of God but those books which are received for and commonly called Canonicall contained in the Old and New Testaments commended unto us from the Prophets and Apostles times even untill now through the power providence and mercy of God which also are not of any private 2 Pet. 1. 20 21. interpretation For prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost and therefore are not to be wrested to please the strange humours and opinions or to make for the private ends of either Papists Hereticks or Schismaticks much lesse to be corrupted in the text by any but construed according to the true sense and meaning of the holy Ghost Perverters there were of the word of God in the Apostles dayes the Apostle Peter speaks of some who wrested the writings of his beloved brother 2 Pet. 3. 16. Paul and other Scriptures also unto their own destruction I could wish there were not some such in these our dayes but because there are some such I shall advertise you in the words of the same Apostle Beware seeing that yee know these things before lest Vers 17. ye also be led away with the errour of the wicked and fall from your own stedfastnesse Quest But some may say How then shall I know that Scripture which is commended unto us to be the very true word of God Answ The holy Scripture takes not its authority from the penmen who wrote the same for they for the most part were unlearned men as shepherds plow-men fisher-men and the like But the authority of the Scriptures ariseth First From the majesty of him who inspired the writers to pen things so sublime in such a familiar stile and simplicity of words and yet such is the majestie of the stile that it is unutterable being more powerfull in matter then in words which none could doe save only that God who is cloathed with Majesty Secondly The matter it selfe being of that efficacy that it divideth assunder the soule and the spirit Heb. 4. 12. and is a discerner of the thoughts and intentions as it strikes terrour into the hearts of the greatest adversaries that despight it so it works an aversion from evill and a conversion to good in them that love it yea the comfort that some have taken in it hath made them abandon all sublunary things and yeeld their lives as a prey into the hands of mercilesse men rather then disclaime it so that what by convincing and converting what by affrighting and delighting all have been forced to acknowledge it to be not the invention of mortall man but the true word of immortall God Thirdly The events of the prophecies as of the promised seed the calling of the Gentiles the deliverance of the Israelites from the Egyptian thraldome c. How doth Isaiah prophesie of Christ to come as if hee then were already in the flesh Unto us a childe is born c and the same Isa 9. 6. Prophet fore-telleth the freedome of the Jewes from captivity by Cyrus naming him whereas Isa 45. 1. Cyrus was born about 100. yeers after so another Prophet that cried against the altar at Bethel 1 King 13. 2. named Josiah and what hee should doe upon that altar whereas Josiah was born above 300 yeers after In the New Testament S. Paul telleth us of seducing spirits of doctrines of divels forbidding to 1 Tim. 4. 1 2. marry and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanks-giving and this is fulfilled in that Antichristian Romish Church so Peter fore-telleth of scoffers walking 2 Pet. 3. 3. after their owne lusts and have not wee some who scoffe at Religion and hate the work of Reformation I wish we had not Thus the events of the Prophecies prove the truth of the word to be the word of Truth Fourthly The admirable consent of the pen-men all pointing at the same Messiah though living in severall ages Adde to this the consent of the Spirit mentioned by Paul and saith Peter in 1 Cor. 2. 12 13. the behalf of himself and the rest of the Apostles Wee have a more sure word of prophecie 2 Pet. 1. 19. Fifthly The wisdome of God in the penning of his Law No law of man could ever be so exactly devised but some offender might finde a shift to evade the penaltie of that law mans law therefore requires to be reviewed and amended but this law of God remaines as at first it was made and no delinquent can finde the least way to escape the judgement threatned and this also proves it to be the very word of the invisible God And if any desire to be satisfied yet farther concerning the Scriptures whether they are the very word of God let him doe this compare Scripture by Scripture and place by place let the letter and the sense goe together then let him yeeld himselfe obedient to the Spirit of truth and that Spirit of truth shall witnesse unto him the truth of the Spirit and let as many as be perfect be thus Phil. 3. 