her highest operations and as it is the noblest part so it is placed nearest to Heaven and is as the third and highest Heaven there sits the mind as in a Tower beholding governing and directing all the actions of the whole body causing it to move to rest to act and to forbear even as God from his high seat moveth the Heavens directeth the Stars and preserveth all things within the compasse of the world God hath formed all the parts of the body together opening the eyes boring the ears fashioning the nose lengthening the arms extending the shoulders fastning the legs and perfecting all together 2. From the meditation of man's body let us proceed to the meditation of man's Creation in respect of his soul man was made last of all the creatures because he was to be the creature of the world Lumb sent l. 1. distinct 3. as the Master of the sentences calls him either propter excellentiam by reason of the excellency that he hath above all other creatures excepting the Angels or propter convenientiam by reason of the agreement he hath with them participating some thing oâ— them all and communicating in some things with them all and that he is so stiled in Scripture see Mar. 16.15 And indeed Philosophers say that man is Microcosmos a little world being as it were a compendium of the greater world men can represent the world in maps but God hath drawn Heaven and earth together in the map of every man 1. Man hath his esse and being common to him with livelesse creatures which only have a bare being and no more 2. He hath his vivere to live common to him with herbs and plants and trees which be animata but not animalia 3. He hath his movere sentire to move from place to place to see to hear to tast to smell common to him with bruit and unreasonable creatures 4. He hath his intelligere his reason and understanding and discerning faculty common to him with Angels As man's body is a fair picture of the world so his soul is a lively image of God the same dwelling in that earthly Tabernacle as God sitteth in his heavenly Throne man is not the bare â—ootsteps only but the very image of God reason is as it were a spark of the Divinity our faculties a manifest emâ—lem of the Trinity this image of God in Adam consisted partly and principally in exact knowledge now one speciall part hereof as an ancient Philosopher hath observed consisteth in the knowledge of our selves therefore he wrote over his School door 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called afterwards a golden sentence being written in golden letters and Cicero interpreting that precept of Apolâ—o saith * Nòn credo id praecipit ut membra nostra aut staturam figuramve noscamus neque nos corpora sumus neque ego tibi dicens hoc corpori dico cum igitur corpus quasi vas est ut aliquid animi receptaculum ab animo quicquid agitur id agitur à te Cicer. Tusc quaest 1. I do not think he commandeth â—hat to the end we should know the stature â—r feature of our outward parts for bodies â—e are not neither I speaking this do â—peak to thy body when then he saith know â—hy self he saith know thy mind for the â—ody is but as a vessell or receptacle of the â—ind that which of thy mind is done is â—one of thee for the mind of every man is â—very man but because these men saw but through nature's dim spectacles aâ— by Moon-shine therefore Calvin in the beginning of his Institutions Calvin Institut divideth true wisdome into two parts viz. The true knowledge of God and The knowledge of our selves Both which were in Adam after a transcendent manner God heaped in together in one vessell formed out oâ— clay and dust all the treasures of wisdome righteousnesse and holinesse his head was stored with all sciences and his heart with vertues and graces his understanding was great being able to impose a name upon every creature agreeable to its nature Gen. 2.19 20. his will and affections were every way correspondent and no way out of joynâ— or frame but in all points both we composed his mind was free from cares fears grief and sorrow Thâ— made Austin break out into this rapsoâ— of spirit Aug. Solilo qu. c. 9. Thy hand O Lord could have maâ— me a stone or a bird or a serpent or foâ— bruit beast but it would not for thy goodnesse sake This also made Anselm Anselm meditat walking in his Garden and beholding a little worm creeping upon the ground break forth into this meditation Deâ— Lord thou mightst have made me like this crawling despicable creature but thou wouldst not and it was thy mercy that thou wouldst not Oh! as thou hast ennobled me with the image of thy self make me conformable to thy self that of a worm I may become an Angel of a vassall of sin a vessell of mercy of a shell of corruption a star of glory in thy heavenly mansion 3. Let us meditate on man's priviledges in his Creation that were conferd upon him a priviledge of power Adam Lord Paramount over every living creature Princes on earth acknowledge no superiour in their own dominions scarce was Adam created but he found himself in a Paradise and from the morning of his birth placed under the most delightfull Climate that nature could afford he is put under the shelter of the tree of knowledge and immortality he treads upon beds of roses and lillies the sight of Lions Bears Tigers and other furious beastâ— do not affright him God hath giveâ— him power to rule over them and al creatures give respect unto him he being created to be Lord and ruler over all the creatures and had man continued in his integrity he should have wrought as appeareth Gen. 2.15 but never have been weary it should have been a pleasure not a pain to him he might have fasted but should never have fainted or been feeble he should have lived still without head-ach or so much as gray hairs all the creatures should have continued their subjection to him the earth should have been fertill and fruitfull in all good things there should have been no briars and thorns and thistles nor any thing hurtfull and noisom the woman should never have had sorrow and pain to bring forth nor yet trouble and care to bring up her children In a word they should have been warme without cloathes naked without shame for so they were before their fall This doctrine of man's Creation may help us to divers frutfull meditations 1. A meditation of our originall to look to the rock whence we were hewen a man's principles prove not his worst instructions to humility O man whatever thou now art thou waâ— once little enough thy Creation implies a non-entity thy beginning smaller than dust he that seriously meditates on his first nothing will ever afterwards hardly
Plutarc de solert animal tells of a Pye that to learn certain tunes which she heard Minstrels play waxed dumb many dayes after at length upon a suddain she brake forth into tâ—e same tunes which those Minstrels had played before to the astonishment of all that heard her Meditation is that which in the old Law was signified by the chewing of the Cud transient speculationâ— of things do but little good let in buâ— little light unlesse we chew theÌ„ Cud and exercise the mind about them holy things are like unto leaven to Corn to rain now unlesse the leaven be put into and by stirring and working as it were incorporated into the dough it cannot season it and though the Corn be sown in abundance yet if it meet not with apt ground tilled and prepared but fall among thorns by the high-way side or in stony places it bringeth forth no fruit and though the rain fall plentifully yet if it light ouâ— hard and hilly Countreys it is not received it makes not such places fruitfull so fareth it with holy things let a Minister bestow never so much of the leaven of the Word yet if the hearers hide it not in their hearts like leaven iâ— the meal it will never season them and make them fit manchet for thâ— Lord's table let never so much gooâ— seed be sown yet if it take not rooâ— downwards in our hearts it will neveâ— bring forth fruit upwards in our lives let the words of God's messengers drop as the rain and distill like the dew or like the showers upon the herbs and tender grasse yet if the heart receive it not if it dwell not in the heart richly it will profit us nothing indeed it is