Solomon in the Type and to Christ in the Antitype Where the Psalmist speaks to Solomon to ride on in his Majesty with Truth Meekness and Righteousness which are as the four Horses that did draw his Chariot And in these four doth Christ ride forth in setting up his Kingdom in the World 62. When Mutius Scaevola that stout Roman kill'd another by a mistake instead of Porcenna the King and then said He was sorry he mist the King it was not Murther for he intended to slay Porcenna that fought against the Romans And as Error Personae did not make Jacob's Marriage with Leah void nor Isaac's Blessing to Jacob nor Joshua's Covenant with the Gibeonites so neither did it make Scaevola liable or justly eclipse the Honour of his bold Adventure for his Countrey in slaying another instead of the King So that Acts are not only to be denominated from the Objects but the Intention of the Mind 63. When the Grecians had taken Troy and were returning home triumphantly in Ships one Nauplius in a revenge stole out in the Night and set a Beacon on fire upon a Rock in the Sea which the Grecians sailing to thinking it to be an Harbour split their Ships upon the Rock So oftentimes by mistakes Men run into Dangers and then when they think all Danger is over 64. It is said of Jerom that he set a Death's-Head before him And I have read of some Anchorites That they would every day scrape up some of their Grave with their Nails to mind them of their Mortality Such voluntary Signs may be more allowed to stir up the Mind to Meditation than the Heart to Worship 65. Death considered as an Enemy of Nature so all Men hate it as the Wages of Sin so evil Men fear it as a Passage to Life and so good Men have desir'd it 66. He that first maketh Experiments ought to have Allowance given him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Greek Proverb So that they make not rash Experiments to do mischief 67. After the Captivity under the Second Temple the Holy Oyl failed and therefore the High Priest was not call'd by the Jews Unctus Jehovae but Vir multarum Vestium Not the anointed of the Lord but the man with many garments having five Garments more than the other Priests 68. The Priests under the Law did stand at the Altar but Christ our High Priest is sat down in Heaven being entred into his Rest and finisht his Work on Earth 69. The first Adam was the Father only of a Natural Life but Christ is the Father of Eternity of Everlasting Life He is called Isa 9.6 The Everlasting Father Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or The Father of Eternity 70. The Law saith the Apostle was not made for a righteous Man 1 Tim. 1.9 In the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It lyes not on him as a Curse as upon the Wicked 71. It is a known story yet it may be not to every Reader That Julian the Apostate having got a great Army one Lebanius an Heathen and one of Julian's old Schoolmasters asked a Christian Schoolmaster at Antioch What the Son of the Carpenter meaning Christ would do now He answered He would make a Sandipila or a Bier to carry Julian upon to his Grave And so the dead Corps of Julian was brought shortly after to Antioch 72. Celsus that great Enemy to Christianity upbraided the Christians That they set up such a Man as Christ to be their Captain and Saviour who lived a miserable Life and died a cursed Death Had they not saith he better have set up Jonah who brought Niniveh to Repentance or Daniel that was miraculously delivered out of the Lions Den c. or some of the Worthies among the Heathen as Hercules Epictetus or Anaxarchus c. Whom Origen doth smartly chastise and strenuously confute in his Book against him 73. Lot and his Company when they went out of Sodom were forbidden to look back Quia non est animo redeundum ad veterem vitam saith Austin lib. 16. de Civ Dei c. 30. Because we must not think of going back to our old sinful Life 74. Papias who lived near the Apostles time and an holy Man was the first we read of who asserted the Millennial Point of Christ's Reigning on Earth a Thousand Years Whom Cerinthus followed asserting these thousand Years to be enjoyed in sinful Pleasures and Prosperity Which turned off Austiâ— and many others from their Opinion 75. I have read of the People call'd Sicyonians that they would have no Epitaph written upon the Tombs of their Kings but only their Names that they might have no Honour but what did result from their Merits 76. There was a grievous Persecution of the Church in Cyprian's time under Aemilianus President of Egypt