toto totum in qualibet parte whole in the whole and whole in every part and yet not In loco not included in place 2. Again in time God is mindfull of man secondly in preserving him For God is not like a Shipwright or Carpenter who leaveth his work or building to it self as soon as he hath set it up but God is mindfull of man as well in preserving as in creating him Yea this also to the expresse of Gods perfection may be said that he cannot do he cannot make any thing to be or subsist of it selfe without him For so there should be something where at his power should be limited and whereto his strength should not extend And so hee should not be infinite he should not be almighty he should not be himself he should not be God therefore 't is of necessity that to every work which God maketh hee adde also a butteresse a prop or supporter of his of his power to sustain it which whensoever he taketh away the work what ever it be soon decayeth and perisheth For in him we live and move and have our being Act. 17.28 And when thou hidest thy face they are troubled when thou takest away their breath they die and are turned again to their dust Ps 109.29 And in that Psalme we have a large discourse of the mindfulnesse of God towards man in providing him wine that maketh glad the heart of man and oile to make him a chearfull countenance and bread to strengthen mans heart Yea his providence extendeth to the least things that do concern us There cannot a tear fall from our eyes but he doth bottle it up Put my tears into the bottle P. 56.8 there cannot an hair fall from our heads but he doth take notice of it for even the hairs of our head are all numbred Luk. 12.7 Yea which is of us more considerable because to us more terrible there cannot a word fall from our mouths but he doth register it for every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account hereof in the day of judgement Mat 12.36 3. Again God is mindfull of man thirdly in time in redeeming him And this work hath many parts too many for me to speak of at this time I can but name them His miraculous incarnation his charitable life and peregrination his painfull and shamefull death and passion descension resurrection his ascension And hereto also pertaineth his calling us his sanctifying us his justifying us and his pawning and pledging everlasting life unto us 4. Again fourthly and lastly God is mindful of man in time in raising him hee is mindfull even of our very dust and ashes when we be dead and rotten For saith Job I shall see God in my flesh Job 19.26 And he shall change our vile body and make it like to his glorious body saith Saint Paul Phil. 3.21 And this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality 1 Cor. 15.53 And then shall Ezekiels mysticall or parabolicall vision be literally fulfilled Every bone shall come again to his bone and the flesh and sinewes shall grow upon them and the skin shall cover them Ezek. 37. And Saint Aug. de Gen. ad lit lib. 3. ca. 17. is very punctuall and emphaticall upon this point Quasi vero quicquam intersit ad nostram utilitatem ista caro jam examinis per quos transitus eat c. As though saith he it were any thing considerable what becomes of our body being dead seeing that by whatsoever passages it shall go It shall thence be drawn out again by the almighty power of the Creator to be new formed And again in another place Enchirid. ad Laur. cap. 88. Non autem perit Deo terrena materia de qua mortalium creatur caro the earthly matter of mans body is never lost to God sed in quemlibet cinerem pulveremve solvatur but into whatsoever dust or ashes it be dissolved In quoscunque halitus aurasve diffugiat Into whatsoever spirits or airs it fly away In quorumcunque aliorum corporum substantiam vel in ipsa elementa vertatur Into whatsoever substance of other creatures be it into the very elements it be turn'd In quorumcunque animalium etiam hominum cibum cedat unto whatsoever food of other creatures be it of mankind it be converted Illae humanae animae puncto temporis redit It shall at last in a monent of time return to that soul Quae illam primitus ut homo fieret cresceret viveret animavit which did at first it that it might be made a man and live and grow 3. As before time in time so also 3ly and lastly after time God is or shall be mindfull of man in or by eternal everlasting glorifying him After time I say after nunc finiens or terminationum the end or consummation of created time For the day of judgment is called the last day Jo. 6.39 40. and Rev. 10.6 the angell sweareth that time shall be no more Yet then I say when all distinction of time shall grow up into one perfect constant day of eternity then shall God be mindfull of man in bringing him to and preserving him in the fulnesse of joy and pleasure for evermore For we shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we be ever with the Lord. 1 Thes 4.17 O infinite love O unmeasurable mercie O beginlesse O endlesse providence what is man O Lord what is man that thus before time in time and after time thou art mindfull of him I shall include this point and so the whole text with a brief touch of a twofold use This last Doctrine of Gods mindfulnesse of man teacheth us to be thankfull and it teacheth us not to be carefull 1. Vse First it teacheth us to be thankfull For seeing Gods providence is such and so great toward us and it is all Gratis It is but our thankfulnesse that hee requireth for all for he saith who so offereth praise glorifieth me Ps 50.23 And David saith My goodnesse extendeth not to thee Ps 16.2 what a shame will it be for us then to be found unthankfull Praise him therefore for thy soul and for spirituall blessings praise him for thy body and for temporall blessings according to that Ps 101.1 Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits which forgiveth all thine iniquities there 's for the soule and for spirituall things And ver 5. which satisfieth thy mouth with good things so that thy youth is renewed like the Eagles ther 's for the body and for temporal things 2. Vse Again it teacheth us not to be careful This is our Saviours teaching Mat. 6.35 I say unto you take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink c. And why ver 26. behold the foules of the air they sow not neither do they reap c. And ver 30. If God so cloath the grasse of the field shall he not much more cloth you Oye of little faith Hee argueth à majore ad minus from the lesse to the greater I may therefore doubtlesse in this argue a majore ad minus from the greater to the lesse He doth the lesser saith Christ therefore he will much more do the greater may I in my sense say therefore he will much more do the lesser He provideth for the soul spirituall things here and eternall things hereafter And if he deal so freely and liberally in those greater matters shall he not much more do the same in these viler earthly things what man having received wine of his friend will be doubtfull whether he would afford him water or no What man seeing his friend send his son to help him will make question whether hee would spare him his servants or no What man seeing his friend offer his life for him will suspect or be jealous whether hee would impart unto him his goods or no And seeing God hath given us the wine of spirituall joyes shall we be doubtfull whethether hee will afford us the water of temporall comforts Seeing God hath sent his son to help us shall we make question whether he will spare us his servants his creatures to serve us Seeing our Saviour hath given his life to redeem us shall we be jealous that he will not impart to us his goods his corne and wine and oile to sustain us No no but cast all our care upon him because he careth for us Yet cast it in humility acknowledging our vilenesse acknowledging our unworthinesse For so humbling our selves we shall be sure to be exalted FINIS
