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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43607	Syntagma theologicum, or, A treatise wherein is concisely comprehended, the body of divinity, and the fundamentals of religion orderly discussed whereunto are added certain divine discourses, wherein are handled these following heads, viz. 1. The express character of Christ our redeemer, 2. Gloria in altissimis, or the angelical anthem, 3. The necessity of Christ's passion and resurrection, 4. The blessed ambassador, or, The best sent into the basest, 5. S. Paul's apology, 6. Holy fear, the fence of the soul, 7. Ordini quisque suo, or, The excellent order, 8. The royal remembrancer, or, Promises put in suit, 9. The watchman's watch-word, 10. Scala Jacobi, or, S. James his ladder, 11. Decus sanctorum, or, The saints dignity, 12. Warrantable separation, without breach of union / by Henry Hibbert ...	Hibbert, Henry, 1601 or 2-1678.; Hibbert, Henry, 1601 or 2-1678. Exercitationes theologiae.	1662 (1662)	Wing H1793; ESTC R2845	709,920	522

hast found favour with thy Saviour the Son of God This is that disciple commonly called the disciple whom the Lord loved into whose hands as a sure pledge of his love as Potipher did to Joseph finding favour in his sight he made him overseer over his house and all that he had he put into his hands Gen. 39. he committed I say unto his charge as with the rest of the Apostles the oversight of his house his Church so especially to him alone upon the cross making himself ready to appease the wrath of his Father the protection of his mother as if he had said love me love my mother for behold thy mother John 19. Now the same exhortation that I used before I use again this third time be ye followers of him also as he was of Christ Jesus and ye shall be gracious and graciously accepted in the sight of God Set these three before you for example and ye shall be supplanters of sin and able to trip up the devils heeles and prevall with God for a blessing ye shall be stones like Davids pebble slung at Goliath able to dash Satan that he shall not have a word to speak against you or power to hurt you you shall be the gracious children of the most high in a word ye shall be as they were Pillars in the Temple of God And thus I come to the description of these three Apostles James Cephas and John who seemed to be pillars It was Christ's question whereunto shall we liken the Kingdom of God Mark 4. or with what comparison shall we compare it According unto which frame another whereunto shall we liken the Apostles of Christ or with what comparison shall we compare them I omit many that of Shepheards that of Overseers or that of faithfull Stewards in Gods house and such like onely I insist on this in the text Pillars who seemed to be Pillars The Apostles then whom I may rightly terme Gen. 32.2 as Jacob did the Angels that met him Gods hoast are like unto pillars in this first viz. Pillars are not the foundation but laid on the foundation Here then observe that neither Peter nor any of the Apostles nor altogether can be truly called fundamentum Ecclesiae Dei the foundation of Gods Church it is Christ's own prerogative royal to be the foundation the head of his people Psal 18.2 hence saith the Anointed of the God of Jacob the Lord is my rock my fortresse and my deliverer 2 Sam. 22.1 Cor. 3.11 for who is God save the Lord and who is a rock save our God Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ so that we need not go to Rome to seek a foundation for we are built upon the foundation that is the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner-stone Eph. 2.21 22. agreeing with that Isa 28.16 Behold I lay in Zion a chief corner-stone elect precious in whom saith the Apostle farther all the building fitly framed together consisting of Jew and Gentile whom Christ the corner-stone knits together groweth into an holy temple in the Lord. This Temple is made of stones 1 Pet. 2.4 5. and stones like Christ living stones not like Nabal whose heart is said to have died within him and to become a stone stone-dead but they are living-stones full of life and spirit to whom coming as unto a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Thus the Church of God is all stone-work therefore strong and firme as appeareth verse 6. but by faith he that believeth in him shall not be confounded True it is Rev. 21. Immota manet According to the Ven tian Motto Nec fluctu nec flatu movetur that the wall of the New Hierusalem is said to have twelve foundations and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb but the meaning is mystical One foundation and twelve names written thereon one Christ preached by the twelve Apostles therefore called twelve foundations not twelve