almost as much to find our own heart in a duty as to find God in it Sect. 2. Of the ends of solemn meditation The end of meditation is both to affect the heart with the objects on which we meditate and that the heart may be made better thereby 1. I say one end of meditation is to affect the heart it is very delightfull to those that are conversant in it he that hath changed his mind or opinion upon meditation never accuseth her of tyranny meditation is very perswasive clearing our judgements calming our passions and gaining our consent to that which is good it far surpasseth eloquence and like a Soveraign raigns without arms it hath no need of our ears to win our hearts by it self it transmitteth it self into the inmost recesses of our souls finds out reason in â—er throne carries more light into â—he mind and kindleth in the will a more fervent love to God Qui audit mel esse dulce nòn gustat nomen mellis scit gratiam saporem nescit gustate ergo videte quam suavis sit Dominus Bonavent making a man in love with what he formerly hated Meditation opposeth the charms of grace against the allurements of sin and so sweet and powerfull is holy meditation that it blots out all earthly cogitations it sets before the eyes of our souls such taking and alluring objects which are more prevalent than those of sin and by these holy delights our hearts are ravished and grace easily prevails against the corruptions of nature these are the first fruits of those everlasting pleasures the Saints shall reap in the Kingdome of Heaven whereby those that feed on God and his promises by holy meditation here do tast one part of that felicity which the blessed do feed upon in Heaven this hath ever been very affecting to the Saints My meditation of him saith David shall be sweet Psal 104.34 or my word of him shall be sweet it signifieâ— a word secretly spoken Symonds fixed eye as one observeth the heart speaks of God in meditation and those words are musick in the soul the word imports a sweetnesse with mixture like compound spices or many flowers mixt together such variety of sweetnesse this meditation of God yeeldeth to him whose mind is upon him whose heart is toward him the operation of the mind makes up a sweet delight there is more content in meditating on the love of God more refreshing to the heart than wine can give to the body his love is better than wine We will remember thy lâ—ve more than wine Cant. 1.2 4. David tells us that the thoughts of God are precious Psal 139.17 they are so to a heart that is in a right frame and saith he My soul is filled as with marrow and fatnesse when I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches Psal 63.5 Meditation Meditatio coâ— memoriae is the rubbing up of the memory and may not unfitly be called the whetstone of memory for even as a whetstone or grindstone addeth an edge to the Knife or other instrument which is whetted thereupon so this sharpeneth our memories and gives us occasion to call that to mind which otherwise would have been forgotten or it may be compared to the steel and stone of a Tinder-boxe neither of which severally will yeeld any fire but being smitten together the fire cometh forth incontinently so fareth it with men that are of good capacities that can conceive much at the instant but remember little because they use not their memories and exercise not themselves in pious meditations Meditation is the heart life and soul of remembrance making whatsoever we read and hear to abide with us and be our own else it will away meditation with Philip's Page must daily knock at the doors of our hearts and cause us to call to mind what we have learnt else by corruption we shall soon forget it this made Periander King of Corinth to say Meditatio totum It is an undoubted maxime that a thing be it never so good and excellent yet it is not very desireable of us till it begit to affect our hearts though it hath more charms than beauty and more lustre than outward glory more invitations than secular profits yet if it convey not pleasure into the will it knows not how to beget love unto it 2. Meditation also bettereth the heart as well as affects it It is said that King Mythridates having found out Mythridate he so strengthened his body that endeavouring to poison himself to avoid the servitude of the Romans he could by no means effect it so whosoever shall feed on holy objects by meditation and use it frequently shall so fortifie his heart that it shall not be poisoned with any evil affections Meditation is a heart-warming duty study only warms the brains but meditation warmeth the heart therefore when holy truth falls upon a prepared heart it hath a sweet and strong operation Luther Luther Melch. Ad in vit Staâ— confesseth that having heard Staupicius a grave Divine to say that that is kind repentance which begins from the love of God ever after that time the practice of repentance was sweeter to him another speech of his
of Ionas Peter thought it of force to sink more than one Ship Luk. 5. for when two Ships fraught with Fish were ready to sink he fell down at the knees of Iesus and said Go from me O Lord for I am a sinfull man thinking that his sin had so endangered them Quest Though sin be as heavy as Salt sand Lead Iron of sufficient weight to sink Ships yea burden enough to sink the world what may the reason then be that many sinners are so merry and go so lightly away with it I answer with St Austin Resp. that the custome of sinning hath taken away the sense of sâ—n and so becoming ordinary it 's therefore not odious or irkesome by reason of custome and the help which Satan lends the sinner it seems no burden he feels not the weight of it sin setling it self in the heart it doth quiescere in propria sede rest in its proper place It is an axiome in Philosophy Elementa in loco proprio nòn ponderant that the Elements are not heavy in their own proper place as the air is not heavy nor any burden to the birds the water to the fishes the earth to worms or moles because they are in their proper places no more is sin heavy to a sinner setling it self in the heart where the element of sin is it weighs light and except the wrath of God fall upon the conscience sin lying in its Region the sinner never cries out like Cain Oh my sin is greater than I can bear Iudas his heart was laden with hypocrisie treason malice and covetousnesse enough to sink him down yet it was no burden to him till the wrath of God touched his conscience then it pressed him down to his own place 4. Sin is a debt Sin is a debt and the sinner is a debtor to God's Law and justice I have read of Augustus Cesar that hearing of a sale of goods belonging to a Gentleman of Rome that was deeply indebted Sueton. be demanded if the party used to sleep well saying that if he did he would buy his bed whatever it cost him for surely there was some extraordinary vertue in it and if Cesar thought a man could not sleep being indebted to men such as himself who at the most were able but to seize on his body then what may sinners think of themselves that are indebted to God more than they are able to pay and who is able to lay them fast and punish them in soul and body and that for ever and yet it may be feared that many men never break an hours sleep nor abridge themselves of any pleasure that cometh in their way for the matter the reason hereof is because they never cast about what it may cost them before they commit it being like a man riding crosse some great River or arm of the Sea with his face towards his Horse tail so as he never seeth nor feareth the danger he is to passe Vega in Psal 32. but only looks back to the banks from whence he came and whither he will not return and so at length his Horse failing him being tyred and able to swim no further both be drowned It is good therefore every day to look over our Debt-book that we may prevent running our selves into further arrear aâ—â—s for time to come and to spend all our time on the great businesse of our salvation he is a thriftlesse Farmer that suffers the debt of one year to run in another Struth observ Cent. 2. every day hath its own burden and how shall that crop discharge two years that payes not one By