Ioh. 5 33· 1. Cor. 10.16 1. Chro. 16.3 and one cup the bread of life and the cup of 〈◊〉 the communion of the Body and Blood of CHRIST And in figure of this even King David dealt these two bread and wine in a kinde of resemblance to ours when the Arke was to be brought home and seated among them the Arke in type And we to doe the same this day when the Arke in truth did come and will come to take up His rest in us Will ye now heare the end of all By this meanes GOD shall dwell with us the perfection of this life and He dwelling with us we shall dwell with Him the last and highest perfection of the life to come For with whom GOD dwelleth heer they shall dwell with Him there certainly Grace He doth give that He may dwell with us and glorie he will give that we may dwell with Him So may He dwell He with â—s so may we dwell we with Him aeternally So the Text comes about round It begâ—n with an ascension and it ends with one began with CHRIS 's ends with 〈◊〉 He ascended that GOD might dwell with us that GOD dwelling with us we might in the end ascend and dwell with GOD. He went up on high that the SPIâ—IT might come downe to us below and that comming downe make us goe the same way and come to the same place that He is Sent Him downe to us to bring us up to Him Where we shall no lesse truly then joyfully say This is our rest for ever To which rest Ascensor caeli Ductor captivitatis Largitor donorum He that is gone up to heaven the Leader of Captivitie the Great Receiver and Giver of these Gifts vouchsafe to bring us That as this Feast is the periode of all the Feasts of the yeare So this Text and the end of it to dwell with GOD may be the end of us all of our desires heere of our fruition there Which c. A SERMON Preached before the KING'S MAIESTIE AT GREENVVICH on the XXIX of May A.D. MDCXV being WHIT-SVNDAY LVKE CHAP. III. VER XXI XXII Now it came to passe when all the people were baptized and that IESVS also was baptized and did pray the heaven was opened And the HOLY GHOST came downe upon Him in a bodily shape like a Dove and there was a voice from heaven saying Thou art my beloved SONNE in whom J am well pleased THis is the Feast of the Holy Ghost And heer have we in the Text The Feast of the H. Ghost a visible decending of the Holy Ghost The comming downe of the H. Ghost upon Christ. Dignius Another there was besides this Asts II. But this hath the vantage of it three wayes 1 The worthinesse of the Person Heere it descends upon CHRIST who alone is more worth then all those there 2 The prioritie of time Antiquius This heer was first and that other the Holy Ghost but at the second hand Communius 3 The generalitie of the good That other was proper but to one calling of the Apostles onely All are not Apostles all the Christians This of CHRIST 's concernes all Christians and to the more generall by farre The 〈◊〉 of baptâ—â—me That it is of baptisme is no whit impertinent neither for this is the Feast of Baptisme There were three thousand The baptisme-day of the first Christians Acts 2.41 this day baptized by the Apostles the first Christianâ— that ever were In memorie of that Baptisme the Church ever after held a solâ—mne custome of baptizing at this Feast And many all the yeare reserved themselves till then those except whom necessitie did cause to make more hast The baptisme-day of the Apostles Acts 2.3.41 Christ's baptisme a high mysterie But upon the point both baptismes fell upon this day That wherewith the Apostles themselves were baptized of fire And that wherewith they baptized the People of water So that even this way it is pertinent also To looke into the Text there is no man but at the first blush will conceive there is some great matter in hand 1 First by the opening of heaven for that opens not for a small purpose 2 Then by the solemne presence of so great Estates at it for heer is the whole Trinitie in person The Sonne in the water the Holy Ghost in the Dove The presence of the whole Trinitie the Father in the voice This was never so before but once Never but twise in all in all the Bible Once in the Old Testament and once in the New In the Old 1 At the Creation Gen. 1.1.2.3 at the creation the beginning of Genesis There find we GOD and the Word with GOD creating and the Spirit of GOD moving upon the face of the waters And now heer againe at CHRIST 's christening in the New 2 At Christ's Christening Exod. â—5 20 The faces of the Cherubins are one toward the other that is there is a mutuall correspondence between these two That was at the creation this a creation too That a nâ—w creation 2. Cor. 5.17 That a new generation T it 3.5 If any be in CHRIST he is a new creature of this new creation That was the Genesis that is the generation of the World this the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle's word that is the regeneration or spirituall new birth whereby we be borne againe the Sonnes of GOD. And better not borne at all then not so borne againe This then being every way as great indeed the greater of the twaine meet it was they all should present themselves at this no lesse then at that and every one have His part in it as we see they have All I say The Commission for it Mat. 28.19 The execution of it seeing the Commission for Baptisme was to runne in all their Names and it selfe ever to be ministred accordingly To lay forth the members of the division A double Baptisme we have heer Double for the Parties and double for the Parts The Division 1 Christ's 2 The People 's Christ's and the People's In water In the H. Ghost For the Parties we have heer two Parties First the People Then CHRIST For the Parts we have heer two parts For this first both of CHRIST and the People was but Iohn's Baptisme was but Baptismus fluminis as they call it water-baptisme But there is another part besides to be had even Baptismus Flaminis the Baptisme of the Holy Ghost The second part is sett downe in a sequele of foure 1 For first after Iohn's baatisme CHRIST prryes 2 Then after His prayer heaven opens 3 After heaven open the Holy Ghost descends 4 Lastly after His descent comes the voice And these foure make up the other part and both together a full Baptisme Of these then in order 1. Of the People's baptisme 2. Of CHRIST'S baptisme CHRIST 's 1 by water and then 2 by the Holy Ghost In which the foure
profession live a brutish life Nay then Saint Paul tells us further that if we henceforth walke like men like but even carnall or naturall men 2. Cor. 3.3 it is a fault in us Some-what must appeare in us more then in ordinarie men who are vouchsafed so extraordinarie a favour Some-what more then common would come from us if it were but for this Daies sake To conclude not onely thus to frame meditations and resolutions 1 For Practise Phil. 3.12 but even some practise too out of this act of apprehension It is verie agreeable to reason saith the Apostle that we endevor and make a proffer if we may by any meanes to apprehend Him in His by whom we are thus in our Nature apprehended or as He termeth it comprehended even Christ Iesus and be vnited to Him this day as He was to us this day by a mutuall and reciprocall apprehension We may so and we are bound so verè dignum justum est And we do so so oft as we do with Saint Iames lay hold of apprehend or receive insitum verbum the word which is daily grafted into us For the Word He is and in the word Iam. 1.21 He is received by us But that is not the proper of this day vnlesse there be another ioyned vnto it This day Verbum caro factum est and so must be apprehended in both But specially in His flesh as this day giueth it as this day would have us Now Ioh. 1.14 the bread which we breake is it not the partaking of the bodie of the flesh of Iesus Christ It is surely and by it 1. Cor. 10.16 and by nothing more are we made partakers of this blessed vnion A little before he said Because the children were partakers of flesh and bloud He also would take part with them May not we say the same Because He hath so done taken ours of us we also Verse 14. ensuing his stepps will participate with Him and with His flesh which he hath taken of us It is most kindly to take part with Him in that which He tooke part in with us and that to no other end but that He might make the receiving of it by us a meanes whereby He might dwell in us and we in Him He taking our flesh and we receiuing His spirit by His flesh which He took of us receiving His spirit which He imparteth to us That as He by ours became consors humanae naturae so we by His might become consortes Divinae naturae 2. Pet. 1.4 partakers of the Divine nature Verily it is the most streight and perfect taking hold that is No vnion so knitteth as it Not consanguinitie Brethren fall out Not marriage Man and wife are severed But that which is nourished and the nourishment wherewith they never are never can be severed but remaine one for euer With this Act then of mutuall taking taking of His flesh as He hath taken ours let us seale our dutie to Him this day for taking not Angells but the Seed of ABRAHAM Almighty GOD grant c. A SERMON PREACHED before the KINGS MAIESTIE at White-hall on Wednesday the XXV of December A. D. MDCVI being CHRIST-MASSE day ESA. CHAP. IX VER VI. For unto us a Child is borne and unto us a Sonne is given and the Government is upon His shoulder and He shall call His Name WONDERFVLL COVNSELLER THE MIGHTY GOD THE EVERLASTING FATHER THE PRINCE OF PEACE THE words are out of