eyes as are these of Eagles who though soaring in the highest clowds doe neverthelesse see very plainely in the thickest bushes in the remotest furrowes of the farre distant field and which is most admirable is that her sight is so strong and powerfull that contrary to the nature and practise of other living creatures she can steddily behold and contemplate the Sunne without winking at all yea when shee is nearest him and standing on the highest branch of a tree planted on the top of the loftiest mountaine Now to appropriate this to our matter wee say That hee whose heart is incombred with the things of this world whose soule is ore-vayled with ambition with the clowds of vanity and vaine glory whose conscience is obscured and darkned with hatred envie and malice can never contemplate God nor see his face which is all the consolation all the joy and in a word the true center of our happinesse the fulnesse of all our felicity and the greatest delights which the faithfull can wish or desire But those that shall be carefull and diligent to keepe their soules pure and cleane from the filthinesse of sinne those like Eagles indeede alwayes soaring in heavenly and godly actions shall be perched and placed in the highest place of mount Syon from thence-forth ever to view the heavenly Sinne rising that beareth health in his rayes and wings to behold steddily and without winking the glistering and bright shining beames of the Sunne of righteousnesse without any feare of hurt being assured of his wonderfull favour manifested by his inviolable promises for he saith in our Text Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD. By this purity of heart we may understand the simplicity of our lives and actions and so this sentence Blessed are the pure in heart may be thus interpreted Blessed are those that walke simple in their actions whose heart is voyd of fraud and of any thoughts of iniquity whose tongue speakes nothing but the hearâ—s meaning that shunnes vanity and the glory of this world that so they may be perfectly glorious in that which is to come St Augustine lib. 1. de Serm Dom. is of this opinion because that as St Iohn saith 1. Epist. chap. 5. ver 19. The whole worldlyeth in wickedness and that the Apostles were to take men and to bring them to the way of salvation neiâ—her by craft noâ— by force but by meekenesse and simplicitie And therefore Christ sending through all the world to publish the Gospell of the Kingdome of heaven the redemption of captive sinners from the chaines and torments of hell and to preach openly the acceptable yeare of the Lord saith unto them Behold I send you forth as sheepe in the midst of Woolves be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmelesse and innocent as Doves as we read in the 10. Chap. of S. Math. ver 16. And in the same Gospell Chap. 6. ver 22. The light of the body is the â—ye if therefore thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light This so excellent vertue of meekenesse and simplicity hath alwayes beene hated of the world as being contrary to the vanity and folly of it and the high way to mount Sinai there to see God face to face as Moses who preferred the simplicity of a Shepheards crooke to the honours riches and preferments which hee might justly have expected in Pharaohs Court as being reputed his daughters sonne This vertue cannot but be very pleasing to God since he himselfe hath put it in practise in appearing to Moses in a bush which is a base and abject plant despising the lofty Pine trees and Câ—dars of Libanus which in height and bâ—auty exceed all other trees of the earth The Angels also have practised it when having left the heavens to appeare unto men they have not taken the forme and majestie of Kings to be respected of all but rather the habit of Pilgrimes and men of base quality to teach us to shunne pride and vaine glory and to shew us by their cloathes that we are Strangers and Pilgrimes in this world that our houses are but Innes where we should stay onely as posts doe under a tree till the storme be past and so to continue our way as long as the day of our life shineth that the night envelloping and wrapping us up in her darke cloake wee may arrive at the heavenly Canaan which is our native Country from whence we first departed We read in the 18. Chap. of Genes That Abraham sitting at his tent doore saw three men passing that way whom heâ— called and desired to come and sit under a tree with him to eate a morsell of bread to comfort their hearts Now if it were god himselfe in the forme of three men to represent the three persons of the blessed Trinity or if they were Angels sent by him is a question out of the subject of our Text but because many Fathers of the Church are of the second opinion we also will hold it grounded on the 13. Chap. to the Heb. Be not forgetfull to entertaine Strangers for thereby some have entertained Angels unawares which is commonly referred to this action of the Father of the faithfull and of Lot his