there is no recovery then all thoughts perish all hands fall no work or counsel or purpose any more 3. Is Mors exitus Is Death a departure Provide and forecast for a place of refuge Death is like a cruel Landlord turns us out of dores What folly is it not to provide a place to receive us This Christ commends in the Parable of the Steward Make to your selves friends that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations Luk. xvi 9. This was our Saviour's comfort I leave the world and go to the Father Ioh. xvi 28. This was the perplexity of men without Christ. The wisest of them knew not what became of their spirits Animula vagula blandula Quae abibis in loca whether upward or downward as Solomon speaks They that are Christ's are assured of a place after their departure We know if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hand eternal in the heavens vers 2. For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven This made Lot willing to forsake Sodom that he had a Zoar to retire to and the Israelites to leave Egypt that they had a Canaan to go to It was a judgement upon the false Prophet that he should go from chamber to chamber to hide himself 1 Kings xxii 25. That 's the second Natura Conditio Mortis Thirdly Here is Susceptio Conditionis It is called an accomplishment or fulfilling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is Active not Passive not to be fulfilled upon him but by him he himself to accomplish Christ's Death as appointed by God was unavoidable and necessary as inflicted by his enemies it was violent and enforced yet he himself voluntarily undergoing and performing of it it is his action and fulfilling Christ's sufferings were not bare sufferings but voluntary performances He was Lord of his own life No man takes it from me I lay it down That which gave merit and acceptation to Christ's suffering was his willing and free and active undertaking of it And as in Christ so in Christians their sufferings their deaths they are active in them not patients onely A wicked man Death gnaws upon him he is snatch'd to Death a Christian willingly admits of it When God calls he offers himself as Christ did Quis tam facile dormivit I lye me down and rest Egredere ô Anima Non repetent animam ego reddam Now this under-going of death it is called an accomplishing a fulfilling 1. In respect of God's counsel and ordination Christ's death was appointed from eternity he had purposed and forelayd it Act. iv 28. To do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done He is the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world in God's wisdom appointing it in his truth promising it in faith believing it only his actual suffering that accomplish'd it Ought not Christ to suffer these things and so to enter into his glory This makes Christ so studious to admit of death else how should the Scripture be fulfilled This consideration makes the Saints suffer all things Death it self naturally willingly This commandement received I of my Father The end of my times are in thy hand To God belong the issues of death Ps. lxviii If chance or violence only appears Flesh and Bloud may struggle but God's appointment that makes us submit I held my peace because it is thy doing Moses when God expressed his resolution he must die importunes no more goes up to the Mountain layes down his life S. Peter layd down his life as the Lord had shewed him The will of the Lord be done 2. Death is called an accomplishment or fulfilling of our departure because that is but the closure and ending All our life 't is a beginning and progress to our end As all Christ's life it was a pro-passio to his Passio his sufferings were all Viae ad mortem so our life it is a progress to death We no sooner come into the world but we begin to go out We die daily in this sense That part of our life that is gone it is Morti deputanda it runns upon the score of Death Indeed eternal life it is tota simultanea possessio vitae 't is vita in statu fixed but this is in fluxu as waters alwayes flowing Youth 't is the death of Child-hood Man-hood the death of Youth Age the death of Man-hood then Death closes all Philosophers say motus and terminus are but one thing really so our passing and consummation of life it is but one continued-death That 's the third Susceptio conditionis Fourthly Here is Circumstantia susceptionis the place of accomplishment Hierusalem Conceive the purpose of it in three Expressions 1. It is Locus singularitèr designatus a place singularly designed All the Circumstances of Christ's death were fore-sett and appointed The time of it was foretold and calculated by Daniel the manner of it was prefigured and foretold by the Prophets the place all the occasions and instruments and circumstances were designed As the Paschal-Lamb was not onely commanded to be slain but on what day in what place it was to be dressed in what manner to be eaten And as it is so in Christ's death so likewise in ours Our times are set and fixed the period of our life the circumstance of place all occurrents fore-layd Thus God appoints Moses and Aaron both time and place to die in Thus Elias must now and in such a manner be assumed Thus S. Peter was fore-warned by what manner of death he must glorifie God So Agabus shews S. Paul how he must be bound It must settle our hearts Our lives are in God's book set that time is fixed as was the Exodus of the Israelites the self-same day It must make us resigne up our selves our deaths the whole carriage of them to God's wise disposal 2. It is Locus typicè praefiguratus Hierusalem that was foretold and prefigured as the place of Christ's death This was prefigured in Isaac's Offering on Mount Moriah On this Hill David Offer'd to cease the Plague This place he appointed to build the Temple on There was no Altar we know allowed but this of Hierusalem Here the Passeover was to be slain and eaten Thus the Apostle Heb. xiii 11. The bodies of those beasts whose bloud was brought into the Sanctuary by the High Priest for sin are burnt without the Camp v. 12. Wherefore Iesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his own bloud suffered without the Gate It must seal up unto us the fulfilling of all our Redemption Every Circumstance was prefigured and is now accomplished Now was the great Jubilee when Christ dyed now the whole Burnt-Offering was tendred up to God 3. It is Locus moraliter praefigurans Ecclesiam Christ must die at Hierusalem that is his death it is proper to and effectual for his Church
to the Saints Before he did to Priests Publicans Pharisees after never but to Saints So in this act of glory only to his Disciples Only St. Paul law Christ and heard him they who were in his company neither heard not saw Act. ix St. Gregory enquiring how Satan appeared before God among the Sons of God Oh saith he he was prâ—…sens absenti and so absens praesâ—…ti â—…e appeared because God observed him not that he 〈◊〉 God As of the appearances of the Old Testament it is said Nâ—…e shall see him and live so it is true Spiritually None shall sâ—…e him and die II. Tres Discipuli non omnes Three of his Disciples not all 1. Three is a sufficient number to testify this Miracle 2. Iudas a reprobate he was not to be admitted he was unworthy of it Therefore lest he should murmur and repine and grow worse by it others are left out 3. Ut sit locus ordini Even among his Disciples he observed an order and precedency Some were more eminent and of neerer admission Cabinet-Counsellers We see Peter durst not speak to Christ but beckens to Iohn to do it 4. Ut sit locus fidei These were taken to see and testify the rest were left to hear and believe As Moses sent Spies to view the Land of Canaan and they were to report what they saw to others 5. Ut sit locus modestiae Transfiguratus in monte corâ—… paucis Crucifixus in urbe coram omnibus III. Hi tres He singles out Peter Iohn and Iames. Why are these made choyce of and others passed by We see at other times he takes these neerer to him as at the raising of Iairus his daughter Marc. v. 37. He excludes all others admits these What reasons are there for it 1. There needs no reason Sufficient is it that it is his pleasure In matters of free favour it is no prosopolepsie to pass by some to admit others He can cross his hands as Iacob did give five portions to Benjamin deal more sparingly with others Shall I not do with mine owne as I please Etiam Pater quia sic complacuit 2. Quoad humanum affectum Christ had his Favourites those whom he made his darling Disciples Thus St. Iohn was his bosom-Favourite As it was said of David and Solomon Such an one was the Kings friend These Disciples were thus graced 3. These three were more eminent for Grace and Zeal and Love to Christ. St. Paul saith they were counted pillars The greatest proficients have a larger dignation these are let into the Secrets of Christ. As among David's Worthies there were the first three Others were valiant among thirty but they did not attain to the three first so among these holy colleagues these were of an high pitch in Grace and answerably were they honoured 4. These three were admitted to see his Transfiguration because these were appointed to assist his Passion Math. xxvi 37. when he underwent his Agonie therefore these are fore-strengthened and fore-armed by seeing his Glory This glorious Vision on Mount Tabor fitted them to abide the terrour of Mount Calvarie Those whom God will single out for the greatest tryals he will fit aforehand with the best enablements St. Paul was strengthned and encouraged in a Vision at Hierusalem before his going to Rome Be of good cheer Paul for as thou hast testified of me at Hierusalem so must thou also bear witness at Rome Act. xxiii 11. 5. These several men are singled out upon several reasons 1. Peter was the forward zealous Disciple who led the way to the rest in that noble confession of Christ therefore he is singled out to be partaker of this Vision Again Peter is now overtaken with an error is sorry to hear of Christ's death disswades him from it by this Vision therefore he is comforted reformed instructed in the mysterie of Christ's Death and Passion 2. Iames he was appointed to be the first Apostle that should die for Christ Herod suck'd his bloud first As they who must be in the front of the Battel have the choysest Armour because they are to undertake desperate services so because S. Iames was to be the first in the Army royal therefore he was admitted to view the glory of this Transfiguration Theophylact saith that this Theophania made him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Iohn he was fore-appointed to be the publisher and pen-man of Christ's Divinity and so above all he soared highest into Heaven Therefore was this manifestation of Christ's Glory and Divinity made to him He urges it Iohn i. 14. he saw his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father So Peter makes use of this 2 Pet. i. 18. We heard a voice which came from Heaven when we were in the holy Mount Thus these Congruities shew why Hi tres why These three Now follows Thirdly another Circumstance which is the choyce of the place He led them up to a Mountan What Mountain was this Interpreters differ 1. Some say it was Mount Sinai where the Law was given 2. Others say it was Mount Libanus that is neer to Caesarea Philippi 3. Most say it was Mount Tabor But it was purposely concealed to avoyd those superstitions that after-Ages might imagine and frame S. Peter calls it The holy Mountain And hence Papists ground their permanent sanctity of places and pilgrimages But this holiness was not permanent but temporary respectively to this action as the Wilderness was holy ground while God was present in it Now for this recourse of Christ to Mountains it was very frequent He went up to a Mountain to Preach Mat. v. 1. He departed into a Mountain to Pray Marc. vi 46. He went out into a Mountain to Pray Luc. vi 12. He ascended to Heaven from a Mountain He appoints Abraham to offer up his Isaac on a Mountain The Law was given on a Mountain Moses saw God's glory on the Mountain Elijah he prays on Mount Carmel Moses dies on a Mountain So Aaron Why so Is God the God of the Mountains not of the Vallies or are the Prayers more acceptable that are there performed then in other places No surely No place now commends our Prayers to God In all places prayers are alike acceptable As naturally so spiritually all places are alike distant from Heaven Universam terram expiavit omnis locus oratorium est Aug. Elijah's Cave Daniel's Den David's Depths Ieremie's Dungeon Ionah's Whale all lye open unto him Illi pervium est omne solidum apertum omne secretum ei muta respondent ei silentium confitetur Aug. Indeed Before the Temple was the place of Prayer Prayers were more accepted there then else-where And so even our publick Church-services for the solemnity and joynt-Communion are most accepted Otherwise religious Prayers where ever they be are made in the Temple si in pace Ecclesiae unitate corporis Christi Aug. Why then doth Christ single out a Mountain for Prayer 1.