15. minded and if in any thing yee be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you But if any one will not be content to suck the wholesome milk from the breasts of the Scriptures let him continue still like the swine to feed upon the husks that he so much doth relish But as for you my brethren of whom I hope Hebr. 6. 9. better things and such as accompany salvation Receive I humbly beseech you with meeknesse sobrietie James 1. 21. and thankfulnesse this pure word of God which is the truth of God proceeding from the fountaine of Truth it selfe which is onely able to make you wise unto salvation and which will open the eyes of your understanding cleerly to see God and as for others no marvell if they never attaine unto the true and perfect knowledge of God who either know not the Scriptures at all or else knowing them search them not diligently nor reade them with a single eye Christ reproved the Sadduces concerning the resurrection You erre saith hee not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God He reproved also the Jews for their ignorance of knowing him when he proved by the testimony of his Father of John of his works and John 5. 17 32 36. of the Scriptures who hee was and therefore hee counselleth them to search the Scriptures for they Vers 39. testified of him Scrutamini Scripturas It was the honour of the Bereans in that they received the word Acts 17. 11. with all readinesse of minde and searched the Scriptures daily whether the things spoken by Paul were so or not and as it was their honour so it will be your blessednesse to be studious in the Scriptures which so evidently reveal God to you For meditation in the word of God is that key that openeth the door to
most delightsome garden to solace a mans soule in it is the Exchequer of the King of kings in which hee keepeth the audit of all his accounts it is the high Court of the great God and the habitation of the holy Ghost and think not to beguile conscience or to delude Gods all-seeing eye for the one will be an upright witnesse the other a severe Judge I conclude this point with that observation of Tilenus In calamitates magnas incident qui vel subdoli ingenii strophis Magistratûs cognitionem eluserant vel virium fiduciâ perruptis legum clathris Judicum subsellia contempserant ad ineluctabile enim tribunal summi Judicis pertrahentur qui nec fraude eludetur nec vi superari poterit Thus have I at large declared how God is pleased to manifest himselfe to the consciences of men both by the ministery of the word and also by the checks of the same In a word take as a Corrolary the summe of all God is pleased to exhibite himselfe to all our senses Thus wee see him in the admirable fabrick of the world and varietie of creatures Thus wee hear him in his word preached Thus wee taste him in the fruits of the earth carnally but spiritually in the blessed Sacrament Thus wee smell him in the fragrancy of his graces And thus wee feel him in the checks of our consciences our outward senses being the grates or windowes of our soules nothing being conveyed into the one but by the other Wee understand nothing we know nothing but either the ear or the eye or some other sense must first present it to the soule As then many windowes yeeld more light into a roome so the more senses there are that present a matter to the soule the more cleerly doth the soul understand it and conceive it These Beloved are the windowes grates and lattesses thorow which Christ looketh upon his Spouse the Church Yet as followeth in my third Generall It is but hieroglyphically enigmatically obscurely The Egyptians used to expresse themselves by mysticall cyphers and when Almighty God appeared to Moses it was either in fire or else in a Exod. 3. 6. cloud in both which to the eye of Moses it was Cap. 40. 34. obscurely So when the Lord appeared to Elijah it was by a voice which is audible not visible 1 King 19. When Christ was transfigured upon the Mount it Mark 9. 3. was in such a brightnesse that the Apostles could not endure to behold the glory of his Majestie So that although God is every-where about us yet such is our dimnesse wee cannot perceive him like the servant of Elisha wee are blinde and see 2 Kin. 6. 16 17. not God neer us unlesse God in mercy open our eyes as hee did his The book of the Creatures the book of the Scriptures and the book of Conscience may serve us in some stead yet are but as dark shadowes glimeringly setting forth him who is light invisible They may serve as a candle in the night but as when the light of the Sun appeareth the light of the candle is darkened so when our vaile of mortality is put away wee shall see God more perfectly In the Scriptures we read of a four-fold light First Light is taken properly as of the Sun Moon and Starres which give light to all creatures Gen. 1. 14 c. upon the earth to this end they were created Secondly Light is taken figuratively sometimes for God himselfe God is light sometimes 1 John 1. 