which he mentions in one of his Epistles saying of it Non advenissent fratribus haec mala si in unum fraternitas fuisset adunata The Brethren of the Church had not suffered these Evils had they been more united among themselves A good Argument for Unity 77. It 's reported of Marius a great Tyrant who was brought up a Smith and made Swords That one day he was made Emperor the next day Reigned and the third day was Slain by a common Souldier with a Sword of his own making So Man's Destruction is of himself 78. Among other Fallacies in Logick one is styled Fallacia non causae procausâ Such is that when Men accuse the Gospel as the cause of Divisions and Religion as the Cause of Melancholy and Piety with the free practice and profession of it to be the cause of publick Calamities as the Heathen imputed them to the Christians of old and so when Men will charge their sins upon God as Homer brings in the Gods thus saying of Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men accuse the Gods and say all their Evils are from us 79. The Motion of the Heavens is Circular So ought the Souls of Men return to that God from whom they first did spring to make him their Centre who is their Principle As it is with God though he goes out of himself by External Operations Tâ—â—men undique in se redit saith Austin making all his Works to centre in his own glory 80. Si anima sit currus cave ne caro sit equus as one speaks pithily If the Soul be the Chariot let not the Flesh be the Horse that draws it 81. When Rome was belieged by the Gauls we read the Roman Matrous cut off their Hair to make the Men Bow-strings Which is more honourable than for Women to part with their Hair to make effeminate Perukes 82. The Sin of Drunkenness wherewith this Age aboundeth is as one saith of it A sin against all the Commandments for it unsits a Man for every Duty both to God and Men. And so Adultery saith the same Author is a Sin against God the Father considered as the Law-giver trangressing his Law of Marriage he
his meeting at an Inn a certain Atheistical Scholar who derided the Opinion of those that thought God was on Earth as well as in Heaven saying The Heaven of Heavens are the Lords and he is not present upon Earth but was suddenly taken with a great torment in his Bowels whereby he cryed out O God O God and so was self-convicted 62. A Servant will be gone if he hath not present wages but the Son stays in hope of the Inheritance as our Saviour speaks The Servant abideth not alwayes but the Son abideth alwayes Jon 6.8 63. Socrates reports of one Theodorus in Julians time who being put to torment that he sweat Blood there appeared 'to him a young man with a white soft Cloth wiping his Face after which he felt no more pain 64. In Heaven saith Austin there is felix securitas and secura foelicitas felix aeternitas and aeterna foelicitas happy Security and secure Happiness happy Eternity and eternal Happiness 65. The Angels are subservient to Christ as Mediator which was represented to Jacob when he saw the Angels ascending and descending upon a Ladder which was a Figure of Christs Mediation 66. Bede tells a Story of a certain dying man who having lived wickedly was admonisht to repent No saith he I will not appear so great a Coward And hereupon an Evil Angel appeared to him and presented him a great Volume of the Sins of his Life and driving him to despair carried him away 67. The Historian reports of Julian the Apostate that he caused all the Meat and Drink in a certain Town to be consecrated to an Idol that the Christians there might be starved 68. Want of Necessaries exposeth men to Temptations The Devil tempted Christ when he was hungry 69. It 's said of Cicero the great Oratour when he came to die cryed out O me minimè sapientem I am destitute of all Wisdom 70. Who would not willingly have John's Banishment for Johns Raptures and Revelations and Jacobs hard Pillow for Jacobs Vision 71. If a Man sometimes cannot stand before his own Conscience how can he stand before Gods Tribunal 72. Issachar and Naphtali were two weak Tribes and were joyned with Judah a strong Tribe So the Church of God is weak but is joyned with Christ the Lion of the Tribe of Judah 73. If the Light of Starrs fails for want of Ministers call'd Stars let us look more to Jesus Christ the Sun of Righteousness 74. Plato reports of Thales a great Philosopher and Astronomer that walked looking up to Heaven and fell into a Well Our Contemplation of heavenly things should not make us careless of our Conversation here below