doth not slightly neglect it Lazarus was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom as Christ testifieth Luk. 16.22 and Moses his dead body was protected and defended against the Devill by an Angel yea by Michael the Archangel as St. Jude testifieth Iude 9. Behold then your happiness all yee that serve God for when or where or howsoever death shall finde you God doth not then lose you your soul and body shall be parted but neither of them parted from God the one goes to joy the soul fleeth to God that gave it Eccl. 12.7 the other to rest Blessed are they that die in the Lord they rest from their labours Rev. 14.13 by whatsoever casualty or cruelty therefore thine own or thy friends death cometh grieve not lament not despaire not feare not for not onely the soules of the righteous are in the hand of the Lord Wisd 3.1 but their whole persons All Saints are in thy hand Deut. 33.3 Tyrants cannot kill the soul at all nor yet the body without Gods observance nor yet destroy it past his preservance but every faithfull one in every kind of death may comfortably yeeld himself unto God as unto a faithfull Creator 1 Pet. 4.19 with Davids assurance of safety Psal 4.8 I will lay me down in peace and take my rest for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety And thus much for the first part of my Text Gods approbation of Moses Now for the latter part his ordination of Joshua Now therefore arise Ye may understand Joshua's name for it is to him spoken Note that God calleth Joshua and whereto he calleth him 1. That he calleth him and that Joshua stirreth not without bidding For Great places must have great and strong calling Moses was afraid to undertake his charge yea even contended with God by urging his disability Exod. 4. Jeremiah crieth out Behold I cannot speak for I am but a child Jer. 1.6 And of the Priesthood it is said No man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5.4 Yea who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2.16 Woe be then to the corruption of our times in rising to places Doe they come without calling No for they call themselves I have not sent these Prophets saith the Lord yet they ran Jer. 23.21 But let unlookt for Guests beware of that unlookt for question Friend how camest thou in hither Mat. 22.12 Doe they rise without bidding No but it is in a contrary kinde to that which should bee for instead of Gods bidding them by the motions and bidding for them by the gifts of his spirit they bid for themselves by gifts and summes as the place is worth in a wordly eye But wo be both to the receivers and givers of such biddings To the receivers for what difference is there between Balaams going and their setting others to goe for reward Or what difference between Judas his betraying Christ and their betraying the Church the body of Christ for money May not all such taking bee justly called the wages of iniquitie To the givers for God hath ordained that spirituall things shall buy temporall If we have sowen unto you spirituall things is it a great thing if we reap your carnall things 1 Cor. 9.11 Not that temporal shall buy spirituall they that offer that are in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity Act. 8.23 They may boldly say to their people Dearly beloved brethren for their charge cost them dear it was a dear bargain dear to their purses dearer to their consciences but dearest of all without repentance to their soules That is the right golden hook they fish withall And yet indeed they speake falsly in calling the people Dearly beloved for it is not the people but the profit that they love They cannot say with Saint Paul I seek not yours but you 2 Cor. 12.14 But contrariwise I seek not you but yours So much of Joshua's being called Now whereto he is called Arise This implyeth Honour and Labour 1. Honour For Great places yeeld honour to the possessors Joshua was at first Moses's Minister or servant now hee be the peoples head or governour Therefore he must arise that is take greater degree of honour Hereto agreeth that speech of lifting up He lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill to set him among Princes 1 Sam. 2.8 Thou art the lifter up of my head Psal 3.3 and this is confirmed by that 1 Pet. 2.17 Honour the King and by the Commandement Honour thy Father and Mother Let Superiours honour then bee maintained by themselves and by others By themselves the higher they are raised the more they are in the peoples sight the more care they need to take of themselves they are the light of the world and as a Citty set upon a hill that cannot be hid Mat. 5.14 By others For wee must give every man his due custome to whom custome fear to whom fear honour to whom ye owe honour Rom. 13.7 For God is not the author of confusion 1 Cor. 14.33 But he will have every man known and acknowledged in his degree to the fulfilling whereof he requireth a kinde of strife and contention who shall doe most In giving honour prevent or go before one another Rom. 12.10 2. Labour For Great places require great labours To arise argueth no sleepy idlenesse but painfull practise honos onus cannot be divided every honour hath its burthen the words sound alike and there is not much oddes in the letters nor in the number of them but one which is an aspiration the peoples breath his rising here is not as Exod. 32.6 The people sate down to eat and drink and rose up to play It is no play game but a matter of laborious consequence he must arise and goe over Jordan It was labour in leading more in ruling most in fighting It is said of Christ Is 9.6 The government is upon his shoulders and Exod. 28.12 Aaron likewise must bear the names of the twelve Tribes upon his two shoulders And it is generally true that Governement is a shoulder worke a burthen requiring strength and industrie Let every one therefore from the highest to the lowest that hath had any rising above others look to his labour and charge therein for even the meanest Master or Father that is risen to be over a Family is therein risen to labour Hee hath others to answer for as well as for himself Duxit uxorem altera cura nati liberi altera cura If he have married a Wife he hath another charge if he have children he hath another charge the greater his charge the greater his place is the greater is his labour and therefore the greater should be his care for hee may bee sure his accompt will bee greater and his reward will bee greater if he accompt well and his punishment greater if ill For to whomsoever much is given of him much shall be required Luk. 12.48 And now