5. for Gods countenance so David prayeth God to lift up the light of his countenance upon him sometimes Psal 4. 6. it is taken for Christ for his Apostles for true Luk. 2. 32. Matth. 5. 14. beleevers or it may be taken for the light of Gods Spirit with which some were endued in the dayes Ephes 5. 8. of the Apostles for the discerning of those who spake by the Spirit of God from those who spake by a false spirit therefore it was called the gift of 1 Cor. 12. 10. discerning of spirits Thirdly Light is taken for the light of the Scriptures leading us to God Thy word is a lanthorne Psal 119. 105. to my feet and a light unto my pathes for naturally our understandings are darke onely God in mercy revealeth himself unto us by the light of the Scriptures Hence is it that wee are advised both by that Evangelicall Prophet Isaiah as also that beloved Apostle John to walke in the light of the Isa 2. 5. 1 John 1. 7. Lord. Fourthly Light is taken for comfort after the troublesome stormes of affliction so the Prophet Micah Rejoyce not against mee O mine enemy When Micah 7. 8. I fall I shall rise when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me When Hamans plot was defeated The Jewes had light and gladnesse joy and honour Esth 8. 16. and saith David Light is sowne for the righteous Psal 97. 11. and joyfull gladnesse to them that are true of heart Hence is it that the Prophet Isaich comforteth the Church in the uberity of her children by the promulgation of the Gospel Arise be enlightned Isa 60. 1. for thy light cometh and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee The first of these lights makes not for our purpose the three later may help us very much If therefore the Spirit of God shineth upon our souls it will clear our understandings to discerne God in the light of the Scriptures and if wee can see God in the light of the Scriptures wee shall be sure to attain to the light of saving comfort because the latter dependeth on the former Thus the Eunuch although his devotion led him to Act. 8. 30 c. read the Scriptures yet did hee not understand all that hee did read till the Spirit sent Philip to expound it unto him then went hee away rejoycing Nor was it saith Calvin unprofitable for him to Calvin exercise his minde in places of Scripture more obscure because by searching and studying therein the sense of them through the assistance of Gods Spirit is to be attained unto And by the way Note the blinde condition of the Romish Note Laitie who satisfie themselves with imbracing any doctrines of their Church without searching the grounds thereof from the Scriptures taking all upon the trust of others and being content to goe without examining them by that touchstone But to proceed Our knowledge of God in this life is in part that is is imperfect as the beholding of a man suddenly passing by whose back-parts onely wee can look upon our more fuller knowing God is reserved untill that time in which we shall be made like unto him When wee all with open 2 Cor. 3. 18. face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord shall be transformed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
4. 12. time yet is his invisibility manifested and understood in the things created for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which may be known of God is manifested in the Rom. 1. 19. creatures namely his eternall power and Godhead As the exquisite skill of a workman is discerned by his work so is the wisdome and power of God perspicuously manifested ex operibus by his works Whether you consider the nature of the heavens or the influence of the starres or the motion of the planets or the various and terrible meteors or the creatures in the aire earth or seas how strange they are for forme how innumerable for multitude or if you consider him in one of his most excellent and admirable miracles namely the variety of the visages of so many millions of men not one exactly and in all parts like unto another which Plinie notes In facie vultuque nostro Lib. 10. Hist. Nat. nullas duas in tot millibus hominum indiscretas effigies existere quod ars nulla in paucis numero praestet affectando all which are a large Commentary of the divine Essence and Wisdome of Almighty God And again that all things should be made of nothing solo nutu verbo absque labore onely by his command and word not by any labour this shews his eternall Omnipotency Ens ex ente producere est potentiae creatae ens verò ex non ente vel ex ente indisposito est potentiae increatae which I will English thus To erect a curious fabrick having convenient materials is the skill of every common artist but to erect a curious fabrick out of base materials requires more then ordinary skill But now to erect so curious a fabrick as is the whole Universe and that out of nothing onely By speaking the word this needs must be the finger Exod. 8. 