these Metaphors we see something of the nature of sin 2. Let us meditate on the number of our sins David that had not sinned so frequently as we have done yet when he takes a survey of the number of his sins he gives up this account Mine iniquities are moe in number than the hairs of my head they were so many that he could not count them upon which place Saint Austin hath this devout meditation August David saith he had little sins little and small as hairs but yet multiplying and encreasing as the hairs of his head and thus Chrysostome compareth sins to rags Chrysost to shew that as rags the longer they be worn the more they be encreased so sin the more it is practised the further it is enlarged and Bernard Bernard gives this advice When thou drawest near to God consider O Christian whether thou canst meet him with ten thousand sins repented of that cometh against thee with twenty thousand sins that thou never thoughtest of Psal 19.12 Who can understand his errours saith the Psalmist Who knows the nature of all his actions whether they be erronious or no warrantable or no indeed for the substantiall duties of a Christian he deserves not the name of a Christian that knows them not but for many particular Cases of conscience many Questions incident to the life of a Christian who can resolve them Some actions indeed are notoriously evil sins of the first magnitude such as are taxed and made manifest by the very Moon-light of nature some are oâ— weaker evidence as sins of infirmity some not discerned and scarce known as sins as sins of ignorance and incogitancy you may see them represented in three Parables Luk. 15. of the lost Son the lost sheep the lost piece of silver now draw out thy meditations and examine thy self see whether thou art not like the lost Son hast not thou often run away from thy Fathers house by wilfull rebellion and if not so yet mayest thou be as the lost sheep gone astray from thy God by a sin of infirmity and if not that yet who hath not been as the lost piece of silver have not many of thy actions slipt out of thy hand by incogitancy and ignorance 3. Meditate on the aggravations of your sins a sin that at first sight seems little yet by aggravation becometh exceeding sinfull though the substance of mens actions be good and their intentions good yet they may have some malignant circumstances that may blemish them Job respecting the substance of his actions and the good intentions of his heart cryes out O that I were weighed in a ballance but if he take in the erring circumstances then if he will be weighed he must follow Bernards advice The beam and standard must be the Cross of Christ and the worth of his merits must help down the weight or else it will be too light Gather together all the aggravating circumstrnces of thy sins meditate thus with thy self Such a sin I committed at such a time in such a place when I should have been better imployed I a man of such a Calling a Magistrate a Gentleman a Minister a professour of Religion a Father of children a Governour of a Family a Master of servants and so my example hath been an occasion of stumbling to many
which others pollute themselves otherwise men in high places may not unfitly be resembled to the Planet Saturn of whom Astronomers and Philosophers tell us that in sphear and place he is nearest to the Heavens but in nature and quality most unlike them and least of all partaking of the influences of Heaven Let me beseech you still to keep close to God and then the Lord will stick close to you and vouchsafe his presence with you Among all Rules of policy these are the chiefest to be faithfull and upright to the Lord to aim at his glory to be guided by his Spirit and walk according to the rule of his Word then may you be assured that you are more safe under his protection than any arm of flesh can make you I humbly crave your pardon for this my boldness and that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ may bless you with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ is and shall be the prayer of Your most humble Servant in the Gospel WILLIAM GEARING From my Study in Lymington Sep 30. 1661. INDEX RERVM CHap. 1. The Porch or entrance into this Work Text Gen. 24.63 opened Chap. 2. Sect. 1. Shewing that Meditation is a duty that concerneth persons of all ranks conditions and ages Sect. 2. That Meditation is constantly to be practised Chap. 3. How Meditation and Contemplation differ one from the other Chap. 4. How Study and Meditation differ Chap. 5. Of the Gate of Meditation Chap. 6. Of the kinds of Meditation and first of rapt Meditation Chap. 7. Sect. 1. Of set and solemn Meditation the definition and branches of it Sect 2. Of the ends of solemn Meditation Chap. 8. Of the subject of Meditation Sect. 1. Of meditation on the Works of God Sect. 2. Of meditating on the Word of God Sect. 3. Of meditating on Man his Creation his body his soul his priviledges Sect. 4. Of meditation on the fall of Adam Sect. 5. Of the nature of sin the number of our sins with the aggravations of them Sect. 6. Of the sufferings and death of Christ Sect. 7. Of meditation on the Resurrection of Christ Sect. 8. Of meditation on Death Sect. 9. Of the fewnesse of them that shall be saved Sect. 10. Of meditation on Hell Sect. 11. Of meditation on the glory of Heaven Chap. 9. Of timing our Meditations in the best manner Chap. 10. An Exhortation to the practice of Meditation shewing also the necessity thereof Chap. 11. Objections against setting about the work of Meditation answered Chap. 12. Setting down the Rules about Meditation Chap. 13. Of the excellency and usefulnesse of Meditation Chap. 14. The Motives to Meditation The Authors cited in this Treatise A AMbrosius B p Andrews Anselm Aquila Aretius Aquinas Aristotle Arias Montanus Augustine Ainsworth B Ball. Sr Francis Bacon B p Babington Beza Bellarmine Bernard Boetius Bodinus Brathwait Bonaventure C Causin Calvin Cassius Severus Climacus Chaldeus Cassiodorus Charron Cicero Chrysostome Columella Clemens Alexand. Chytraeus Cyril Concil Melevit D Dearing Downham Diogenes Drexelius E Erasmus Euseb Emyssen F Fenner Fulgentius Dr Fulk G Gasp. in Heracl Gaul Goulart Genevens Gerrard Gerson Gregor Gualter Glosse H B p Hall Hebr. Hippolit Hieronym Hoord Sam. Hieron Hugo Hpyocrates I Iosephus â—tal Junius Isidor Pelus K Kempis L Lorinus Lumb Sent. Luther Lyranus Leo. M Macarius Martial Marc. Herem Marlorat Melch. Adam Minut. Faelix Moller More 's Demonstr Mountague Musculus Montaign N Gr. Nazianz. Nebrissens O Onkelus Ovid. P Pet. Mart. Perkins Plato Plinius Philo Jud. Plutarch B p Pilkington Philips Polan Synt. Prosper Priorw Q Quintil. S Seneca Dr Sibs Senault Sozomen Stiles Strong Struther Suetonius Suidas Symmachus Symonds Stella T Tertullian Theodoret. Tostatus Turner V Jac. de Valent. Vatablus Vega. W Wall White Woodward THE MOUNT OF Holy Meditation Genesis 24.63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide Chap. I. The porch or entrance into this Work AFter the death of Sarah Abraham feeling himself wholly broken with old age and ready to go the way of all the earth resolved to seek a match for Isaac his son and for that end he calleth the steward of his house and most faithfull servant and having commanded him to lay his hand on his thigh he conjured him by the Name of Jehovah to seek a Wife for his Son in the Land of Haran which being done this wise Nuntio began his journey in order to the fulfilling his Master's commands and departing from Beersheba he went directly to Mesopotamia carrying with him ten large Camels laden with the choicest things that the house of Abraham could afford In short time he arriveth at the City of Nahor ver 10. meditating with himself of the readiest means for the expedition of what had been given him in charge and first he repaireth to a place without the City where women in their turns used to draw water there resting his Camels waiting upon God's providence for the opportunity he desired during which expectation he powreth out his request to God begging him propitiously to favour the designs of his Master which he had scarce ended when Rebeckah appeared with an earthen pitcher under her arm to draw water