Herod fancies himself neglected by it and the innocent babes who were concern'd in neither of them are punisht for the ones omission and the others mistake Nay and 3. it seems Gods own contrivement too And does the God of Justice so little regard innocent blood as thus to draw it on by the way of a particular providence we cannot understand the reason of 'T is enough God does We have nought to do but to submit and think that best that God does be it never so hard Our own wisdom will mock the wisest of us more then Herod was by the Wise men if we pry narrowlier For the only business we can see clearly here is how small a thing men make an occasion to commit a villany How great a matter does a a little fire kindle says St. Iames iii. 5. Lord how easily do men raise themselves into an anger and in their anger fall presently upon the next comes near them dig down a wall too to come at them Need we had with St. Paul to cut off occasion from them that desire occasion 2 Cor. xi 12. do what we can to do it for there are those that will take it even concerning the Law of our God as Daniels adversaries serv'd him Dan. vi 4. rather then want an opportunity to do mischief Indeed I know a mock an affront a bitter jest a cutting word strikes deep wounds sore and I could wish men would be warier in that point then sometimes we see them Kingdoms and Churches have been shatter'd by it but there are mocks as well as scandals that are taken and not given These I know not how to cure and to fence less Men think sometimes they are mockt when disappointed of a sin of a project of doing mischief Potiphars Wife when Ioseph would not comply with her lewd desires she was mockt forsooth the Hebrew servant came in to mock her when he would not come in to sin with her nay and her Husband must bear the blame as if he had done it brought him to that purpose Gen. xxxix 14. There being disappointed of a sin was being mockt Dalilah forsooth she is mockt too she says because Samson will not discover where his great strength lay Iudges xvi 10 13 15. that she might rob him of it and destroy him by it There being disappointed of doing mischief was being mockt Again Balaam he is mockt by the poor Ass smites her with his staff and tells her so when she falls down and would go no further Numb xxii 29. hindering thereby the project he was going about of enriching himself with the wages of unrighteousness There the disappointment of a rich or gainful project is a being mockt Nay sometimes the very denouncing of Gods judgments seems to some men a mocking as it did to Lots sons in law Gen. xix 8. Sometimes the very preaching a Resurrection does so too Acts xvii 32. I am afraid both do so still to many now adays whose Wits are more then their Religion and their parts greater then their graces not to say their portions too in this life fairer I fear then in the other Sometimes 6. when God bids one thing and men another God sends us this way and they call that if we obey Gods order and not their ordinance they are mockt they think and slighted and we must look to answer it with our peril and the children unborn perhaps may rue it In a word men will needs think they are mockt sometimes say here with Herod they see it too unless you will betray Christ and his Religion to them that they may seize and order them how they please That 's the brief of the business here that Herod so much stomacht that the Wise men would not do so would not tell him where Christ was that he might murther him If now the being disappointed of a sin of a project of doing mischief if the obedience to Gods command if the protecting Christ which were all the cases here or if the denouncing Gods Judgments against sinners or the preaching of the Resurrection or the defence of our Religion and not betraying it which is almost the parallel case sometimes must pass with some great men and men of wit for a mocking of them and a sufficient occasion for tyrannical spirits to bring on ruine and destruction even upon the innocent and a warrantable ground to justifie War or Murther rapine or injustice God help us and keep us upon all occasions we know not when we are safe The comfort only is God is not mockt he sees it and disposes it Christ is safe by the hand and how ill soever it falls out man only is mockt our enemies are so and all is well III. This for the occasion that brought this days Lambs to the slaughter But was there not some cause besides had Herod no cause to do it All we find exprest is that he was wroth exceeding wroth that 's our third particular And truly that 's enough in some mens judgments to cast down all before them Enough we have found it but cause I cannot call it to call it right Man 's own impetuous anger will not excuse the mischief it commits Anger it self must have a cause or it but aggravates the sin is so near a sin it self that 't is hard to discerâ— and discover when it is not The Apostle cannot mention being angry but he adds with the same breath and sin not Ephes. iv 26. dares not leave anger to breath it self without that caution Yet supposing the anger not a sin exceeding is Though we may perhaps be angry we must not be exceeding Moses and Aaron both paid for it Numb xx 10 12. lost the enjoyment of Canaan fell short of their rest by it and this same exceeding still disturbs our rest and quiet nothing more Moses his just indignation at the golden Calf made him somewhat oversee himself when it made him cast down and break the Tables of the Commandments which God himself had written with his own finger Exod. xxxii 19. A shrewd intimation to us that the violence of that passion even in a good cause sometimes is very prone ever and anon to make us do so too do that in a moral and worse sense break the Commandments worse far then they were broken then But if the cause be bad and the wrath exceeding no wonder if it break out into all excesses Shall we examine what it was here for the causes of our angers are not always written upon our foreheads Was it that the Magi neglected his commands came not to him in their return that was somewhat but that was not it Was it that he truly thought himself mock'd by their not returning by him Then indeed it was but it was not that that was the occasion but not the cause What was it think we then why Christ he saw was now in a possibility to escape him and by a misconceit his Kingdom he imagin'd lay now at
measure and order in them to profess none that are wicked or only vain and curious and to no profit to submit our knowledge to faith and our determination to the Churches not to over-value them or our selves by them but only make them hand-maids to guide us to the Cross of Christ and there with Mary Magdalen and the good women stand weeping at it not to know any of them otherwise to resolve and determine nothing of Christ by them and not to know them where they will know no submission and order I come now to our knowledge and 't is indeed the only saving one Iesus Christ and him crucified nothing save that nothing to that For you may now take notice that it is not an absolute determination not to know a decree for ignorance but a determination with a But not any thing save then save something something to be known still Some have been blam'd for making Ignorance the mother of Devotion yet themselves that blam'd them have advanc'd it to be the mother of Religion now whilst they set up meer ignorants I might say more to be the Apostles of it fit teachers I confess of their Religion which so much abhors the Cross of Christ as to cast it off their own shoulders upon other mens and the name of Iesus as to reckon it superstition to respect it But this great Preacher of the Cross as much as he seems determined not to know had yet languages more than all these Corinthians he writes to tells them of it too 1 Cor. xiv 18. though he will not boast of it disputes even in Corinth in the Synagogue of the Iews Acts xix 8. and in the Schools of the Gentiles ver 9. quotes Heathen Poets too to the men of Athens Acts xvii 28. and to Titus Tit. i. 12. that we may know that the preachers of the Gospel may read other Books besides the Bible shall never read that to understand it if they do not 'T is only in some cases and with some persons we are not to make profession of them and meerly too upon private determination as our own wisdom and prudence shall direct us not that God or Christ has determined the least against it God would have his people to seek his Law at the mouth of the Priest Malachy ii 7. and adds the reasons because his lips should keep knowledge And Christ Iesus though he made poor simple Fishermen his Apostles to divulge his Gospel yet he would not have the blind lead the blind for fear of falling both into the ditch St. Matth. xv 14. and therefore promises to give them wisdom St. Luke xxi 15. such