with God 74 The Holy Ghost without us worketh in us to will that which is good And when we will and will after such and such a manner it is he that worketh together with us to enable us to work 75 For the children of God are so moved to working that they also have a part in the working August de corrept grat cap. 2. 76 This may be called Libertie or freedome from the service of sin For where there is the Spirit of God regenerating and illuminating a man there is Libertie or freedome 2. Cor. 3.17 77 But yet that Libertie or freedome of the Will being freed standeth still in need of the aid and guidance of the Holy Ghost 78 For seeing that even in the regenerate the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh Gal. 5.17 Therefore they are not fully free from all sinne 79 In the spirit of the regenerate there is a free servitude and in the flesh of the regenerate there is a servile freedome 80 In the other life at length the regenerate shall obtain full and plenarie libertie or freedome of will by which they shall be freed not onely from the service of sinne but also from all manner of sinne from all miserie and from all fear of falling 81 Which may be called a Libertie or freedome from sinne and muâ—abilitie 82 By which they shall not onely not sinne nor onely have power not to sinne but also have no power to sinne at all To that Libertie freedome Christ bring us who is the authour of our Libertie and freedome CHAP. XI Wherein are contained Theologicall Aphorismes concerning the LAVV. 1 THe Word and the Sacraments serve for the repairing of man being soveraign Antidotes and preservatives against the poyson of sinne and our spirituall diseases 2 The Word is reduced to two chief heads the Law and the Gospell 3 By the Law we come to the knowledge of our diseases and by the Gospell we are directed to our Physician 4 For the Law was given by Moses but Grace and truth by Jesus Christ. John 1.17 5 The Law which was given by Moses is divided into the Morall the Judiciall and the Ceremoniall 6 The Morall Law was onely repeated by Moses by a solemn promulgation for it was at first ingraven in the heart of man 7 And it is the Glasse of Gods Eternall justice The glasse of Natures perfection such as it was before the fall The glasse of Sinne and the inward corruption of Nature since the fall The glasse of Obedience which the regenerate are to perform and The glasse of Perfection which shall follow in the life to come 8 They which would have this Law to be thrust out of the Church deserve themselves to be thrust out of the Church 9 For they gainsay Christ who began his preaching from the expounding of the Law Matth. 5.6 7. 10 They gainsay the Apostles who preached Repentance and Remission of sinnes in the name of Christ. 11 The Law is indeed a Glasse to behold Sinne but it is not a remedie to cure sinne 12 But yet unlesse we first come to a sight of our sinne we can have no desire or will to seek for a remedie 13 For They that be whole need not a Physician Matth. 9.12 that is They that think themselves to be whole for indeed all men are not onely sick but even dead in their sinnes 14 The Law was given that we should seek for Grace August dâ— Spir. lit cap. 15. 15 What the Law commands Faith obtains Idem Homil. 29. in Joan. 16 By the Law sinne is made known unto us and by Faith it is abolished Ambros. in 3. cap. Rom. 17 And therefore the ministerie of death was in this regard necessarie that we might desire and seek for life in Christ. 18 God poureth not the oyl of of Mercie but into the vessell of an humble and contrite heart Bern. serm 3. in Annunâ— Col. 113. 19 God doth not pardon unlesse thou dost first acknowledge thy sinnes neither doth he cover them unlesse thou dost first lay them open neither doth he send comfort unlesse thou beest first grieved for them 20 The Law is the perfect way to Eternall life but it was weak through the flesh Rom. 8.3 And therefore it is not available for us unto Eternall life 21 The Law is spirituall It requires intire obedience of body of soul and spirit inward and outward throughout all the parts of our life It requires that our thoughts words and deeds be spirituall It requires soundnesse and perfection of Nature every way 22 But we are carnall Rom. 7.14 We are born flesh of flesh John 3.6 Neither are we altogether freed from the old flesh in this life 23 Therefore we cannot fulfill the Law in this life 24 There is no man that sinneth not 1. Kings 8.46 Now we know that To sinne and To fulfill the Law these are contrarie the one to the other Therefore there is no man that can fulfill the Law 25 That every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Rom. 3.22 26 God by the word of the Law hath concluded all under sin Rom. 11.32 Galat. 