among men 75. Per vulnera viscera Through Christs wounds we may see the Bowels of his Compassion to Sinners 76. Sin is call'd a Body of Death yet it is full of Life 77. Amo Christum plus quam meos plus qudm mea plus quam me Bernard I love Christ more than my Relations than my Goods than my self 78. I have read of one Chilion a Dutch Schoolmaster who being perswaded to recant and save his Life for the sake of his Wife and poor Children answered If the whole Earth was turned into a Globe of Gold and all mine own I would part with it rather than with my Wife and Children and yet these I can part with for the sake of Jesus Christ The like was said by George Carpenter as Mr. Fox relates Part II. p. 113. 79. A man that was drowning at Sea saw a Rain-bow but said Quid mihi proderit haec Iris si ego peream What will this profit me that it is a token God will not drown the World if I be drowned 80. It is sad to see the Mountain of the House of the Lord to be a Mountain of Bether which signisies Division 81. Quicquid in omni genere summum id Hebraei divinum appellant That is the Jews express by the Name of God whatever is excellent in its Kind As the Cities of God Trees of God Mountains of God c. 82. There is a Well in Persia that it is a Capital crime for any to drink of but the King and his Eldest Son But the Well of Life lyes open to all 83. Magnates Magnetes Great men are Load-stones whom all are apt to follow 84. It is said in the Syriack-Ritual that when Christ came to be Baptized of John he should say to Christ as it is rendred in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I cannot commit such a Rape upon the Honour of Christ as by Baptizing him to seem to preferr my self before him 85. Multi taedio investigandae veritatis ad proximos divertunt Errores Many turn aside to the Error that is next rather than be at the pains to find out the Truth Minut. Felix And so make good that saying of an Heathen Omnes malumus credere quam judicare We will rather believe than judge 86. It was a Custom among the Molossians that he that came and prostrated himself before the King with the Kings Son in his Arms should be pardoned any Offence The Moral of this is easie 87. God is said Ex. 34.6 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Dual Number which the Rabbins say denotes Gods Patience both to the righteous and the wicked 88. Herodotus in his Second Book makes mention of a Statue set up for Senacherib in one of the Temples of Egypt with this Inscription on it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that looks upon me let him learn to be religious who for his Irreligion came to an untimely death 89. There was no certain measure set for the first Fruits under the Law He that gave one of 40. was accounted a Man of a good Eye but he that gave but one of 60. was counted a Man of an evil Eye Maimonid 90. The Hebrews say of the Ransom Money under the Law which was half a Shekel which all were to pay alike for the Ransom of their Souls that if a poor Man had it not to give he must sell his Cloaths or his Bed rather than not pay it The application is easie 91. Bellarmine at his death prayed that God would deal with him Non ut aestimator meriti but as Largitor veniae As a Sin-pardoning God 92. The Jews had some of them a superstitious opinion of Fringes in their Garments that they would be a defence to them from evil Spirits And some of their Rabbins told them that if they well observed the Law of Fringes they should be counted worthy to see the Majesty of God Blind Superstition 93. In the dayes of Trajan the Emperour arose a certain false Christ and call'd himself Bar-chocab the Son of a Star but afterward being slain in Battel the Jews call'd him Bar-Cazab The Son of a Lye 94. Gnabhar Zeman Gnabhar Corban say the Rabbins The Offering is past if the Season for it is past 95. One said of Gardiner Bishop of Winchester Nature made him a worthy