wisdom as all their adversaries should not be able to gain-say and sends down the Holy Ghost with the gifts of tongues to sit upon them all so little is there to be said for the ignorant and unlearned mans teaching from them who before they went about that work were so highly furnished and endued And though the Apostle here resolve the Corinthians to make no profession of those great knowledges yet it is to shame them only from the great estimate and confidence they set upon them and reduce them to humility and into order and to edifie them that he chooses and prefers to speak among them but five words in a known tongue before all languages to no purpose And indeed all tongues are too little to speak of that the Apostle is here about Iesus Christ and him crucified all knowledges not sufficient to make us know him and teach him as we should We had need have all tongues and knowledges all words and eloquence to set it forth Well then at least let us about it to see what it is to know Iesus Christ and him crucified 'T is the determination of this determined knowledge to Christ to Christ Iesus to Christ Iesus crucified to this only and no other object among them A knowledge this the most profitable the most happy the most glorious even eternal life it is to know Iesus Christ St. Iohn xvii 3. Nor does his Crucifying abate any thing of the glory of it St. Paul makes it his only glory Gal. vi 14. with a God forbid that he should glory in any thing as here not know any thing else but in the Cross of the Lord Iesus Christ. Indeed hence flows all our happiness the wound in his side is the hole of the rock in which only the soul can lie secure the water that issued out thence is the only laver to cleanse it in the blood the only drink it lives by the wood of the Cross the only tree of life the title of it better to us than all the titles of the earth the reproach of it better than all the honours of the world the pains of it sweeter than all the pleasures under heaven the wounds better cordials and restoratives to a sick soul than all the Physick nature or skill affords There is not a grain of that holywood but of more worth than all the grains of Gold that the Indies can afford There is not a vain in that crucified Body of Iesus but it runs full with heavenly comfort to us There is nothing in Christ crucified but man glorified Who indeed would not be determined to fix all his knowledge here to dwell here for ever but so immense and vast is this happy subject that I must limit it yet I shall give you notions that you may improve whilst I tell you to know Christ crucified is to know him as we do other things by the four causes of it the efficient the material the formal and the final So to know him is to know who crucified him for what he was crucified how it was he was crucified and to what end he was crucified It was his own love that mov'd him to it it was God that sent him and delivered him up to it it was Iudas that betrayed him to it it was both the Iews and Gentiles that had the hand in doing it And what know we hence but this his infinite goodness Gods unspeakable mercies mans base ingratitude this mystery in all how vastly Gods purposes and mans differ in the same business how infinitely good and gracious God is even where men are most wicked and unthankful Know we then the material cause of his sufferings for a second and the matter for which he suffer'd was our iniquities for the transgressions of my people says the Prophet was he smitten Isa. liii 8. And to know this is to deplore it to abhor and detest our selves who were the causes of so vile using the Son of God Know we 3. and consider the formal cause the manner of his crucifying a death most cruel most lingring most ignominious to have his back all furrowed with whips and rods to hang naked upon the Cross by the hands and feet and them nailed to it through the most tender parts where all the organs of sense are quickest to be given vinegar and
all taken away and all of you undone for ever But now he is not here you may hope better and dread no longer and I shall quickly put you out of all fear indeed for I shall tell you now He is risen as he said IV. And now indeed O blessed Angel thou saist something Away all my fears He is risen Why then 1. He is above the malice of his enemies and of all that hate him They and the Souldiers that crucified him may be dismaid and look all like dead men for fear but I shall never be dismaid hereafter seeing death has no more dominion over him For 2. if he be risen we shall rise one day too If our head be risen the body ere long will rise also He is the first fruits 1 Cor. xv the whole lump of course will follow after So certain that the Apostle tells us that in him we are all already made alive ver 22. and with indignation asks how some among them durst be so bold to say there was no resurrection of the dead seeing Christ is risen ver 12. But is he not rather raised than risen 3. that they durst say so Was it by his own power or anothers By his own sure for all the Evangelists say unanimously he is risen Indeed 't is said Acts iv 10. that God rais'd him from the dead It was so for he was God himself he and his Father one St. Ioh. x. 30. so God rais'd him and yet he rais'd himself was not rais'd as the Widows Son or Iairus Daughter or his Friend Lazarus but so as none other ever were or shall be rais'd and risen and yet so risen as not rais'd by any but himself that 's a third note upon He is risen And 4. risen so as to die no more All they did but he not He convers'd a while with his Disciples upon earth so by degrees to raise them too but after forty days he ascended into heaven Risen surely to purpose risen above all heavens risen into glory And if thus risen we have good cause 1. to raise our thoughts up after him entertain higher thoughts of him than before though then we knew him after the flesh yet now with the Apostle henceforth to know him so no more Good cause 2. If He be risen to raise up our affections after him set our affections as the Apostle infers it upon things above Col. iii. 1 2. and no longer upon things beneath set them wholly upon him Nay and 3. Raise our selves upon him build all our thoughts and hopes upon him build no longer upon Sand and Earth but upon that Rock that is now risen higher than we in whom we need fear no storms or tempests we cannot miscarry And in the mean time lastly Now he is risen let us rise and meet him rise in hast with Mary yet not to go to the grave to weep as they thought of her but to cast our selves at his feet and cry Lord If thou hadst been here if I had found thee in the grave my brother and I and all my brethren had died indeed been irrecoverably ruin'd and undone And yet for all that Come now and see where the Lord lay Be your own eyes your witnesses that He is risen And 't is but just that in so doubtful a condition of affairs and a change so unheard of you should seek an evidence not to be contradicted Come then and see it The place will shew it and your eyes shall behold it Indeed that he is risen as he said to a tittle to a day assoon as ever it could be imagined day is an argument that not being here he is truly risen Yet 't is fit that we should be certain he is not there For 't is fit that we should be able to give a reason of the faith that is in us says St. Peter We can neither believe unreasonable things our selves nor imagine others should believe them We are not to take our Religion upon trust from an Angel Si Angelus de Coelo says St. Paul Not from an Angel coming from Heaven it self Some Angel it seems thence may speaking to an absolute possibility preach some other doctrine then what we have received but believe him not says the Apostle if he do Gal. i. 8. But suppose an Angel thence can speak no other yet there is an Angel that is from below from the pit of darkness that can transform himself into an Angel of light We had therefore need take heed to our own eyes too as well as to our ears The best way to fix them is to look first into the grave of Iesus that was crucified see what we can find there to make good what the Angel tells us be he who he will Try the spirits says St. Ioh. i. 4 1. Whether they be of God before we trust them See whether things are as they are presented 'T is but dark day yet we may be deceived if we look not narrowly into the business even to the very inmost corners and cranies of the grave Come see then what is there Nothing but the linnen cloths that wrapt him in says S. Ioh. xx 6 7. and two Angels says St. Luke xxiv 4. Well this was enough indeed to prove he was not there But how proves it that he was risen had not some body stoln him thence The grave was clos'd the stone was seal'd the guard was set and who durst come to do it His Disciples why they were stoln away themselves for very fear And it is not probable they would venture for him through a guard of Souldiers when he was dead that ran from him when he was alive The Iews Why they set a watch to keep him there The Souldiers why who should hire them or Why should they take money to deny it if they were hired to it Besides it was against the Iews interests to give so fair a ground to the report of his Resurrection and his Disciples had so little subtilty to maintain so forlorn an interest as theirs that it looks not like a piece of their contrivance and so poor a purse God knows they had that they could not see so largely as to reach it Nay and the linnen cloths left all behind are a kind of witnesses against it 'T is not probable they would have stoln the dead body and left them when they came to steal and the laying them so in order by themselves requires more leisure than a theives hast So being clearly gone and clearly none to own the theft and none to prove it and nothing to evince it 't is plain he must be risen as he said We have now then no more to do then see the place where c. And where he lay we call the grave A good place sometimes to go into the house of mourning better to go into than the house of mirth says Solomon who had tried both best to recal our wandring thoughts to prepare both for a comfortable death