desperate once miscarried and lost for ever Oh then take heed the whole stock is at the stake if thou miscarriest here thou art undone for ever Such is the hazard and miscarriage of the day of Judgment Other days and duties may have a revolution if we fail at one time we may mend it afterwards an after-game may recover all again But the state and condition which Death and the day of Judgment will put us into it is fixed and unalterable As the tree falls so it lies As death leaves us so Judgment shall find us It is appointed for all men once to die and then after death comes judgment Heb. ix 27. Once to die and but once Had we a succession of lives and deaths as Origen and some others fondly â—…ancied then had we miscarried in one we might recover our selves in a second No we must die once for all and then comes Judgment The sentence that then shall be passed upon us it is not to be re-called it is not as the Civilians speak in their Law an Interlocutory Sentence but final and peremptory never to be reversed Deliberandum est diu quod statuendum est semel In all Contracts and Bargains every man will take heed of that that must bind him for ever How much more should we take heed to our selves in this final and fatal business in our preparations to the day of Judgment Come we to the next Particular which is II. The Persons who are concerned in this Caveat to whom our Saviour directs this Caveat Attendite vobis Take heed to your selves Christ brings this Caveat home to them and lays it close to their hearts and consciences they must look about them it concerns them And then the strength and force of this Application to these persons will appear by these three expressions which will more fully set out the nature and necessity of the Caveat 1. Vobis sciscitantibus inquirentibus You that are questioning and enquiring about that day Take you heed to your selves In the seventh Verse we find the Disciples so S. Matthew terms them Chap. 24. asking of Christ 1. Concerning the time of his Coming 2. Enquiring of those signs that shall forego and usher in the day of his Appearing And Christ in part satisfies their Query acquaints them with his coming to judgment and the signs of it But withall takes occasion from their curious question to enforce upon them a profitable and usefull and necessary exhortion Take heed to your selves He doth not say Attendite signis you do well to be inquisitive about the signs of my Coming to be able to calculate the times to foresee and foretell the end of the world and my coming to judgment but this he urgeth Attendite Vobis look well to your selves to your own state and condition how that day shall find you Ask your selves Isaiah's question Chap. x. 3. What will ye do in the day of Visitation Aâ—…k also Ezekiel's question Chap. xxii 14. Can thine heart endâ—…re or â—…an thine hand be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee And yet again Isai. xxxiii 14. Who amongst us shall dwell with 〈◊〉 fire Who shall dwell with everlasting burnings Our Saviour calls them off from musing upon these wonderfull prognostications as the Angel speaks Acts i. 11. Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing into heaven The darkness of the Sun the falling of the Stars the roaring of the Sea the trembling of the Heavens he bids them call their thoughts homewards and fore-cast with themselves how they shall be able to abide that day and undergo the trial of it It gives plain check and reproof to the curious Enquiries that naturally we are prone to make into Gods secrets Our brains will be full of questions and speculations about many high Mysteries but our hearts remain void of those sad and serious thoughts to make good use of them to our selves A man may be very curious and yet withall extreme careless exceeding inquisitive in matters of knowledge and yet notoriously careless in the practick part The consideration of the day of Judgment 't is not a matter of contemplation as it were to see a blazing Star an Eclipse of the Sun or some wonder in Nature but it abodes some great thing to us-wards Meditate upon it as upon the day of thine account and of thy making or marring for ever Thus S. Paul brings this doctrine of the day of Judgment to practise 2 Cor. v. 10. We must all appear before the Iudgment-seat of Christ. Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men So S. Peter 2 Pet. iii. 10. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night and the heavens shall pass away with a noise Seeing then these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation Thus Noah when he was warned of the Deluge he was moved with fear and prepared an Ark for the saving of himself he asked no question disputed not how it could be that all the world should be drowned but fell to building of an Ark for his preservation How many are ready to dispute How long it will be to the end of the world and yet live so as if it were but a meer dream and fable No Christ shews us the right use of these truths calls us to the moral and practick part As when one propounded a curious question to Christ Luke xiii 23. Lord Are there few that shall be saved A strange Querie How many Mark Christ's answer to him Strive to enter in at the strait gate Few or many what is that to thee strive thou to be one of them As S. Aug. piously silenced that intricate Question How originall Sin is conveyed Oh saith he Let us strive how to remove it It were strange when we see an house on fire to stand questioning how it kindled No let us bestir our selves and haste to quench it It is strange in this so serious a business of the day of Judgment which so nearly concerns us how mens wits will busie themselves in many nice Enquiries ye may meet with many such Questions in the School-men as 1. How long to it 2. In what place of the world the judgment shall be held 3. What kind of fire shall then be burning 4. Whether Christ shall come with a Cross carried before him As if Malefactors in the Jayl should fall a reasoning and debating what weather it would be at the day of Assizes or of the Judges habit and retinue and never bethink themselves how to answer their Indictment that they may escape condemnation Oh what David saith of his own days let us say of that day of Christ Teach us O Lord so to reckon and meditate of that day that we may apply our hearts to Wisdom That is the first Vobis sciscitantibus 2. Vobis vivis praesentibus Christ gives this Caveat to his Disciples then alive and present with
the hatred of the whole Kingdom was upon him he was a man whose life was imbitter'd with sorrows 'T is one blessed end and issue of afflictions they wean us from the desire of life Prosperity glues us to this life Afflictions loosen us O mors quà m amara How bitter is death when we are at ease O mors quà m jucunda How pleasant is it when we are in torments These minores mortes fit us for the great Death S. Paul's fightings with beasts at Ephesus made him willing to grapple with this When the soul of man finds no footing on outward things then it wishes it had the wings of a Dove that it might fly away and be at rest Happy afflictions that fit us for death 2. Grief for the miseries of the Church That goes nearer In private sufferings a Christian can be more contented when it goes well with the publick but if the Church lies under misery that makes an Elias to call for death Old Eli who digested well enough his private sorrow yet when the Ark was taken He fell off from the seat backward and he died The Saints are loth to see evil days to outlive the prosperity of Gods people The Lord shall make thee see Ierusalem in prosperity all thy days 3. Sensus impotentiae An apprehension of an inability to do any more good Elias was tired and wearied-out with the gain-sayings of Idolaters he had conflicted with their obstinacy Ahab is hardned Iezabel enraged Baal restored Gods Prophets are persecuted he sees no success of all his pains he is weary of his life As the soul in the body if it be hindred of action it forsakes the body presently so the spirit of Elias finding he could not prevail it desires to relinquish an ungrateful world and to retire to Heaven 4. Praegustus coeli The anticipation and feeling of those joyes of that rest and bliss whetts the appetite of Elias to desire possession and fruition of them If there be so much comfort in lumine Prophetiae how much more is there in lumine Gloriae If Mount Carmel and the Visions there be so ravishing what is Gods high and holy Mountain and those Revelations No question Saint Paul's rapture bred in him an high measure of heavenly-mindedness If the assistance of one Angel feeding the Prophet was so ravishing what will be the society of innumerable Angels If Communion with God upon Earth be so gladsome how unspeakable will Communion in Heaven be Si bonus es Domine animae quaerenti quanto magis invenienti These were the grounds and occasions of Elias his willingness to die But 3. What evidences of this willingness to die will appear in Gods children and what is the strength and power of it 1. It will appear in encouraging them against the forethoughts of death the thoughts of death are not ghastly to them Their frequent meditations and desires of it make them acquainted with it and familiar to them Nemo timet facere quod se novit benè didicisse Gerson 2. It will free them from dismayedness at the approach of death make them willing to entertain it Gods calling them to death they presently hear Non clamores tantum sed susurros divinos statim percipiunt The very beckning of Gods hand makes them hasten to him It was no more 'twixt Moses and God but Go up and die Thus Saint Paul tell him of bonds I care not for death saith he 3. It will bear them out in the conflict and onset of death Makes a Christian smile at the face of it How peaceably died Iacob Aaron Moses and Simeon As Saint Bernard of Christs yielding up the Ghost Quis tam facilè quando vult dormivit 4. It makes them triumph over the most tormenting and cruel deaths The three Nobles in Daniel slighted the furnace Martyrs kissed the stake they would not accept of deliverance like valiant Souldiers that are desirous to be put upon desperate Services That 's the first Optat Elias wishes to dye so willing is he to it II. Orat He makes his prayer that he may die That imports more 1. Prayer is a deliberate desire Sudden wishes vanish and die in us Many have some pangs of mortification and leaving the world as Balaam had but would be loth God should take them at their word like him in the Fable No Elias and a Saint goes further it is their deliberate wish All things considered they judg it best for them they exercise their hearts towards it waiting with Iob groaning with S. Paul begging with Simeon their dissolution 2. Prayer it is a religious desire a matter of devotion and holy supplication tendred to God framed into their prayer A natural man or a wicked man may have wishes to die and deliberations So had Achitophel and Iudas but they presented not these desires in prayers to God The Saints die like Ioab at the horns of the Altar by prayer sacrificing their lives to God like old Simeon brought by the Spirit into the Temple and there praying for death 3. Prayer it is a restrained desire Prayer extends the will but restrains the power He is willing to die Oh that I had wings like a Dove but is not the disposer of his life to part with it at pleasure Were our lives our own we need not beg leave of God to lay them aside His Petition 't is a real Confession that our time is in Gods hand not in our own We may be waiters and suiters and in desires hastners but not executioners of our own death As Gregory saith we must like Elias be in ore speluncae or in ostio Tabernaculi with Abraham ready to receive death not to hasten it to us In preparation we must hasten not in execution Our hastning must not prevent Gods coming Hastening to the coming of our Lord Iesus 2 Pet. iii. 12. not before his coming That 's the second Orat. III. Resignat Take away my life it is an act of resignation He directs and tenders and resigns it up to him and that upon divers Reasons 1. Ob jus dominii He yields up his life to God as the Lord of it No man lives to himself and no man dies to himself whether we live we live to the Lord whether we die we die to him whether therefore we live or die we are the Lords Rom. xiv 7. placed here in our stations The issues of life belong unto him We are not Masters of our time or life David served his time according to the counsel of God Old Simeon begs his dismission 2. Ob fidem depositi He commits his life to be kept in the hands of God The Saints in their death do not utterly relinquish and for ever depart with life but they depositate and intrust God with it Thus Tertullian Our life is in deposito apud Deum per fidelissimum sequestrem Dei hominum Iesum Christum Those things that I have committed to him he will keep Our lives
of their Faith 1. An Intendment of Confirmation Before they confessed and believed And now again their faith is miraculously confirmed and ratified It is Gods gracious course thus to â—…port and strengthen the beginnings of a true faith Revelations Visions Miracles Signs from heaven all shall serve for further Confirmation Thus God to Ahaz Ask thee a Sâ—…n of the Lord thy God ask it either in the depth or in the heighâ—… above 〈◊〉 vii 11. If it be true faith he will make it stronger He is alwayes watering this grain of Mustard-seed Thus to Nathaneel Ioh. i. 50 51. Believest thou because I said unto thee I saw thee under the Fig-tree Thou shalt see greater things than these Ye shall see heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man 2. An Intendment of Remuneration This faithful Confession is honoured and rewarded with an evident Revelation a glorious Vision This is the method of Gods dealing with his children The ground of faith is not sight and reason and evidence but the reward of faith is evidence and clearness of full Representation Christians are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non Rationales Aug. That is the duty of faith but the issâ—… and end of it what is that It shall end in Vision Then we shall see him as he is First faith looks upon his back-parts and covers its face as Elias in the cave then it is advanced to see him face to face as Elias on the Mount To believe because we see it is the weakness of faith but to see because we believe it is the honour of faith Aliud est videndo credere aliud credendo videre After these sayings That 2. Is Post mortis praedictionem vers 22. The Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected of the Elders and Chief Priests and Scribes and be slain After that saying then he was Transfigured he shewed his Glory And so it carries with it these Intimations 1. Quod non ex infirmitate moriturus That he was not to dye out of Infirmity He who can thus at pleasure assume a state of Immortality hath no inward necessity to dye It was not necessity of nature but dispensation of grace that exposed him to death Non impotenter sed potenter mortuus est As Moses dyed not of weakness His eye was not dim nor his natural force abated Deut. xxxiv 7. but upon special order So dyed Christ. As Sampson it was his strength not his weakness that ended him So Christ he dyed Clamore magno non singultu He did not exspire with a sigh or a groan but when he had cried with a loud voyce he yielded up the ghost Matth. xxvii 50. 2. Quod non ex vi externa That he did not dye from any external violence He who hath the title of the Lord of life and can assume to himself Impassibility What violence can assault or annoy him No man taketh away my life from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again Ioh. x. 18. He who can Pertransire per medium eorum pass through the midst of them and go his way Luk. iv 30. sure his death is not enforced but assumed 3. Quod non ex odio paterno That he did not dye because his Father hated him It may be it shall be said God hath forsaken him His Fathers displeasure exposes him No that scandal is prevented by this glorious Manifestation of himself He is by an Oracle from heaven honour'd and acknowledg'd the Son of his Fathers love 4. After his Death is foretold his Glory is discovered That intimates the Order and Entrance and Passage into his Kingdom He did not pass à deliciis ad delicias No but first he must suffer and then be glorified Ought not Christ to have suffer'd these things and then to enter into his glory Luk. xxiv 26. First Mount Calvary must be ascended then Tabor and Olivet Post fel favum He must tast the gall of his Passion then after he shall tast the honey-comb of the sweetness of Exaltation 3. Is Post Resurrectionis Intimationem vers 22. He must be raised the third day After that saying then he was Transfigured And so it reflects upon that saying in a double notion 1. Ut ostenderet possibilitatem Resurrectionis He who can make his body thus radiant and resplendent transform it into such Glory Why should we judge it impossible or difficult to revive and raise it Why should we judge it impossible saith S. Paul for God to raise the dead Acts xxvi 8. He hath power to lay it down and power to take it up again Necesse est Spiritui restituatur Templum suum Look upon Mount Tabor and this Transfiguration and then go to Golgotha and doubt not of a Resurrection 2. Ut monstraret Modum The glory of this Transfiguration shews the glory of his Resurrection It was Praeludium Resurrectionis Dominicae It shall not onely be a bare recovery of life but an advancing of it S. Paul calls it His glorious Body The High Priest Iosedeck his vile garments are taken from him and precious garments are given unto him Consider the glory of this Transfiguration and then doubt not of the Immortality Impassibility Agility Clarity of the Resurrection 4. Is Post Crucis Impositionem vers 23 24. If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow me Taking up the Cross losing of their lives for him After these sayings then he was Transfigured So it imports a seasonable Consolation They must endure the Cross part with life sad tydings an hard saying Who can bear it These are things dreadful to flesh and bloud Ay but stay a while and see him and his servants in glory that will sweeten all He purposely gives them a glimpse and view and tast of that glory that shall attend their sufferings Look upon thy sufferings and thy spirit may droop but get up into this Mountain of glory see those Crowns and Scepters and White Robes and then you will be encouraged These light afflictions which are but for a moment work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. iv 17. Thus Christ sweetly enterchanges his dealings with his servants 1. Having put them into the sad meditation of his Death he shews them his Glory 2. Having rejoyced them with that then he allayes it with the remembrance of his Death again reminds them of his Passion 5. Is Post Gloriae Promisionem vers 24. He tells them hereafter they shall save their lives at his coming in Glory After that saying he is Transfigured So it is F 〈…〉 Glorie Representatio He puts them not off to future expectations and reversions Totum id quod Christiani sumus spes est sayes hard to some mens faith Ay but he gives them in present a glimpse of glory These first fruits and preludes of