suffer Indeed such a true and proper sufferer he was for so himself confesseth I lay down my life no man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again Joh. 10.17 And again to say plainly he suffered what is it but to shew his innocencie that he had not offended For if hee had been a malefactor or offender it should have been said rather he was punished or he was executed And so it is most true for so it followeth in the next words of the Text the just for the unjust And again to say peremptorily he suffered what is it but to set him forth by the way of excellency for the chief and archsufferer and that not onely in respect of the manner of his sufferings that he suffered absolutely so as never did any but also in respect of the measure of his sufferings that he suffered excessively so much as never did any And so also wee may well understand and take it For to him doth well belong that lamentation of the Prophet Lam. 1.12 O vos omnes qui transitis attendite videte si dolor est ullus sicut dolor meus O all yee that passe by attend and see if there be any sorrow like to mine Behold then in saying nothing else but Christ hath suffered 1. He implyeth that he alwaies suffered constantly without intermission 2. That he onely suffered patiently without opposition 3. That he properly suffered voluntarily without compulsion 4. That he innocently suffered wrongfully without just condemnation 5. That he principally suffered excessively without comparison And is it not enough then that he saith Christ hath suffered but will ye yet ask what Nay but I pray you be satisfied and rather of the two ask what not For what sufferings can ye think on which he suffered not Sufferings in birth he suffered them Sufferings in life he suffered them Sufferings in death he suffered them Sufferings in body he was diversly tormented Sufferings in soul his soul was heavie unto death Sufferings in estate he had not where to rest his head Sufferings in good name he was counted a Samaritane and a devillish Sorcerer Sufferings from heaven he cryeth out My God my God why hast thou for saken me Sufferings from the earth he findeth for his hunger a fruitlesse Fig-tree Sufferings from hell he is assaulted and encountred with the Devill himself He began his life meanly and basely and was sharply persecuted he continued his life poorly and distressedly and was cruelly hated hee ended his life wofully and miserably and was most grievously tormented with whips thorns nails and above all with the terrors of his Fathers wrath and horrors of hellish agonies Ego sum qui peccavi I am the man that have sinned but these sheep what have they done So spake David when he saw the Angel destroying his people 2 Sam. 24.17 And even the same speech may every one of us take up for our self and apply to Christ and say I have sinned I have done wickedly but this sheep what hath he done Yea much more cause have we then David had to take up this complaint For David saw them die whom he knew to be sinners we see him dye who we know knew no sin David saw them dye a quick speedy death we see him die with lingering torments David saw them dye who by their own confession was worth ten thousand of them wee see him dye for us whose worth admitteth no comparison David saw the Lord of glory destroying mortall men we see mortall men crucifying the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2.8 How then have not wee more cause then David to say I have sinned I have done wickedly but this innocent lamb what hath he deserved to be thus tormented But let us not goe on with Davids words to adde as he doth there Let thy hand I pray thee be against me and against my Fathers house Let us not desperately offer our selves to condemnation when we see redemption fairly freely fully offered unto us rather let us sing Maries Magnificat My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour Let us take heart of grace courage and comfort in faith for Christ hath blotted out the hand-writing that was against us and hath nailed it to his crosse and hath spoyled Principalities and Powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in the same cross Col. 2.14 And so much for the second generall part or branch of the Text his sufferings hath suffered The third and last part is the occasion of his sufferings for sins Look how largely he spoke before of his sufferings in a generall word hath suffered meaning all sufferings so largely he also speaketh of the occasion of his sufferings in a generall word for sinnes meaning all sins But take this all with this restraint namely for all mens sins And let this all againe bee thus expounded for all mens sins competently and sufficiently but onely for all the Elects sins actually and effectually For first it appeareth that he suffered for no sinnes of his own for the Text here denyeth him to have any in that it calleth him just the just for the unjust And it is also plain that he suffered not for lost Angels sins for he in no sort took the Angels but he took the seed of Abraham Heb. 2.16 And why not them as well as us seeing they were the more noble and excellent creatures They were celestial spirits we earthly bodies dust and ashes They were immediate attendants upon God as it were of his privy chamber we servants of his lower house of this world farther remote from his glorious presence Their office was to sing Haleluiahs songs of praise to God in the heavenly Paradise ours to dresse the Garden of Eden which was but an earthly Paradise They sinned but once and but in thought as is commonly held but Adam sinned in thought by lusting in deed by tastting in word by excusing Why then did not Christ suffer for their sinnes as well as for ours or if for any why not for theirs rather then ours Even so O Father for so it pleased thee Mat. 11.26 We move this question not as being curious to search thy secret counsels but that wee may the more fill our hearts with admiration of thy goodnesse towards us and be the more tankfull for thy favour joyfull in thy mercy and cheerfull in thy love acknowledging ourselves more bound unto thee for that we have received more bounty from thee then even thine Angels thy noblest creatures So then Christ hath suffered for the sinnes of Mankind onely and that as aforesaid of all Mankind if we respect the sufficiency of his sufferings so that if any be not benefited by it the defect and fault is not in it but in their not apprehending and applying it Else why is it thus largely said in this indefinite speech
Lord so that I may do and not only to know what to do And if knowing alone bee not enough what shall we say then for doing that may seem to be of it self all-sufficient for if a man do the will of God what can be more required Yes it is required also that ye know it as well as do it and if thou doe it not knowing it thou doest but lose thy labour For it is an infallible rule that without faith it is impossible to please God and it as infallible that without knowledge it is unpossible to have faith For how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.13 Without knowledge therefore there can be no faith without faith no pleasing of God and so it followeth necessarily that without knowledge there can be no pleasing of God and that he that doth the will of God not knowing it to be Gods will he doth but beat the air and labour in vain yea so far is he from pleasing God that hee doth directly displease and offend him for whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Rom. 14.23 If faith doth not draw it from the will of God as the original cause and direct it to the glory of God as the finall cause it will prove no better then sin Quia non actibus sed finibus pensant ur officia saith Mr. Calvin because our performances of duties are not weighed by the actions but by the ends Therefore St. Augustine calleth the good works and virtues of the heathen splendida peccata sins that make a fair shew And Cyprian writing on the Creed wisheth rather to doe sinfull