of Scripture the Apostle discourses the state and condition of a Christian. And having in the former part of this Epistle settled the truth of our Justification by the death of Christ now he layes down grounds of comfort against those infirmities and imperfections that Christians find and feel themselves to be subject to 1. He discovers these infirmities chap. vii I know that in me that is in my flesh there dwells no good thing Odi quod sum non sum quod amo Aug. Epist. 106. The good that I would I do not the evil which I would not do that do I. 'T is that which S. Augustine calls Rixa jurgium inter carnem spiritum Hannah and Peninnah under the same roof vexing each other the one provoking the other weeping both disquieting the peace of the soul. And he who is Spiritual like S. Paul will heed and observe them have his eye upon his thoughts and inward inclinations The Naturalists say that man hath two muscles in his eyes more then other creatures that make him look upward A Christian hath two more to make him look inward to search and descry the stirrings of his heart 2. As he discovers them so he bewayls and mourns for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death See the spirit of S. Paul he rejoyces in afflictions but he mourns for corruptions Vers. 35. Quis separabit He defies afflictions the greatest of them But chap. vii 24. he hath another exclamation Quis liberabit He groans under infirmities and corruptions the least of them Ey here is the true mark of a Spiritual man he chooseth affliction rather then iniquity Affliction sits light but sin sits heavy on him Tu nôsti gemitus cordis mei de hacre flumina oculorum meorum saith S. Augustine bewailing but one of his infirmities 3. He finds and layes hold upon help against them Faith represents Christ and his power ready to succour and deliver him I thank God through Iesus Christ my Lord. These infirmities fetch'd tears from S. Paul but yet he doth not weep out the eye of Faith looks up to Christ as to his soveraign Antidote to cure and recover him And then 4. He comforts himself against those many evils that are consequent fruits arising from these infirmities There are three main evils that arise from them 1. These sinful infirmities in themselves have a condemning power in them they deserve in justice no less then the curse of God and eternal damnation Papists and others may sleight these first motions and count them no sins S. Paul judges them damnable Sin is so strong a poyson that the least grain is deadly and the Gospel doth not make them no sins but makes them pardonable As God destroyed not the fiery Serpents but provided a cure and remedy against them in themselves damnable Against this evil consequent S. Paul finds a Consolation vers 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus that State and Condition brings with it Pardon and Absolution 2. A second evil consequent from these infirmities is that Thraldome and Captivity and Vexation which these remainders of sin bring upon the soul of a Christian. Though he hath his pardon yet his shackles and his bolts are still upon him Though he be freed from the condemning power of these infirmities yet still he suffers encumbrance and vexation from them It is matter of great heaviness to the Saints that they are thus hindred and encumbred that they find such strivings and rebellions in themselves against the law of God that the flesh should resist and oppress the spirit that Hagar should insult over Sarah the bond-woman over the free that Ishmael should over-top Isaac that Esau in the womb of grace should struggle with Iacob that the house of Saul should still be quarrelling with the house of David But against this he comforts himself and others The law of the Spirit hath made us free from the law of sin ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit vers 9. 3. A third evil is that these infirmities and remainders of sin have a malignant power to make us subject to the law of death Their very being in a Christian is the seed and original of mortality 1. Though sin be pardon'd by the death of Christ 2. Though the dominion and power of it be broken and subdued by the Spirit of Christ yet 3. As long as it remains in us in the least and lowest degree it makes us subject to the power of death Yet against this S. Paul finds a double comfort 1. This subjection to death is not total 't is but half a death the death of the body onely That indeed we are obnoxious to but the soul hath escaped free from the snares of death The body indeed is dead that is subject to death because of sin but the Spirit that is life because of righteousness vers 10. Our chiefest and best part the proper seat of misery or happiness that 's put into a state of spiritual and glorious immortality Fear not that that kills the body and can do no more It is not a total death 2. Even this bodily death to be undergone 't is not perpetual that 