19. of God Thus Beloved have you heard how that God hath left his footsteps imprinted in his works so that man cannot be altogether without the knowledge of God In omni re aspectabili quaedam extant Vel palpando inveniri potest Deus Tilen Dei vestigia in every thing visible some print of Gods footsteps is impressible by which man may if hee will track and finde out his Creator or else be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judge to pronounce sentence of condemnation for his wilfull ignorance against himselfe for God by his works hath left man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without all excuse In a word God by his works exhibits himselfe to a man to see if man will by them seek and search after him The works of the Lord are great saith the Psalmist sought Psal 111. 2. out of all that have pleasure therein So then delight may be taken by viewing God in the creatures Yet more apparently doth God manifest himselfe By the booke of the Scriptures to man in the book of the Scriptures Although then man may sufficiently reade the Wisdome Justice Power Goodnesse and Providence of God in the book of the Creatures yet because for the most part hee beholdeth the creatures but slightly and with a glancing eye for hee seldome looks farther into them then they stand him in stead very seldome hee either sees or observes God in them and if hee is purblind in things naturall and such as are obvious to his sight no marvell if thick scales cloud his eyes concerning things supernaturall and spirituall God therefore who is abundant in goodnesse exhibits himselfe to man by a farre clearer light namely by his word and Sacraments by which as through a prospective man may discern him and yet every man hath not this glorious priviledge for Hee hath not dealt so with every nation the Psal 147. 20. heathen have no knowledge of his law it is onely his Spouse that can discerne him in them The naturall 1 Cor. 2. 14 15. man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit This peculiar blessing wee shall apply unto our selves by Gods gracious assistance God in his great mercy hath affoorded this favour to us more then to many other people in the world which argues his wonderfull love that he beareth unto us Blessed be his name hee hath taken away the scales from our eyes as hee did from Sauls at his conversion by giving unto us his Acts 9. 18. word and sacraments by which wee may see him cleerly if we will O pray we then that he would be pleased to annoint our eyes with heavenly eye-salve Rev. 3. 18. and that hee would give us the eye of true faith that so wee may see him in them for else as the light of the Sun is not discerned by a blinde man although the Sun shine never so brightly even so this supernaturall light in the Scriptures is not seen by any who have not the eye of their souls opened by faith Some have been so Atheisticall as to doubt whether there were a God or not and consequently to deny his word but when what through the terrors and affrightments of their own consciences together with the observation of the order and governance of all things they could not deny a supreme power the Divell sought to delude them by faining that this God was of some corporeall substance and that hee spake unto them by his lying Oracles by this policie the Divell deluded many and hindred them the knowledge of the true God Others again grant that there is a God and yeeld that hee hath a written word yet blush not blasphemously to say Meliùs consultum fuisse Ecclesiae Observat Tilen de orig sac Scrip. Thes 35. si nulla unquam extitisset Scriptura that it had been happier for the Church if there never had been any Scripture therefore blasphemously stiling it Theologiam atramentariam Thus impudently controlling the wisdome of God who was pleased thereby to make himselfe knowne unto his Spouse the Church Another sort there are who equall their unwritten verities in authoritie unto the sacred Scriptures and most grossely abuse both the letter and the sense of the Scriptures thus making the invention of man of like authority with the word of God which was given by the inspiration of the 2 Tim. 3. 16. holy Ghost God hath blessed be his name miraculously preserved the Scriptures in their genuine puritie maugre the furie of King Jehojachim who burnt the roll that Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jer. 36. 23. the Prophet Jeremiah or maugre the madnesse of 1 Mac. 1. 56 57. Antiochus and other tyrants who sought utterly to Pro libito mutare vel addere demere quicquam Crashaw on Romes forgeries abolish the books of God extant in their dayes or maugre the sacrilegious policy of the Papists who have corrupted it in the text So that if any shall now ask What is meant by the Scriptures I answer Not mens traditions nor the unwritten verities of the superstitious Papists which they equalize with the pure word