3.19 27 The Rule of the Affirmative precepts or commandments is thaâ— First Of the loving and fearing God above all things 28 The Rule of the Negativâ— precepts or commandments is that Last Of not coveting August de perfect just 29 Therefore the Affirmative precepts or commandments are not satisfied or fulfilled by the love and fear of God begunne in us in any kinde whatsoever 30 Neither are the Negative precepts or commandments satisfied or fulfilled by our abstaining from outward offences in any kinde whatsoever 31 Though we should begin our outward obedience in never so great a measure and eschew outward offences yet still we should fail in the first and last commandments 32 Therefore in the Decalogue or Ten Commandments there is expresse mention made of the outward and grosser offences that the minde of man may conceive by the judgement of God what to judge of the grievousnesse of inward offences 33 Before God he is an Adulterer not onely that lies with another mans wife but whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her Matth. 5.28 34. Before God he is a Thief not onely that takes another mans goods from him by force but whosoever doth usurp them by coveting them in an unlawfull manner 35 Gods Laws and commandments do not onely binde the hand and the other outward members but the whole man 36 Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from sinne my heart is free from concupiscence Prov. 20.9 Who then can boast that he is not a transgressour of the Law 37 Therefore the promises of the Law profit us nothing 38 But in Christ All the promises of God are Yea and Amen 2. Cor. 1.20 39 For what the Law could not do God sending his Sonne hath done for us Rom. 8.3
way of Inherence 31 Immortalitie was a part of that divine Image For God created man to be immortall and made him to be an Image of his own Eternitie Wisd. 2.23 32 That death of the body unto which we are all subject since the fall of Adam is not the naturall condition of man But it is derived upon us as a punishment for the wickednes of his transgression 33 It is not a debt due unto our nature as it was at first created by God but it is our just merit and wages for falling away from God 34 At what time man opened the gate of sinne unto Satan knocking death entred in upon him and so passed upon all men Rom. 5.12 35 That immortalitie unto which man was created as likewise the whole Image of God was a naturall and internall propertie of the humane nature 36 In the body there was a most exact harmonie of all the qualities and it was governed by the soule which was created after the Image of God unto immortalitie 37 As therefore since the fall VVee are by nature the children of wrath Ephes. 2.3 So before his fall the first man was by nature the Son of grace and life 38 But the Degree of Immortalitie which was in our nature at the first institution and the degree that shall be at the perfect restitution are farre different the one from the other 39 The Immortalitie of the first man was That hee had power not to die but the Immortalitie of the Elect shall be hereafter That they cannot die August 6. de Gen. ad lit cap. 25. 40 And further seeing that Immortalitie is a part of the divine Image from hence it is apparant That even in the body of man there is some glimpse of the divine Image 41 The comlinesse of the clay did argue also the beauty of the soul. Bern. Serm. 24. Sup. Cant. Col. 564. 42 If any one ask whether Eve was made after the Image of God or no we answer that the name of Image is taken two wayes 43 Primarily and properly the Image of God was resplendent in the conformitie of the soule and all the powers faculties of man with the Law of God which was common to both sexes saving the diversitie of degrees 44 Secundarily the Image of God was resplendent in that externall priviledge of Dominion and rule the eminencie whereof properly belonged unto the man 45 And that there might be nothing wanting to mans felicity beside the grace of soule and body God added also the grace of place for he gave him his dwelling-place in Paradise 46 Man was created by God partly Spirituall and partly Corporeall Therefore God gave unto him also a twofold Paradise both a Spirituall and a Corporeall 47 The Corporeall or Terrestriall Paradise was a Type and School of the Spirituall and Celestiall Paradise that is great tranquillitie and joy in the minde of man 48 If any man be desirous that we should show unto him in what part of the earth the Corporeall Paradise was situate That we will doe if he will first plainly show unto us the situation of the earth as it was before the floud 49 That the garden of Paradise is yet extant and to be seen then will wee beleeve when any man can bring us a bough or a branch from thence or else demonstrate it unto us upon a good foundation 50 It is certain that Henoch and Elias live in Paradise But in what Paradise Not the Terrestriall but the Celestiall where Christ promised the good thief that hee should be Luk. 23.43 51 There were two trees especially which were a great grace to the garden of Paradise to wit the tree of Life the tree of Knowledge of good and evill Gen. 2.9 52 In the tree of Life there was set before man a Preservative against sicknesse and old age as also a Type of eternall beatitude 53 The tree of Knowledge was mans Temple and Altar and the service which he was to have performed unto God was To abstain from the fruit thereof 54 After mans fall it was so called from the Event For by tasting of the fruit thereof man learnt by wofull experience what a great good he had deprived himself of by reason of his sinne and what a great evil he drew upon himself by his disobedience 55 As concerning the question about the production of souls whether by way of Propagation or by a dayly and immediate Creation we do not dislike the modestie of those which say That it is sufficient for them to beleeve and know whither they shall come by living a godly life although they be ignorant from whence they came August 10. de Gen. ad lit cap. 23. 