's a second comfort It hath a limit of time set to it Death shall not alwayes gnaw upon us in the grave The righteous shall have dominion over Death in the morning Our bodies in the holds of Death are Prisoners of Hope there will be an enlargement Death shall be swallowed up and abolish'd the Power and Spirit of God shall free these mortal bodies bring us like Peter asleep out of the dungeon If the Spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you The Text then 't is the blessed Assurance and Evidence of a Christians happy Resurrection In it observe these four particulars 1. Is the Condition upon which it is promised and we may expect it If the Spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you 2. Is the main Cause and Efficient of this our Resurrection 'T is he who raised up Christ from the dead 3. Is the Acting and Performing of it He shall quicken your mortal bodies 4. Is the Ground and Reason of it Because his Spirit dwells in you First for the Condition If. I call it a Condition and yet it carries a threefold force in it I. It hath the force of a Connexion it makes a Connexion with the former priviledges and comforts of a Christian. 1. No condemnation for sin vers 1. that 's one comfort 2. No dominion nor power nor absolute sway of sin that 's a second comfort 3. No total nor final nor utter destruction by sin Death is abolish'd that 's a third comfort It shews us a blessed concatenation and linck of a Christians priviledges Mercy it begins in Pardon and growes and diffuses it self in Grace and never
in affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers It was Luther's speech Schola Crucis Schola Lucis And it is the great aggravation of wicked King Ahaz 2 Chron. xxviii 22. In the time of his distress did he trespass yet more and more against the Lord this is that King Ahaz that 's his brand as if he should say Here is a sinner whom Affliction will not tame 'T is to great purpose that Solomon advises us Prov. iii. II. My son despise not the chastening of the Lord. Gentle Corrections must not be despised nor slighted And David his father counted it an happy thing to get good by such chastening Psal. xciv 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest and teachest him out of thy Law He shews it will prevent this same Occideret That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity until the pit be digged for the wicked verse 13. Happy chastisements that prevent slaying To do as Isaiah speaks chap. xxvi 16. Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastning was upon them No this wrought not with them Quando castigavit So then here is the unworthy servile baseness of their Repentance no time would serve but quando occidit when he slew them never till their heads were on the block Yes this is Pharoah's Repentance he stood out many a stroke but when it came to a destruction then he seeks to Moses O I have sinned save me from this death onely We condemn it in Pharoah and wonder at it here in the Israelites and yet upon examination we shall find it is the case of many of us Take it 1. Either more collectively and largely for our national Repentance Or 2. More privately and personally for each mans particular 1. Let us look abroad not to censure and descant upon other mens estate but yet we may soberly consider the sins of the times and lay them to heart Have we not passed all the former Quandoes the Seasons of Repentance with small Amendment 1. Not when we sinned God knows many sins stand upon the Score uncancelled by Repentance 2. Not when he blessed us with Deliverances with Peace Plenty Freedom from Annoyances yet small fruits upon it Evidentibus Beneficiis ingrati 3. Not when he hath by his word invited to Repentance Nay that Mannah comes out at our Nostrils we begin to loath it Ye begin to question whether God speaks by us 4. Not when he hath chastised us in measure shot off warning Pieces rather then murdring Cannons Commotions and Plagues and unnatural Discontents we despise those Chastisements 5. When he comes to slay us then we will bethink our selves When the Kingdom is on a light fire and Invasions of Enemies or intestine Rebellions begin to destroy us then it is to be hoped we will repent 2. Let us take it more privately and personally and then ask your hearts what time you set for your Repentance It is cum occidet when we are on our Death-beds and no hope of life when God sends his last Executioner to cut us off from the land of the living then we resolve to repent Well 't is possible you may do so De nemine desperandum quem patientia Dei sinit vivere Yet consider 1. It is Infamis Poenitentia here is a brand set upon it by the Holy Ghost 2. It is Incerta There is small encouragement the Scripture gives to it rather rejects it See what entertainment such Seekers are promis'd to find at God's hand Prov. 1. 26. Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded verse 26. I will also laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear comes when distress and anguish comes upon you verse 28. then they shall call upon me but I will not answer See what encouragement such early Seekers have 3. It is Suspiciosa Poenitentia there is great cause to suspect the goodness of such Repentance which is forced from us cum occideret when the fear of death surprises us A man may deceive himself in judging his Repentance In great affliction he may promise fairly and think he hath good and honest purposes to forsake his sin that he is mortified to it because 1. That lust which reigned in him is nipp'd and forc'd back by his affliction 't is like the sap of a tree in Winter all shrunk to the Root Sorrow and sickness and any great affliction is like Winter-Weather it nips the Branches hinders our Corruption from sprouting and so we think 't is dead but the Root holds life and sap Warm Weather of Prosperity will make it spring again like Iob's tree chap. xiv 8 9. Through the sent of waters it will bud and bring forth boughs like a plant 2. In the fear of death or any sore affliction we may take our selves to be mortified because afflictions will justle out temptations of sinful pleasures he hath lost the relish of them for a time As sick men can find no sweetness in meats which otherwise they delight in because their taste is for a time embittered Let them recover health and they will fall to again 3. In sickness many take themselves mortified not because sin is weakened in them but nature is infeebled that withdraws her strength by which sin was active recover nature and sin will recover As a 〈◊〉 in a tree let the tree spring and that will spring too 'T is not the body of sin that is mortified but the body of nature is infeebled Put not thy Conversion then upon such hazardous adventures stay not till he comes to slay thee by death It is an infamous 't is an uncertain 't is a suspicious Repentance thou mayest be mistaken in it Come we to III. The third defect of their Repentance that 's falsness and dissembling it was a flattering unsound hypocritical Repentance Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth and they lyâ—…d unto him with their tongue All their conversion and turning to God was but flattery and falshood And this Flattery and falshood will appear 1. In their Professions 2. In their Promises Flattering Professions and false Promises 1. Flattery is seen in Professions 1. A Flatterer will profess a great esteem of goodness and worth in the Person whom he applies himself to ready to ascribe much unto him So did these hollow Converts In their Affliction they acknowledged God was their rock and strength and the high God their Redeemer verse 35. Thus the Herodians flattered Christ Matth. xxii 16. Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth and regardest no mans person Christ discovers them Why tempt ye me ye hypocrites Such are the soothings of unsound repentance when affliction presses us Oh! then we will acknowledge God and his goodness As Benhadad did with the King of Israel O the Kings of Israel are merciful Kings but
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
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
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
Particulars 1. The dwelling of Gods Spirit in us is a ground of our resurrection because it is Vinculum Unionis the Spirit is the bond of our union and conjunction with Christ. By it we are incorporated into his holy Body and made members of it Now then if our head â—…ise all the members must rise with it If the Head be in Heaven the members shall not for ever perish in the Grave Not a bone of his was broken This union by the Spirit 't is like the touch of a Load-stone it will attract and draw us to him that where he is we shall be also It is spoken of his hypostatical but it is true also of his mystical union Quod semel assâ—…mpsit 〈◊〉 depâ—…suit Christ will part with none of his members Father I will that where I am they shall be also Because I live ye shall live also Iohn xiv 19. 2. This inhabitation of the Spirit grounds our resurrection ratione proprietatis Our bodies by this inhabitation are consecrated to be a possession of the Holy Ghost and the Temple of God must not be destroyed What Christ said of his own body it is true of ours Destroy this Temple and I will raise it up again Necesse est Spiritui reddatur Templum suum saith Tertul. Gods Spirit takes pleasure not onely in these living Temples but owns them when they are dead takes pleasure in the dead bones and favours the dust of them Psal. cii As Philosophers say of the Soul it is Artifex sui domiâ—…ilii it frames its own house of the body so the Spirit of God repairs re-edifies rears up this Fabrick after it is taken down 3. This Inhabitation of the Spirit works our resurrection as being the Auhor of both that initial grace that entitles us and gives us