upon the Hills which is congealed in the Night So many are religious only in the Sun-shine of the Churches Prosperity 29. Chrysostom was called by Cyricius Bishop of Calcedon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he woulâ— not bend by any bad Compliances 30. Otho Bishop of Ments shut up a number of poor People in a Barn and then seâ— it on fire and when they cryed out he 〈◊〉 sport said Heark how the Mice do squeak Buâ— afterwards was so followed with Mice in hiâ— Chamber that he built a Tower on the Riâ—ver Rhine to free himself and yet they followed him thither 31. About the same time of the Year thaâ— the Jews Crucisied Christ was Jerusalem destroyed by the Romans 32. What proportion is there betwixt thâ— short Pleasure of Eve in eating the forbiddeâ— Fruit and the Calamities that flowed froâ— it 33. It s said that Diagoras turned Atheist bâ— observing a Man to escape and prosper thaâ— had forsworn himself about some Money bâ— intrusted in his hand 34. The Primitive Christians in their dayâ— of solemn Humiliation would lye prostrate upon the ground which they calle◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 35. Hilarion a good young Man said tâ— his Body Ego te aselle faciam ut non Calcitre◠〈◊〉 will use the Ass so as he shall not Kick. He means he would keep his Body in subjection 36. There were two sorts of Proselytes Thâ— Profelytes of the Convenant that were Circumcised and Conformed to all the Jewish Worship and the Proselytes of the Gate who observed only the seven Precepts of Noâ—ah four whereof were required to be observed by the Converted Gentiles Acts 15.20 37. The practice of the Primitive Church in laying aside something for the poor every First Day when they came together to Worship is thought to be grounded upon that Commandment of God to the Jews never to come up before the Lord empty 38. Levi had his Name from a Hebrew word signifying to joyn not only because the Levites were joyned to the Priests in the Service of the Sanctuary but because they were â—nstruments to joyn God and the People together in the offering of those Sacrifices that made their Peace with God And Leah called her Son Levi because saith she Now will my Husband be joyned to me And we know God saith he was an Husband to Israel Jer. â—1 32 And Plato styled a Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Maker of Peace betwixt God and Man 39. The Tribe of Levi was appointed for the Priesthood not only out of respect to Moses who came from Levi but because of the Zeal they shew'd for God against Idolatry in the Case of the golden Calf whereof we read Exod. 32.26 which may teach Ministers still to be zealous against Idolatry who name themselves of the Tribe of Levi. 40. God said to the Serpent Vpon thy Belly thou shalt goe Gen. 3.14 And the Hebâ— word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie the Breast which before in the Serpent was Erect and it did not go upon it And may denote the dejection of the Angels that fell from their Original dignity and uprightness 41. Manna that was sent from Heaven to be Food to the Israelites was not known to them that they said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is this So Christ when he came down as Living Bread from Heaven was not known to the Jews but they said Who is this 42. Alexander the Great that could contemn Death in the Field yet fear'd it much when he lay sick in Babylon and as Plutarch saith used Diviners and many superstitious Essays to save his Life 43. The sensitive Soul in a Beast performs the same material Acts which man doth by Reason So a Moral Principle in the Heathen did the same things materially which true Grace doth in a Christian 44. Austin saith of the Damned That they are Mortui vitae and viventes morti Dead to Life and alive to Death 45. The Load-stone will draw more strongly when set in Iron So Heaven attracts men more strongly by the Fear of Hell 46. A Stone hath a natural inclination to the Centre tho hindred in its motion so have the Saints to perfection of Grace thô hindred by Sin and Temptations 47. No Israclite would willingly expose himself to be stung of the siery Serpent tho there was a Brazen Serpent provided for his healing So we ought not willingly expose our selves to Sin because God hath provided a Remedy in Christ against it 48. Julius Firmicius saith of the Heathen Ab ipsis dris erudiuntur ad injustitiam They are taught wickedness from their Gods and derive an Authority for it from Heaven 49. Christ hath done greater things by his Sufferings as Man than by his Power as God The effects of his Death being greater than â—he works of Creation or Providence 50. Pharaoh and his Hosts were drowned in â—he Red Sea but the Infernal Pharaoh and his Hosts are drowned and destroyed in the Blood â—f Christ 51. The Roman Generals after a Victory â—rst entred the City privately and then â—ublickly in a solemn Triumph So the Saints that conquer enter Heaven first privately at Death and at the Resurrection shall have a publick Entrance before Men and Angels 52. The Eunuch mentioned Acts 8. was probably well instructed in the Jews Religion yet reading a plain Prophecy