non alius statui potest quam Deus natura auctor longissimè enim exuperat omnem naturae virtutem Voss de resur thes 20. P. Mart. in 2. Reg. 4. redemption in his twofold nature both as Christ the Lord in his divine and as Jesus a Saviour in his humane nature shewing in the one his hability in the other his propriety to raise us But both ways the raising belongs unto him more eminently as he is God for who fitter to repair the body then he that made it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Gregory Nyssen speaks He best knows how to mend his own work that is ruined and to restore it unto its former integrity This is the Act of his Wisdom but it is the Act also of his Power and that so transcendent as no power beside is able to effect it Not * Num. 4. Plato's revolution of the Spheres nor * et 62. Origens disposition in the dust that might lye for ever dispersed did not God recall it into a body So it is this way the Prerogative of the Deitie and thus it is common unto the whole Trinity who * Singulorum in trinitate opera trinitas operatur unicuiqne operanti cooperantibus duobus conveniente in tribus agendi concordia non in uno deficiente efficacia peragendi Aug de ver dom serm 11. as they are one in Essence and nature so they are equal in working But it belongs more peculiarly unto Christ as he is Man for by man came also the resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15.21 First by the vertue of his humane nature united personally unto the Deitie wherewith * Caro suo ministerio divinitatis operibus inserviit et humanitas factae est organon per quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suam operationem exercet Athanas in Aur. ser 4. it concurreth as an instrument unto the raising of our bodies being endued with a quickening power conducing to that work which Power he manifested in these essayes of the resurrection those dead that he raised to life in the dayes of his mortal flesh when he dispatched not the miracle by a Word alone as he made the World but by touching the Bier Luke 7.14 to shew us thereby saith Theophylact that his flesh hath a quickning vertue being married to the Word that quickneth all things And he will manifest this power more apparently at the general resurrection Dan. 12.2.3 with Iohn 5.28.29 when by the voice of the Son of Man all that sleep in the dust shall be awakened and start up unto Judgement In protrept seu admonitione ad Gentes Then again as by the Vertue so by the Merits of his humane nature in his bitter and bloody passion whereby He crucified death into life as Clemens strains it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and opened the Kingdom of Heaven unto all believers That as the death of the legal High-Priest did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Isidor Pelusiot notes restore the casuall man-slayer unto the Land of his possession Epist 109. lib. 3. on that place in Numbers chap. 35. v. 25. so the death of our eternal High-Priest will restore us to our heavenly Countrey for having taken away sin that was a Christus per mortem suam peccatum sustulit quod fuit causa mortis nemini v. dubium est quin causa remota effectum auferatur Pet. Mart. the cause of death life followeth of it self as we may see in the Articles of our Creed straight after the forgiveness of sins comes in The resurrection of the body that cannot long be imprisoned in the Grave the ransome once paid for its deliverance or our Saviour should loose thereby the reward of his sufferings who had not suffered so much in his body but that ours should enjoy the benefit So that Tertul. de resurr carnis Merito suscitaturus we may assume Tertullians confidence well may he raise the flesh that himself was made and from death that himself suffered and from the grave where himself was laid Nor need we make dâ—ubt but what He hath begun in himself He will accomplish likewise in us and raise also our vile body the subject of this work and our next particular Second part The subject Had it been our innocent body such as it was at the first making it had been no ordinary preferment for flesh and blood the spawn of earth to inherit the Kingdom of God And yet then it was in its purity and had some nearer affinity with Heaven but for this vile and despicable body so marred and disordered by sin for this to have the glory of a resurrection is a miracle as great as the resurrection you will easily allow of the wondring if you but survey the story of its vileness Tertul. de resur In its Original Ex foecibus terrae in in Tertullians language from the slime and dregs of the earth no better then the dust we tread on Nay worse since that a Job 14.4 secund vulgat De immundo semine in Jobs confession conceived of unclean seed such as we even blush to think on Then in its best estate obnoxious to all the variety of miseries as want diseases age deformity and whatever either injury can inflict or weakness suffer and yet there were some excuse in its weakness but it hath malignity also opposing and b Wisd 9.15 depressing that which is divine in us with its earthly weight and obscuring the splendor of our heavenly spirit that some * Aliud esse inferos negaverunt quam ipsa corpora quibus inclusa anima carcerem foedum paâ—iatur c. Vid. Macrob somn Scipionis lib. 1. Philosophers in a zealous blasphemy pronounced it the only hell of the soul in which she did not so much live as take pennance and some * Martio Basilides Valentin Manich. Hereticks by a bolder sacriledge denyed it to be Gods own making and devised another to be the Creator But in a more sober detestation you may