Esay and if we had not heard him named might well haue been thought out of one of the Evangelists as more like a storie then a Prophecie Is borne is given sound as if they had been written at or since the Birth of Christ yet were they written more then six hundred yeares before There is no one thing so great a stay to our faith as that we find the things we beleeve so plainly fore-told so many yeares before Is borne is given Nay shall be speake like a Prophet Nay is loquens de futuro per modum praeteriti speaking of things to come as if they were already past Rom. 4.17 This cannot be but God who calleth things that are not as if they were and challengeth any other to doe the like It is true miracles move much but yet Es. 41.23 even in Scripture we reade of lying miracles and the possibility of false dealing leaveth place of doubt ◠Thes. 2.9 even in those that be true But for one six hundred yeares before He is borne to cause prophecies plaine direct prophecies to be written of Him that passeth all conceit cannot be imagined how possibly it may be but by God alone Therefore Mahomet and all false Prophets came at least boasted to come in signes But challenge them at this not a word no mention of them in the world till they were borne True therefore that Saint Iohn saith The testimonie that is the great principall testimonie of Iesus Apoc. 19.10 is the spirit of prophecie It made Saint Peter when he had recounted what he himselfe had heard in the Mount yet as if there might be even in that deceptio sensus to adde 2. Pet. 1.19 Habemus etiam firmiorem sermonem prophetiae We have a word of prophecie besides and that firmiorem the surer of the twaine This Prophecie is of a certaine Childe And if we aske of this place as the Eunuch did of another in this Prophet Of whom speaketh the Prophet this we must make the answer that there Philip doth Acts 8.34 of Christ and the testimonie of Iesus is the spirit of this prophecie The ancient Iewes make the same It is but a fond shift to draw it as the latter Iewes do to Ezekias it will not cleave It was spoken to Ahaz Ezekias Father now king and that after the great ouerthrow he had by the kings of Syria and Israel in the fourth of his raigne But it is deduced by plaine supputation out of the eighteenth of the second of Kings Ezekias was nine yeare old before Ahaz his Father came to the crowne It was by that time too late to tell it for tidings then that he was borne he then being thirteene yeares of age Verse 7◠Beside how senslesse is it to applie to Ezekias that in the next verse that of his government and peace there should be none end that his throne should be established from thence forth for ever whereas his peace and government both had an end within few yeares To us it is sufficient that the fore-part of the Chapter is by Saint Matthew Mat. 4.15 expressely applied to our Saviour and that this verse doth inseparably depend on that and is alleaged as the reason of it For unto us Of Him therefore we take it and to Him applie it that cannot be taken of any or applied to any other but Him But how came Esay to speake of Christ to Ahaz Thus. The occasion of this Prophecie
that He had made And it was a conveniencie that He should and it was an inducement that He would vndertake the businesse and go through with it 2. What Christ is to us All this He is in Himselfe Yet not so but in all His splendor and glorie He mindeth us And that so as He is desirous to bring us to the ioynt partaking of His inheritance as Sonne of His glorie as the Brightnesse yea of the very Divine nature as the Character of His Substance The ground whereof is laid in quem fecit haeredem whom He made heire and that was as man For per quem fecit we said is GOD Quem fecit is man 1 He is made Heire Made him heire Heires are either borne or made So borne by nature or so made by purchase He was His Sonne and His onely Sonne and so borne His heire He was borne and yet He would be made There is a mysterie in this we are to looke to it It will fall out to concerne us Heire borne He was and so claimeth all as His inheritance by due of birth-right But it is further heer said He was made what meanes this Quem fecit Nay quem genuit That is true But quem fecit is true likewise Fecit haeredem qui prius fuit haeres So borne and so made too Haeres natus and haeres factus So commeth He to a double right two titles How so He needed but one He would have two To what end Not for Himselfe for Himselfe one was enough Beliâ—e His meaning was to have two that He might set over one to some body els There is the point He was borne Heire for Himselfe but made heire for us Haeres natus that serveth Him that He reteines to Himselfe Haeres factus that He disposeth of to us By this we hold euen by Quem fecit that is our tenure and best hope He is and ever was in the bosome of His Father as haeres natus He now is but on our behalfe and to our behoofe at the right hand of His Father as Haeres factus And now followeth He purged our sinnes â— He purgeth our sinnes For He could not bring us to sit with Him in His throne thus purchased being so spotted and foule as we were by meanes of the pollution of our sinnes He was then to purge and make cleane our Nature first that He might exalt it to partake His purchase being so clensed Where first our case is set downe wherein He found us and wherein we are without Him A sinners case how gloriously soever he or she glister in the eyes of men being in GODS eyes as the case of a foule diseased person And we thereby taught so to conceive of sinnes as of foule Spots without or of such humours within as go from us 2 Cor. 7.1 by purging Inquinamenta carnis Spiritus as Saint Paul termes them right defiling both flesh and Spirit which vnlesse they be purged there is no entring into the heavenly Ierusalem where the throne is into which nihil inquinatum Apoc. 21.27 no polluted thing shall ever enter Exalt us He could not being in that plight for love or pitie therefore purge us He would And heer now is the topp or highest point of elevation in this Text. Who being the Brightnesse or though He were the Brightnesse that is a Partie so excellent in Nature Glorie Person and Power Nature as Sonne Glorie as Brightnesse Person as Character Power as maker and supporter of all who though He were all this did not abhorre to come and visit us being in that foule and wretched case This will teach us Psal 84. Luk. â— 78 Domine quid est homo what is man that Thou shouldest visit him Visit him not as the day-spring from an high doth the earth but visit him as if a great Prince should go into an Hospitall to visit and looke on a lothsome diseased creature 2 And not onely visit him but not refuse the base office to looke to his purging from that his vncleannesse 3 And thirdly not cause it to be done by another but to come and do it in Semetipso by his owne selfe in person 4 And fourthly in doing not to stand by and prescribe but Himselfe to minister and make the medicine 5. And fiftly to make it Himselfe and make it of Himselfe in semetipso and de semetipso to make the medicine and be the medicine 6. And how or of what Spots will out with water Some will not with any thing but with blood Without shedding of blood there is no taking away Sinne as Chap. IX v. 22. And not every blood will serve but it must be lambs blood And a lambe 1. Pet. 1.19 without spot And not every lamb neither but the Lamb of GOD or to speake plainely a Lamb that is GOD His blood and nothing els will serve to do this Ioh. 1.29 7. And seventhly not any blood of His not of a veine one may live still for all that but His best most pretious His heart blood which bringeth certaine death with it With that blood He was to make the medicine Dy He must and His side be opened that there might issue both the water and the blood that was to be the Ingredients of it By Himself His own selfe and by Himselfe slaine by His death and by His blood-shedding and by no other meanes Quis audivit talia The Physitian slaine and of his flesh and blood a receipt made that the patient might recover And now we may be at our choise whither we will conceive of sinne as of some outward soile in the soule And then the purging of it to be per viam balnei needs a bath with some cleansing ingredients as the Prophet speakes of the herb Borith Ier. 2.22 And this way purged He us made a bath of the water that came out of His side to that end opened Zach. 11.1 that from thence might flow a fountaine for sinne and for vncleannesse Zach. 11 1. Water and mixed with His blood as forcible to take out the steines of the soule as any herb Borith in the world to take away the soile of the skinne Or whither we will conceive of sinne as of some inward pestilent humour in the soule and conscience casting us into perill of mortall or rather immortall death Then the purging of us to be by way of some Electuarie or Potion And so He purgeth our sinnes too To that end He hath made an Electuarie of His owne bodie Take Mat 26.26.27 eate it and tempered a cup with His owne blood Drink ye all of it which by the operation of His eternall Spirit in it Heb. 9.14 is able effectually to purge the conscience from dead works or actuall sinnes and from the deadly effect of them No balsame or medicine in the world like it The Summe of all is There be two defiling sinnes and two waies He purgeth
