Pigeons having drunk of this River of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyntly together hold up our Bills towards Heaven in token of thankfulnesse thank him who is the God of glory for devesting himselfe of glory that he might restore us to hope of glory We reverence men on Earth Rome gives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worship to Saints in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more worship to the Mother of our Saviour Queen of Heaven as they style her But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory only to the God of glory My glory saies God I will not give to another but my peace I will give Which was sung by the Angells at the Nativity Glory be to God on high peace on earth It is Aristotle's saying in his Ethicks We give praise to men but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a better thing than praise to God And what is that but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glory Therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorifie God in your body and your spirits which are Gods It is Plato's phrase in his Respublica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorifie God Aratus his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye are God's offspring Joyne them both together and we have the poynt Glorifie God because ye are Gods But as Honour so Glory is in dante in the Giver we have no glory to give all glory is Gods to whom we ought to give and when it is given it is but his own but a part of his own And if all tongues should glorifie him at once it addes no more to his glory then a drop of a bucket returned to the Ocean whence it issued As Rivers return to refresh the Sea whence they came Sun-beams by reflection are inflamed so our hearts by glorifying God must be enflamed that he may glorifie us In storms in calms blow what winde wil the Mariners Needle still points at the Pole in prosperity in adversity we ought to aime at Gods glory Here I say we ought in Heaven I am sure we shall for there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angells Leiturgie is singing of Hymns of glory But what need we look so high was not our first Reformers so Observe the blessed method the Spirit dictated them in the very dawning out of Popish superstition First Contrition then Confession then Absolution then Petition then Gloria Patri Glory be to God then Venite exultemus Come and rejoyce then severall Psalms as so many Hallelujah's for the Day each concluding with Gloria Patri Glory be to God After the first Lesson Te Deum laudamus We praise thee O God or the Song of the three Children Benedicite omnia opera Let all his works glorifie God After the second Lesson Jubilate Deo Be joyfull in God Ending still like Frankincense put out with this sweet odour Gloria Patri Glory be to God Well then if this was the heavenly language in the infancy of our Church let every grown Member of the Church glorifie God in Body This was delivered An. 1640. in Spirit for all his mercies but especially for this mercy of Redeeming us with the price of his own pretious blood Therefore with Angells and Archangells and all the company of Heaven we laud and magnifie thy glorious Name evermore praising thee and saying Holy holy holy Lord God of Hostes Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory Glory be to thee O Lord most high To thee we ascribe all honour and glory both now and for evermore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A SERMON Expressing the benefits accruing from our Saviours Death and Passion insisting only upon the latter part by reason of the affinity with the former Subject The Text Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things THIS Text is an Exchequer the Treasurer God the Gift all things the parties to whom all men the key Christ God the Father that spared not to give Christ for us all will not spare with him to give us all The Parts in generall are two First an Hypothesis or Supposition Secondly a Thesis or Position The Hypothesis or Supposition hath a double reference looking back at the former unties a a knot looking forward at the latter is an argument to confirm a truth in matter drawn a majori from the greater to the lesse in form an Enthymema thus unfolded God spared not but delivered up his own Son therefore he will not spare but deliver up all things for his Saints It is amplified first from the party or person giving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He in Grammer the Third but here the First Person in the Trinity Secondly from the double act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath not spared negatively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but hath delivered up affirmatively Thirdly from the object or gift that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his only begotten Son Fourthly the subjects or parties for whom not Angells but Men for when he ascended above Principalities and Powers he gave gifts to men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us not restrained to some of us but with a note of universality all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for us all He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all The second Branch is in it selfe a Position in reference to the former a Conclusion The parts of it as the Rivers of Paradise are principally four First the Donor God Secondly the Donation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a free gift or Charter Thirdly the parties to whom it is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to us Fourthly the Donative or gift and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things amplified with the correlative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with him By him all things were made in him all things are given All of this illustrated