of mortality but the two first with those I have spoken of already make up a perfect man in Jesus Christ in some measure in this life The original of these graces if we would know we must run to God Every good and perfect gift cometh from above Jam. 1. Non per naturam insita sed divinitus data they are transcendent they are given When Christ led captivity captive he gave gifts unto men He poured forth his Spirit saith Joel He gave he poured forth Ephes 1. Joel 2. that is active grace gifts unto men his Spirit that is gifts of his Spirit that is passive grace Grace is given of God by grace A blessed Giver a blessed gift The earth of our hearts brings not forth such branches of vertue but as the earth after Gods curse upon it thorns and thistles I will not here encounter with Papists concerning Free-will in both kinds of Gods graces but leave it to some other David who can better cut off Goliah's head as with the sword of the Spirit as with his own sword and beat them with their own weapons Only let me ask them one question What have we that we have not received 1 Cor. 4.7 And conclude this with that of the Psalmist Not unto us not unto us then O Lord but unto thy Name give the glory Thus we have had a sight of the riches of Gods mercy Now will I shew you the man to whom it was given by grace to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven that we may know who is he and we will call him blessed Therefore as Samuel said of King Saul I apply to our Saul here See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen It is Paul justified sanctified made gracious made glorious 1 Sam. 10. Once a Persecuter now as Saul once among the Prophets a Prophet so Saul now among the Apostles an Apostle by the
which the former was a dark shadow is the third Heaven which for the fulness of pleasure and joy is so called Hierom comforting a young Hermite bade him look up to Heaven Paradisum mente deambulare to take a few turns in Paradise by his meditations assuring him that so long as he had Paradise in his mind and Heaven in his thought Tamdiu in eremo non eris He should not be sensible of his solitariness To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life Rev. 2.7 which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Of the Sea Sea THE Sea is the seat and source of waters Mare quast amarum because the Sea-water is bitter and salt There are three things in it specially considerable viz. 1. The turbulency of it so stormy and turbulent that it threatneth to overwhelm all To overwhelm the ships sailing upon it to overwhelm the dry land encompassing of it and it would do both if God did not bound it saying Hitherto shalt thou come but no further here shall thy proud waves be stayed Did not God put an everlasting Law upon it it would be lawless 2. There is a wonderful capaciousness in the Sea the water they say is ten times bigger than the earth the Air ten times greater than the water and the fire than the Air. It is so big and broad so extensive and vast that it takes in all the waters that come off the land into its bosome and yet feels no access 3. The Sea is of mighty strength Though we say Weak as water water is a weak element in one sense yet in another water is a strong element so strong that it bears down all before it and bears all the storms that rage upon it Canutus confuted his flacterers who told him that all things in his Dominions were at his beck and check by laying his command on the sea to come up no higher into his Land but it obeyed him not Illi rebor as triplex Circa pectus erat Horat. Od. 1.1 3 Virgil. qui fragilem truci Commisit pelago ratem Primus nec timuit praecipitem Africum c. Tollimur in Caelum curvato gurgite Gen. 1.10 iidem Subduct â ad manes imos descendimus undâ Hence some have doubted whether Mariners were to be reckoned amongst the living or the dead But wisely said he Qui nescit orare discat navigare He that cannot pray let him go to Sea and there he will learn And the gathering together of the Waters Gen. 1.21 called he Seas Fish The power of God is great in forming the fishes of the Sea Especially if we consider three things about them 1. Their number Inter omaes bestias nibil est faecundius piscibus igitur tranâ—fertur ad multiplicationâ— immensum as tous they are infinite Therefore how emphatically is their encrease exprest When God created them it is said The Waters brought forth abundantly No sort of creatures that multiply so fast as fishes Who is able to report the number of these Sea-inhabitants 2. If we consider their various kinds Naturalists observe that there is no creature upon the earth but hath as I may say its representative in the Sea besides those that have nothing like them on the earth 3. Many of these inhabitants of the waters are wonderful for the vastness and greatness of their bodies The greatest of all living creatures are in the Sea We will only instance in the Leviathan unto whom the Elephant is little Pliny tells of one taken that was 600. foot in length and 360. in breadth Plin. lib. 32. cap. 1. when they swim and shew themselves above water Annare insulas putes saith the same Author you would think them to be so many Islands so many Mountains saith another who also addeth that when they grow old they grow to that bigness and fatness that they keep long in a place Insomuch as ex collectis condensatis pulveribus frutices erumpere cernantur the dust and filth gathered upon their backs seems to be an Island which while shipmen mistake and think to land at they incurre a great deal of danger The great and Wide Sea wherein are things creeping innumerable Ps 104.25 26. both small and great beasts There is that Leviathan made to play therein Ships The use of ships was first shewed by God in Noah's Ark whence afterwards No art which helps more to enrich a Nation Audax Japeti genus Japhets off-spring sailed and replenished the Islands Of the Low-Countrey-men it is said Peterent Coelum navibus Belgae si navibus peti posset A ship is a fabrick for the Sea a house upon the Sea a moveable house and as it moveth variably so it moveth swiftly the inconstancy of the winds makes the motion of the ship unconstant and the strength of the winds makes the motion of the ship swift Whatsoever they do who are within the ship the ship moves on if they prepare it for motion Labitur uncta vadis abies Virgil. The ship seems willing to be at the Haven as soon as may be Let our souls be like a ship that is made little and narrow downward but more wide and broad upward Let them be ships of desire hasting heaven-ward and then let our days pass away as they can we shall be but the sooner at home Mortality shall appear to be no small mercy There go the ships They that go down to the Sea in ships Psa 14.26.107.23 24. that do business in great waters These see the Works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep c. Homo NVllum animal morosius est nullum majore arte tractandum Senec. quà m homo Nay which is worse Homo homini lupus homo homini Daemon Therefore saith David Let me not fall into the hands of men as though they were like Cadmus souldiers ad internecionem nati Yet man is magnum miraculum mundi Epitome imaginis image Imago mundi in corpore Dei in animâ In mans composition there is a shadow of the Trinity for to make up one man Ea fere bominum natura 〈◊〉 omnes sua mirentur aliena despiciant Julian there is an elementary body a divine soul and a firmamental spirit Here is the difference in God there are three Persons in one essence in us three essences in one person So in the soul there is a Trinity of powers vegetable sensitive and rational The former would only be the second be and be well the third be well and be for ever O excellent Nature in which Cabinet ten thousand forms may sit at once Vocabulum Homo est duorum substantiarum fibula Man is a heavenly thing for his soul though earthly in regard of his body Man being Lord of these graces should sit no longer in the vale of tears but ascend the Mountain of glory he should fly to the Trumpet calling to
The Angels themselves sing at lamentation for sins neither doth the earth afford any sweeter musick in the eares of God This heavinesse is the way to joy never sin repented of was punished the good God accounts of our will as our deed If God should require sorrow proportionable to the hainousnesse of our sin there were no end of mourning but his mercy doth not regard so much the measure as the manner of it Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Paenitudine commissa delentur if you say you mourn Christ saith you are blessed now either distrust your Saviour or else confess your happiness and with patience expect his promised consolation If a man mourn not enough stay but Gods leasure and he will make your eyes run over with teares Weep still and still desire to weep but let your teares be according to the rain in sun-shine comfortable and hopeful These teares are reserved this hungring after Spiritual grace shall be satisfied this sorrow shall be comforted there is nothing betwixt God and you but time Theodosius the Emperor when reproved by Ambrose Theod. Eccles Hist l. 5. c. 18. for the slaughtet at Thessalonica he lay on the ground and humbly begged pardon using these words Psal 119.25 My soul cleaveth unto the dust quicken thou me according unto thy word Too late repentance did never man yet good Therefore as it is required of repentance to be true so likewise speedy for paenitentia sera rarò vera That Carrier is a fool that will lay the heaviest burden upon the weakest feeblest beast So also who doth intend to lay the great load of repentance upon his faint and feeble dotage Almighty God requires the first fruits the firstlings are his darlings the fattest lambs are fittest for sacrifice Repent ye Except ye repent ye shall all perish Matth. 3.2 Luke 13.3 Acts 3.19 Cap. 17.30 Luke 15.7 10. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out The times of ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all men every where to repent I say unto you that joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth more than over many just persons which need no repentance There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth God hath raised up Jesus Act. 5.31 Hebr. 6.1 2 Cor. 7.10 and exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance Repentance from dead works Repentance to salvation not to be repented of Impenitency Shew me a man that hath not some hardness of heart and we will send him to heaven without Jacobs ladder There is a threefold hardness of heart 1. Natural 2. Actual 3. Judiciary Natural and hereditary Impenitence perfectly conforms one to Satan who is in male obsirmatus and sins without remorse in malo perseverare diabolicum whereby all men are by nature not onely averse from but also adverse to the motions of Grace This is called a neck possessed with an iron sinew Isa 48.4 Actual adventitious or voluntary which is when by often choaking good motions a man hath quit his heart of them being arived at that dead and dedolent disposition Eph. 4.18 past feeling and ripe for destruction This is called a brow of brasse in the above-named text Isa 48.4 Judiciary or penal hardness which is when God for a punishment of the former with-holds his grace and delivers a man up to Satan to be further hardened and to his own hearts lusts which is worse The incestuous person was delivered up to Satan and yet repented but he that is delivered up to his own heart to a reprobate mind cannot be renewed by repentance but is in the ready rode to that unpardonable sin The hardest creatures are flexible to some agents flints to the rain iron to the fire stones to the hammer but mans heart yields to nothing neither the showers of mercy nor the hammer of reproof nor the fire of judgment but like the stithy is still the harder for beating All the plagues in Egyt could not mollify Pharaoh's heart Because the Jews were so stony hearted They were saith one rigidiores lupis duriores lapidibus Jerusalem became a heap of stones and the conquering Romans dasht them against those stones which they exceeded in hardness Here let the wicked see their doom the stones that will not be softned shall be broken there is no changing the decree of God but change thy nature then know thou art not decreed to death Stony hearts shall be broken to pieces with vengeance do not strive to alter that doom but strive to alter thy heart make of a stony heart a fleshly heart and so prevent it in thy particular Thou after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 and revelation of the righteous judgment of God Make you a new heart Ezek. 18.31 and a new spirit for why will ye die O House of Israel Faith Partes fidei salvifica sunt tres Illud est optimum cujus privatie est pessima 1. Notitia verbi Dei imprimis promissionis gratiae 2. Assentio eidem ad hibita 3. Persuasio seu siducia de certò obtinendâ gratiâ promissâ In Faith there is a 1. Direct 2. Reflex Act. There is also certitudo 1. Subjecti 2. Objecti The first is rather justificati than justificans God the Father adopteth us as the fountain of adoption God the Son as the conduit God the Holy Ghost as the Cistern and Faith as the cock whereby it runs into our hearts Tantum possumus quantùm credimus Cyâ—â— We say that the ring stancheth the blood when indeed it is the stone with in it There are many that make Faith an Almighty Idol it shall save but thus they make themselves idle making Faith a meritorious cause of justification a Doctrine which in time will trample Christs blood under foot There is such affinity between Faith and Hope that as Luther said it is hard to find one without the other they cannot be well seperated as the Cherubims on the Mercy-seat yet they differ much Especially in the 1. Object 2. Subject 3. Order 4. Office 1. For the first Faith hath for her object the Truth Hope for her object the goodness of God Faith as Aug. notes is of good things and bad but Hope looks on good things only The Christian believes that there is a hell as well as a heaven but he fears the one and hopes only for the other Faith believes 1. Things past Christ was dead and buried and is risen again 2. Present he sitteth at the right hand of God 3. Future he will come to judge the quick and dead But Hope only things to come 2. For the second Faith is in the understanding Hope in the will 3. For the third Faith is the ground of