man He is the Way both Way and Guide too His Doctrine our guide His example in the whole tract of His life the very way thither Nothing remaineth but that we now set forward in this way For as we daily sing in the Benedictus He came not to whet our witts or to file our tongues Luk. 1.79 but to guide our feet into the way And into what way Not of questions and controversies whereof there is no end about which we languish all our life long but into the way of peace even of those duties about which there is no disagreement Looke but to this Feast it is S. Augustines note didicerunt Magi et abierunt docuerunt Scribae remanserunt The Wise men they learnt the way and on they went The Scribes they taught the way but they tarried still behind O do as did the Wise men dimittunt Scribas inaniter lectitare ipsi pergunt fideliter adorare let the Scribes sitt still and scan and read lectures of the way On went the Wise men on their way and performed their worship the end of their iorney and so let us This for Dux viae And this would serve for the way if there were nothing but the way if that were all But if there be enimies besett the way to stop our passage 2. A Captaine to guard us then will not dux a guide serve our turne we must have dux a Captaine then the second sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one to guard us and to make way for us For we are not only to be led surely without error but safely without daunger also Such a Guide we behove to have as will see us safe at the Place we would be at And Bethlehem breeds such Out of little Bethlehem came he that fetched downe great Golias And againe out of it this day He that shall tread downe Sathan under our feet dux Messias 1 Sam. 17.49 Captaine Messias as the Angell in DAN 9.25 calls Him Rom. 16.20 Dan. 9 25. And for qui pascet we may not misse that neyther For say we be guarded from enimies yet shall we goe our journey but evill if we faint by the way for hunger or thirst 3. A Shepheard to feed us and have not to releeve us He is not a good Guide that in that case cannot lead us where we may be purveyed of necessary food for our releife It is all one to perish out of the way by error and to perish in the way by want of needfull refreshing Saint Matthew therefore to make Him a complete Guide by way of supply adds Qui pascet Such a one as shall Lead more Pastoritio as a Shepheard doth his flock not lead them the way only but lead them also to good greene pasture besides the waters of comfort see they want nothing Dux qui pascet or Pastor qui ducet choose you whither for He is both Psal. 23.2 Of all the three the name of the Place He was borne in seemes to favor this most to be ominous toward qui pascet Beth is a house Iehem bread and Ephrata is plentie Bread plentie And there was in Bethlehem a well of such water as King David we reade longed for it the best in all the Countrey Bethlehem then sure a fitt place 1. Chro. 11 17. for Qui pascet to be borne in And Qui pascet as fitt a person to be borne in Bethlehem He is not meete to be Ruler saith Esai that saith in domo mea non est panis He can never say that Bethlehem is his house and that is domus panis Esay 3.7 and in domo panis semper est panis Never take Him without bread His house is the house of bread inasmuch as He Himselfe is bread that in the house or out of it wheresoever He is there is Bethlehem There can no bread want These three habilities then are in CHRIST our Leader 1 Skill to be a Guide 2 Valour to be a Captaine 3 and for Qui pascet Bethlehem the house of bread is His house Of which 1 Skill serves for direction 2 Strength for defence 3 Food for refreshing 1. Luce Sacerdotalis scientiae by the light of His Priestly knowledge So He guides us for the Priests lipps are to preserve knowledge 2. And brachio Regalis potentiae by the arme of His Royall power So He guards us Mal. 2.7 for Power perteines to the Prince Principally 3. And for qui pascet He is Melchisedek King and Priest Gen 14.18 ready to bring forth as He did bread and wine But in another manner farr then he did The bread and wine Melchisedek brought forth were not His body and blood CHRISTS are Both qui pascet and quo pascet As before Dux via the guide and the way So now heer pastor et pabulum the feeder and the food both You may see all this represented in the Shadowes of the Old Testament There is a booke there called Exodus of Israels egredietur out of Egypt Therein they had MOSES for their Guide and he led them to the borders of the Holy land and there he left them Heb. 7.19 Heb. 4.8 To shew the law brought nothing to perfection Then comes Iosua whom the Epistle to the Hebrewes calls IESVS the figure of ours heer and by his conduct they were led and put in possession of the Land of promise Ier 31.31 Heb. 8.6 All this but in type of another Testament after to be made saith Ieremie and upon better promises saith the Apostle Namely our Spirituall leading through this vale of vanitie Gal. 4.26 to the true land of promise the heavenly Ierusalem that is from above whither this our IESVS undertakes to bring all those that will be guided by Him Observe but the correspondence betweeen the type the truth Moses when he came to lead the people Exod. 5.12 found them how scattered over all the land of Egypt to seeke stubble for bricke to build him a City that sought the ruine of them all Our case right the very patterne of it when our Guide findes us wandring in vanitie picking up strawes things that shall not profit us Sap. 1.12 seeking death in the error of our life till we be so happy as to light into His guiding Secondly Moses was to them not alone Dux viae a Guide for the way but when enimies came forth against them Dux militiae a Captaine for the warr CHRIST was so too and farr beyond MOSES For He made us way with the laying downe of His life Esa 53 12. So did neyther MOSES nor Iosua Would die for it but He would open us a passage to the place He undertooke to bring us to Was Dux a Guide in His life Dux a Captaine in His death Thirdly MOSES when they fainted by the way obteined in their hunger manna from heaven Ioh 6 32. 1. Cor. 10.4 and in their thirst water
Repentance Ephrata and Faith Ephrata Et sic de caeteris if they be true Els be they but vites frondâ—sae leaves and nothing els Simulachra virtutum and not vertues indeed Of Zabulon Hos. 10.1 not of Iuda and so not the right Fruictfull them and of what fruict That is in the very name it selfe 3. In good works Beth-lehem of Bethlehem Not the fruict of the lipps a few good words but the precious fruict of the earth as Saint Iames calleth it lehem good bread that fruict Such fruict Iam. 5.7 as Saint Paul carried to the poore Saints at Ierusâ—lem Almes and offerings that is the right fruict Cum signavero fructum hunc it hath the Seale on it for right Such Rom. 15.28 as the Philippians sent him Phil. 4 18.10 for supply of his want whereby he knew they were alive againe at the roote in that they thus fructified yeelded this fruict of a Sweet odour and wherewith GOD was highly pleased as there he tells them Psal. 132.6 It was not sure without mysterie that the Temple was first heard of at Ephrata at this fruictfull place No more was it that which the Fathers observe of the trees that were used about it Not a post of the Temple not a Spar nay not so much as a pin but was made of the wood of a fruit-bearing tree No barren wood at all in it No more was it 2. Sam 18.25 that the very Altar of the Temple was founded upon a threshing floore Areuna's where good come was threshed All to shew it would be plenteous in feeding and clothing and such other pertaining to this of Ephrata Which how ever they be with us Matt 25.35.36 42 43. will be the first and principall point of enquiry at the day of Doome even about feeding and clothing and other workes of mercie By both ioyned Bethlehem parvula Ephrata Now if we could bring these two together make a coniunction of them in Gemini it were worth all For I know not how but if there be in us ought of Ephrata if we happen to be any thing fruitfull but in any degreâ— away goes parvula streight Streight we cease to be little We begin to talke of Merit and Worth and I wote not what Indeed if we be all barren and bare it may be then and scarce then neither but peradventure then we grow not high-minded But so we fall still upon one extreme or other if fertile then proud if humble then barren We cannot get to be humble yet not fruitlesse or to be fruitfull yet keepe our humilitie still Not Ephrata Psal 87.4 and parvula together But that is the true Bethlehem and there was He borne And thus far I hope we have beene led right and are in our way His manner of feeding By the Sacrament Beth-lehem Gen 3 6 Ioh 6 48. But leading is not all Heer is qui pascet too and we may not passe it For to that He leads us also Dux qui pascet We followed a false Guide at first that led us to the forbidden fruit the end whereof was morte morâ—emini This now will lead us to a food of the nature of the Tree of life even the bread of life by eating whereof we shall have life in our selves even life immortall That is His food He leads us to And if we would forget this both the Person and the Place the Person qui pascet that shall feed and the Place Bethlehem the house of bread would serve to put us in remembrance of it Even of the breaking of bread which the Church as this day ever hath and still vseth as the Child-house feast We spake of Transeamus usque Bethlehem going thither that may we even locally doe and never goe out