works being a faithfull Christian then virtuous works being a faithlesse Pagan for whatsoever is done without faith and knowledge turneth unto sin Therefore as at first If ye know these things blessed are ye but how not unlesse ye do them so again If ye doe these things blessed are ye but how not unlesse yee know them Neither knowing alone nor doing alone can be sufficient to make us blessed but both must goe together If ye know these things blessed are ye if ye doe them And if it be not sufficient to have one of them alone how much more insufficient is it to want them both Some perhaps may think that it is no matter for works so long as they have no knowledge and that the want of th' one shall excuse the want of th' other that their ignorance shall excuse them Indeed Christ excuseth the Jews by their ignorance They wot not what they doe but yet he plainly intimateth that they were not innocent or guiltlesse in that he prayeth his Father to forgive them Father forgive them they know not what they do And St. Peter testifieth of them that that through ignorance they did it but yet hee doth not therefore hold them innocent for he bids them amend their lives and turn that their sins may be put away Act. 3.17 But this you may say was wilfull obstinate ignorance hear therefore that which may be understood of invincible ignorance Luk. 12.47 That servant that knew his Masters wil and prepared not himself to do it shall be beaten with many stripes His knowledge shall condemn him but he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes his ignorance shall not excuse him Or at the least if it do somewhat excuse him in that he shall bee beaten but with a few stripes yet it shall not quite clear him for he shall be beaten with stripes It shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah saith Christ in the day of judgement then for that City Easier their ignorance may somewhat excuse them but yet hard enough and little ease for they suffered no doubt the flashes of hell in their consciences living the fuell of hell in their bodyes dying the Lord rained brimstone and fire upon them from heaven Gen. 19. and the flashes fuel and fire of hell in their soules departed for so St. Jude testifieth of them they suffer the vengeance of eternall fire And from such easinesse good Lord deliver us Though therefore it be easier in the comparative degree yet it is not so much as easie in the positive degree the word easier spoken there comparatively and relatively is not so much as the word easie spoken positively and simply It was but little ease then that their ignorance brought them even such as belong to them that know not God that is Christ shall come in flaming fire and render vengeance to them 2 Thes 1.3 Ignorance then is as far from making innocent as knowing alone or doing alone is from making blessed Ignorance cannot excuse us knowing cannot suffice us doing cannot suffice us but ignorance being put away knowing and doing must both come together If ye know these things blessed are ye if yo do them Here are those two Sisters so loving to and so beloved of Christ Martha and Mary the one studying to know if ye know these things th' other earnest to doe them if ye doe them the one stuffing her head with Doctrine if ye know these things th' other filling her hands with practise if ye do them the one diligent in speculative contemplation if ye know these things th' other as busie in practique operation if yee do them Here is Jacobs Ladder touching heaven with the top if ye know these things and reaching earth with the foot if ye do them Here is Aaron the Priest If ye know these things holding up the hands of Moses the Law if yee doe them Here is St. Paul for Faith if ye know these things shaking hands with St. James for Works if yee doe them Here is the Philosophers Arbor transversa a Tree turned upside down the root upwards if ye know these things the fruits downward if ye do them Here are those two not Meteors but true lights Castor and Pollux which when they appear together are surely prosperous to all that sail in the sea of this life Here is calor humor the heat of Faith the moisture of Workes both of them so necessary to the life of the soul that if either of them doe faile or exceed the other it breedeth death or dangerous sicknesse Here is Oleum flamma the flame of Faith the oyle of Works if either of them be wanting or superabounding the light of your conversation will soon goe out Here is Urim and Thummim light and perfection eyes and hands faith and works the two Cherubims knowing and doing turning both their faces toward the Mercie-seat of blessedness If ye know these things blessed are ye if ye do them Blessed are ye which is the reward of our knowing and doing and is the last thing that I have before observed in the Text. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I crave leave to read blessed for the Translators doe allow it in as much as though here they render it happy yet nine times together they read it
this together is to expresse it to be a very catching craft a very Fishermans work a catching of men as Mat. 4.19 Follow me and I will make you Fishers of men of men that is of souls For animus cujusque est quisque the soul is the man even in heathenish accompt And in the Scripture phrase soul is usually put for person so many soules for so many persons Gen. 46.27 Act. 27.37 But the particulars of this summe may bee thus sorted 1. It s secresie simplicitie and unity in that it is a Net 2. It s force and its lenity in that it is a draw net 3. It s powerfulnesse and danger in that it is cast into the sea 4. It s generall capacity in that it gathereth of every kind First it is a Net and here is secresie simplicity and unity 1. Secresie for the use of Nets generally is secret whether it be in fishing fowling or hunting Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird Prov. 1.17 But especially in fishing it is so secret that the Fisher himself takes he knows not what but even what the winde and tide brings in Such secresie is in this spirituall Net of the Gospel I mean not in secret laying for it must be openly spread but onely in regard of secret taking wee take wee know not what For the Net may be spread in vain if the fish come not in witnesse St. Peters lost labour all night till assaying againe at his command who commandeth windes and seas he inclosed a great multitude Luk. 5.5 Little did St. Peter know what motion drew that shoale of fish into his Net No more then the Israelites knew what wind blew that heap of Quailes about their camp and yet the Text saith There went forth a wind from the Lord and brought Quails from the sea and let them fall by the Camp round about Num. 11.31 The same Lords holy wind it is likewise that brings fish into our Net The wind bloweth where it lusteth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the spirit Joh. 3.8 If then it be thy lot to come within the compasse of this Net though it draw thee contrary to thy course and straiten thy desired liberty yet strive not struggle not snarle not defile not the Net bite not the Fisher but rather humble thy self under the mighty hand of God Jam. 5.6 acknowledge the all-disposer it is his secret work Again in that it is a Net here note simplicitie Here are no false enticing allurements but plain taking plain dealing Hooks are covered and hid with bait to allure the fish to be taken but in Nets there is no baiting no colouring no deceiving especially in the draw