distinctly and severally but one with twelve names As Paul saith like a wise master-builder I have laid the foundation so might the rest of the Apostles say and thus in number twelve indeed but one If this satisfie not put a distinction between the first and principal foundation and second and lesse principal these are Pillars fixt on the first improperly called foundation The Apostles again are like unto Pillars sustinendo aedificium Domini in supporting the Church of God that spiritual edifice Wisdom saith the wise man in the Proverbs hath hewen her out seven pillars Prov. 9.1 according to the sevenfold operation of the Spirit which Saint Bernard reduceth unto these Fear Piety Knowlege Counsel Fortitude Understanding Wisdom Christ the Wisdom of the Father so termed hath hewen him out twelve Pillars twelve Apostles for the strengthning for the supporting of his Church by the sevenfold operation of his Spirit Dagon the god of the Philistines cannot stand 1 Sam. 5. troubled with the falling-sicknesse while the Ark of God is present So these false brethren Paul's accusers down they must with a vengeance in the presence of these three pillars wherein was written the Law of the Lord as Gods ten Commands in the two tables of stone 2 Sam 7.12 And here they shew themselves to be Eben-ezers stones of help such as Samuel set between Mispeh and Shen Therefore be strong in the Lord. Strong Pillars they were Veritatem confirmando errores refutando these were the Apostles acts as ye may find in the Acts of the Apostles I name one place for all and for all one man Paul Acts 9.22 But Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Jewes that dwelt in Damascus and hence they are called Saviours Saviours shall come upon Mount Sion Obadiah 21. This is it that Paul saith of a Bishop that he must be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince the gainsayers Tit. 1.9 't is not sufficient to resist Satan and his complices stedfast in the faith as the Apostle Peter exhorts 1 Pet. 5.9 but there must be a conquest Rev. 3.12 there must be a conqueror Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God That this be done persiste vinces stand stedfast and thou shalt overcome Resist the Devil and he will shew you a paire of heeles he will flie Be ye stedfast and unmovable Many Pillars susteined the Tabernacle whose Chapiters and Bases were of gold the middle part were done about with silver The golden Chapiters and Bases set forth Christ the silver part the Apostles and the faithful Columnaes si fueris in firma fide argentea si divini fueris usu instructus Sermonis faith

school so so should Gods Word all carnal reasonings The Word hath a twofold working 1. Proper to convert confirm quicken grace and save 2. Accidental through Satan and our corruption to harden and make worse 2 Cor. 2. We must labour to keep Gods Word 1. In memory Pro. 4.21 Deut. 4.9 In cujus corde est lex Dei imaginatio mala non habet in eum dominium Eaten bread is soon forgotten 2. In affection Psal 119.11 As the Pot of Manna in the Ark. The Rabbines have a saying He who hath the law of God in his heart is armed against evil lusts 3. In practice A special help against forgetfulnesse yea this is the best art of memory The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul Psal 19.7 Confession of Faith Ambrose calls the Creed the Key of the Scriptures The word Simbolum amongst other significations signifieth a ring and well may it be so called the matter whereof is digged out of the rich mines of the Bible refined with the fire of Gods Spirit and accurately framed by the blessed Apostles or rather so called because it is the summe of the Apostles Doctrine yea the wedding Ring as I may say wherein the Minister at our baptisme wedds us to Christ The Creed Presents us mainly with The act of faith I Beleeve wherein note the 1. Particularity I we speak particularly in the Creed I Beleeve whereas in the Lords Prayer we speak plurally Our Father because charity doth require us to pray one for another but we cannot beleeve nor confess one for another Hab. 2.4 For Spiritually as well as corporally each one must live by his own and not by anothers food and Physick As also because no man knows what is in anothers heart 1 Cor. 2.11 2. The formality I beleeve in for there are distinctions viz. Credere Deum to beleeve there is a God Deo to beleeve God In Deum to beleeve in God The very Devils do the first Multi mali do the second But onely a true beleever doth the last Credendo amare Credendo in eum ire credendo ei ad haerere The Object of faith God 1. Essentially in name God in attributes Almighty maker of heaven and earth 2. Personally the Father Son and Holy Ghost Further in this Creed are observable 1. The Articles which are twelve