of whom no sooner had Eliezer desired a little drink but Rebeckah presently assented doing all that which charity and curtesie required should be done to a stranger Eliezer seriously weigheth all the actions of Rebeckah as being one in whom he was to discern the footsteps of God's conduct concerning his Master and his Master's Son This prudent Embassadour having presented some ear-rings and bracelets to Rebeckah takes occasion to inform himself of the conveniences that were in her Fathers house for himself and those that were with him together with his Camels and being well instructed of the alliances of the Damsell and being astonished that all should fall out so soon and so even with his desires throwes hsmself on the ground to render thanks to God adoring his inexpressible goodnesse to his Master Rebeckah hastens to her Parents to let them know what had hapned which her Brother Laban understanding he repaireth immediatly to the well from whence Rebeckah came finding Eliezer he earnestly entreated him to follow him to his Father's house and having brought him thither he gave hay and straw to his Camels and water to wash his feet and the feet of those that were with him and meat being set before him as a trusty servant he is more carefull to fulfill his Master's businesse than to fill his own belly then he openeth his Commission which he had from his Master and declareth the artifices himself had used to bring this businesse to good effect labouring thereby to know the will of God that Rebeckah should be a Wife to Isaac then orderly and exactly he declareth how his Master was blest by God and honoured by men that he was rich and wealthy and that Isaac was heir to all his substance the silence
and by reason of the communion that is between body and soul being together it is as one observeth of great force to work diversly within the man that imagineth Hence it is that Papists and superstitious persons are full of cruelty because superstitious devices are the brats of man's imagination like Nebuchadnezzar's golden image Dr Sibs souls conflict wherein he pleased himself so that to have uniformity in adoring the same he compelled all under pain of death to fall down before it therefore that our imaginations may do us no injury we must propound and present reall and substantiall things unto them as the true excellency and abasement of the soul the true and false riches the true happinesse and reall misery of the soul if false objects are presented to them false conceits will arise therefrom and false meditations and discourses will arise within us as the taking in wholesome food expells flatuous distempers out of our bodies so when serious objects are presented to the soul when the mind feeds on nourishing truths it is a way to expell windy fancies and vain imaginations If thou wilt meditate of Christ on the Crosse imagine thy self to be on Mount Calvary and to see all that he did and said in his passions and sufferings in that manner that the Evangelists have set down for by such imaginations we inclose our spirits within the bounds of the mysteries whereon we meditate and keep them from roving excursions for there is nothing so wandring as imagination it is like to Theramenez Shooe fit for all feet it is as the matters are that are presented to it Philo the Jew saith Philo Jud. the usuall practice of the faithfull who lived in Alexandria and made their most holy meditations on the Scriptures was that they tyed themselves to the terms of the Hebrew Alphabet and so passed into the most spirituall sense there to see and understand the verities which were in a manner veiled Ogni medaglia ha il suo riverscio Ital Every outside hath his inside saith the Italian Proverb meditations thus formed do pour good motions into the will and holy affections into the soul as the love of Go◠and our brethren longing after Heaven and eternall happinesse the imitation of the life of Christ rejoycing in God and his mercies an admiration of his wonderfull works a fear of offending God the consideration o◠Heaven and Hell the last judgement an hatred of all sin a confidence in God's goodnesse a confusion at the thoughts of a mispent life in these and the like our spirits are to be dilated and poured forth as much as ma◠be Chap. 6. Of the kinds of meditation an◠first of rapt meditation I now proceed to treat of the kinds o◠meditation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repentè inventa comparatque compositio Budaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confidentèr animum ad aliquam rem appellere cum re praesenti deliberare Quintil. Meditation is of two sorts 1. There is a rapt meditation which is both suddain and occasionall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a suddain invention no composed by study whereby a min◠both pious and ingenious spiritualize◠every object about which it is conversant or meets withall Thus did ou◠Saviour when he was upon eart◠when he called his Disciples from the nets he applied that vocation to a spirituall sense Follow me and I will make you f shers of men they should not alter their Trade but only change some circumstances of it as they were fishers before so they should be still but whereas before they caught unreasonable now they should catch reasonable fishes as before with hooks and nets they caught fishes for themselves so now by the net of the Gospel they should catch men for God As David that was a shepheard was taken from the sheep-fold and from following the Ewes great with young was brought to feed Jacob God's people and Israel his inheritance and though called to be a King was a shepheard still Psal 78.70 71. so they called to be Apostles are fishers still When the multitude followed Christ for the loaves he makes a spirituall use of it exhorting them not to labour for the meat that perisheth Joh. 6.27 but that which endureth to everlasting life How often did our Saviour upon a suddain teach his hearers by similitudes and parables and what are his parables but similies comparing of things and explaining of spirituall things So Christ compared the Kingdome of Heaven to leaven to a grain of Mustard-seed to a Merchant-man to ten Virgins to a net cast into the Sea Pet. Mart. A parable saith a good Divine is nothing else but a similitude or example taken from other things to illustrate the matter in hand it is very ordinary for the Spirit of God in Scripture to use parables I will open my mouth in a parable Psal 78.2 Mr Hieron The Learned say that in a parable there are three things Cortex Radix Fructus 1. Cortex the rinde or bark that is the words and terms wherein it is delivered 2. Radix the root which is the scope to which it driveth 3. Fructus the fruit which is to be gathered from it When the bark or rinde is well pu◠aside and the root discovered it wil◠soon be seen what the fruit is that grow◠thereon 1. This way of teaching and illustration is very profitable it is a grea◠help to the senses and from things that are more known we proceed to things that are lesse known saith Aristotle Aristot 2. It is profitable likewise to the memory helping us to remember manythings that otherwise would be forgotten 3. It makes things delightfull and pleasant it is the best way whereby the ignorant are made to understand for it is the easiest readiest and plainest manner of instructing 4. It hath a great influence upon the heart it worketh much upon the affections for what can quicken the hearts of people more than to hear and see then may we say with David Psal 48.8 As we have heard so have we seen we hear by doctrine we see by similitude and example Some have spoken against this manner of meditation and instruction saying that herein we let out our thoughts upon every base creature but I say unlesse a man will be wilfully blind this way he will he made to understand and God would not that we should look on earthly things without a holy and spirituall application here each man in his Trade may learn something for his salvation Art thou a Ploughman meditate on the Parable of the Sower Mat. 13. When thou art ploughing up thy ground and turnest up the furrows of the earth this should put thee in mind of ploughing up the fallow ground of thy heart and when thou art breaking the clods of the earth remember that God calls for a broken and contrite heart when thou puttest thy hand to the Plough take heed of backsliding remember that