manu Herculis extorqueas But when a man gives an alms being drawn to it with many and violent intreaties he loseth the grace of his gift both with God and man Nemo libentur debet quod non accepit sed expressit Among men he accounts not himself a debter who hath not freely received but wrung out a penny from a rich man That which is extorted from a man he properly giveth not Necessity in this kind and liberty cannot well stand together Pliny writeth that it was observed among the Romans Senec. Râ—nitentem trabentem se ab aris that never any good came to a man by offering a beast in sacrifice that violently drew back from the Altar and could not be brought to it but with much force And most certain it is that God esteemeth of no offering of ours which is not as free as liberal Give Alms of such things as you have Luke 11.41 Heb. 13.16 To do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased He that sheweth mercy Rom. 12.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with chearfulnesse Hospitality Nihil interest habere estium apertum vultum clausum Cicero It is nothing worth to admit man with an open door and to receive them with a shut and reserved countenance Saith the Oratour Hospitality is an excellent duty and we have many spurs to prick us to it 1. God requires it 2. We have many examples of it 3. We our selves may be strangers therefore do as we would be done to In it these things are required that it be done 1. Frequentur one swallow makes not a spring It was the continual practice of Lot and Abraham as may appear by their behaviour 2. â—eleriter we must not tarry till strangers offer themselves we must pull them in as Abraham and Lot we must constrain them as Lydia did Paul and Silas 3. Hilaritur without grudging we must not repine at it speak hardly of them when they be gone 4. Humiliter after a meek manner as if we were rather beholden to them than they to us 5. Abundantur according to that ability wherewith God hath blessed us 6. Perseverantur be not weary of well doing But alas most men are too much wedded to the world Where are our Abrahams to entertain Gods messengers Our Lots to compel his Ministers to come in but many a rich glutton to barr the door and deny the very fragments of his table The Prophet Elias lacketh his host of Sarepta the Prophet Elisha his hostess the Shunamite Paul cannot find the Purpurisse nor Peter the Tanner Job we find not Captain Cornelius is a black swan in this generation No Philip to feast the poor nor Martha to give the courteous entertainment nor Mary to pour oyntment on their heads Christ is a beggar in his membeâ—s Lazarus lyes still at the door and cannot by long craving and crying obtain some crummes his pillow is the Pavement stones the rich mans horses chew and spew upon gold and silver and his Mules go under rich velvet Dogges are deer and feed more daintily Foolish Nabal who like Sodom and Gomorrah was full of bread yet he denies distressed David of the superfluity of his house Yea they that make a great shew of Christianity are ready to say with that very churle shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be Habet semper unde det Aug. cui plenum est pectus charitatis Coronat Deus voluntatem ubi non invenit facultatem Idem Given to hospitality 1 Tim. 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coaction It is a received Axiom Quod ex necessitate bonum est non est bonum that which is good of necessity is not good yet it is to be understood de necessitate coactâ of a coacted necessity not of a voluntary God is necessarily good yet willingly good Death comes necessarily upon all yet some dy willingly I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ But the good which is done upon a constrained necessity loseth the name of good Patience perforce is no patience A willing mind in a good action is all in all If Solomon had not willingly built the Temple it had not been pleasing to God If the Centurion had not willingly set up the Synagogue God would not have respected it If the woman of Shunem had not willingly entertained the Prophet it had been no good work in the sight of God If Dorcas had not made the coates willingly they had not been acceptable unto God Not by constraint 1 Pet. 5.2 but willingly Beginning or Original Dimidium facti qui benè Caepit habet First actions make deepest impressions either of fear or courage Great lakes are made from small rivers Great matters from small beginnings Small matters saith a Divine art not to be neglected Mr. Mâ—ntâ—n in nature Art Religion or Providence In nature matters of moment grow up from small beginnings Nature loveth to have her cause and seed of every thing small A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump Thin exhalations end in great showers Small breaches in a Sea bank let in great inundations We must therefore not consider matters in their beginning only but progress and ultimate issue A little sin doth a great deal of mischief and a little grace is of great efficacy Penes Râ—ges est inferre bellum penes antem Deum terminare Contention at first is but as a spark but afterward it being fomented and blown up by unsober spirits putteth whole Kingdomes into combustion Heresy at first is inconsiderable but it creepeth like a Gangrene from one place to another till it have destroyed the whole body Men begin to quarrel one with another about trifles and God inferreth great mutations and changes of States and Kingdoms Learn we then not to neglect evils that are small in their rise and original Resist sinnes betimes give no place to Sathan Principiis â—bsta we know not the issue of his tyranny and encroachment And learn we also not to despise the day of small things the low beginning of grace Providence and deliverance God useth to go on when he hath begun a good work Behold Jam. 3.5 how great a matter a little fire kindleth Progresse in Sanctification Non progredi est regredi The cessasion or sleep of grace makes such a confusion in the whole man as Christ sleeping in the ship did to it Christians like waters of the Sanctuary should rise higher and higher As the morning Sun they should shine more and more unto the perfect day The blessing on man in the first creation was increase and multiply in the second grow in grace A Christian how perfect soever hath still his Plùs ultra Runners in a race look not how much they have run but how much remaineth A Christian hath his degrees of growth and his several ages of
a sweet savour behind it Wheresoever it comes it will procure favour of God and men When the name that the wicked have gotten shall rot the faithful shall be had in everlasting remembrance Therefore let us be all Zealous this way so shall we be renowned in this world Quà m magnus mirantium tam magnus invidentium populus est Senec. and eternally famous in the world to come Plato was once in such esteem that it was an ancient Proverb Jovem grecè loqui si vellet non aliter loquuturum quà m Platonem But the common people are apt to praise and dispraise with one breath Fame followes desert as the sweet sent doth the rose A man shall be sure to have both the comfort and credit of his worthy parts and practises In the Olympick games those that overcame Dignum laude virum Musa vetat moriâ— Hòâ—at did not put the garlands on their own heads but stayed till others did it for them That which had been much to a mans commendation if out of another mans mouth sounds very slenderly out of his own It is an hard thing to recover a mans good name if once lost It happened Lauâ— proâ—rlo sordescit in â—re that upon a time Fire Water and Fame went to travel together but before they set forth they consulted that if they lost one another how they might meet again Fire said where you see smoke there you shall finde me Water said where you see marsh or moorish low grounds there you shall find me But Fame said take heed how you lose me for if you do you will ran a great hazard never to meet me again Still the Euge of a good Conscience and Gods approbation is principally to be sought after Whose praise is not of men but of God Rom. â— 29 Merâ—t Caelum gratis non accipiam said the Jesuite before grace I had free will to it and when I had grace I deserved glory Satan had perswaded the Scottish Knox he had merited by his Ministery but that God brought to his mind those scriptures What hast thou that thou didst not receive And yet not I but the grace of God which was in me The Jewes of old did seek to be justifyed by their own works and these latter Jewes being asked whether they beleeve to be saved by Christs righteousness or not Answer that every Foxe must pay his own skin to the flear The Church of Rome seekes to be justified by her own righteousness and the righteousness of Christ They hold that Christs righteousness merits that our works should merit And Bellarmine saith De Iustif Opera sanctorum tincta sanguine Christi merentur that is the works of the Saints dipped in the blood of Christ do merit And truely that 's a slie and nice distinction of the Jesuites which they invented of late to make us beleeve that by the doctrine of merits they derogate nothing from the glory of Christ Indeed they say that we make satisfaction for sin and merit heaven yet it is not we that do it but Christ by us not our works simply in themselves but as dyed in the blood of Christ Our Merits are Christs merits and therefore they may deserve heaven I but Christ hath purged our sins by himself not by our selves he hath done it by his own blood immediately not mediately by our works dyed in his blood Therefore that is a meer delusion to mock the world withall Upon those word Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love The Jesuites say It is a world to see what wrything and wringing the Protestants make to shift off this place whereby it is cleer that good works are meritorious and causes of salvation If it be an unrighteous thing with God not to give heaven to our works then we have it not on meer mercy but of justice But we say It is just with God so to do not in regard of our merit Justum est ut reddat qui debet debet autem qui promisit but of his own promise They that came into the vineyard at the last hour had as much as the first yet not of merit but of Covenant It is an unrighteous thing for one to break his promise God hath promised to reward our works with eternal life therefore he should be unrighteous if he did it not yet we must not depend on our merits but on Gods promise ratified by an oath as he sheweth in the following words And for Opus operatum it is not sufficient so much as to acceptance with God because it is not enough to do a good work which God requireth at our hands but we must perform it in such a manner as the Lord requireth We must not only do bonum but bene Besides Merit is a meer fiction sith there can be no proportion betwixt the work and the wages It is well observed Coâ—â—on on Cant. Certum est nos facere quod faimus sed ille â—acit ut faciasmut Aug. Like as Roma is become Amor inversus that the Church in the Canticles is no where described by the beauty of her hands or fingers Christ concealeth the mention of her hands that is of her works 1. Because he had rather his Church should a bound in good works in silence than boast of them especially when they are wanting as Rome doth 2. Because it s he alone that worketh all our works in us and for us We do what we do but it is he that causeth us so to do St Paul is so directly against Popish justification by works that one saith both wittily and well The Epistle of Paul to the Romans is become the Epistle of Paul against the Romans Certainly those misled and muzled soules did worse than lose their labour Act. Mon. fol. 1077. that built religious houses Pro remissione redemptione peccatorum pro remedio liberatione animae pro salute requie animarum patrum matrum fratrum sororum c. These were the ends that they aimed at as appears in stories The Papists think that as he that standeth on two firm branches of a tree is surer than he that standeth upon one onely so he that trusteth to Christ and works too is in the safest condition But 1. They are fallen from Christ that trust to works 2. He that hath one foot on a firm branch and another on a rotten one stands not so sure as if he stood wholly on that which is sound But let them be Moses disciples let us be Christs set not up a candle to this sun of righteousness mix not thy puddle with his purple blood thy rags with his raiment but detest all mock-stayes And account accursed for ever that blasphemous direction of Papists to dying people Conjunge Domine obsequium meum cum omnibus quae Christ us passus est pro me Join Lord mine obedience with all that Christ hath
the two Altars in Solomons Temple in the outer Court whereof beasts were sacrificed in the inner Court an Altar of Incense The first representing mortification or slaying of our beastly appetites The second the offering up our prayers Without our spirits be mortified we neither can love to pray nor God love to hear us It was Bishop Hoopers speech before a Christian can be brought to perfection Sic mihi res eadem vulnus opemque feret Ovid. he must first be brought to nothing Unmortified men and women are no creatures fit for God Origen through a grosse mistake made himself an Eunuch Demosthenes put out his own eyes Crates cast his money into the Sea And Thracius cut down his own vines Peccata sepae raduntur sed non eradicantur Sin hath a strong heart and is not easily brought down It is the hardest task in all Christianity yet must be none or we are undone Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication c. Colos 3.5 Solitude A solitary condition is a sad condition a sorrowful condition Indeed there is a solitarinesse which is the sweetest part of our lives when we retire awhile from the world from the throng of men and businesse that we may be more intimate with Christ and take our fill in communion with him This is to go alone that we may meet with God in heaven upon earth But to be so left alone that we cannot meet with men is one of the greatest afflictions upon the earth Such solitary times are sad times There is an elective alonenesse or retirednesse at sometimes very useful for contemplation and prayer and thus we are never lesse alone than when we are alone for then God is more specially with us and we with him It is said Gen. 32.24 Jacob was left alone that is he stayed alone purposely that he might have freer communion with God in that recesse and retirement from the creature So the Church gets her into the clefts of the roks Cant. 2.14 Sed quid prodest solitudo corporis si non sit solitudo cerdis Greg. Isaac into the fields Daniel to the rivers side Christ into the Mount Peter up to the leads or house top that they might pour out their prayers and solace themselves with God in secret Thus it is good for man to be alone from the company of man that he may enjoy more fully the presence of God It 's a desirable solitarinesse to talk with God and with our selves Yet solitarinesse is to be well and carefully managed for Satan is readiest to assault when none is by to assist Neither is there a greater tye to constancy than the society of the Saints This the Heathen Persecutors perceived and therefore banished and confined the confessors to Isles and Mines where they could not come together for mutual edification Communion of Saints is to be accounted a point of practice as well as an Article of belief All solitarinesse therefore is not to be affected because it is the hour of temptation I watch Psal 102.7 and am as a Sparrow alone upon the house top Society God is for society he is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints Psal 89.7 Christ sent out his Disciples by two and two Mark 6.7 He himself came from heaven to converse with us therefore we may not like Stoicks stye up our selves A mild affablenesse and amicable conversation is to be preferred before a stern froward austerity or wild retirednesse Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Philosopher a sociable creature or Natures good-fellow Aâ—ist Polit. 