civil and handsom terms gestures and carriage that we should carry our selves like men at least if we will not like Christians And for such times as the Text refers to 't is but seasonable 1. That the sufferers do not increase their sufferings with their own incivilities or corrupt or dishonour them by so doing and 2. That those that cause them to suffer do not enhance the others sufferings remembring that themselves also are but men and the spoke of the wheel as that Captive King observed which is now above may by and by be below again especially if it be true as true it is that the Lord is at hand his Chariot is coming after and the Mother of Sisera the greatest Captain need not ask why tarry the Wheels of it so long why is it so long a coming It will come and will not tarry 't is happy if it come not on us whilst we are raâ—ting and railing against any whosoever 3. There is a third signification of the word for Modesty so the Latin renders it Modestia As fit a posture for sad times for any times be the Lord at hand or be he not as any whatsoever Not the peculiar vertue of women only though of them 1 Tim. ii 9. but of men too an especial way to win our adversaries to win Infidels to Christianity when they shall behold our conversation in all sweetness and composure our bodies comely and decently apparelled our gate sober our gesture grave our eyes modest our countenance compos'd our speech discreet our behaviour all in order when they shall see us merry without lightness jesting without scurrility sober without sullenness grave without doggedness compos'd without affectedness serious without dulness all our demeanour wholly bent to all Christian well-pleasingness at all times with all companies upon all occasions in all places and businesses This is nothing but moderation neither we may keep the English still moderation in our garb and habit and discourse and motion modesty that is moderation in them all 4. Yet there is a fourth acception of the word for that sweet and meek and gentle temper of the mind whereby we carry our selves patiently and unmov'd in persecution not rendring evil for evil to them that persecute us not vexing and tearing our selves upon it not studying revenge or returning mischief but on the contrary good for evil blessing for cursing prayers for imprecations committing our cause and our selves to God that judgeth righteously this is the true Christian moderation that to which we are called says S. Peter that of which Christ gave us an example suffered as well for that to give us an example of it as any thing else 1 S. Pet. ii 21 22 23. That to which belongs the blessing S. Mat. v. 5. from this Lord that is at hand 'T is the very vocation of a Christian the very design of the Christians Lord a blessedness there is in the very doing it when and whilst we so suffer we are blessed S. Mat. v. 10. even before that great reward in heaven bidden therefore ver 12. to rejoyce and be exceeding glad upon it bidden by S. Iames to count it all joy S. Iames i. 2. bidden by S. Paul in the verse before the Text to rejoyce and rejoyce again upon it Nay so exceeding joy it seems the Christian feels in it that he is fain upon the back of it in this very verse to call to us to be moderate in the expressing it to call to us for moderation in it lest we should even burst with it or overflow into some extraordinary effusions of it and so provoke more affliction by it Rejoyce the Apostle would have us in our sufferings for Christ but yet with moderation be meek and patient and contented and resigned in them yet not as we were sensless careless or desperate but discreet and moderate in them all neither so sensible of them nor anxious in them as to forget others and our respects due to any of them nor so sensless and careless to forget our selves and the care due unto our selves This the moderation most proper to the persons and time persons under persecution and in the time of being so the most seasonable advice and as seasonable to be given when the Lord is at hand moderation to be observed in the expectation of his coming They were not too hastily to expect it The Thessalonians were almost shaken in mind and troubled by so hasty a conceit that the day of Christ was at hand 2 Thess. ii 2. That Christ was just then a coming S. Paul was fain to stop their haste to moderate their expectation to tell them though the day was near it was not so near as they supposed it they must be content to expect a little longer some things were to be done first So necessary seems moderation in this point too lest expecting the Lord too soon and failing of him they should be shaken and fall away from him as if he had deceived them quit their Faith and Religion for want of patience and moderation Thus you have the four senses of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 four kinds of moderation Equity or Clemency Humanity or Civility Modesty or Sobriety and Meekness or Gentleness It follows next that they be shewed that we shew them all that we make them known Let your moderation be known For sufficient it is not always to do well we must be known to do it though not do it to be known yet be known to do it Indeed when we fast or pray or give alms or do any good work we must not do it that we may appear to men to do so St. Mat. vi 3 4 6 18. yet it must appear to men for all that sometimes that we do so Ye that is ye Christians are the light of the world and a light is not to be put under a bushel S. Mat. v. 15. but on a Candlestick to give light unto all that are in the house Let your light therefore shine before men ver 16. Shine so before them that they may see your good works see and glorifie glorifie God that has given such graces unto men glorifie him again by taking thence an example of such things to themselves There have been are still doubtless many that brag much of Faith and Holiness and Purity nay of Meekness and moderation too but if we call them to S. Iames his shew us them as he requires them by their works we may say as Christ said of the Lepers that were cleansed S. Luke xvii 18. There are scarce found one of ten that shew that return of Glory unto God if one they count him but a Samaritan no true Israelite for it though S. Iames says expresly Faith is dead where there is no such expression and for those other vertues the very action is so evidently outward that they must needs be known where they are they cannot be hid are not the vertues they pretend to if not