of Christ in the 53. of Isai understood it not which shewed the great Ignorance of Christ and the Prophecies of him in those times 53. When God works upon men he begin first with the Mind Reason and Consciences of men and so brings over the inferious Faculties the Senses and the whole man to himself But the Devil begins at the Sense and the Inferiour Faculties to corrupt the Superiour and possess them for himself Aâ— he did with our first Parents 54. Knowledge that is only for Speculation needs only to be floating in the Mind but that which is for Practice needs to bâ— well digested believed and rooted in the Heart 55. True Faith excludes not Doubting but refusal 56. The Jews when they admitted Proselytes would ask them If they could for sake Father Mother Countrey Kindred Honsâ— and Land to follow the true God and thâ— true Religion which some think Christ alludes to in the Gospel when he speaks oâ— leaving all to follow him 57. Julian the Apostate gave this Account of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have read it known it rejected it 58. Many of those that Crucified Christ found Mercy and were Pardon'd but not any who Crucifie him to themselves again The former might do it out of Ignorance but the latter sin against Light and Knowledge having further means of knowing Christ to be the Messiah by his Resurrection from the dead and pouring out the Spirit upon his Ascension and the Illumination received upon their minds 59. It is not only the Gospel that works that Reformation that is found in many Christians but what it hath in common with
that produced All things And much more truly than the Valentinians in their notion of 30 Aeons springing from one Supreme Being whom they styled Bythos or Bathos which signifies Depth by whom all things were made 79. The Manichees the Marcionites and the Persian Magi they all held two Supreme Principles in the Universe And that all Good did spring from One and all Evil from the other and were still opposing one another but the good Principle was predominant And Plutarch calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of two contrary Trades Others said That Evil sprang from the imperfection of the first matter out of which all things came 80. Socrates affirming the Heathen Deities to be no Gods the Athenians thought he denyed a Deity and put him to death And they banisht Protagoras and burnt his Book for one passage in it I have nothing to say concerning the Gods whether they be or be not which shew'd how forcible the belief of a Deity was upon their Minds 81. But Plato said truly that in every Age there were some sick of the Atheistick Disease and therefore there were Atheists before Democritus or Leucippus And there is too much of this Disease in our present Age. And some endeavour to be Atheists said Plato that they may be more Vicious and some that they may be thought wiser than the rest of Mankind who all generally own a Deity 82. Empedocles saith of the Souls of Men in their present State that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wanderers Strangers and Fugitives from God A sad State 83. Celsus styles his Book against Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Hierocles wrote a Book against Christianity and call'd it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Lover of Truth How often do we find specious Titles to wicked Books 84. Some Philosophers call'd the World Deum explicatum God unfolded and the Creatures radios deitatis the Beams of the Godhead And the Idea's of all things are in God saith Orpheus and he is Sun Moon and Stars and all things upon that Account And the several Gods they Worshipt were but to set forth the same God in the universality of his Dominion and in the several Perfections of his Being as Minerva which signifies his Wisdom and Hercules his Strength and Neptune his Dominion over the Sea and Juno over the Air and Ceres over Corn Bacchus over Wine and Vulcan over Fire and Mars over War c. As the same Object in a Polyedrous glass appears manifold so the same God was variously represented by them But they might have done all this prudentiore compendio in a more wise Compendium in serving one God saith Austin 85. The Jews out of their Enmity against Christ sought to Eclipse the glory of his Miracles the Truth whereof they could not deny And sometimes they said he had a Devil and wrought them by his Power and again that he learned the right pronunciation of the Name Jehova which they called Nomen Tetragammaton and wore it upon his Thigh and