1. He that loves to be alone is either a beast or a God Yea one subordinate end of mans creation is that man might live with man in holy society and communion Let two cold flints be smitten together and fire will come forth so let two dul Christians conferre and communicate their soul-secrets and they shall find the benefit of it We see saith a late writer that God will have the sweetest works in nature to be performed with natural help Canst thou bind the sweet influences of the Pleiades Saith God to Job Chap. 38.21 These Pleiades be the seven starres that have all one name because they all help one another in their work which is to bring on the spring and like seven sisters so are they joined together in one constellation and in one company Now the best time of the year the sweetest warmth cometh with those Pleiades And the best time of our life cometh when we keep together in true love and fellowship Optimum solatium sodalitium There is great comfort in good company Quid sit vera amicitia nondum novit qui vult alium esse mercedem quam ipsam saith Austin Lib de Amicitia What true friendship is he doth not as yet know who desireth any other reward than it self No sooner had the Philippians received the Gospel but they were in fellowship to a day Cap. 1.5 Noscitur ex socio qui non dignoscitur exse As sincerity is the life of Religion so is society the life of sincerity Besides Vis unita fortior Jonathan will not go without his Armer-bearer Christ when to begin his passion in the garden took Peter James and John with him for the benifit of their prayers and company though they served him but sorrily Christs Dove is but one Jerusalem is a City compact together The Church is terrible as an Army with banners the gates of hell cannot prevail against her Unity hath victory but division breeds dissolution Quanto plures boni in amicitia constituti sunt tanto status corum melioratur The more they are that unite so they be good the better it is with them We lose much of our strength in the losse of friends our Cable is as it were untwisted Hence David so much bemoans the losse of Jonathan and Paul counts it a special mercy to him that Epaphroditus recovered 2 Sam. 1. Phil. 1.27 I conclude then It s not so much perfection to live immur'd in a cell as to converse with the world and yet live abstracted from it and dead to it for so did Christ Two are better than one Eccl. 4.9 Way Domine sequemur te per te ad te te quia veritas per te quia via ad te quia vita saith Bernard Christ hath paved us a new and living way to God with his own meritorious blood Heb. 10.20 And his flesh stands as a skreen betwixt us and those everlasting burnings Isa 33.14 There are the wayes of Gods 1. Counsel and Decrees past finding out Rom. 11.33 2. Providence and outward administration Psal 145.17 Psal 77.19 3. Commandments or rules of life of two sorts Ways of 1. Worship 1. Practice Furthermore the way of a man in his walking with God is twofold 1. Internal there is a secret path which the soul treads in converse with God which no eye
pravitate versamur Damnatus home antequam natus As soon as ever we are born we are forthwith in all wickedness And Austin man is condemned as soon as conceived Our great Grandmother Eve did not bring forth before she had sinned therefore corruption is conveyed by the impurity of the seed being in it incoativè as fire is in the flint Therefore man is at his birth overspread with sin as with a filthy morphew In ancient times and the custome in some places remains to this day great men and Princes kept the memory of their birth-dayes with feasting and triumph Gen. 40.20 And Herods birth-day was kept Origen in his fragments upon Matthew affirms that the Scripture gives no testimony of any one good man celebrating his birth-day I say an ancient and commendable custome if in honour of God for his mercy in our creation education preservation c. But indeed Our sospitator while we reflect upon our birth-sin we have little cause to rejoyce in our birth-day The birth-day of Nature should be mourned over every day the birth-day of Grace is our joy and glory and is worthy to be rejoyced in Eternity which is the day of glory is one continued triumph for our birth-day in grace Behold I was shapen in iniquity Psal 51.5 and in sinne did my mother conceive me Bastard The Greeks call such children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are subject to contumelies The Hebrews call them brambles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a one as Abimelech Judg. 9.14 as growing in the base hedge-row of a concubine Nothus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spurius quasi ignotus Judg. 11.1 It is an ignominious thing to be a bastard Bastards are despised by all many brands of infamy are set on them by the Law 1. A bastard properly is not a son Qui nati sant ex prostibulo planè incerto patre sed certissimâ infamiâ Abraham was Pater when he had Ishmael but not filii Pater till he had Isaac so that he cannot inherit his fathers lands unlesse he be made legitimate by Act of Parliament 2. A bastard may be advanced to no office in Church or Common-wealth without special licence favour and dispensation A bastard shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord Deut. 23.2 even to his tenth generation Children Children if good are a great blessing what can more rejoyce our hearts than to see our children It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a blessed misery saith he the work of Gods hands framed and fitted for Gods building But if otherwise to be childlesse is a mercy saith Euripedes and Aristotle concludeth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no blessing unlesse it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to have a numerous issue unlesse they be vertuous It is said that Pasiphaes issue were ever a shame to the Parent None are so ready to drink in false Principles and corrupt practices as young ones Plato reporteth of one Protagoras that he gloried of this that whereas he had lived sixty years in all he had spent forty of them in corrupting of young people What a wretched childe was that who when his father complained that never father had so undutifull a childe as he had Fâ—l Holy state answered yes my gâ—ardfather had That regenerate men may have unregenerate children Regeneratus non regenerat â—ilios â—arnis sed generat ut Oleae semina non Oleas generant sed Oleastros Idem Mat. 19.13 Austin illustrates thus 1. As corn that is never so well winnowed brings forth corn with chaffe about it 2. And the circumcised Jew begat uncircumcised children so holy parents do beget unholy children begetting their children not according to Grace but according to Nature for grace is personal but corruption is natural It is our duty to present our little ones to Christ as well as we can 1. By praying for them before at and after their birth 2. By timely bringing them to the Ordinance of Baptisme with faith and much joy in such a priviledge 3. By training them up in Gods holy fear A populous posterity is the blessing of God Let us not take too much thought for providing for them God hath filled two bottles of milk against they come into the world He that feedeth the young ravens will feed our children if we depend on him Lo Psal 127.3 children are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward Boy Girle Si puellam viderimus moribus lepidam atque dicaculam laudabimus exosculabimus Haec in matronâ damnabimus persequemur Puerilitas est periculorum pelagus childhood and youth are vanity Eccles 11.10 Education Erasm de vitá c. Origenis pag. 1. Refert nonnihil ubi nascaris sed magis refert à quibus nascaris plurimùm verò à quibus a teneris instituaris Education consisteth in three things viz. 1. Religion 2. Learning 3. Manners Touching the former David and Bathsheba joyned together to season the tender years of Solomon with sweet liquor of celestial Piety Chrys Hom. 2. By the meanes of Hanna Samuel came presently from the corporal to the spiritual Dugge Evince taught Timothy the holy Scriptures from his childhood Hierom would have Lâ—ta to teach her daughter Paula the Canonical Scriptures Ad Letam beginning with the Psalmes and ending with the Canticles the Psalmes as the easiest and sweetest the Canticles as the hardest To this end catechizing is very requisite For education in learning Pharaoh's daughter trained up her adopted son in all the learning of the Egyptians Paul was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel Aristippus that famous Philosopher was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught by his mother The eloquent tongue of Cornelia was a great means of the eloquence of the Gracchi her two sons Philip procured two Schoolmasters for his son Alexander Plu. Aristotle for his Teacher and Leonides for Directer and Informer And Constantine procured three several Tutors for his three several sons One for Divinity Euseb the other for the Civil Law the third for Military Discipline Concerning behaviour we must bring up our children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in instruction and information that may formare mores frame their manners and put a good mind into them as the word imports Let not these things be delayed Thou mayest be taken from thy children or they from thee who then shall teach them after thy departure Moreover Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit adorem Testa diu great trees will not easily bend and a bad habit is not easily left Besides dye cloth in the wooll not in the webb and the colour will be the better the more durable Train up a childe in the way he should go and when he is old Prov. 22.6 he will not depart from it Espousals Contracts or espousals before marriage were a very ancient and laudable custome both amongst
the conscience of his faithfulnesse herein being more sweeter as it is more secret In favours done his memory is frail in benefits received never failing He is the joy of life the treasure of earth and no other than a good Angel cloathed in flesh It is said of Augustus that he was ad accipiendas amicitias rarissimus ad retinendas verò constantissâ—mus Euripides saith that a faithful friend in adversity is better than a calme sea to a storm-beaten Marriner The world is full of Jobs comforters and friends miserable ones who instead of comforting reproach vizarding themselves under the cloke of amity when their hearts are no better than lumps of hypocrisie But true friendship is Hercules knot indissoluble And like Mercuries staâ—â—e whereon are placed two snakes both the male and the female alwayes clipping and clasping together One asking a poor man how he would prefer his children his answer was Zenophon Cyrus is my friend But O happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help Psal â—46 5 and whose hope is in the Lord his God Kisse To kisse noteth 1. Worship and service 1 Kings 19.18 2. Duty and obedience Psal 2.12 3. Love and affection As a sign of unity and onenesse Salute one another saith Paul with an holy kisse Rom. 16.16 As it is the fashion among us for men meeting with their friends to shake hands So was it among the Jewes as appears by many places in both Testaments for men to kisse men at meeting and parting The Apostle intends a true conjunction of minds and affections forgetting all former offence This Peter calleth the kisse of charity and Austin Osculum columbinum the Dove-like kisse But there are unholy kisses The unchast kisse of the Harlot The idolatrous kisse of the Israelites to Baal The flattering kisse of Absolom and the trayterous kisse of Joab and Judas Above all its good to kisse him in whose lips grace is seated Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth Cant. 1.2 for thy love is better than wine Enemie Wisdom tells us it is good to keep a bit in the mouth of an enemie but much more of our spiritual enemies Fury fights against the soul like a mad Turk Fornication like a treacherous Joab it doth kisse and kill Drunkennesse is the master-gunner that sets all on fire Gluttony will stand for a Corporal Avarice for a Pioner Idlenesse for a Genleman of the company And Pride must be a Captain Let us therefore put on our spiritual armour To love our enemies is a hard task but Christ commands it and it must be done be it never so contrary to our foul nature The spirit that is in us lusteth after envy but the Scripture teacheth better things and God giveth more grace This is our Saviours Precept and this was his practice He melted over Jerusalem the slaughter-house of his Saints and himself Called Judas friend Prayed Father forgive them And did them all good for bodies and souls And all his children in all ages of the Church have resembled him Abraham rescueth Lot that had dealt so discourteously with him Isaac forgives the wrong done him by Abimelech and his servants and feasteth them Jacob was faithful to Laban who changed his wages ten times and alwayes for the worse Joseph entertained his malicious brethren into his house Elisha provides a table for them that had provided a grave for him And Stephen prayes heartily for his persecutors Lord lay not this sinne to their charge and prevailed as Austin thinketh for Pauls conversion In doing some good to our enemies we do most to our selves for God cannot but love in us that imitation of his mercy who bids his Sun to shine on the wicked and unthankful also Love your enemies Mat. 5.44 blesse them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you c. Read Rom. 12.20 21. Money It was and still is a common medler It is the worlds great Monarch and bears most Majesty What great designs did Philip bring to passe in Greece by his gold The very Oracles were said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to say as Philip would have them Antipater non tenuis fuit pecuniae ideo praevalidae fuit potentiae saith Egesippus he was a well-monyed man and therefore a mighty man But what security is in money Doth the Devil balk a lordly house as if he were afraid to come in Dares he not tempt a rich man to lewdnesse Let experience witnesse whether he dare not bring the highest gallant both to sin and shame Let his food be never so delicate he will be a guest at his table and perhaps thrust in one dish at his feast Drunkenness Satan will attend him though he have good servants Wealth is no charm to conjure away the Devil such an Amulet and the Pope's Holy-water are both of a force An evil conscience dares perplex Saul in the throne and a Judas with his purse full of money Can a silken sleeve keep a broken arm from aking then may a full barn keep an evil conscience from vexing Hell-fire doth not favour the rich mans limbs more than the poor's Dives goes to hell out of his purple-robes to flames of the same colour The frogs dare leap to King Pharaoh's chamber into his sumptuous pallaces The rich Worldlings live most miserably slav'd to that wealth whereof they keep the key under their girdle Esuriunt in Popina They starve in a Cooks shop The Poet tells us that when Codrus his * A little cottage in the forrest house burns he stands by and warms himself knowing that a little few sticks straw and clay with a little labour can rebuild him as good a tabernacle But if this accident light upon the Usurers house distraction seiseth him withall he cries out of this Chamber and that Chest of this Closet and Cabinet Bonds and Mortgages Money and Plate Strabo saith That Phaletius feared lest in digging for Gold and Silver Effodiuntur opes c. men would dig themselves a new way to Hell Plutonem brevi ad superos adducturos And bring up the Devil among them Gold is that which the basest yield the most savage Indians get servile Apprentices work miserable Muckworms admire and unthrifty Ruffians spend Yet the danger is not in having gold and silver so as these metals have not us Minut. Octav. so as they do not get within us But that is too often verified of which an Antient complaineth and not without cause Divites facultatibus suis alligatos magis aurum consuevisse suspicere quâ—m coelum That rich men mind Gold more than God and Money more than Mercy If wealth be wanting they sit down in a faithless sullen discontent and despair And if they have it they rise up in a corky frothy confidence that all shall go well with them Money answereth all things Eccl. 10.19 Clothing