by a threefold Emphasis here expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a note of Interrogation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Negation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Augmentation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How shall he not also He that spared not his own Son c. We have already â—ntred into this Exchequer where we have seen the rich treasurie of Gods mercy in delivering up his Son for us all Now is the second return this Exchequer is yet open let us all enter in further by him the Dore and the Way to see how that with him he will freely give us all things How shall he not with him also c. The first part is the Doner He The word is twice repeated by an Epanados in relation to a double act of mercy He that gave Christ for the health of our souls that He will give us all things for the health of our bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is which was which is to be Jam. 1. 17. Every good and perfect gift is from above and commeth down from the Father of lights He is Omnipotent to make
them back again Thus much this forequoted speech of Solomon imports as if he had said You that solace your selves with all delights in the heat of your blood well go on in your courses banish dull and sad thoughts with the purest Wine shake off your fits of melancholly with peals of laughter sleep on in the laps of your Dalilah's chear up your selves with Pipe and Tabret and the sweetest Musick yet a little more sleep a little more slumber live on as though there were no Heaven no Hell no Wrath no Judgment Yet know this and know it you must that God hath his hook in your nostrills and ere long his wrath and fury shall wax hot against you like fire Job goes about to inform gluttons and worldly minded men men hardest of beliefe in the truth of this Doctrine Job 20. 23. When he is about to fill his belly God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him and shall rain it upon him while he is eating 27. The heaven shall reveal his iniquity and the earth shall rise up against him the increase of his house shall depart and his good shall flow away in the day of his wrath Even the Church of God it selfe that like a wanton Minion had put far from her the evill day was glad to confesse this and that with ruefull moan to complain Lam. 1. 12. Is it nothing to you all ye that passe by behold and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger A day of anger indeed Lam. 2. 21. The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword thou hast slain them in the time of thine anger thou hast killed and not pittyed Gods anger is such a flame as cannot be quenched his day of anger such a day as neither wisdome nor honour nor riches nor gold can ransome us from Ezek. 7. 19. They shall cast their silver in the streets and their gold shall be removed their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord. It is not Crownes imperiall nor Thrones nor Diadems that can escape this day Ps 110. 5. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath Therefore the holy Ghost to note the certainty of Gods anger calls it a day of wrath of fierce wrath a day of displeasure hot displeasure heavy displeasure a day of Gods vengeance Jer. 46. 10. A day of the Lord and a cloudy day Ezek. 30. 3. A day of darknesse and of gloominesse a day of clouds and thick darknesse Joel 2. 2. Arguments and reasons further to confirm it may be these The first is drawn from the nature of God who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity unpunished a consuming fire that the stubble is burned up before him a God of glory that Dagon cannot stand in his presence a light that cannot dwell with darknesse a jealous God that burnes the chaffe with unquenchable fire wounds Kings and spews all workers of iniquity out of his mouth For in Creatures wherein by reason of the antipathy of their nature and humours there is but a finite distance there can scarce be any agreement the Vine will not thrive in the same place with the Colwort the Elephant is enraged at the sight of a Ram one Bird and Beast pursues another with eager pursuit Then how much more shall God who is infinitely holy everlastingly good eternally happy threaten punish be angry at take revenge upon sin that abuses his mercy despises his justice defaces his image What man will not take care to break a Cockatrice eggs and kill a Serpent And shall not God in the day of his fierce wrath take revenge upon sin which that old Serpent Satan brought into the world The reason why men are not angry at those crimes that deserve Phinehas his zeal and Samuel's indignation is because our understanding cannot see the hainousnesse of them our wills cannot sufficiently desire revenge our affections with eagernesse pursue them But God understands and wills and hates as things are in themselves and as they deserve The second Reason may be drawn from Gods Will who justly decreed to poure down the fierce Vialls of his wrath in the day of his wrath upon all disobedient persons See Deuter. 28. the curses and comminations God in his anger threatned to bring upon the people See if he do not set apart the wicked for fuell of his wrath against this day Prov. 16. 