by Virtue of that did work Miracles As they fabled That the Name Jehovah was written upon Moses his Rod by which he wrought so many Miracles And the Heathen boasted of their Apollonius Tianeus that he did as great Miracles as our Saviour did Whereas this Apolonius was a known Magician and Impostor 86. Though the Devil is a Liar from the beginning yet hath sometimes spoken truth He made a true Confession of Christ That he was the Son of the living God And when one was sent to the Clarian Oracle to know who of the Gods was Supream The Devil answered in the Oracle according to truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Declare Jehovah to be the Supream God for he is meant by Jao Macrobious But in this God over-ruled the Devil 87. The Egyptians had an Opinion That the Souls of Evil Men at death pass'd into the Bodies of Brute Beasts but of Good Men into Celestial Bodies But was it not a better Opinion of the Indian Brachmans asserting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Death is a Birth into a true Life which is Life indeed 88. These Egyptians also put the Image of Sphinx at their Temple-door which was made partly in the form of a Man and partly of a Lion who gave his Answers in Riddles Which either shewed that there were hidden Mysteries in their Religion not to be search'd into Or that their Gods which they worshipped were to be both lov'd and fear'd signified by the Man and Lion 89. And upon the Temple of Sais in Egypt there was this strange Inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is I am all that hath been is and shall be and no mortal Man ever took off my bleness the Universality and Eternity of the Being of God And the Altar they dedicated to Isis the Goddess had this Inscription Tibi una quae es omnia O thou that art One and All things to thee is this Altar 90. Plato gives an account of Socrates his Prayer one part whereof was That his External Condition may be such as may be most suitable to a good mind 91. Plutarch tells a strange story often quoted by other Authors That in the times of Tiberius when Christ died certain Mariners as they sailed heard a voice from shore bidding them when they came to a place call'd Palodes to cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The greaâ— Pan is dead Which they did and there was heard a great howling of Devils As knowing the death of Christ would destroy their Kingdom By which Pan is meant Christ 92. The Egyptians Hieroglyphick of God was a winged Globe and a Serpent coming out of it The Globe to signifie his Eternity the Wings his active Power through the â—niverse and the Serpent his Wisdom And they call'd the first Principle of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unknown darkness As the Altar at Athens had this Inscription To the unknown God Act. 17.23 93. In Furipides there are these devotional Verses which in English run thus Thou self-sprung Being that dost all infold And in thine Arms Heavens whirling Fabrick hold Who art encircled with resplendent Light And yet lyest mantled o're in shady night About whom the exultant starry Fires Dance nimbly round in everlasting Gyres 94. Heraclitus held both the Pre-existence and Immortality of Souls as appears by his saying thus My Soul is looking out at the Crannies of my Body as its Prison towards its native Region from whence it descended And speaking of his Labours saith he I have had my labours as Hercules for I have conquered the Riches Honours and Pleasures of the World I have conquer'd Flattery Cowardice Grief Anger Fear and am now Master of my self 95. When one Aristodemus said If God be so magnificent and glorious a Being he needs not any Worship and Service Socrates replied Seeing God is such a Being you have more need to adore and worship him 96. Diogenes seeing a Woman very devout toward an Image that
upper World to Idolatry and the lower World to Sensuality and so dishonoured the Creator by all his Creatures 11. It is a Socinian Notion That God intended not in the New-Covenant to raise Man to greater abilities to Obey God but only to accommodate the Rule of Obedience to Man's weak and lapsed state 12. After Adam sin'd he ceased to be a Representative-Head to his Posterity And therefore though it's thought he believed it the Promised Seed and walked in obedience to God yet this concerned not them but himself only after his Fall 13. Deus quiescens agit agens quiescit is a pithy saying of Austin God always acts though always at rest and always at rest though alway is acting And Deus visibilia invisibilitèr â—pperatur is a like sententious Saying of the same Father God effects visible things invsibly Operationes Dei descendunt ad nos essenâ—ia tamen manet inaccessa 14. The Circulus Platonicus or the groundless conceit of Plato That after the Revolution of a certain number of years all things should return into their former state was too much favoured by Origen and disputed against by Augustin de Civ Dei l. 12. c. 20. 