that is in common account though not a like distinguished and expressed by all men in the total number or the particular enumeration In all which there is both the confession of one God in three Persons and of the Church with her Prerogatives 2. The assent in the word Amen which is a setting to of our seal in point of beleeving because it is a word not onely of wishing but of assurance Of which in the next place Fables are not without Moralls A man must have a Personality of Faith as well as of devotion There is an old Legend of a Merchant who never would go to Mass but ever when he heard the Saints bell he said to his wife pray thou for thee and me Upon a time he dreamed that he and his wife were dead and that they knocked at Heaven-gates for entrance St Peter the feigned Porter suffered his wife to enter in but shut him out saying Illa intravit pro se te As she went to Church for thee so she must go to heaven for thee also With the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse Rom. 10.10 and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation Amen This word is taken in Scripture three wayes Viz. 1. Nominaliter 2. Verbaliter 3. Adverbialiter As a noun and so 't is as much as true or truth thus it is taken in the end of the Gospels and elsewhere Rev. 3.14 As a Verb and then is as much as So be it in which sense it is taken in the end of the Lords Prayer and in divers other places Deut. 27.15 c. As an Adverb signifying verily and so often used by our Saviour Nec Graecum est In Joh. tract 41 nec Latinum saith Aug. It is neither a Greek word nor a Latine but an Hebrew word Et mansit in interpretatum and by the Providence of God remaines uninterpreted ne vilesceret nudatum lest haply being unfolded it should be lesse esteemed As Hallelujah Hosanna c. It is Particula confirmantis In Psal 40. Signaculum orationis Jerom a Particle of confirmation as Ambrose well observeth So be it So be it The Lord grant it may be so It must in a fervent Zeal be the shutting up of all our prayers It was doubled by the people Neh. 8.6 when Ezra praised the Lord the great God all the peeple answered Amen Amen With lifting up their hands and no doubt their hearts too Lam. 3.41 As the Church saith We mill lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the Heavens If the hand be lifted up without the heart it is an hypocritical Amen and unacceptable unto God Dictio est acclamationis approbationis confirmationis The Rabbines say that our Amen in the close of our Prayers must not be 1. Hasty but with consideration 1 Cor. 14.16 2. Nor mained or defective we must stretch out our hearts after it and be swallowed up in God 3. Nor alone or an Orphan that is without faith love and holy confidence The spirits of the whole prayer are contracted into it and so should the spirit of him that prayeth It is either prefixed or preposed to a sentence Christus Amen utitur quinquagies Gerrard and so it is a note of a certain and earnest asseveration Or else it is affixed and opposed and so it is a note either of assent or assurance Of assent and that either of the understanding to the truth of that that is uttered as in the end of the Creed and Gospels or of the will and affections for the obtaining of our petitions Of assurance next as in the Lords Prayer and many other places It is the voice of one that beleeveth and expecteth that he shall have his prayers granted And then it is as much as So be it yea so it shall be It is used in all languages A●nsw to betoken unity of faith and spirit The poor misled and muzled Papists are enjoined not to join so far with a Protestant in any holy action Specul Europ as to say Amen Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting and to everlasting Amen and Amen Psal 41.13 Preaching Praedicatio verbi est medium gratiae divinitùs institutam quo res regni Dei publicè explicantur applicantur populo ad salutem ●●ifitati●nem Melanchton said the work of three sorts of persons was very difficult Viz. Regentis Parturientis Docentis A woman may not teach in the publique Assemblies be she never so learned or godly I do not render you Chrysostoms reason The woman taught once In 2 Tim 1.12 and