of this Roome inasmuch as heer is to be had the true bread of life Ioh â— 51. that came downe fâ—om heaven Which is His flâ—sh this day borne which He gave for the life of the world Ioh 6.32 41.31 called by Him so the true bread the bread of heaven the bread of life And where that bread is there is Bethlehem ever Even strictè loquendo it may be said and said truly the Church in this sense is very Bethlehem no lesse then the Towne it selfe For that the Towne it selfe never had the name rightly all the while there was but bread made there bread panis hominum the bread of men Not till this Bread was borne there Psal. 78.25 which is Panis Angelorum as the Psalme calleth it and man did eate Angells food Then and never till then was it bethlehem and that is in the Church as truly as ever in it And accordingly the Church takes order we shall never faile of it There shall ever be this day a Bethlehem to go to a house wherein there is bread and this bread And shall there be Bethlehem and so neer us and shall we not go to it Or shall we goe to it to the House of bread this bread and come away without it Shall we forsake our Guide leading us to a place so much for our benefit Luk. 17.37 Vbi Domine was the Apostles question and His answer Vbi corpus ibi aquilae where the bodie is there the eagles will be Let it appeare we are so For here is the Bodie Els doe we our duty to Him but by halves For as our duty to Dux is to be led So our duty to qui pascet is to be fed by Him To end And thus ducendo pascit and pascendo ducit leading He feeds us and feeding He leads us till He bring us whither Even to A principio backe againe to where we were at the beginning and at the beginning we were in Paradise That our beginning shall be our end Thither He will bring us Nay to a better estate then so to that wherevnto even from Paradise we should have been translated to the State of aeternitie to the ioyes and ioyfull dayes there even to glorie ioy and blisse aeternall To which He bring us even our blessed Guide that this day was in Bethlehem borne to that end IESVS CHRIST the Righteous A SERMON PREACHED before the KINGS MAIESTIE at White-hall on Wednesday the XXV of December A. D. MDCXVI being CHRIST-MASSE day PSAL. LXXXV VER X.XI. Misericordia Veritas obviaverunt sibi Iustitia Pax osculatae sunt Veritas de terra orta est Iustitia de coelo prospexit Mercie and Truth shall meet Righteousnesse and Peace shall kisse one another Truth shall budde out of the earth and Righteousnesse shall looke downe from Heaven I Have here read you two Verses out of this Psalme which is one of the Psalmes selected of old by the Primitive Church and so still reteined by ours as part of our Office or Service of this day As being proper and pertinent to the matter of the Feast and so to the Feast it selfe For the meeting here specified
Bread Ioh. 12.24.6.51.49 even the living bread or bread of life that came downe from heaven the true Manna whereof we may gather each his Ghomer And againe of Him the true Vine as He calls himselfe Ioh. 15.1 the blood of the grapes of that Vine Both these issuing out of this daies recapitulation Both in corpus autem aptasti mihi of this day Psal. 40.6 And the gathering or Vintage of these two in th blessed Eucharist is as I may say a kind of hypostaticall vnion of the Signe and the thing signified so vnited together as are the two natures of CHRIST And even from this sacramentall vnion do the Fathers borrow their resemblance to illustrate by it the personall vnion in CHRIST I name Theodoret for the Greek and Gelasius for the Latine Church that insist upon it both and presse it against Eutyches That even as in the Eucharist neither part is euacuate or turned into the other but abide each still in his former nature and substance No more is either of CHRISTS natures annulled or one of them converted into the other as Eutyches held but each nature remaineth still full and whole in his own kind And backwards As the two Natures in CHRIST so the Signum and Signatum in the Sacrament è converso And this later devise of the substance of the bread and wine to be flowen away and gone and in the roome of it a remainder of nothing els but Accidents to stay behind was to them not knowen And had it been true had made for Eutyches and against them And this for the likenesse of Vnion in both Now for the word gathering together in one It is well knowne the holy Eucharist it selfe is called Synaxis by no name more vsuall in all Antiquitie that is a Collection or gathering For so it is in it selfe For at the celebration of it though we gather to Prayer and to Preaching yet that is the principall gathering the Church hath which is it selfe called a Collection too Heb. X. by the same name Heb. 19.25 Luk. 17.37 from the Chiefe For where the body is there the Eagles will be gathered And so one Synaxis begets another And last there is a Dispensation that word in it too That most cleerely For it is our Office 1. Cor. 4.1 we are styled by the Apostle Dispensers of the mysteries of GOD and in and by them of all the benefits that came to mankind by this dispensation in the fullnesse of season of all that are recapitulate in CHRIST Which benefits are too many to deale with One shall serve as the Summe of all That the very end of the Sacrament is to gather againe to GOD and His favour if it happen as oft it doth we scatter and stray from Him And to gather us as close and neere as alimentum alito that is as neere as neere may be And as to gather us to GOD so likewise each to other mutually Expressed lively in the Symboles of many graines into the one and many grapes into the other The Apostle is plaine 1. Cor. 10.17 that we are all one bread and one body so many as are partakers of one bread So molding us as it were into one loafe all together The gathering to GOD referrs still to things in heaven This other to men to the things in earth heere All vnder one Head by the common faith All into one Bodie mysticall by mutuall charitie So shall we well enter into the dispensing of this season to beginne with And even thus to be recollected at this Feast by the holy Communion into that blessed Vnion is the highest perfection we can in this life aspire unto We then are at the highest pitch at the very best we shall ever atteine to on earth what time we newly come from it Gathered to CHRIST and by CHRIST to GOD stated in all whatsoever He hath gathered and layed up against His next comming With which gathering heere in this world we must content and stay our selves and wait for the consummation of all Apoc. 22.12 at His comming againe For there is an Ecce venio yet to come This gathering thus heere begun it is to take end and to have the full accomplishment Matt. 25.32.24.31 at the last and great gathering of all which shall be of the quick and of the dead When He shall send his Angells and they shall gather His Elect from all the corners of the earth Matt. 13.30 shall gather the wheat into the barne and the tares to the fire And then and never till then shall be the fullnesse indeed when GOD shall be not as now He is somewhat in every one 1. Cor. 15.28 Apoc. 10.6 but all in all Et tempus non erit amplius and there shall be neither time nor season any more No fullnesse then but the fullnesse of aeternitie and in it the fullnesse of all joy To which in the severall seasons of our being gathered to our fathers He vouchsafe to bring us that as the yeare so the fullnesse of our lives may end in a Christmasse a merry joyfull Feast as that is And so GOD make this to us in Him c. A SERMON PREACHED before the KINGS MAIESTIE at White-hall on Saturday the XXV of December A. D. MDCXXIIII being CHRIST-MASSE day PSAL. II. VER VII Praedicabo Legem de qua dixit ad me DOMINVS Filius meus tu hodiè genui te I will preach the Law whereof the LORD said to me Thou art my sonne this day have J begotten thee THIS Text the first word of it is Praedicabo I will preach So here is a Sermon toward And it is of Filius Filius meus genuite of the begetting or bringing forth a child And that Hodiè this verie day And let not this trouble you that it is begotten in the Text and borne on the day In all the three Tongues one word serves for both In Latine Alma Venus genuit Venus did but beare Aeneas yet it is sayd genuit In Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was but borne of the Virgin yet He was sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 genitus And I report me to the Masters of the Hebrew tongue whether the originall word in the Text beare not be not as full nay do not more properly import His Birth then His Begetting It is sure it doth So it may be used and so we will use it indifferently And let this serve once for all We returne to our Sermon Praedicabo Heer is one saith he will preach Hath he a licence Yes Dixit ad me he was spoken to or indeed he was commaunded Amar is to commaund 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commaunded by whom By Him that hath lawfull authoritie so to do Dixit Dominus He stept not up of his owne head He came to it orderly made no suite for the place was appoynted for it What will he preach of Whence will he take his Text Out of