claim to the state of a resurrection Regeneration makes us Children of the Resurrection as also because it is the author of that final grace which plucks up the root eats out the core of our mortality Till then as there be Primitiae gratiae so there are Reliquiae peccati Those remainders of sin dispose us to death but our final and finishing grace roots up those Fibrae peccati and sin being abolish'd death hath no dominion over us So then for use of all 1. Is the Habitation of the Spirit the ground of our Resurrection doth that give us interest into the resurrection of Christ Sure then 1. The benefit of this resurrection belongs onely to them who have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them The wicked and reprobate they have no share in Christs resurrection Not but that Christ raises the wicked at the last day but this he doth officio Iudicis not beneficio Mediatoris by the authority of his supreme Judicature All shall hear his voice his summons shall raise them out of their Grave but the fruit and benefit of his mediation or resurrection extends not to them 1. Not by way of Merit he communicates no merit in the world to come to those who have no interest in his merits in this present world 2. Not by way of any actual efficacie there 's no influence of Christ but into his own members all influence of grace and virtue either tends to union or flows from it 3. Not by way of Example Christs resurrection is not so much as the Pattern and Samplar of theirs there 's no assimilation 'twixt Christ and the wicked They do not bear the Image of the second Adam they are not planted into the Similitude of his death or resurrection He is the resurrection and the life to them that believe Iohn xi 2. Besides the Resurrection that Christ merited and communicates is a beneficial and beatifical Resurrection Meritum sonat in bonum the resurrection of the wicked tends to damnation Better not rise then rise to perdition Better stay in prison then to be brought to execution This rising destroys not death but increases and redoubles it In short 3. The Resurrection of the wicked 't is no fruit of the Gospel but a sequel of the Law not flowing from the second Adam but is consequent upon the first no part of the Promise The seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head but a part of the Threatning Thou shalt die the death soul and body both to be destroyed 2. Shall we be raised because his Spirit dwells in us See the sweet fruit and benefit of giving place to Christ and his Spirit and devoting our selves to be an habitation to him he richly requites us for his habitation See how Satan uses the bodies he possesses Luke ix 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He rent and tore them Oh! the Spirit of God keeps and preserves them As men say of their houses Better Lett them Rent-free to some that will use them well and keep them in repair then for Rent to others that will havock and spoil them If Satan possess thy body besides the base usage he will put it to he will make it a sink of sin a dung-hill of corruption a rendevous of unclean Spirits all the Rent he pays thee will be ruine and destruction But if Christs Spirit possess thee besides the honour which his presence puts upon thee if the King be in a Cottage he makes it a Court he will secure it and maintain it and make it good to thee Use thy body and devote it to sensuality it will end in corruption devote it to God and his Spirit it will rise to immortality S. Paul speaks 1 Cor. vi 13. Meats for the belly and the belly for meats and what will become of it God shall destroy both it and them But the body is for the Lord and the Lord for the body and then what follows Vers. 14. God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power Dos immortalitatis Immortality 't is the Dowrie that God assures to the body The body is not for Fornication but for the Lord and he assures this Dowrie even a blessed Resurrection Which God grant for his sake who is the Resurrection and the Life To whom c. A SERMON PREACHED UPON WHIT-SUNDAY ON VVHIT-SUNDAY The First Sermon 2 KINGS ii 9. And it came to pass when they were gone over that Elijah said unto Elisha Ask what I shall do for thee before I be taken away from thee And Elisha said I pray thee let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me THe two Testaments have a mutual relation and reciprocal aspect and interview one with another Not any mysterie of the New but was shadowed out in the Old not any type of the Old but is represented and exhibited and fulfilled in the New They are placed about Christ as the two Cherubs upon the Mercy-seat looking each on other and both on Christ. The Faith of the Old Testament look'd forward expecting to behold the fulness of those types the Faith of the New Testament looks backward to see the sweet prefigurations