5. The Lord made all things for himselfe yea even the wicked for the day of evill Now if God be willing to poure out his heavy displeasure upon those that displease him what can hinder his mighty arme for performing Creatures indeed may be angry but oftentimes like Drones without stings cannot hurt as Canons charged with powder without shot onely makes a roaring like the Popes Bulls threatens many hurts none but them whose consciences are enslaved Saul may be angry at David but cannot finde him out but from Gods all-piercing eye none can hide himselfe Satan may desire to kill Job Jonah may be angry till death for Nâ—niveh's preservation yet God puts a bitt in both their mouths which if he be angry nothing can be holden out of his reach Princes if they take captives may have the rescued from them again as Lot was from the King of Sodom bought with a price as Joseph of the Ishmaelites But no power can rescue us from Gods anger no ransome but Christs blood redeem us Gods Will being set afoot all his Attributes follow if his Will say Be angry his Eye seekes out the object of his anger and findes it his wisdome tempers the cup his hand whets the sword his arme strikes the blow Thus you see there is a time of Gods anger for sin because he will have it so The third Reason that there is a time when God is angry is drawn from the cause which in generall is sin and in speciall the contempt and contumacious despight we offer unto God in every sin we commit The Apostle uses the same reason Rom. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering The conclusion he infers is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou treasurest up to thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God Nebuchadnezzar was angry at the three Children for contempt of worshipping of his Image and threw them into the hot fiery Furnace Daniel for the like was throwne into the Lions den Shall Kings wrath burn thus like fire for despising of their unlawfull decrees and then shall not God who is a consuming fire be angry at us vile wormes for despising of his pure holy and wholsome Lawes which the Angells dare not
the rites of the Law ut Christum lucrifaciamus that we may gain Christ This one Pearl being found condemnes not the rest nor the Sunshine of the Gospell those lesser Stars of the Law that was Marcion's Heresie and the Manichees Sed quia omnis alia gemma sit vilior saies Aquinas The lustre of the Gospell is more translucent than the Law otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law is a Doctor to drive us unto Christ Again Goodly Pearles saies the Glosse is the glory of this World deforme conspicitur all is but dung That one pretious Pearle is that unum necessarium the vision of the Unity in Trinity and Trinity in Unity of Grace here by Faith of Heaven hereafter by Fruition Omnia vendit negotiator the Merchant sells all for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love surpassing all knowledge These goodly Pearles saies St. Augustine are unspotted and godly Men which the Merchant sought as Diogenes with his Lanthorn in the Market and found none this one pretious Pearl is Christ Jesus both God and Man Or these goodly Pearles are the observation of Gods Precepts the pretious Pearle is Charitas proximi Charity in which all vertues are contained Or these goodly Pearls are the Mines of Knowledge this one Pearl is that one Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word made Flesh Joh. 1. 14. This is the third Glosse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these three â—re all that I finde all of them in severall answerable to the analogie of Faith diversity without contrariety and all of them joyntly perhaps to our Saviours meaning whether the Gospell or Grace or Christ or Charity or Evangelicall Knowledg the Kingdom of Heaven in the language of Scripture comprises all why then should not this Pearl all For The Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a Merchant-man seeking goodly Pearls Thus the Paraphrase now to the Parts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every Man is a Merchant that is the first Parallel a Merchant that Marts by Sea not Land For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Vitruvius expresses by Mercatorem and Lampridius by Negotiatorem Maritimum a Merchant by Sea At this points Porphyry upon the second of Homer's Odysses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that trafficks by transporting of which Plato saies in his Republica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are the Merchants This appears by the root for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a journey and such a journey as Budaeus saies as mari conficitur is made by Sea Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pierce as water doth pores Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is somtimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sea it selfe and so Apollonius uses it Well then we are all Merchants this floating World is the fickle Sea these frail Bodies our Barks our Wishes our Oars our Zeal our Sails inbred desire of Good our poynt in the Compasse Knowledge our Pilot Discretion our Rudder Contemplation our main-Mast Providence our Cables and Hope our Anchor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take heed therefore to your tacklings O navis referent in mare te novi fluctus fortiter occupa portum Horat. Make for the Haven one wave treads upon the neck of another and where the old broak off new scenes of surges have taken up their cues Poor Soul thou art the Palinurus which ventures more than all the West Indian's Company is worth while with the Argonautes thou floats for the golden Fleece embarked in a Barge of Clay for what is thy Body else all the world in sight is an Asphaltite or dead Sea each sound almost a Syren each sin a sink each temptation a tempest Una Eurusque notusq ruunt creberque procellis Africus Vâ—rgil Aeneid 1. Whirlwinds wheel about on every side and drives our shipwracked weather beaten souls in brevia syrtes into desperate quicksands and shallowes and tosses our Sea-sick Consciences with blustering Billowes angrier than Adria On this side Scylla's sin-sinking Gulph devoures us in despair on that side Charybdâ—s splits us on Rocks of presumption here Satan as a Pirate assaults us without there through infirmity our Vessells leak within and what can we remember that is not a Remora Yet we sing in security as if the