56 Let me be ignorant of the originall of my soul if so be that I can come to the knowledge of the propagation of originall sinne and the redemption of souls Aug. Epist. 157. ad Optat. 57 If by the Image of God we understand according to the Scripture phrase true righteousnesse and holinesse The Holy Ghost witnesseth that we have lost it and we finde it true by wofull experience 58 For what is Originall sinne but the losse and want of the diâ—vine Image which succeeded in the place of Originall righteousnesse 59 This doctrine concerning the Image of God leads us as it were by the hand that so we may come to the knowledge of Gods mercy and our own misery and further establisheth our hope 60 All laud and praise be given to God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost To the Father which created us in Adam after his own Image to the Sonne which merited for us the renewing of that Image and to the Holy Ghost by whom this Image beginneth again to be renewed in us CHAP. IX Wherein are contained Theologicall Aphorismes concerning ORIGINALL SINNE That is The Fall of our first parents and the corruption of nature which followed thereupon and is propagated unto their posteritie 1 THe first man continued not in the integritie and perfection wherein he was created and therefore it descended not upon his posteritie by any right of inheritance 2 He followed the deceitfull perswasion of the Serpent and so fell into sinne and the transgression of Gods commandment 3 In that naturall Serpent the infernall Serpent lay lurking 4 So then the Serpent which by his subtiltie deceived our first parents was disguised For there was a Divell in the shape of a Serpent 5 He sets upon the woman first being the weaker and not to be compared with man for the gift and endowment of wisdome 6 By a treacherous and deceitfull question about the meaning of Gods commandment he sollicits her to a very dangerous kinde of doubting 7 Outwardly with a faigned voice he propounds a question unto her Inwardly he wounds her soul with venomous darts and inspires into her the poison of doubting 8 Afterwards being grown more audacious and bold by reason of his successe he turns Eveâ— doubting into
this for I know not how to complement I am and ever shall be in all hearty affection Your servant RALPH WINTERTON ¶ To the Translatour of GERHARDS APHORISMES DO Let the Antichristian Clergy keep Their Owl-ey'd Laitie pris'ners in the deep And horrid shades of everlasting night Whil'st thy cleare beams more illustrious light Disperse these clouds of Language and display The close-drawn Curtains of thy new-born day Shine forth bright Lampe chase these shades of night Truth seeks no corners Errour baulks the light ED. BENLOVVES ¶ TO THE READER concerning the Authour and Interpreter of this Book BEhold choise Aphorismes here like rings beset With Pearls lockt up in this rich Cabinet If worth not number doth commend the store Viewing but one me thinks I need no more Yet in this volume many hundreds dwell And every one 's a volume to live well Each leafe's a perfect book each line is such Each part 's enough yet not the whole too much Gerhard his Aphorismes like starres do shine Thou giv'st them lustre let me call them thine Most bright themselves by thee they shine most bright As if the sun had borrow'd greater light Apollo needs not to renew his fame Who twise is made immortall by thy name DOVE WILLIAMSON Fellow of Kings Colledge Upon the Golden chain of divine Aphorismes AS no such Maladie so no such Balm Like that which can the souls distempers calm What soul is not diseas'd How hard to finde A salve to cure diseases of the minde This Winterton hath found Who but he knew That such an herb in Gerâ—ards Herball grew No Empirick no Chymicks daring Heart Who sets poore Nature on the wrack of Art Descri'd such med'cines Sure in this he can Approove himself a true Physician Each Aphorism's an antidote to thee 'Gainst the old Serpents sting the book may be A Garden richly stored in which place Grows the true Hearts-ease and the Herb of Grace These now translated are because t is guest That plants translated oft times thrive the best He then undoubtedly thrice happy is Who being immur'd from men can chuse out this Garden to be his prison Who would disdain Thus to be fetter'd in a Golden Chain ROBERT NEVVMAN Fellow of Kings Colledge MOst men that put forth Books have thiâ— main art First for their Credit then their better Mart With Title faire with fine Inscription To deck their work their onely Minion This man forsooth with Amaltâ—ea's Horâ— Doth of his Book the Frontispice adorne This writes A Honycombe A third