net no skill but plain drawing So is it in this our spiritual Net no cosening but a plain cast of fore-right drawing no pleasing but rather displeasing baits Take up the crosse Mar. 10.21 Suffer affliction as the good Souldiers of Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 2.3 Only this is all it promiseth safety to the taken but losse to the not taken For whosoever will save his life shall lose it and he that shall lose his life for Christs sake the same shall save it Luk. 9.24 Look not then for baits hearken not for pleasures this Net doth not yeeld it here is no such kind of taking if thou wilt be taken thou must be crost even to the full denying of thy self And again in that it is a Net here note unity The draw net consisteth of many lines plummets thrids knots yet all make but one Net Yea so in this place it is set forth singularly a Net whereas elswhere there is often mention made of Nets in discourse of Fishing or Fishers in the scriptures Mending their nets Mat. 4.21 Washing their nets Let slip your nets Luk. 5.2 4. But here it is a net expressing unity Such is our spiritual Fishing-net alwaies one though diversly composed diversly disposed One in respect of the author These all worketh one and the self same spirit distributing to every man severally as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 One in respect of the matter Ye are called in hope of your calling one hope one baptisne Eph. 4.4 One in respect of the end for the gathering together of the Saints for the edification of the body of Christ Eph. 4.12 O then blessed are they that build on Christ and after his levell for he is the corner stone making unity two walls to be but one and that is strengthning and inlarging for peace and plenteousnesse goe together Psal 122.7 But wo be to them that build Towers of Babel that is division for that also is confusion Every kingdom divided against it self shall bee brought to nought Mat. 12.25 And blessed are they who being gathered by this net are also united in it For the wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable Jam. 3.17 But wo be to them that have bodies and souls united in place and means but heads and hearts and hands divided in life manners For if ye have bitter envyings and strife in your hearts rejoyce not neither be ye lyars against the truth this wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual and devillish Jam. 3.14 Endeavour therefore to keep the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace Eph. 4.3 The unity of the spirit that 's in faith In the bond of peace that 's in life Fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord and of one judgement Phil. 3.1 That ye be like minded that 's for opinion having the same love that 's for affection being of one accord that 's for manners and of one judgement that 's for doctrine For this no doubt is the intent and end of that prayer of Christ that they all may be one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee that they may be also one in us Joh. 17.21 And so much of the particulars observed in that it is said to be like a Net In the second place I observed its force and lenity in that it is like to a draw-net for so the word is Sagena the great net the drag tramel or draw-net and the sense implyeth it For it is said here to gather It gathereth of every kind therefore it is not a net layd to lye still but such a one as takes by drawing Herein therefore I note both force and lenity Force for it draweth there can be no resistance Lenity for it but draweth there is no great violence Fishes are caught as well with the Angle as with the Net but in the Angle there is stronger tugging suddener hoysing therefore the Angle takes but one at once but the Net goes leisurely and gently along so as the Fish have also their swimming even in their taking and so crescit eundo it takes whole multitudes at once So is
3.8 Would we have health he giveth water of life Joh. 4.10 and bread of life Joh. 6.48 Would we have liberty If the Son shall make you free then are ye free indeed Joh. 6.36 Would we have honour It is he that hath made us Kings and Priests even to reign on the earth Rev. 5.10 Would we have pleasure In his Garden there is Mirrh and spice honey-comb and honey wine and milk and he biddeth us eat O friends drink and make you merry bibite inebriamini drink and be drunken O welbeloved Cant. 5.1 If therefore wee look for fulnesse any other where we commit a twofold evil one in refusing of truth another in choosing of falshood as it is Jer. 2.13 My people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters to dig to themselves broken pits that can hold no water Again 2. With Invitation here we have also Imitation offered not onely that we take of his fulnesse but that in our measure as much as may be we be full as hee is full Christ is our pattern we must learn of him as in other things so in this even to be filled with the spirit Eph. 5.18 To grow up into him which is the head unto a perfect man unto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Eph. 4. That we may be filled with all fulnesse of God Eph. 3.19 Our naturall Parents would not have us dwarfs in nature our heavenly father will not have us dwarfs in grace For he will have us hunger and thirst after righteousness Mat. 5.6 And bids us open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Ps 81.10 But why doe wee not Imitate Christs fulnesse of Grace why doe we not desire it why doe wee not thirst after it No doubt because wee are filled other waies for who despiseth honey but he that is full The person that is full despiseth an honey comb Prov 27.7 The reason then why we long not for Christs fulnesse is because we have some other fulnesse either of worldliness or else of windiness Of worldlynesse so are they filled who when they have heard the Word the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choak it and make it unfruitful Mat. 13.22 Of windinesse so are they filled who boast themselves like the Pharisee Luk. 18.11 and doth that they doe for their own love and self-conceit to be seen of men not for Gods love in truth and sincerity and therefore are but sounding brasse hollow windy vessels Is 26.18 And though they travail as a woman with child yet doe they bring forth nought but wind Be therefore empty from such fillings that thou mayst be filled with Christs fillings for indeed Nihil est vacuum if God fill thee not the Devil will Discas non diligere ut discas diligere funde ut impleris Learn not to love that thou mayst love empty thy self that thou mayst be filled saith St. Augustin in Ps 31.26 Fast therefore as Gluttons doe when they are bidden to a feast yea purge as patients doe when they prepare for physick Macra cavum repetas arctum quem macra subisti Thou camest into the world naked and empty corporally temporally spiritually thou must be born again then and come to thy first scantling and empty condition so and not otherwise shalt thou be capable of Christs fulness And so ye see all fulnesse is in Christ 2. Now secondly that all our fulness all our measure descendeth only by and through him All is his in regard of possessing all is his in regard of conveighing all is his originally all is his mediately All is both of him and by him from him and through him All is ours in regard of his communicating our participating All ours is his in regard of our deriving his abounding Hee is not onely the Fountain that yeeldeth but the Pipe that conveigheth