hear Nazianzen accusing it by his own experience Nazian Orat. 16. de Paup amore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that when it flourishes vexes me with war and when it languishes afflicts me with grief which I love as a fellow-servant and loath as an enemy fly as an impediment embrace as a companion If I strive to oppress it I want its assistance in good actions and if I deal friendly with it I endanger a rebellion O wonderful Conjunction and alienation what I fear I cherish what I love I fear we have here so much to look upon that we may forget to look any farther Post totuÌ„ ignobilitatis elogium caducae in originem terram cadaveris nomen de isto quoque nomine periturae in nullum inde jam nomen in omnis vocabuli mortem Tertull. And yet the greatest vilenes is behind in its frailty and dissolution to see it fall into earth that earth crumble
est to seek the glory of men by almsgiving is to make war with God for his glory his prerogative royall which he that is afraid to do must do that which is hard to be done that is be so far from proclaiming his charity Verse 3. that he must not know it himself the left hand must not know what the right hand doth But to do it therefore that others may know it we may note the danger thereof by the penalty denounced from the mouth of Christ against these (a) Tertul. Animalia gloriae Verily I say unto you they have their reward which is no more but a blast of vain praise and when they have this they have no more for ever to receive or look for besides it is their last reward their final recompence so bad a bargain do they make to sell their good deeds at so cheap a market and for the light breath of worldly praise which is but for a moment to deprive themselves of a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 No question our Apostle was well acquainted with these and the like ill consequences of boasting that made him so backward in the attempt yet he had in himself the true foundation substance of glory he was called to his ministeâ—y by a new Ordination not of men Gal. 1.1 nor by men but by Jesus Christ and by him not being in the dayes of his flesh when the rest were called but in the full Majesty of his glory vouchsafing them as to be the Preacher unto his conversion by an audible voice from heaven 1 Pet. 2.25 1 Tim. 2.7 so to be the Great Bishop to ordain him a Preacher and an Apostle a teacher of the Gentiles and that no solemnity might be wanting here instead of a white robe Acts 9.3 2 Cor. 12.4 he is invested with a shining light he was caught up to Paradise in the time of his mortality to be an eye-witness of the heavenly Canaan Colos 1.12 of the inheritance of the Saints in light and obtained alone after Christ the authority of coming down from heaven Videmus quanta majestas in ejus scriptis extet quanta altitudo emineat quantum pondus subsit quanta vis se preferat fulmina denique sunt non verba Calvin in 2 Cor. 11.6 he was more learned then all the Apostles what depth and sublimity in his writings what force and efficacy in his perswasions where every line is an argument every sentence a victory And to make up his preheminence if we beleeve Tertullian he wanted not a prediction of the holy Ghost Adv. Marcion lib. 5. in that prophetick blessing of dying Jacob to his youngest son Benjamin shall ravin as a wolfe Gen. 49 27 in the morning he shall devour the prey and at night he shall divide the spoyle Paul was of the tribe of Benjamin in the morning the forepart of his age worrying and devouring the flock of Christ persecuting the Church in the evening the declension of his life dividing the word a Doctor of the Nations 1 Tim. 2.7 And moreover he was challenged to give an account of himselfe by the false Apostles which might not more encourage his boasting then excuse it Then besides too the Corinthians who more regarded their reputation then their edifying must have something to glory of in his behalf Chap. 5.12 for the outward appearance so as now to hold his peace would be a scandal unto his profession and be interpreted not so much modesty as guiltiness Lastly God was the Author of his singular endowments and not to acknowledge them to his glory were a kind of sacriledge a crime little lesse then to deny them And yet all this would scarce rack out Apostle into the commending of himself Chap 12.7 O venenum quod non curatur nisi veneno ô antidotum quasi quod de serpente conficitur c. Aug. de verb. Ap. Ser. 3. Dicerat tot pericula tormenta alia mala nec dum tamen subigerat penitûs superbiam imò adeò anceps illi certamen restabat ut vincere non posset nisi colaphis caesus Calv. Tacit. hist lib. 4 vid. Lipsii notas Char. de sagess lib. 1. cap. 20. Tertul. de pallio reruÌ„ cum in affectationem flabellatur jam de inceÌ„dio gloriae ardor est although it were now so main a part of his function Peradventure the thorn in his flesh was that which so awed him with the remembrance the messenger of Satan that was sent to buffet him lest he should be exalted out of measure vain glory was the last of his sinful enemies that was to be destroyed and which after so many victories over the world and the flesh nay after the triumph over death and the grave remained yet behind to be encountered and so doubtful was the contention with this sin that had he not been beaten he had not conquered Cupido gloriae etiam sapienti novissima exuitur it is the last affection that even a wise mans layes aside and therefore Plato fitly stiles it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last garment which the soul putteth off or as Charron no lesse fitly renders