are the clay thou art the potter we are all the work of thine hands And saith that holy Psalmist Know Psal 100. 3. yee that the Lord God is hee that hath made us not wee our selves 2. If wee enquire Of what man was made See wee His substance was the dust of the ground Gen. 2. 7. and even that at first was of nothing so that man originally is nothing 3. If we enquire Of what form man was made Moses also tels us that in the image of God God created Gen. 1. 26 27. him which image as I have already showne is Wisdome Knowledge c. Imaginis hujus subjectum animam esse rationalem dicimus sanctitatis Tilen de imag Dei in hom thes 8. veritatis justitiae dotibus exornatam 4. If wee enquire the end why man was created It was for Gods glory Now God is then glorified by man when man cometh to the true knowledge of God and loveth him with all his heart with all his soule with all his strength and maketh him the true and onely object of his prayer Homo principaliter conditus est ad celebrationem uâ—sin Cat. Dei hoc est ad professionem invocationem nominis Divini c. In the first of these is seen the goodwill and pleasure of God in that hee would make so glorious a creature as man In the second is seen the power of God in that hee could make him In the third is seen the love of God in that he would make him after his owne Image In the fourth is seen the wisdome of God in that hee would make him a rationall creature jointly together they all shew that neer conjunction that ought to be of man with God and how earnestly man should desire a fuller enjoyment of his presence and communion who is unto man all in all So then you see that man is to be considered in a double respect First as hee is a creature Secondly as endued with a rationall soule of both which God is the principall authour Our parents indeed were the instruments of our fleshly being under God for without God they could not doe that for the fruit of the womb is the blessing of the Psal 127. 3. Lord And if the parents of the flesh were the onely and sole instruments of generation without God then might they exactly know how many muscles nerves veins bones of all sorts humours and joints were in the body yea where and how located but this they know not even the skilfullest Anatomist may fail herein hence saith the Psalmist I am fearfully and wonderfully made c. Psal 139. 14 15 16. Againe if the Parents of our flesh had the sole and onely power in our making then when our body is sick they might recover us or if any member were rotted away or cut off by violence they might restore it but this neither can they doe Sith then God is the principall cause of the bodies being which is earthly wee may well conclude that hee onely created the soul which is spirituall and that our earthly parents had no share in the creating of that at all Quod ex carne natum est caro Joh 3 6. est That which is born of the flesh is flesh But the soul is immortall created onely by God he onely it was who breathed in man the breath of life Gen. 2. 7. Adde to this the union of the soul with the body which makes the body to be compleat could not be effected by any other save onely that powerfull Worker whose word is a law no skill but Divine could unite them twaine together As then wee are creatures as wee are rationall creatures wee solely are the work of his hands that is of his Wisdome and of his Will Hence are those sayings in Scripture Thy hands have made mee and Psal 119. 33. Job 10. 11. fashioned me round about Thou hast clothed mee with skinne and flesh and fenced mee with bones and sinewes And saith the mother of the seven sons I know 2 Mac. 7. 22 23. not how yee came into my womb for I neither gave you breath nor life nor was it I that formed the members of every one of you But doubtlesse the Creatour of the world who formed man and found out the beginning of all things Secondly consider we whereof man was made viz. of the earth which is slimie and filthie and which wee tread under our feet By how much therefore man is made of viler substance by so much it stands him upon to be lowly and humble knowing that as hee is of the dust so to dust hee must returne and that dust at last shall be reduced to its former nothing for saith Peter The heavens 2 Pet. 3. 7. and earth that are now are by the word kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of judgement 'T is true that body which wee shall have at the generall resurrection although it shall be the self same flesh with which wee are now cloathed shall yet be incorruptible it shall not be as now it is earthy animated onely by a soul separable but it shall be spirituall all danger of separation being done away by Christs Spirit quickning it if wee be inheritors of the kingdome of heaven so much the words of Saint Paul import Flesh and bloud 1 Cor. 15. 