laborious oxen or not yea then it shall appear whether their seed be pure wheat which may yeeld a plentifull crop fit to be stored up in Gods granary or tares fit only to be cast into the fire Nor is it Right Worshipfull that I have adventured out of any conceit of worth in my selfe to expose this ensuing Discourse to the view of the world in this censorious age but partly to satisfie the requests of some who were auditors of the chiefe points thereof delivered in a Sermon in the Abbey in Westminster and partly to expresse a gratefull heart to this Honourable Committee whom my selfe with many others are bound to honour for your vigilancy and care Solomon tels us that hee that hath friends must shew himself Prov. 18. 24. friendly for there is a friend that sticketh closer then a brother And which way can I expresse my respects and service I owe you any other wayes then by imparting unto your Worships some of my weak labours Greater gifts you need not higher prized I cannot I may say with the Apostles Peter and John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I humbly crave pardon Act. 3. 6. for my presumption in fleeing to the arms of this Honourable Court for patronage of this small Tract whom I know to be religiously devoted to religious exercises and to accept of this mite thrown into Gods treasury God gave liberty where ability was wanting to offer under the Law in stead of a lamb a paire of turtle doves or two young pigeons It may through Gods blessing enrich as well those who shall read it as I hope it hath those who have heard it It is not clothed with the rich embroiderings of humane eloquence and wisdome of words I rather choose the Scripture phrase as best suting to the capacitie and conscience of my countrey Auditory amongst whom I have enlarged it and of such as may read it Vouchsafe it I humbly intreat your protection and you shall sufficiently reward him whose prayers to God for you shall be that you may be filled with a large measure of grace in this life and rewarded with a full measure of glory in the life to come this he cordially wisheth who is devoted to be Your Wor ps to be commanded in all Christian service CH. ANTHONY West-Hoadligh in Com. Sussex GODS PRESENCE MANS COMFORT CANT 2. 9. Behold hee standeth behind our wall hee looketh forth at the window shewing himselfe at the lattesse MOst worthily is this Book called Cantica Canticorum not because it was penned by the wisest of men that ever was born of a woman by a natural generation but because in it is set down in a most patheticall and mutuall colloquie the unspeakable love betwixt Christ and his Church under the similitude of a Beloved and his Spouse In the verse foregoing the Text as also in the former part of this verse the Church compares her Beloved for his care love and diligence in hasting to bring comforts unto her to a Roe or yong Hart Behold saith shee hee cometh leaping upon the mountains and skipping upon the hils In the words of the Text shee rejoiceth in that shee enjoyeth his presence thereby pergustans suavitatem amoris Lyra. future ae beatitudinis having got a relish of his love and a taste of her own future happinesse though not so fully and perfectly as shee would or as shee desired nor as hereafter shee shall yet in that she hath as it were a glimpse of his person whom she longed to enjoy shee exulteth in the words of the Text Behold he standeth behind our wall c. In which words without wresting flow these five particulars 1. God cannot be seen by the eye of mortall man because of the wall of his flesh 2 Yet God is pleased to exhibite himselfe to man four wayes 1. By voice 2. By the book of the creatures 3. By the book of the Scriptures 4. By the book of conscience 3. In these it is but hieroglyphically enigrnatically obscurely darkly 4. Yet so that the soule of a true Christian by the eye of unblemished faith may be sure that shee seeth him in them 5. That being thus assured that shee doth see him shee may rejoice and desire a greater union and communion with him I shall not need to insist long to prove whether there be a God or no I hope there is none so Atheisticall as to deny it at least-wise with their tongue although I feare there are some as bad in Ephes 2. 12. their heart such as are without God in the world Now of Atheists there are three sorts First Atheists Psal 14. 1. 53. 1. in thought The fool hath said in his heart there is no God that is as else-where the Kingly Psal 10. 11. Prophet explaineth it Hee hath said in his heart God hath forgotten God will not require it Secondly Ver. 13. Atheists in words who speak of God as of no God How doth God knew Is there knowledge in the Psal 73. 11. Job 21. 