it chemise de l'ame the skirt of the soule which like that of Nessus bequeathed to Hercules is hardly pulled off till it fire and consume us Calor est omnis affectus sayes the knotty Father in his riddle de pallio every passion is a kind of heat but when it is once fanned or kindled into affectation it breaketh forth into the flame of glory every passion is violent intractable to reason but this by a certain excellency and soveraignty in mischief overmasters these passions and possesseth the Monarchy in man Even conquerours themselves that left nothing to be subdued were solâ gloriâ minores captives to ambition and the greatest conquerors the greatest slaves like an imperious wife to some impotent great man nothing can be done without her consent and the miserable husband cannot choose but obey her how unreasonable soever Bilblioth patrum hom de van glor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Antiochus elegantly desciphers it it beleaguers and undermines all our actions our words our intentions if it cannot allure us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the proffer of honours it far more prides us in contemning them by a shew of equanimity and taking pleasure in the repulse if not to flaunt it in the vanity of gorgeous apparel it sets upon us by neglecting it if not to flourish in eloquence it makes us proud of saying nothing by conceiving our selves wise in that silence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Herba Sar dinea si edulio fuerit vescentibus nervos contrahit rictu ora diducit ut qui mortem appetunt veluti ridentium facie intereant Solini polyhist cap. 10 Salvian de Gub. lib 7. Plautus In other sins and perturbations we apply our selves to convenient remedies
companions of this voyage were a great part of the calamity V. 42. souldiers and prisoners No place of doubting here was left save in the variety of perishing either to be split on the rocks or ingulphed in the quick-sands V. 17. Their onely refuge was to undoe themselves V. 18. by lightning the Ship of her lading so as they left nothing to be cast away but themselves Their munition too being now grown dangerous V. 19. and their tackling only able to profit them in being throwen away And yet they did but begin to be lost in the dammage of their goods V. 20. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes the divine Historian all hope of their safety was taken away Exod 10.21 Onely a three dayes darknesse was enough for the seventh plague of Egypt which though the least of these evils V. 20. is exceeded here too No Sun or star in many dayes appearing nor affording this lamentable comfort to know the place of their perishing Verse 30. To paint out the perill in its lively extremity the Marriners were afraid those leaguers with death and play-fellowes with danger and under colour of casting Anchor would have stole away in the boat All this while too that they might not only be afraid they tormented their bodies with a fourteen dayes abstinence Verse 33. as if in the expectance of death they had forgotten to live Verse 22. In the middle of this extremity our Apostle dares prophesie a deliverance but see how it is accomplished Their safety must be contrived by a shipwrack Verse 41. and the breaking of their vessel by a lucky disaster is the only method of their escape for on boards Verse 44. and broken pieces of the ship they escaped all safe to land Quis neget diis cura esse propter quem fuit innocens ruina Martial 2 Cor. 1. And who can deny now that Paul is Gods charge to whom ruine it self becomes a preservation Had he remained unshaken in prosperity how had he known or the world by him the mystery of the divine protection which appeares not so cleanly in a setled tranquility as when we are pressed out of measure and despaire even of life Then is the time for him with whom all things are possible to work a dâ—liverance befitting himself that he alone may have the glory And to this end you may please to observe how the Father Almighty taketh pleasure in the infirmities of his children and humbleth his Majesty to the safeguard of those that are most destitute of meaner succour When my Father and mother forsake me sayes the Psalmist then the Lord careth for me Psal 27.10 as it he stayed for that opportunity of defection to endear the favour of his adoption so in the minority of Abrahams posterity he was familiar with his people when Israel was a child then I loved him Hos 11.7 But being multiplied grown numerous he withdrew his presence from them So in the infant state of the Gospel miracles visions and revelations maintained a commerce between heaven and earth whereas in the elder time as wealth and worldly pomp increased those gifts and graces discontinued So the young ravens Psal 147.9 and the hungry are filled with the riches of his bounty when the rich like Midas with his golden penury are sent empty away Luke 1.53 But if you will awhile attend the greatest workeman in the meanest of his works Minutiora quae maxmus artifex de industria ingeniis aut viribus ampliavit sic magnitud in mediocritate probari docens quemadm virtutem in infirmitate Tertul. lib. 1. adv Marc. with delightful wonder you may behold him Maximum in minimis no where more admirable then in things of the smallest moment and oft times lodging rare endowments in the most despicable creatures as if from the very contempt of their littleness he would increase our admiration For instances the Scripture will readily furnish us that one place alone in the Proverbs will do it Ch. 30. where the wise man tells us Prov. 30.24 There be