no revelation or instruction on these Prophets part The Lord hath purposely estranged us from all entercourse 'twixt us and the Spirits departed There is no need of Moses and Elias to speak from heaven we have Moses and Elias and all that they can say behoofeful for us in their Books and Writings Ye are come to the Spirits of just men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediatour of the New Testament Heb. xii 23 24. He is the onely Mediatour III. The Matter of this Conference His decease which he should accomplish at Ierusalem Had some the reporting of this Conference it should have been of some other matters May be of the Succession of Times and Kingdoms of the rising and falling of Monarchies These the Prophets were acquainted with but these they talk not of Others would have reported some Seraphical discourse of the nine Orders of Angels and those Hierarchies or some great discourse of Limbus Patrum or of the souls in Purgatory No such matter it is here De morte Christi Of Christ's decease But 1. Why do they conferr about this 2. How do they talk of it 3. Why do they conferr about the death of Christ 1. This is the grand necessary fundamental Work of Christ for his Church If such a Synod as this meet it is not for trifles but they talk of the Common Salvation of the Church That is the Capital Truth the ground-work of all our Faith and Salvation This takes up their discourse Nay it is the Meditation of God His ancient thought from Eternity was busied about this That Christ should dye for our Redemption 2. This they talked of as a thing that was a great grief and offence to the Apostles A little before Peter abhorred to hear of Christ's death It bred in them 1. Scandalum tristitiae They were very sad 2. Scandalum dubitationis It troubled their Faith how the Messiah should suffer We trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel Luk. xxiv 21. but he is dead Purposely Christ and these Saints conferr about this To acquaint the Apostles with this Mysterie that so it must be and that our salvation depended upon it 3. This they talked of as the thing that both Law and Prophets prefigured and foretold All their Sacrifices were Representations of his Death all their Prophesies Predictions of it Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer Luk. xxiv 46. In this sense He was the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world 4. This they talked of as the matter of Christ's greatest Glory and Renown They being to Adore Christ and to put Honour upon him they invest him with his Garments dipp'd in Blood Isa. lxiii 1. Who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed Garments from Bozrah This that is glorious in his Apparel travelling in the greatness of his strength mighty to save What Honour like this to dye for his Church to be the Sacrifice of the World the Ransom of Mankind the Conquerour of Hell the Purchaser of his Chosen Quapropter Wherefore God also hath given him a Name which is far above every name Philip. ii 9. Absit therefore saith S. Paul ut gloriarer nisi in Cruce Christi God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of Christ Galat. vi 14. 5. This they talked of as the main matter of heavenly discourse What do Moses and the Prophets Angels and Archangels talk and discourse of They wonder at and Adore the death of Christ and Redemption of the Church 6. This they talked of in care and solicitude for the Church on earth They themselves are in Glory Ay but their brethren yet as the two Tribes fight for their brethren Securi de se Soliciti pro nobis But 2. How do they talk of it Reduce all to these three heads 1. Praedicentes Foretelling him of it Not but that Christ foresaw it himself but this Dispensation he used to know it by Scriptures and these Revelations 2. Gratias agentes Adoring him for it magnifying his goodness as the twenty four Elders Thou art worthy to receive Honour and Blessing for thou hast Redeemed us 3. Orantes ut acceleret Begging the accomplishment Peter solicits him not to dye Moses and Elias they solicit him to finish that glorious work upon which their Salvation and the Salvation of the whole Church depended Use. 1. Christus in gloria meditatur de morte His Glory makes him not forget his Death How should we season all our thoughts of joy with thoughts of our departure 2. Do these glorious Saints talk of Death Oh! let it take up our thoughts let it be much in our meditations THE FOURTH SERMON ON S. LUKE ix 31 32. Who appeared in Glory and spake of his Decease which he should accomplish at Ierusalem But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep and when they were awake they saw his Glory and the two Men that stood with him WE have seen in general the summ of this Conference about Christ's Decease Now look upon it more particularly and with accommodation to our selves So we discover four Particulars 1. Here is Colloquium de Morte They talk and conferr of his Death and Passion 2. Here is Natura Conditio Mortis T is exodus a deceasing or departure 3. Here is Susceptio hujus conditionis It is a fulfilling 4. Here is Circumstantia susceptionis It must be at Ierusalem First Here is Colloquium de Morte Christ puts himself into this premeditation of Death for two purposes 1. As a moderation of his present Glory and Majesty into which he is advanced Being thus magnified by his Father and raised to an high pitch of Glory he seasons it with this deep and serious meditation of his Death and Passion The thoughts of our end and dissolution are never unseasonable but yet they are most sutable and seasonable in our greatest advancements and prosperity When you abound with all outward comforts then allay and moderate thy joy with this mortifying Meditation I must lye down in the grave Thus Christ interchangeably In his Humiliation he refresheth himself with the expectation of Glory When he stands at the Bar Ye shall see saith he the Son of man sitting on the right hand of Power and coming in the clouds of heaven Matth. xxvi 64. And so before his Passion O Father glorifie me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was Ioh. xvii 5. Contrarily being in the state of Glory he puts himself into the cogitations of Death When the Graecians came to visit and do honour to him he discourseth of his Passion Except a corn of Wheat fall into the ground and dye it abideth alone Ioh. xii 24. Naturally Abundance and worldly prosperity raises our thoughts too high makes us forgetful nay to abhor the mention of death Greatness like Ahashuerus will have no mourning nor sackcloth Esther iv 2. to appear before him As
the Wiseman hath it O Mors quam amara Ecclesiastic xli 1. O Death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to them that are at ease in their possessions The thought of Death it should be like that Stimulus carnis that Thorn in the flesh to S. Paul lest I should be pufft up with abundance of Revelations Thus the Apostle exhorts Brethren the time is short Let them that rejoyce be as though they rejoyced not and they that use the world as not over-using it for the fashion of the world passeth away 1 Cor. vii 29 30 31. Thus Abraham admitted into conference with God cryes out I am but dust and ashes Gen. xviii 27. And Iacob being in honour in Egypt saith Few and evil have the days of my life been Gen. xlvii 9. Thus Ioseph of Arimathea made his Grave in his Garden Christ puts himself into this premeditation of Death 2. As a condition of his future Glory This Transfiguration it was a glimpse of his after-Glory into which he was to enter a pawn and pledge of the full Possession But yet as knowing that through sufferings and death he must enter into it he premeditates and considers of his Death and Passion Thus he must suffer and enter into his Glory Luke xxiv 26. No certainty or evidence of Glory and Salvation must make us forget nay it ought daily to re-mind us of the means and conditions of our glory Rom. viii 17. Ioynt-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we also may be glorified together Our hope of heaven like the discourse of the Spies Oh it is a good land should incourage us to endure any thing Let us arm our selves say they and fight for it and win it with the sword If I be Predestinate I shall be saved live as I list it is the voyce of an Atheist No Having these Promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. vii 1. Let us work out our own salvation with fear and trembling Phil. ii 12. Use. This should teach us to be frequent and abundant in these thoughts of Death to season all our meditations and actions with that deep consideration It hath a manifold virtue and use in our whole lives 1. It hath a virtue of abating the glut and surfeit of all wordly pleasures it will damp those vain lusts that boil in our hearts Let the Adulterer know that his body must one day lye in the grave it will make him tremble at the defiling of it Let this thought appear like the Hand-writing on the wall it will make the Cup fall out of the hand of the Drunkard Let the Covetous man hear of Stulte hac nocte Thou fool this night shall thy soul be taken from thee and he will moderate his craving thoughts 2. It hath a virtue of perswading to Repentance and Reconciliation with God and preserving of such a Conscience that may not affright but refresh and comfort us in our last need 3. It hath a power of abating the fear and horror of Death when it approacheth Death's face is dismal acquaint thy self daily with it view it look upon it forecast it in thy mind it will not seem terrible when it approacheth to thee 'T is good to bear this meditation in thy youth That 's the first Colloquium de Morte Secondly Here is Natura Mortis Conditio 't is Exitus exodus A departure It looks two ways 1. Respectively to this Life 2. Respectively to Death 1. Respectively to this Life so it is Negatio Durationis It tells us This life it is not a state of perpetuity and continual duration Exodus here is never used but in the people's leaving of Egypt in their departure from thence Their being there was but a sojourning in a strange Land as God calls it Egypt was no perpetuity This the faith of all the Saints professed Heb. xi 13. They confessed they were strangers and pilgrims upon earth they had no abiding place dwelt in tents as strangers and travellers laid no foundations sought an after-City Thus our life is called the time of a souldier the stay of a wayfaring man the age of an hireling all terms of flitting and expiration an Apprentiship a Stewardship all limited and determining 2. Respectively to Death so it is Negatio Annihilationis Death is a departure therefore no destruction and absolute cessation Were we of the faith of the Sadduces Death were no removal departure passage but a quenching of the life a destruction of the soul an annihilation of the spirit No our Souls die not but depart onely Solomon calls it A returning of the soul to God Eccles. xii 7. Immortality is a part of that Image of God which remains indelible S. Paul calls Death A dissolution or separation not a destruction and annihilation The light of Nature taught it the Heathen and the light of Scripture assures it us If in this life onely we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. xv 19. The very Philosophers discourse of the regions of souls and world of spirits and places of aboad even after this life Use. 1. Is Mors exitus Is Death a departure It must make that word sound in our ears Migremus hinc fix not your rest and aboad in this world The Saints profess they belong to another City Indeed David calls the wicked The men of this world Psal. xvii 14. They settle here make this their heaven But this must assure us this life is but an Annuity it is not a Perpetuity The fashion of this world passeth saith S. Paul The world passeth away and the lusts thereof saith S. Iohn Sedemus hic juxta flumina Babylonis omnia transeunt Look upon all things here as such that must be left He who is to remove from a Farm takes not that care as if it were his own 't is not mine Inheritance Engage not your selves too deeply build not too strongly The Rechabites expecting Captivity built no houses but dwelt in tents 2. Is Mors exitus Is Death a departure Then see thou finish all thy work Quia decedendum What thou hast to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdome in the grave whither thou goest Eccles. ix 10. Might we stay as long as we list or return again when we please then we might presume but Statutum est semel mori It is appointed to men once to dye Heb. ix 27. If we were to return and die again we might recover our omissions but we must accomplish all now for if Death once comes there is no return from the grave It is otherwise with our Exodus then with the Israelites they carried their dough upon their shoulders they had not prepared for themselves any victuals Exod. xii 39. but they did it in their passage But if our departure find our work unfinished
yet over-powers him not Wrestling is where there is a mutual strength of resistance Had he layd his whole strength upon him he could not have subsisted 2. Suitable to the measure of their corruption that must be eaten out and as soon as they are humbled and brought to a right temper then he relieves them David had an heavy message dispatch'd to him Thou art the man 2 Sam. 12. 7. I will raise up evil against thee vers 11. As soon as he was throughly wrought upon then presently comes a message of comfort vers 13. The Lord hath put away thy sin thou shalt not dye So Hezekiah Isaiah told him from God he must dye Isa. xxxviii 1. but as soon as he was humbled e're the Prophet gat out of the Court he was remanded back with tidings of recovery Iosiah as soon as his heart melted Hâ—…ldah must comfort him Saul when he was sufficiently wrought upon by these fears Ananias was dispatch'd to him Brother Saul receive thy sight Acts ix It is otherwise with the wicked fears and anguishes come upon them in extremity As it was with King Saul God forsook him he had fightings within and terrors without he had no answer by Prophets or Ephod but he must sink under these fears So Balthazar so Iudas finds no relief but is swallowed up of these horrors The reason is 1. God deals with them as with an enemy in hatred but with his own in love 2. Their sorrows are as poyson to destroy them No matter how much they have of them The Saints fears are as a soveraign medicine temper'd by Gods own hand order'd to work health in them When the Cure is wrought the Plaister falls off 4. He brings them seasonably out of these distresses because in them they are unfit and unable for any service Moderate fears and sorrows often whet our devotion but excessive anguish dulls our spirits As the Israelites heeded not what Moses said for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage Exod. vi 9. Metus hand diuturni officii Magister He would have us Serve him without fear all the dayes of our lives Luke i. 74 75. Application 1. It must teach us to become such to whom God uses to moderate and mitigate these fears Wouldst thou not have them come upon thee as an armed man Then be of the number of those whom he thus compassionately cares for It is his promise to his Church They shall dwell safely and none shall make them afraid Ezek. xxxiv 28. To a wicked man God saith What hast thou to do with comfort I will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh Prov. i. 26. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil Rom. ii 9. Fear and the pit and the snare shall be upon them Isa. xxiv 17. But they that trust in the Lord shall not fear any evil tidings Behold my servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howl for vexation of spirit Isa. lxv 15 16. Being so 2. It should refresh us in all perplexities We should say with David At what time I am afraid I will trust in thee Sorrow may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning See the divers carriage of God to wicked men and to his own children Matth. xxviii At the glory of Christs Resurrection and the Angels Appearance the Souldiers were afraid and the holy Women were afraid But the fear of the Souldiers overwhelmed them and so the Angel left them to shift as they could there was not any word of comfort spoken to them But the good women though much perplexed yet had a word of comfort Be not ye afraid vers 45. I know whom ye seek S. Paul was in distresses but not forsaken Daniel when he was struck with fears then was it said to him O man greatly beloved fear not peace be unto thee be strong yea be strong Dan. x. 19. That 's the second observable Consideration Thirdly Here is observable the Person who relieves and comforts them it is Iesus The glorious voyce of the Father affrights them the gracious voyce of Christ that refreshes them Observe It is Christ alone who can raise and comfort those whom the terrors of the Almighty hath cast down and dejected 'T is Christs peculiar work and function to release us from the horrors of conscience and amazements of soul. 1. He hath merited it at Gods hand to have this office to succour and relieve us Purposely he was made acquainted with fears that so he might merit comfort for us in our fears His Spirit wrestled with the terrors of God His soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto death Matth. xxvi 38. I am afflicted and ready to dye from my youth while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted saith the Psalmist in the Person of Christ Psal. lxxxviii 15. Those horrors and that dread into which his soul was brought merited for us a merciful supply of comfort in our distresses 2. He was sent of God the Father to preach and bring comfort against our fears Isa. lxi 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaim liberty to the Captives He came preaching peace Moses he preach'd terror Christ he preaches comfort Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God Isa. xl 1. 3. God hath fitted him with tenderness of compassion he hath put into him bowels of pity towards all in perplexity He is touched with a feeling of our infirmities He never look'd upon any that were in sorrow or need or misery but his compassion was stirr'd in him He had compassion on the multitude Matth. xv 32. He had compassion on the two blind men and touched their eyes Matth. xx 34. He was moved with compassion towards the poor Leper and cleansed him Mark i. 41. 4. He hath founded the new Covenant and Gospel which is a state of freedome and comfort The Old Testament was carried with more manifestations of fear A spirit of bondage was upon them But saith the Apostle 2 Tim. i. 7. God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind 5. He gives and bequeaths to us the Spirit of comfort and hath given him this office to be a Comforter to us He is call'd The Comforter not the enlightner or sanctifier though these be his works but the Comforter It should teach us to have recourse to Christ in all our fears and perplexities as the Apostles Master carest thou not that we perish In all distresses make known thy sorrows to him His peace shall rule your hearts He is like the wood that sweetned the bitter waters of Marah That 's a third observable Consideration Fourthly Here is yet one more and that is the manner of Christs
first Iob a Patriarch 2. Iob a Gentile none of the lineage of Israel a stranger in the land of Vz he layes claim to the Redeemer he builds his Faith on Christs Resurrection Gentiles as well as Jews some in every Nation have their share and portion in Christs Resurrection Christ preached this Truth at his first Sermon at Nazareth Luke iv Naaman the Syrian and the Widow of Sareptha both of them Heathens yet God visited them and sent Salvation to them In both Stories they were remarkable types of the Resurrection Naaman's corrupt flesh restored as the flesh of a young child all whole and sound again The Widow of Sareptha's son rais'd from the dead again Two great signs of the Resurrection The great Prefiguration of Christs Resurrection was performed among the Heathen Ionah devoured by the Whale and after three dayes restored again That sign was done at Niniveh the head City of the Gentiles This mysterie of the Resurrection Christ himself preached to the Gentiles Ioh. xii When Greeks came to Christ and they were Gentiles he acquainted them with the Doctrine of his Resurrection If the Wheat-corn dye not it abides alone but if it dye it brings forth much fruit The first great Manifestation of his Resurrection to all his Disciples it was in Galilee of the Gentiles Go into Galilee there you shall see me From Galilee this preaching began How that God raised up Christ the third day Acts x. 'T is the foundation of our hope we are Sinners of the Gentiles So that Gentiles as well as Jews Iob as well as Moses are admitted into the fellowship of his Redemption and Resurrection 3. Iob a Just man highly commended for his Sanctity and Piety yet see he layes hold upon this as his onely claim That Christ is his Redeemer from death and destruction Not onely notorious sinners but the chiefest Saints stand in need of a Saviour must trust to a Redeemer desire to be partakers in his Resurrection 1. That they are Saints they owe it unto him They are the children of God because they are children of the Resurrection Luke xx 36. 2. And when they are Saints yet so short is their Sanctity so full of failings that the best of them all must shelter themselves under his Redemption Their own garments do defile them saith Iob. Their garments that 's their virtues that beautifie and adorn them yet these cast a soil and defilement upon them S. Paul disclaims his own perfection and righteousness desires to know Christ and the power of his resurrection Our Sanctification 't is not our fundamental Title to Heaven but our Redemption Gloriabor non quia justus sed quia redemptus saith Bernard Our first resurrection from sin is so lame and imperfect that the second death might still lay hold on us were it not overcome by Christ's resurrection That 's the first Consideration of this Object of Faith in reference to Iob Iob a Patriarch a Gentile a just man In all these three respects he professes his interest in Christ's death and resurrection 2. Let 's view these Particulars in themselves 1. Christ a Redeemer 2. Christ alive from the dead and then 3. Christ appearing at the latter day The improvement of these three Titles makes up our Salvation 1. His Redemption that made the Purchase for us 'T is call'd The Purchase of the inheritance Ephes. i. And then 2. His Resurrection that seals up the Title and conveys the Title to us Our Justification which entitles us to heaven 't is ascribed to his Resurrection Rom. iv He was delivered to death for our sins and rose again for our justification 3. His last Appearing that gives us livery and seisin and actual possession We shall then be taken up into the heavens and be ever with the Lord. All these three are necessary we can spare none of them 1. His Redemption is necessary If not redeem'd by his death we shall not be saved by his life Rom. viii Christ must first be our Redeemer then after he will become our Raiser and Absolver First make sure of thy Redemption and then promise to thy self a joyfull Resurrection Get sin pardoned and death shall be vanquished The sting of death it is sin Dis-arm death of it's sting and 't is easily overcome It is the order and method that Hezekiah's faith observed Isaiah xxxviii Thou hast in love to my soul delivered me from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all mysins behind thy back Thou wilt not give thine holy One to see corruption Solum sanctum saith Bernard non viderit corruptionem 'T is that that embalms our bodies and keeps them from corruption Without this first our right in his Redemption the two other his Resurrection and last Appearance will afford us small comfort Had he not died for us and by it redeemed us it were better for us He had never rose again the tidings of his resurrection it would be matter of fear and dismay and astonishment to us When Herod thought that Iohn was risen from the dead he was troubled and perplexed at it The Soldiers who watch'd Christs grave were as dead men at his resurrection Bring those mine enemies and slay them before me They who have despised the bloud of his redemption nothing remains for them but Heb. x. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fearfull looking for of judgment O! his redeemed ones lift up your heads for joy your redemption draws near but ye despisers hang down your heads for sorrow your confusion approaches That 's the first He must be Redemptor 2. It must be Redemptor vivit Our Saviour who hath redeemed us by his death must recover and revive and live again His resurrection puts life and efficacie into his redemption Indeed there is but cold comfort in a dead Saviour You know what his two Disciples thought of his death as they went to Emmaus We trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel but he is dead and our hopes are dead with him Luke xxiv Had he not rose again the scoff of the Jews had been too true of him He saved others himself he could not save let him come down from the Cross nay let him die on the Cross and rise out of his grave and then we will believe on him 1. Our Redeemer must rise and live again how else should he overcome death He must redeem us from our enemies and death is one of them saith S. Paul Death overcame him when he died but He overcame death when he rose again He was crucified through weakness but he lives by the power of God 2 Cor. xiii 4. 2. He must rise again how else could he apply the virtue of his death and make it effectual The High-Priest was not onely to shed the bloud of the sacrifice but he was to sprinkle it on the people and to go into the Sanctum Sanctorum and present it before God In his Passion he shed his bloud but the
a force to appropriate and make Christ our own Without this a general remote belief would have been cold comfort He loved Me and gave himself for Me saith S. Paul What saith S. Chrysostom Did Christ dye onely for S. Paul No Non excludit sed appropriat He excludes not others but he will secure himself This word Meus doth facere Deum possessionem nostram saith S. Augustine in Psal. xxxii make God our own It is the ligature and joynt of Faith that incorporates us into Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it glues us to the Lord and makes us one Spirit with him Iob in his Scio did not glance but fix upon him here in Meus He uses no light touchings but close embracings My Well-beloved is mine and I am his And again My Well-beloved is as a bundle of Myrrh that lyes betwixt my Breasts A general notional catholick Faith walks in a garden of Myrrh that 's pleasant and delightful but this special Faith that Iob stayes by gathers this Myrrh binds it in a bundle layes it 'twixt his Breasts that 's fragrant and comfortable This application 't is always useful especially when we are in Iob's case Temptations and Afflictions they will make us run to God clasp fast about him Deus Meus Deus Meus in the closest application We have done with the first particular of the Text Iob's Faith of Christs Resurrection Come we now to the Second the faithful Profession he makes of his own That although death had already seiz'd upon him yet he was assur'd he should rise again and be made partaker of a joyful Resurrection That we may take a more full view of this holy Profession and observe the many Excellencies that shew forth themselves in this Faith of his we will reduce all to three observable Particulars 1. Veritas Fidei There we shall see those Truths that are couch'd here in Iob's holy Profession and thence we shall learn the dogmatical part of this sacred mysterie of our Resurrection 2. Pietas Fidei The many Evidences of Piety and Devotion which appears in this Profession of Faith of his Resurrection 3. Beneficium Fidei The many seasonable and useful advantages of his Faith which this holy man found in this Meditation and Profession First observe the several Truths included in this Faith of Iob concerning his own resurrection Reduce them all to these three heads 1. Here is Certitudo resurrectionis propriae He apprehends the truth of his own resurrection with fullest assurance I know it that word of certainty belongs not onely to his Faith of Christs Resurrection but it sets out the confidence he had of his own Christs Resurrection and ours are made two several Articles of our Creed First we believe Christ rose the third day then again we believe the Resurrection of the body that we shall rise also Now Divines observe that which makes several Articles of our Faith are the several difficulties that are in those Articles which we profess to believe Now our resurrection carries with it the shew of some difficulty and improbability that appear not in Christs Resurrection so that a man may yield to the truth of Christs Resurrection and yet stick at ours and doubt and question that 1. Christ was God it was easie for him to raise up himself He had power to lay down his life and power to take it up again at pleasure But Iob and all we are frail and weak creatures when the pit hath shut her mouth upon us how shall we rise again 2. Though Christ were dead and so his soul sever'd from his body yet his God-head and Divinity were still united to it His dead body was the body of the Son of God still supported and sustained by the Deity and so being united to the fountain of life 't is more conceivable that he should revive and live again 3. Christs body in the grave saw no corruption or putrefaction no incineration turn'd not into dust and ashes lay but three dayes in the grave and revived Iob's body and ours shall be eaten with worms turn'd to corruption rotted in the grave many hundred years It is easier then to conceive Christs Resurrection then to believe ours Yet Iob ye see sets his Scio to both I know Christ is risen and notwithstanding all these improbabilities I am sure he speaks it as knowingly I know I shall arise Both Articles must be believed with the same assurance We are told by some that those Truths that concern Christ and the Church in general you may believe firmly and certainly say I know them but for those Truths that concern our selves in particular That Christ hath Redeemed me Sanctified me will Raise me to Life and Glory there is no Scio for them we cannot be sure of them hope well we may but with contrary doubtings and suspitions No in all Gods Promises Faith must labour to work out assurance Quod propter Deum creditur aequalitèr creditur If God saith Faith assures it self of it It is the infirmity of Faith to doubt not the duty of Faith Then Faith works kindly when to every Truth reveal'd it sets to its Scio. That 's the first Certitudo Fidei 2. Here in this Profession of Iob is Fundatio Resurrectionis the ground and foundation that he layes to his Faith of his own resurrection Why is Iob sure he shall rise again Because he is sure that Christ is risen First he knows Christ is alive then he inferrs I shall live again Our resurrection is founded and built upon Christs Resurrection 'T is that that gives footing and fastning to our Faith Still the Apostle inferrs our resurrection from that of Christs He that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies Rom. viii And this Inference 't is good upon three grounds 1. Christs Resurrection 't is Argumentum possibilitatis We may strongly argue from Christs Resurrection to the possibility of ours If God rais'd him the same power can raise us also Tota ratio facti it is Potentia facientis Omnipotency sticks at no difficulty Nay Christs Resurrection argues the possibility of our resurrection and that with advantage Christ underwent a cursed death death was in its full strength when it seized upon him If Christ brake through the Iron-gate clave the Rocks sure then it is possible for us to rise now the gate of Life is set open to us the Rock and Grave-stone roll'd away and removed for us Indeed Christs was a full death so is not ours 1 Thes. iv 14. If we believe that Iesus dyed and rose again them which sleep in Iesus will God bring with him For whether is it easier to say Awake thou that sleepest or Rise from the dead Dost thou doubt of thy resurrection Remember that Iesus was rais'd from the dead and be not faithless but faithful 2. Christs Resurrection 't is a good ground of ours 't is Exeâ—…plum Resurrectionis the exemplary cause of our resurrection He shall