brothers sonne who also entertained in Sodome two Angels in the shape of Strangers and of men that were travelling further In the 5. Chap. of Tobit wee reade that the Angell Raphael appeared to the young Tobit and offered to bring him into Media which hee did afterwards performe But leaving many other examples which we could alledge of the humility and simplicity of Angels let us briefly runne over the lives of the Patriarks Prophets where the simplicity and innocent purity of their actions doe most lively appeare Abraham at Gods command without any further information goeth to the place appointed him to sacrifice on an Altar his onely sonne Isaack following the steps of his Fathers obedience to God runnes to his death never fearing the great torment that he was ready to endure layeth the wood on his shoulders and carrieth in his hand that fire that was appointed to burne him to ashes yea hee encourageth his poore old Father to execute Gods divine command restores unto him by his exhortation his strength already lost by reason of the extreame griefe which he endured to be the executioner of his owne sonne and to kill him to whome hee had lately given life But least we should be too tedious this example of simplicity shall serve us for all the Propheâ—s as being the most remarkable that can be ever rehearsed by man and indeed was it not a great and lofty mysâ—erie that God should give so resolute a courage so great a constancie to the Father of the faithfull and so admirable boldnesse to this obedient sonne for Abraham representeth unto us God the Father who to execute the irrevocable decree of his divine justice hath seised the sword of his terrible judgements to dip
see God IN the holy and sacred Temple of wise King Salomon there were three things chiefely considerable that is 1. The body of the temple whereto the people came 2. The holy place appointed for the Levites and those that ministred at the Sacrifices And 3. the Sanctum Sanctorum or the most holy place consecrated for the Arke of the Lord who had appointed it for his ordinarie dwelling and residence wherein he commonly appeared in the forme of a darke clowd out of whicâ— were heard the divine Oracles and the irrevocable sentences of his sacred judgements It was a place whereinto none upon paine of death could come except the high Priest and that but onely once every yeare and yet with many precautions and circumstances for hee was first to purifie himselfe to wash his body and to change his cloathes before he appeared in the terrible and fearefull presence of the living God By this faire and meruailous Temple of King Salomon is lively represented unto us the world adorned and diversified with so many faire and admirable creatures By the Body of the Temple where the children of Israel heard the reading of the law of God his Spouse the Church is naturally denoted and figured unto us By the holy place whereunto came onely the Levites and those which ministred at the Sacrifices are signified unto us the Ministers of the word of God who are chosen and put a part in his Church to be Heraulds and Embassadours of his holy will offering the ordinary Sacrifices of pâ—ayer and thanksgiving which are his dâ—lectable and well accepted service By the Sanctum Sanctorum or the most holy place is truly figured unto us Heaven for as the high Priest entred not into that place before he had first purified washed himselfe according to the Divine ordinance so the faithfull cannot enter into heaven untill hee hath first divested sinne and be covered with the cloake of Iustice holinesse and innocencie therfore Iesus Christ himselfe declareth the same thing unto us with his owne sacred mouth saying Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD. The Prophet David expresseth exceeding well the same words in the 15. Psalme saying Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in thy holy hill he that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousnesse and speaketh the truth in his heart And in the 24. Psalme Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place hee that hath cleane hands and a pure â—earâ— who hath not lifted up his soule unto vanity nor sworne deceitfully Hee shall râ—ceive the blessing from the Lord and righteousnesse from the God of his salvation And in the 33. Chap. of Isaiah ver 14. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with â—verlasting burnings He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gaine of oppressions that shakeâ—h his hands from receiving of bribes that stoppeth his eares from hearing of blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing evill He shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munitions of rockes bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure His eyes shall see the King in his beauty they shall behold the land that is very farre off O what admirable places how many faire and rare promises doe all these Prophets make to the faithfull who shall keepe his heart from sinne and his hands from iniquity and Iesus Christ himselfe commeth after to confirme their testimonie and to ratifie their words saying in this place Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD. Words very energeticall and significant as if hee had said Dearely beloved the onely and perfect way to possesse all happinesse all pleasures and all the advantages that you can wish and in a word to enjoy eternall felicity to contemplate face to face Gods divine Majestie wherein consisteth the fulnesse of happinesse and all contentment following the serpents example to cast off the olde skinne that is to pull off the olde coate of sinne infected with the leprosie of iniquity to fly and eschew evill to embrace good to hate vice and perfectly to love vertue which is the true way to heaven to the poâ—session of heavenly graces and in a word to the fulnesse and perfection of all true happinesse Blessed are then the pure in heart for they shall see God Now to enter into a more particular explication of these words we will divide them into two principall parts and will consider 1. who are the pure in heart And secondly the cause why they are blessed The royall Prophet David in the 15. Psalme describeth perfectly unto us those that are pure in heart They are those saith hee that lye not and who live â—prightly they who baâ—kbite not with their tongues nor doe evill to their neighbours and in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but they honour them that feare the Lord they that sweare to their owne hurt and change not they that put not out their money to usurie nor take bribes or reward against the innocent This is a very faire true and ample description of the Righteous man who hath a pure heart that is who hath his conscience pure and just and who lives in integrity justice and innocencie For this word heart is not here to be understood or taken for the materiall carnall heart placed in our breasts which is the fountaine and beginning of life the first living the last dying iâ— man but for the soule that keepeth there her ordinary Sessions as we commonly say that is corne by showing onely the sacks that hold it there is the Kings Treasure by shewing onely the Exchequer Chamber where it is kept the place containing being called and taken by the name of the thing contained so must we understand a pure heart to bee taken for the conscience which therein makes her residence Where at the first sighâ— we finde a thing very remarkable and worthy our consideration that to wit that sinne being as it were a black and venomous Inke or an infected and corrupted poyson as soone as it comes neare our hearts the seate of our soules it defileâ—h infecteth and makes them so stinking that God cannot endure them before his face so much abhorreth he the very sent and smell of sin and so much the very object of iniquity is noysome and troublesome to him Now Iesus Christ knowing that man brought into the world from his mothers wombe with life the cause of death that is originall sinne cursed sinne a disastrous blade or stalke which like the wilde and evill plants casteth continually â—orth so many young sprigges which doth so people and store the field of our soules that in the eâ—d in stead of a Garden of Eden where God tooke pleasure to walke in stead of a delightfull River where the Angels bathed it becomes a hideous and dreadfull wildernesse where the devils and wicked
that the charity which we give and exercise to our neighbours hee will accept as done to himselfe alas who would be so savage and hardened with rigour who would be so defiled with ingratitude that having received favours from a King would yet refuse to obey him and to serue him with all his power should not hee be worthy of the greatest torments of the most cruell punishments that have ever beene imagined would not the heaven the elements and all the creatures together rise up in judgement to aske punishment for so grievous a crime since it is most true that ingratitude is the basest and damnablest vice that can infect the soule of man Let us remember that we have nothing but what we haue received of our heavenly Father and if wee have received it from his favourable and fatherly hand why should wee be so ungratefull as to refuse him a small portion of it when â—ee asketh for it Now and at all times when we heare and see the poore praying and crying unto us in the streetes or at our doores it is the voyce of God himselfe tha calleth us to acknowledge his benefits as often as wee see one afflicted that asketh us helpe and consolation let us râ—nâ—e to him and give him occasion of joy and gladnesse for it is Christ himselfe which was comforted by an Angell in the Garden when praying to God his Father hee sweated drops of blood which made him pronounce these lamentable words so full of griefe My soule is full of sorrow even unto death When we have bin offended by our neighbour and that he will cast himselfe at our feete to aske us forgivenesse let us not be such tygers