is fixed upon the print of the neiles and on the hole in the side of him that vvas pierced for us So that this fourth duty CHRIST himselfe layeth upon us and vvilleth us from his own mouth Respice Crede 5 Respice â—pera And beleeving this of him what is there the eye of our hope shall not look for from him What would not he do for us that for us would suffer all this Rom. 8.32 It is S. PAVL 's argument If GOD gave his Sonne for us how shall he denie us any thing with Him That is Respice Spera Looke upon him and his heart opened and from that gate of hope promise thy selfe and looke for all manner of things that good are Which our expectation is reduced to these two 1 The deliverance from the evill of our present miserie 2 and the restoring to the good of our primitive felicitie By the death of this undefiled Lambe as by the yearely Passeover looke for and hope for a passage out of Egypt which spiritually is our redemption from the servitude of the power of darknesse And as by the death of the Sacrifice we looke to be freed from whatsoever evill So by the death of the High Priest looke we for and hope for restitution to all that is good even to our forfeited estate in the land of Promise which is Heaven it selfe where is all joy and happinesse for evermore Respice Spera Looke and Looke for by the Lambe that is pierced to be freed from all miserie by the High Priest that is pierced fruition of all felicity Now inasmuch as His heart is pierced and his side opened 6 Respice Recipe the opening of the one and the piercing of the other is to the end somewhat may flow forth To which end saith Saint Augustine Vigilanti verbo usâ—s est Apostolus the Apostle was well advised when he used the word opening for there issued out water and blood which make the sixt effect Respice Recipe Marke it running out and suffer it not to runne waste but receive it Of the foâ—mer the water the Prophet speaketh in the first words of the next Chapter that out of his pierced side a Zach 13.1 GOD opened a fountaine of water to the house of Israel for sinne and for uncleannesse Of the fulnesse whereof we all have received in the Sacrament of our Baptisme Of the later the blood which the Prophet in the b Zac. 9.11 IX Châ—pter before calleth the blood of the New Testament we may receive this day for it will runn in the high and holy Mysteries of the Body and Blood of CHRIST There may we be partakers of the flesh of the c Psal 116.13 Morning-Hart as upon this day killed There may we be partakers of the d 1. Pet. 1.19 Cup of salvation the precious blood e Matt 26.28 which was shedd for the remission of our sinnes Our part it shall be not to accompt the f Heb. 10.29 blood of the Testament an unholy thing and to suffer it to runne in vaine for all us but with all due regard to receive it so running for even therefore was it shedd And so to the former to add this sixt Respice Recipe And shall we alway receive grace 7 Râ—spiâ—â— Retiâ—ont even streames of grace issuing from Him that is pierced and shall there not from us issue something backe againe that he may look for and receive from us that from him have and do daily receive so many good things No doubt there shall if love which pierced Him have pierced us aright And that is no longer to hold you with these effects Respice Retribue For it will even behove us no lesse then the Psalmist Psal. 116.13 to enter into the consideration of Quid retribuam Especially since we by this day both see and receive that which he and many others desired to see and receive and could not Or if we have nothing to render yet our selves to returne with the Samaritan and falling downe at his feet with a loud voice to glorifie His goodnesse who finding us in the estate that other Samaritane found the forlorne and wounded man healed us by being wounded himselfe and by his owne death restored us to life For all which his kindnesse if nothing will come from us not so much as a kind and thankfull acknowledgement we are certainly worthy He should restrein the fountaine of his benefits which hitherto hath flowen most plenteously and neither let us see nor feels him any more But I hope for better things that love such and so great love will pierce us and cause both other fruicts and especially thoughts of thankfulnesse to issue from us Thus many and many more if the time would serve But thus many severall uses may we have of thus many severall respects or reflexed looking upon HIM whom we have pierced 3. With enforcement of themselves Respicere se facient Thirdly facient serespicere For the HOLY GHOST did easily foresee vve would not readily be brought to the sight or to use our eyes to so good an end Indeed to flesh and blood it is but a dull and heavy spectacle And neither willingly they begin to look upon it and having begun are never well till they have done and looke off of it againe Therfore is the Verbe by the Prophet put into this Coniugation of purpose which to turne in strict propriety is Respicere se facient rather then Respicient They shall procure or cause or even enioine or enforce themselves to looke upon it or as one would say looke that they looke upon it For some new and strange spectacle though vaine and idle and which shall not profit us how strange soever we cause our selves sometimes to take a journey and besides our paines are at expenses too to behold them we will not only look upon but even cause our selves to look upon vanities and in them we have the right use of facient se respicere And why should we not take some paines and even enioine our selves to looke upon this being neither farre off nor chargeable to come to and since the looking on it may so many waies so mainly profit us Verily it falleth out oft Matt. 11.12 that of CHRIST 's violenti rapiunt illud Nature is not enclined and where it is not enclined force must be offered which we call in Schooles Actumelicitum Which very act by us undertaken for GOD and as here at His word is unto him a Sacrifice right acceptable Therfore facias or facfacias do it willingly or do it by force Do it I say for done it must be Set if before you and looke on it or if you list not remove it and set it full before you though it be not with your ease Respice Looke backe upon it with some paine for one way or other looke upon it we must The necessity whereof
were the very Corner-stone of both the Testaments No Act then more fit for this Feast the Feast of the Passe-over then that Act which is it selfe the passage over from the Old Testament to the New No way better to expresse our thankes for this Corner-stone then by the holy Eucharist which it selfe is the Corner-stone of the Law and the Gospell And there is in it a perfect representation of the substance of this verse and Text set before our eyes Wherein two poor Elements of no great value in themselves but that they might well be refused are exalted by GOD to the estate of a Divine Mysterie even of the highest Mysterie in the Church of CHRIST And a kinde of resurrection there is in them and therefore fit for the day of the Resurrection as ever in CHRIST 's Church 1. Cor. 15.43 Easter-day hath pleaded a speciall propertie in them Sowen as it were in weaknesse dishonor and after they be consecrated rising againe in honour power And that a great honour and power not onely to represent but to exhibite that it representeth nor to set before us or remember us of but even to serve us for a Corner-stone First uniting us to CHRIST the Head whereby we grow into one frame of Building into one body mysticall with Him And againe uniting us also as living stones or lively members omnes in id ipsum one to another and altogither in one by mutuall love and charitie Qui comedit de hoc Pane bibit de hoc Calice manet in Me Ego in illo Ioâ— 6.56 He that eateth of this Bread and drinketh of this Cup abideth in Me and I in him There is our Corner with Him And againe 1. Cor. 10.17 Vnum corpus omnes sumus qui de uno Pane participamus All we that partake of one Bread or Cup growe all into one Body mysticall There is our Corner either with other By 〈…〉 eâ—pressing our thankes for it and by the same possessing our 〈◊〉 of it Sealâ—ng up both waies our duty to GOD for making CHRIST the 〈…〉 and chiefest and for making His Annointed this day 〈◊〉 undâ—r Him either in their severâ—ll degrâ—es our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Chiefe or Head Corner-stone For which togither with all other His benefittâ— but specially as the time calleth to us for these two CHRIST'S rising and Our Soveraigne's raysing to his Royall place render we as we are bound to GOD the FATHER c. A SERMON Preached before the KING'S MAIESTIE AT WHITE-HALL on the XII of April A. D. MDCXII being EASTER DAY I. COR. CHAP. V. Expurgate vetus fermentum c. VER 7. Purge out therefore the old levin that yee may be a new lumpe as yee are vnlevined For CHRIST our Passe-over is Sacrificed for us 8. Therefore let us keepe the Feast not with old levin neither with the levin of maliciousnesse and wickednesse but with the vnlevined bread of Sinceritie and truth THERE be two things give themselves forth upon the very first view of this Text. 1 First heere is newes that we Christians we also have our Passe-over 2 Then that in memorie of it we are to keepe a Feast Pascha Iudeorum the Iewes Passe-over we find in Iohn Chap. II. XI Pascha nostrum our Passe-over never till now And indeed to finde a Passe-over in Saint Paule's Epistles and his Epistle not to the Hâ—brewes but to the Corinthians their Passe-over as well as his For him to call not his Countriemen the Iewes at Ierusalem but the Gentiles at Corinth to keepe such a Feast is newes indeed But Pascha nostrum the words be plaine One we