and leadeth every drop of Grace that runneth into our souls For the Church concludeth all her Prayers and Thanksgivings through Jesus Christ our Lord making him the onely Jacobs Ladder whereon God descendeth unto us and we ascend unto him Jo. 1.51 Hee is not onely the root that feedeth all his branches but the trunck that deriveth the sap of life to every one according to its measure and capacity I am the vine my father is an husband man every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit Joh. 15.1 Well then all our fulnesse is derived to us as well by him as from him All yes as well of being as of well being Of being even our substance and existence Ours Yea all creatures for all things were made by him Joh. 1.3 By him yea by him and for him were all things created Col. 1.16 By him for he is that essentiall operative Word of God By the word of the Lord were the heavens made Psal 33.6 For him for he made him heir of all things by whom he made the worlds Heb. 1.2 So that he may be said to be originalis instrumentalis finalis causa the originall instrumentall and finall cause of the being of all things And as of our being so of our well being also and that both in grace and in glory Our well being in Grace is by and through him both our capableness and our fulness Our capablenesse is by him even that we are Vessels Vessels we are indeed by nature but vessels of wrath We were by nature children of wrath Eph. 2.3 How doe we then become vessels of mercy prepared unto glory Rom. 9.23 Even through that adoption of Sons which we have in our redemption which work is only and wholly his Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood Rev. 5.9 He hath by himself purged our sins Heb. 1.3 It is by him then that we are made capable of heavenly water of our selves we are broken pitchers and cannot hold for our bursting in Adam was like the bursting of a potters pot that is broken without pitty so that in all the masse of mankind there was not left one sheard to take fire out of this hearth or water out of this pit the fire of the Spirit the water of Grace but our capablenesse is restored by Christ And as our capableness so likewise our fulness is by him even all our measure of Sanctification and Justification Ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 6.11 Christ Jesus is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 And as in Grace so also in Glory our fulnesse is by him for this is the sea whereto that stream doth lead Whom he called them he justified whom he justified them he glorified Rom. 8.30 And by whom onely by Christ The gift of God is eternall lafe by Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6.23 So that Christ is still our meanes Christ in
for it overspreadeth all the world there is depth for it extendeth from heaven to earth But with what line or plumet shall we measure or take these dimensions hear Saint Paul Eph. 3.18 when he had prayed for the Ephesians that they might be able to comprehend what is the bredth and length and depth and height he addeth as the sum of all what And to know the love of Christ so that there is no measure of Gods love but his love no cause rule or reason of his will but his will He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy Rom. 9.15 he loved Israel onely because he loved them Deut. 7.7 Talke not then of universall grace or power of will in all men to repent and believe to begin to hold and to break at their pleasure Talk not of inherent grace of our own which doth gratum facere that our own righteousnesse doth make us accepted and hath part in the work of our justification Away with all such conceipts for we see here the current of grace runns as it were within it self It is grace in beginning and grace in proceeding and grace in concluding Gods will and work still and not our own It begins no small measure the seed of the word the first fruits of the spirit but at length pro ripis littorae pulsat It becomes an unmeasurable Sea which eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can enter into the heart of man Wherefore let us resolve here to set up our rest saying with David This shall be my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have a delight therein Ps 132. And seeing we cannot search or measure this fountain this stream these banks for the love of Christ passeth knowledge Eph. 3.19 Aristoteles non capit Euripum Euripus capiet Aristotelem let us cast our selves wholly into it seeing in following this stream of grace we are come to the Sea of glory now in our meditation let us rest and dwell therein constantly by our contemplation untill our souls be loosed from these bonds of flesh be carried with full wind and tide into the full fruition and eternall possession thereof Which the Lord grant to us all c. Finis Tract 5. Trino-uni gloria THere is a sermon set forth in print upon this same last text Jo. 1.16 preached by that learned and reverend Divine Mr. Dr. Preston which Sermon God knowes I never saw or heard of till long after this was finished Neither am I any whit the more asham'd of this notwithstanding in some few things we have met and hit on the same or very like notes or touches W.G. Three SERMONS here set forth in one continued Tract or discourse upon Act. 2. ver 1 2.3 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all with one accord in one place and suddenly there came a sound from Heaven c. WHatsoever is difficult and hard to be understood and apprehended the same is more hard to be expressed and uttered For the apprehension of things is the soules immediate work she doth it her self therefore therein she is more full and free But the expression of things is her secondary and mediate work wrought by Organs Instruments and meanes therefore therein she must needs be more scant and weak Tusc quest li 1. Therefore Cicero a free and fluent speaker saith Fieri ante potest ut recte quis sentiat id quod sentit polite eloqui non possit A quick apprehension may be weak in expression Now there is not any thing no not the things that are most common and familiar to us that do not yeeld some difficulty and hardnesse to be understood and more to be uttered Thine owne things and such as are grown up with thee canst thou not know saith the Angell to Esdras concerning the wind and the fire and the day 2 Esd 4.10 For even in the creature the Creator hath so involved himselfe that we cannot look readily upon those visible things but our eyes must needs be dazeled with his invisibility And if the Sun-beams be so resplendent what eye then can behold the body of the Sun it self If the nature of the creature be so unsearchable how shall wee be able to think of him who is the Creator of all And if to think be so transcendent how much more to speak rightly of him is it impossible Wherefore Cornelius Mussus calleth it Concio in ser 2. Pent. Antiquum à maximis theologis celebratum adagium an old and common adage amongst the greatest Divines what De deo dicere verum periculosum To speak truth of God is a dangerous thing And if this be true indefinitely taken and in generall how much more specially and in particular Namely concerning his personality And if of the Trinity absolutely it may astonish us to think or speak how much more respectively of this third person For if that mystery of Father and Son be so ineffable and above relation that the Prophet saith Who shall declare this generation Is 53.8 Notwithstanding wee have the words begetting and being begotten