to anoint the Humanity with the Deity without which he could not have been the Saviour could not have made satisfaction for so infinite a mass of sins Gods blessing meerly it was his meer goodness and blessing so to contrive salvation to us to enable the Manhood with the Godhead to go through the work of our Redemption God so loved the world that he sent his Son into the world in our mortal nature thus enabled thus beautified thus filled that we might all be partakers of his fulness 4. Yet in the fourth place though Christ as meer man could not deserve this grace and beauty yet when once the Manhood was united to the Godhead then he deserv'd the second blessing Then propterea therefore God hath blessed him is as true a rendring as the other then when being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death then comes in St. Paul's therefore or wherefore rightly Phil. ii 8 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name that at the name of Iesus every knee should bow that we should bow our selves in humility and thankfulness unto him that every tongue should confess all tongues bless him and bless God for him that we might praise him in the Church in the midst of the Congregation For a double blessing has Christ purchas'd to himself a blessing upon his Person and a blessing upon his Church By his Grace and Beauty he has first purchas'd to himself a name and then a Church a glorious one too Ephes. v. 27. made himself the head of it For it pleased God that in him should all fulness dwell it pleased him also by that fulness to reconcile all things to himself to make him the head of all the Saviour of them all to bless him in the ordinary stile of Scripture where children are called the blessing of the Lord to bless him with an everlasting seed a Church and people to the end of the world do the gates of Hell what they can against it 5. There remains nothing now but our Benedixit to answer God's our blessing to answer his We to bless him again for all his blessings For to that purpose is both Christs grace and Gods blessing all his blessings therefore fulness of grace in him that it might be diffus'd and poured out upon us therefore diffus'd and poured out upon us that we might pour out something for it Bene fecit for Benedixit some good works or other at least Benedixit for Benedixit good words for it blessing for blessing Indeed 't is but Benedixit here with God but dixit fecit he said and it was done saying and doing are all one with God should be so with us if we would be like him our deeds as good as our words our piety as fair as our pretences that 's the only truly blessing God And the likest too to last in secula to hold for ever Good words and praising God in words is but the leaves of the tree of blessing and leaves you know will wither the stock and trunck is blessing God in earnest by good works by expressing the diffusions of this grace in our lives and actions by imitating and conforming our selves to the beauty of this beloved If he be so fair as you have seen it how can we now but love him if his lips so full of grace how can we but delight to hear him to hear his word If blessed how can we less then strive to be partakers of his blessing If for ever how can we but desire to be ever with him perpetually attending him If his beauty was Gods blessing let us humbly acknowledge ours comes all from him If the grace of his lips were the blessing of Gods let us know we are not able of our selves to speak so much as a good word as of our selves If again he was therefore blessed because he was so beautiful and so diffus'd his grace us'd both his beauty and eloquence to bring about the children of men to become the children of God let us so employ those smaller glimmerings of beauty and gifts of grace we have to the service and glory of God and his Christ. We dote much upon worldly beauties we think we talk we dream of them our minds and affections are ever on them wholly after them Why do we not so on Christ and after him he is the fairest of ten thousand Solomon in all his glory not like him none of all the Sons of Adam comes near him Why do we not then delight to look upon him to discourse with him to talk of him to be ever with him What 's the reason we do not season our labours our recreations our retirements our discourses with him We are easily won with fair words and gracious speeches Lo here are lips the most eloquent that ever were why do we not even hang upon them why do we not with the Spouse in the Canticles desire him to kiss us with the kisses of his lips to communicate his fulness to us Indeed I can render no cause at all but that we are so immerst in flesh and earthly beauties that we cannot see the true heavenly beauty of Christ or we do not believe it And yet this Jesus is every where to be seen his Ministers his Word his daily Grace preventing directing and assisting preserving and delivering us the creatures plainly and evidently enough discover him daily to us But to day we have a fairer discovery and sight of him This Iesus that is so fair this Iesus so full of grace this Iesus so blessed of God for ever is this day presented to us in his Blessed Sacrament there is he himself in all his beauty all his fulness Say we then to him Come in thou blessed of the Lord come in we have made ready and prepared the house for thee and for thy Camels for thy self and those consecrated elements that carry and convey thee Get we our vessels ready and shut the door to us as the poor Widow did shut out all worldly thoughts and wandring fancies that he may pour out his oyl his grace into them till they be full And pour we out our souls before him in all devotion and humility in all praise and thanksgiving Is not the cup we are to take the cup of blessing in the Apostles stile take we it then and bless him with it taste and see how gracious the Lord is see and behold how fair he is how amiable and lovely and be ravish'd with his beauty and sweetness and never think we can be satisfied with it with seeing or hearing or blessing him but be always doing so for ever So shall he make us fair with his beauty good with his grace happy with his blessedness bring us one day to see his face in perfect beauty and so see his grace poured out into glory there to bless and praise and magnifie him for ever
it of either the one or the other much more of both cannot want strength to die be the death of what kind it will It was a gallant speech of Luther when he was disswaded from appearing before the Council of Wormes I think it was that he would go thither though all the tiles of the houses were so many Devils Had every stone that was cast at the Martyr Stephen been a Devil he would not after this vision have been afraid The Lord is my light and my salvation whom then should I fear the Lord is the strength of my life of whom then shall I be afraid says David Psal. xxvii 1. and yet he saw nothing like this sight Gods presence is enough whether it be seen by the eye of sense or by the eye of Faith to keep us stedfast to make death hide its head for fear while we stand triumphing over it I conceive it impertinent to make it a business to enquire too solicitously what this glory was and how St. Stephen saw it That it was some glorious sight some high resplendent light or brightness such as God used to appear in as Exod. xxiv 17. Numb xiv 10. 1 Kings viii 10. to Moses and his Prophets there call'd his glory or some apparition of Angels in shining garments winging about a throne of glory visibly appearing to the eye of the Martyr Stephen is the probablest to conceive and the shining of his face as if it had been the face of an Angel chap. vi ver 15. is an evidence it was a visible appearance But no doubt his understanding saw further then his eye into Heaven that lookt and saw a glory there of which the sense though elevated to his height cannot be capable Divinum lumen says St. Gregory Nissen the inaccessible light Spem in re says St. Hilary His hope already Deum Divinitatem says St. Austin God and the Godhead Imo Trinitatem and that facie revelata says he again The blessed Trinity unveiled Futurae vita gaudia says Bede The joys of the other life These all he saw say they and we shall make no scruple to say in Spirit so he did as far as humane nature is capable in this condition But without question Christ he saw in his body standing amidst that glory the words are plain for that and that alone were enough to put courage into the most coward heart To see his Faith confirm'd by sight and Christs Glory with the Father visibly appear to see whom he had trusted and for whom he had laboured and disputed now with his own eyes in glory must needs make him kiss the hands that would now send him so soon to him To see him 2. standing at the right hand of God as if he were risen from his sitting there to behold the sufferings and courage of his Martyr that stood below now made a spectacle to Christ and all his Angels that 's an honour he may well glory in To see him 3. standing amidst his hosts as if he were coming down to help him that adds more spirit still To see him 4. standing at the right hand of God as if he suffered with him and was therefore pleading for him as friends and advocates used to do with the accused party at the Bar. This infuses yet a greater confidence that notwithstanding all his sins or weaknesses he shall now easily prevail To see him 5 standing as a Priest to offer him up a sweet smelling sacrifice to his Father that still increases it To see him lastly standing like a judge of masteries at the end of the race or goal to crown him with a crown of glory cannot but make him think long for the death that shall bring him to it All these ways Christ may be brought in here as standing for us In the Creed we profess him sitting thereby acknowledging his place in Heaven