doth call His works the Pandects as comprising all The Muses here the Reader waiting stand There is an Enchiridion for his hand Such Titles serve to please the Readers eye And strangers do invite the books to buy But yet alas within what do they finde Scarce ought that can content or ease the minde The Pandects having all cannot the Will The Enchiridion scarce the Hand doth fill The Hony cloyes The Horn is quickly drie At best The Muses do but sweetly lie Take then into thy hands Gerhard divine Who saving doctrine hath in every line He in his text more truth doth comprehend Then others Titles vainly do pretend In him all Authours are both new and old Fathers and School-men faithfully enroll'd If all these Authours severally do please How then shall he who joyntly hath all these HENRY WHISTON Fellow of Kings Colledge WHo list to glance a gentle look Upon The Golden Chain this book As in a Crystall first may see The secrets of Eternitie Such as in Time should come to passe Decreed by God before Time was Such as transcend the Hearts desire And onely Silence can admire But next doth entertain the sight An Emblem of our wofull plight He that ere long Heav'ns darling was Gods Archetype Mans Looking-Glasse Which being dim'd Nature no more To its first brightnesse could restore He that enjoy'd so rare a blisse Made happy with a Paradise Behold him now cast out from thence Disrob'd of milky Innocence Poore naked man naked alas Who onely cloth'd with fig-leaves was But Jesse's branch our souls arraid And wrapt our sinnes in mercies shade Since when is ceast that fatall strife Of tree of Knowledge and of Life One Book contains them let one breast Reade know enjoy Eternall rest THOMAS PAGE Fellow of Kings Colledge ¶ The TRANSLATOUR To the Reader THis book when first I read It pleas'd me well I sought another There was none to sell. When others read it They were of my minde They sought as I for what they could not finde Had not it been by me interpreted For ought I know it might have perished Was 't not great pitty that a book so good By English Men should not be understood I challenge nothing but what is mine own Had not one been I never had it known 'T was Mr. Carew that did give it mee I in plain English Reader give it thee He lov'd good books and often turn'd them ore I think no young man of his time had more He liv'd as if he lookt alwaies to die And died to passe to immortalitie I flatter not A dead man I commend Who godly liv'd and made a godly end He 's now with God in blest eternitie But late was one of our Societie He was my friend whilst we did live together And once my friend he is my friend for ever READER This book was Gerhards Carews Mine Now 't is a common good and therefore Thine The Contents of this Book In VERSE BEfore Time was â—ere are divine decrees Fulfill'd in Time and after Pâ—omises To be fulfill'd when Time shall cease to be And in its place succeed Eternitie Reader Behold the Worlds Nativitie And Adam in his happy Infancie He was created at the first Upright His Understanding filled was with Light His Will with God's did hold Conformitie And his Affections kept good Harmonie Yet such â—e was that he might stand or fall He fell We feel 't In him we perisht all His Understanding Will Affections All Lost what they had at their Originall His Understanding was depriv'd of Sight And Darknesse did succeed in place of Light His Will fell from the first Conformitie And tended altogether to Obliquitie His jarring did Affections disagree And Discord did break off their Harmonie His Body which disease none knew before Let in diseases now at every Pore His Body made Immortall for to be Became now Subject to Mortalitie And thus he was depriv'd of Endâ—esse joyes And plung'd into Eternall Miseries By Nature such are we which from him come Blinde Crooked Froward from our mothers wombe Conceiv'd in sinne Borne in iniquitie Acting in Life a Sinnefull Tragedie We for our Parts deserve no other due But Death and that of Soule and Body too But God of his meer Mercie Promised The Womans Seed should break the Serpents head He gave his Law a Glasse for man to see His Spots and Stains and his Obliquitie He gave his Law a Rule for man to be
generall rule over all things but This comprehendeth the speciall works of his grace in the Church 90 In the other life shall be the Kingdome of glorie into which all the elect being raised out of the dust shall be received Of which Kingdome Christ make us partakers who is our King blessed for ever CHAP. V. Wherein are contained Theologicall Aphorismes concerning the CREATION and the ANGELS 1 GOd who by Nature is invisible that he might be made known by things visible wrought a work which by the visibilitie thereof might manifest him whose work it is Ambr. in cap. 1. Rom. 2 This work of God wrought in time is is also called Creation 3 Which is nothing else but the production of the whole Vniverse out of nothing in six distinct dayes being wrought by God through the Sonne in the Holy Ghost for the glorie of God and salvation of men 4 The Authour then of Creation is God One in Essence Three in Persons 5 Moreover that Creation of all