superiour to others or contrary to the good of the persons or chastity or good name of others though it be but in secret corruption or secret working of heart still the Word of God doth oppose it in every thing the Pharisees forbad the outward act of uncleannesse but the Law of God forbids the impurity of the thoughts they make the Law like John Baptist who had a leathern girdle about his loins but the Gospel represents Christ to have a golden girdle about his Paps they represented only the first risings and motions of sin this makes the Saints mourn for the first conceptions of sin though they prove abortive saith Chrysostome Chrysost making them to pray with David to be purged and freed from secret sins and sinfull cogitations 4. Meditate upon the operativenesse of the Word it is not a dead letter but hath a quick power in it to work upon the heart the Spirit of God accompanies it making it active and mighty in operation as in the frame of a man's body under every vein there runs an artery full of spirits so under every vein of truth in the Word of God there is an artery of Spirit quickning searching cutting discovering condemning What 's the reason most mens spirits rise up against the Word it is because as the Elephant troubleth the waters before he drinketh that he may not see his ugly visage so the Word of God troubleth the mind of a sinner it terrifies his conscience making his sin appear very sinfull to him it makes a man a burden to himself these spectacles are too true for the sinners false eyes Ahab cannot endure to talk with Michajah nor meet with Elijah men can endure the generalities of the Word well enough but when it comes near them toucheth their Copyhold corrupt hearts run away from it because for want of serious meditation they are unacquainted with the spirituall nature of the Word of God Oh study I pray thee â—regor Moral saith Gregory and daily meditate on the words of thy Creatour and learn the mind of God in his Word that thou maist look up to eternall things for so much shall thy rest be the greater in Heaven by how much the more it hath been even now from the love of thy Creatour here on earth Sect. 3. Of meditating on Man The third subject of meditation is man his Creation his body his soul his priviledges his Creation his body his soul his priviledges Man cometh in the next place as a fit subject for our meditation and consideration man was the last of God's creatures as the end of his Creation all made for him and all represented in him the rest by his word commanding whereas his body by his hand-working and his soul by his breath-quickning became alive and here let us meditate first on man's Creation who is as Plato saith Plato the miracle of all miracles and as it were the soul of this world and you will see how every circumstance sheweth the Creatours goodnesse and man 's many obligations Let us begin with the meditation of man's body which is as one saith More 's demonstrat the pattern of the universall world 1. Meditate on the provision God made for man before he made him God sets up an house and furnisheth it then puts man into this house ready furnisht to his hand other things are but as essayes of God's power man the perfection Adam the last of all God's works and the Lord and soveraign over them under his soveraign Lord Heaven would have nothing wanting to man that he might wholly mind the things of Heaven 2. Meditate on God's proceeding hereunto the Father as it were calls a Councell God deliberateth upon the enterprize of this work and the Councell is held in the conclave of the most holy Trinity Let us make man Gen. 1.26 Adam is businesse for the whole Trinity all were imployed about this creature to the end that being created he might be wholly imployed about the service of God 3. Meditate on the form of man's body God hath neither made us to lye along on the earth as beasts â—truth Obserâ—at 36. Cent. 2. or stick on it as trees but by upright stature set our head to Heaven and our feet to the earth as one observeth Os homini sublime dedit coelumque videre Ovid. Jussit erectos ad sidera tollere vultus God with a lofty look did man endew And made him Heavens transcendent glory view God hath given us an upright stature not like other creatures that look downwards to the earth to teach us to look up to Heaven by holy meditations and to look up to the hills whence our salvation cometh our face is toward Heaven to teach us that our hearts should not be nuzzeling in the earth man hath one muscle in his eyes more than any other creature which may teach him still to look up toward Heaven 4. Meditate on the matter of man's Creation Ad coelestia magis rapiatur ad terrestria minùs capiatur Columella l. 5. c. 9. Ecce pulchrum lapidem putre cadaver tegentem Gasp. in Heraclito Homo bis creatus 1. Seminaliter seu causaliter 2. Formaliter seu visibiliter Aug. de Genes he was made of the dust of the earth so as howsoever we appear beautifull and amiable in the eye of man which is fixt only on the externall part yet when the oyl of our lamp is consumed and we reduced again to our first originall matter there will be left us no better Epitaph than this Behold here a spetious shrine covering a stinking corps man is twice created saith St Augustine Seminally or causally Formally or visibly The first according to his soul the second according to his body man's body of earth doth represent whatsoever is between Heaven and earth yea the very Heavens themselves are figured all naturall causes contained and their severall effects produced therein The three Heavens are resembled by the body of man the lower serving for generation and nutriment are like the lowest Heaven within the compasse whereof the elements are found for as from them all beasts plants trees and other things have being receive nourishment growth motion and sense so of four humours there engendered all the members are made fed moved and augmented the same agreeing in nature and number with the elements and producing effects in all answerable to them the upper part which is the seat of the heart may be compared to the middle Heaven the eighth sphere wherein the Stars are fixt which holding one even and constant motion giveth light and life to the world beneath through its rayes and comfortable influences so the heart being still in motion preserveth the whole body in life and health by sending forth the vitall spirits dispersing themselves into all the parts by veins and arteries Lastly the head the highest part of the body and noblest seat of the soul where she acteth
our beds the manuary Trades and Horsekeepers and Merchants can witnesse as much unto us Rise thou at midnight as doth the Church mark the motion of the Stars the deep silence of all things then being their rest they then enjoy and admire the providence of God above then is thy soul more pure more light and subtil more lofty and quick the very darknesse it self and that great silence may induce thee to much contemplation and saith he further Look toward the City and thou shalt hear no noise at all cast thine eye on thine house and all thy family shall seem as if they lay in their graves or sepulchres all this may stir thee up to high and heavenly meditations and saith the same Father elsewhere Chrysost in Gen. Hom. 30. In the night no body is troublesome to us then have we a great tranquillity of our thoughts when our businesses are not troublesome when there is none that can hinder us from having accesse to God when our mind knittinâ— it self together is able diligently to makâ— reference of all to the Physitian of souls I shall not prescribe which of these is the fittest time for meditation but to me the morning seemeth to be the fittest but no time comes amisse to a prepared heart Chap. 10. An Exhortation to Meditation shewing also the necessity thereof Let me now exhort you to set about and to be frequent in this necessary duty of meditation Be often retiring your selves to God and breathing after