indeed in this judgment the Lord speaks aloud One calls it Bellum divinum Homer saith that the Plague is the arrow of God And Hyppocrates That a great Plague among them was the Divine disease 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because a punishment sent from God more immediately as an evil messenger And indeed it hath less of man and second causes in it than others Though second causes are not wholly denied yet they are hard to be found out Quicquid asseratur omnis pestilentiae caeca et delitescens est causa et aliunde quà m ex primis qualitatibus aut ex putredine perfecta Fern. De abd it rerum caus it puzzles the learned Physicians clearly to express them some referring it to the indisposition of the air others to malignant occult qualities in the air body or diet some to corruption in the blood and others to hunger and surfeit But Senertus concludes very honestly Qualis sit pestilentialis veneni natura qua ejus in qualibet pestilenti constitutione differentia nemo hactenus satis explicavit Lib. 4. cap. 10. Gods hand is seen much in this noisom disease Some Pestilences kill cattel and not men some kill men and not cattel and some kill one sort of men and not others as the leâ—rded have observed A certain Historian calls it and aptly A scourge of the greatest multitudes and the handmaid of Famine For this deadly disease lays heaps upon heaps as many places have had lamentable experience and scarce leaveth living enow to bury the dead As in the days of Decius the Emperor In David's time Seventy thousand were consumed by it in three days 2 Sam. 24.15 In Vespasian's days at Rome Euseb in Chrónico there died Ten thousand a day for many days together And in the year 1345. it was so general through the Christian world that it destroyed half mankind Where God gives it a commission it runs as fire in a corn-field Experience clears it however some have questioned it that a godly man may die of the Plague As did Oecolampadius and others Psal â—91 Hezekiah is thought to have had it So had reverend Beza his family was four several times visited herewith who was much comforted under it and other heavy afflictions by that sweet Psalm as himself witnesseth The Arrow that flieth by day the Pestilence that walketh in darkness Psal 91.5 6. Political Administration Vulgus The Common people I Do not regard saith Seneca to please the Vulgar for the things that I know the people do not approve and the things that the people approve I know not Nunquam volui populo placere nam quae ego scio non probat populus quae probat populus ego nescio Epist. Yet it 's good for Princes to know that if the common people be a beast of many heads it hath more hands and therefore not to be despised A good Horsman must sometimes use the reins not always the spur Some are to their Country as the worm in wood or moth in cloth not Common-wealths but rather Common-woes men Grievous was the disorder when Herod cannot be wrought with but by Herodias nor Pilate but with his wife underhand It is also hard with the whole body when the stomack which should feed all and concoct nourishment is foul and distempered The whole head is sick and the whole heart faint Isa 1.5 Magistrate A good Magistrate is a faithful Deputy of his Maker B. H. Magistratus descripâ—â—â— His breast is the Ocean whereinto all the cares of private men empty themselves which as he received without complaint so he sends them forth in a wise conveyance by the streams of Justice His doors his ears are ever open to suiters and not who comes first speeds well but whose cause is best On the Bench he is another from himself at home all private respects of blood alliance amity are forgotten and if his own Son come under trial he knows him not Pity which is the praise of humanity and the fruit of a Christian love is by him thrown over the bar As for Favour the false advocate of the gracious he allows him not to appear in the Court there only Causes are heard speak not Persons Truth must strip her and come in naked to his bar without false bodies or colours A Bribe or a Letter on the Bench or a word of a Grate man are answered with an angry repulse Displeasure Revenge and Recompence stand on both sides the Bench but he regards them not only he looks at Equity right before him His hand is flower than his tongue but when he is urged by occasion either to doom or execution he shews how he abhorreth merciful Injustice his forehead is rugged and severe able to discountenance villany I know not whether he be more feared or loved his affections are so sweetly tempered The good fear him lovingly the mild sort love him fearfully and only the wicked man fears him slavishly If he be partial it is to his enemy His sword hath neither rusted for want of use nor surfeiteth with blood but after many threats is unsheathed as the dreadful instrument of Divine revenge He is the Guard of good Laws the Refuge of Innocency the Recompencer of the Guilty the Pay-master of good Deserts the Champion of Justice the Patron of Peace the Father of the Country and as it were another God on earth Magistratus vocantur ab Aristotele 3 Pol. c. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui enim legi concedit imperium ille videtur Dei permittere imperium Amongst the Romans Godw. Antiq. l. 3. c. 1. the Praetor or Lord Chief Justice might not keep Court and administer Justice upon certain days without the speaking of these three words Do Dico Addico Dabat actionem dicebat jus addicebat tam res quà m homines The Magistrate hath not to do in sacris but circa sacra He may not do Vzzia's work but Hezekia's The Minister hath vim admonendi the Magistrate vim coercendi Heathens pictured Magistrates by a Fountain because it conveys water all about Bad Magistrates are as a Briar Ut tâ—i inveniatur dolor ubi sperabitur auxilium Hierom. Mic. 7.4 or as a Thorn-hedge a man that takes hold with his fingers is prickt and glad to let go Or as the silly sheep that flying to the bush for defence in weather loseth part of her fleece So that a man shall have grief where he hoped for help and succour Or like unto Oaks which are strong but bear no other fruit but acorns for swine A good Magistrate like thunder fears many Poena ad paucos c. Psal 101.1 hurts few He sings of mercy and judgment which are the brightest stars in the sphere of Majesty He bathes the sword of Justice in the oil of mercy A well-tempered mixture of both these preserves the Commonwealth Cujus potestas ejus est actus People are but the Magistrates
ut relevet premit ut solatia praestet Enecat ut possit vivificare Deus How healing then are his salves whose very sores are a salve For he maketh sore and bindeth up he woundeth and his hands make whole Job 5.18 Sickness Health in it self is an invaluable jewel We know not how to prize it Carendo magit quà m fruâ—nde but when we want it 1. When a man is sick he can do nothing so well as in his health we cannot pray so well pain draws us away we cannot read so well follow the works of our calling so conveniently attend upon the means of grace visit our friends c. 2. Sin pulls sickness upon us because all have sinned all are sick at one time or other in some measure or other Behold he whom thou lovest is sick Joh. 11. 3. A sick man is a Prisoner confined to his bed or house a man in health is at liberty to go where he will yet in the Lord. 4. What is wealth without health Nec domus aut fundus Horas non aris acervus auri Aegroto Domini deducunt corpore fabres Though thou hast the riches of Craesus yet they could not rid thee of an Ague So displeasing is sickness so pleasing is health Bernard tells us of a brother of his that when he gave him many good instructions and he being a souldier minded them not he put his finger to his sides and said One day a spear shall make way to this heart of thine for instructions and admonitions to enter Read Job 33.16 19. Psal 107.17 18. Mic. 6.13 A promise contrary to those threatnings is that And the inhabitant shall not say I am sick the people that dwell therein Isa 33.24 shall be forgiven their iniquity Imbecillity This is imbecillity in a man either 1. To assume too much on himself without his own merit 2. Or to presume too much on Gods mercy Sorry man is like Simon Magus the Sorcerer counting himself for some great man As Martin Luther said All of us have a Pope bred in us an opinion of our own works albeit there be in us no real vertue nor true substance yet Narcissus-like we are enamoured with our own shadows and this is the Serpents head the beginning of evil Wherefore we must labour every day to dig this huge Mountain down we must descend that we may ascend as we fell by ascending so we must be raised by descending Vide te magnum miraculum saith Austin Lo here a great miracle God is on high and yet the higher thou liftest up thy self the farther thou art from him The lower thou humblest thy self the nearer he draweth to thee Low things he looketh close upon that he may raise them proud things he knoweth afar off that he may depress them The proud Pharisee pressed as near God as he could the poor Publican not daring to do so stood aloof off yet was God far from the Pharisee near to the Publican Whosoever shall exalt himself Mat. 23.12 shall be abased and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted Infirmity The best of Saints have their infirmities They are of two sorts Viz. 1. Natural 2. Sinful We must so distinguish for when Christ took our nature into the unity of his person with it he took upon him all our infirmities but not our sinful ones For he was like man in all things but sin Sins of infirmity Noe fuit aliquando ebrius qumvis absit ut fucrit abriosus Aug. are usually 1. Sins of incogitancy Mat. 26.35 2. They have commonly for their ground some strong passion in nature as fear shame disgrace 3. The consent is not without some reluctation 4. They end in mourning Psal 6.6 Mat. 26.27 5. They are no sins of custom if gross sins seldom or never iterated James sir-named the just affirmeth both of himself and other sanctified persons Triste mortalita is Privilegium In many things we offend all This is the sad priviledge of mankind as one phraseth it to have leave to offend sometime And it is the honour of God alone to be perfect It is wittily and well observed that Nicodemus who came to our Saviour by night was a Disciple though a dastard infirmities if disclaimed discard us not Vzziah ceased not to be a King when he began to be a leper Christ did not abhor the presence of Jehoshuah the High-Priest though ill-clothed but he stood before the Angel The Church calleth her self black but Christ calls her fair And under the Law in peace-offerings they might offer leavened bread to shew that God will bear with his peoples infirmities Calvin saith of Luther that as he excelled with great vertues so he was not without his great sailings Arque utinam recognoscendis suis vitiis plus operae dedisset Ep. Bulling And I would saith he that he had spent less time in declaiming against others and more in Recognizing his own faults Hence in our carriage towards the Saints we should avoid two extreams 1. The one is we must not have such high thoughts of them as above infirmities We may over-act this way as they of Lystra did in overestimating Paul and Barnabas when they said The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men We may have no mans person in admiration though in a due estimation 2. And the other is neither must we traduce them as hypocrites because of infirmities but afford them their grains of allowance If we will have Saints made perfect we must seek them in heaven not on earth An accomplished man and well accoutred yet in wrestling may be overcome so as to take a fall because upon slippery ground Or a strong City with a treacherous party in it may soon be surprized Even so is it with the best while we have flesh as well as spirit And I said This is my infirmity Psal 77.10 Contingency Casus est inopinatae rei eventus Arist. Imperitia casum fecit Therefore it is good judiciously to ponder things past Hierom. prudently to order things present and providently to foresee and prevent dangers like to ensue The wise mans eyes are in his head Eccl. 2.14 Will of God Operienda cum patientiâ divina voluntas The Will of God is twofold 1. Secret 2. Revealed His revealed Will is fourfold 1. Determining Eph. 1.5 2. Prescribing Eph. 1.9 3. Approving Mat. 18.14 4. Disposing or the Will of his Providence 1 Cor. 1.1 Rom. 1.10 Now we should resign our selves over to his determining Will as the highest cause of all things Rest in his approving Will as our chiefest happiness Obey his prescribing Will as the absolutest and perfectest form of holiness And be subject to his disposing Will being patient in all trials and troubles because he did it Psal 39.9 There is no bound to the power of God but only his own Will Psal 115.3 He will not indure to have any Articles