things is the immediate work of God alone 6 The Father created all things by the Word which as the Evangelist teacheth us is to be understood of the Hypostaticall and consubstantiall Word of God Joh. 1.1 7 The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters Gen. 1.2 That as the Psalmist sheweth is to be understood of the breath of his mouth Psal. 33.6 that is the Hypostaticall and consubstantiall Spirit of God 8 Therefore where Moses calleth the Creatour Elohim it is rightly referred to the Trinitie of Persons 9 Whereas it is said That the Father by the Sonne in the Holy Ghost created all things we must beware that we understand it not of inequality of Essence or Power in the work of Creation 10 For what things soever the Father doth the same doth the Sonne likewise John 5.19 11 But all this ought to be referred to the reall distinction of Persons and the order of working in works ad extra or externall which results from thence 12 The Father therefore created by the Sonne not as by one that worked not or an instrument separate but as by his coëternall and consubstantiall Image 13 And he created all things out of nothing 14 Some things indeed immediately but other things mediately Damasc. 2. Orth. fid cap. 5. 15 And all in six distinct dayes whence it is that the Ancients call CREATION the six dayes works 16 That all things were created in a moment it seems indeed agreeable unto reason but it is against the Mosaicall Scripture 17 On the First day were created the Heaven and the Earth that is the matter of all things to be made rude and without form 18 Light also was created to dispell the darknesse of the deep and to inchoate or beginne the vicissitude or intercourse of day and night 19 That Light without doubt was something obscure And therefore the question concerning the Nature thereof is also obscure 20 On the Second day was the Firmament made that is the whole System or comprehension of the celestiall bodies 21 Above which that there are waters the Holy Spirit speaketh expressely To what use that onely knows he which made them 22 Let us herein beleeve the Scripture whose authority is greater then the capacitie of mans understanding August 2. de Gent. ad lit cap. 4. 23 On the Third day at the command of Almighty God were the waters under the heavens gathered together unto one place and the dry land appeared Gen. 1.9 24 And what are the Bases or foundations of the Earth what are the banks of the Sea They are The Almighty word of God 25 Neither would God have the earth to be unfruitfull but caused it to bring forth every kinde of herb Gen. 1.12 26 And yet not all for the food of man but yet all for the use of man 27 One the Fourth day God set the greater and the lesser Lights in the firmament of heaven Gen. 1.17 28 Which are nothing else but as it were the Chariots of the Light which was first made 29 The starres as well those that are fixed as those which are called Planets or Erraticall do work upon these bower bodies by their motion light and influences 30 What these influences are it is very obscure and past our finding out 31 We must beware therefore that we do not ascribe unto the starres the causes of humane wickednesse seeing that he which made the starres is free from all wickednesse 32 He that is wise shall have dominion over the starres Understand this of true and divine wisdome which consisteth in the fear and sincere worship of God 33 It is not therefore to be called Mathesis but Mataeologie not skill in Astrologie but Vaniloquie to go about by the starres to foretell humane actions and events Scal. Exerc. 251. 34 On the Fifth day was the Water replenished with Fishes and the Aire with Fowles Gen. 1.22 35 Out of water God produced the things which cannot live within the water and the things which cannot live but in the water which is an Argument of his Almightie Power and Wisdome 36 The Sixt day was the Birth-day to all terrestiall living creatures and to Man himself likewise Gen. 1.24 25 26 27. 37 All which were created for Man and Man for God 38 No Creature had ever been hurtfull unto Man yea rather all the Creatures had been at Mans service had not Man sinned August lib. 3. de Gen. ad Lit. cap. 15. 39 Man by not doing his bounden duty and service to his Creatour lost the dominion which was given him over the Creatures 40 God being about to create man called as it were a Councel before hand because he was to create a living creature capable of reason and counsel 41 After that all other things were created God in the last place created Man because he was to be the Epitome Centre Abridgement Complement and Perfection of the whole Vniverse 42 Man was made in the Earth and of the earth but not to the earth and for the earth but he was made to Heaven and for Heaven 43 God which is the Creatour of Heaven and Earth would end his work in Man Therefore he rested when he had made Man 44 He made all things I say for Man insomuch that the very Angels themselves farre superiour both for Nature and Dignitie do at Gods appointment minister as servants unto Man 45 And what wonder is it that God made all things for Man when as for Man even God himself was made Man 46 Moses describeth not the Creation of the Angels but ye◠notwithstanding he doth not exempt them from the number of the creatures 47 There is more subtiltie in enquiring then fruit in finding on what day they were created 48 In respect of their Nature which is incorporeall they are called Spirits and in respect of thei◠Office they are called Angels 49 They are indeed Spirits but yet they are not Simple as God is 50 For their Esse and