50. cannot inherit the kingdome of God where by flesh and bloud the Apostle meaneth bodies earthy and fraile Nor may wee think with Origen that Mayer in loc our bodies shall not then consist of flesh and bones as now they doe and that the flesh shall be abolished because they are then called spirituall But as here our bodies are called animall because animated by the soule they both being kept together by means of sustenance Even so then our bodies are called spirituall because perfectly guided by the spirit and vivified unto a life that being without all sustenance shall never have end And that this is the Apostles meaning is evident when hee saith Corruption doth not inherit incorruption Thirdly Consider wee the forme in which man was created God created man after his own image it is not said after his own similitude Imaginis enim vox est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies diversly either it may be taken for the very Essence of God and so onely Christ is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Image Col. 1. 15. of God Or more emphatically as the same Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the expresse image Heb. 1. 3. of his person Or else the word may be taken as signifying Wisdome Justice c. which I have observed formerly Again Man was created or formed after Gods image not of Gods substance As then the substance of which man was made was more vile so the image in which hee was made was more glorious Nor doe I mean the outward shape of man consisting
The brightnesse of this knowledge breaks forth in this life when of sinners wee are made righteous by justification but attains not to its perfect heighth till wee are transformed into that image Thus wee passe from the glory of creation to the glory of justification and from the glory of being the sons of God to the glory of being like unto God Alluding hereunto is that of S. John Beloved wee are 1 John 3. 2. now the sons of God yet it doth not appeare what wee shall be but wee know that when hee shall appear wee shall be like him for wee shall see him as hee is In this life wee cannot in the life to come wee shall receive the endowments of perfect beatitude both in soule and body Here wee may onely conceive him with the eyes of our mindes but then we shall perceive him with the eyes of our bodies Even with these same eyes saith Job onely wee must Job 19. 26 27. grant that corruption must first put on incorruption for Flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome 1 Cor. 15. 50. of God Our bodies shall not then be earthy animated onely by a soule and separable from them as now they are but spirituall all danger and cause of separation being done away by the Spirit of Christ quickning us Nor yet may wee with Origen suppose that our bodies shall be aeriall and not consist of flesh and bones this repugneth Jobs confession and our Saviours body after his resurrection was not a spirit for that hath not flesh and bones as his bodie had which is Luk. 24. 39. an assurance that our very bodies shall rise again though not fraile as now they are but as Augustine Aug. epist 145. ad Consent sheweth they shall be spirituall not that the flesh shall be abolished but spirituall because fully guided by the spirit and vivified to a life being without all sustenance never to have end And reason there is why this our corruption should put on incorruption for how else can wee enjoy the incorruptible crowne of glory 1 Pet. 5. 4. By consequence therefore it must follow that whilest wee are clothed with corruptible clay Ex parte tantùm cognoscimus modicum ex multo Wee know but in part and alas lesse then wee ought wee are not able to discern the pure and perfect vision of the Deity Whilest we live in these earthy tabernacles our primest knowledge of God in respect of his incomprehensible Essence is like the knowledge of a childe to a man of riper yeeres weak and tender for children have not sapientiam ad sensum knowledge according to discretion The perfectest light that wee have of God in this life may well be compared to a kingdom descryed by a small land-skip here a citie there a castle here a village there a mountain here a forrest there a river here beasts there men all which are done with very little touches to represent greater bodies Even so our best knowledge of God is clouded and imperfect and our brightest speculation admits of much weaknesse and imperfection of many fogs and mists yea our knowledge in Theologie and Divine mysteries is obscure and in part quia fide nititur because it is built upon faith now that which reason cannot apprehend faith doth beleeve ideoque ex parte tantùm est scientia our knowledge therefore must needs be in part faith being the evidence of things not seen Wee see saith the Apostle sed per speculum as through a 1 Cor. 13. 