14 15. most High Thus the seventy ancients of the house of Israel did horrible things every man in the chambers of his imagery and said The Lord seeth us not Ezek. 8. 12. Thirdly Atheists in conversation these are they that so live as if there were no God They professe Tit. 1. 16. that they know God but in their works deny him Certes did these truely know that there is a God and that hee seeth all their abominations and will at the last day call them to a strict account and severely punish them it would make them tremble even in this life but they are altogether corrupt Supra abominable and to every good work reprobate To omit School-distinctions Utrum Deum esse Aquin. 1. qu. 2. art 2. sit demonstrabile these arguments following shall sufficiently prove 1. That excellent order of nature seen both in that Microcosme or little world Man as also in that Megacosme the greater world or whole Universe in the disposition of parts and succession of motions and actions which could not be nor subsist were there not an Omnipotency to rule and order it which Omnipotency must needs be Psal 8. 19. 104. 135. 136. 147. 148. God as appeareth by the places quoted in the margent 2. That excellencie of humane understanding Man alone being above all other creatures rationall Reason Knowledge Wisdome c. being that image of God in man and in this sense Saint Paul hath it when he saith We are his off-spring Acts 17. 28. 3. The nature of man acknowledgeth a Deity for no Nation under heaven is so barbarous but worshippeth a supreme power either * 2 Kin. 17. 16. creatures or else the workmanship of their own hands 4. The sting or worm of Conscience even in the most reprobate either in the very act of sin or at least after sin committed proves a Deity and that
which God shineth inwardly upon her soul Haec quasi speculum Creatorem suum repraesentant God through these manifesteth himselfe so farre unto her as shee is able to apprehend him in them and by them Ex effectibus Dei demonstrari Aquin. potest Deum esse licèt per eos effectus non possimus eum perfectè cognoscere secundùm suam Essentiam By the works of God it is evident that there is a God although even by those works wee cannot perfectly discern his Essence Yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what may be known of God by the light of nature is manifested in the creature as that there is a God that there is but one God that hee is Eternall Omnipotent the sole Creator of heaven and earth and all therein that hee is most holy most wise and most just the rewarder of the godly and the punisher of the wicked But yet this light of nature is not of it selfe sufficient unlesse it be holpen by a supernaturall light For Non potuerint Gentiles per solum naturae lumen unum agnoscere solum esse Deum the Heathen by the dim light of nature were not able to know that this God is but One. To those therefore whom the holy Spirit maketh to discern God the same Spirit conferreth the spirit of wisdome and sanctified knowledge by means whereof they doe see God Hence that speech of Christ Hee that seeth mee seeth my Father John 14. 9. also scil opere Spiritûs sancti namely by the work of the holy Ghost On the contrary they the eyes of whose soules the holy Ghost hath not enlightned with the saving beams of divine truth can never see or know the Father in the Son As then none is said to touch Christ when the Mar. 5. 30 31. multitude thronged him save onely shee who had the bloudy issue so none is properly said to see Christ save onely such in whom the holy Ghost hath wrought faith to beleeve him and his word for it is impossible without faith which is the eye of the soule either to see him or know him and according to each mans faith so shall it be unto him For we must know that there is a twofold sight 1. Of the body 2. Of the minde 1. The eye of the body cannot see God for he is invisible his Essence is spirituall and if a man cannot see his own spirit much lesse can hee see God who is the Father of spirits Now if it be objected Heb. 12. 9. Exod. 33. 11. Gen. 17. 1. that Moses and Abraham saw God I answer that they saw not his substance hee only appeared in similitudes by which hee testified his presence But Job saith In my flesh I shall see God Job 9. 26. and mine owne eyes shall behold him Answ By God in that place is meant the second person of the Trinity who being God was incarnate and so God may be seen in Christ But Paul saith that we shall see God face to face Answ God hath not members 1 Cor. 13. 12. as we have but this is spoken per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to our humane capacitie and the meaning is that we shall have such a full knowledge of God as wee have of him whom wee do see face to face But shall our eyes serve us for no use in heaven Ans Yes with them wee shall behold the glorious Saints and Christ our Judge and Redeemer glorified in his humane nature whom to Acts 3. 