have Itaque and therefore let us bold a feast for it 〈…〉 Celebreâ—mus may this Feast of our EASTER seeme 〈…〉 a 〈◊〉 but an 〈◊〉 for the making it a feast 〈…〉 it will all 〈…〉 feasts this of Easter if there were 〈…〉 but the Contrâ—â—ersie that was about the time of keeping it in the 〈◊〉 prime of the Primitive Church even immediately after the Apostles it were enough to shew it was then generally agreed of all Such a feast was to be kept And the alledging on either side one Saint Iohn's manner of keeping the other Saint Peter's prove plainely it is Apostolicall this feast and that the Apostles themselves kept it Itaque celebremus therefore let us keepe it The Division The word Itaque in the later Verse is ever a note of a Conclusion And where a Conclusion is there is an Argument And so is the Text. It standeth of an 1 Antecedent and a 2 Consequent 1 The Antecedent in these words CHRIST our Passe-over c. 2 The Consequent in these Itaque Celebremus c. Supplie but this Maxime of reason and law If we have one we are to hold one The Text will make up a compleat Argument But one we have therefore we are to hold it Habendum tenendum as our Tenures runne In the Antecedent there rise these five points 1. The maine word Passe-over what is ment by it Pascha 2. That we have one in the word nostrum 3. Who it is expresly CHRIST 4. CHRIST how or when not every way nor at every time considered but as and when He was offered up Immolatus offered up as a Sacrifice 5. And lastly the word of our interest Propter nos For us that so we might passe over our sinnes and be passed over by the punishment due to them In the Consequent there arise two points 1. There is an Itaque to conclude us to keepe this feast 2. And there is a Non and a Sed to direct us how to keepe it The former binds us to Celebremus to celebrate a feast or to Epulemur to make a feast Both are read and both well for both are due The later by Non in fermento sed in azymis not so but thus teacheth us how to hold it How to keepe a Passe-over but as a Passe-over should be kept How was that not with levin but with sweet bread And then he takes of the veile from MOSE 's face that vnder the legall types of Levin and Sweet bread these Evangelicall dueties are expressed unto us By levin is meant Malice and lewdnesse and so we may not By sweet bread is meant Sinceritie and Truth and so we are with them to celebrate our feast So in the Antecedent there is the 1 Benefit and the 2 Meanes that is CHRIST 's part In the Consequent 1 the Feast and the â— Duty that is Ours Indeed to the word Passe-over ye may reduce them all 1. The Benefit for it is a Passe-over even the passing over of the Destroyer 2. The Meanes that is CHRIST by the Sacramentall figure called the Passe-over as the meanes of it 3. The Feast whither that we solemnize or that we are invited to either is a Passe-over 4. And last our Duety for that is also a kinde of Passe-over from Vetus fermentum to Nova conspersio So â— the
of the 〈◊〉 If any be sâ—irring if any be to be found there it is No place on earth which the Holy Spirit more frequenteth hath duer commerce with then the Holy 〈◊〉 where Exod. 19.24 the remembrance of His name is putt for thither He will come to us and blesse us with His blessing â— Prayer Psal. 119 1â—â— Zac. 12 1â— Being there it is but an easie lesson yet David thinks meet to teach it us by his 〈…〉 et Spiritum attraxi To open our mouth and draw it in And that â—pening 〈◊〉 by pâ—â—yer Zâ—eâ—arâ—e calleth it Spiritum precam the Spirit that 〈…〉 or attraction of it whereby we expresse our desire to draw Him in Which very attraction or desire hath a promise by the mouth of our Saviour 〈…〉 Himselfe Luke 11.13 that His Heavenly Father will give the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them that will 〈◊〉 petition sâ—eke and fire â—pen their mâ—uth and pray for it 2 The Word Then secondly looke how the Breath and the Voice in â—aturalibus go together 〈◊〉 so do the Spirit and the Word in the practice of Religion The a 〈…〉 Holy Ghost is CHRIST 's Spirit and b Ioh. 1.14 CHRIST is the Word And of that Word the word c 1 Pet. 1. â—5 that is preached to us is an abstract There must then needs be a neernesse and alliance between the one and the other And indeed but by our default The Word and the Spirit saith Esay shall never faile or ever part but one be received when the other is Esa. 59.21 We have a plaine example of it this day in S. Peter's auditorie Acts II. and another in Câ—râ—â—linâ— and his familie Acts X even in the sermon-time the Holy Ghost fell upon them and they so received Him Yea we man see it by this that in the hearing of the word where He is not received and yet He maketh proffers and worketh somewhat onward Vpon Faelix tooke him with a shaking and further would have gone but that he put it over to a convenient time Acts 26.28 which conâ—enient time never came And upon Agrippa likewise somwhat it did move him and more it would but that he was content to be a Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 his religion by a little as it were upon a knive's point and was afraid to be a Christian 〈…〉 too much a Christian. That 〈…〉 effect that with the word the Spirit is not received as it 〈…〉 gotten thâ—n it is lost We should find this effect 〈…〉 we could gett on a little out of the noyse about us and withdraw our selves some whither where we might be by our selves That when we have heaâ—d 〈…〉 He would speake in us 〈…〉 When 〈…〉 we might 〈◊〉 the other behind us Haec est vi◠〈…〉 〈…〉 there heare 〈…〉 Vpon which 〈…〉 grounded the 〈…〉 spirits which 〈…〉 by the Antients to 〈…〉 or meditation the 〈…〉 it is that 〈…〉 for want of this goe out againe streight for as fast as it is 〈…〉 againe 〈◊〉 fast as the 〈…〉 â—owne it is picked up 〈…〉 and so our receiving is in vaine the word and the Spirit are 〈…〉 would keep together 〈…〉 the word and the Spirit so the flesh and the Spirit go together 3. The Sacrament Not 〈…〉 this flesh the flesh that was conceived by the Holy Ghost this is never 〈…〉 Holy Ghost by whom it was conceived so that receive one and receive 〈…〉 with this bloud there runneth still an arterie with plentie of Spirit in it 〈…〉 that we eate there escam spiritualem a spirituall meat 1. Cor. 10.3.12.13 and that in that 〈…〉 made drinke of the Spirit There is not onely impositio manuum but after 〈…〉 mâ—nus pâ—tting on of the hands but putting it into oâ—â— hands Imâ—ositio 〈…〉 putting on of hands in Accepit panem calicem â—nd positio in â—anus 〈…〉 it into our hands in Accipite edite bibite And so we in case to receive 〈…〉 bloâ—d Spirit and all if our selves be not in fault 〈…〉 if we will invite the Spirit indeed and if each of these by it selfe in 〈◊〉 be thus effectuall to procure it put them all and bind them all together All together jointly 〈…〉 take to you words Hose's words words of earnest iâ—vocation Hos. 14.7 Sâ—scipiâ—e 〈◊〉 bum receive or take to you the word S. Iame's word grafted into you by 〈…〉 of preaching Accipite corpus accipite sanguinem Iam. 1.21 take the holy 〈◊〉 of His body and bloud and the same the holy arteries of His blessed Spirit Take â—ll these in one the attractive of Prayer the word which is Spirit and life the 〈◊〉 of life and the Cup of salvation and is there not great hope we shall answer 〈◊〉 Paul's question as he would have it answered affirmativè Have ye received Yes 〈◊〉 have received Him Yes sure Then if ever thus if by any way For on earth 〈…〉 is no surer way then to joine all these and He so to be received if at all 〈◊〉 we began with hearing outward and we end with receiving inward We 〈…〉 one Sacrament Baptisme we end with the other the Eucharist We began 〈◊〉 that where we heard of Him and we end with this other where we may and shall I trust receive Him And Almightie GOD grant we so may receive Him at this good time as in his good time we may be received by Him thither whence He this day came of purpose to bring us even to the Holy places made without hands which is his heavenly kingdome with GOD the Father who prepared it and GOD the Sonne who purchased it for us To whom three Persons c A SERMON Pâ—â—ached before the KING'S MAIESTIE AT VVHITE-HALL on the XXIII of May A.D. MDCXIII being WHIT-SVNDAY EPâ—ES CHAP. IIII. VER XXX Nolite contristari c. And greeve not or be not willing to greeve the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD by whom ye are sealed unto the Day of Redemption THIS Request or Counseile or Caution or Praecept or what ye will call it of the Apostle's is sure very reasonable The Holy Ghost by whom we are sealed to the Day of Redemption that we would not greeve Him Not the Holy Ghost He is the Spirit of the Great and High GOD And so for His Dignitie 's sake Not Him againe as by whose meanes we have our signature against the great Day of Redemption And so even for his benefit's sake These two 1 For His Greatnesse or 2 for His Goodnesse Grâ—atnesse in Himselfe Goodnesse to us For either of these or for both of 〈◊〉 we would be so respective of Him as Not to greâ—ve Him 〈…〉 Him He might well and as one would thinke should rather have 〈…〉 all câ—â—se of joy and câ—â—tentment It had beene but reason so Now that 〈…〉 more onely 〈◊〉 that we would not minister unto Him any cause of 〈…〉 And what could He say