to help to expresse it doth not the being of the Holy Ghost seeme more incomprehensible seeing neither to be made created nor begotten belongeth unto him but to proceed It may so seem but in it self it cannot so be For we may say there are three who are incomprehensible the Father the Son the Holy Ghost but not three incomprehensibles but one incomprehensible therefore not different in degree We may not through our infirmity tax God of infirmity to make him subject to magis minus as if one person were greater or lesse then another for they are Coeternall together and Coequal Be it so then In themselves they are and must be one and yet unto us I may presume with reverence to say this revelation of the third person is the speciall revelation This feast continued after Christ 1 Cor. 16.8 Act. 20.16 at least suffered and morals survive Ceremonies and this feast of Pentecost the speciall feast of the Church First it it is the speciall reveration For wee could not be able to behold that ilustrious mystery of the Trinity but by the inlightning help of this third person That is the body of the Son this the speciall beam to guide us thereunto Or rather If I may dare so to spaek for fearfull ye see it is to speak herein the speciall mean or medium through which we may look thereon I say especiall not in regard of God in whom there is no difference but in respect of us to whom his works do differ Especially then to us the revelation of the Trinity is perfected in and by this third person the Holy Ghost First in him for without him there were not a Trinity God in revealing him hath fully revealed himself The Father was revealed by the Creation the Son by the Incarnation but till this fulnesse of time came God to us was not
should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father Act. 1.4 And in this businesse they sate and the Holy Ghost came and sate upon each of them Behold then there is Unity Quietness Diligence Fidelity Constancy First here is Unitie one with another They were all with one accord in one place Behold the spirit of Unity rejoyceth in Unity The spirit of wisdom is loving Wisd 1.6 And the first fruit of the spirit is love Gal. 5.22 This loving spirit therefore descended upon them that were united in love to shew if that we dwell in love we dwell in God and God will be ready to dwell in us Secondly here is quietnesse They were in no commotion or hurly burly but quiet in themselves and one with another They sate therefore the spirit of rest here takes up his rest The spirit of trouble delighteth in trouble he is a compasser he compasseth the Earth Job 17. he taketh no rest neither doth he desire to find it but delighteth in compassing heads and troubled mindes that do weary themselves in the way of wickednesse But where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Peace Quietnesse and freedome from trouble The Dove could find no rest for the sole of her foot while the troubled waters endured but the raven continued going and coming from her first going forth Gen. 8. For the carcasses and carions tost in waters were her fittest rest Now the wicked are the raging waves of the Sea foaming out their own shame Jude 13. They are like the raging Sea that cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt Is 57.20 therefore on them the golden feathered Dove of Heaven setleth not but the black devouring vulture of hell setteth up his rest Thirdly here is diligence They give not themselves to sleepy or idle rest but to such exercises as belong to their calling therefore they receive the hope of their calling Eph. 4.4 For as God is an austere man to idle and unprofitable servants so to the vigilant and diligent he is not onely liberall in honoring Lu. 16.21 Euge Well done good and faithfull servant and in rewarding Enter thou into thy masters joy Mat. 25. but also kind and loving in ministring He will gird himself about and make them sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them Lu. 12. Blessed therefore are both these and all those servants whom their Lord when he cometh shall find so doing even exercised in the charge that their Master shal give them Fourthly here is Faithfulness They had a charge given to that they are obedient they had a promise made In that they are confident Therefore according to their Faith so is it unto them And as they believe so do they receive Faithfull is he that promiseth Heb. 10.23 God is faithful 1 Cor. 10.13 Faithful therfore also must he be that receiveth Men must be faithfull He that commeth to God must believe not onely that God is but that he is arewarder of them that seek hm Heb 11.6 He that will receive must ask in faith and waver not Jam. 1. And he that will be received must be received in Faith So Philip answered the Eunuch when he would be baptised If thou believest with all thy heart thou maiest Act. 8.36 For Christ both in his word and in his work is unavailable to the unfaithfull Hee is the end of the Law for righteousnesse How to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 He could there in his owne Country do no great works Why not because his giving hand failed but because their receiving hand failed Because of their unbeliefe Mar. 6.5 For in giving and ministring there must be also receiving they are relative workes and cannot be one without the other Fiftly here is Constantness For as asoresaid this was the tenth day of their expectation and had it been tenfold ten no doubt it had been but as one to them they would have bidden without grudging unto the end both for their loves sake and for their trusts sake For their loves sake For every Jacob thinks two apprentiships one of the body and soul above ground another of the body under ground to be but a little while for the love of his Rachel his desired happinesse And for their trusts sake because they knew that that the Lord is not slack concerning his promise Pet. 3.9 but that all his promises are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 And without repentance Rom. 11.20 Therefore they runne not as at an uncertain thing their labor is not in vain in the Lord Their constancie is crowned at the last Be patient therefore brethren unto the comming of the Lord behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the Earth and hath long patience untill he receive the former and the later rain Be ye therfore also patient and settle your hearts for the comming of the Lord draweth near Jam. 5.6 And let us not be weary of well doing for in due time we shall reap if we faint not Gal. 6.9 Remember Lots wife and look not back Lu. 17. For no wan that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh back is apt for the Kingdom of Heaven Lu. 9. But he that continueth to the end shall be saved Mat. 10. Be faithfull unto the death and I will give thee the Crown of life Rev. 2.10 So much of the circumstances of this businesse the Time and the Persons or Parties The second chief part or branch of this text is the substance or matter of the businesse related that is the comming of the Holy Chost in sensible forms The comming of the Holy Ghost why was not the Holy Ghost come till now Indeed it is said Joh. 7.39 The Holy Ghost was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified Yet it cannot be denyed but that the Holy Ghost was given before For in old time holy men of God spake as they were inspired by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 But he was not come or given in comparison of this comming or giving Why Not in like manner Not in like measure Not to like end Not in like manner For before he was given inwardly but now outwardly before secretly now openly Before invisibly now visibly Before quoad potentiam efficaciam in respect of power and efficacie now quoad praesentiam apparitionem in respect of presence and appearance Before suddenly now upon promise and expectation So that Christs words inverted may be hither applyed The kingdom of God is come with observation Lu. 7.20 So that now men might say lee here or loe there For the Kingdom of God is not onely within them but without them and upon them totally possessing and compassing them Not in like measure For before it was here and ther to one or to a few at once but now to a multitude and in a multitude or magnitude To a multitude For there were 120. together Chap. 1. ver 15. In multitude for they were all