and so unnaturall as to refuse him his request remembring that it is a condition needfull to obtaine the pardon for our owne sinnes which wee shall never obtaine untill wee have first forgiven our brethren their offences but let us follow the example of our heavenly Father who saith That at what time so ever a sinner repenâ—eth him of hiâ— sinnes he will put away his wickednesse out of his remembrance And when wee must appeare before the terrible and dreadfull Throne of the Soveraigne Iudge when wee shall be called to a strict account for the talents and administration which hath beene committed to our charge by our heavenly Master let us then I say follow the example of that wise Steward let us make our selues friends with the riches of iniquity let us fill the hand of the poore which is the Alâ—ar of God upon the which hee affectionatly recâ—iveth the Incense of our prayers as a delightfull and pleasing Sacrifice to the glory of his holy name Then I say shall wee heare that sweet and heavenly voyce of the Saviour of our soules speaking graciously to us after this manner Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world Amen Amen The Prayer O Lord God full of mercy and compassion O favourable Father that art the fountaine of pardon and remission and the refuge of them that truely repent who desirest not the death of a sinner but rather that hee may turne from his wickednesse and live wee thy poore and miserable creatures who by the weaknes of our flâ—sh by the malice of our mindes by our owne vitious inclination to follow ill examples have provoked thee to make thy wrath and indignation fall upon our sinfull heads we have many wayes and times by our transgressions incited thee to cast upon our sinfull soules the thunderbolts of thy judgements we have made sinne our delight and iniquity the height of our happinesse Thy juâ—tice did cry and runne after us like a roaring and ravening Lyon seeking to devoure us thy judgements were ready to cast our bodies and soules into hell but that the excellent greatnesse of thy mercie O bountifull and gracious Father hath interposed her selfe and hath not permitted that we should be cast downe into the depth of eternall death and condemnation thy hand O sweet Saviour hath upheld us and thy clemencie O our Redeemer hath perfectly delivered us therefore O gracious Father seeing thou hast preserued us from evill conserue us still in good things receive if such bâ— thy good pleasure the incense of our prayers oâ—r sacriâ—ice of thankesgiving which wee most humbly offer upon the sacred Alâ—ar of thy divine compassions Put up our teares into thy bottels accept our contrite hearts broken with griefe to have offended thee for a pleasing Sacrifice receive our griefes and displeasures for thy satisfaction and behold thy Sonne thy onely thy welbeloved Sonne his head pricked with thornes for our sinnes his hands his sides and his feete pierced with Lances and nayles for our iniquities for his torments sake for his paines and for his deaths sake restore us unto life forgive us our sinnes O great God blot out our iniquities that so following thy example wee may doe the like to them that have offended us change in us our hard hearts and make them gentle and easie to pardon and forgive and suffer not our soules to be defiled and infected with the venome of revenge but that leaving it unto thee we may thinke of nothing else but to be obedient unto thee blessing those that curse us speaking well of those that slaunder us and praying for those that persecute us O good God kindle in our soules an holy love towards our afflicted brethren that wee may partake with them in their afflictions and so ease them that they may the better beare that burthon which thou hast imposed upon them We most humbly beseech thee also O good Saviour to give us charitable hearts and full of compassion to helpe the poore in their neede remembring that they are oâ—r brethren that thou art the Father of us all and that we are the children of the same mother that a glasse of cold water onely given unto them is of an inestimable price before thee because thou acceptest of it as willingly and recompensest it as largely as if it had beene given to thy selfe make us understand and know that thou art the King and great Master of the world that all that is therein justly belongeth unto thee that wee are but thy Stewards to dispose of thy goods to them of thy houshold to wit the poore who as well as we have that honour to beloâ—g to thy house to be thy servants yâ—a to beare the name of thy children that when it shall please thee to call us to account wee may bee found to have used with profit the talent committed unto us and that it may please thine infinite goodnesse not for our sakes but through thy mercy for thy welbeloved Sonneâ— sake to call us good and faithfull servants and to make us enter into our Masters joy which is the heavenly Ierusalem Amen The second Way to Sion THE PRAISE OF PVRITIE MATH 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall
it in the blood of the spotlesse Lambe that bare the sinnes of the world on the Altar of the Crosse. This sweet Iesus whose simplicity and meekenesse are both peerelesse inexplicable this good Saviour following the example of Isaack by whom during the shadowes of the law hee was figured goeth freely to his death bearing the wood which was to bereave him of lâ—fe upon him and within him the burning fiâ—e of love that inflamed him with an infinite affection to save the Elect Hee was brought saith the Prophet Isaiah as a Lamb to the slaughter so opened he not his mouth to complain he is conducted as a dumbe Sheepe before her Shearer but in that we see nothing but part of his simplicity appearing in the catastrophe of his actions when he was neare his death but if we should curiously view the acts of his life beginning from his birth we should be ravished in admiration of these infinite wonders but let us consider only in generall that he is borne of a pure virgin espoused to a Carpenter was that befitting his excellent Majestie who was the King of the world Hee was borne in a Stable amongst beasts judge if that were the Royall Pallaces and honourable company which hee had in heaven among the Angels He was swadled in clowts and laid in a Manger for want of a Cradle to keepe him from the injuries of the weather were those the delights of his Paradise He was fugitive here and there to shunne the envie and furious rage of Herod who fought to kill him In a word considering diligently all the course of his life from the moment of his birth to the last period of his death wee shall finde all his actions framed in humility and guided by meekenesse and simplicity This example and no more he did not goe chuse within the Pallaces of Kings the goodliest and gallantest Courtiers hee did not elect the sonnes of Princes to be his Apostles but went to the receipt of custome to the Cottages and Boats of Fishermen to call that honourable company of his twelue Apostles who like well instructed Disciples followed the steps of their loving Lord and Master so well did they imitate and follow his examples and especially that of his simplicity that they may be patterns of it themselues as the History of their life sufficiently sheweth and as the duty of their place required for men and being deepely plunged in malice preâ—umption and arrogancie there was no way to vanquish them but wholy by contrary weapons to them unknowne that they might the more easily be subdued and vanquished To their arrogancie they opposed meekenesse to their pompe and vaine glory humility and simplicity ever remembring the command of their good Master Be ye simple as Doves Now it is remarkable that the faithfull and such as walke uprightly before God are called by the wicked and by the children of the God of this world Poore and simple people because they addict not themselves to fraâ—d and deceit so spake Iobs wife to her husband being yet in affliction upon his dunghill Doest thou still retaine thine integrity But Iesus Chrisâ— to shew us that hee approoveth those whom the world rejecteth speakes as if he had said See you those simple and base people they shall see God So Christ gives them hopes of the blessed vision of God as if hee had promised light to the blinde knowledge to the ignorant and wisedome to fooles for so this wicked world calleth those that will not drinke the cup of his malice nor tread in his pathes full of sinne and iniquity Blessed then are the pure in heart c. He doeth not onely say they shall be blessed but he speaketh in the present tense saying they are already blessed for God having given them that holinesse which they possesse and upon all occasions practise hath also given them two strong and well feathered wings to soare and flie aloft to heaven whereof she one is faith by the which the just trusting and reposing himselfe wholy in the promises of Christ takes his flight towards Paradise to have a tast of them for it is the nature of faith as appeareth by her definition to know how to assure it sâ—lfe how to aske the grace of God promised in his word how to embrace salvation offered by Iesus Christ and during this life how to possesse in part that eternall and blessed life And because faith beginneth here to tast the delights of the vision of God she is yet upheld and fortified by Hope which is the second wing that makes her expect heaven and promiseth her absolutely to fill her abundantly with those sweeâ— pleasures whereof the hath shee yet had but a tast and to make her perfectly know that which now she seeth but obscurely and like a shadow Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD. Vpon these words there is an objection to be resolved why Christ saith here the pure in heart seeing the Scripture in many places is directly opposite to this justice to this purity to this cleanenesse as we read Prou. 20.9 Who can say I have made my heart cleane I am pure from my sinne And in the first booke of Kings