Heavenly is the Body Bloud of our Lord. Iren. Libr. 4. Cap. 34. 12 That which we see is the Bread and the Cup as our eyes declare unto us but the Bread and Wine which we are to look up unto with the eye of Faith is the Body and Bloud of Christ. These therefore are called Sacraments because in them one thing is sâ—ene and another understood That which is seen hath a Corporeall species or bodily shew but that which is understood hath a Spirituall fruit August Serm. ad Neoph. Bed in 1 Cor. 10. 13 Because therefore Bread and Wine are by Christs own Institution ordained and appointed for this Sacrament Neither of these Elements are to be changed for any other which may have some resemblance with them 14 Nothing can be better here nothing more holy nothing more safe then for us to be content with Christs authoritie alone 15 But as concerning the Bread whether it be Long or Round Great or Small and as concerning the Wine whether it be Red or White It matters nothing to the integritie or Perfection of the Sacrament inasmuchas it detracts nothing from the Institution of the Sacrament 16 The Nicene Canon we exceedingly approve We take not much but little that we may know that these things are not taken for Satietie but for Sanctitie 17 In like manner whether the Bread be Leavened or Vnleavened we think it not much materiall neither do we like of that wrangling and jangling about the Bread which was of old so frequent in the Greek and Latine Churches 18 But yet we following the custome of the Church do use Bread Vnleavened for the example of Christ and many good lessons not to be contemned which the Unleavened Bread doth afford 19 To mingle water with the Wine in the Eucharist we hold it not necessarie forasmuchas there is expresse mention made onely of the Fruit of the vine Matth. 26.29 20 But this we hold necessarie That not onely the Bread but the Wine also is to be distributed to all those that come with reverence to this venerable Sacrament 21 Either let them receive the Sacrament in both kinds or in neither For there can be no division of one and the same mysterie without grand Sacriledge 22 Eating and drinking iâ— distinctly instituted and ordained by that wisdom unto which all humane wisdome concerning the inseparabilitie of the Living Bloud from the Living Flesh must give place For here we are not to dispute out of humane reason but we are to look unto the will of Christ who instituted no imperfect Feast but with the meat added drink also Andr. Fric 4. de Reiâ— emend Cap. 19. 23 What God hath joyned together let no man put asunder Matt. 19.6 24 We do not dislike searching out divers Analogies or Resemblances between the Bread and the Body of Christ and between the Wine and the Bloud of Chrst but we must beware that we place not therein all the Sacramentall Office of the Bread and Wine in the Eucharist 25 For herein doth that consist That the Bread in the Eucharist be the Communion of the Body of Christ and the Cup of Blessing the Communion of the Bloud of Christ. 1. Cor. 10.16 26 We hold no Locall Inclosing of the Body into the Bread or the Bloud into the Wine nor any Impanation or Incorporating into Bread nor any naturall Inexistence nor any Delitescence concealement or lying-hid of the Body under the Bread nor any Penetration of two Bodies nor any Capernaïticall Creophagie or eating of flesh which the Capernaïtes did hold 27 For all these are but the dreams of humane Reason being too curious to enquire into the manner of the Sacramentall presence and they proceed for the most part from a lust and desire to calumniate 28 But this we hold according to the Apostle That the Bread in the Eucharist is the Communion of the Body of Christ and the Wine the Communion of the Bloud of Christ. 29 The Forme of this Sacrament consists in the Blessing of the Bread and Wine and in the Distributing of the Bread and Wine so blessed and in the Eating and Drinking of the Bread and Wine so distributed 30 This Sacramentall Blessing consists not in any Magicall conversion of the Bread into the Body of Christ and the Wine into his Bloud by any vertue lying hid in the words 31 But it is a sacred efficacious destinating or setting apart of the externall elements to a Sacramentall use which is therefore called Consecration 32 When the Minister therefore of the Church following the institution of Christ the example of his Apostles concerning which speaketh Gregorie Lib. 1. Cap. 63. in Registro and Platina in the life of Sixtus the first and many others when the Minister I say doth repeate the words of institution saying first over the Lords Prayer we must not in any case thinke that it is a meer Historicall reading of the Text. 33 For First The Minister doth testifie that he neither doth nor hath any will to do any thing according to his own will and pleasure or in his own name but that as the lawfull Steward of the Mysteries of God he doth exequute his function in performing this sacred and solemne action in the name of Christ. 