he is as man in heaven so he is as man higher than the heavens O praeclarum diem cum ad illud animorum concilium caetumquae proficiscar et cum ex bâc turbd et colluvione discedam Cicer. de sencetute Hebr. 12.24 higher than the heavens which are visible to the eye of man yet in part of the heavens where the God of glory is pleased to make the most ample and immediate manifestation of his glory 't is called the habitation of the highest a new world the new heaven Paradise the heavenly Jereusalem the City of the living God where there are an innumerable company of Angels the general assembly and Church of the first-borne and God the Judge of all and the spirits of just men made perfect There is I say Jesus the Mediatour of the new Covenant and the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel There our high-Priest presents to the Father the propitiatory sacrifice of himself and sprinkles upon us his purifying blood that is by his powerful mediation he applies unto us who are faithful the saving merits of his never to be forgotten passion by which our mortal sins are freely remitted and we destin'd to a Crown incorruptible that never fades away in the highest heavens Thus are we through him had in perpetual remembrance and accepted of God in the beloved as righteous as if we had never offended When a man indeed looks on things directly through the aire they appear in their proper forms and colours as they are but if they be look't upon through a green glasse they all appear green So when God beholds us as we are in our selves we appear vile and squallid but when as presented before his throne in heaven in the person of our Mediatour our high-Priest after the order of Melchisedeck approved of for his merits then we appear before him as Christ himself holy harmlesse undefiled seperate from sinners and in some respect and measure made higher than the heavens for those that overcome by faith and a good conscience being Kings and Priests by him shall be so honourably esteem'd of Revel 3 21. as to be made sit down as coheirs with him in his throne as he sitteth down with his father in his throne As he vouchsafes us to partake of his merits so of his glory Cap. 5.10 making us unto our God Kings and Priests In lieu whereof let us in all humility with the four and twenty Elders fall down before him thut sitteth on the throne Cap. 4.10 and worship him that liveth for ever and ever And with those ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands celestiall spirits Cap. 5.11.12 13. let us say for of him 't is said worthy is the Lambe that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing Vnto thee therefore O our loving Saviour Christ Jesus our high-Priest who art holy harmless undefiled seperate from sinners and made higher than the heavens be ascribed by us as by every creature which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea blessing honour glory and power for ever and ever Amen GLORIA IN ALTISSIMIS OR THE ANGELICAL ANTHEM LUKE 2.14 Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace good will towards men THis is the sacred Anthem which by the heavenly quire of Angelical spirits was most melodiously sung as a pregnant expression of exceeding joy conceived in them at and for the so much desired nativity of our blessed Saviour These ministring spirits I propose as the fittest and compleatest pattern for our pious imitation to whom seeing we are made but little inferiour in regard of the lively image of God imprinted in our soules so be we also but little inferiour to them in expressing the joyes conceived in our hearts I may safely averr without the least smack or touch of Popery that the Angels of God in heaven rejoyce at the good of Gods Church whereof they themselves are apart for such is the spiritual sympathy of their holy affections with ours whose conversation is in heaven though our selves on earth that they bear a part with us in solacing themselves for our happiness The heavens could not hold these Angels from coming to the earth in hast upon the wing to bring the glad tidings of peace and great joy that shall be to all people the sun was anticipated in his course for the Angels proclaim a Saviour ere the sun the worlds eye did discover him That we therefore may not come short of affection if it be possible of them let us in a joyful sense of felicity Psal 103. Incipit à superieribus sinlt in infinis coming unto us by our Saviours coming unto us sing Hallelujah unto God and with David call upon all creatures from the highest to the lowest to publish the praises of the highest Blesse the Lord ye his Angels that excell in strength that do his Commandments hearkning to the voice of his word Blesse ye the Lord all ye his hosts ye Ministers of his that do his pleasure Blesse the Lord all his works in all places of his Dominion Blesse the Lord Kimchi O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy name Elevate your hearts and voices good Christians in harmonical strains with these blessed spirits setting forth in some measure the exceeding greatness and glory of the love of God extended unto us without all measure Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men This Song doth consist of three parts viz. 1. Glory 2. Peace 3. Mercy The 1. is Glory be to God on high there is the honor the reverend obedience the admiration and the divine worship which we ought to give to God The 2. is And on earth peace this is the effect of the former working in the hearts of men whereby the world appears in its most glorious splendor and transporting beauty being an entire chain of intermutual amity The 3. is Good will towards men this is Gods mercy reconciling man to himself after his perfidious apostacie and ungrateful dissertion from his Creatour Glory peace and mercy then must be the welcome subject of my discourse Glory to God Peace to the Kingdomes of the earth and mercy unto sinful men Gods mercy appears in our Saviours appearing to the world which brought peace on earth for which men and Angels glorify the Lord of glory Glory be to God on high The first part comprehends what ought to be the first and principal aim both of our Christian intention and pious execution wherein if we behave our selves well we shall have a part and portion in that inheritance which Christ with his blood purchased for us Glory be to God on high Gods glory is either divine or humane Gods divine gloty is that which is proper to the divinity incommunicable to any creature Which
received more in the second Adam than we lost in the first Where sin abounded grace did much more abound Rom 5.20 In Adam we lost our native innocency in Christ we receive absolute perfection and integrity in Adam we lost Paradise on earth in Christ we receive the Kingdom of heaven the true Paradise of God at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore How then can that infinite mercy repel us from him when we come unto him being now made partakers of his nature much rather being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Rom. 5.10 And this is called the glory of his grace whereby we are made accepted in the beloved in whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Eph. 1.6 7. Gods goodness appears in his justice worthy of admiration for the God of mercy as he was inclined so was he content to pardon sinners if it might stand with the unblemisht reputation of his exactest justice That therefore his justice might not suffer his mercy brought to passe the incarnation of his Son thereby to satisfy his justice and appease his wrath Rom. 3.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Him hath God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past hence he is said to dy for us that is in our stead which taketh away condemnation Cap. 8.34 and bringeth peace to undoubted salvation Cap 5.10 Here is plenary satisfaction to God for us and a peaceful reconciliation betwixt God and us Hence 't is said that he was made sin for us that is a sinner 2 Cor. 5.21 which cannot be but either interna pollutione by an inward infection which was impossible to him vel externâ reputatione by an outward repute and estimate which was no otherwise than by undergoing the punishment due to us which he hath done as was meet by which Gods justice is everlastingly immutably and fully satisfied and we perfectly saved Hence he is said to bear our iniquities Isa 53.4 which is not tollerantia patientiae the bearing of patience though he did bear them patiently but by bearing them he took them away behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world neither is it sola poestas auferendi peccata 1 Pet. 2.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely an authentick power or authority of taking away our sins but which is far more he actually bare our sins in his one body on the tree that is submitting himself to divine censure and justice did suffer the punishments of our offences by which we passe from death to life for by his stripes we are healed by his death we are saved Hence he is said to have paid for us the price of our Redemption we are bought with a price faith the Apostle whereby is intimated our captivity and subjection unto the just vengeance of the Almighty We were debters unto him and were broke like bankrupts upon the matter despoil'd of all good we had and disenabled to pay the price of our redemption which the Son of God undertaking saith of himself Mat. 20 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2.6 that he came to give his life a ransome for many whereof the Apostle making use saith that Christ our Mediatour gave himself a ransome for all The Apostles All are those Many mentioned by the Evangelist Hence he is said to be an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Ephes 5.2 Such a one as hath wrought a perfect reconciliation and an eternal peace betwixt God and us his justice satisfied our sins pardoned our souls saved Such a one as all sacrifices before him were but his shadows and for any to be after him is but needless and most unlawful for he after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God and by that one offering hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Thus to satisfie the justice of God and secure us Heb. 10.12.14 the Sonne of God is sent from God into the world and went stitch-through with the work of our redemption So that it is compleat and cannot admit the least exception nothing in it being defective nothing superfluous To close up this point admire the wonderful temper of Gods mercy and justice which no creature could find out before God did manifest it and none now it is made manifest can fully apprehend it In sending us a Saviour God was merciful that he might be just and just that he might be merciful For in his mercy he sent him he gave him to us in his justice he made him a curse he punished him with death for us which he triumphantly overcame he made him sin for us that knew no sinne to the end that through his mercy again we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Cor. 5.22 Wherefore with holy David unto thee O God do we give thanks unto thee do we give thanks for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare Psal 75.1 The works of thy mercy the works of thy justice are exceeding wonderful in our reparation Thy Name thy nature is near unto us in thy Son Nomen i.c. Numâ—n who being the true IMMANVEL God with us hath wrought and accomplished our deliverance Not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy Name give the glory Tibi gloria nobis lucrum let the glory be thine now the gain is ours Glory be to God on high Thus much concerning the first thing imported in this Glory which is a pious admiration of Gods infinite Wisdom Power and Goodness The second thing imported in this Glory is a religious honour due to God which is evermore the necessary consequent of pious admiration We honour our Benefactors the best we may as the benefit bestowed and the love of the Benefactor doth require and the greater the benefit the greater is the Benefactors love and the greater his love the greater honour is due to him from the receiver Great out of doubt is the Gift God sent to us freely confer'd upon us it is a Gift of an heavenly nature of the highest vaine his own only begotten Son him hath God given that aâ— many as believe in hiâ— should not perish but have everlasting life Seeing then that he graciously vouchsafed to honour us so highly so lovingly we cannot in modesty in honesty in piety but highly honour him again who is the highest Being then upon the point of honour I must fixe upon those two points wherein this honour doth consist which are 1. Obedience not fained but real 2. Divine worship or adoration of him First then because God hath sent a Saviour into the world to visit us his people from on high and to redeem us from below the nethermost hell we are to render all sincere obedience to him
whereon to found our Phanatick and furious alterations of hare-brain'd opinionists Deut. 27.17 They are like the fixed land-marks in the fields of our earthly inheritance the removing whereof is held accurst The Church of Christ is not to be reputed a common School for Sophisters to wrangle in but for Christs Disciples the faithful to be instructed in The Cannons also and constitutions of the Church concerning matters that are ceremonial and in themselves indifferent are not things to be slighted but to be obeyed God hath enabled the Church with authority to ordain what may tend to good and decent order which none ought to resist and shall any go about to disable it Let the Seperatist who upon such simple reasons as are alledged by him spurrs at the grave authority of the Church take heed that he deprive not himself of the communion of Saints through his sullen segregation and out of a needlesse nicety as one speaks be a thief to himself of those benefits which God hath allowed him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him take heed be have not a bare shew of piety and deny the power thereof Nothing is more pestilent to the Church of God than froward wilfulness covered with fained holiness the one in disturbing Religion the other in deceiving the professors thereof especially the vulgar sort who judging according to the outward appearance which sometime beguileth the most prudent do verily think the most zealous in profession to be most religious in conversation when alas it is not so We may remember what Christ said of Wolves being in sheeps cloathing and what the Apostle too of Satans transforming into an Angel of light For mine own part I have ever vowed my study to be to studie to be quiet and to submit my self to reverent order I know how dangerous a thing it is to be a Church-rebel The Lord speaking of the Church of the Gentiles Cap. ult 12. said by the Prophet Isaiah I will extend peace to her like a river Who now should dare to stop the current which the Lord hath made and to instinge the peace that the highest hath decreed But to let this passe Besides this the Papists insult and triumph to see those those that professe themselves brethren to be at such deadly fewd among themselves Manasses against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasses but both against Judah that is in their sense the Puritan against the Protestant the Protestant against the Puritan and both against the Papist Thinking our dissention a sufficient grace to their Church which maketh unity a special mark of verity I find that the end of Schisme is Heresie commonly the end of Heresie Atheisme the end of Atheisme utter desolation and destruction of soul and body And lastly when men through discontent because their brain may not rule cut themselves off from the Church and so transgress the sacred Lawes of Christian sosciety they are spiritually dead It is S. Aug assertion Spiritus humanus nunquam vivificat membra nisi fuerint unitd Aug. de Civ Dei sic Spiritus sanctus nunquam vivificat membra Ecclesiae nisi fuerint in pace unita The soul of man never quickens but those parts that are united so neither doth the holy Ghost but those members of the Church that are at peace together Wherefore as in Solomons material temple all was covered with gold within and without so in Gods spiritual temple which temple we are let all be beautified with love and peace within and without Remember Christs coat was seamless let us not rent it in peices the souldiers did and what they did in it they did against Christ so Qui pacem Christi concordiam rumpit adversus Christum facit In lib. de unitat Eccl. saith Cyprian he that breaks the peace and concord of Christ opposeth Christ the authour of it I have read a speech of Cassiodorus worth noting Non inveniri potest expressior forma conversationes Angelieae quam unitas socialis Cassiodor in Psal There cannot be a more express form or a more perfect resemblance of an Angelical conversation than friendly unity Far be it then from any of our thoughts to fill the Church of Christ with destraction or in the least measure to oppose the peace thereof Lib. de cur◠Pastorali for it is most certainly true what Gregory the great saith Si Dei vocantur filij qui pacem faciunt proculdubio Satanae sunt filii qui pacem confundunt If they be called the sons of God that make peace and keep it Osiander questionless they are the sons of Satan that break it that confound it It was Osianders motion which I now make mine we are all one spiritual body let us therefore have all one spiritual mind It is unmeet that they should live at variance on earth who hope at last to meet and live together in heaven To conclude this whole point As those States are likely to flourish where execution follows good advice so is man when contemplation and attention are seconded by good action Contemplation and attention do generate Bernard action doth propagate without the first the latter is defective without the last the first is but abortive Barnard compares contemplation to Rachel which was more fair but action to Leah which was more fruitful Let me therefore for the mercies of Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1.10 exhort men to practice what I have now propounded With Paul I will beseech you to do it I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment With the same Paul I will pray for you Rom. 15.5 6. that ye do it Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that we may with one mind and one mouth glorify God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And thus much concerning the third kind of peace that by Christs coming came into the world which is peace one with another The last kind of peace comes now to be treated of which is peace with all Gods creatures of which succinctly After Adam had disobeyed God the creatures began to disobey Adam Enmity attends ever at the heeles of sin Rom. ◠The very creatures were sensible of mans apostasy being made subject by his offence unto vanity and therefore did they take their Creators part and turn enemy to rebellious man But as Christ our powerful Mediatour hath by his ever effectual obedience made our peace with God so by the same hath he made our peace with the Creatures All things work together for the good of those that are elect according to Gods purpose The Angels themselves who are the highest eminency and purest quality among creatures are reconciled to them that