Halcyons had builded their nests about us and promise our selves as fair as if Castor and Pollux sat upon our Prora's or Poups A wake O thou keeper of Israel that rebukedst the windes and they obeyed rebuke these windes and they shall obey Thou that strechedst forth thy hand to Peter when he was sinking strecth forth thy hand of mercy and save our souls from sinking that optatâ potiamur arenâ we may come to the wished for sand where these goodly Pearls are shrined Thus I perceive you imagine how unexpectedly my speech is glided from Merchant our State or Vocation to seeking goodly Pearles our Merchandise or Negotiation The Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a Merchant-man seeking goodly Pearls Seek the Action goodly Pearls the Object We must seek which implies Paines the best of Actions Pearles the best of Merchandise goodly Pearles the best of Pearles Yet Gold is but glittering clay Pearls but purer slime congealed why should we seek them Erasmus commends his Moria Phavorinus his quartane Feavour Politianus his Thersites our Saviour the unjust Steward not their evill but their good not the Poyson in the Toad but the Pearle He that can bring light out of darknesse by his omnipotent Chymistry can extract a Pearl out of a Dunghill the Kingdome of Heaven out of a Pearl Seeking goodly Pearls After Man had lost Paradise by losing himselfe in Paradise the first Potion that was prescribed him for recovery was Seek A Minerall is found by digging a Race won by running a Pearl got by seeking So let us seek that we may finde so run that we may obtain Atalanta by Hippomenes his golden Apples in the Poet lost the Goal by charmes of pleasure so shall we Let us have therefore alwaies written before our eyes as the Pharisees the Commandments on their Phylacteries that saying of Piny Vita vigilia est This life is a watch And learn that lesson that Socrates in Aristophanes gives Strepsâ—des 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let inchanting sleep be banished from our eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saies Aristotle No felicity is in slumbring security but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the virtuous search of an active Soul This those Emblemes teach us of Providence on a watch-tower painted like Janus looking both waies and Hercules his two waies in the Wildernesse una voluptatis the one of Pleasure as Tullie saies but the other of Paines Let us with Alexander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing delaying by seeking insist in this painfull way lest while with the Ravens by sloath we gape against the Sun Satan watch us as the Crab does the Oyster in St. Ambrose sorupulps injiciens throwing in Peebles in stead of Pearls Seeking goodly Pearles So we are
all things Omniscient to know all things infinite in Wisdome to contrive in Mercy to dispose in Bounty to bestow He only that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the maker of all things He only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the giver of all things It was the dream of Avicen that Angells by the power of God did make the Heavens the Heavens the inferiour Bodies But he was a Turk and his Doctrine in this relishes more the Alcaron than the Evangelists As unsound is that Sentence of the Master of the Sentences That God could communicate to the Creature the power of Creation For Creation is a production of a thing out of nothing to make a thing of nothing an act of Omnipotency Omnipotency an incommunicable Attribute of God as incommunicable as that Attribute of giving every good and perfect gift to be attributed to none but Him that made all things for Man Gen. 1. 29. Behold I have given you every herb every tree the fruit of every tree every beast of the field foul of the aire fish in the sea creeping thing upon the earth O curva in terris animae O fond souls like the poor lunatick man at Athens to presume upon that which is Gods prerogative Vermis crastinò moriturus a worm that must die to morrow Before God had given Man a Beeing by Creation he gave every thing for the Well-beeing of Man by his everlasting purpose Predestination Election Purpose to make Man in his own Image to make so many in number of men though not all their souls at once as Origen said as there are Angells fallen so many as the Angells that remain in purity say some so many as the Angells pure and impure say others how many uncertain and that 's the truth most certain By Predestination in which gift or chain of Gods mercies are three links First the decreeing of man to a supernaturall end Secondly the gift of eternall life which is the supernaturall end Thirdly the disposing of all saving means to this supernaturall end all effected in time yet ordained before all time By Election which is a culling and picking of some out of the masse of sin leaving others in the masse of corruption As a Jeweller purifies what Gold a man sifts what Wheat he pleases so God purifies the Elect his Gold sifts the Saints his Wheat for his Granarie passes by the rest for their sin I will not determine whether Originall or actuall sin nor deny them Christ in some sense whom the Father spared not but delivered up for all The reason why Christ was not effectuall for all was their infidelity and sin It is true as the School-men say Predestinatio nihil ponit in praedestinato Predestination is an act of meer mercy in God not of merit in man neither in regard of the Decree which was when he was nothing of the first infusion of Grace when he was worse than nothing in which God was the sole Agent man the Patient yet man is an Agent and operative in using of grace which he was a Patient in receiving of Whether God gives this grace to all indifferently I will not here question But to the purpose to whom he gives this grace in Christ he will give all And as God was a