and his right to be our Judge yet when his Saints and Servants have need of him he stands up to see what it is they want how valiantly they behave themselves he stands up to shew them who it is they trust he stands up to help and aid them he stands up to plead and even suffer with them he stands up to present them to his Father he stands up to reward them with the garlands of Glory Sometimes it is oftner it has been when the beginning of Christianity needed it at first that by some visible comforts and discoveries he shews himself to the dying Saint Often it is that the soul ready to depart feels some sensible joys and ravishments to uphold its failing spirits But he is never wanting with inward assistances and refreshments to those who suffer for him We must not look all of us nor Confessors nor Martyrs now adays to see Visions and Revelations with St. Stephen we are set in a fixt way where Reason and Religion so long prov'd and practis'd is able to give us comfort in the saddest distresses God does not usually confirm our reason by our sense in the revelation of himself or what he expects from us It may be because the Devil grown cunning now by so many centuries of years has taken up of late as he is Gods ape a way to fetch off souls by some sensible delusions from the Faith for he can transform himself nay does so says the Apostle into an Angel of light For this it may be God sends us now to the word and to the testimony and leaves us to reason tradition and example of so many ages to expound it However this is sufficient that neither God nor Christ will leave us wholly comfortless but will surely stand by us when we need and supply us as there is Indeed he cannot look for such a profession upon it as we find here from St. Stephen yet to a stedfast profession of our Faith those assistances he still allows us are sufficient We will look a little upon Stephens though And first here is a kind of profession of the Blessed Trinity the Holy Ghost here at the beginning of the first verse of the Text God in the middle and Jesus at the end Here is 2. a profession of Christs manhood whilst he calls him the Son of Man Here is 3. a profession of his Faith in all of them by his so loud proclaiming Here is 4. a profession of Gods ready help Christs ready assistance to his Saints in trouble Here is 5. a profession of Gods owning the Christians cause and gloriously standing up to confirm and maintain Here is 6. a profession of Christs opening Heaven to all Believers that Heaven is always open to us if we could see it that Gods Glory shines upon us to shew us the way thither that Christ stands there to make our way to guide us thither Here lastly is a profession of his confidence and resolution that though his enemies stand pressing now about him and Death before him he will not eat his words will not renounce his faith
stake seeing the King of the Jews whose birth he had lately heard of and so much dreaded was now gotten he fear'd out of his reach This was the business that so toss'd him and turmoil'd him and from it we learn these five particulars 1. What strange fears and jealousies our interests and ambitions raise within us 2. What unreasonable mistakes those fears and jealousies bring us to 3. What hideous cruelties those mistakes make us run upon 4. How hardly Christ himself escapes from them 5. Or if he does how exceeding wroth and angry we grow upon it 1. If interest or ambition possess our thoughts how do we tremble at the very whistlings of the wind and start at every shadow Let Adonijah but beg Abishag and he is interpreted to beg the Kingdom 1 Kings ii 22. Let Abijah find Iereboam in the way and foretel him the Kingdom shall be his when Solomon sleeps with his Fathers and Solomon cannot sleep in quiet till he has driven him out of the land 1 Kings xi 40. And 2. When these fears have once seiz'd upon us what mistakes run we not into Ahimelech gives David but a few loaves of bread and a Sword to defend him in the way he went and he is presently mistaken by Saul for a plotter against his life for a traitor and a conspirator 1 Sam. xxii 13. Many such mistakes men have made of late too late I fear to be yet forgotten Yet forgotten they would be easily came they not 3. attended with cruelties at their heels Ahimelechs being mistaken unhappily cost him and his family all their lives except Abiathar's Men and Women Children and Sacklings Oxen and Asses and Sheep all to the Sword upon it 1 Sam. xxii 19. There is no stop nor bounds to the rage of that error and mistake which interest and ambition raise or nourish for their own ends and purposes It were well Christ himself could escape them 4. But Christ and Religion bear the blame as soon as any And when I told you Ahimelech and the Priests suffered so deep upon mistake it was ready enough for you to conceive Religion cannot always defend it self or its Priests and Votaries from the fury even of an unfortunate Politician Saul or Herod And if the Messiah himself and known to be so must be sought out to be destroyed even by him who both knew it and seem'd to desire it there are men it seems that for their interests can knew Christ and yet persecute him No wonder then if they deal so with his Children and Servants and persecute them though they know them such Or lastly if Christ himself by some peculiar providence be delivered from their rage if the grounds of Religion escape sound the lesser parts the Rites and Ceremonies and lesser points of Religion the Innocents must be massacred for we are exeeding angry and though the Head escape the lesser members shall pay dearly for it which though the great ones do not the little ones shall Herod sends out and slays all the children that were in Bethlehem and the coasts about as many as he can lay hands on His interests make him fear his fears make him mistake his mistake makes him cruel and though Christs Kingdom be not of this world nor Christ an enemy either to Herod or Caesar yet the politician is bound in honour to justifie his own fears and rather than put up a fancied affront or slighting or confess a mistake wreak his anger upon the helpless Innocents and make them both the Martyrs of Christ and the witnesses of his own cruelty Those are they I am next to speak of IV. And I justly call them Martyrs for if it be the cause that makes the Martyr and we say it is and Christs cause be that which entitles them more particularly to that name I am sure they are no less their cause was Christs for his sake they were killed as the Psalmist speaks all the day long accounted too as sheep or little lambs appointed to be slain Psalm xliv 22. And you may see them following the Lamb too under that notion with the Fathers name written in their foreheads Rev. xiv 1. the very first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb ver 4. the first that suffered that died for him Who though they could not some of them speak at all and other of them but jabber at the most yet they all speak out and plain these fallowing lessons 1. That there is no age too young for Christs business one way or other They that cannot speak for Christ can die for him They that cannot come themselves may be brought to him They that cannot live with him being just going out of the world as they are coming in may die with him in holy Baptism e're they go Even of such also is the Kingdom of God St. Mat. x. 44. and it matters not whether they go by Blood or Water thither Nor 2. is any age too young to speak out Christs Glory neither Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength thou hast perfected praise says the Prophet Psal. viii 2. S. Matth. xxi 16. and never more eminently fulfilled then this day their very cries were songs of praise Hosanna's to the Son of David blessed is he that cometh Hallelujahs in the ears of God in whose name he cometh None ever cried it louder or proclaimed it higher The Choire is a full one too of all the children of Bethlehem and the coasts about to such an age 14000. is the least that any say 44. some A full Chorus indeed a large first-fruits of Martyrdom to teach us thirdly not to doubt of that which is attested by so many witnesses the coming of Christ nor think strange of that condition which entered with him which entred first with Christianity whilst it yet was in the Cradle Persecution and Martyrdom but to bear it patiently ever when it comes seeing Children themselves have undergone it here by thousands and trod the way before us But they not only teach us patience by their martyrdom but innocency by their innocence a fourth lesson that they give us Let Herod and all his Hosts all the Herods and Hosts and Armies of the world do what they can they cannot hurt us if we keep our innocence Out of the world they may thrust us but into Heaven it is they drive us Here if they please they may truly see themselves mockt indeed when against their wills they undo us into a Kingdom think they destroy us but will find at last to their confusion that they have been the great instruments to us both of life and glory Rapiunter quidem says S. Austin à complexibus matrum sed redduntur gremus angelorum These Infants says he were snatcht indeed from their Mothers breasts but into the laps of Angels were they carried and into the bosom of the Almighty Quos feliciter nati says he again How happily were they born that were thus early