As Protarchus in Aristotle said Those stones were happy stones of which Altars were made Sure 't is an happy employment of what God gives to us that we give something of it again to God to maintain his Worship Superstition spares for no cost and shall Religion be close-handed The Jews that lavish'd out their gold Ear-rings and Jewels to make the Golden Calf were afterwards as forward to contribute their gold and silver for the Ark and Tabernacle Our Christian Worship it is more spiritual then that of the Jews but that discharges us not of this duty God's House his Ministers the Provision for his Worship they must be supported and honourably supplied This is strange doctrine to the world We count nothing too mean too homely for the Service of God If we remove the Ark put it in a Cart if we give place to it lodge it in a Cottage That Religion is best we think that is best-cheap 5. A fifth thing observable is that it was Cultus per sacrificium a publick worship by solemn Sacrifice a consuming and burning upon Gods Altar their Gifts and Oblations Burnt-Offering and Sacrifice was the most awful and solemn Worship the Church offered up to God before Christ. Moses gives Rules and Canons for this Service Nay as Christ saith of Circumcision we may say of Sacrifice It was not of Moses but of the Fathers all from Adam and downwards Abel Noah Abraham and the rest of the Patriarchs abounded in this Service And it carries with it these significations 1. It was a real Recognition and acknowledgment of Gods Soveraign Dominion and of their Dependency and Subjection to him Mittite agnum dominatori terrâ—… Isai. xvi 7. Seâ—…d ye a lamb to the Ruler of the land as a Sacrifice of Homage and Subjection 2. It was a sad Remembrance and acknowledgment of sin and of the due debt and just desert of death by sin The slaying of the Sacrifice was a confession that they deserved death and destruction 3. It was a Protestation and Profession of their faith in Christ the great Atonement to be offered for them the true Lamb of God the great whole burnt-Offering to satisfie for sin 4. They were Testimonies and Professions of humble thankfulness for mercies received But then the Inquiry must be Where is our Christian-Sacrifice Have not Christians something to offer and sacrifice to God I answer These carnal and external Sacrifices of Beasts belong all to the Law of Ceremonies and so cease now and are out of date Christ hath put an end to them The Salt that did season their Sacrifices was Gods Institution now they want that Salt and so they corrupt and putrefy The Mannah that was kept longer then Gods appointment bred worms and corrupted such now are all Jewish Sacrifices Now they are no sweet savour but a loathsome stench in the nostrils of God But then have Christians no Sacrifice Yes verily The summe and substance of those Sacrifices is compleat in Christ. He is the onely Priest and Sacrifice of the New Testament He offered up himself once for all He gave himself as an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour Eph. v. 2. A Sacrifice of that efficacy that it need not be offered often it was once offered and is for ever effectual S. Chrysostom compares the Jewish Sacrifices to weak Plaisters that must be often renewed Christs bloud was like a Soveraign plaister Semel impositum semper sanat once applied it perfectly cures us But yet though we have now no proper Sacrifice external and bodily yet we have still our Evangelical and spiritual Sacrifices For besides that every good work and holy action done for the honour of God is a Christian Sacrifice Feci Deo as David speaks makes it a Sacrifice As S. Augustine speaks Opus bonum quod fit ut sancta societate inhaereamus Deo Any good work that may joyn us to God and commend us to his acceptation that 's a Sacrifice Besides that a Christian offers up to God a fourfold Sacrifice 1. Sacrificium cordis contriti The Sacrifice of a Contrite heart in the practice of Repentance Thus S. Paul calls the Repentance and Conversion of the Gentiles The Offering up of the Gentiles or the sacrificing of them And David acknowledgeth The Sacrifice of God is a broken and contrite heart Psal. lâ—… The killing of our lusts the mortifying of our sins 't is an holy and acceptable Sacrifice and Service unto God A Christian hath 2. Sacrificium cordis devoti the Sacrifice of a devout heart that 's the Sacrifice of Prayer and our great Christian Sacrifice when the soul by prayer ascends up to heaven as upon the Altar of Incense Thus David acknowledgeth Let my prayer be as Incense and the lifting up of my hands as the evening Sacrifice Psal. cxli. 2. Theodoret observes when Christ cast out the sheep and the doves out of the Temple and said My house shall be called an house of prayer he abolish'd all other Sacrifices and appointed prayer to be the solemn Sacrifice and Service of the Church 3. A Christian hath another Sacrifice that 's Sacrificium cordis grati the sacrifice of a thankful heart the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving unto God Thus we see Psal. l. God rejects their bloudy sacrifices in stead of them he tells them Whosoever offers praise and thanks to him he honours him Will I eat the flesh of Bulls or drink the bloud of goats Offer unto God thanksgiving He takes away the first that he may establish the second And Heb. xiii 15. Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name And in this kind the great sacrifice of the Christian Church is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the great commemoration of the great benefit of our Redemption The most religious and mysterious benediction and praising of God 't is the Cup of blessing and calling upon the name of the Lord. 4. A Christian hath yet another Sacrifice that 's Sacrificium cordis benefici the sacrifice of Alms-deeds and charitable communication the distributing to the necessities of our poor brethren that 's accounted by God a Christian Sacrifice The relief which the Philippians sent to S. Paul 't is called An Odour of a sweet smell a Sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing to God chap. iv 18. So the Apostle To do good and to distribute forget not for with such Sacrifices God is well-pleased Heb. xiii 16. These four 1. The Sacrifice of a Contrite heart 2. The Sacrifice of a Devout heart 3. The Sacrifice of a Thankful heart 4. The Sacrifice of a Charitable and Compassionate heart these are the Sacrifices of a Christian which God accepts of him We have seen the Performance of this Service Now follows Secondly the Success and Acceptance of it Abel and his Service is respected but Cain and his Offering is rejected We have seen them go hand in hand in this
he seems to part with his own right in it and sets it over to his Church If God so loved us What then The inference we should think were more natural Then we must love him again But God parts with his interest bestows it on his children Then ought we to love one another 1 Ioh. iv 11. He requires us to exhibit it to his Church 1. In signum amoris then 't is best tryed Every man will love God it is best discovered in our love to his Church 2. In fructum amoris the fruit of our charity cannot reach to him As David desiring to shew love to Ionathan even after his death inquires out Mephibosheth or any of his children that they might enjoy what Ionathan could not Quod homini proficit Deo servit saith Tertullian Then charity is most serviceable to God when it is profitable to his Church The Church that is commended especially to our love and charity As S. Bernard observes of Christs provision for his Mother at his death he commended her to S. Iohn his loving disciple and in terms of love Behold thy Mother and Behold thy Son so in the disposition that 's the principal affection to which Christ commits it Art thou a Minister conceive Christs voice from his Cross to thee Behold thy Mother behold thy Son This was the Preface to S. Peter's charge Peter lovest thou me then feed my flock Of both which Speeches to S. Peter and S. Iohn Aquinas conceits that answerable to their affection so was their commission Saint Peter loved Christum mysticum in membris Christ in his members to him therefore the Church was by name commended Saint Iohn loved Christum personalem Christ in his person to him therefore he committed the care of his Mother Love is the affection that 's principally required This we see typified in Aarons brest-plate the names of the Israelites they were ingraven and set upon the holy Pectoral not upon his shoulders onely for care and burden but upon his breast the seat of love they must be dear and tender to him It is a sin in any man to be void of Charity but it is an hainous impiety in a Priest It had been cruelty in any Jew not to regard his brother's wounded and bleeding body but for a Levite and a Priest to pass by and neglect the body nay the soul of their brother without charity and compassion what sin more abominable Without this gift all other graces they are fruitless and unprofitable sine hac nihil sum saith the Apostle not minor or parvus but nihil sum Had I all Languages even to the tongues of Angles had I all Miracles to remove Mountains had I all Patience even to the enduring of Martyrdom Quale crimen saith Cyprian quod nè Mariyrio quidem potest expiari sine hac nihil sum And cum hac omnia sum Charity bears all believes all hopes all Strange The act of Charity is onely to love Elicit suum actum imperat omnem As a spring in a clock sets all the wheeles going or the Primum mobile in Heaven carries all the Spheres with it Art thou to Prophesy Charitâ—… cogit saith the Apostle The love of Christ constrains Hast thou Languages they are unprofitable in themselves divided from Charity Charity directs and unites them together Ex una lingua factae sunt multae hoc superbia fecit ex multis facta est una hoc charitas facit Aug. Saint Iames speaking of malicious tongues