giver in intention before he made any thing so he was a bountifull giver in execution after he had made all things By Creation by Preservation to sustain the body by Vocation Justification Sanctification to adorn the soul here by Glorification to crown both body and soul hereafter By Creation making that of nothing which was neerest nothing the first matter of all as the Philosophers calls it Moses Tohu vebohu the Septuagints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Poets a Chaos or rude masse of unpiled Matter out of which was made the starry Heavens to give light the azured Skye a Throne for the Clouds the Aire for birds to flie men and beasts to breath in the Earth paying her yearly revenue of herbs Plants flowers the Sea an unsteady Element for fishes made rather for use and wonder than pleasure All made by God all gifts given by him And as given by Creation so continued by Preservation garding of us by his immediate providence by Angells by Secondary causes By immediate Providence For as omnia fecit sic omnia fulcit that hand that made all things supported all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his eye behold all things Spiritus intùs abit his Spirit that moved upon the waters moves every where in him all things live and move and have their being And as he gards us with his Providence so with his Angels whether with a good Angel to support us as a bad to tempt us whether every man have one ordinarily deputed whether from his Birth or from his Baptisme curious speculations more befitting the Schooles than the Pulpit I 'le not dispute My present Theme is to prove that it is God that gives that He in my Text that gave his Angells charge over his Son hath given his Angells charge over all for whom he hath given his Son and he hath given his Son for us all that they should take us up in their armes lest we dash our feet against stones And shall not He that gave his Angels as ministers his Cherubims as flames of fire give us an inheritance with the Angells and free us from eternall fire To his immediate Providence as he hath substituted the Angells so all Secondary causes the Heavens with motion light influence the Fire to refresh the Aire to cherish the Earth and Sea to nourish Food to feed Physick to cure Cloaths to cover these our bodies All these he gives us as Aquinas saies non propter defectum suae virtutis sed propter abundantiam suae bonitatis not that his power fails but that his mercy overflowes For he could feed us without food cure us without physick save us from cold without covering Neither is he only the giver of temporall things for the body but spirituall for the soul by Vocation either externall the Word preached Aaron's golden Bells ringing the Sacraments as nails of the Sanctuary or internall the Law by the Spirit hammering the Gospell softning Grace seasoning our Souls By Justification in forgiving our sins and imputing to us the merits of his Son By Sanctification as the Gold by filing so our Souls by purifying are made clean The Sun enlightens the dark Moon the Sun of Righteousnesse enlightens by his Spirit our dead members By Glorification non nostra merita sed sua dona coronans crowning not our merits but his own mercies These we touch briefly because in giving his Son he gave these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is the giver of all And if God be the giver of all as Rivers receiving their Springs from the Sea return them to the Sea let all things give praise to the God of gods to the Lord of lords for his
mercy endureth for ever Mountains and Hills Fountains and Springs all Tongues and Tribes and Kindreds praise the God of mercies as long as his mercy endureth and his mercy endureth for ever The Stork paies tribute of her young the Trees of their fruits the Earth of her flowers for tillage Shall we be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without naturall affection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without God in the world not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 return blessing and praising to him for his infinite blessings And those that turn this blessing into a curse will be cursed as an Anathema Maranatha a bitter curse Democritas and Epicurus denyed God the gift of Creation of the World while they lived yet questionlesse ere this confesse that fabricavit infernum he made Hell for them when they were dead Some give God speciall providence of celestiall things in heaven but not of terrestriall upon Earth this Atheism Eliphaz imputes to Job Job 22. 13. Thou sayest how doth God know can he judge through the dark cloud thick clouds are a covering to him that he seeth not Rabbi Moses expunged all corruptible things except man out of the Calender of Gods care The Stoicks tie the god of Fate to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or inevitable necessity of Fate Aristotle at the first maintained the World to be eternall without Creation yet at the last ascribes the glory of the World to God and that in his Book de Mundo which Justine Martyr calls the Module of all his true Philosophie where he confesses that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the handi-work of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preserved by God Galen the great Physitian ascribed the fabrick of mans body to Nature not the God of Nature but astonished at the workmanship of it burst forth into an Hymn concerning him that made it and that in his third Book de usu partium â—ompono canticum in creatoris nostri landem I will make a Song saies he in the praise of him that made me Lesse divine is that opinion Gregory Nyssen reproves in divine Plato making God the Guardian of spirituall the Angells of Temporall the Devills of human things These were Vipers not Men that wounded those bowells of compassion that made all things for the use of