the body to make some expression in their way and order But not the powers of the body alone but all the powers of the soul too Praise the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy name Psal. ciii 1. Our souls magnifie the Lord our Spirits rejoyce in God our Saviour our memory recollect and call to mind his benefits and what he has done for us our hearts evaporate into holy flames and ardent affections and desires after him our wills henceforward to give up themselves wholly to him as to their only hope and joy 'T is no perfect joy where any of them is wanting 'T is but dissembled joy where all is outward 'T is but imperfect gladness where all is within It must be both God this day raised the body the body therefore must raise it self and rise up to praise him He this day gave us hope he would not leave our souls in hell fit therefore it is the soul should leave all to praise him that sits in heaven He is not worthy of the day or the benefit of the day worthy to be raised again who will not this day rise to praise not worthy to rise at the Resurrection of the just who will not rise to day in the Congregation of the righteous to testifie his joy and gladness in the Resurrection of his Saviour and his own He is worthy to lie down in darkness in the Land of darknes who loves not this day who stands not up this day to sing praises to him that made it And now I shall give you reason for it out of the last words In eâ in it In it and for it As short as they are they contain arguments and occasions as well as time and opportunity to rejoyce in Rejoyce first in it because this day it is a particular day of gladness and rejoycing Let us do what the day requires 'T is a day of joy designed for it let us therefore rejoyce in it Rejoyce 2. because the Lord made it All the works of the Lord are matters of joy to the spiritual man even sad Days too much more glad days such as this Rejoyce 3. because the Lords people have ever made it such God has always made them to rejoyce in it to contend and strive who should do it best or nearest to the point Be glad 4. for the occasion of it the Resurrection of our Lord and Master and the hopes thereby given us of our own all benefits of Christ were this day sealed unto us all his promises made good all so hang upon this day that without it we of all men says the Apostle had been most miserable none so fool'd so wretched so undone so miserable as we Rejoyce 5. because God bids us 't is an easie and pleasant Precept If we will not be glad when he commands us certainly we will do nothing that he commands us especially when he gives us so great occasion of joy when he commands it Rejoyce 6. because the very Jewish people do it here They had but little cause of joy compared to ours they saw but a glimmering of this joy at most saw the Resurrection but afar off and yet you hear they cry out We will rejoyce and be glad in it And is it not a shame that we Christians who see it clearly and pretend to believe it fully should not as much exceed them in our joy as in our sight in our gladness as in our faith Clearly so it is Rejoyce 7. because it is a good thing to rejoyce to rejoyce in Gods mercies and favours to us in Christs Crown and glory in his day and way The very Angels themselves put on this day the white garments of joy and gladness we find them in them St. Luke xxiv 4. Rejoyce lastly to day because this day is the first of all our Lords days ever since We count them feasts and days of joy and we meet together upon them to rejoyce in to give God praise and thanks and glory 'T is a piece of worse than non-sence to say we are to do it upon these days and not on this from which only and no other they had their rise and being All that we commemorate or rejoyce in on every Sunday is more eminently and first in this this the great yearly anniversary of that weekly Festival the time as near as the Paschal circle can bring it to the time that the Resurrection fell upon For these and for this day so made to mind us of all these let us now take up the resolution of these pious souls We will rejoyce and be glad in it in the day and on the day and for the day that 's the very work and business of the day opus diei in die suo the proper work of the day in the day it self And here is now a way particularly before us to rejoyce in Laetari is taken sometimes for laetè epulari To rejoyce is to eat and drink before the Lord in his House or Temple so Deut. xiv 26. And thou shalt eat there before the Lord thy God and thou shalt rejoyce thou and thy houshold Here now we are before him the Table spread and our banquet ready let us eat drink and be merry and rejoyce before him only rejoyce in fear and be glad with reverence This is the day which the Lord made and all Christians observed for the celebration of this holy Banquet and Communion Never let the day pass without it excommunicated them that did not one day or other of or about Easter receive the blessed Sacrament the greatest expression of our Communion with God and Christ and all his Saints and our rejoycing in it You may see this people in the Psalm within one verse blessing him that cometh in the name of the Lord blessing the Minister that comes with it wishing him and all the rest that be of the House of the Lord good luck with their business Gods assistance in his Office and Administration And in the next verse calling out aloud God is the Lord which hath shewed us light Bind the Sacrifice with cords even to the horns of the Altar God has shewed us light and made us a day let us now bind the Sacrifice the living Sacrifice of our souls and bodies with all the cords of holy vows and resolutions even to the horns of the Altar and there sacrifice and offer up our selves even unto our blouds if God call to it all our fat and entrails the inwards of our souls our hearts and all our inward spirits the fat of our estates our good works and best actions the best we have the best we can do all we have or are even at the Altar of our God with joy and gladness glad that we have any thing to serve him with any thing that he will accept that we have yet day and time to serve him that he has not cut us off in the midst of our days but
able to hold and here it is that some have desir'd God to depart a while to hold a while least they should over-flow at least and lose so pretious a liquor if not break in pieces and lose themselves in so vast a depth or at so forciblee a pouring in of heavenly pleasures upon them But I am too high now for that lean meagre creeping goodness which is only to be found among the sons of men in these latter days where we meet with this desire in a lower key if at all Our souls you know are the vessels of divine grace old crazie ones God wot and there is a danger least the new liquor of celestial grace should cause them to crack and break at its approach There is something which we are not able to bear away at first Christian Profession must come in to us by degrees Christ must come a little and go a little or come a little and hold a little line upon line precept upon precept here a little and there a little not all at once no go away a little turn aside a little O Lord and require not of us all at once but by degrees visit us and bear with us With this kind of entreaty we may desire him to withhold now and then in mercy from us for we are sinful men and not able to endure other fuller dealings with us And lastly in humility we may desire God to depart from us when he approaches to us in thunder and lightning when he comes armed like a man of war then we may cry and not without cause O come not to us or go from us for we are sinful men O Lord have thou therefore mercy up-upon us and forbear us We have seen by this time how we may use St. Peters words and how we must not use them We may in humility desire God to withdraw his Judgments to proportion his Mercies and to distill them by degrees to forbear to overthrow our nature or overwhelm our souls with a happiness above our mortal capacity We may lastly by such a kind of speech declare the sense of our own unworthiness to receive so glorious a Guest home to us so even wishing him to chuse a better house to be in or make ours such But we must not through natural imperfection or impatience draw back our