saith They are set on fire of Hell and they set on fire the whole course of nature in strife and confusion so these gifts of tongues being set on fire by charity as by fire from Heaven they set on fire the whole course of nature in grace and conversion Not as if Charity were absolutely necessary as if none but a Convert could convert others Tongues and Miracles as we see in Iudas they may do good but not so kindly as when love imployes them As S. Augustine observes of Christ's Miracles they prevailed the more with his Auditours because they were not onely signa potentiae but fructus amoris They were miracula salutaria helpful and beneficial Had they been nociva as Moses his were in Egypt they would have bred hatred and terrour driven men farther from him or had they been innocua to remove Mountains to fly in the air they would have wrought wonder and astonishment but they were salutaria healing and feeding and raising from the dead these were beneficial and provoked love and affection As the Prophet when he laid his staff upon the child which was signum potentiae it never fetch'd life but the embracing of his arms that was fructus amoris that warm'd and enliven'd him Miracles and languages they may do good but not so kindly Much more Prophesying though divided from Charity hath its use and profit for the conversion of others To this purpose S. Augustine alluding to that of S. Paul Some preach Christ of good will others on by-respects Quidam saith he non castè praedicant Christum tamen his auditis fideles nascuntur As in natural generation so likewise in spiritual Quidam ad concubitum ingrediuntur non voluntate generandi sed luxuriandi libidiâ—…e in lust not in love and desire of posterity and yet they beget children ex fâ—…cunditate seminum non ex turpitudine vitiorum The seed of the word it hath vim plasticam prolificam a power of regenerating though dispensed and applied by one not-converted Let the seed be good that is sown in the furrows it skils not what the hand be that scatters it abroad Pastores mali saith S. Augustine against the Donatists bad Shepherds may feed the flock in good Pastures Prophecy without Charity hath a power of converting but not so kindly As a Chirurgeon or Physician is more affectionately careful of his own body then of a stranger's life The one he doth Ex Arte to shew his skill the other In Affectu in Sympathy of affection The one preaches Ut lucretur famam for credit and ostentation the other Ut lucretur fratrem Thou hast gained thy brother saith our Saviour accounting every Christian as S. Paul did Onesiâ—…us his own bowels and esteeming S. Iames his reward the best encouragement Hast thou converted a sinner Know thou hast saved a soul from death and hast hid a multitude of sins That 's a second Inforcement Ut Ecclesiae habeat Charity improves all his gifts for the benefit of the Church 3. Ut Sibi habeat Charity makes them comfortable and profitable to his own soul. That 's the excellency of Charity above these other Graces Tongues without Prophecy edifie no man Prophecie without Charity edifies others helps not himself Charitas alios seipsum He saves himself and those that hear him Tongues without Prophecie like Nimrod they build a Babel they confound themselves and bring confusion to others Prophecie without Charity like Noah's workmen they
all men since Adam Never any but the first Adam in his Innocency could have fulfilled it never any but the second Adam our Lord Iesus did perfectly fulfil it S. Paul tells us of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. viii an impotency nay an impossibility in the Law by reason of sin Indeed when God first gave the Law it was sutable to our strength but sin infeebled us and so the Law proved impossible to us Saint Peter tells us It was a yoke that neither we nor our fathers could bear Act. xv 10. Not onely men in the state of Corruption but the very Saints in the state of Regeneration come short of it Imperfection of grace cannot attain to perfection of obedience The Church of God defended this truth against the Pelagians That the Law of God in the exactness of it no meer man did ever fulfil it There are two Dimensions in the Law 1. The first is maximum quod sic in doing of good how full must that be it must be toto corde with our whole heart 2. The second is minimum quod non in declining from sin how much must that be 't is Non concupisces not so much as to linger or lust after it Consider these two Dimensions and it will make us confess with David I see an end of all perfection but thy law is exceeding large That 's the first 2. Take the Law in the lowest pitch of righteousness yet an unregenerate man cannot obey it He is so far from fulfilling all the Law that he cannot perform the least part of it Some outward Acts a meer natural man may do S. Paul tells us They do by Nature the things written in the Law but look to the spiritual manner of performance