or dross of hypocrisie fraud or duplicity sound-hearted persons are in Gods esteem perfect persons Truth of grace is our perfection here in heaven we shall have perfection as well as truth Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts Psal 51.6 Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile Joh. 1.47 Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile Psal 32.2 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me Psal 25.21 Hypocrisie The hypocrite is the worst kinde of player D. H. by so much as he acts the better part he hath alwaies two faces oftimes two hearts he can compose his fore-head to sadnesse and gravity He is like the picture of Janus having one face before another behind Or sons solis now hot now cold while he bids his heart be wanton and careless in whose silent face are written the characters of Religion which his tongue and gestures pronounce but his hands and heart recant he turnes into the Church and salutes one of the pillars on one knee worshipping that God which at home he cares not for while his eyes are fixed on some passenger his heart knowes not whether his lips go he rises and looking about with admiration complaines of our frozen charity he will always sit where we may be seen best and in the midst of the Sermon pulls out his table-book as if he feared to lose that note then he turns to a quotation in his Bible with a noise and doubleth down the leaf as if he had found it askes a loud the Preachers name and repeats it he can cammand teares reckoneth many sinnes with detestation while he keeps his darling in his bosome no times no prayers fall from him without a witnesse belike lest God should deny that he hath received them and lest the world should not know it his own mouth is the trumpet to proclaim it with the superfluity of his usury he builds an hospital and harbours them whom his extortion hath spoiled flesh on friday is more abominable than his neighbours bed he abhors more not to uncover at the name of Jesus than to swear by the name of God he comes to the sick-bed of his step-mother and weepes when he secretly feares her recovery he greet● his friend with so clear a countenance as the other thinks he reads his heart in his face he is the strangers Saint the neighbours disease the blot of goodnesse a rotten stick in a dark night a poppie in a corn-field an ill tempered candle with a great snuffe an Angel abroad a Devil at home and worse when an Angel than when a Devil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are many men who are servants of the eyes as the Apostles phrase is Eph. 6.6 who when they are looked on act vertue with much pompousnesse Ambitie lux uria impotentia scenam desiderant sanabis ista si absconderis Sen● Epist 95. and Theatrical bravery But these men when the Theatre is empty put off their upper garment and retire into their primitive baseness Diogenes endured the extremity of winters cold that the people miget wonder at his austerity and Philosophical patience But Plato seeing the people admiring the man and pitying the sufferance told them that the way to make him warm himself was for them to be gone and take no notice of him Even so they that walk as in the sight of men serve their designe well enough when they sill the publick voice with noises and opinion● and are not by their purposes engaged to act in private Serapion in Cassian noted to a young person who perpetually accused himselfe with the greatest semblances of humility but was impatient when Serapion reproved him Did you hope that I would have praised your humility and have reputed you for a Saint It is a strange perversnesse to desire others to esteem highly of you for that in which to your self you seem most unworthy Nil lascivi● est Carisiano In Saturnalibus ambulat togatus Mart. Carisianus walked in his Gown in the feast of Saturn and when all Rome was let loose in wantonnesse he put on the long robe of a Senator and a severe person and nothing was more lascivious than he And such was the Cynick whom Lucian de●ided because that one searching his scrip in expectation to have found in it mouldy bread or old rags he discovered a bale of dice a box of persumes and the picture of his fair Mistresse But alas I to take delight either in the suppletories of our own good opinion or to think the flatteries and praises of others should heal the wounds of our honour will prove but an imaginary and Phantastick restitution Hypocritae curiosi ad cognoscendum vitam alienam desidiosi ad cognoscendam suam Aug. Hypocrites are curious searchers of the lives of others careless correctors of their own And surely the mind that sharply looks to the faults of others Bazil doth but slowly consider her own defects Mens peracutè perspiciens alienos errores tarda est ad proprios cognoscendos defectus It is said the French are wiser than they seem and the Spaniards seem wiser than they are The godly are as the French and hypocrites as the Spaniards who carry the basest spirits under the proudest looks Like the Philosophers Sapientes potius cupimus videri non esse quàm esse non videri He is an image in a cross way that may point at the way but cannot go it Or like the Play which is called the motions wherein is no life though motion Friendship in Court is like Musick at a feast a man hath nothing but a sweet sound for his money Or rather it is