that out of the mouthes of those that were little better thâ—n babes hast ordeined thy praise and sâ—illed thine enemies and put them all to silence But there is a worse matter then that Not onely Simple 3 To sâ—nfull men Luc 5.8 1. Tim. 1.5 Iam. 3.2 1. Iob. 1.8 but which is further of yet sinfull men they were Take their owne confessions Saint Peter's Goe forth from me ô Lord for I am a sinfull man Saint Paule's Sinners whereof I am the chiefest S. Iamâ—'s In many things we offend all put himself in the number of them that offend many â—imes S. Iohn's If we I for one say we have no sinne what then we are proud there is no humilitie No but we are liers and there is no truth in us Even to such to 〈◊〉 this power given to forgive sinnes to them that for sinne were in feare themselves to be condemned Nay which is not lightly to be passed by all this done even at the very time when they were scarse crept out of their sinne but three dayes before committed in so wretchedly forsaking Him and some more then so and after would scarse beleeve He was risen when they saw Him that even then did He thus breath on them and made them that He did Now blessed be GOD that at all gave such power to mâ—n to such men such simple such sinfull men insufflavit in eos To secure us be the men what they will that have received it No sinne of man shall make the power of GOD of none effect This for in eos 3. Of the Act. To the Act now It is first sufflavit breathed and that was to keep correspondence with His Father at the first a Sufflavit By breathing into Adam the Father gave the soule the author of the life naturall Ad idem exemplum the Sonne heer by breathing gives the Holy Ghost the Author of the life-spirituall the same passage and the same ceremonie held by both But insufflavit is more breathed it in into them This in shewes it pertaines within b Insufflavit to the inward parts to the very conscience this act His breath goeth saith Salomon ad interiora ventris Pro 18.8 Heb. 4.12 and His word with it saith the Apostle through to the division of the soule and Spirit Thither goeth this breath and thither is further then man can go For howsoever the acts and exercises of outward Iurisdiction may be disposable and are disposed by humane authoritie yet this not so of forum internum Somwhat there is still that comes from CHRIST and none but CHRIST somewhat that as it comes higher so it goes deeper then any earthly power whatsoever This inward inspiring brings us to CHRIST 's Deitie againe The Kings of the Nations send they can and give power they can but inspire they cannot Array whom they will as Assuerus with rich attire arme them at all points induere in that sense but not endue the soule with gifts and graces within not arme their minds with valour and vertue at leastwise not with virtus ex alto Onely GOD whom He calls He gives the inward talents to and CHRIST whom He sends He sends His Spirit into This argueth GOD plainly and so CHRIST to be GOD. Alwaies this insufflavit shewes as wherewith He would do it the Spirit so what it is He would worke Eph. 4.3 worke upon and renew For if we be renewed in the Spirit of our minds the whole man wil be so streight upon it There is no indication to that for the change of the whole man is a certaine signe the Spirit is come into us As of Saul it is written when the Spirit came into him he was changed into quite another man no more the same Saul he was before A new another Saul then Which holds not onely in particular men but even in the whole world For when this breath came into it in interiora it was cast into a new mold presently and did even wonder at it selfe how it was become Christian. For the outward rigorous meanes of fire imprisonment of the whip of the terrour of the Magistrate's sword Pilate's Have not I power to crucifie thee Ioh. 19.2 and power to loose thee These daunt men make them astonished make metum peccati feare to commit the outward act of sinne But edium oportet peccandi non metum facias if sinne shall ever truly be left it must come of hatred not of feare So it goes away indeed And there it is sinne must be mett with if ever it shall rightly be put away the Spirit to be searched and inward hearty compunction wrought there And that is by this breath of CHRIST piercing thither or not at all So much for the in And now to et dixit The words be three the points according three too 1 Accipite Et dixit it is to be received â— Spiritum a Spirit it is that is to be received 3 Sanctum and that Spirit is the Holy Ghost 4 Whereto we add the Holy Ghost after what manner for there be more then one 1. Accipite Accipite agrees well with breath For that is received we open our mouthes and draw it in our Systole to meet with His Diastole For this Accipite it is certaine that at the breathing of this breath the Spirit was given He gave them what He bad them take He mocked them not They received the Holy Ghost then and if ye will really Yet was not the substance of His breath transubstantiate into that of the Holy Ghost None hath ever imagined that yet said He truely Accipite Spiritum and no lesse truely in another place Accipite Corpus Truly said by Him and received by them in both And no more need the bread should be changed into his bodie in that then His breath into the Holy Ghost in this No though it be a Sacrament for with them both are so yet as all confesse both truely said truely given and truely received and in the same sense without eny difference at all This for them For us Accipite sheweth first it comes from without it growes not within us 1 Accipite not concipite Psal. 90 9. a breath inspired not a vapour ascending not educta è but inducta in It is not meditati sumus sicut aranea we spinne it not out of our selves as the spider doth her webb It is not concipite but accipite Receive it we do Conceive it we doe not It were too fond to conceive seeing our breath is made of aire and that is without us that the Spirit should be made of eny thing that is within us We say againe it is Accipite not assumite Assumit qui nemine dante accipit 2 Accipite not assumite Heb. 5.4 He assumes that takes that is not given But nemo assumit honorem hunc This honor no man takes unto him or upon him till it be given him As quod accipitur
practise hath been alwaies to employ them in other parts and functions besides that is plaine by Iustine Martyr who lived in the Apostle's daies Apol. 2. ad Antonium namely to distribute the Communion by Tertullian de Bap. to baptize by Cyprian Ser. 6. de lapsis and diverse others So that to conclude these are imaginations touching the Apostle's fellowship howsoever a great number of deceived peoplâ— bowe downe to them and worship them Imaginations touching the breaking of bread III. Imaginations touching the breaking of bread which is joyned to that fellowship as the chiefest badge of that fellowship For by it is gathered the communion as may be gathered by conference with Acts 20.7 and as the Syrian Text translateth it For that as by the other Sacrament in the Verse immediatly going before they are receiv'd into the body of the Church so by this they are made to drinke of the spirit 1. Cor. 13.13 and so perfected in the highest Mysterie of this Societie Concerning which as the Church of Rome hath her imaginations First in that she many times celebrateth this mysterie sine fractione without any breaking at all Whereas as heretofore hath been shewed out of 1. Cor. 10.18 it is of the nature of an Eucharist or Peace-offering which was never offered but it was eaten that both there might be a representation of the memorie of that sacrifice and togither an application to each person by partaking it And secondly in that she hath indeed no breaking of bread at all For it being broken ever after it is consecrated there is with them no bread remaining to breake and the bodie of CHRIST is now impassible and cannot be broken so that they are faine to say they breake Accidents and indeed they well know not what Contrarie to Saint Luke heer who calleth it fractionem panis and to S. Paul 1. Cor. 10.16 who saith Panis quem frangimus As these are their imaginations so we want not ours For many among us phansie only a Sacrament in this action and look strange at the mention of a Sacrifice Whereas we not onely use it as a nourishment spirituall as that it is too but as a meane also to renew a covenant with GOD by vertue of that Sacrifice as the Psalmist speaketh Psal. 50.5 So our SAVIOVR CHRIST in the institution telleth us Luc. 22.10 and the Apostle Heb. 13.10 And the old Writers use no lesse the word Sacrifice then Sacrament Altar then Table offer then eate but both indifferently to shew there is both And again too that to a many with us it is indeed so fractio panis as it is that onely and nothing beside Whereas the bread which we break is the partaking of CHRIST 's true bodie not of a Signe figure or remembrance of it 1. Cor. 10 16. For the Church hath ever beleeved a true fruition of the true body of CHRIST in that Sacrament Further as heretofore hath been made plaine it is an imagination to think that this breaking of bread can be severed from the other ver 46. which is ESAI 's breaking of bread to the needie Whereby Esa 58.7 as in the former CHRIST communicateth himselfe with us so we in this latter communicate our selves with our poore brethren that so there may be a perfect communion For both in the Sacrifice which was the figure of it it was a matter of Commandement Deut. 16.10 insomuch as the poorest were not exempt from GOD 's offerings Luc. 21.4 And our SAVIOVR CHRIST 's practise was at this feast to command