12. glasse darkly our knowledge at the best being like dim-sighted eyes which see somewhat indeed of God through the glasse of the creatures and Scriptures or at the most by similitudes and figures by which God exhibiteth himselfe to such as are most in favour with him as to the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 12. 2. when hee was taken up into the third heaven and to S. John in Patmos in the Spirit Object But some may object and say If wee see God thorow a glasse then wee see him cleerly Speculum enim non rei imaginem sed rem ipsam oculis exhibet A glasse doth not set forth to us the image of the thing but the thing it selfe Sol. True a glasse doth demonstrate the thing it selfe to the eye yet so that still it is per radium non directum sed reflexum by a ray or beam not direct but reflexed and therefore not properly clearly and distinctly but at a distance obscurely and confusedly and such is our knowledge of God and divine mysteries in this mortall life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as through a glasse darkly per speculare as through spectacles which you know make things legible and visible which before were not and that per medium obscurum similitudinem umbrosam or as the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a riddle or as in my Text per cancellos per transennam as thorow grates or lattesses which is a Metaphoricall speech borrowed from merchants or trades-men qui per cancellos vimineos expandunt mercaturas who thorow grates or lattesses expose their wares for sale and to be viewed by such as passe along non propè sed procul non distinctè sed confuso modo not nigh at hand but at a distance not distinctly but confusedly And thus Almighty God manifesteth himselfe to us in this life not really and fully apparent but as from behind a wall as thorow grates or lattesses And yet not altogether so obscurely as that no knowledge can be had of him but that a true Christian by the eye of unblemished faith may be assured that there he stands for saith his Spouse Behold hee standeth behind our wall which is the fourth Generall of the Text. Behold hee standeth behinde our wall hee looketh forth c. By the way I pray observe that this word behold is not to be understood in this place as a note of attention but of demonstration quasi Ecclesia digito monstravit quem corde dilexit as if his Spouse pointed him out with her finger whom she loved in her heart Behold he standeth c. Quest But how is his Spouse assured of his voice and presence Resol Per visibilia invisibilem by things visible and audible shee is ascertained that it is onely hee for shee is assured that it is his voice that Cant. 5. 2. knocketh and calleth to her to open unto him she is assured that shee seeth him in the variety and beauty of the creatures shee is assured that shee heareth him in the book of the Scriptures shee is assured that shee feeleth him in the checks of her conscience shee is assured that shee smelleth him Cant. 5. 13. in the fragrancy of his graces and shee is assured that shee tasteth him in the sweetnesse of his word which the Apostle Peter calleth sincere milk and 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. Heb. 6. 4. the Apostle Paul the good word of God These are the windows thorow
there is a supreme Judge who will call them to an account which sting of theirs shewes the law of a supremer power written in their hearts Rom. 2. 15. 5. The execution of justice in rewarding the godly and punishing the wicked as in the deluge drowning all but eight persons as in delivering the Israelites and overthrowing Pharaoh and his host as in preserving Lot and his two daughters when Sodom was consumed So that a man Psal 58. 11. shall say Verily there is a reward for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that judgeth the earth Thus you see that there is a God but what this God is mortall man cannot define and that for two reasons 1. Because he is incomprehensible 2. Because his essence cannot be known Yet hath hee been pleased to make himselfe known to us these three wayes 1. By his Attributes as his Mercy Justice Wisdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Goodnesse to mankind and Truth all which are revealed to us who live within the lists of the Church but are not known unto the Heathen who are without the pales thereof 2. By his Persons being a Trinitie in Unitie this wee acknowledge that Tota Trinitas unus est Deus this the Heathen are ignorant of 3. By his works as of Creation Preservation Rule and Government which are known to none so clearly as they are to such to whom the sound of the Gospel hath come much lesse have the Heathen known that blessed work of Redemption by Christ Jesus Again the Attributes of God are either Nominall or Reall Nominall as * Exod. 15. 