the 8. Chap. There is no man that sinneth not And in the 1. Epist. of Saint Iohn 1. Chap. If we say that we have no sinne we deceive our selues and the truth is not in us And in the 25. Chap. of Iob How can man be justified with God or how can he be cleane that is borne of a woman Although these places and many more that we purposely leave to avoyd prolixity seeme to be opposite to our Text notwithstanding we will reconcile them together For when the Spirit of God calleth heere those that live justly and holily pure in heart we must not understand it so as if they were totally and absolutely cleane from the filthinesse of sinne for in that sence the royall Prophet David saith There is none just no not one But we must understand here those that strive to walke in the sacred pathes of Gods commandements that live holily before God and without reproach before men that have beene purified like gold tried seaven times in the fire and that fire is the word of God that enters and penetrates to the most secret thoughts there to consume the wood and chaffe of our wicked inclinations This cleansing and purification is clearely set forth unto us in the 15. Chap. of Saint Iohn in these words of Christ Now ye are cleane through the word which I have spoken And in the 13. Chap. ver 10. of the same Gospell Hee that is washed needeth not save to wash his feete but is cleane every whit and ye are cleane but not all In a word the faithfull that live holily may be called just and pure in heart Secundum quid non-simpliciter Iust in that degree of Iustice that may fall on man whilest he is here below fighting against flesh
possessors of the rich treasures of eternall life where it is farre easier to know what is not there then to discourse what is There there is no death no wearinesse no infirmity no hunger no thirst no heaâ— no cold no corruption no want no mourning nor sorrow Wee have told you what there is not there but what there is there eye hath not sâ—ene â—are hath not heard neither is it entred into the heart of man what God hath prepared for them that love him now becaâ—se these joyes and felicities have not entred into the heart of man therefore man must strive to enter into them God speakes thus by his Prophet Isaiah chap. 32. My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitatoin and in sure â—wâ—llings and in quiet resting places In this blessed life there is a certaine assurance a sure tranquillity a happy eternity an eternall happinesse a perfect charitâ— a perpetuall day â— quick motion in a word all shall be there led and governed by the same Spirit Here let us burne with zeale to ascend to those faire places let us be enflamed with extreame desire of possessing so goodly an inheritance and if our bodies cannot as yet goe thither yet let our hearts ascend up if our soule be as yet bound and fastned within this mortall prison at the least let our faith flie up to those delicious places and there rest and stay untill our soules be perfectly pure cleane and white that one day both in body and soule wee may contemplate Gods divine Majestie and sing eternally with the holy Angels Holy holy is the Lord God of hosts for evermore AMEN O Most bountifull God and most mercifull King wee thy servants and children here prostrate and humbled before the high and holy tribunall of thy sacred and soveraigne Majestie doe ingenuously confesse that we are not worthy to lift up our eyes or our hands towards heaven to call upon thee in our necessities for our sinnes are raised over our heads like terrible mountaines which seeme to threaten and defie thy judgements from the top of their presumptuous impudencie Iniquity hath made our soules as black as firebrands and the transgression of thy divine commaundements hath made our consciences more red then scarlet in a word forgetting thee we haue forgotten our selues and remember but as a dreame our beginning derived from heaven Wherefore O good Iesus O sweet Saviour of our bodies and soules kindle in our hearts the fire of thy divine love and let it be a candle to our feete and a light unto our pathes that wee may safely escape out of these terrible downefalls which threaten unto us death and condemnation wash our soules in the precious blood issuing from thy wounds make them by thy favour whiter then snow and then washed wooll we cannot enteâ— into thy Tabernacle before wee be cleansed of our faults graunt then unto us by thy mercy one onely drop of this large and vast ocean of thy great compassions wash our roabes in the blood of the Lambe that wee may be made worthy to follow him whither soever he goeth Change our eyes into two lively fountaines of penitent teares which may become a Iordane of griefe and displeasure for having beene so wicked before thy face within the which wee may dip our selues seaven times yea seaventy times seaven times that we may be delivered of the spirituall leprosie of sinne which makes us so â—oule and ugly in thy sight and presence And after thou hast pulled