imbraceth his body and spurneth his feet No no but Quicquid propter Deum fit aequaliter fit Hee that serves God aright serves him with an equall mind and saith with the Psalmist I have respect unto all thy Commandements Ps 119.6 and resolves with Saint James that he who faileth in one point of the Law is guilty of all But in their later falshood ye may behold and wonder that they should be precisest in smallest matters O but there was great skill and cunning in that for thereby they stayed the world from looking after their greatest businesses For it could not be easily imagined or suspected that they who were so conscionable as to tyth herbes yea the basest and vilest of their herbs would be unconscionable in the greatest matters of judgement and mercie that they which did strain at a gnat could possibly swallow a Cammell Let the discovery of this evill be enough of it self to make us not to learn it but to loath it to learn that of Christ This ought ye to have done and not to have left the other undone The greatest duties are first to be respected and the least after not to be neglected 4. Lastly their righteousnesse was vainglorious Yea this was that whereof all their other services did relish and whereby their imperfections were as it were perfected and made up For why was their righteousnesse verball why formall why partiall but for vainglory sake And if this sauce sowreth the best service as indeed it doth how tart then did it make their services which were every one so harsh in themselves and how fulsome a messe did they make being all put together Yea in their vain-glory wee may observe which indeed is naturall to all pride not onely the advancing of themselves but the abasing of other This I say is prides propertie for every ascent is by pressing or treading somewhat down This no doubt the Pharisees were guilty of else Christ would never have taxed and charged them with such a boasting as Lu. 18. to set them forth speaking so proudly to the contempt and condemning of all others I am not as other men are Whereupon Saint Augustine De ver Dom. ser 36. Diceret saltem sicut multi homines Quid est caeteri homines nisi omnes praeter ipsum He might have said not as many men but now he saith not as other men what is it but that he condemneth all men And that not in a few or light things but many and great Extortioners Unjust Adulterers Yea he is not content with indefinite or generall speaking but dares touch upon particular saying Or even as this Publican Whereupon again Saint Augustine Insulat non exultat Hom. 44. Hee doth but insult upon his fellowes hee doth not rightly rejoice in himself There is a holy rising of the soul a rising by humility as the Eagle is said to rise highest out the lowest Valley So the virgin mothers rising was My soul doth magnifie the Lord saith she and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour for he hath regarded the low linesse of his hand mayden but the Pharisees rising was both presumptuous and contemptible to rise by trampling on the necks and crowns of others Thus yee see how still they dip their soules in a double die of sinne breaking the rule of faith which saith Christ came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chief 1 Tim. 1.15 And breaking And breaking the rule of of faith which willeth that every man esteem another better then himself Phil. 2.3 Acquitting where they should condemne I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Rem 7.18 and condemning where they should acquit Charity thinketh not evill believeth all things hopeth all things 1 Cor. 13. Beware therefore as of double sin in every kind for in one sin shalt thou not be unpunished so especially of this swelling and trampling pride For every one that exalteth himself shall be brought low and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted Finis Serm. sive tract 6. Trino-uni gloria Per me Gulielmum Gaium Two SERMONS upon Ps 8.4 The former of them for a Funerall farewell to the late Honorable the Conutesse of Manchester preached in my place in Manchester house in Canon Row Westminster in a Right Honoable presence Ian. 8. 1653. Text. Psa 8.4 What is man that thou art mindfull of him IT is a naturall thing to naturall men to affect knowledge therefore our first parents in Paradise could not be content with all the trees in the Garden but they must needs have a tast of the tree of Knowledge though God himself had forgiven them But it is a supernaturall thing to regenerate men to affect the Knowledge of themselves Therefore though the heathen men had that excellent saying among them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know thy self Yet they had it as from the Oracle of Apollo and they held it for no humane but for a Divine precept Therefore also when Adam forgetting himselfe desired that high Knowledge which was forbidden him God himself came and told him his own and what he was Dust thou art and dust thou shalt return Upbraiding his pride and condemning his folly that he would presume to desire so high Knowledge which was too wonderfull and excellent for him and in the mean time neglect that Knowledge which was more proper and sutable to him namely the knowledge of himself Indeed Saint Paul saith Knowledge puffeth up 1 Cor. 8.1 but no doubt hee meaneth outward Knowledge of things without us which is called Scientia as for the knowledge of our self which is rather to be called Conscientia if it be right and true it can not puffe us up it will rather beat us down and humble us For he that knoweth himself knoweth that he is a creature therefore that he hath a creature that he is not of himself nor by himself nor for himself but that his creation is from God his preservation by God and his whole being in God And so the knowledge of a mans self brings him to the knowledge of God So that as Saint John saith of Love 1. Joh. 4.2 How can he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen love God whom he hath not seen So may I say of Knowledge How can hee that knoweth not himself whom he hath seen know God whom he hath not seen Hugo lib. 3. de Anima Frustra cordis oculum erigit ad Deum qui nondum idoneus est ad videndum seipsum Hee doth in vain lift up his eyes to see God who is not yet fitted to see himself Chrys Est primum hominis sapientiam affectantis contemplare quod ipse sit It is the chief property of a man that affecteth wisdome to contemplate what himself is Wherefore this holy Prophet David was very carefull in seeking for this knowledge and very diligent in searching the state and condition of himself And howsoever no doubt he studied