34 Secondly He doth by this meanes set apart the Bread and Wine for an Holy use that afterwards they are no more meere Bread and Wine but the Sacraments of the Body and Bloud of Christ. 35 Thirdly He doth earnestly pray that Christ would be mindfull of his promise and vouchsafe to be present at the Sacramentall action and distribute both his Body and Bloud together with the externall Elements or the Bread and Wine 36 Last of all He doth testifie that by vertue of the Lords institution and promise the Bread in the Eucharist is the Communion of the Body and the Cup of Blessing the Communion of the Bloud of Christ and further doth admonish all those that intend to receive the Sacrament to remember that they are Christs Guests to rely on his words with true Faith to come with due preparation that so they may receive it unto their salvation 37 But thus much we must know That the Scripture doth not in any place say that by consecration or blessing the Bread is turned into the Body and the Wine into the Bloud of Christ. Yea the Scripture is expressely against it 38 And Transubstantiation a thing barbarous both for Name and Nature gathers little strength from the Disputation of some of our moderne writers who thus expound it That the Body of Christ is made of the Bread not as of the Matter as it was made of the flesh of the Virgin Marie but as from a Terme à Quâ— or from whence as Heaven was made of Nothing the Night is made of the Day and the Wine was made of Water 39 For besides that they digresse from the opinion of their predecessors for they held the Essentiall conversion of
the Soule into nothing but the departing of the Soule out of the House of the Body The Soule cannot be destroyed Matth. 10.28 11 The Scripture maketh mention but of two receptacles of Soules separated from their bodies The one of the godly the other of the wicked 12 Away then with Purgatorie away with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or night and sleeping of Soules betweene the Day of Death and the Day of Judgement Away with Pythagoras his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Transmigration of Soules away with Apparitions of Soules 13 For there is no middle place where one can be out of Punishment if he be not in the Kingdome no place where one can be out of the Divells companie if he hath not Fellowship with Christ. August de Pecc Mor. Remiss Cap. 2. 14 Before the Vniversall Resurrection the greater world shall passe away and after that shall follow the Vniversall Judgement 15 Many of the ancients were of opinion that the World should passe away by the Change of Qualitie onely and not by the Abolition of Substance 16 But the Scripture useth words very Emphaticall Heaven and Earth shall passe away Matth. 24.35 Luk. 22.33 17 The Key which is to open our Graves and the Pledge of our Resurrection is the Resurrection of Christ our Head 18 The Resurrection of our bodies is confirmed by manifest Testimonies of the Holy Spirit in the Scripture and they are often repeated 19 The Preludes or forerunners of our Resurrection are the particular examples of those which were raised up againe to life in the Old and New Testament whom Tertullian calls the Candidates of immortalitie 20 Man was at the first both in Body and Soule created for immortalitie The Body is the Soules instrument by which it worketh in actions good or bad The body of the godly is the Temple of the Holy Ghost Yea our bodies are fed with the quickning Body and Bloud of Christ. And how then can they alwayes remaine in the Grave 21 God is the Authour of our Resurrection But Christ is the Finisher thereof in and with his humane nature assumed 22 Not onely all flesh but even the same flesh that was shall be raised up againe 23 Their change in a moment which shall be found alive upon Earth at the last day shall be to them in stead of Death and Resurrection from the dead 24 Neither shall Christ onely raise us up but he shall be also our Judge Joh. 5.27 The Father hath given him authoritie to exequute Judgement 25 Christ when he cometh to Judge the world shall appeare in the same nature which he united unto himself by his Incarnation That Flesh shall sit Judge which stood before the Judge That Flesh shall Judge which was it self formerly Judged 26 This Vniversall Judgement Gods Truth Justice do require 27 The exact Forme Manner and Proceeding in Judgement at the last day Experience it self will then better teach then any humane understanding can now conceive 28 Let us whilst we are here pray unto God with sighes and grones to be delivered from the Sentence of Condemnation in that day Let us now heare the Voice of Invitation that then we may heare the Voice of Consolation 29 After Sentence is once passed immediately followes Execution Then shall they which are set at the right hand of the Judge enter into Life everlasting and they which are on the left shall be cast into Everlasting fire Matth. 