so no natural man can obey it in the least and lowest degree of it Every carnal man is reprobate to every good work Tit. i. 10. Love is the fulfilling of the Law Perfect Love fulfills it perfectly imperfect Love doth it imperfectly but without Love there is no performance You may as soon gather Grapes from Thistles as any good work from an unregenerate man Laudo fructum boni operis sed in fide quaero radicem saith S. Augustine If the root be not good which is Faith working by Love the fruit though outwardly specious is inwardly vicious That 's the second 3. Consider the Law in the Evangelical mitigation and abatement of it yet still the Saints of God find difficulty in it A regenerate man is two men That which is spiritual and renew'd in him that readily conforms to the Law of God The spirit is willing saith our Saviour ey but the flesh is weak Nay oftentimes wilful stubborn and resisting A Christian indeed is freed à morte Peccati from the death of sin he hath a new principle of life put into him that disposes him to all holy obedience but yet he is not freed à morbo Peccati from the disease of sin that still hangs upon him and that shrinks away and withdraws it self from this due obedience A Christian hath both Primitias Spiritus the First-fruits of the Spirit they make him Spiritual and withal he hath Reliquias carnis some dregs of flesh in him they make him carnal loth and listless to any holy obedience Thus we see the Law 1. In the highest pitch is impossible to the Saints 2. In the lowest pitch 't is impossible to the unregenerate 3. Even in its moderation 't is difficult to the best in this imperfect state of regeneration But yet 't is most true what the Text affirms Gods Commandments are not grievous His Service is no such hard service as the world accounts it 't is no such toyl and drudgery as carnal men conceive it 'T is a service indeed for why should we be left to a lawless liberty but 't is an ingenuous service Take my yoke upon you saith Christ for my yoke is easie and my burthen is light 'T is Satans policy to stave us off from God with this conceit O he is an hard Master duram servies servitutem farewel comfort and contentment if he be your Master Nay verily Gods servants find no such grievances in this employment which will appear upon these three Considerations 1. In respect of their state and condition 2. In respect of their task and employment 3. In respect of their many encouragements which they meet with in this Service 1. Look upon their state and condition Gods people are not in any base servile condition But 1. They are called unto a state of Liberty and Liberty 't is sweet in it self and sweetens all our employments It matters not so much what we do as upon what terms we do it If as slaves and bondmen that embitters our work and makes it grievous If as free and ingenuous it sweetens our employment And such are all Gods servants You have heard it often His Service is perfect freedome The Law they live under 't is call'd A Law of Liberty Iam. i. 25. Brethren saith S. Paul Gal. v. 13. You are â—…alled unto Liberty Gods servants must be no bond-men The Israelites were not to be slaves for they are my servants saith God Levit. xxv Thus as Solomon made no bond-men of the children of Israel 1 Kings ix 22. but put them into ingenuous services so doth God with his servants 2. As it is a free so it is an honourable Service As we know the greatness of the Master dignifies and ennobles the service that is done unto him 'T is the high Title that the Saints have gloried in that they were Gods servants and belonged to him David gloried more in this that he was Gods servant then that he was Israel's King So Theodosius Behold Lord I am thy servant I am thy servant and the son of thy hand-maid Psal. cxvi He chose to be A door-keeper in Gods house Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy Courts Psal. lxv 4. 'T is an high dignity to be Gods moenial servant 2. Look upon their task and employment you shall find the Service of God 't is no such wearisome service 1. The work which God enjoyns them 't is possible to them Gods Commandments are made possible to a regenerate man All things are possible to him that believes Mark ix I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me Phil. iv 13. Flesh and bloud sees nothing in the Law of God but impossibility like the unbelieving Spies O we cannot conquer the land But Faith and Love like Caleb and Ioshua conceive it may be done and undertake it readily 2. This work is easie I said it even now 3. This work 't is not onely possible and easie but pleasant and delightful A good Christian finds exceeding great pleasure and sweetness in it A just man saith Solomon delights to do justly 't is a joy to him Prov. xxi 15. So a good Christian delights in Piety Thus David
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
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