like those Apothecary drugs that are hot in the mouth but cold in operation It is quick to promise but slow to perform receiving substance but returning smoke so is hypocrisie The fish Sepia is betrayed by a black colour she casteth out to cover her So counterfeits by a cloud of pretended holynesse which shall onely serve for a cloud of witnesse against them The more eminent men are in quality the more foul is the quality of their offence therefore as dishonourable actions are greatest blemishes in those that are honourable by blood or profession because vertues are greater ambellishments in them than in others Simulata sanctitas duplex iniquitas So wicked actions are most odious to those who are not onely professours but professed patrons of Religion and vertue in these it is an advance of evil Dissembled hypocrifie doubleth iniquity If it were possible the Divel were then worse than himself it was when he came up in Samuels mantle Jesabels paint made her more ugly If ever you take a Fox in a Lambes skin hang him up for he is the worst in the generation A Gibeonite in old shoes fly like the plague these are so much the worse Devils as they are holy Devils The Heathen could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉

their defects out of the largeness of his bounty copiously supplied with a proportion of grace Old things are past behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 Among which All there is a new Fear by the secret influence of Mercy at the conversion of a sinner diffused into the heart that Fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom Psal 111.10 By it all our desires are cast into a new mould so we frame our dispositions to a cor●e● spondency to the rule of justice Gods will whereof as there is some part reserved in his own bosom from the knowledge of man not to be prayed into so there is a● much as concerns us both for faith and fact in acquiring a future everlasting blessed state Divino afflatu by Divine inspiration reveal'd lest to us in writing To this an hearty obedience is expected at our hands which is effected in us by us not by the strength of Nature that 's corrupted but by the power of the Holy Ghost that 's purely vigorous When we are thus wrought upon we become so f● in good that worldly pers●sions be they never so plausible cannot without much reluctation work us to evil Gods elect when called are so altered by spiritual irradiations in their intellectual part by unresistible motions in their concupiscible that the whole bent of their desires of their thoughts through begun fear looks directly at the glory of their Maker Heavenly considerations do so affect them and an actual sense of Gods goodness doth so transport them that the Serpent like insinuation of the World the Flesh the Devil fastens not on them without oppugning what disple seth God Sin is loathsom as making them abominable to him Piety delectable as procuring favour from him His love rightly conceived of them and their expectation of highest preferment in the Heaven of heavens makes them fear lest they should lose both to offend him that dwelleth there So zealous is their care through a sense of misery so affectionate their fear through a sense partly of mercy and of justice partly that they become Argot eyed to look about lest they be foully overtaken with the pollution of sins running source What through infirmities which make them uncapable of perfection in this life they cannot accomplish they through this holy fear compass in desire which of God is graciously accepted accepting the good will for the good deed After this manner was Jacobs mind first moved with a multitude of ambiguous thoughts surprised fearing he had offended through an unreverend incivility His rushing into that place without requisite preparation where he received an heavenly Oracle and of which he held a reverend opinion as being the House of God begat in him such a strong suspicion of respassing that he was afraid Yet not so as to have been diffident of Gods mercy or in an academical suspence of his favour to have grown desperate but his fear was prudently tempered with three pure Ingredients growing in the Paradise of God Faith Hope and Love That fear therefore which was in him at first imperfect and initial by the mixture of these graces with it acquired perfection in him and became filial Comparatively alone are things on Earth perfect Absolute perfection is not here no not in cases spiritual to be aspir'd unto that 's for Heaven What the Apostle writ to the Corinthians cometh to pass as well here below as there above When that that is perfect is come 1 Cor 13.10 then that which is imperfect shall be done away So initial fear which by multiplicity of acts proves in time habitual comes to