four things which be little upon earth but they are exceeding wise so wise in the judgement of Tertullian that he chooseth some of them to confound the proud wisdom of man daring him to imitate if he can In his tam parvis atque tam nullis quo ratio quanta vis quam inextricabilis perfectio Galin lib. 11. cap. 2. Apum aedificia formicae stabula araneae telas bombycis stamina the architecture of the Bee the granary of â—he emet the lawn of the spider the loom of the silk-worm whose curious industry may catechise any not worse then an Infidel to give God the glory of such perfections shining in his darkest creatures But farther yet you may behold them not onely the objects of his bountie and wisdom but the instruments also of his power and justice Exod. 23.28 when to plant the Israelites in Canaan he provides them an armie of Hornets to marshall their way and proud Pharaoh in his own dominions acknowledgeth an overthrow from lice and frogs Exod. 8. The Oxe goad and the jaw bone are exalted into the activity of a conquest Josh 6.20 and but the sound of the Rams-horns is engine enough to call down the walls of Jericho So the scorn of man can triumph over man to the glory of God and the vilest creature armed with the divine justice becomes the revenger of humane rebellion Thus hath God chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty 1 Cor. 2.27.28 and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are Verse 29. that no flesh should glory in his presence So when he would make use of fit messengers to declare his will it became his omnipotence to make choice of the most unlikely Agents to put his treasure in earthen vessels 2 Cor 4.7 that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of them Slow tongued Moses rude Amos simple Peter unto these he vouchsafes his presence conference revelations and makes them fit for employment by employing them lest more fashionable undertakers might rob him of his glory by fixing the peoples eye no higher then their own worthinesse Of which danger we have a double example in S. Paul who on a little more then ordinary manifestation of his vertues among the Barbarians was twice mistaken for a God Acts 28.4 Once at Melita for not falling down dead at the viper as though to outlive the sting of that Serpent he must needs be immortal Acts 14.11 And before that at Lystra where his eloquence accused him into Mercury and having easily perswaded them he was a God could scarce make them to beleeve he was a man but their zealous idolatry will needs abuse him with sacrifice
1 Tim. 2.7 2 Tim. 1.11 we need not go to any Gentile having the teacher of the Gentiles as he stiles himself for our Physician in this kind who prescribeth two directions for the redress of this dangerous affection that is a Caution and a Recipe an extirpation of vain glory which is the root of it and an implanting of charity which is the cure of it The former we finde Gal. 5. Gal. 5.26 Let us not be desirous of vain-glory pâ—ovoking one another envying one another It is the fruit of vain-glory for it cannot be but that he who strives to exalt himself must envy the estare of those whom he thinks his competitors in glory and therefore the way not to envy another is to think humbly of thy self and by reflecting on thy infirmities to esteem another better than thy self which is that the Apostle calleth Phil. 2.3 Rom. 12.10 ver 3. In honour preferring one another But he that maligneth the praise of another as undeserving it thinks more highly of himself then he ought to think and falls into the Pharisees sin of despising others Luke 18.9 and should God take him at this advantage he would be so far from claiming an inheritance with the Saints in light Col. 1.12 Luke 12.46 Joh. 5.44 that he might rather fear his portion with the hypocrites and unbelievers for with their very sin our Saviour chargeth him How can ye belâ—eve that receive honour one of another Col. 3.14 1 Cor. 13.4 The other direction is to put on charity which envieth not for it cannot be that he should envy anothers felicity that is ready to impart his own felicity unto another as unto a member of that body whereof Christ is the head Col. 1.18 Eph. 5.29 2 Cor. 12.26 for no man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church and if one member he honoured all the members rejoyce with it Rom. 12.5 Bnsil Hexam Hom. 7. Now we are all one body in Christ and every one members one of another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Basil The Viper being to accompany with the Lamprey is said to empty himself of his poyson for the love of that soule conjunction How much more should the spouse of Christ cast away all her venemous rancour for the reverence of so holy an union This is a great mystery Eph. 5.32 but I speak concerning Christ and the Church To furnish you with particular remedies befitting the several kinds of your diseases If thou seest thy neighbour advanced above thy self by favour Nazianz. titles or preferment look on the Disciples of Christ and there you find one call'd a rock another leaning on his Masters breast without the indignation of the other Disciples Or if thou see another abound in Learning Judgement or the like abilities be not so envious to thy self as to be vex'd at that which may better or inform thee if thou wouldest make a right use thereof and if thou hear him defend the truth with applause of others let not a perverse emulation tempt thee to maintain the contrary 2 Tim. 2.14 Naz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccles 3.1 to the subverting of the hearers For there is saith a great Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a time even to be overcome as to every thing beside and it is better to be honestly vanquished than to obtain a wicked victory Iam. 3.16 with the shipwrack of thy Religion For where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work 2 Pet. 1.5.6 Or if thou see him endued with spiritual graces as Vertue Knowledge Temperance Patience and the rest commended by St. Peter to our Christian practice Here is matter for thy godly emulation but not for thy bitter envyâ—ng Jam. 3.14 thou shouldest earnestly strive to match him in the exercise of holy duties but not to damp his alacrity by malicious detraction according to our Saviours precept Matt. 5.26 Our light is so to shine before men that they seeing our good works may glorifie our Father which is in Heaven And shall thy envy be the cloud to dimn the light of others works and thereby hinder so much glory as might redound to thy heavenly Father Chrysostom Although such a man were thy enemy yet because God by him is glorified he ought to be made thy friend and now because that by him God is glorified shall he therefore be thine enemy O remember whose business it is he is about and rather encourage his faint endeavours with the addition of thy service that so thou mayest help to effect what thou dayly prayest for that Gods will may be done on earth by thee and thy fellow servants as it is in Heaven by the glorious Angell Or lastly If nothing here below can quench thine envy where thou thinkest thy self to be scanted with the possession of others look on those things that are above that eternal inheritance with the Saints in light which is not lessened but enlarged by the number of possessors who shall he sure of room enough in those many Mansions Joh. 14.2 so many as shall be accounted worthy to enjoy them But then here lyes the fear on thy parâ— Rev. 21.27 There shall in no wise enter any thing that defileth Gal. 5.20 and thus do all the works of the flesh among which are named emulations strife envyings whereof the Apostle warns the Galatians with some vehemence that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they which practise such things Crellius in hunc locum shall not inherit the Kingdom of God To inherit Gods Kingdom is onely for those that be the Children of God that is such as be reformed after his Image which he comes short of or abolisheth in himself whosoever doth the works of the flesh The Corinthians are roundly told as much 1 Cor. 3.3 For whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions are ye not carnal and walk as men that is as natural unregenerate men who are described by the Apostle to be full of envy and malignity and such were we all by nature Rom. 1.29 2 Cor. 6.11 Rom. 6.4.2 but we are washed but we are buried with Christ by baptism into death and how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein 1 Pet. 4.3 Tit. 3.3 The time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we lived in malice and envy hateful Rom. 13 11 13. and hating one another It is now high time to awake out of sleep and to walk honestly as in the day not in strife and envying Si recesserunt de pectore tuo tenebrae c. as St. Cyprian hence inferreth If darknâ—ss be dispel'd from thy heart if the beams of day have shin'd on thy soul and thou art become a child of the light and of the day follow the things which are
of Christ who is the light and the day Quid in zeli tenebras ruis Why dost thou rush into thine old Egyptian darkness and enwrap thy self again in the night of envy and with the damp of that earthly passion extinguish the light of peace and charity 1 Iohn 2.9.11 St. John hath shew'd the danger of it He that saith he is in the light and maligneth his brother is in darkness even until now and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darknes hath blinded his eyes Vadit enim nescius in Gehennam Both St. Cyprian and Austin are bold to say it for he goeth blinfold the way to hell and falleth headlong on his ruine as having forsaken the light of Christ Luke 1.79 which should guide his feet into the way of peace To be secured from this danger Iohn 8.12 there is no other way then to follow him who is the light of the world and that by observing what he did and taught who pressed nothing so much as charity while he lived on earth and dying left us an example 1 Pet. 2.21 that we should herein follow his steps Were it not for this he could have saved us Naz. Orat. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianzen speaks by His will alone as He made the whole frame of the world onely by his commanding word but that he would shew how much he loved us and would thereby excite us to love one another This love of Christ should constrain us to walk in love as he also loved us 2 Coâ— 5.14 Eph. 5.2 and gave himself for us an offering to God for a sweet smelling savour All our bitterness should be allayed with the sweetness of what he hath done and suffered for us Exod. 15.25 as the waters of Mara were made sweet by the tree that was cast into them Lignum crucis is of that vertue that if we apply it as we should Heb. 12 15 no root of bitterness could ever spring up in our minds to trouble us it would prove the mortifying of our lusts and affections the crucifying of this body of sin Rom. 6.5 Now if we have been thus planted together in the likeness of his death we should be also in the likeness of his resurrection 2 Pet. 1.11 and so an entrance shall be ministred unto us into his everlasting Kingdom Rom. 5.8 Col. 1.20 Unto which He bring us in his due time that gave his Son