makes him look Death in the face undauntedly Alass we how doth any appearance of death affright us If we see but another man die the cold sweat and the pale face and the pangs of death upon him how doth it dismay us Iob finds all these in himself and speaks comfortably of them 'T is S. Augustin's pious counsel Si times mortem ama resurrectionem If thou beest afraid of death acquaint thy self with the hope of the resurrection If a man go to prison and be able to say I know I shall be bayled I have one who will quit my debt and enlarge me such an one fears not the Prison Let death arrest us Christ shall enlarge us We are prisoners of hope Zech. ix How cheerfully did Iacob take his journey when God spake to him Gen. xlvi Fear not to go down into Egypt I will go down with thee and I will surely bring thee up again This hope made Iob not onely not to fear death but even to desire it Chap. xiv Oh that thou wouldst hide me in the Grave then he asks this question If a man die shall he live again Yes saith he Thou shalt call and I will answer thee thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands That 's the second Alacritas fidei 3. There is yet another print of Piety Sancta expectatio Fidei What is the thing his Faith longs for at the resurrection It is the seeing of his Saviour the beholding of God the enjoying of his Redeemer In my flesh shall I see God and mine eyes shall behold him 'T is that that makes the resurrection comfortable not that we shall live ever but be ever with the Lord. It was small joy for Absalom to dwell at Ierusalem and not be admitted to see the Kings face 2 Sam. xiv Heaven is not Heaven but a place of confinement without this glorious and blessed Vision Though Moses and Elias vanish on Mount Tabor yet to see Christ in glory is abundant happiness Do occidere heliace the glory of the Sun swallows up the glory of the lesser Stars Whom have I in heaven but thee and whom do I desire in comparison of thee Psal. lxxiii The good women at the Sepulchre this Day saw a Vision of Angels but that contented them not till Christ himself appeared Iob knew he should enjoy the society of Saints and Angels sit down and feast it with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of Heaven but here is the height of his happiness I shall see my Saviour Heaven as it is Coenaculum sponsi the Guest-chamber for the supper of the Lamb 't is a place of comfort but as it is Thaelamus sponsi the Bride-chamber of the Lamb where the Spouse enjoys him whom her soul loves it is the place of blessedness Thirdly the last thing remains that 's Beneficium fidei the use and benefit Iob makes to himself of this Meditation And the benefit is threefold suitable and seasonable to a threefold condition in which Iob now was 1. Iob was overlaid and opprest with affliction Suitable to this condition this Meditation affords Vim sustentaetivam it supports his spirits amidst all his afflictions Here is the patience of the Saints mockings and scourgings and bonds and imprisonments they endured them all because they expected a better resurrection Heb. xi That blessed day will make amends for all It was this hope that sustained S. Paul kept him from fainting 2 Cor. iv Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Iesus shall raise us up also with Iesus and for this cause we faint not Thus also he comforts and cheers up other Christians If in this life onely we had hope in Christ we were of all men most miserable But there is a Resurrection after this life we have hope in Christ and therefore of all men most happy This assurance will stand by us when all things else fail It was Esau's confession Behold I am at the point to die and what profit shall this birth-right do to me But to be Filius resurrectionis that Birth-right will relieve us at our last agony and support us comfortably Iob felt the good of this Meditation and he insists upon it Here is Masticatio fidei he chews it in his mouth and sucks out the sweetness of it 2. You may see Iob in another condition transported with passion and suitable to that this Meditation it had Vim quietativam a great virtue he found in it to settle and compose him In the Verses going before his spirit is stirred within him he is full of complainings and murmurings and quarrellings with God and expostulations See how he rebukes and allays these storms and tempests with this Meditation O my soul keep silence unto God for of him comes my salvation Thus David stills discontents Why art thou so troubled O my soul Why art thou so disquieted within me I shall yet praise him The day shall come that I shall see his countenance and for ever enjoy him Mortale mori is one ground of settlement against these perplexities and Iob makes use of it Chap. xiv but Mortuum reviviscere is satisfaction with advantage that will calm and quiet all his complainings 3. Lastly behold Iob in another condition he is charged by his friends with the sin of hypocrisie and then this Meditation it hath Vim apologeticam 't is his defence and apologie against that accusation Against all their surmises and suspicions of his integrity this he opposes for his justification It is God that justifies me who are ye that condemn me 'T is Christ that is dead and now risen again he shall judge and acquit me O! hypocrisie shrinks at the thought of death trembles to hear of a resurrection These painted Sepulchres till then make a goodly shew they are the beautifullest parts that are in the Church but when the Vault shall be open'd and all secrets disclosed nothing will appear then but horrour and confusion rottenness and corruption But truth and integrity appeals unto that great Trial knows that the Name that 's written in Heaven shall one day be cleared from slanders on earth My witness is in Heaven and my record is on high That 's the great avowment of Iobs truth and integrity till then it matters not much what the world says of us Lingua Petiliani non est ventilabrum Christi there lies an appeal of all mens censures to that days trial before the great Tribunal A joyfull appearance before which He grant unto us who as this Day overcame death for us and opened unto us the Gate of eternal life even Jesus that hath delivered us from the wrath to come To whom with the Father c. ON EASTER-DAY The Second Sermon ROM viii 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you IN this Context and passage
of it He that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies That is God the Father he will be the Author of our Resurrection Divers Reasons and Congruities there are for this truth 1. The first Founder of life must be the Repairer and Restorer of it to us As he first breathed life into us so he will send forth his Spirit and renew us and recall us back again The interest he hath in us by our Creation gives him the right to atcheive our Resurrection Iob observed that chap. xiv 14 15. If a man die shall he live again Yes yes Thou shalt call and I will answer thee thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands That hand which created us shall again raise and restore us Mine own I will bring back again Psal. lxviii 22. 2. The soul in death returns to him that gave it It is in his hand and power and custody and so none but he can return it into the body and re-unite it Dives in Hell confessed this truth Father Abraham send Lazarus to my brethren He hath the keys of hell and of death and of all the Chambers of the grave Rev. i. 18. 3. He is the Restorer of life in the Resurrection as being the supreme Disposer of all Rewards and Honours and Retributions As the King is the Fountain of all civil Dignity and Honour and he must dispense it so all the Dispensations of Glory are at his disposal The Preferments in Heaven are given to them for whom they are prepared by the Father Matth. xx 23. Now this Author of our Resurrection is specified not barely by the mention of his name or person but represented under an expression of much hope and assurance He that raised Christ from the dead that gives footing and fastning to our faith that he will raise us also That great work makes our Resurrection possible and hopeful and certain too There are many Praeludia Resurrectionis many miraculous works in Scripture that did sweetly prefigure our Resurrection but none like this of raising Christ. 1. Enoch's Translation that he saw not death Gen. v. 24. God delivered him from the power and possession of death That which was to him Gratia praeveniens shall be to us Gratia subvenieus He who exempted him from death can rescue us 2. Elijah's Rapture and Assumption in a fiery Chariot he likewise was exempted from the necessity of death his exaltation was a type of our resurrection 3. Aaron's Rod a dry dead piece of wood made to bud and flourish and bring forth ripe fruit that argues a possibility that we shall revive and renew our strength again 4. The Garments of the Israelites for forty years though used and worn yet decayed not He who can preserve our Garments from wearing out sure he can preserve our Bodies from perishing 5. The three Children cast into a fiery Furnace yet preserved no smell of fire was upon them that 's a great assurance that the Furnace of the Grave shall restore us to Incorruption 6. Ionas cast up again when the Whale had swallowed him the Prophet slain by the Lion but yet not devoured by him both Praedae suae custodes and hopeful and comfortable Assurances of our Resurrection All these are sweet Resemblances and Arguments of our rising again but none like this He that raised Christ from the dead shall Christ's Resurrection 1. Argues ours possible S. Paul argues strongly from it If Christ be risen again how say some that there is no Resurrection 2. It makes ours probable and easie Death is now vanquish'd by Christs Resurrection When the Prison door is set open it is easie to escape 3. It makes ours necessary If the Head be risen the Members must follow after Christus non potest habere membra damnata The living Head must not be united to dead Members We have seen the Author Thirdly What is the Action He shall quicken our mortal bodies Mortal bodies Why not Our dead bodies That seems to be more Mortuum sounds more then mortale No purposely the Apostle uses this expression in this point of the Resurrection Mortale is a great deal more then â—…ortuum To be raised à Mortalitate is a great deal more then to be raised à Morte It expresses three Excellencies of our Christian Resurrection 1. It frees us à possibilitate mortis it takes away the necessity nay more then so the possibility of death Death shall have no more dominion over us Not onely death shall be swallow'd up in victory 1 Cor. xv but mortality shall be swallow'd up of life 2 Cor. v. 4. Our Resurrection shall be according to the power of an endless life as the Apostle speaks This Resurrection far exceeds the Resurrection of Lazarus and those others in Scripture They were rais'd à morte but not à mortalitate The fit was rather removed then the disease cured 'T is a rule they have Qui comitialem morbum habent nè quidem diebus quibus morbo vacant sani dicuntur They who are troubled with the falling-sickness upon their good dayes are not counted whole Now Mortalitas it is Morbus caducus our Resurrection cures us of that the core of death is consumed the root and fibrae of death all stub'd up Nay our Resurrection sets us in an Immortality beyond that of Adam He was endued with an Immortality but not like this of ours As was his liberty from sin so was his immortality and freedom from death Prima libertas fuit non peccare and so Prima immortalitas was posse non mori He might not have sinned that was his Liberty he might not have died that was his Immortality But the liberty from sin in heaven is Non posse peccare there they cannot sin so is our immortality Non posse mori that we cannot die it takes away possibilitatâ—…m mortis 2. This Expression of quickning our mortal bodies it brings with it a second excellency a freedom from infirmities diseases and weaknesses they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sprowts that grow from this root of death It will free us from all the sad sequels of mortality No infirmity or deformity or indecency no pains or diseases Lame Mephibosheth shall leap blind Isaâ—…c shall see clearly and ulcerous Lazarus shall be whole and sound 3. It brings a third Excellency it will free us à miseria Miseries and afflictions and vexations they are the concomitants of our mortality this resurrection shall exempt us from them too Saint Iohn assures us of it Rev. xxi 4. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying nor any more pain all these are passed by I come Fourthly To the last thing that is the ground and reason of all Because his Spirit dwells in you The inhabitation of God's Spirit that 's the ground of our Resurrection And the force and evidence of this reason may be deduced into these
for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us Rom. viii 26. God bids Solomon ask what he would but withall inspires him with such a prayer as should find acceptance 3. A third thing observable is the Reality and Efficacie of this proffer What shall I do for thee There is Substance and Reality in that word Alas What can Elijah do For temporal blessings he was to seek himself for spiritual they are the immediate dispensations of God himself True and yet he calls it a Doing and Giving Faith reckons upon Prayers and Intercessions it makes according to the will of God as if they were real and full Donations is as sure to obtain them as if it were already put into the possession of them See this in Isaac's benediction and blessing of Iacob Gen. xxvii 37. Behold I have made him thy lord and all his brethren have I given to him for servants and with corn and wine have I sustained him How did he this vers 28. He said God give it thee God give thee of the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth and plenty of corn and wine A faithful Prayer it is as good as an actual Donation Thus S. Paul 2 Cor. vi 10. As poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing and bestowing all things Oratio 't is promâ—… 〈◊〉 It is set over all Gods Store-houses They under God are the true Benefactours that are to God most religious suiters and petitioners Here is a way by which the poorest may be beneficial give make rich Prize these Prayers especially the Prayers of those whom God hath appointed to bless in his name 4. A fourth thing observable is the Wisdom and Order of this proffer He will have him ask it before he gives it Though Gods grace be never so free yet he requires that we should crave it of him There is one blessing that God gives unask'd and that is the grace of Asking After-graces are given when we pray onely he prevents us with the grace of Prayer God is found of them that sought not for him Isai. lxv 1. to wit by giving them the grace to seek for him We must not look for his Spirit to enter into us sleeping or without thinking of it Ask and it shall be given you Seek and you shall find Knock and it shall be opened unto you Matth. vii 7. Your heavenly Father will give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Luke xi 13. The Well of Grace is deep but Oratio 't is situla gratiae the Bucket without which there is no drawing up any water of Grace Happy we who may have Grace for asking Wretched we who will not ask when we may have it We have done with the Substance of Elijah's proffer Come we now II. To the Circumstance of time Before I be taken from thee Before I be taken from thee beg what thou wilt 1. Observe Elijah being to leave the world his thoughts are for after-succession that he may leave a Prophet in the Church of God he will not leave the Church unfurnished the people of God unprovided for Oh! The Saints of God are solicitous not onely for the present age wherein they live but forecast for succession that the worship of God may survive them and that after-posterities may be converted Moses how doth he pray for a Leader after him Numb xxvii 16 17. Let the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh set a man over the Congregation which may go out before them and may go in before them and which may lead them out and which may bring them in that the Congregation of the Lord be not as Sheep which have no Shepheard How doth S. Paul charge the Churches for things after his death Acts xx S. Peter being to dye fore-warns the Elders 2 Pet. i. How wicked are they who so they may see peace and prosperity in their dayes little care what may befall the Church in succeeding generations Good David though he was forbid to build the Temple yet how did he store up for Solomons Temple 1 Chron. xxii Oh! we enjoy the worship and service of God and now stand by the care of others let us not be wanting in our cares and prayers that a perpetual service may be offered by those who shall live after us til the coming of Iesus Christ to Judgment 2. Observe he provides for the enabling of Elisha He did not onely anoint him but now furnishes him being himself to dye and to leave the world Flesh and Bloud would have thought Let him be imperfect and deficient they will wish me again his defects will be a foil for my excellencies An unworthy Successour commends his Predecessour Oh no He desires to empty out all his Graces into Elisha and rejoyced to see an Elisha so able to succeed him The Nobles prayed 1 King i. 37. The Lord make the Throne of Solomon greater then the Throne of King David yet there was no jealousie in David Glad they are that the Graces in their Successours may obscure them that they may not be missed 3. Observe Elijah is now most forward and ready to do good when he is to depart and to leave this world Saints though they are alwayes desirous to do good yet at their death oh then they are more abundant in all holy desires of doing good Full of blessing they are alwayes but at their leaving the world then they deal their benedictions more plentifully about them So did Moses in his Song so dealt Isaac and Iacob and so did Elisha deal with the King of Israel Christ with his Disciples on mount Olivet S. Peter when he was to lay down his Tabernacle Oh then all Graces are most pregnant their Faith their Repentance their Hope their Prayers their Blessings Counsels Reproofs they will take their fill of them The box of Oyntment when it is broken fills the house with the smell They love to be sacrificed upon the service of the Church S. Paul leaving the Ephesians preached till midnight imparts all to them 4. Observe he saith Ask of me before I be taken from thee Had Elijah been of the Faith of Rome there had been no need of this limitation nay rather Ask of me and invocate and pray to me after I am in heaven there I shall sue for thee call then upon me No such matter If we will make use of Elijah do it now We may use reverend compellations now not tender religious supplications thither Heb. xii 23. Ye are come to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediatour of the New Covenant they are not Mediatours Ioseph desired the Butler to remember him but he forgat him It was the pious meditation of S. Augustine upon those words of the Psalmist Psal. oxxiii 2. Behold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Mistriss so our eyes