that height of excellency that it is made filial which also usher'd in by servile and initial causes them to cease and does all it self Not unlike the Dictator in Rome who ruling 1 Joh. 4.18 Timorem scilice● servitem illum non amicalem other Officers did nothing Divine John seeing the Saints love to be full of confidence concludes it perfect and that perfection to exclude fear Perfect love casteth out fear This perfect love is coincident with filial fear which is of the children of the Free-woman The fear that it expels is servile proper unto vassals and is but of Hagars brats Rom. 8. We have not received saith the Doctor of the Gentiles the spirit of fear to bondage but of freedom They that are the freeborn of Heaven Denizens of the New Jerusalem are free from pannick terrors whereunto through the thundring threats of the Law slaves alone are subject and for which Devils tremble That ignoble brood of the Bondwoman who have no heart to serve God have no heart to come boldly to him base spiteful fear captivating their senses makes them flinch and decline his presence who allotteth to the slavishly fearful Rev. 21.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their part as the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death But whose hearts are planted in a noble height being descended from the most High ravish'd with a loving fear of Divine Majesty scorn baseness and through fire and water neglecting themselves run to do him service Glorious are those attributes where with this above all other Fear is honored It is said to be filial where of Bernard gives the reason Quia non timet Deum quasi servus crud●lem dominum Rern● de timore Dei sed quasi filius dulcissimum patrem Because who hath it fears not God as an offending servant a severe master but as a gracious son a most indulgent father Not without Apostolical authority is it reputed Evangelical because wrought by the Gospel the law of liberty and subject to the Spirit of freedom For good cause it is reported chaste as is observed by learned Zunchy Zanch. lib. 1. de Relig. Quia qui sic timent castum habent cor For who are so given have a chaste heart toward God they fear him as a good wise her loving husband only out of love faith one Weemse In Psal 18. Hierom graceth it with the title of holy for that it is a sacred quality peculiar unto Saints through the propitious infusion of the Most Holy One of Israel Spiritual vigilancie over all our ways in our Christian deportment toward God and toward man springing from it moved a conceited Friar to call it Ostiarium anima the soul's Door-keeper As it admits not the Malignant spirit to break into the soul as it expelleth all unruly motions and unmannerly behaviours in the sight of God as it beats back and shuts the doors against all importunate suggestions of the black Prince of darkness and impious practices of malecontented sinners so it opens the everlasting gates of the immortal soul for the King of Glory to come in to take possession 'T was truly spoke of Siracides They that fear the Lord will keep their hearts to wit to receive him To express what happy security we enjoy by it in the state of

grace that was given him Once a profest Enemy to Christianity now a profest Preacher of the Gospel of grace Once a Subverter of Gods Church now a Converter unto Gods Church On whom I will pass my censure as one did on Origen for his writing Vbi bene nemo melius ●bi male nemb pejus Where he hath done well none did better where ill none worse We read of two names that were given him Saul and Paul Hierom. S. Hierom is of opinion that he was first called Saul and by converting Sergius Paulus to the faith received that name Paul tanquam trophaeum as a victory Others suppose that he being a Pharisee was called Saul but after his conversion Paul that his Religion being changed he changed his name Origen thinks he had two names Origen as Matthew is called Levi and Solomon Jedidiah But it matters not much whether you call him Saul or Paul In both names is contained a Prognostication of good Saul signifies Lent of the Lord Lent of the Lord to try his people lent of the Lord to convert the Elect yet unregenerate lent of the Lord to confirm all in the faith of Jesus Christ praedicando precando by preaching praying by preaching to them by praying for them lent of the Lord to glorifie his Name by doing his will here on earth as it is in heaven As lent of the Lord so lent to the Lord As Hannah said of Samuel I have lent him unto the Lord as long as he liveth he shall be to the Lord. 1 Sam. 1.28 And as for his other name Paul that signifies Wonderful or Rest Wonderful for his Conversion for his Conversation All that heard him preach were amazed Act. 9. Wonderful for his Conversion respecting circumstances