13. behold yeelds unconceivable comfort 2. The second is the sight of the minde which in this life is imperfect and only seeth God in his works and word c. by which wee may gather the great love of God towards us in exhibiting himselfe so farre but that perfect sight which the minde shall then have of God is reserved till hereafter when seeing him wee shall be transformed into his image This sight of the minde which properly is called the soule is twofold First Simple as when a man sees a thing absolutely and as it is in it selfe thus God cannot be seen by reason of his Immensity filling all places Secondly Comprehensive namely when a man seeth God so farre forth as hee is capable of the knowledge of him and in this sense wee shall see God perfectly in the world to come and be filled with the fruition of his presence as a vessell may be filled with the water of the sea though it hold not all the water of the sea In this comprehensive manner as the Spouse of Christ is sure that shee seeth him so is shee sure also that shee heareth him for saith shee in the verse preceding the Text Behold the voice of my Beloved shee was a partaker of the first resurrection and so heard his voice which enlivened her John 4. 25. soule and shee was sure that it was his voice indeed and not a strangers their often mutuall conference had given her an exact knowledge thereof As then the true Spouse of Christ can onely rightly discern Christs voice so whosoever hath not plighted his faith to him knowes it not from the voice of a stranger and so may soon be deluded as may appeare by Ahab giving credit to the lying spirit in the mouthes of his false prophets 1 King 22. 22. Object But some may object that saying of Christ No man knoweth the Son but the Father neither Matth. 11. 27. knoweth any man the Father save the Son and hee to whomsoever the Son will reveal him Sol. The words are to be understood comparatively that is as the knowledge of the Son is originally in God the Father and it is by the Fathers revealing of the Son that any come to know the Son that is to beleeve in his Name so the knowledge of the Father is originally in the Son and it must be by the Sonnes revealing of the Father that any can come to know him Excellently therefore saith Chrysostome None know the Chrysost Father with that knowledge with which the Son knoweth him that is fully to obey him and in all things perfectly to conforme to his will which is knowledge unto salvation Of this perfection of knowledge which is solely in Christ the best of Gods children come short in this life 'T is true they know him and see him but here it is weakly and imperfectly as from behinde a wall Or thus As by seeing a piece of coine a man may know whose coine it is by the image and superscription engraven thereon so the Spouse of Christ knoweth whose image is engraven in the heavens and who that is that shewes himselfe in the windowes of the Scriptures and in the grates of Conscience Or thus As by seeing a picture a man may know whom it represents especially if there hath been any former acquaintance so the Church which is Christs Spouse seeing the face of God in the light of the Scriptures and the beauty of the Creatures exactly
Gods back-parts or the disciples of Christ who saw his glory in his transfiguration O what joy shall it be to the Spouse of Christ to see her beloved clothed with robes of Majestie O! say wee then as sometimes Moses said to God in behalfe of himself and the whole congregation If thy presence goe not with us carry us not hence For Exo. 33. 15 16. wherein shall it be known that wee thy people have found grace in thy sight Is it not in that thou goest with us in this vale of misery and wildernesse of woe And pray wee with David that the Lord would cause his face to shine upon us and lift up Psal 4. 7. the light of his countenance for his face is favourable it rejoyceth the heart it reviveth the soul and Prov. 19. 12. is as the dew upon the tender grasse To conclude this point This cannot but minister great comfort to the godly in that although after many reproaches in this life God only looketh upon them as thorow a glasse yet hereafter they shall be sure to behold him face to face Wherefore Hear yee the word of the Lord you that Isa 66. 5. tremble at his word your brethren that hated you and cast you out for my Names sake said Let the Lord be glorified but hee shall appear to your joy and they shall be ashamed Our second point was That to be made one with God by an holy union crowns all with eternall felicity The chiefest and most ardent desire of the faithfull here is to gain assurance of eternall happinesse hereafter this Christ hath promised and this hee will make good when the day of his espousals shall come which also is at the day of judgement 'T is true this is the time of their wooing in which the Spouse knowes her Beloved but in part but then shee shall know him as hee is for she shall be made one with him all glorious within In this life hee Psal 4 5. 