3. Jehovah which signifies an eternall Being of himself this Name he took unto himselfe thereby to point at and shadow out unto us his Essence which is incomprehensible by this Name †Exod. 6. 3. hee was not knowne unto Abraham Isaac and Jacob but by the name Shaddai which signifies Almighty that was a name of Omnipotency this a name of Majesty Or Jah that is Lord because hee is the Alpha of all things Or Elohim which shewes to us the distinction that is to be made of the Persons of the Trinitie * Mal. 1. 6. the Father †Luk. 1. 35. the Son * Acts 2. 4. the Holy Ghost Or as in the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as being the first Essence of all things hence is hee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sole Lord Paramount because hee hath his Being in and of himselfe and dependeth on none other Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he seeth or compasseth all things Other nominall Attributes there are as El Abba c. but I omit them and hasten to his reall Attributes such are they that are onely proper unto God and shew his divine Essence Such are either Absolute or Relative Absolute as his Perfection being solely of himselfe and giving life and being to all other creatures in the world or his Infinitenesse or Eternitie being principii finis expers having neither beginning of dayes nor length of time or his Invisibilitie not having any bodily shape and therefore not to be discerned by humane sense or his Immutabilitie a Mal. 3. 6. in his Essence I am the Lord I change not in his b Psal 33. 11. Will The Counsell of the Lord standeth for ever or in his c Jer. 23. 24. Place I the Lord fill heaven and earth or his Omnipotency for quicquid vult facit hee doth whatsoever pleaseth him To these I might adde his relative Attributes as Knowledge Wisdome Goodnesse Justice Truth Liberality Bounty Mercy c. Relative I call them because in God they are essentiall in man accidentall in man finite but in God infinite incomprehensible invisible Now all these Attributes are given unto God pro nostro captu vel ratione cognitionis nostrae in respect of us men and for our benefit by which that light which is in it self inaccessible may after a manner be shadowed out to the dim eye of our dull apprehension which is not able to behold so resplendent a Majestie for the glory of God doth far more excell the glory of the Sunne then the light of the Sunne doth the light of a candle Well may wee therefore admire and say O the heighth Rom. 11. 33. the breadth the length and the depth of the Infinitenesse and Invisibilitie of Almighty God! yea and pray also with the same Apostle That wee may Eph. 3. 18 19. be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth that so wee may be filled with the fulnesse of the knowledge of God whom to know is life eternall John 17. 3. Now there are foure degrees or windowes by and thorow which the presence of this God manifestly shineth to the eye of our souls The first whereof is universall whereby in his Jer. 23. 24. Psal 139 7. c. Essence hee is fully every-where inclusively nowhere totus est in toto mundo totus in qualibet mundi parte And as hee is thus universally present in his Essence so is hee also in all his essentiall Properties as his d Psal 147. 5. Wisdome e Deut. 9. 29. Power f Exod. 2. 5 6. Providence c. The second is speciall whereby hee is said to be in heaven g Eccles 5. 2. Psal 19. 1 6. because there his glory power wisdome and goodnesse are seen in a most excellent manner from whence also he showers down Acts 14 17. in a most plentifull sort his blessings upon us for our temporall benefit The third is most speciall as hee dwels by his gracious and sanctifying Spirit in the hearts of his elect and chosen so much S. Paul affirmes Know 1 Cor. 3. 16. ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you The fourth is most speciall and singular namely when hee is present by his Spirit in Christ so S. Paul In him viz. Christ dwelleth all the fulnesse Coloss 2. 9. of the Godhead bodily And yet in none of these can the brightnesse of the Deity be seen by the eyes of humane flesh and the reason is twofold Either 1. Ex parte objecti apparentis in regard of the excellency of Gods glorious Majestie appearing Or 2. Ex parte subjecti videntis in regard of mans infirmitie in beholding For the first cause Such is the Majestie and brightnesse of Almighty God that the most glorious Angels the Seraphims and Cherubims are Isa 6. 2. forced to cover their faces at his presence And if such created natures yea rather such spirituall substances cannot see that incorporeall uncreated Hom. 14. in Johan Dialog tit Immutabilis Vertue as Chrysostome calls it or as Theodoret that incomprehensible divine Substance much lesse can man If that saying of Christ be objected Matth. 18. Their Angels alwaies behold the face of my Father I answer The Angels see