selves from the service of God or desire him to draw back from us nor must we at any time by sin cause him to depart or by perverseness and iniquity thrust him out of doors nor yet lastly grow weary of the gracious effects and tenders of his Presence in his Sacraments Word and Worship For so we do not so much confess as profess and make our selves to be sinful men in humility you may sometimes use the words in impatience never We cannot now you see say always he does well that with St. Peter says to Christ Depart from me for I am a sinful man O Lord yet there is something to make the desire at least seem reasonable and often be so when he says it as St. Peter did And the first Reason why St. Peter desires Christ to depart here is for that he is a man and the first Reason why we are all so willing to have God gone from us is because we are men 1. mutable and inconstant pieces which are neither well when God is with us nor when he is from us If he be with us then presently Fac cessare sanctum Israel à nobis Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us Isa. xxx 11. We cannot away with that strictness and exactness he requires of us his ways are not pleasing to us As soon as he is departed then we are at another cue Thou turnedst away thy face and I was troubled Psal. xxx 7. Why art thou absent from us so long Why hidest thou thy face from me And the like Secondly Man is a mortal nature a piece of clay Now earth cannot contain heaven We cannot endure the thunder as it roars or lightnings as they glister much less him whose Presence is more terrible whose Voice more dreadful who even shakes the Wilderness with his breath at whose Presence the Earth removes and hail-stones and coals of fire tumble down Thirdly Flesh is grass we are but hay and stubble and God is a consuming fire well may mortality then desire him to depart lest it should consume it in a moment Fourthly It was the opinion of the Iew that man could not see God and live as apears by Manoah's speech Iudg. xiii 22. and several other places St. Peter it may be had such an imagination whence it is he desires Christ to depart from him being no other than God himself after whose sight he was perhaps afraid he had seen his last Thus man as man thinks he can spare the Presence of his Lord as feeling his earthly Cottage altogether unable in it self to entertain him But 2. reflecting upon his sin whereby he is yet made far more unfitting and undeserving such an honour he desires the absence of God by reason of his sin He loves his sin and is loth to forgo it and knows God will not be content to dwell with it so he wretchedly chuses rather the company of sin than of his God this is the way that men of the World only speak the Text. 2. Sin even bids defiance to the Almighty and turns him out of doors that 's the reason men so readily bid God depart from them 3. Sin so dis-enables the powers of soul and body to any handsom attendance upon heaven that neither of them know how to receive him if he should come and besides such a stench and filth there is from it in all the soul that the Divine Purity cannot endure them Thus sinful man bids God go from him because he is a sinful man Now comes the last reason why God is entreated to depart because he is the Lord our God A reason not readily conceived yet this it is Thou art the Lord a God of pure eyes a strickt Master over thy servants a person far above the reach and quality of thy Vassals under thee They are therefore no fit company for thee Thou so infinitely transcendest them These are the Reasons which St. Peter seems to alledge to perswade Christ from his poor wretched company because both his natural imperfections and his sinful weaknesses made him unfit for the company and unworthy the favour of his Savionrs glorious Presence If we consider the same Reasons they will serve to humble us as low as St. Peter did himself to think our selves unworthy of the least glance of our Saviours eye we will confess if we remember that we are but men that our frail inconstant corruptible nature is not answerable to the glory of so great a blessing we will acknowledge if we recollect we are sinful men that we are not worthy that those eyes should look upon us that infinite beauty come near
you may till Pondus come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 's the order then 't is a Precept If the weight be ready to hurry you headlong into sin then off with them Better lose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them all every farthing the world and all than your souls Or yet better that they come not thither so far cast off the weight of riches that is the superfluity of them cast that away upon the poor Cast away said I Pardon me Deponentes lay it down lay it aside for them or Recondentes Reponentes 't is no straining of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lay it up in the bosoms of the poor lay it down at the feet of Christ lay it out upon God lay it up in heaven And say we not as much for honour too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word peculiar for Majesty and honour Lay them down too in Deponite there 's a De that 's down lay them down upon the ground descend even thither by humility if your honours puff you up overpoise you Sins Riches Honours every weight away with all And though every weight not every burthen yet Bear you one anothers burthens says St. Paul and Christs burthen is no weight Leve Meum that 's light and easie and tollite meum take up that Besides every thing in this world is a burthen this body we carry about us Corpus mortale degravat we are a burthen to our selves our necessities our pleasures our meat our apparel our life are burthens and all we cannot cast away he must go out of the world that can do that But take heed they come not any of them to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pondus if they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every weight be it what it will that keeps our spirits from rising to those eternal dwellings pleasures profits preferments cares desires off with all if they begin to sollicite us to sin Before I was aware I have told you what is peccatum circumstans too what is this Sin that does so easily beset us the occasions and temptations to sin So the golden Calf is called peccatum vestrum Deut. ix 21. The Israelites sin that is the occasion of it So St. Paul Rom. vii Is the Law sin That is the occasion or cause of sin So here by peccatum circumstans the sin that does so easily beset us I see not to the contrary but may well be understood all things about us whose only presence become temptations which are Tentationes objective or materialiter the objects of temptation and of these already Or more properly the temptations themselves which rising from those things about us do besiege the soul and are formaliter Tentationes formally temptations And if you please to mark either the mutual opposition or the correspondence of the words 't will be no great mistake however to think this sense most native and genuine There 's a double cloud in the Text St. Pauls and Isaiahs his of Saints this of sins the one opposite to the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in opposition right and a cloud of temptations that are without us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too in the Apostles Phrase fitly answering to the cloud of Witnesses about us Opposed 1. in pondus that's heavy to nubem for its lightness 2. In Peccatum Sin that 's black and ugly to Testium Saints beautiful and glorious 3. In habentes that to deponentes the one to be put on the other put away And that it might be fitly opposed fitly answering it is in omne to tantam for the quantity in circumstans to circumpositam circum and circum extrinsecum extrinseco for the same external relation that is in both alike Only with a double difference Circumpositam passive that belongs to Nubem circumstans active that to peccatum God puts the one about us not the other Not the sin nor the temptation Nemo dicat God tempts not any man Habentes indeed properly the one the sin we have of our own and circumstans the temptation that rises of it self and besets us round but no circumpositam to either God no Author of the one or the other There 's a second In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 's facilè to shew how ready the temptation is to entangle us We had a cloud of Saints and that had a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no facilè there Sin and its occasions are a great deal more welcome to us do more easily wind about us and work upon us than any examples of the Saints can do I know there are that would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be understood that fruitful soil of sin within us our innate corruptions and propensions