should have been taken from him but left all other thoughts and did cleave to his masters side with an inseparable resolution As the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth I will not leave thee So must we be to Christ in whom God hath manifested his good will to us and say as Peter did To whom should we go thou hast the words of eternal life Gods Mercy is like Daniels goodly tree Dan. 4. whose height reacheth unto the heavens and the sight thereof to all the earth whose pleasant fruit all mortal men do taste and eat and under the shadow of whose fair leaves they take rest and comfort To the defence and succour of this tree must we run in storms and extremity and not then only but at all times lest with ungrateful Popelings we go about in the fairest sunshine to lop the branches Of pions memory is that last speech uttered with the fierce zeal of a dying Martyr burnt in a Tun in Smithfield in the presence of Henry the Fourth King of England Mercy Lord Jesus Christ mercy And of him that with lifted-up hands and singers flaming with fire cried to the people None but Christ none but Christ for ever Cry then ye braving Merit-mongers and say not with the Laodicean Church We are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing when as your consciences tell you as theirs did Ye are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Learn with the Prophet Jeremy to say It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not Make it the height of your ambition with the Apostle to be found in Christ Lam. 3.22 not having your own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith And since the bowels of Gods compassion and good will to us do yearn upon us and the merits of our blessed Saviour are so effectual as to justifie in his sight let all the world conclude with David Thy loving kindness is better than life Psal 63.3 And with the Angels here acknowledge our salvation to proceed from Gods good will Our Justification thus effected a main work of Gods goodness towards man there follows upon the very neck of it our Sanctification And here we find the Well of Gods Mercy to be like Jacob's deep to which whosoever cometh with a thirsting soul may freely drink of the water of life Since then O God thy Mercy and thy Goodness is of that depth that no Mortal is able to found it and it able to satiate all with thy good Spirit that as by thy Son we are justified in thy sight so by thy Spirit we may be sanctified for Holiness becometh that house wherein thou dwellest O Lord. Know then that by an eternal constitution of Gods predestinating will some were ordained to be vessels of dishonor some of honor Those of dishonor are Reprobates and câ—st-aways who spend their days in prophaneness and end in never-ending pains But those of honor are the Elect who being made to be perpetually glorified among the blessed Angels that kept their first station have here their conversation tanquam in coelo as in heaven and following the conduct of that sanctisying Spirit that makes them holy and acceptable to the most Holy end in never-ending happiness The first are passed in silence our speech must be of the latter whom God by special grace vouchsafes to grace with such endowments as fit them for glory There are none begotten by a natural generation exempted from the contagion of sin neither can any in truth glory of a pious conformity of their wills Papists presume upon a natural ability to gain acceptation at the hands of God and Pelagians have given that goodness to remain in our wills which doth not both which whilst the wheel is turning and the sum of all their misfortunes is cast up sleep supinely in carelesness and boast vainly in security Divine truth hath discovered our nakedness and shame so that the naked truth without all contradiction is that what characters of goodness were imprinted in our nature by the hand of our Creator were by the hand of man that catcht hold of the forbidden fruit quite obliterated and blotted out insomuch that unless the same power take us in hand again and put upon us the stamp of a new creation we shall never alter those crooked and wry dispositions which by our offending disobedience we have contracted The life of a Christian doth challenge an higher parentage than from earth when the beauty thereof is marred and the emoluments departed And here the Lords good will hath not been deficient but superabundant above what we are able to ask or think for out of the plentiful treasures of his grace hath he supplied our defects First he sent his Son and behold now he sends his Spirit His Son to free us from condemnation from which otherwise we cannot be free his Spirit for our regeneration which is an act of Divine power whereby being born of God we are reduced to the obedience of his Name Isa 63.18 1 Pet. 2.9 and made like unto him Holy as he is holy hereby becoming the people of his holiness as saith the Prophet and as that Saint of God the Apostle Peter speaks A chosen generation a royal Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people What was written upon the plate of the holy Crown of pure gold belonging to the Priest in the Levitical law is by the singer of God engraven in Capital letters in the hearts of his Saints HOLINESS TO THE LORD Exod. 99.30 Which inward holiness makes them zealous of good works that are like to Pearls as one saith found here below but carry a resemblance of Heaven in their brightness and orient colours To which end our Saviour gave this precept Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in heaven Those sacred actions of obedience that have their original dependencie upon the Divine operation of Gods Spirit in the heart please God wonderfully He is glorified by them and in them his soul takes great pleasure Cui prius non beneplacitum erat in hominibus Theophil nunc pro beneficiis refocillationibus hominum habet opera in quibus quietem habet faith Theophilact on these words God who at first was highly offended with men for their apostacy accepts the good deeds of men though himself be the Author of their good for favours and refreshings wherein he is well pleased As I breathe Christians I cannot but admire the good will of God who dwelling in that light unto which there can be no access would vouchsafe to shine upon us who are darkness in the very abstract or would lift up the light of his countenance upon us whom sin had made so contemptible In good earnest I am transported much more
with the thought of his dwelling in our hearts whereby whatsoever Satan or our own corruption hath erected there is pulled down and whereby all cursed temptations and suggestions are powerfully vanquish'd When I consider how of impure he makes us pure how of the sons of wrath heirs of an incorruptible crown and how that he takes delight in our imperfectly holy actions wherein if he do but mark what is done amiss they can never endure the trial Our lame and limping Holiness goes for the currant with God in Christ Jesus who in his good will to us accepts the good will for the deed the sincere desire for the pure act Wherefore it was a devout Soliloquy of a retired man Aug. Soliloq cap. 15. turning himself to his gracious God in this meditation Quod cecidi fuit ex me quod surrexi ex te My falling from thee O God proceeded from my self but my rising again to newness of life from thee My unlucky sins make me partaker of great misery but thy mercy and good will of unvaluable felicity The children of Adam after the fall deserve no more to be called the children of God than that famous weather-beaten Bark of Athens to be called Theseus his Ship which at first was built by him but in process of years was so often repaired that it had never a plank the same remaining which it had at first So when God did create us upright we were his whilst we so continued but when our iniquity did compass us about and changed our good disposition into an execrable studiousness to work wickedness when the importunate instigations of the Tempter did set our hearts on fire with the impetuous fury of following sinful resolutions then ceased we to be Gods children But seeing the same hand doth repair us that first made us and the same power make us new creatures that made us creatures we again receive the title of Gods children whose inheritance of his good will is Heaven whose attendants here and companions there blessed Angels whose glory God the glory of his Israel Oh then that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and his mercy towards the sons of men I have something to say yet touching some particular acts whereby God doth express his good will towards men His good will is expressed in matters Temporal Spiritual In Spiritual by a twofold act 1. By preventing us We never minde the Author of our good until himself work us to it As we are gone out of the way so do we run on until the Lord convert us To seek Christ or in his name to call on the Father of mercy and God of all consolation never came into our thought until the Son of God came to seek and to save those which were lost neither now doth come until he by the gracious call of his blessed Spirit invite us by the strong vertue of his magnetical love draw us Aug. Soliâ—â—q eap 33. Idem in Psal 59.10 It was the confession of a religious man to God in private Non te quarebam tu me quasivisti non te invocabam tu me vocasti I sought not thee O Lord thou didst seek me I called not upon thee but thou on me My merciful God will prevent me faith David that is saith Austin of unwilling he will make me willing to do his will Sic semper Domine sic semper gratia tua pravenit me liberant me ab omnibus malis salvans à prateritis suscitans à praesentibus muniens à futuris Thus alwayes saith one O Lord thus alwayes doth thy grace anticipate me freeing me from all mischiefes saving me from dangers past upholding me against dangers present protecting me from all future Again 2. By following us After that God hath altered the perversness of our wills and restrained the corruptions of our inordinate nature his Spirit leaves us not there but prosecutes what he hath begun in us not only inclining us to what may win his favour but directing us and as it were leading us by the hand to Christ Psal 23.6 and in him to do righteous things Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life saith David it followes us close being willing lest we should will in vaine saith Austin on that Psalme It is by the activity of the holy Ghost that new hearts are created in us whereby we will good and new strength confer'd upon us whereby to walk in righteousness This following or subsequent good will of God is spiritually discerned by 1. Preparing of us 2. Working in us 3. Coworking with us By preparing of us Disobedience is so engraffed in our very nature that none but a metaphysical and transcendent power can moderate our head-strong humors To temper us to Gods hand whereby to obey the holy Ghost there is requisite and necessary a superior agency that must keep us in from breaking out without fear or wit into exorbitant abominations In our natural generation there are many proevial and antecedent dispositions and alterations so there are many in our regeneration to be born of God there is a restriction of our unbridled appetites from pursuing things unlawful and prohibited an illumination of our dark minds in things mystical a flexibility of our obstinate hearts to the love and practice of piety and an inclination of our rebellious wills and affections to embrace all that 's good as the Spirit shall direct all which proceeding from the good will of God following us for ever are in them in whom they are discernable and discernable to proceed alone from Gods good will above the course of nature By working in us Of all Agents as God is the most orderly in proceeding so is he the most perfect in working He brings us not into a possibility to be his children by adoption to be holy to be new creatures and so abruptly breaks off but makes us in time actually to be so He doth dwell in us and there works a reformation What in his good will he doth begin in his good will he finisheth He gives us both to will and to do of his good pleasure Our freedom then from the dominion of sin the renewing of our minds wills affections and actions and our assiduous and indefatigable endeavours in Gods services are the peculiar works of the chiefest good without whom we can do nothing and are special expressions whereby to discern Gods following good will towards men By coworking with us Philosophers do ascribe the motions of inferiour bodies to the heavens motion Alsted Physick Inferiora moventur ad motum superiorum saith Alsted these bodies which are below are moved according to the motion of those above Insomuch that if they should cease to move so would these Even such if not greater is our reference to God God sets us a moving in the way to heaven Acti agimus yet such is the debility of our weak and mortal frame insufficient for matters