him question him daily about thy salvation give him thy heart lift up thy soul to God cast thine inward eyes on his mercies give him thy hand as a little Child doth to his Father that he may lead thee and guid thee plant him in thy heart that God may be in all thy thâ—ughts make many motions in thy soul after him from every thing in the world may be presented many pious meditations and profitable discourses unhappy are they that use â—he creatures in turning them to sin and happy they that turn them to the meditation of God and his goodnesse This exercise of meditation is very necessary 1. Because much of the work of holy devotion consisteth in it it is that which may stand in stead of many other things but the lack of this can hardly be supplied by any other means for without this rest is but idlenesse pain taking but vexation 2. Meditation is necessary to beat down the flesh and to keep the sensuall appetite in subjection to the Law of the Spirit It is a great mischief saith Austin to enjoy those things we should but use and but use those things we should enjoy we should enjoy spirituall things and but use corporall which when the use is turned into enjoying our reasonable soul is turned into a bruitish and beast-like soul Animae viaticum est meditatio Bern. 3. Meditation is necessary to concoct the Word of God in our minds There are some that feel some tendernesse of spirit that will weep at a Sermon that one would think their hearts full of devotion but when it comes to the triall we find that as the sudden showers in the heat of Summer falling in great drops enter not but bring forth Toadstools or Mushromps so these tears falling on a vitious heart a heart not mollified by constant meditation the Word works not upon it but becomes unprofitable meditation softens the heart and fits it for any holy impression This made David cry out O Lord how sweet are thy words unto my tast they are sweeter than honey and the honeycomb and certainly the least comforts of the Word wrought in the heart by holy meditation are more worth than the most pleasing recreations in the world they that have tasted of them hold all other consolations to be but gall and wormwood in comparison of them Oh that now I could perswade men to this necessary duty of meditation withdraw your selves from your worldly affairs at least once a day for the exercise of meditation O holy soul saith Bernard O sancta anima fuge publicum fuge domesticos an nescis te verecundum habere sponsum c. Bern. shun publick places and the company of those of thy houshold knowest thou not that Jesus Christ thy Husband is bashfull and will not be familiar in company Come my beloved let us go forth into the field there will I give thee my loves Cant. 7.11 Chap. 11. Objections against setting about the practice of Meditation answered Object 1 But here some will be ready to say We are convinced that meditation is a necessary duty but it is a duty strange to us and that with which we are altogether unacquainted Resp The light though fair and pleasant to the eyes yet dimmest then after one hath been long in the dark before one cometh to be acquainted with the Inhabitants of any Countrey they will seem strange at first be they never so courteous so upon the change of thy life thou shalt find some inward alreration and in this generall adieu thou shalt give to the world and to all thy sins and foolish toyes thou shalt have some touch of grief and discontent but have but a little patience it is but a little astonishment the novelty brings thee passe that by and thou shalt receive many comforts and cordiall delights so pleasing and contenting that thou wilt esteem all other as nothing to them he that hath throughly tasted of this heavenly Manna cannot relish any worldly pleasures nor set his affections upon them the delights of holy meditation are the foretasts of those immortall delights that God gives to the souls of those that seek him Oh but saith the soul this mountain Object 2 of meditation is very high and the work is difficult how shall I be able to climb up this holy hill I am weak and unable for so high an exercise The work indeed seems harsh and difficult at first Resp. but when we are exercised therein it will be familiar with us The young Bees at first are called Nymphs and live on the honey that is in their Hives but when once their wings are grown out they fly abroad and gather honey for themselves on the flowers of the field and on the mountains It is true we are all Nymphs and worms in devotion at first not able to ascend this hill of meditation but when once we be formed in our desires and resolutions we then put fortâ— and so may hope to become spirituall Bees and then to fly higher and higher in our meditations in the mean time to feed on the honey of God's Word and of holy instructions praying to God to give us the wings of a Dove that we may swiftly and speedily fly unto him The greatest difficulty is in the first beginning of this exercise of meditation it being as one saith Io. Downham's guid to godlinesse so harsh to corrupt nature and so cross to carnall principles but the
Heaven Activa vira habet solicitum cursum contemplativa gaudium sempiternum Prosper l. 1 de contempl virâ Meditation clears up the promises to him that he never saw before he saw them before as by Candle-light by common light and reason but now he seeth them in another complexion Meditation clears up their interest in God and his promises and this is great matter of rejoycing Meditation works in the soul a frame of heart suitable to the Gospel what is more suitable to the Gospel than the joyes of the holy Ghost therefore when meditation works thorowly upon the heart it yeeldeth comforts suitable to the Gospel It is good for Christians to meditate much in God's promises which do convey much joy into the heart then dost thou improve the promises when thou dost so relish them as to rejoyce in them according to that sweetnesse that is revealed and contained in them 4. Quae alii di◠pariendo levia faciunt sapiens levia facit diù cogitando Charron de sapient Psal 119.150 151. Holy meditation is a great support to the soul under afflictions when trouble is near it represents God as near or nearer than any trouble can be suppose it be trouble of spirit that is very near indeed for that is in the vitals it is a soul-sicknesse but meditation shewes them though Satan may draw near to them to devour them yet God is nearer to them a God nearer to save than any michievous enemy to destroy Meditation labours to affect the heart with the sense of God's continuall presence with it this is indeed our great weaknesse and our great unthankfulnesse that we are apt to muse more upon God's afflicting of us than of God's perpetuall presence with us there is a savour in the ointments of the Lord Christ sufficient to perfume any soul that comes near him 5. Frequent meditation on God makes a man more holy more like unto him it sees so much beauty and goodnesse in him that it makes a man cast away every unsavoury lust and all those affections that have a strong sent of the flesh that they may be made like to God in holinesse Those Flowers that grow in the Sun are far more beautifull and fragrant and pleasant than those that grow in the shade but if we suffer our souls to be over-shadowed with carnall thoughts and affections these dark bodies will interpose between God and us and hinder the influences of his love upon us If the Needle that is but toucht with the Loadstone stands Northward then the soul that is toucht with God will stand Heaven-ward and labour to be conformed more to him in holinesse 6. Meditation is a great help to perseverance in well-doing the serious and frequent meditation of this promise Psal 94.12 14. that the Lord will not cast off his people nor forsake his inheritance makes them to cleave fast unto him This is the foundation of a peoples blessednesse that God will not forsake them when he doth most sharply correct them that the same priviledge that belongs to the whole Church belongs to every member of it for it is as possible for God to cast off his people and his whole inheritance as to cast off any one particular member of it for