they shall enter into the joy of their Master Lastly by enjoying Gods presence they shall with the holy Angels whom Augustine calls Hymnidici chori Aug. in Johan praise God without ceasing with a perfect heart freely so the Psalmist Blessed are they that dwell Psal 84. 4. in thy house they will be still praising thee To summe up all together In this beholding of Gods face the saints shall know the power of God the Father the wisdome of God the Son and the goodnesse of God the holy Ghost which is the joy of Angels which is the reward of eternall life which is the glory of the blessed spirits the new Jerusalem the perfection of blisse and that peace which passeth all understanding by vertue whereof they shall praise God and praising him love him and loving him possesse him who is the inheritance of his people witnesse his promise to Abraham I will Gen. 15. 1. be thine exceeding great reward O! say we all then O Lord thou art in thy selfe exceeding great and therefore thou must needs be an exceeding great reward It is life everlasting to see thee it is life Joh. 17. 3. everlasting to know thee and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ If then the wise men rejoyced to see Christ in the manger what joy will it be to see him in his glory If old Abraham rejoyced to see Joh. 8. 56. Aug. Tract 43. in Johan the day of Christ yet afarre off for hee rejoyced through hope that he should see it by understanding it and hee saw it then which what greater joy could be expressed for if they rejoyce who have their bodily eyes opened what joy doth the unutterable light of the soule bring If a bride rejoiceth not onely when she hears the voice of her bridegroom but more affectionately when shee enjoyeth his presence because they twaine shall be one flesh Or if a loving wife rejoiceth when her husband returneth safe after a long and tedious journey So and much more doth the soule of a Christian rejoice when shee is united to Christ her head Thus you see what inexpressible consolation this union of Christ yeeldeth to all the children of the first resurrection First in that they shall be so changed as that they shall be made capable of eternall glory Secondly in that death shall no more be terrible because their bodies shall be no more sinfull And herein the godly differ from the wicked in three respects 1. In the Causes for the wicked shall indeed rise but it is by reason of Gods summons when the trumpet shall blow and all must of necessity appeare whereas the godly rise to be united to their head Christ Jesus 2. In the Manner for the wicked rise with horrour and griefe whereas the godly rise with joy and comfort 3. In the End for the wicked rise to eternall confusion whereas the godly rise to everlasting glorification They that live in Christ shall sleep in Christ and such as sleep in Christ God will bring 1 Thes 4. 14 17. with him and they shall be ever with him Lastly This union of the godly with Christ shall be glorious in regard of their cohabitation for the wicked after sentence pronounced by Christ who then shall sit as Judge shall be hurled into hell a place loathsome and grievous because of that stinke which never shall be abated and because of that pain that never shall be ended whereas the godly shall be enthronized in a kingdom prepared for them from the beginning of the world which is a kingdome of blisse in which they shall live eternally So then as the pains of the one place are universall so are the pleasures of the other universall also Pain and pleasure in this life are temporall in the other they are eternall and as the torture of the one in regard of the losse of Christs presence is inexpressible so the comfort of the other in the fruition of his presence is unconceivable With old Simeon then who rejoiced to embrace Christ in his arms at the time of his presentation let all true-hearted professors rejoice in that Christ will present them to his Father when the time shall come for their glorification In the mean time while we see him standing behinde our wall let us sing with that old Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen the Prince of peace thy salvation FINIS ERRATA Pag. 7. lin 22. for most reade more p. 10. l. 27. for as r. us p. 26. l. 2. for unto r. to p. 34. l. 21. for for r. forth