for us when we were enemies to make our peace by the blood of his cross And in the mean time O thou great housholder of Heaven and Earth that hast called us into thy vineyard to work out our salvation by faith and love 〈◊〉 12.6 according to the grace that is given unto us give us evermore of that grace to enable our souls and bodies 〈◊〉 12. to bear the burthen and heat of the day all the difficulties that shall befall us by thy providence during the course of this mortal life And if it shall please thee to impart any of thy special graces to our fellow-labourers so content us with thy self that we may not envie them but glorifie thee O Father Son and Holy Ghost One God eternal Amen SERM. IIII. PHIL. 3.21 Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body OUr Saviour hath got the victory over Hell Hos 13.14 with 1 Cor. 15.54 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cypril Cat. 14. Heb. 2.10 Acts 5.31 Iohn 14.2 Dr. Donns Devotions expostulat 14. Eph. 2.19 wâ—th Heb. 12.22 and the Grave and well may we be at the solemnitie of a Triumph a Triumph of joy and exaltation though not of glory and fruition this we looke for hereafter It was necessary that the Captain and Prince of our salvation should go before us into Heaven both to prepare a place for us and us also for the place we are not ready to go yet a while It is not meet we should come thither in our old cloths these course and soiled bodies this were to lessen the glory of our Saviours triumph they must be new fashioned and refined ere we appear in his train yet in the mean time we are Citizens of the heavenly Hierusalem and have our title and interest therein if we do not forfeit them by our own fault 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says the Apostle Our * Nos ut municipes coelorum nos gerimus secunduÌ„ BezaÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 municipium potiùs quà m câ—nversationem significat Gallicè la Borgefia ו Jus civitatis nostrae in coelo est sea cives sumus coeli non terrae Zanch. corporation is in Heaven from whence also wee look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body A strange and happy alteration from misery unto felicity to be taken out of the dust and crowned with celestial glory and yet such shall be the honour of our body at the last resurrection it shall be raised out of humble corruption into high and glorious immortalitie of which blessed expectation my text is both the promise and assurance wherein you may see comprized all the means to effect this marvellous work the exalting of our body Division Here is First The Artificer Christ implyed in this Relative Qui Who Secondly the miraculous manner of his working agreeable unto so powerful an Agent transfigurabit shall change Thirdly the matter or subject of this work Corpus nostrum Our body and that though never so unlikely to appearance in being humile a vile body Fourthly the pattern or ensample whereunto he will work Ejus corpori glorioso his glorious body Lastly the project or intent of this work Vt conforme fiat that it may be fashioned like unto it So we have every thing requisite unto the performance of this work the Artificer the Matter the manner the Pattern the Project that may now serve to the raising of our faith as hereafter to the raising of our bodies while we make each several circumstance the Object of our consideration beginning with the first the Artificer Qui who First Part The Artificer It is not curiosity but gratitude to enquire after our Benefactor and him so great a One as the Repairer of our bodies whom we may find with as much ease as satisfaction by reflecting on the last words before where we have displayed with accurare heraldry the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ verse 20. And why in such plenty of Titles But to intimate unto us both the might and mystery of our deliverer God and Man who as he began will consummate our †Tali auxilio et natura nostra indigebat et causae ut reparare humanum genus nec sine majestate posset humilitas nec sine humilitate majestas Aug. de tem 33. Oratione 3. in resurrect Auctor resurrectionis
the last day the spring of a resurrection And good reason we should so if he as the a 1 Cor. 15.20 V.P. Mart. in 2. Reg. 4 Num 32. Gerhardi loc com first fruits is gone before us that we as the residue stay till the harvest that he in all things may have the preheminence as in time and order so in vertue and dignity His body that was all pure and immaculate had nothing at all to hinder the rising but ours that was born in sinne and hath drunk iniquity like water must be content to lye in the grave to extract its impurity there waiting all the dayes of its appointed time untill our change come b Job cha 14. ver 14. And come it will one day with the coming of our Saviour who will recompence the delay of his coming with the fulnesse of his bounty changing this same body of vilenesse into a body full of glory even after the likenesse of his glorious body which is the patterne or ensample whereunto he will work Ejus corpori glorioso his glorious body Fourth part The pattern THen a body he hath in heaven and did not leave it behind him when he went into glory It was but a dreaming phancie of a Non ergo in aliam naturam mutatum est sed mansit divina gloria plenum spargens lucis radios cui sanctorum corpora erunt conformia Theod. dialog 2. Seleuciani ex Ps 19.4 2 Cor. 5.16 some that he had bequeathed it unto the Sun because of that of the Psalmist in Sole posuit tabernaculum as the vulgar reads it He hath set his tabernacle in the Sun Or that he had swallowed