men But in God is a threefold Providence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 universall preservation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 motion to all good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 permission of all evill that his infinite goodnesse may appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is the giver This is the second Branch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a free gift or charter There is a commutative giving by way of exchange when we exchange one thing for another as gold for Garments Thus God gives all receives nothing A distributive giving to every man according to his desert but to us is no gift of merit but of Gods free mercy A ministeriall giving not of his own but of his Masters thus Men and Angells are Gods Almners he the rich Owner and Donor of all There is a pernicious giving to the receivers destruction like the Grecian Horse to the Trojans Deianira's shirt to Hercules Eutrapelus his treasurie to his Favourites But every gift of God is good if it be received with thanksgiving If the Son ask bread will the Father give him a stone if a fish will he give him a serpent That we as Toads turn the pure potions of Gods mercies into poyson the grace of God into wantonnesse is from us the ungratefull receivers not from him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free giver The word is derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace which is a free gift of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joy and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rejoyce because as Plutarch saies there is nothing so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fruitfull of joy as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace so that by the name we finde that grace is a free gift of God flowing from his love God is a free giver because he is a lover for all his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free gifts are beams from the sunshine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He so loved the world such a sic as can not be parallel'd with a sicut It was love to make us of nothing his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or bowells of pitty to redeem us when we were worse then nothing Love linked with pitty with Christ the means internall to link all means externall to sugar and sweeten this life Therefore as the Greek word hath the name of love so the Hebrew of pitty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chen is grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chinam a free gift both of them comming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chanam to have pitty This love this pitty of God will more appear if we seek out the several Charters of his grace of his free gifts There is a grace temporall common to all a grace spirituall speciall to the Saints this speciall grace is either gratis dans in God accepting or gratis data in man receiving In man receiving there is a grace preventing a grace following a grace working a grace co-working a grace exciting a grace perfecting these graces are internall and proper to them that have Christ and given in the former branch of the Text with Christ the grace meant here is common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that shall be given overplus with Christ and those are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things for this life that our heavenly Father knowes we stand in need of He himselfe the giver will be to us a gift which is all in all a Castle to the besieged liberty to the prisoner a father to the fatherlesse a husband to the widow cloaths to the naked bread to the hungry health to the sick oyntment to the head oyle to the face wine to the heart marrow to the bones strength to the body comfort to the soul and all these he gives with Christ through whom is eternall salvation both of body and soul Now if God freely give all let us in token of gratefulnesse return 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thanks to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is the giver The Stars shine the Heavens rain the Earth fructifies Cattle multiplies all by his free gift who if he should close his hand of bounty the Stars shine not the Heavens rain not the Earth fructifies not Cattle multiply not Consider this and wonder O Epicure that rises up to eat lies down to sleep with Solomon's sluggard that hath eyes inclosed with fat with David's Bulls of Basan that ascribes all to thy fortune carriage cunning providence Many while they are in prosperity feed upon Gods blessings like Swine upon Acornes and look not up at the Tree whence they fall when they are in adversity like Dogs snarl at the Stone that smitt them but minds not the hand that threw it never considering with Job
every one greater than Solomon throwing down their Crowns before him the King of Kings To this joyne the communion of Saints imagine what a comfort will it be to meet with the noble Army of Martyrs the goodly fellowship of the Prophets the holy society of all the Apostles Evangelists Confessors where we shall see their Crowns of glory set upon their heads which Christ confers upon them not for their merits but for his mercies sake The effects the beatificall vision works on us are radiant either in soul or body in soul where first the understanding shall be truly enlightned with divine and heavenly knowledge which God shall immediately reveal unto us without the ministry of men and Angells Secondly in our Will which shall be filled with righteousnesse and holinesse perfect love towards God charity towards our fellow Saints for ever Thirdly in our Affections which shall be composed without at axie or disorder into eternall harmony as Beâ—nard saies sweetly Deus implebit animam rationalem luce sapientiae concupiscibilem