off from us the old man and cloathed us with the new which is with justice and holinesse when thou hast given us the wedding garmeâ—t then we shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob at the delicate feast which thou hast prepared for us and the which must be kept upon the mountaine of the heavenly Sion where wee shall see thee face to face where we shall be ravished in this contemplation and shall bee quite exchanged and transformed into the extasie of this ravishment Amen The third way to Sion THE CROVVNE OF PEACE AND CONCORD MATH 5.9 Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God WHen two Kings to decide some quarrell are ready to take Armes they first of all â—nkindle the fire of warre in their subjects hearts through all their Dominions then all is in â—rouble combustion and disorder and all newes are sorrowfull and lameâ—table on the one side you may see desolate Parents poore olde men leaning on the brim of their graves considering with eyes overflowing with teares their deare children whom for the greatnes and multiplicity of their cruell wounds they can scarcely know On the other side you are frighted by the lamentable complaints by the loude cries and pitifull lamentâ—tions of the bewayling widowes over the dead bodies of their dearely beloved husbands In a word there is nothing but fire blood and slaughter to be seene so that one may properly say That Warre the mother of all mischiefe is as it were a feast celebrated to the honour of death to whom are continually offered up many pitifull and bloody sacrifices which she exactly keepes in the grave But when some great Prince or earthly Monarch undertaketh to agree them his Embassadors are every where received with open armes bone-fires and triumphall arches erected in token of that joy and contentment which they receive by their mediation for peace according to that saying of the Lord Blessed are the feâ—te of those that bring tidings of peace Rom. 10.16 Iesus Christ here continueth his Sermon to his Disciples where in a continued order hee sheweth them the perfeâ—tion of blessednesse he maketh them scale the heavens by eight degrees which they must ascend here on earth And having spoken formerly of six hee commeth now to the seaventh saying Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God Which words by Gods assistance wee will divide into two principall parts 1. the proposition 2. the reason of it the proposition concerneth the Peacemakers and their felicity the reason of this beatitude is to be called the children of God Now for our better understanding of these words let us handle them all severally and let us for a while leave this concrete word Peace-maker and so come to his abstract to wit peace the which is diversly defined according to the severall sorts and degrees of it For there is the peace of the body which is a just temperature of the parts There is a peace of the irreasonable soule which is an inordinate rest of the appetite There is a peace of the reasonable soule which is a moderated consent of the action and understanding There is a peace of the soule and body which is a well governed life and the health of the living creature There is a peace of mortall man which is a well ordered obedience in faith under the government of the eternall and divine law There is a peace of the house which conâ—isteth in a
1. The Naturall which hath wholly buried in her the senses all Philosophy and the strongest and most assured courage cannot hinder him from shutting his eyes at the suddaine surprise of a flash of lightning or at the feignednesse of a hand which unexpectedly approacheth our face or that we withdraw not or turne not our head from the sight of a fearefull precipice or that a suddaine crack or noyse doe not at first hearing terrifie or astonish us Primi illi motus non sunt hominis The first motions or terrours are not in our power 2. Corporall whereby wee naturally abhorre Death and feare to expose and cast our selues into danger 3. Mundane or worldly whereby we feare to lose our wealth honours and dignities but it is of neither of these sorts of feares which our Apostles speakes unto us but onely of Divine feare which likewise streames foorth in three rivolets 1. Servile whereby we feare God for the apprehension we have of the infernall tortures and torments of Hell and this degree and sort of feare is not good of it selfe because it hath no good object nor is made or formed to a good end neverthelesse it is held and termed good because it conduceth to good 2. Initiant which lookes two wayes 1. towards the torments wee feare 2. towards the glory we desire and it is also termed enterwoven or mixt because it is composed both of a good and bad feare 3. Filiall which is the last and best sort of divine feare whereby we love God not only for our owne glory or for the apprehension of tormenâ—s but for his goodnes excellâ—ncy pâ—rfection and in a word for and in regard of himselfe Saint Bernard lively describes and pertinently