short of an invention how to scape his sury and obtain his favour how to satisfy his justice and redeem our lives from hell and death Behold before the foundation of the world was laid he resolved to send his own only Son begotten by an eternal generation who should quell the power of our afflicting enemies stop the mouth of the roaring lyon overcome the world sin death the grave and hell and lay open a plain passage into the Kingdom of heaven Which eternal resolution was in the fulness of time perfectly effected for God then sent forth his Son into the world to assume our nature that we might assume his grace to suffer for our sins what we should of merit suffer to be obedient to the cursed death of the crosse that we might escape the curse of God and not be subject to the second death And albeit hereby he made himself of no reputation who thought it no robbery to be equall with God yet by this meanes he did make way to be highly exalted to get a name which is above every name and to be glorified with the glory which he had with the Father Ne Jesum quidem aâ—ias gloriosum nisi videris crucisixum Luther to Melanchton before the world was This he himself in a conference with some of his Disciples after his resurrection wherein doubtless he did recapitulate his several sufferings certified to the world Ought not Christ to have suffered those things and to enter into his glory Luk. 24.26 This Scripture points at Christ considered in part of his twofold state 1. His state of humiliation quoad mortem as touching his death Christ's suffering or passion 2. His state of exaltation quoad resurrectionem as touching his resurrection In his humiliation we find him ignominiously crucified and made a curse for us In his exaltation gloriously raised that he might be supereminently glorified and our selves blest in him for ever In this he shall judge as in the former he was judged My pen is now conversant about the first part Wherefore assistance O my souls Saviour and Soveraign I intreat thee that in all humility of soul I may declare what for our salvation thy Majesty didst suffer in all humility And first of my Saviours humiliation in general Of all the works of God done for and to the children of men Some are Opera potentiae works of power Some opera pietatis works of mercy Some opera justitiae works of justice all righteous works Yet if we seriously fix our thoughts upon the humiliation of our alsufficient-Redeemer we shall find it to be a work of 1. Power 2. Mercy 3. Justice All these that otherwise are disperst in his several works are compacted and meet together in this one First then it is a work of power 1. In it self 2. Towards us In it self 't is a work of power God was made man but not sinful man which none could bring to passe but God that first made man without sin The Creator of all made himself a creature which none could do but the Creator of all Whereupon it was that at the conception of the Son of God in the Virgins womb Luk. 1.35 the holy Ghost came upon her and the power of the most high did overshadow her Hence saith one after God had made man he left nothing but to make himself man A dignity to which the Angels are not call'd wherewith our nature above all is blest Tom. 10. Pag. 595. It is Austins speech In creatione mundi homo factus est ad imaginem Dei in nativitate Christi ipse factus est ad imvginem hominis when the world was created man was made in the image of God when Christ was born God was made in the image of man Both which are to be refer'd to divine Omnipotencie For that God and man might be one in Covenant Lib. 2. Institut Ood used his power to make himself and man both one in person Non communicatione gratiae fed naturae veritate non consusione substantiae sed unitate personae saith Trelcatius not by communication of grace Epiphanius but by reality of nature not by an undistinct confusion of substance but by a personal unity So that as Epiphanius speaks Christ was homo in veritate natus Isa 7.14 Deus in veritate existens true God and true man in one and the same person which is implied by the Prophet calling him Immanuel that is God with us or God in our nature Luk. 1.35 Exprest by the Angel calling him the Son of God that should be born of the Virgin Mary And manifested by the Apostle averring him to come of the Fathers as concerning the flesh Rom. 9.5 and yet to be over all God blessed for ever This might seem exceeding strange yet it proves not more strange then true God and man who stood at an infinite distance are now everlastingly linkt together in one person according to the mighty working of his power Thus Christ's humiliation in being incarnate is a work of power in it self It is likewise a work of power towards us Since Adams rebellion we were all captives unto sin and Satan untill God incarnate did vindicate our liberty We were extremely weakened our spirits fail'd us until the Lords anointed the mighty God of Jacob did infuse into our hearts the strength of his Spirit His Incarnation made way for our salvation and his taking unto him our humanity makes us by faith to partake of his Divinity Anselme moves three questions Anselm Meditat c. 8. to which he gives one solid resolution the questions are these 1. What offence could man commit which the Son of God made man could not exprate 2. Who could be so much swell'd up with that uncharitable vice of pride which so great humility could not pull down 3 What dominion could death have over us which the death of the Son of God could not destroy for us The answer 's this Certainly if the iniquity of sinful man and the grace of my unspotted Lord were wigh'd in an even ballance the East is not so much distant from the West nor the lowest hell from the highest heaven as my Redeemers goodnesse in his humility doth exceed the wickednesse of a sinner To this I adde he hath shewn greater power in this act for our redemption than the malice of all the Devils in hell could put in practice for our confusion Thus Christ's humiliation is a work of power towards us And so much the rather he being after this sort humbled was once offered to bear the sins of many Again it is a work of mercy Deus propter hominem sactus est homo ut esset redemptor qui est Creator ut de suo ridimeretur homo saith Austin Aug. Manual c. 26. God for mans sake was made man that he might be our Redeemer who is our Creator and so we have of our own wherewith to be redeemed
All of us lay miserably prest under the grievous weight of sin surrounded with extreme miseries the foiles that Satan gave us and the wound that sin made in us put us into such perplexities and streights that did not that good Samaritan the Lord Jesus raise us up did he not pour oile into our wounds and bind up our killing sores we had perished everlastingly without hope of recovery Which that he might perfectly effect he took part of our flesh and blood whereby being capable of death he might through death destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil Heb. 2.14.15 and deliver them that through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage To this accord Epiphanius his words Chistus seipsum exinanivit forma servi assumpta non ut quod liberum erat in servitutem redigeret Epiphanius sed ut in forma quam assumpsit obedientes servos liberaret Christ being in the form of God equal with God made himself of no reputation Phil. 2.6 7 8. but took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likenesse of man wherein he humbled himself and became obedient to death even the death of the crosse not that he might bring into servitude what before was free but that in that assumed form he might free from base servitude obedient servants You may remember what Zacheus said to Christ Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof yet he did So might we say Lord we are not worthy that thou shouldest dwell among us and become flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone yet Christ neglecting the Apology came unto us in our nature united to himself which the Postiller calls Divinitatis domum the house of his Divinity Aug. Medit. Upon which Saint Austin grounds this comfortable meditation if the book be his Desperare potuissem propter nimia peccata mea nisi verbum tuum Deus caro fieret habitaret in nobis I could despair O my God by reason of the multitude of my sins were it not that thy Word were made flesh and dwelt in us Wherefore his coming into the world and that in mercy to save sinners that could not save themselves may keep our hearts from distrust from despair and cause us to set up our rest and confidence in him alone who hath suffered for sin the just for the unjust Lastly Christ's humiliation is a work of justice For it is just with God to put in execution what before all times he did determine should come to passe All mankind stood guilty and forlorn before the barre of Gods exact justice until our Advocate who is the propitiation for our sins did fetch us off which could not be so fairly so conveniently done unlesse he were made like unto us his brethren The supreme wisdom therefore to preserve his justice unspotted and withal to manifest the riches of his grace upon the vessels of his mercy made his Son in the fulness of time the Son of man that so his justice as was right and meet might receive a plenary satisfaction from that nature that had offended Hence it was the Lords resolution in bringing many Sons to glory according to his determinate counsel to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings This was in equity requisite Heb. 2.10 Quod per eum homo redimendus erat in quo redemptio nostra ab aeterno paedestinata fuerat For that by him we were to be redeemed in whom from all eternity our redemption was decreed Trelcatius Institut cap. 2. By him we were to be made up again by whom we were first made We ought to be partakers of the love of God in him who was the onely Son of Gods eternal love In a word we were to receive the right of adoption and liberty of sons through him who by nature was the everlasting Son and heir of the Father Hence saith the Apostle God sent forth his Son made of a woman Gal. 4.4 5. made under the law to redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons Wherein that we might have a sure interest and just claime without any strife Christ must needs have suffered Thus was Christ fitted in power in mercy in justice to be made a sacrifice for sin whom we will now consider more particularly according to the parts of the text and first of the person humbled which is Christ Christ was design'd from all eternity to be the sole Mediatour between God and man and to this end was both God and man to reconcile both God and man together Because both stood at an infinite distance and could not come together but by an infinite person which is God alone Our sins like a cloud interposed betwixt God and us made us strangers to heaven so that the light of Gods countenance could not be listed up upon us nor the comfortable heames of his saving grace reflect upon our soules Could any of the sons of Adam dispel the cloud of our sins or make way for Gods grace to descend to us or for us to ascend to God there could not We have all erred with our first father and cannot indure the presence of the Almighty Fear and trembling seize upon soul and body upon the apprehension of his presence But could any of the Angels work our peace with heaven there could not For they being creatures mutable in their wills as well as men stood in need of an Head by whose neer union unto them they should inseperably be joined unto God For ever then most lamentable had been the condition of man did not Gods infinite Majesty vouchsafe to descend to us ascendere nostrum non erat it was not in our power to ascend to him Hence is he called Immanuel God with us which name imports thus much that as he hath joined his Divinity with our nature so hath he coupled our nature to his Divinity that so he might be a perfect and sufficient Mediatour according to that 1 Tim. 2.5 One God and one Mediatour betwixt God and man the man Christ Jesus For did he not participate of both natures had he not been man as well as God he had been a stranger to us and therefore unfit for the office of Mediatour To bring us therefore unto God he united our man-hood to his divine nature by which union we are made partakers of the divine nature whereby our peace is for ever concluded upon The great acts and worthy designs that by him as Mediator were undertaken to be performed shew how he was God and Man He did so restore us into the favour of our God that of the sons of men we became the sons of God and that of the heirs of Hell he made us heirs of Heaven But who could bring this to pass unless the Son of God were made the Son of Man and unless what was his by
the ordinance of God for He did all things well Wherefore to shew that God keeps his word and that the truth of his promises is infallible He rose again from the dead In regard of us the end of his Rising is threefold Viz. 1. For our Example 2. For our Justification 3. For our Faith c. First for our Example tending to the information of us in the ways of righteousness in the paths of life That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life that the body of sin might be destroyed Resurectione Domini configuratur vita quae hic geritur and that henceforth we should not serve sin Rom. 6.4.6 The Resurrection of Christ from the dead should be a pattern for us wherein there is some effective vigor to raise us from the death of sin to a gracious life The power of effecting both is in God A Dâ—o est quod unima vivat per gratiam corpus per Animam That the soul lives by grace and the body by the soul comes from God Aquinas who is the Author of life And saith Ames Christ rising from death is tum demonstratio quam initiatio as well a demonstration as the initiation or beginning of our Rusurrection by whom we pass from death unto life Secondly for our Justification They are the express words of the Apostle He was raised again for our justification Rom. 4. ult For now that he hath gotten the victory over death by reviving he applies by the vertue thereof all the benefits of the Gospel unto us to the exceeding great consolation of our souls Lastly for the establishment of our faith concerning the obtaining of life everlasting For indeed if the Head be risen the members may be sure to rise too and if the Head receive life and glory doubtless the members which have their proper dependunce of him shall receive the like perfection for a glorified Head cannot be without a glorified body Now Christ is the head of the body the Church Col. 1.18 who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in all things he may have the preheminence Of the fulness of whose glory in the day of our perfect redemption we shall all receive a full measure For a Conclusion Communi naturae lege moriuntur homines The sons of men composed of dust and ashes die by the common law of nature Eternity is proper to another world not to this to this Inconstancie The Son of the most High himself when he became the Son of man was subjected to Mortality He pleaded no Prerogative royal to be exempted from that end which God setled in the course of nature Our times upon the Earth may be said to be lasting but not everlasting though in the hands of God Heaven decreed a period to our Lives which we cannot prevent and to which Christ at the appointed houre did submit himself with all obedience not able to avoid it Necessity was laid upon him to pay the dubt to Nature which might serve for a payment of our debt to God yet not respectu peccuti Wâ—ems Protralcture of Gods image in man pag. 43. but respectis poenae this necessity was not in respect of sin He was a Lamb without blemish and without spot but in respect of that punishmenâ— which he did oblige himself to undergo for the sins of men Est illata necessiaâ— Adamò innata necessit as nobis assumpta necessitas in Christo Necessity of death was laid upon Adam for his sin necessity of death is imbred in us and by a voluntary assumption there was a necessity of death in Christ A man willingly gives his word for such a summe for his friend but when he hath willingly given it he must of necessity pay it So Christ willingly took this debt upon him and in the fulness of time when 't was exacted paid it down even his life to God and nature But albeit he thus parted from the world yet God hath raised him up Etiam animalula quaedam typâ— Resurrectionis sunt Lavat in Job 14.12 having loos'd the paines of death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it So though the hand of fate by Natures unconfused order reduce us to our first principles yet shall we rise again by the mighty power of our eternal Maker The Judge of all the word hath appointed a day wherein to judge the world to which all must rise And as all must die and after death come to judgment so Christ was once offered to bear the â—ius of many and unto them that look for him shall be appear the second time without sin unto salvation THE BLESSED AMBASSADOR OR THE Best sent into the Basest GALATH. 