how importunate was he with God for enablement Solomon call'd to the Kingdom begs a Kingly spirit How many are there who sue for the Calling but seldom crave the Enabling It must be so in every employment Art thou called to an Office beg wisdom courage fidelity Art thou a servant beg the graces suitable Art thou in any course of life go to God for enablement that he may make thee an able member in the Church or Common-wealth In every course of life we must labour for skill and prudence and sufficiency In thy Calling strive to excel to the edifying of the Church Gods Work-men have a wise spirit to work all cunning work Iacobs Sons were men of Activity therefore Pharaoh would employ them 2. He asks that which was fittest for Elijah to grant him Elijah had a kind of Universality of obtaining any thing but it was proper for him to give that which himself excelled in They are Dona dextrae that move most readily Dona throni not Bona scabelli With men we grant small requests and stick at great gifts but God gives his best gifts most readily 3. Elijah is now leaving the World Now Elisha sees what it was that comforted Elijah and stood him in stead Oh it was this that he had been an able and faithful Prophet an holy man it was that which made him leave the World thus peaceably comfortably willingly This makes Elisha crave the Spirit All outward things what comfort can they breed at our last parting Give me that that may breed matter of comfort at my last need make me such a Prophet that I may so live as I may die like Elijah Look upon a rich man dying see what comfort he gets by his riches or honours Look on a man replenish'd with Gods Spirit one who hath done God much service now ready to have his Lords Euge and to enter into that joy it will make thee wish one dram of grace rather then the whole World besides Judge of Elijah hid in Mount Carmel for Persecution and look on Baal's Priests ruffling in Iezabels Court it may tempt thee to wish their Honour Ey but stay a while see their Honour and Elijah's glorious Death or Departure it will make thee neglect the one to beg the other and chuse rather to die in Elijah's hairy Mantle then in all their bravery So much for the matter of his desire Now follows Secondly The measure of it A double portion of thy Spirit Why so What makes him desire a greater measure then Elijah had What Was it envy and carnal emulation to out-strip Elijah Or ambition to be more renowned in his Generation 'T is true a man may be proud of the Spirit desirous to set up himself But it was not so in Elisha What may we conceive rais'd his desires so high 1. Dignitas doni The excellency of these kind of gifts Spiritual graces deserve eager pursuits and vehement desires of them A man may beg too much of outward blessings but of spiritual gifts to save himself and others we cannot be too covetous in getting of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. xiv 1. Be zealously affected to spiritual Graces strive to excell for the edifying of the Church Solomon craves abundance of Wisdom but of Riches onely what is moderate and convenient S. Peter when he heard of the virtue that was in Christs washing then he saith to Christ Lord not my feet onely but also my hands and my head How preposterous are our desires generally We crave two Portions of outward Blessings but a little Knowledge little Abilities to do good content us well 2. Eminentia exempli The lustre of Elijah's example hath ravish'd him The Spirit that was so eminent and conspicuous in him it begets an holy emulation to attain and outgoe him Oh to see grace of any sort incorporate and incarnate in another man it provokes the endeavours of others makes them long to be excellent in such graces This stirred up Simon Magus to see S. Peter so glorious he would needs purchase such a gift When we see Religion clasped up in Books it works not so effectually when we see it reall and operative then it works kindly upon us makes others if they have any mettle in them to attain the like Those who damp and smother the gifts of God in them they hinder the progress and growth of grace in others To see men carry grace as men do a candle in a dark lanthorn onely for themselves it hinders emulation but to make it shine forth and to be radiant invites others to an holy ambition to out-strip and exceed and go beyond their Copies 3. Gustus initialis gratiae Elisha had some beginnings of these gifts before he had felt the sweetness and excellency of them it makes him therefore the more earnest and eager to be rich in grace They who have once felt the sweetness of Gods Spirit in any kind they cannot satisfie themselves in any stint but are earnest for more The true Relishes of Gods first gifts beget not loathing but longing makes men to cry out Lord evermore give us this bread and to desire That the word of God may dwell plenteously in them Grace it is always growing ascending They who content themselves with their first beginnings have cause to suspect they were not true and kindly How doth S. Paul pray for more enablements They who think they know enough know nothing as they should 4. Pondus officii He is now to undergoe a weighty service to become the main Prophet of the People of God 't is a burden heavy enough for Angels and Archangels The sense of this weight makes him call and begg for a double Portion There is no Calling but carries its burden and so craves help but the Prophetical Calling that 's an heavy Talent What knowledge and understanding what courage and resolution what patience and forbearance is required and all little enough for an Elisha's employment This made Solomon beg Oh 't is a great People give thy Servant therefore a large Heart It made Moses shrink his shoulder from under it They who in any kind are to govern others undergoe a weighty burden they must beg a double Portion 5. Ardor zeli His desire of doing much good makes him thus earnest for much enablement He desires to be a faithful Servant to bring in much gain to give up a large account of his Stewardship They who think any service sufficient any performance enough they may content themselves with small portions of gifts Here is one who is ambitious of gaining God much glory of saving many souls 6. Gravitas damni The loss of an Elias stirrs him up to crave a double Portion Elijah was set for the defence of Religion the burden of the Church rested on his shoulders Now that the Church hath lost him it inflames Elisha to get himself furnish'd for to do that service Oh when we see the Church loses her choisest Patrons and
him and now long since dead before the day of Judgment Christ by his divine knowledge understood well enough that these men should die long before the end of the world and yet he judged not this Caveat unseasonable for those times and men and bids them take heed to themselves lest that day surprize them Admit this day overtook them not de facto yet de possibili and for ought they knew it might have teached them and laid hold on them We are to judge of these events not by enquiring into Gods secret Decree but according to the order and likelihood of causes The general spreadth and ripeness of sin when the Regions look white non tantum albae ad messem sed aridae ad ignem Bern. not like ripe corn ready to be reaped but like drie stubble fit to be burned when the Harvest looks ready for the Sickle when all flesh hath corrupted their ways 't is time then Lord to lay to thine hand We must meditate upon that day Secundum exigentiam justitiae not secundum exigentiam decreti His Justice may now hasten it though his patience delays it and his secret purpose hath set to it a longer date Saint Paul speaks diversly of this day sometimes he sets it forward and sometimes backward both to great purpose 1. To those that would needs be calculating and foretelling that day in a curious ungrounded speculation to them he sets it backward folds it up in obscurity 2 Thes. ii 1 2. I beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ that ye be not troubled by spirit or by word or by letter as from us as if the day of Christ were at hand as you love that day so patiently wait for it do not imagine it is now upon coming There is his Caveat against a curious ungrounded calculation But then 2. To quicken up our care and preparation he seems to hasten that day and to set it forward See how he speaks of himself as if he look'd for that day while he continued in the body 1 Thes. iv We that are alive and remain to the coming of the Lord. St. Paul put himself into the thoughts of seeing Christ coming as S. Hierom thought he heard the sound of the last trumpet every day in his ears Ey this thought and expectation of it every day 1. It is Sancta cogitatio Oh how will it damp our lusts quicken our piety keep our hearts in awe 2. It is Tuta cogitatio It is the safest way to expect him too soon then too late and so to be surrprized ere we be aware He that said My Master 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 defers his coming you know how it went with him 3. It is Officiosa cogitatio He purposely conceals it that we may always expect it Christians must be adversitores Servants appointed to meet their Master whensoever he cometh 4. It is Vera cogitatio in the equivalence The day of thy death it is the day of thy judgment then thy doom is past upon thee It is all one for thee whether thy trial be at the Quarter-Sessions or be put off to the Grand Assizes To conclude this point of the fixed time of Christs coming to Judgment S. Aug. makes the best resolution and he lays it down in three assertions 1. Qui dicit citiùs venturum He that saith the Lord will come speedily he speaks most comfortably Even so come Lord Iesus come quickly 2. Qui dicit tardius venturum He that saith it will be long ere he cometh he in some sense speaks more warily but 3. He who saith he knows not the certain time of his coming but believes it firmly desires it earnestly expects it most watchfully he speaks most soberly That is the second Vobis vivis praesentibus 3. Vobis discipulis credentibus You that are my Disciples and Believers holy and sanctified men though justified and so passed from death to life yet for all that take heed to your selves this Caveat concerns you 1. Dies The day of Judgment concerns you And that not onely the hopes and comforts of that day but the dread and terrour of it must deeply afflict you Nullus intrepidus vadit ad judicium Domini habens conscientiam peccatorum Hier. Lib. 2. contra Pelagian The Saints of God are to consider and lay to heart not onely the Promises of God but his Comminations and Threatnings also Not onely the hope of Heaven but the fear of Hell also must have its work on them S. Paul reminds himself and other Christians of that dreadful Day We must all appear before the Iudgment-seat of Christ Rom. xiv 10. And Heb. xii Our God is a consuming fire Thus holy Iob kept himself in awe Destruction from God was a terrour to me Iob xxxi 23. The thought of that day made him afraid Moses at the giving of the Law said I exceedingly fear and quake How should we tremble at the day of reckoning for the breaches of this Law 2. Morbus The danger of the distemper concerns them they may fall into this disease Christ forewarns them of gravedo cordis the surcharge of the heart Snares and Temptations may surprise them if they look not to it Consider thy self saith Saint Paul speaking to the spiritual man lest thou also be tempted Many a good Christian hath slumbred securely and fallen into these sins that Christ gives warning of if that day had then surprised them it had been woe with them Noah Lot David how were they surcharged with the distemper of these sins Warnings and Caveats and earnest Exhortations they are not unuseful or unseasonable to the most holy men They are in tuto as long as they are in cauto no longer safe then they are circumspect The safety of a Christian from sin it is like the safety of men in a Ship not like the safety of men on the Shore Let the Ship be never so strong if the Mariners slumber and sleep watch not carefully they may dash upon a Rock 3. The mischief and miscarriage concerns them if they look not to it That day may come upon them unawares and the sad sequels of it The best Christians are liable to these surprisals and so stand in need of these comminations Rom. viii Though S. Paul assures the true believers that There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus yet he thought it necessary to add this Caveat Vers. 13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall die The Promises of Heaven and the Assurance of it they hold onely in studio praxi bonorum operum Hold on in the track of piety and then lay hold on the Promises But if thou turnest aside into the ways of iniquity the threatnings then will lay hold on thee and the day of Judgment will prove dismal to thee Now follows III. The greatness and strictness of this heed and caution to be used that is expressed in this busie and watchful word of circumspection
neighbours and by their seeming-forwardness to delude them Well that Imposture holds not always There is never a counterfeit Creeple but is sometimes seen walking without his Crutches The hypocrites vizor will some time or other fall from his face and then he will appear in his true colours But suppose they be not discover'd yet the matter is not great the mistakes and errours of Charity are seldome culpable but most-what commendable The hypocrite in the long run will be found above all to have deceived himself And that 's the greatest deceit and most uncomfortable There is some excuse to be over-reached by others it makes the sin or errour more pardonable but who will pity him that cozens himself That 's one reason why the sin of the lapsed Angels was not pardonable as was the sin of Adam The Devils misguided themselves our first Parents were deceived by the Serpent Nay such self-deceivers they act a double part in sinning and so shall undergo a double portion in punishment The mis-leaders and mis-led saith Christ shall both fall into the ditch Here one man doth both evils and so shall suffer a double damnation That 's the second They are self-deceived Thirdly They deceive themselves in a matter of the greatest moment and consequence and that 's worst of all we over-reach our selves in the greatest business in the matter of our souls And such a deceit as this hath these three Aggravations 1. 'T is Maximè pudenda deceptio 't is a most shameful couzenage Slight over-sights are more excusable but to miss in the greatest business that 's most ridiculous Mala emptio semper ingrata est Every man laughs at him who is penny-wise and pound-foolish and twit him with his over-sights and upbraid him with them This is the man who is cunning in trifles but grosly deceiving himself in Soul-business How shameful is that S. Iames layes load on this folly chap. i. 26. This man deceives his own heart his Religion is vain O! vanity and deceit in our Religion to be mistaken in that weighty business 't is a most shameful deceit 2. 'T is Damnosissima deceptio he brings upon himself the most costly deceit the greatest loss the loss of Salvation that 's an inestimable loss Error circa ultimum finem The Prophet Esay cryes out of these deceits denounces a wo unto them Isai. iii. ix Wo be unto them they have rewarded evil unto their souls Oh the deceits of sin are deadly Sin deceived me and slew me Rom. vii 11. 3. 'T is Irreparabilis deceptio that adds to the Aggravation 't is an irrecoverable deceit Other mistakes may be rectified and regained but he who cheats himself of his own soul and his heavenly inheritance is undone for ever That 's the woful errour that will never be fetch'd about again 'T is like Esau's bad bargain when he cheated himself of his Birth-right for a mess of Pottage he could not recover it Though he sought it with tears To have all our thoughts to perish all our imaginations and hopes of going to heaven to be a meer delusion not to be mistaken in some particulars but in the end to be a fool Ier. xvii 15. Oh this is a bitter reproach when God calls us fools Sure heaven was never made for fools The foolish shall not stand in thy sight Psal. v. 4. A SERMON ON PHILIP i. 27. Onely let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ that whether I come and see you or else be absent I may hear of your affairs that ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel THE Context is an affectionate Protestation of S. Paul's love to the Philippians He assures them of his love to them and of his care for them The Apostle was even now in an holy ardency of spirit rapt up into Heaven longing to be dissolved and to be with Christ Verse 23. Yet see his charity and love to Christs Church when he thinks of them he checks and abates his former desire For the furtherance of Gods people and for the promoting of their salvation he is content yea willing and desirous to keep out of Heaven to forbear those joyes and preferrs their spiritual welfare before his own present happiness and salvation Verse 24. See what an high pitch of Piety and Grace S. Paul hath attained unto A little to insist upon the Context Ye may observe many remarkable evidences and degrees of his piety in this passage of Scripture 1. He hath attained to a strong assurance of his future happiness and bliss he knows his dissolution shall be a translation of him into a blessed condition death shall prove to him a great advantage Verse 21. To die is gain to him It is an high improvement of piety to attain to this Christian Confidence and Assurance No doubt it cost S. Paul much pains and labour to work his heart to this holy confidence to be perswaded that death which a worldly man accounts the utmost loss should bring to him the greatest gain There are who talk of their assurance of Salvation but it is to be feared In many 't is but imaginary a groundless presumption in others it is but intellectual and notional inferred and gathered haply by way of argument and discourse and so goes no further then a speculative Conclusion But this of Saint Paul 't is cordial and affectionate and experimental the fruit of many prayers and holy endeavours And such an Assurance is rare to be found 'T is that hidden Manna which few taste of Osculum Spiritus Sancti that Kiss of love and peace which God bestows on his devout and dearest Favourites It costs a great deal of searching and religious labouring e're we can find it Nesciunt quantis gemitibus lachrymis constet saith S. Aug. Happy are they who after long seeking can at length attain to it Ye see S. Paul hath found it That 's the first 2. A second pitch of Piety in S. Paul is not onely that he hath attained to a bare contentment but a great willingness yea more then so an earnest longing to die and to be dissolved Vers. 23. That 's a further and higher degree and growth of piety It argues much strength of faith a great prevailing of grace to sigh and groan in our selves till we be dissolved This S. Paul professes of himself and such as he was Rom. viii 23. We that have the first-fruits of the Spirit we groan within our selves waiting for the adoption the redemption of our bodies And so again 2 Cor. v. 8. We are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. It is well with us we think if we can with much ado work our selves to any tolerable contentment to die and to leave the World We account it a great Mastery over our selves if after much strugling and resisting we at length submit to that necessity