for God to cast off his people were to disinherit himself God would have his people to meditate hereof Thus saith God to Jeremy Ier. 33.24 25 26. Considerest thou not what this people have spoken saying the two families which the Lord hath chosen he hath cast them off but in the words following see how God doth assert his unchangeable Covenant against this false assertion If my Covenant be not with day and night and if I have not appointed the Ordinances of Heaven and earth then will I cast away the seed of Jacob c. as if he had said If ever you knew a day that had not a night succeeding it and a winter without a summer and ever found the Laws of Heaven abrogated then may you give way to your unbelief and think that I will cast off my people but if you see a perpetuall interchange of day and night though some dayes be more bright than others then will I never cast off any people that I have taken for my own The meditation hereof is a speciall means to keep us close to God even then when the foundations of the earth are shaken Meditate seriously on such things as may serve actually to convince thee of the unfitnesse and unreasonablenesse of thy yeelding to the sin to which thou art tempted and of the mischief that may come by yeelding When we muster up such thoughts we levy store of good souldiers which will fight with us and for us and do us good service while we are under temptation by this means alone with God's grace accompanying have many servants of God held their own when the Devil would have killed them Hoord Serm. in Ephes 4.30 7. Meditation is a strong barricado against the temptations of Satan the soul finds so much sweetnesse in God that it strongly guardeth the heart will and affections against temptations to sin it finds such delight in the meditation of God that it loaths the sweetest sin He that is used to choice meats and drinks can very ill brook unsavoury things so a man that is heavenly minded is brought to disrelish those sins that others drink down like water with greedinesse meditation makes the heart very tender and sensible of lesser sins and stirrings of corruption In a still silent clear night a little sound will be easily heard which will not be taken notice of in the day time when there is much businesse in hand so when Christ and the soul do rest and converse together the soul is very quick of hearing if the old Serpent doth but hisse never so little Satan then finds the soul upon its guard and that it hath a wakefull enemy A soul that is constant in the meditation of God is like a bright clear shiny day when any little cloud will be taken notice of at the first rising and like a calm Sea where a little stirring of the water will be discerned when the water first ariseth Chap. 14. The Motives to Meditation I shall now proceed to lay down divers Motives to meditation Meditation is delightfull to God Motive 1 It was the saying of an Heathen If God took delight in any felicity it was in contemplation God delights in holy meditations because in them we come nearest to the purity and simplicity of God in nothing do we more converse with him than in our pure and active meditations by these when we are as it were absent in body we are present with him for when the body lyes upon its bed and takes its rest the devout soul solaceth it self with God 2. This exercise of meditation may be done when other duties cannot When we want an opportunity to hear the Word to read to
to all the faithfull his members he being the head of the Church for 1. Their sufferings were chastisements and loving corrections to bring them to the sight of their sins to be sorry for them and forsake them or 2. For trials of their faith patience and constancy to suffer for his sake they were no way meritorious and satisfactory either for themselves or others as Leo sometime Bishop of Rome affirmed contrary to the Doctrine of the present Papacy The just by their sufferings received Crowns themselves but procured none for others Acceperunt justi nòn dedere coronas de fortitudine fidelium nata sunt exempla patientiae nòn data dona justitiae Leo. and that from their constancy in suffering others might receive examples of patience but no rewards for other mens righteousness But Christ being a publick person and our Surety and having no sin of his own to suffer for his sufferings were in regard of himself works of supererrogation and therefore not needing them himself he might bestow them upon us as the Apostle tells us he did Gal. 3.13 3. Hence we may meditate on that infinite hatred that God hath against sin seeing he will lay the punishment of it upon his onely Son rather than suffer it to escape and go unpunished Christs wounds are blew with grief and shining with love therefore by the opening of his wounds we ought to enter into the secrets of his heart Gerrard Meditat. 7. Lev. 44.29 The Papists use the meditation of Christ's passion to move them to hate the Jews let us use it rather as a motive to make us loath and leave our sins for had it not been for them one hair of his head had not fallen to the ground nay all the Jews in the world and all the Devils in hell could have done nothing against him every sin of ours was as ◠thorn to his head a nail to his hands and feet a spear to pierce his tender side Let us therefore look upon him whom we have pierced and mourn heartily for our sins the causes of his sufferings But alas Christ's death is often the occasion of the fall of many who perswade themselves that he that bought them is too much concerned in their salvation to destroy them upon this vain hope they give up themselves to all wickedness and turn this precious antidote into poyson 4. Let the meditation of Christ's sufferings make us patient in all our sufferings if the meditation of the sufferings of the Fathers Confessors and Martyrs of the Church will cause us to endure afflictions patiently shall not much more the meditation on the sufferings of Jesus Christ who is as well tam speculum patiendi Bernard in Cantic quam proemium patientis a perfect glass to shew us how to suffer as a sure reward for those which do suffer for what will not the servant suffer willingly for his Master when his Master hath patiently endured Nil adeò grave est quod nòn aequanimitèr toleretur si Christi passio ad memoriam reducatur Gregor things not onely wonderfull and grievous but considering Christs person things unworthy to be suffered Gessit mira pertulet dura nec tantùm dura sed etiam indigna saith Austin hath Christ willingly endured all this for us and shall not we patiently endure a little for him therefore if the water of afflictions seem bitter to thee cast in that sweet Tree the Cross of Christ and it wil soon be very pleasant he that came into the world without sin went not out of the world without suffering and yet he patiently endured the same shewing that we that came into the world full of sin and have ever since lived in sin should deservedly look for correction and when it cometh endure it patiently Martial's Flye plaid so long under a tree till it was wrapt in amber Sic modo quae fuerat vita contempta manente Funeribus facta est nunc pritiosa suis Martial congealed in the drops that came from the boughes the best of us are but as worms let us not despise to to be as this Flye still hovering about the Tree of the cross and the ointment of his blood till we be entombed and enclosed in the precious amber of his bleeding wounds and the sacred gum that grows in the Tree of Life For if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him and if we be conformed to the image of his death we shall be transformed to the image of his glory Sect. 7. Of the Resurrection of Christ Now it is requisite that we should meditate on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead The seventh subject of meditation is the Resurrection of Christ The Disciples of Christ before his Resurrection had not learnt their own Creed which they were taught not so much by our Saviour as by his Sepulchre whose opening mouth when it sent forth Christ the word of God pronounced his Resurrection which is the Epitaph of God Joseph's devotion bestows a Tomb upon our Saviour but our Saviour