represents those three sorts of feare 1. Ne cruciemur à gehenna 2. Ne exclusi à visione tam inestimabili gloria privemâ—r 3. Replet animum sollicitudine ne deseratur à gratia Which is to say The first feare apprehends torments The second the privation of glory and the third wholly possesseth our hearts and â—indes with care and anxiety as fearing not to lose Gods grace and favour The servile feare is attributed to the wicked The filiall to the good I meane to those who are the children of God The Initiant or intermixed is proper as well to the good as the bad and also it is the most frequent and generall Those three sorts of feare are so many wingâ— which conduct elevate soare us up to heaven The Servile begins first which denounceth to sinners eternall death and damnation and that sharpe and sensible apprehension to be devoured with the flames of hell fire It opens him the gate to be sorrowfull for his offences which threaten to precipitate him in that unquenchable fire and afterwards entering into a firme and lively â—epentance for his former sinnes hee begins to conceive the future felicity and glory of Heaven for the love whereof hee partly resolâ—es to forsake and abandon sinne as Salomon saith By the feare of the Lord men depart from evill Prov. 16.6 Although neverthelesse that he doe it partly for feare of punishment which will infallibly follow him and afâ—er that it againe leades him into this perfect filiall feare whereby he so infinitely loves God that hee had rather dye then offend him in the least thing of the world so neerely he loves him so deerely he honoureth and adores him St. Augustine makes onely two sorts of feare to wit Filiall and Servile and makes them different in this That the Servile hath for object malum poenae the evill of punishment and the filiall malum culpae the evill of guiltinesse Illo timetâ—r ne incidâ—tur in tormentum sâ—pplicij isto ne amittatur gratia beneficij By the first wee feare the torments of hell fire By the second wee feare to lose the grace and favour of God It is this faire this sweet spirituall vertue which gives us admittance and entrance into the closet of God which openeth unto us the treasures of his favour and mercy and which makes us enter into the possession â—f life eternall For those who feare the Lord shall behold his face shall have prosperity and see good dayes saith the royall Prophet King David Psalm 34.11 It is this feare of the Lord which makes men prosper on earth as saith Salomon the Prince of wise men and the wisest of Princes The feare of the Lord prolongeth dayes but the yeares of the wicked shaâ—â— be shortned Prov. 10.27 This wise King in all his afflictions and troubles had still his recourse to the fâ—are of the Lord which was his fortresse his Sanctuary his comfort and consolation as wee shall read in the 14. Chap. of Proverbs In the feâ—re of the Lord is strong confidence and his children shall have a place of refuge The feare of the Lord is a fountaine of life to depart from the snares of death He againe teacheth us that wealth is unprofitable yea prejudiciall to us without this salubrious this sacred feare of God that poverty is to be preferred before fading and perishable riches Better is a little with the feare of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith This feare of the Lord is as it were Iacobs Ladder whereby the Angels of divine consolations descend upon us on earth and our holy prayers and religious thoughts and meditations ascend unto Heaven This Ladder hath three principall steps As the feare of the Lord makes us ascend unto Iesus Christ which is our wisedome for through and by God he hath made us wisedome 1. Cor. 1.30 Iesâ—s Christ leades us to God his Father and God receives and lodgeth us in Heaven and therefore we first feare him if ever we hope or thinke to enter into his favour This feare of God is the head spring and fountaine from whence weâ— draw and exhaust the sacred mysteries of our salvation and Dâ—vid tells us in formall and expresse termes That the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome Psal. III. 10. Thereby to teach us â—hat all this knowledge and learning whereof men vaunt and glory is nothing else but pure folly if it derive not his Origen or beginning from the feare of the Lord. This feare is here taken for the principle of wisedome and Ieâ—us Christ himselfe in many places of Scripture hath assumed and taken the title of Wisedome because he is the wisdome of the Father as wee reade in the former alledged Chapter of 1. Cor. 1.30 But in the book of Genes Chap. 31.42 He himselfe is by Moses called the feare of Isaac Except thâ— God of my Father the God of Abraham and the feare of Isaaâ— had beene with me thou hadst sent me away empty But here the best Interpreters by this feare of Isaac doe undeâ—stand the second person of the Trinity Iesus Christ our Saviour who had not yet assumed and cloathed our humane naâ—ure and of whom Isaac was the true type and figure â—t is an excellent