and yield to death But Paul is not here barely content to die but longs for that blessed hour judges it best of all to be dissolved and to be with Christ Verse 23. O when shall I appear before the presence of God 2 Cor. v. In this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed with our house which is from heaven S. Aug. tells us of Christians of the weaker and more imperfect sort Such saith he desire and long to live but yet are content to die it God see it fit But other more grown and spiritual Christians and such an one was blessed Paul though they be content to live yet they wish and desire and long to die The former have mortem in patientia vitam in desiderio they die patiently but would live willingly the other as S. Paul here they have vitam in patientia mortem in desiderio this life it is the matter of their patience but a blessed death is the matter of their desire That 's the second 3. See here in Saint Paul an higher degree and growth of Piety 1. Having gained this great Confidence and assurance of Heaven And 2. His soul panting and longing for the enjoyment of it yet that he may do God more service and promote the spiritual estate and welfare of his Church he can be content to delay those enjoyments to forbear his salvation to keep out of Heaven to be serviceable to the Church Desiderat requiem sed non recusat laborem He could wish he were at rest but yet for all that he is willing to labour still and to travel in his Ministery And what that was ye may easily guess In those times to be a faithful Preacher of the Gospel was to be no less then a Martyr Well S. Paul hath counted the cost forecast the worst Pains Poverty Persecutions he can endure them all for the love of Christ and for the good of his Church He chooses to suffer all sorts of miseries and afflictions so he may be serviceable to Christ useful to his Church rather then to leave that holy Work undone and to enter into Heaven Saint Augustine makes it a tryal of our love to God if when God should put the offer to our choice Live as ye list satisfie every lust deny your self nothing I will never punish you for it Sed non videbis faciem meaâ—… onely you shall not see my face if we refuse that offer of outward enjoyments that we may be partakers of that blessed Vision 't is a good argument of our love to God Here is a greater tryal of S. Pauls love to Christ Wilt thou presently enjoy me in Heaven or still serve me on Earth Wilt thou for my sake keep out of Heaven Nay more then so undergo Pains suffer Persecutions for my Churches good Yes S. Paul accepts of this employment on Earth and will forbear his preferment in Heaven O Paul great is thy love to Christ and to his Church Thus S. Chrysostom and S. Bernard express this choice of S. Paul As if a poor Woman should stand at the door of some great Palace wherein are all kinds of Pleasures and Delights and being without cold and hungry should be offered her self to come in but to leave her Children without in the cold there to lie in want and misery though she would fain be within yet she refuses that offer chooses to stay still in the cold to tend her Children then to part with them and enter in So Paul here had rather stay out of Heaven then forsake those Babes in Christ whom he had begot to the Gospel Not onely as Moses he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin but rather then to enjoy the happiness of Heaven Nay see the fervency of his love to the people of God Rom. ix 3. He could wish himself Anathema separated and accursed from Christ for ever for his brethrens sake that he might gain them to God not onely forbear Heaven for a season but forgo it for ever that others may gain it 4. This he desires and this he hopes for still to be continued to them for the furtherance of their faith And yet that being liable to uncertainty Saint Paul not knowing how long God would hold him to this work imploy him in this service uncertainty of life that 's one hazard he was in deaths often and then many vexations and distractions intervening in his Apostolical Function the care of all the Churches lying upon him See here a fourth pitch of Piety his great care and solicitude he hath of their well-doing and growing in grace however God disposes of him by life or death yet his desires are that they should do well This would be his main comfort and crown of rejoycing to see being present to hear being absent that they grow in grace and that his labours amongst them might not prove in vain Onely let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ that whether I come and see you or else be absent I may hear of your affairs that ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel The Words then which I have read unto you are S. Paul's Apostolical and fatherly Charge and Caveat to the Philippians In it observe these three particulars 1. Is the weight and greatness of this Charge the Caveat he gives to them is very ponderous that 's implied in this emphatical word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely 2. Is the extent and largeness of that Charge it hath no stint or limitation it reaches to all seasons and occasions 1. His presence and abode with them 2. His absence or being from them Whether I come and see you or else be absent 3. Is the Charge it self and that 's manifold It consists of a threefold Injunction which he lays upon them 1. Is Sancta conversatio an holy and Christian-like conversation Let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ. 2. Is Sancta concordia unanimity and concord and the spirit of peace That in all their affairs they should stand in one spirit and in one mind 3. Is Sancta constantia an holy resolution and constancy and courage for the truth striving together for the faith of the Gospel 1. In themselves Holiness 2. Amongst themselves Peace 3. Against the enemies of the Gospel Courage and Resolution First Here is considerable the weight and greatness of this charge which he gives them Onely As if he should say 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he elsewhere speaks 't is the main and chief charge I lay upon you the upshot and summ of all my Exhortations let this saying sink deep into your hearts mind this and remember it above all things that your conversation be Christian-like suitable to the Gospel live in peace and concord contend earnestly for the faith which is committed to you And then the strength and Emphasis of this word
branches it self into manifold members so here is multiplicitas donorum the Spirit diffuses it self into manifold gifts Effundam Spiritum meum not a drop or two but a plentiful showre of all kind of graces here are healings languages miracles and all comprised in my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all kind of graces That 's the first Varietas donorum Plenty and variety 2. A second thing remarkable in the body is disparitas membrorum all are not alike useful none equally beautiful so here is disparitas donorum This holy body herein is like to that abominable image in Daniel The arms of silver the thighs of brass the legs of clay and mean composure The graces of the Spirit though none are superfluous yet some are more useful and of special Improvement That 's included in the other branch of my Text in this Comparative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's the second choice and disparity 3. A third thing in the body is Excellentia unius membri some one hath the preheminenoy above the rest is more vital and useful more beautiful and comely like that Head of gold Dan. ii 32. So here is Excellentia doni that 's in the first and chiefest branch of my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saint Paul preferrs Charity before Faith and Hope and all other Graces That 's the third thing observable Preheminence and Excellency The Words are the Apostle's direction for a fitting enablement to the work of the Ministery and it consists upon three Particulars 1. Here are tria objecta the Apostle propounds and commends to them three Objects 1. Charity 2. Spiritual Gifts 3. Prophecy 2. Here are tres actus three acts he preswades them to tending to these objects 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An act of Prosecution 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An act of Emulation The next is implied in 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that is Eligite an act of Choice and Election 3. Here are tres gradus he orders them into three degrees answerable to their true worth and opposite to the erroneous esteem of these Corinthians Amongst these three Charity Spiritual Gifts Prophecy they did set the chiefest price and most doted upon the least profitable Miracles and Languages All would speak Tongues and work Miracles but little account was made of Prophecy Like those Sons of Sceva Acts xix they would work miracles themselves leave preaching to others We adjure you by Iesus whom Paul preacheth And even those who did prophesie did it in strife and much contention puffing up themselves not building up others All their gifts were void of Charity no thought had of that The Apostle inverts this order like the Master of the Feast Luke xiv displaces those that had got the highest room preferrs the lowest sets Charity in the first place Follow after Charity next after it preferrs Prophecy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leaves the third and last room to Tongues and languages Thus as Christ in the raising of Iairus his daughter to life so S. Paul at Corinth in the converting of a sinner 1. He puts out the Minstrels an unlikely means to recover life again displaces Languages which S. Paul Vers. 7. compares to Minstrels a dead sound of piping and harping Then 2. He brings in Prophecy that is a quickning word like Christs word to the Damosel that fetches her to life again Then 3. He brings in Charity like the Parents of the Damosel to feed and nourish her that feeds and maintains and strengthens her Come we to the First Object Charity that is the principal and the chiefest Grace and the Observation hence is briefly this that Charity and Compassion to the Church of Christ above all other graces is a principal gift required in a Minister Look upon Aaron the High Priest in his holy attire and then ask David the morality of all that Ceremony As the precious oyntment upon the head that ran down upon the beard even Aarons beard that went down to the skirts of his garment Psal. cxxxiii 2. without which it was death to serve in the Temple so comely and necessary in the office of a Minister is charity and compassion to the Church of God S. Paul preferrs it before faith and hope and all other graces Though not for personal and private use yet for service and benefit to the Church of God it exceeds them all 'T is a fundamental preparative and disposition for all other graces and enablements and that in these three respects 1. Ut habeat It fits and enables him for the receipt and obtaining of them In this case it is with the working of the Spirit as with his Being As naturally he proceeds per modum amoris so graciously he inspires and sanctifies per modum charitatis Multa remissa many sins forgiven because she loved much and so multa concessa many graces infused if we love much This was represented in the first effusion of the Holy Ghost The Apostles were in one house and in one mind in a charitable union and then they received those cloven tongues Of which S. Aug. speaks alluding to those two descents of the Holy Ghost they had first Spiritum unitum in columba before divisum in linguis He descended in the appearance of a Dove the Emblem of Charity after that In linguis divisis in tongues and languages They were together in one mind and in one house combined in charity As Origen observs of Iob's children Mark saith he their charitable affection Satan could sooner kill them all together then by any breach of love make them fall out and live asunder This Chrysostom notes in S. Paul's Conversion and Call to the Ministery God observed his zealous affection to the Synagogue how strongly he loved his Mother-Church Christ would especially gain him to his service As a Captain who sees in his enemies Camp a valiant and resolute Souldier for the good of his Country labours by all means to work him on his side and furnishes him with his choisest armour so God calls S. Paul and enables him with his richest graces That 's the first thing observable Ut habeat it fits and enables him for all other graces 2. Ut Ecclesiae habeat When they are infused Charity stirrs them up and improves them to the use and advantage of the Church of Christ. Other gifts without charity rest in the person into whom they are infused charity disperses and conveys them to others See this express'd in S. Paul's Similitude The whole body is compacted by that which every joynt supplies and makes an increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love Other graces without charity as meat received into the body without the natural warmth lies clogging the stomach but Charity like the vital heat concocts and conveys them to every member it makes a supply to every part Eph. iv 16. That 's the reason that of all other graces God requires our charity to be bestowed on his Church
unseasonable Infirmities and to set it in just and due circumstances and then it is a speech of admirable Piety The words are a Suit and request made by the Prophet for his death and dissolution he made request for himself that he might dye In it observe two Particulars 1. The Suit it self O Lord take away my life 2. A double Meditation that works him to this desire and request for death 1. Is a full contentation and present satiety Satis est It is enough 2. Is an apprehension of his natural condition and frailty I am no better then my fathers First for his forwardness to dye and motion he makes for it Conceive it in three Particulars 1. Optat Here is an holy Wish 2. Orat That 's more he makes an holy Supplication 3. Resignat He yields himself up to God in an holy Resignation I. Optat He expresses his willingness he wishes to dye For fuller understanding of this willingness to dye let us consider 1. The Nature of it 2. The Grounds and Occasions of it 3. The Evidences and Strength and Power of it 1. The Nature of it To flesh and bloud it is a strange paradox that death should come within the compass of a Wish whereas Nature and Reason and Religion too all seem to lead us to the preservation and maintenance of our Life and Being 'T is true and yet Elias his case is here allowable and of ordinary use and practice too The Saints of God may and are willing to dye and wish for it but yet with these Caveats 1. Caveat In these wishes for Death they apprehend Death in a limited Consideration 1. In the apprehension of Nature as it is a state and condition of Separation and Destruction so we all shrink at it and flee from it 'T is that impression that God hath planted in us a care to preserve and maintain our Being Death thus apprehended makes David beg respit Psal. xxxix 13. O spare me that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more Psal. vi 5. In death there is no remembrance of thee This makes S. Paul sigh and groan We would not be uncloath'd of this garment of our flesh but enter immediately into immortality Nay amongst others even this apprehension made Christ wish escapal and deliverance He fear'd and wish'd and begg'd escapal 2. In the apprehension of Religion as Death comes with a malediction that makes it dreadful Were Death onely a consequent of Nature or a contingency of Fortune or a contrivance of Man some more manly resolutions may willingly undergo it But as it is the stroke of Gods anger and indignation that heads the arrow and dart of Death and as it is attended with that train of evils and curses that follow Death that 's matter of horror To see Death on a pale Horse is dismal Rev. vi 8. but to see Hell following after him that 's dreadful To look into the Grave and see the Worm of Corruption 't is sad but to look lower and to see that never-dying Worm gnawing and consuming that 's unsufferable Thus it is not desirable But then 3. In the apprehension of Faith we find Death altered and changed nay sanctified and sweetned to us made useful and advantageous and so it is acceptable and desirable Death in its own nature is Gods Serjeant and Officer the appearance of such an one to a debtor or malefactor is fearful and they run from him but to a friend or acquaintance he is as a messenger of love and we willingly admit of him This Officer comes to a Christian not to arrest or attach him but lovingly to invite him 'T is made an in-lett into heaven a passage to eternity Oh When shall I come and appear before God! 2. Caveat The Saints desires of Death are alwayes conceiv'd with a limitation of submission to Gods will and appointment In this case S. Bernard gives us a good rule of conformity to Gods will and pleasure He makes a threefold subjection of these desires to God 1. Is Quod certum est Deum nolle execremur nos When Gods negative is clear and express he rejects our desires we must yield and give over As it was with Moses he begg'd often of God to go into Canaan at last God gives his peremptory denial Speak no more to me of this matter and Moses gave over 2. Is Quod certum est Deum velle velimus nos When Gods will is express and absolute then we must absolutely desire it When God did definitively appoint Moses to dye Go up to the Mount and dye Moses yields presently He dyed according to the word of the Lord Deut. xxxiv 5. 