Light from heaven shining about him his blindness his falling to the earth going with a bloody mind post-haste to Damascus his hearing of a voice from heaven his trembling and astonishment his receiving of his sight by Ananias Wonderful for his Conversation in preaching in working miracles casting out evil spirits healing the sick whether absent or present Wonderful for patience in tribulation in labours in perils in death in all miseries In a word wonderful for faith See my Waters of Marah for life for doctrine wisdom understanding And here he took up his Rest resting from blaspheming Gods Name resting from persecuting Gods chosen Israel resting from all errors of faith of doctrine of life for a time in grace and now for ever by grace in glory by the grace that was given him And forasmuch as he was of the Tribe of Benjamin we may apply unto him the prophesie and blessing that Jacob gave to Benjamin Benjamin shall raven as a wolf in the morning he shall devour the prey and at night he shall divide the spoil Paul in his youth before his Conversion as a ravening Wolf persecuted and devoured the faithful but being made of a ravening Wolf as quiet as a Lamb he distributed the food of the Gospel unto the world by the grace that was given unto him Baronius speaking of Paul Baronius derives his name from the Latine word Paulus little We read of King Saul how he debased himself Am not I a Benjamite of the smallest of the tribes of Israel 1 Sam. 9.21 1 Cor. 15.9 Paulus quasi Paululus and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin We read the like of our Saul I am the least of the Apostles that am not meet to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God but by the grace of God I am what I am And again I am made a Minister of the Gospel according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me Opulentissima met●lla quo um in also latent venae unto me who am less than the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Eph. 3.8 9. So that Paul thus despicable in his own sight Sen. ep 23. Ruth 2.10 might say unto the Lord as Ruth said unto Boaz Why have I found grace in thine eyes that thou shouldst take knowledge of me Thus you have heard of the Man who was inricht with the rich treasures of spiritual wisdom concerning whom I may demand of you as Pharaoh did of his servants concerning Joseph Can we find such a one as this is a man in whom the Spirit of God is Unto which demand I annex Pharaoh's answer Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this there is none so discreet and wise as thou art O Paul Therefore as Tully was called Phaenix Oratorum the Phenix of Orators Lactantius Phaenix Christianorum the Phenix of Christians and Cyprian the Christian Caesar Why not Paul Phaenix Apostolorum the Phenix or None-such of Apostles For his rare vertues for his invaluable gifts for the light of grace seen known understood perceived of James Cephas and John which when they had seen known understood and perceived they gave unto him the right hand of fellowship And thus I come to the act of union Grace brings in love and love union whereof it is an affection Perceived the grace that was given unto me they gave unto me and Barnabas the right hund of fellowship 1 Sam. 3.8 When they perceived Gods graces to him in him as Eli perceived that the Lord called the child Samuel they gave unto me the right hand of fellowship dextras societatis they made him a right Benjamite by spiritual union a son of the right hand they admit him into their fraternity or as Citizens speak they make him brother of their company Thus they go hand in hand to shew that Birds of a feather flock together Men indued with the same graces called by the same Spirit must be hand-fastned and heart-fastned by the same Gordian knot of love Let me not transcend the limits of these words I take it then that we have infimated here unto us the sweet harmony the consent the sympathy between the Ministers of the Gospel of grace This is pleasant musick in the ears of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity Psal 133. The curtains coupled together compassing the Tabernacle typically represented the concord and agreement of Ministers So a garment without seam about Christ the true Tabernacle full of Gods glory in whom dwelt the fulness of the Godhead bodily Their agreement must be like unto that of the parts of mans body exprest by Hippocrates one agreement one confluence all consenting being tied and united by the strong ligament of grace or love This union is spiritual therefore it must be an union of spirits an union of unions a meeting of friends exprest by the text fellowship But if you would know what fellowship you may find it Phil. 1.5 a fellowship in the Gospel and ver 27. stedfast in