25.34.41 30 The Blessednesse of eternall Life comprehendeth in it the Privation and Absence of all Evill and the Presence and Fruition of all Good 31 Wee shall be Freed and delivered from all Sinne and from all Punishment due unto sinne 32 Our vile Body shall be fashioned like unto Christ his glorious Body Philip. 3.21 But there shall be great difference in glorie 33 We shall see God Without end we shall Love him alwayes Without loathing and praise him evermore Without being wearied August 22. de Civit. Dei cap. 30. 34 Vision shall succeed in the place of Faith Fruition in the place of Hope and Charitie here onely Inchoate shall be there Consummate 35 God shall be fulnes of Light to the Vnderstanding superabundance of Peace to the Will and continuance of Eternitie to the Memorie Bern. Serm. 11. Super. Cant. Col. 519. 36 The Saints shall Rejoyce for the Pleasantnesse of Place which they shall possesse for the sweet Companie with whome they shall raigne for the Glorie of their Bodies which they shall put on for the World which they have contemned and for Hell which they have escaped Bonavent in Dioet Cap. 50. 37 Let us then Pant and Breathe for earnest desire after that Life whose King is the Trinitie whose Law is Charitie and whose Measure is Eternitie 38 Neither shall our Being be subject unto Death nor our Knowledge unto Errour nor our Love unto Offence Sphinx Phil. pag. 5. 39 We shall see God face to face we shall heare him speake immediately unto us 40 The Elect shall have Wisdome in the highest degree Righteousnesse in full perfection Joy which is everlasting and shall Sing Prayse and Glorie unto God without end 41 All the Elect Salvation shall see But Glorie in a different degree 42 It hath not at any time entred into the heart of man to conceive what glorie God hath prepared for his Elect. 1 Cor. 2.9 And if his Heart is not able to conceive it much lesse is his Tongue able to expresse it 43 To the Eternall Life of the blessed is opposed the Eternall Death of the damned which in the Revelation is called the Second Death 44 The life of the damned shall be to be alwayes dying and the death of the damned to be alwaies living If it be life why doth it kill and if it be death why doth it endure 45 The damned shall so live that they shall be alwayes dying and so dye that they shall be alwayes living Bern. in Med. Devot Cap. 3. Col. 193. 46 In the Flesh shall they be tormented with Fire and in the Soule with the Worme of Conscience Ibid. 47 It is the Eternitie of the Punishments which beyond all measure increaseth their torments laying upon them a weight unsupportable 48 For to be tormented without end this is that which goes beyond all the bounds of desperation Isidor Clar. Orat. 12. 49 Grievous is the Torment of the damned for the Bitternesse of thâ— Punishments But it is more grievous for the Diversitie of the Punishments But most grievous for the Eternitie of the Punishments Dionys. in 18. Apocalyps fol. 301. 50 The Gate shall be shut upon them Matth. 25.10 Understand the Gate of Indulgence the Gate of Mercie the Gate of Hope the Gate of Consolation and the Gate of Good Works 51 To be for ever deprived of the beatificall vision of God goes beyond all the Punishments in Hell 52 Being squeezed under the unsupportable weight of Punishments they shall wish they had no being but it shall be all in vaine They shall desire to die but death shall â—lee from them Revel 9.6 53 They shall roare for the very disquietnesse of heart they shall rage for madnesse and gnash their teeth There shall be weeping for griefe and gnashing of teeth for madnesse Bern. Ser. 8. in Psal. 91. 54 Of all which some have a tast even in this Life 55 The Companie of the Divells and the Qualitiâ— of the Place do excâ—edingly increase the Torments of the Damned 56 Neither shall the Torments of the Damned be onely Eternall but they shall also be Without all Intermission at any time The smoake of their Torments ascendeth up for ever and ever Revel 14.11 57 As in Heaven one is more glorious then another So likewise in Hell one shall be more miserable then another August in Enchirid. Cap. 3. 58 We are very curious to know where Hell is But we are not so carefull to learne how we may escape it Our thoughts were better spent in meditating upon it 59 When we sit downe to eat and drink and when we rise from table againe when we lye downe to sleepe and when we rise up againe at all times and in all places it is very good to thinke upon Hell 60 For To thinke upon Hell preserves a man from falling into it Chrysost. Hom. 44. in Matth. 61 Doest thou think to quench the flames of Hell by not speaking of it or Doest thou think thou kindlest the flame thereof by speaking of it Whether thou speakest of it or no the flame is alwayes there alike Idem in Homil 2. in 2. Thess. 62 He deliver us from eternall death who himself died for us He bring us unto eternall Life who himselfe is the Prince of Life blessed for ever To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all honour and glorie World without end Amen FINIS