at his Resurrection bestows it upon death which ever since hath been buried his Tomb If the eye of our faith will adventure to see the active horrour of the grave behold Jonas herein a type of Christ and his quick Tomb made a Tomb of salvation to him three or four days he lay in his new night of amazement as if he had found an Egypt in the Whale at last the grave by unacquainted instruction cast up the living the Whale was no longer a Sepulchre but a Fish and Jonas no longer a Corse but a Prophet he had surely dyed had he not been buried and here was a resurrection though not a reviving a resurrection from disobedience and the Whale Thus this rare Anchorer and his Tomb were both alive but the Tomb of our Saviour was as desperate as his death what could be expcted from a grave and a carkass yet behold this carkass reviveth into a man nay into a God he arose when night ariseth into morning and at that season when Winter is quickned into a Spring it was on the first day of the Jews week a week well begun and it was the first day of the Christian creation The Angel made a little Earthquake in the grave when he removed the mighty stone with which the vain Jew tried to oppress our Saviour after his death as if he would have sealed him up to an impossibility of a resurrection but since the Angel hath opened the Tomb for us shall we go and see the place whence Christ is risen yet shall not we make such haste but that the speedy devotion of the two Maries will be there before us whose feet were as swift as their love and their love as swift as time nay more than time which hindred them by the delay and command of their Sabbath a Sabbath indeed only to their bodies which while our Saviour lay in his
grave were but the Sepulchres of their souls which found no Sabbath till they found the Lord they came with prepared spices and oyntments for him whose Divinity pâ—â—vented balm who esteemed their piety of more value than their oyntments but alas they are no sooner at the Sepulchre but they finde it as empty of our Saviour as full of wonder and instead of the body of the Lord they behold the Angel of the Lord sitting upon the stone which be had conquered to obedience his rayment white as snow his countenance like lightning but that which was more wonderfull I the fearfull women were encouraged by the Angel and their innocence while the guilty Souldiers beholding the same sight with them were full of faintness being at once almost disarmed of their weapons and souls they became as dead men and were rather the prisoners than the keepers of the grave but in the mean time the Angel comforteth and instructâ—th the women who are now his Disâ—iples and receiving a Commission â—o preach the Resurrection of our â—aviour they hasten out of the â—omb with the confused expedition â— fear and joy was not this a strange â—grimage to run from the Sepulchre of the Lord whenas multitudes of Popish Votaries travell to his pretended Sepulchre but yet it was more strange they seek the Disciples and find Christ here was a comfortable mistake and indeed he comforted them with his presence and speech when immediately they fall upon their knees at his knee whose resurrection these female Evangelists are again sent to teach and the first Scholars they must teach must be Christ's own Disciples who shew their obedience as ready as their love and speedily find Peter and Iohn for their hearers here was zeal and tendernesse the fierceest and mildest of the Apostles and these no sooner hear their words but they ran as fast to the Tomb as the other ran from it Iohn came first unto it but Peter went first into it love was swiftest but zeal was boldest where they were no sooner entered but they find Christ's victory and his spoils of death And here let us meditate on the accidents that hapned at his resurrection before his ascension into Heaven the Evangelist tells us he came into the house where the Disciples were met when the doors were shut Joh. 20.19 We are not bound to believe it was at the beginning or first shutting in of the evening but the night might be well spent before he appeared to them nor are we sure it was very late for they might go to supper betimes and the two Disciples going before to Emmaus making hast might come to Jerusalem before the dead time of the nighâ— and whereas it is said Luk. 24 33. that they found the eleven whenas it is evident Thomas was not among them it 's a Synecdoche setting down all for the greater number as Ioh. 20.12 Thomas one of the twelve whereas they were then but eleven in all for Judas had lest them and hanged himself and Matthias was not yet chosen and added to the number Act. 1. The main Question is about the manner of Christ's coming in for St Iohn Joh. 20.19 tells us he came in the doors being shut Divers are the opinions of the learned about this point 1. Some think it probable enough that some body within might unbolt or unbar the door though the rest of the company took no notice thereof nor the Evangelists mention it so Marlorat Marlorat ad loc Aretius Boetius So he came in when the doors were shut that is very late when it was time the doors should be shut say others 2. The Papists say he came through the doors as they also say he came out of his mother's womb clauso utero that his body is really present at â—he Sacrament in an invisible manner but they only say it but prove it not Dr Fulk A learned man saith Some incredulous Iew perhaps will not be perswaded that St. Peter 's sword went between Malchus his ear and head it waâ— so soon healed again so some perhaps will not believe that the doors were at all opened they were so soon shut again but it 's clear though theâ— were shut presently before and afteâ— his passage yet they were open 〈◊〉 the instant of his passage else shaâ— we grant a penetration or thâ— there were two solid bodies at 〈◊〉 same time in one place which 〈◊〉 not be for so Austin saith even 〈◊〉 glorified bodies Tolle spacia corporibus corpora nòn erunt 3. The soundest opinion is to acknowledge that he came in Creatura cessit Creatori Beza Calvin Cyril Polan Synt. p. 419. Calv. Instit l. 4. c. 17. Sect. 19. in a most miraculous manner clausis januis but not per clausas januas so that there was not penetratio sed cessio corporum solidorum he came not through the wood iron and steel of the door but the door opened to him of its own accord or by his divine power as Act. 5.19 Act. 12.10 the â—reature gave place to the Creatour And that they might not doubt of his resurrection he proveth it by an â—vident demonstration bidding â—hem behold his hands and his feet and â—ells them it was he Luk. 24.29 30. 〈◊〉 if he had said a spirit hath not parts â—ad members and dimensions as I have â—erefore you may assure yourselves â—â—at it 's my very body which you â— that was buried that is now risen â— in We may observe further â—t Christ bids them make use not â—y of their eyes to see but also of â—r hands to feel him and unlesse 〈◊〉 had done so it had not given satisfaction to incredulous Thomas whose faith lay in his fingers and will believe no more than he seeth and feeleth to whose infirmity our Saviour condescendeth Quest Here then a Question may arise whether the scars remained in Christ's body after his resurrection or not Resp I answer It seemed they did how else could Thomas see and feel them as he is bid for his full satisfaction to do Joh. 20.27 If it be demanded whether they be blemishes or not I answer they were no signs of defect Vulnerum signa virtutum insignia Aquin. Euseb Emiss Perkins in Symbol but ensigns of victory but that it 's not likely they now remain in Heaven or shall be seen at the last day Mr Perkins sheweth saying that we may as well think that the veins of his body shall be empty and without bloud because they were so upon the Cross as that the scars in his body shall then appear because he had them when he appeared to Thomas Object But how cometh it about that he â—loweth that to Thomas and the 〈◊〉 which he will not afford to Mary Mâ—dalen sc to touch him notwithstanding he loved her very well Joh. 20.27 He said unto her Touch me not â—e biâ— Thomas not only touch him but also to put his finger into his side which