somewhat to be given to the poore Iob. 13.29 And last of all the Agapae or love-feasts of the Christians for reliefe of the poore doe most plainly expresse that I meane In place of which when they after proved inconvenient succeeded the Christian Offeâ—torie And lastly whereas we continue in the Doctrine and Prayers of the Church we do many times discontinue this action a whole yeare togither These long intermissions so that if it be panis annuus once a yeer receiv'd we think our duty discharged are also no doubt a second imagination in our common practise For sure we should continue also in this part and the frequenting of it if not so often as the Primitive Church did which either thrise in the weeke or at the furthest once did communicate yet as often as the Church doth celebrate which I thinke should do better to celebrate more often And those exceptions which commonly we alleage to disturbe our selves for that action make us no lesse meet for prayers then for it For except a man abandon the purpose of sinne Psal. 66.18 and except he be in Charitie Matt. 6.14 he is no more fit to pray then to communicate and therefore should absteine from the one as well as from the other Or to say the truth should by renewing himselfe in both these points make himselfe meet for both continuing no lesse in the breaking of bread than in prayers and doctrine IIII. Imaginations touching Praiers Imaginations touching prayers As the former was the most speciall exercise of a Christian and chiefest in dignitie So this is the most generall and chiefest in use Therefore he puts it in the plurall number as if both in preaching censuring and communicating it had his use as indeed it hath Before all things 1. Tim. 2.1 In all things 1. Thes. 5.17 After all things Eph. 6.18 Num. 6. ver vlt. And in this also we want not phansies In this age especially wherein an idle conceit is taken up that never came into the heads of any of the old haeretiques though never so brain-sicke once to imagine Our SAVIOVR CHRIST thus willeth us Lâ—c. 11.12 When ye pray say Our FATHER c. A most fond imagination is start up in our times never once dreamed of before that telleth us in no case we must say Our FATHER c with which forme if Saint Augustine be to be beleeved as a witnesse of antiquitie the universall Church of CHRIST hath ever used to begin and end all her prayers Ep. 5â— as striving indeed by diverse other formes more largely to expresse the sense of that prayer but not being hable to come neere the high art and most excellent spirit of perfection in that pattern they alwaies conclude with it as being sure howsoever they may for diverse defects not atteine to the depth of it in and by it they shall be sure to begge all things necessarie at GOD 's hands This I named first because it is appropriate to our times Besides as the Church of Rome hath her imaginations touching Praiers first against Saint Paule's orabo mente in setting the people to pray they wote not what and so making their understanding unfruictfull 1. Cor. 14.14 And againe against our Saviour Christ's Caveat Mat. 6.7 in setting them to goe over whole Rosaries and Psalters as if much babling after the heathen manner were acceptable to GOD. So likewise doe others also among us
it may be called dwelling but sure never so did before as since these gifts came from Him Did not dwell they call it visiting then went and came and that was all But since he came to settle himselfe to take his residence not to visit any longer 1. Dwâ—â—â— nâ—t visit but even to dwell among them Nor among men before but among some men He was cooped up as it were 2. Amonâ— men at large Psal 76.1 Gen. 9 27. Ephâ—s 4.10 Notus in Iudae â Deus and there was all Since the fulnesse of the Gentiles is come in Iaphet into Shem's tents All nations his neighbours all interessed in Him and His Gifts alike Saint Paul upon this verse He ascended Vt impleâ—et omnia Impleret His omnia ours Filled with His gifts He full all that is all the compasse of the earth full of His fullnesse It is for love even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for His love of men that makes him desire thus to dwell with us This is evident by this captivitas soluta and these dona distributa by this Captivitie led that is by His fighting for it by these gifts given that is by His bidding for it that all this He doth and all this He gave and all for no other end but this So as quid requirit Dominus on his part quid retribuam Domino on ours all is but this ut habitet nobiscum Deus that the true Arke of His Presence His Holy Spirit may finde a place of rest with us What shall we doe then shall we not yield to Him thus much or rather Our duty thus little If He have a minde to dwell in us shall we refuse Him It will be for our benefit we shall finde a good neighbour of Him 1. Châ—o 6.41 Shall we not then say as they did to the Arke Arise O Lord into thy resting place But first two things would be done 1 The Place would be meet 2 And the usage or entertainment according For the Place Never looke about for a soile where To prepare Him a place The place are we our selves He must dwell in us if ever He dwell among us In us I say not beside us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word and so it signifieth Sic inter nos ut in nobis And if so then Locus and Locatum would be suitable A Dove He is He will not come but ad tecta candida to no foule or sooty place Ointment He is powred He will not be but into a cleane and sweet not into a stinking or loathsome phiall To hold us to the word GOD He is and Holy is His title So would His place be an holy place and for GOD a Temple You know who saith Templum Dei estis vos 1. Cor. 3.16 Know ye â—ot ye are the Temples of GOD if He dwell in you To enterteine Him But it is not the place though never so commodious makes one so willâ—â—g to dwell as doth the good usage or respect of those in the middst of whom it is Heâ—â—e will I dwell for I have a delight saith He. It would be such as to delight Him if it might be Ver. 16. but such as at no hand to grieve Him For then He is gone againe Migremus hinc streight and we force Him to it For who would dwell where he cannot dwell but with continuall griefe And what is there will sooner grieve Him and make Him to quit us then discâ—rd or dis-union Among divided men or minds He will not dwell Not but where unitie and love is In vaine we talke of the Spirit without these Aaron's ointment and the dew of Hermon both types of Him ye know what Psalme they belong to It beginns with habitare fratres in unum It is in this Psalme before ver 9 â— wâ—â—â—e men are of one mind in an house Psal. 133.1 there He delights to be This very day they that received Him were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one accord in one place That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Adverb of the Feast And the Apostle in his comment on this verse No better way saith he to preserve the unitie of the Spirit or the Spirit of unitie choose you whither then in the bond of peace To say truth who would be hired to dwell in Mesech Ephes. 4.3 Psal. 120.5 where nothing is but continuall jarrs and quarrells Such places such men are even as torrida Zona not habitable by the Spirit by this Spiâ—it But for the other spirit the spirit of division they are Vt habitet daemon inter eos a fâ—t place for the Devill to dwell among such Thinke of this seriously and sett it downe that at Salem is His Tabernacle Psal. 76.2 and Salem is peace and so the Fathers read it In â—ace fâ—ctus est locus Ejus Make Him that place and He will say Heer is my rest heer will 〈◊〉 for I have a delight therein We said even now to dwell among us He must dwell in us And in us He will dwell if the fruicts of His Spirit be found in us And of His fruicts the very first is Love And the fruict is as the tree is For He himselfe is Love the essentiall Love and Love-knott of the undivided Trinitie By the Sacrament Now to worke love the undoubted both signe and meanes of His dwelling what better way or how sooner wrought then by the Sacrament of love at the Feast of lâ—ve upon the Feast-day of Love when Love descended with both his hands full of giftâ— for very love to take up His dwelling with us You shall observe there ever was and will be a neer alliance betweene His doâ—a dedit hominibus and His dona reliquit hominibus The Gifts He sent and the Gifts He left us He left us the gifts of His body and blood His body broken and full of the characters of love all over His blood shedd every drop whereof is a great drop of Love To those which were sent these which were left love joy peace have a speciall con-naturall reference to breed and to maintaine each other His body the sâ—irit of strength His blood the spirit of comfort Both the Spirit of Love This Spirit we said we are to procure that it may abide with us and be in uâ— And what is more intrinsecall in us abideth surer groweth faster to us then what we eat and drinke Then if we could get a spirituall meat or get to driâ—â—â— of the Spirit 1. Cor. 10.3.4 1. Cor. 12.13 there were no way to that And behold heer they be For heer is 〈◊〉 meat that is breeding the Spirit and heer we are all made drinke of one Sâ—iâ—it thâ—t there may be but one spirit in us And we are all made one bread and one bâ—â—y knead togither and pressed togither into one as the Symboles are the bread and the wine So many as are partakers of one bread