But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here circum is without that within us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin that that dwells in us says St. Paul Rom. vii 17. not that dwells about us as temptations do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be no Participle for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deponentes concupiscentiam It cannot be we are not commanded impossibilities I would it came within a Precept The sin that came with it into the world is gone in Baptism we have washt off that concupiscence stays still wash off that we could not and yet we cannot lay it away The thoughts that thence arise arise they will we cannot hinder the sins we may For between that inordinate proneness to sensual good and the motions that take rise thence there is a difference That cannot well be said to be without us which is the bent of nature But these though they are within yet produced by the presence of external objects and being acts really distinct from that natural disorder of inferiour powers do as it were environ and ensnare our souls no less than the suggestions of the devil do That we can nor hinder nor lay off these though sometimes we cannot hinder from rising up yet we can cast them down again and these now we stile temptations The devil or our own corruption 1. Suggests them 2. Then they are delighted in by the flesh 3. Forthwith consented to by the Spirit 4. After that approved by both and with the first unhappy opportunity put into execution Answerable to these four degrees of temptation I find four several significations of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides those you heard four ways to remove them to each his way as if the Apostle had meant in one word to furnish us for all The first is Rejicere to reject or refuse The second exponere to expose as they do infants when they cast them out to the mercies of the wilderness The third Differre to defer or delay The fourth is the Syriac interpreters Solvamus à nobis
to unty our selves for that we use to do when we are entangled as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intimates we are or if you please to take the Verb to the Participle Deponentes curramus to lay it aside and run away So then when a temptation at first presents it self clad in adulterate beauties reject it bar it out 2. But if it have got in before thou be aware give it no entertainment fix not thy thought upon it with curiosity or delight but presently cast it out of doors 3. If thine unhappy negligence have won thee to a delectation delay at least thy consent withdraw thy self awhile and divert thy thoughts to some other object Death Judgment Hell or Heaven But if thou be fallen to consent too the only remedy left thee is to unty thy resolutions to unravel thy thoughts thy admitting thy delighting thy consenting to undo all and fly away In brief thus Temptations thus to be avoided 1. The suggestion by repelling 2. The delight by casting out the thought 3. The Consent by withdrawing 4. The defence by flying 1. The surest way when all is done is to take these untimely brats and dash them against the stones against that corner stone Christ Iesus 2. The safest way to hide thee in the holes of that rock the wounds of his side 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reponentes laying your souls up there and recondentes burying your sins in the meditation of his passion and sufferings 3. The securest way exponere to lay them open to thy Ghostly Counsellour thou shalt find them vanish in the air 4. The wariest way to flee all opportunities whatsoever Indeed if the devil fight against thee by troublesome and piercing thoughts stand to him and resist him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thrust him from thee if he besiege thee with delights deponentes curramus run away from him It is not cowardize but wisdom He that fights against pleasures may overcome he that runs from them is sure he does Take this lastly for a general rule If temptations rise so many that they swarm about thee like Bees fight not against all at once they are too many but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The principal that single hand to hand Nor is this all This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Article seems to point at some special 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something yet more adequately opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Cloud a cloud of Martyrs good company what more answers to it than a dark thick mist of ill Companions What more opposed than good and bad examples What temptation more deserves an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of sin or sooner brings us thither Or a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the title of easily besetting us What hangs more fast upon us What clings more near us What more ensnares us And what more needs a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Article against it We 'll sum up all in the advice of that mighty Counsellour If thy right hand thy Counsellour oâ— whom thou leanest or thy right eye thy friend by whom thou seest offend thee give me leave to make a Parenthesis to go on with the interpretation if thy right eye offend thee if thou canst not look upon a woman though with no ill intention but lust will arise if the eye of thy reason dim thy faith if thy right eye of contemplation become an offence and puff thee up â—râ—e projice out with it cast it from thee Better it is to go into heaven lame and blind and ignorant and poor and friendless and alone than to go down to hell with company Remember 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here and then as I have now done with peccatum circumstans so shall you that you may answer your Lord in St. Peters phrase Ecce nos reliquimus omnia Behold we have left all our sins possessions honours pleasures occasions our dearest friends our very thoughts sequuti sumus to follow thee to run after thee Curramus per patientiam that 's next to Deponentes to cast off sins then run from them And can we less I will run the way of thy commandments cries holy David when thou hast set my heart at liberty Set him but at liberty from these weights and snares and you cannot stay him Yet why so fast No less than running Give me but a man once throughly freed from these heavy chains he 'll tell you so No hast enough from these miseries says he that felt them And 't is but just for run we did before the wicked his feet are swift but that 's down hill ours is a Race upon even ground that Well but the World has its certamina its Races too and such as are abjecto pondere cast away all Riches and Possessions That 's for Gallants ours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a race for Christians How 's that Please but to joyn it to several words within the verge of the Text and you shall see Joyn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the words before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a race that is a running from sin certantes contra peccatum ver 4. and it will prove certamen justitiae the race of righteousness St. Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the keeping under of his body by fasting and abstinence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so ran he 1 Cor. 9. 26. Match it with the words that follow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it be such a one that looks to Iesus then you have certamen fidei St. Paul call's it the the good fight where he tells us he has finish'd his course he has kept the Faith 2 Tim. iv 7. and it seems the very intent of St. Paul here who had reckoned up so many Per fidems in the Chapter next before to which this seems but a concusion Yet you may lay it to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then it will be the Race of Martyrdom Certamen fidei oft times proves so Ver. 4. Nondum certastis sometimes turn'd to Certastis usque ad sanguinem Per patientiam so close shews some affliction towards and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together cannot well be less than to an agony A Race this that crowns the Victor with a Diadem the brightest of all created glories brighter than the Sun And yet even this if propositum be wanting will be thankless If it be taken up of our own heads and not proposed Nay if it be proposed in general to be good if it be not propositum nobis so to us if God propound it not to us as most convenient for the time the cause the persons Else when they persecute you in one City flee to another 't was his counsel whose the Martyrs are St. Mat. x. 23. But if be at any time Propositum nobis set before us so propounded then good luck have you with your honour ye blessed of the Lord run on and your right hand shall teach you