4.6 And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father GODS love wherewith he hath embrac'd the sons of men in his onely Son is of such large extent as cannot be limited as cannot be measured the breadth and length and depth and height thereof Eph. 3.18 19. doth passe our knowledge Doth passe our finding out The length the breadth the depth of the earth the sea the heavens Mathematicians by their speculations do conjecture but the love of God the most ingenious and judicious cannot it so exceeds so much as conjecture much lesse perfectly know because infinite Would a man part with his only son and alone darling and he content he should die a most ignoble and ignominious death to ransome his servants his cantives his slaves rebels that would cut his throat I cannot be perswaded the world affords such a man such a Phenix there was but one in all the world Abraham found willing to slay his son to rip up his bowels that spruug out of his own when God commanded it Yet the Lord of heaven and earth whose mercies are over all his works sent his only Son to save sinners to dye that by his death we may live Though servants Cantives slaves rebels yet by his Son made Kings Priests Prophets sons and heirs of an eternal inheritance O the depth the height and length and breadth of Gods love He sent his Son forth from him to bring us to him he freely gave him to redeem us from the insulting power of Sathan from the captivity and dominion of sin from the oppressing tyranny of the world to bring us into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God This liberty this sonship is obtained by faith for to as many as beleeve in his name hath he given power to become the Sons of God All ye then that beleeve are no more servants but sons not sons of wrath but sons of God not sons by nature but sons by grace And because sons behold the Lords bounty is enâ—arged toward you the treasures of his graces are open for you the store-house of his riches is
you The worldlings fear disturbeth the souls quiet and putteth the conscience in a manner out of frame But Jacobs fear which is the fear of God is that to which with David we must be ever devoted Psal 119.38 For take it upon the word of a King Holy and reverend is his Name Psal 111.9 Last of all The setled Christian must fear the Highest Power but as a son a father from whom with Adam he must not flie and quiver 'T is for a godless heathen Emperor through the horror of a guilty conscience to run under a bed at the noise of thunder Gods voice 'T is for a proud Felix to tremble when the last Judgment is urged 'T is for a Simon Magus his heart to quake when rebuk'd for the desire of a Simoniacal purchase It did well enough become desperate Judas in an humour to hang himself out of the way for his treachery to his innocent Master fear and despair did drive him to his wits end But he that is confirm'd in Christianity is of a far better resolution and more gracious temper If he offend as who doth not he is not as are some ungodly high-minded but hath learn'd of the Apostle rather like a good child to fear Nor as others hopeless but is both an importunate suiter unto Heaven for mercy and withall zealously addicted to Pauls exercise Act. 24.16 which is to have a good conscience void of offence toward God and toward men In one word From Jacob's fear in coming unprovided into that place which he imagined to be the house of God Learn we when we come into the house of God Eccl. 5.1 as the Preacher warns us to keep our feet from rushing unadvisedly into it our ears from listning to what doth not become it our tongues from uttering any thing rashly in it our heart from hastily conceiting either superstitiously or prophanely of it the whole man from unreverently abusing it 't is the gate of Heaven And here I make a stand God in mercy grant us his Peace to settle our unquiet minds his Spirit to rule our untamed hearts his Joy to solace our afflicted souls his Grace to rectifie our disordered passions his Fear to restrain our unruly wills That by his Peace we may rest in quiet to his Spirit we may yield obedience with his Joy we may be ever cheered in his Fear we may live and die to live with him for ever To whom Father Son and Holy Spirit be ascribed all honour and glory by Angels by men in heaven in earth world without endâ— Amen ORDINE QVISQVE SVO OR THE Excellent Order 1 COR. 11.3 But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is the man and the bead of Christ is God GOD is the God of order and he will have not only some things but all things done in order he commands order commends order delights in order and will have order both in Substantials and Circumstantials in Reals and in Rituals 'T is the Devil who is the Author of disorder and confusion he knows if order go up his Kingdom must go down and therefore he doth his utmost to hinder it Omne ordinatum pulchrum Cant. 6.10 Order is the glory of all Societies A well-ordered Family Army City are comely sights It makes the Church fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an Army with banners Hence God hath set an Order in heaven an Order in Hell an Order amongst Angels an Order amongst the starres an Order amongst Rational creatures an Order amongst sensitive Creatures the very Bees have a King and ruler over them And as it is the glory so it is the safety Take away this and we shall be all in confusion if there were not an Order in the Sea it would over flow the land and drown all The air would poyson us the creatures destroy us and every man would destroy another It s good then or every man to be bound the best are but in part regenerate and being left to themselves may fall into dangerous sins and errors shall therefore insist upon that which is here by the blessed Apostle propounded viz. A pattern of the most excellent Order This Portion of Divine truth is divided into three heads 1. The head of every man which is Christ 2. The head of the woman which is the man 3. The head of Christ which is God For the First The head of every man which is Christ No man is excluded from subjection unto him in regard of his universal dominion and that imperial power by which he ruleth all creatures after which manner he is the head of every wicked man also and of the Devils themselves which thing they do beleeve and at which they tremble But yet in a more peculiar manner and crytical sence he is the head of every man that is elected to life in regard of his special dominion called Dominium officii the dominion of his office whereby he ruleth in the Church of God in which manner he is the head of every man only that is a lively and real member of his mystical body inseperably united unto him by the inviolable bond of the spirit of grace whether he be Jew or Gentile Barbarian or Scythian bond or free rich or poor Whereupon issues this consequence that Christ being the head of every true member of the Church He is also the head of the whole Church Concerning which these two points are to be handled 1. According to what nature 2. In what respect Christ is the head of the Church As for the first point Christ is the head of the Church according to both natures both his divine and humane both which are two springs whence do flow several Observations In that Christ as God is head I Observe 1. The perpetuity of the Church the gates of hell shall not prevail against it 2. That with all reverent respect obedience is to be rendred by us to Christ in all things 3. That albeit Christ be ascended to his Father and our Father to his God and our God yet is not the Church left destitute of an head on earth for heaven and earth is fil'd with the glorious Majesty of his Deity and the Church with the special presence of his Spirit In that Christ as man is head of the Church I Observe 1. That his affection to us is intimate the sence of our miseries in him accute and he most prompt and inclind to help us in all extremities 2. That we may solace our selves wipe away all teares from our eyes and banish all sorrow from our hearts for that nothing is left Satan to triumph for over us being that Christ in our nature hath overcome Satan As for the second point In what respects Christ is the head of the Church My meditations are grounded upon the relation which the head hath to the members and this consists 1. In a
none can see him and live Exod 33.20 So terrible the other that the Israelites trembled cap. 19.16 His sight so full of Majesty that Woe is me saith Isaiah I am undone for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts cap. 6.5 So full of terror his Voice that the Israelites said to Moses Speak thou with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us lest we die Exod. 20.20 Thus would God come unto us his sight would dash us his voice would daunt us His presence is accompanied with lightning when he speaks he thunders Sinai was in a burning sever before God the Earth was troubled with a shaking ague the floods ran back at his presence the heavens dropt at the first sight Psal 68.8 The voice of the Lâ—rd is powerful the voice of the Lord is full of majesty Namper Câ—dros intelligit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quicquid est eximium in mundo the voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars the voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire the voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh c. Psal 29. So that the Lord considering that Man is but flesh as weak as water he refrains from coming but not from sending to us for us Not Angels though ministring spirits as he did before the Law but having an eye to mans imbecility flesh of our flesh bone of our bone Men. Because himself would not thunder he sends Boanerges sons of thunder He sends not Angels spirits but Men-angels messengers Mat. 2. but little inferior to Angels And this he doth for several reasons besides that of his love and care viz. 1. To shew us in what reputation Man is with him He makes men not mean men but his Embassadors to men Such as do reveal his secrets Privy Councellors such as represent his Person a kind of Kings And this honour all his Saints have Psal 149.9 2. To exercise us in that high grace of humility God exalts man to humble man If the Lion roar who will not fear Amos 3.8 If the Lord speak who will not who cannot but obey No thanks to him then But when Man speaks and men obey hoc opus this is the work of humility Here he shews himself a true subject when he yields obedience to Gods word spoken by man albeit in dignity he be far inferior unto him 3. Because it is the surest bond of Amity If one needed not the instruction of another but every one should think himself sufficient of himself such is the pride of man what division what debate what contempt of one another Now this is the surest True-loves knot between man and man Let therefore a man so account of us saith the Apostle as the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 And Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Heb. 13.17 SCALA JACOBI OR St James his Ladder JAMES â— 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed ANTIQUITY reports that the statute of Merciery was erected where crosse wayes met to point out to passengers and pilgrims the direct paths they desired to travel So I may conceive of this blessed messenger of God the Apostle James made in the likeness of God In this world we are pilgrims and strangers where we have no abiding City but seek for one to come our way to that City which is the heavenly Hierusalem is through many tribulations and crosses where this Apostle being set up doth shew the way to us wherein we must walk if we will possesse the treasure of our hopes and long'd for felicity And because the way is ascendant leading gradually upward I therefore may compare it to a pair of staires or call it Scalam Jacobi St James his ladder wherein are to be observed 1. The bottome or ground 2. The several steps placed in a due proportion 3. The top or upper part which we aime to arrive at As for the bottome it is that good word of God the Gospel of Christ Jesus which the Holy Ghost by this Sainted Penman is pleased to stile a law describ'd by two singular attributes the one of perfection the other of liberty it is a prefect law of liberty As for the steps they are four the first is Speculation Whoso looketh the second is Perseverance and continueth therein the third is Remembrance he being not a forgetful hearer the fourth is Practice but a doer of the work As for the top of these staires it is the end of this Scripture and shall be I trust of my discourse blessedness this man shall be blessed in his deed I must stand a while upon the bottome of the staires the Gospel of salvation term'd a law the law of the spirit the law of faith the law of the spirit as the prime inditer the law of faith as the prime effect the law of the spirit in regard of the spiritual graces of God produced by it the law of faith as the special duty enjoined us in it Rat io nominis primum inquirenda we are now by the lawes of accurate teaching to enquire specially why the Gospel is called a law and that is 1. Because what is delivered therein to be observed of us is obligatory coming by way of command and having in it the regal stamp of supream authority 2. Because it prescribes punishments to the disobedient transgressors thereof sincere obedience and essectual beleeving in Christ being exacted of us upon pain of death 3. Because it containeth large promises of great rewards to the faithful observers of the sacred contents thereof Bernard as Bernard saith in his Meditations Si tormenta non terreant saltem invitent praemia if threatned punishments do not deterr us promised rewards may the more invite us As it is a law so it is a perfect law perfect in the Author Gods Spirit which is infallible not admitting either Popish legends to delude the People or traditional writs to destroy them Integra est doctrina ac proâ—nde animos redintegrat Jun. Psal 19. Perfect in the manner of delivery divine inspiration as proceeding from the will of God not from the will of man Perfect in operation as converting the soul making wise the simple rejoycing the heart in lightning the eyes and making the man of God perfect thorowly furnished unto every good work Perfect in the contents and matter as full and wanting nothing conducing to the bet tering of our knowledge in the wayes of piety our knowledge contemplative in matters of faith our knowledge practical matters of fact And perfect in the end Gods glory the glory of his mercy