it up by his divinity because of that of the Apostle We know Christ no more after the flesh As if the flesh did misbecome him in his glorious estate and were therefore in their rigid construction to be excluded from entring heaven which is a treason beyond that of Iudas b V Gerh. loc com even to rob Christ of himself by robbing him of that nature which he made himself But it is as easie for our faith to restore Resurrectio Domini non finis carnis sed commutatio fuit nec virtutis augmento consumpta substantia est Qualitas transiit non natura defecit meritò dicitur Caro Christi in eo statu quo fuerit nota nesciri quia nihil in ea passibile nihil remansit in ea infirmum ut et ipsa sit per essentiam non sit ipsa per gloriam Leo de res Ser. 1. what their impiety would violate and more catholick to to avouch that the Body of our Lord is not ended but refined with glory nor hath changed the propriety but the mortality into the state and wonder of incorruption By meanes whereof it now appeareth in no lesse Excellency then before in humility and is no more a dishonour but a glory to our Saviour serving him as a Trophy of that conquest which he wonne in his flesh nay as a Triumph of that conquest of that conquest which he wonne in weakness Secura estore caâ—o sanguis usurpastis coeluÌ„ regnum Dei in Christo Tert. de resur carnis in weak flesh prevailing over the power of darkness And as thus it serves to his glory so as much unto our benefit to confirm in us the hope of a like advancement that having as Tertullian stiles it depositum carnis a pledge of our flesh in heaven we may expect our owne to come after a Ita dubitandum non est de consortio gloriae sicut dubitandum non est de communione naturae Lâ—o ce resur Ser. 2. Anima Christi à principio suae conceptionis fuit gloriosa per fruitionem divinitatis perfectam Est a. dispensative factum ut ab ab animae gloriâ non redundaret in corpus c. Aquin. 3. q. 54. art 3. v. Geth loc com Et Melch. Cani loc theol lib. 12. cap. 13. not doubting of a fellowship in glory as we doubt not of a communion in nature A communion still reall in substance as before time in misery while he conversed here on earth For though his soul was originally glorious by the fruition of the deity yet for the work of our redemption he restrained that glory from flowing out into his body For who had bin accessary to his passion if his divinity had brightly shined through his flesh as one time it did on the Mount But having once accomplished that mysterie by his death then straight way his soul at his resurrection diffused her glory into the body although the body appeared not glorious unto the eyes of his disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad astruendam carnis veritatem fidemque resurectionis Jo. Damasc lib. 4. cap. 1. Quòd manducavit potestatis fuit non egestatis Aug. de temp Serm. 147. as being unable to endure so bright a lustre But yet then was his body discharged of all mortall affections For in that he took food it was not out of humane necessity but divine dispensation and done with like miracle as he fasted in the wilderness Neither was it for the refreshment of an hungry body but for the proof of a true body or if you will not to nourish his own flesh Cibo non indigebat corpus immortalitate donatum sed cum viventium in hac vitâ proprium sit edere necssario Dominus carnis resurrect per cibum potum demanstravit dubitantibus de ejus veritate Theod dial 2. Sic voluit dubitantibus exhibere cicatrices vulnerum ut sanant vulnus incredulitatis Aug Ser de temp 147. Non ex impotentia curandi cicatrices servarit sed ut in perpetuum victoriae suae circumferret triumphum Uener Beda Mysterio redemptionis peracta statim Anima in resurrectione gloriam in corpus derivavit ita factum est corpus gloriosum Aquin. 3. q. 53. art 3. but the faith of his disciples And to like purpose were his wounds ad sananda vulnera as St. Austin applies them to cure the wounds of their unbeleif neither were they any tokens of his weakness but rather ensignes of his glory in witness and remembrance of his noble victory But being once ascended into heaven He no longer concealed his glory but suffered it to stream forth into his body in all glorious abundance honouring it with all the graces that the deified na ure can receive and the divine nature bestow Graces surpassing the conceipt of man and how much more the expression yet what he hath discovered that was caught up into the third Heaven we may safely report 1 Cor. 12.2 being the gifts of Christs glorious body wherein ours shall be fashioned like unto it which is the project and intent of this work Fifth Part. The Project IT was the priviledge of Man at the Creation to be made after Gods image but a Communicatur homini
Dei similitudo per moduÌ„ imaginis secund menteÌ„ tantum secundum alias v. partes per modum vestigii Ephes 4.23 24. Aquin. p. 1. q. 93. art art 6. that was chiefly in his soul His body had little share in that likeness and soon forfeited that little by sin unto death and corruption yet see the rare mercy of God! that for the repaire of his workmanship became an incarnate Example that so the body as well as the soul might partake of the divine similitude Thus is the body more b Per verbi hypostaticam unionem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. de Dei imag honoured at the repaire then it was at the creation as the likeness wherewith it is honoured is likewise more honourable That was onely by the word but this by the c Deitas enim est ceu fons unde fluunt omnia bona vita salus sed caro atque humanitas est quasi canalis per