3. Is Quod incertum est utrum velit an nolit neque velimus ex toto nequc non velimus neutri parti nimis inhaereamus When his will for Life or Death is hidden and secret then we must bring down our desires from an absolute Petition to an humble and submissive Subordination Thus that good Bishop in S. Bernard tempers his desires and prayers for Death Domine si adhuc populo tuo sum necessarius non recuso laborem fiat voluntas tua desidero requiem non recuso laborem 3. Caveat The Saints desires of Death are limited and stinted with an holy moderation In this case what the School-men resolve of Christs desire of Life we may conclude of the Saints desire of Death it was an act of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was a moderate willingness not a resolute will As S. Paul expresses it 2 Cor. v. 8. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had rather Phil. i. 23. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is better to dye These desires of Death are not so much an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what they purpose and fix upon as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is pleasing and acceptable As Gerson expresses it they have mortem in desiderio but yet they have vitam in pätientia they desire death but they will with patience endure life Ask Saint Paul what he wishes what is his choice and longing Oh! 't is to die it is his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ask him what he wills that 's to abide still as God sees cause You have seen the nature of Elias his willingness to die See now 2. What occasions this willingness in Elias to die Besides those main grounds that work the hearts of Gods children to desire death and to wish it with comfort as 1. That the power and sting of death is vanquish'd and swallowed up in victory 2. That Christ's death hath freed us from the fear of it 3. That death puts a blessed end to all sin and corruption 4. That it opens unto us a blessed entrance into glory Besides these the spirit of Elias is wrought to this willingness and desire of death upon these Occasions 1. Taedio afflictionum Elias his life was beset with many vexations and afflictions
they are the pledge of our faith we leave in Gods hand Thus David puts his life into Gods hand My time is in thy hand deliver me from the hand of mine enemies and from them that persecute me Psal. xxxi 15. So our Saviour Father into thy hands I commend my spirit 3. Ob specialitatem modi It is strange being in the fear of death he begs death he flies for his life and yet he flies from it desires to die to escape death True but this suit of his is for the special manner of his death and dissolution 1. Ut non violenta sed placida morte He desires to escape Iezabel's cruelty begs of God to dispose of him to a peaceable death and dissolution Deliver my darling from the power of the Dog Psal. xxii 20. An 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is inter beneficia a favour and a blessing to be asked and sought for 'T was granted to Iosiah to die in peace so to Hezekiah Iob accounts it a blessing to die in his nest Iob xxix 18. David desires to fall into the hands of God rather then into the hands of men Blesse God that we can close our brethrens eyes in peace that they are gathered into the barn like ripe Corn by the Sickle of death not by the Sword of an enemie 2. Ut honesta non probrosa morte Take thou my life away let not Iezabel have her will on me 'T is an honest and honourable wish Decorè cadere as Saul That the Philistines mock me not 1 Sam. xxxi 4. Not to have the death of a Dog or the burial of an Ass. 'T is that which the Church bewails Psal. lxxix 2. The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven the flesh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the earth Those two Witnesses in the Revelations whom spiritual Iezabel slays she suffers their dead bodies to lie unburied in the streets of that great City 3. Ut non in Deum contumeliosa morte sed honorifica moriatur that he might die such a death as God be not dishonoured by it It was the trial of Baals deity that he could not rescue his Priests from destruction Iezabel hath sworn by her false Gods that Elijah shall suffer See now it stands God upon in point of honour to rescue Elias and Elias begs such a death as might not make Iezabel blaspheme and insult over God 'T is the desire of Gods children to die for the greatest advantage of Gods glory That God might be magnified in their bodies by life or death Thus it is said of Christs prediction of Saint Peters death by what manner of death he should glorifie God Is martyrdom the way of glorfying God The Saints run to it Ey but it will make the enemies of God insult the more Elias prayes against it Athanasius fled from it They desire to die for the greatest purpose that their deaths may be precious and rich So much for the first Elias his willingness to die Now follow Secondly The two Meditations that work him to this willingness To speak of one of them onely and that 's an holy satiety Satis est It is enough Take it in these four Expressions 1. Satis vitae meae It is enough Lord I have lived long enough The Saints of God can set a full period they can stint their desires of longer life They wish not an eternity here A worldly man Oh he could part with another life might this life last always No 't is Gods blessing to his children they are satisfied with length of days Psal. xcii 16. 2. Satis mundo They have enough of the world too The comforts of this life the pleasures profits preferments they can stop and stay at them too refusing with Barzillai the offers of preferment How shamefull is it for old men to thirst after riches and honours like the two Tribes content to stay on this side Jordan for the goodness of the Countrey 3. Satis officio He hath finished and fulfilled his course that makes him willing to die he hath accomplished his Ministerie Happy they whose work is done before their day be done The ability of giving a good account of our service is the powerfullest encouragement to be willing to die Thus S. Chrysostom observes in compare of these two places S. Pauls escapal out of Damascus and his readiness to die at Ierusalem Then he had done no service so he was loth to die now Paul the Aged had finished his course then he is ready for bonds and death So Christ till his work was finished hid himself after he offered himself to them 4. Satis miraculosae providentiae 'T is enough for that too He hath been mightily and miraculously preserved and delivered hitherto he will not thrust himself upon more miraculous ways 'T is enough Lord now end my life Non vult oneri esse misericordiae divinae he will not be burthensome to the mercy of God The Apostles were sparing of miracles for their own selves wrought none in their own hehalf they valued not life at the rate of a miracle accounted themselves less then an ordinary mercy For this Christian Brother of ours whose blessed death and departure we are now met together not so much to lament and bewail as to celebrate and honour much very much may be spoken of him to the glory of Gods rich grace in him and the enbalming of his name with a precious memory But the applause and welcome that the Saints and Angels give to him in heaven and those blessed Euge's that the Authour and finisher of his faith hath received him with are the true and full commendation that his soul rests in Onely in a few words Know that the death of this good man as it is in Gods eyes so in ours it must be honourable and precious And because Bernard's Rule is true Preciosa mors Sanctorum quam commendat vita pretiosa You all witness with me who have lived with him that his carriage hath been such as becomes a man professing the fear of God What his life was from his minority most of you know better then my self Onely I have had always the report of it to be upright and unblameable I found him at my coming the chief credit and improvement of the worthy pains of my reverend Predecessor at whose feet he a long time sate as a good proficient And since my being here I have remarkably taken notice of him as a great encouragement of mine unworthy labours His piety and course of godliness hath witness of all men and of the Truth it self Which was 1. Timely and not put off with delays He often blessed God that called him so timely not suffering him to linger till the evil day That had not been so comfortable 2. It was observable to his own heart It was not wrought secretly but as he imparted to me Piety found him averse and it was not without some enforcement used that he was drawn to that Sermon which gave the first successfull knock at his heart 3. It was constant witness his diligence and timely forwardness to repair to the House of God his attention reverence devotion there observed by others who preached occasionally 4. It was judicious not groundless but intelligent able he was to give a reason of his Faith He was exercised in the study of the Scriptures and grounds of Religion able to speak understandingly 5. It was substantial not languishing away in circumstances and trifles He professed in his sickness that the disputes about In-conformity were of no use for piety and that the power of Religion was not in them 6. It was diffusive 1. Into all his life 2. Into his family and children 3. Into his friends and familiars 4. In an unquestion'd honesty to all men 7. It was solid and strong bearing him up in this long tedious and oft-times very sharp and violent sickness 1. The apprehensions of his faith were constantly quick and comfortable he felt not the least nibling of Satan 2. His patience was admirable and heroical 3. His charity in spending himself in fruitful conferences and perswasions to those about him was great and bountiful 8. It was crowned with Perseverance which God did not onely secretly bestow upon him but with feeling and assurance he triumphed in it One of his last speeches was Sathan may as well pluck God out of Heaven as pluck my soul out of his keeping FINIS Errata PAge 31. line 15. read pactional p. 75. l. 36. r. 1 p. 132. l. 2. r. any p. 165. l. 16. r. negativè p. 188. l. 3. r. not p. 190. l. 34. r. loads p. 203. l. 25. r. she p. 204. l. 5. r. us p. â—…06 l. 21. r. Jerem. p. 243 l. 23. r. Hear p. 245. l 27. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 289. l. 45. r. Author p. 301. l. 41. r. of p. 303. l. 44. r. Bona. p. 328. l 33. r. the. l. 38. r. heart p. 330. l. 6. r. sacrifice p. 351. l. 28. r. Accent p. 353. l. 33. r. loaves p. 377. l 15. r. twiâ—…s l. 16. r. upbraids p. 393. l. 23. r. know ye not p. 396. l. 41. r. there l. 20. r. choice and disparity
change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body Phil. iii. 21. Neither Lazarus nor the rest in Scripture are exact patterns of our resurrection They rose to dye again they were rather bayl'd and repriev'd from the grave for a time not fully discharged Lazarus rose with his grave-cloaths on him still cloath'd with mortality Christ left the grave-cloaths behind him he is the example of our resurrection An example is not a casual resemblance but that which hath a similitude drawn from it by an intended imitation So onely Christs Resurrection is the example of ours Hence S. Paul saith We are planted into the similitude of his Resurrection Rom. vi Christs Resurrection hath an assimilative virtue draws our resurrection into the similitude of it self As the Prophet Elijah applyed every member of his living body to those of the dead child and so recovered him 'T is Exemplum Resurrectionis 3. Christs Resurrection 't is a good ground of ours 't is Principium effectivum nostrae Resurrectionis Vivo ego vos vivetis there is the derivation of our living again Iohn xiv 19. The Jews fondly say that there is something in Spina dorsi that doth not putrefie in our dead bodies and that is the cause of our resurrection No 't is not Robur dorsi but Virtus Capitis the influence of our Head Christ that shall convey life to us We are to look upon Christs resurrection as the fountain and original of ours He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Basil. Christ did not rise as a private person for himself but as a publick principle of all our resurrections Hence he calls himself The Resurrection and the Life S. Paul calls him Primitias dormientium The First-fruits dedicate the whole Crop so our resurrection 't is dedicated by Christ. Tertullian calls our resurrections Appendices resurrectionis Dominicae It was represented as on this day When he rose the graves of many Saints were open'd and they rose with him As at Kings Coronations when they receive the Crown they enlarge prisoners dispense honours advance their favourites Non tam Christusin carne nostra quâm caro nostra in Christo. As Ioseph's advancement was the advancement and safety of all the Hebrews and all the Jews were honour'd in the preferment of Hester so all the body of the Church was raised in Christ. Indeed he entred the grave as our Surety and lay under the arrest of death for our debt that being discharged he hath effected not so much his own as our enlargement That 's the second Fundatio Resurrectionis 3. Here in this Profession of Iob's is Realitas Resurrectionis his Faith believes and expects a true real substantial bodily resurrection Nay here is not onely a reality but an identity he shall have a body and the very same body 1. He expects a true real body Not as some Hereticks that turn'd this high mysterie into a moral Allegory Why the soul by sinning neither dyes nor sleeps but is immortal not capable of a resurrection Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they rise saith the Prophet Esay Chap. xvi 19. 2. And as there is a reality so here is likewise a perfect identity we shall receive the same bodies not new bodies created for us In my flesh shall I see God these eyes shall behold him 1. Else it were not a resurrection Quod cecidit hoc resurgat quod mortuum est reviviscat saith the Father And 2. Justice and Equity would have it so The body is partaker in sin as well as the soul. Famula in culpa must be Socia in poena saith Salvian If the Master mourns the Servant that attends him follows him in black If the soul the principal in sin if that suffers the body that 's accessory must share in the punishment 3. The grand pattern and Example of our resurrection confirms it Christ rose not onely with a true body Feel me a spirit hath not flesh and bones but with the same body Cicatrices Corporis were Indices Resurrectionis 4. Mercy delights to have it so It will pour forth a redundant reward upon soul and body God will not forget the labour of love that the body hath undertaken That flesh which thou hast chastised and mortified those hands that have been lifted up in prayer reach'd out to the poor employed in good works those eyes that have shed tears of repentance He shall wipe tears from those eyes Utique iisdem oculis qui flebant quique adhuc flerent nisi indulgentia Divina siccaret Nay not an hair of our heads shall perish Si sic custodiuntur superflua tua in quanta securitate est Caro tua S. Augustine This flesh this body shall be raised and glorified We have seen the first thing observable the several Truths profess'd and acknowledged by Iob in this faith of the resurrection Now follows Secondly Pietas fidei the Motions and Evidences of Piety his faith expresses 1. Here is Fortitudo fidei here appears the great strength of his faith that foresees and forecasts all the future difficulties and hindrances of his expectation and overcomes them all and is resolute against them He considers death and the consequences of death rotttenness and corruption Can a body when it is wasted and consumed in the Grave ever rise again Yes yes saith Iob Nothing is impossible to an omnipotent God I know whom I have trusted and he is able to effect it A weak Faith is glad to look off from these difficulties and shrinks back at them As Martha considering Lazarus was four days dead and began to putrefie her faith began to fail her it was too late now to remove the Grave-stone But Faith in its strength considers all these urges these impossibilities 〈◊〉 and yet overcomes them As Elijah in his dispute with Baals Priests took all the disadvantages to himself Pour on water and again Pour on more water Faith shall fetch fire from Heaven to enflame the Sacrifice so saith Iob Let me die and not and putrefie in the Grave nay let the fire burn my body or the Sea swallow it or wilde Beasts devour it yet it shall be restored to me Death shall be praedae suae oustos like the Lion that kill'd the Prophet and then stood by his body and did not consume it Iob's faith laughs at impossibilities is asham'd to talk of difficulties with Abraham considers not his own dead body but believes above and against hope knew God would restore it 2. A second print of Piety is Alacritas fidei the great alacrity and cheerfulness of his faith against present discouragements See how cheerfully he views the horrid face of death now seizing upon him looks upon his ulcerous body the skin consumed and eaten with Worms Tertullian saith he play'd with the Worms he surveys all the ghastly appearances and approaches of death confidently comfortably through this faith of the Resurrection This blessed assurance