justitiâ irascibilem perfectâ tranquillitate God will fill the soul with light of wisdome the concupiscible faculty with righteousnesse the irrascible with perfect tranquillity The effects it works on the body consists in these particulars First of mortall bodies they shall be made immortall of corruptible incorruptible our flesh that is subject to so many mutations vexed with so many diseases defiled with so many corruptions pestered with so many infinite calamities shall be made most glorious and most perfect to endure for ever without change and to raigne with the soul world without end Secondly of a naturall it shall become a spirituall body not in essence and being but in quality and condition because it shall be freed from all paines and troubles that belongs to the same as sin eating drinking sleeping and the like Thirdly of a weak it shall become a powerfull body by reason of agility and nimblenesse able to mount towards Heaven and meet our Saviour in the Aire Fourthly of a deformed and imperfect it shall be a perfect and beautifull body Iacob shall not halt Leab shall not be blear-eyed nor Mephibosheth lame but all shall be as nimble as Harts Fiftly in our bodies shall appear resplendent glory beautifulnesse and shining brightnesse we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like Angells glistering like stars conformable unto Christs glorious body Dan. 12. 3. They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousnesse as the stars for ever and ever Well then seeing it is thus let us say with Eli It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good so we may enjoy him with Austin Hic seca hic ure Lance here seare here so we may have glorified bodies with Ignatius Fire gallows wilde beasts breaking of our bones quartering of our members crushing of our bodies so our bodies so that we may enjoy our Lord Jesus and his Kingdome Take our earthly possessions so that we may raigne with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A briefe APPENDIX Concerning the nature of TITHES IN these free times wherein every one takes liberty to expose his thoughts to the world give me leave also to offer up my Mite into the publick Treasury which shall consist but of a twofold consideration first whether dishonouring of the Ministry secondly whether robbing of God in Tithes and offerings and defeating of Christ's Embassadours of a comperent livelyhood may not portend misery and calamity if not ruine to a Church or State For the former when God gives up a people to dishonour their Ministers it argues Religion is declining They are his Souldiers Stewards Angells He is their Portion He hath promised to be with them to the end of the world that the gates of hell shall not prevail against them that he will recompence a cup of cold water that is given them he that heareth them heareth Him he that despiseth them despiseth Him When the Prophet would discover the Jewes to be ready to be swallowed up in the whirle-pool of destruction he gives them this character that they are like a people that contest with their priest Corah and Dathan murmured against Moses and Aaron and the earth swallowed them up with all their partakers For the latter which here I principally intend the danger of robbing of God in Tithes and Offerings and defeating Christs Spouse of her joynture let three things be seriously weighed First whether the tenth part of the fruits of the earth are not as due to God as the seventh part of our time and so the moralitie thereof founded upon the same bottom that our Christian Sabbath is Secondly if not so whether there is not an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 morall equity if the Priesthood under the Law received the tenth part and more the Ministry under the Gospell which is more honourable and laborious should not receive at least as much and whether that be not the principall scope of the Apostle 1 Cor. 9. which he makes good by severall arguments Thirdly if neither of these Rocks should prove impregnable whether this be not a wall of brasse able to endure what siege Antichristian forces can lay against it that being once consecrated and by speciall donation appropriated unto God a Power lesse then Divine can not reduce them to any other use without sacriledge and taking the Scepter out of Gods hand And whether that signall judgment inflicted on Ananias and Saphyra Act. 5. for retaining that which they had devoted unto God onely by their private vowes be not a miraculous confirmation of this truth and a piller of salt to be looked upon to the worlds end Israel is a thing hallowed to the Lord and his first fruits all they that eat it shalloffend evill shall come upon them saith the Lord Jer. 2. 3. Tithes are Gods portion whereby we acknowledge His royalty and superintendency over us and therefore being once solemnly bequeath'd unto him may seem to be inviolable by any just Law of man for these reasons First Abraham and in him Levi payed Tithes to Melchizedeck 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even of the spoiles taken in war Gen. 14. 20. Heb. 7. 4. and that above four hundred years before the Law was given Secondly Jacob vowed as he went to Padan Aram that if God would blesse him the Lord should be his God and that surely he would give the tenth unto him Gen. 28. 22. Now that the Lord should be acknowledged for his God was a morall duty and no lesse the other for substance especially after his vow and reducible to the duties of the first Table Thirdly God strictly commanded to pay the tithes of all things to the Priests and Levites nay the first fruits first and second tithes heave-offerings wave-offerings which amounted to nineteen in the hundred or above the sixt partâ— which Precept if it be not purely morall but judiciall in some circumstances respecting equity betwixt Priest and People