quem ad nos derivantur Z nch in Eph. company of Christ arising from the vision of his glorious body That onely consisted in some fading resemblanblances but this in permanent d Dos est perpetuus animae corporis ornatus vitae sufficiens in aeterna beatitudine jugiter perseverans Aquin. suppl q. 95. art 1. endowments and those so precious that all the treasures and riches of Nature are too poor to express them When the body shall be attired in these e Veluti quibusdaÌ„ ornamentis Christus Electorum suorum corpora ditabit ornaments whereof St. Paul gives the summe and f Estius in 4. sent Schoolmen the terms in g 1 Cor. 15. â— impassibility being h Incorruption v. 42. Rom. 8.21 and 23. delivered from the bonage of corruption into the freedome of inviolable eternity In a Glory ver 43. shining forth as the Sun Mat. 13.43 clarity so resplendently beautiful as none but a glorified eye can behold it In b Power ibid. so as to meet Christ in thâ— ayre 1 Thes 4 17. Agility answering the soul in motion as easily as her own thoughts with like expedition c Vers 44. Vt sit simile spiritui non vertatur in eum Aquin. suptq 83. In spirituality becoming so conformable unto the spirit as if it were even changed into it when we shall be no no more subject to any bodily incumbrance Mat. 22.30 more then the blessed Angels but more wonderfully they in the truth of a body be without the infirmities O this were a transformation worth the study of a Lib. de restituenda juventute Paracelsus though not to attempt it on earth but to expect it in heaven A transfortation really effecting what he vainly pretended the enfranchisement of our bodies into youth and immortality In contemplation of these joyes how may we anticipate heaven and be tranported thither in our soules by meditating on the glory of our body that it shall be not only fashioned into a glorious body but fashioned like unto Christs glorious body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in locum as that Chrysostom repeats it with astonishment fashioned like unto that body that sitteth at the right hand of the Father like unto that which is adored by glorious Angels and attended with heavenly Spirits that which is above all Principalities Power and Dominions Then to consider the disparity in the subject glorified that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and no other this vile body and none other that is enobled thus with glory This weak and impotent body so armed with impassibility Revel 21.4 7.6 De Civit. 22.19 Partium congruentia cum coloris suavitate Iam ineffabili facilitate ut sit ei gloriae quod fuit sarcinae Pet. Lomb. lib. 4. dist 50. that what was liable before to all evils should now be liable unto none This dull and heavy body so quickened wâ—â—h agility as to become as a wing to the soule that was here a burden This poor and indigent body so enriched with spirituality as to bestow it self wholly in praise De Civit. lib. 22. c 30. In secula seculorum laudabunt te Psal 8.4 and thanksgiving Here we may have leave to break out with the Psalmist Lord whaet is man Psalm 8.4 and v. 5 that thou shouldst be so mindfull of him that by a glorified body hast made him not a little lower onely Humanam non angelicam naturam eam stola immortalitat glorificans vexit super omnes coelos super omnes choros Angelorum super Cherubin Seraphin collocans ad dextram suam hanc laudant Angeli adorant dominationes omnes virtutes coelorum tremunt super se hominem Deum Aug. medit cap. 15. but so much higher then the Angels who shall not disdain but reverence our nature which they behold thus crowned with dâ—gnity thus preferred in its worse part the body to be like unto Christs glorious body like unto it at least in proportion though not in * Corpus noster conformabitur corpori Christi in gloria secundum similitudinem non secundum aequalitatem Aquin. sup q. 92. art 3. equality or in Theodorets distinction like unto it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the kind though not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the degree of glory wherein the body of our Saviour shall farre differ from ours as ours shall in some sort each from other They shall not all be alike glorious in this glorious likenesse For as the Sun though with equall bounty he diffuse his beames on all sides yet is more dimly Ex inaequalitate sanctificationis necessariò inaequalis sanctorum dignitas coelestis efficitur non quidem ex merito operanti sed ex benignitate miserentis qui coronat munera sua gratiam pro gratia remunerabit Morton Apologia or brightly represented according to the object that he enlightens appearing otherwise in Glasse and Christall and Diamond So the Sun of glory though he impart his splendor alike unto all the blessed society yet it is diversly received among them according to their several capacities which proceedeth not from the merits of the receiver but the favour of the Rewarder who gratifies those gifts that himselfe bestowed and accumulates the grace of sanctity Sicut nunc non invident Archangelis Angeli caeteri tanquam nolit esse unusquisque quod non accepit Sic itaque habebit donum alius alio minus ut hoc quoque donum habeat ne velit amplius Aug. de civit lâ—b 22. cap. 30. with the grace of glory Nor shall this diversity be any motive of envy in those glorious Inhabitants when he that hath lesse then another shall have so much that he shall desire no more not any that awaketh up after Christs likenesse but shall be satisfied therewith That is Gods part and so no fear of the performance but then something is required on our parts to attain unto