13. gives her evident testimonies of his more ardent love as the gift of regeneration of obedience to his will and word of faith to beleeve his promises of confidence to relie on him for protection in times of danger and of prayer to importune him fervently Adde to these the knowledge of reconciliation the inward comforts of his Spirit in times of temptation and strength to persevere in times of fiery triall These graces hee bestoweth as pledges of his love onely on his Spouse and shee as highly priseth them Nor doth Christ bestow all his favours onely on his chosen but as hee that is a suiter to a woman giveth some gifts to houshold servants yet keepeth his prime jewels of value onely for her on whom his love is fixed so Christ bestoweth common favours even on the wicked thereby making known his riches yet his choice and selected graces and the enjoyment of his love hee solely reserveth for his beloved Spouse who affectionately locks them up in the closet of her heart so that shee seemeth to speak in the words of Mephibosheth when David returned safe from battell concerning Ziba Let him take all forasmuch as my lord the king is returned again in peace unto his own house So shee as undervaluing all earthly things in comparison of the enjoyment of Christ his presence and graces Let whoso will take all these only let me enjoy my Beloved and let my soule be filled with the graces of his Spirit And no marvell that the soules of Christians are thus ravished with the desire of an union with Christ which Paul saith is best of all in regard of that felicity wherewith both soule and body shall then be dignified in the new Jerusalem that heavenly Canaan First In regard of the felicitie of the body which consisteth in its change after the generall resurrection from being a corruptible body to be a glorious body for that which is now cumbersome and infested with many miseries subject to mutation vexed with diseases defiled with corruption and replenished with innumerable calamities shall then be made most glorious perfect ever durable without mutation it shall be freed from a decaying estate and placed in an ever-flourishing condition yea the whole body shall be glorified and being glorified shall be filled with all fulnesse of contentment eyes ears mouth nose hands and heart with unutterable sweetnesse They Psal 36. 8. shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures besides death shall have no dominion over it for the just shall live for ever Christ setting forth the felicity of the righteous saith that the righteous shall shine forth as the Sun in the kingdome Matt. 13. 43. of their Father which proves the glory of their bodies Et quanta tunc erit gloria animarum quando Solis habebit claritatem lux corporum How gloriously shall their souls be invested when their bodies shall shine like the Sun in the firmament which is the second part of a Christians felicitie Secondly In regard of the felicitie of the soule and this consisteth chiefly in visione Dei beatifica in the beatificall vision of God Haec sola summum August lib. de Trin. cap. 13. est bonum this is the chiefest good This also St. Paul averreth when he saith that we shall see God face to face The like also doth S. John when hee saith that we shall see him qualis est as he is and the reason is because Ibi tota erit virtus videre quod ames Aug. de Civ Dei tota felicitas amare quod videas ibi beata vita in suo fonte bibitur ubi veritatis visio clarissimè aperitur All the contentations in the world are but as small sparkles sent forth from God in whom they are most perfect and excellent All the perfections of his creatures are more perfect in him then they are in themselves whoso then enjoyeth the presence of God hath full felicity presented to him at once so that hee cannot wish for any good but there he findeth it in its full perfection yea whatsoever deserveth love or admiration All the faculties of the soule and all the senses of the body shall be satisfied with the fruition of the presence and glory of God In a word God shall be universall happinesse to all his elect for by enjoying his presence they shall also enjoy whatsoever is delightfull by enjoying his presence they shall know the secret judgements of God which are a great depth by enjoying Gods presence they shall love God above all and their fellow-saints equally as themselves and for the same causes for which they are themselves beloved of God by enjoying Gods presence they shall rejoyce at their owne happinesse for they shall enter into their Masters joy It is not said that the joy of their Master shall enter into them because no created heart can receive the fulnesse of this joy but