15. Some have said of the Syrens That they will Sing when the Sea is stormy and Mourn when it is calm because in the former they were chear'd with hope in the latter cast down with fear Lud. de Dieu in Aug. 16. Every Man's Life moves with an equal pace to death but some have a longer journey than others to it And every moment of life is detractio vitae a detraction of a part of Man's Life 17. When God said to Adam Adam where art thou he did not say it quasi ignorando quaerere but quasi admonendo increpare saith Austin Not so much to enquire where he was as to rebuke him for what he had done 18. It was the Error of Apollinaris That the Divine Nature did supply in Christ the place of an Humane Soul corrupting the Tert John 1.14 The Word was made Flesh 19. Pride debaseth Man by turning Maâ— from God to himself but Humility exalteth him by turning him from himself to God To forsake God who is the Principle oâ— Man's Being and to cleave to himself as his Principle is Perversa Celsitudo saith Austin A perverse Exaltation of Man Which made him say That it was more profitable to a proud Man to fall into some sin to humble him than sibi placere to go on pleasing himself in his pride 20. Adam's sin in eating the forbidden Fruit had these Aggravations 1. Because the Commandment was but One. 2. Easie 3. The Threatning severe 4. The Majesty of God that commanded infinite 5. The Goodness God had shewed him was unspeakable 6. And to disobey so suddenly after his Creation and upon the first Temptation c. 21. A True Christian is Civis sursùm peregrinus deorsùm A Citizen above but a Stranger here below It was Cain and not Abel that went out from the presence of the Lord and built Cities and Cain's Posterity that were the Inventers of Arts about earthly things 22. Abraham might more easily believe God could raise Isaac from the dead because he had before raised him out of his dead Body 23. Immoderate desire is sinful though of a small thing as of Esau's Pottage 24. A carnal Heart gathers evil whence a good Heart will gather good As from the shortness of Life One will hence say Let us eat and drink for to morrow we must die Another is quickned by it to improve his time and to be doing good 25. It was disputed among the Heathen Philosophers whether Vertue was to be loved for it self or not The Stoicks asserted it and made an Idol of it but Christianity referrs all to God 26. We find in daily Experience That a Man by once refusing a good offered to him may lose it for ever Which makes the punishment of Hell Eternal as it is Poena damni The punishment of Loss Men having refused the offers of Grace 27. By paying the Debt of Obedience we cannot be discharged of the debt of punishment due for Sin Paying one debt doth not discharge another So that by our Obedience we cannot merit Pardon 28. Seeing that temporal Good and Evil are common to all we should strive after that Good which is peculiar to good Men and avoid that evil which is peculiar to evil Men. 29. Austin makes this difference betwixt the First and Second Death Prima mors animam nolentem pellit de corpore secunda animam nolentem tenet in corpore The First Death drives the Soul unwillingly out of the Body the Second Death detains the Soul unwillingly in the Body 30. In a certain Island in India called Titon they say the Trees never shed their Leaves A good Emblem of perseverance in Grace 31. It is said of the Primitive Christians Ligabantur caedebantur torquebantur urebantur laniabantur trucidabantur multiplicabantur They were bound beaten tortured burned butchered slain to death and yet under all were multiplied And Tertullian to the same purpose Quò magis metimur eò magis crescimus The more we are mowed down the faster we grow up 32. Origen was styled Adamantine for his undaunted Courage that could not be broken by Persecutions 33. Socrates said of Anitus and Melitus who accus'd him to take away his life Interficere me possunt laedere non possunt They may kill me but cannot hurt me He reckoning his Soul himself 34. It was a good Answer of Zeno the Philosopher to one who threatned him and said Dispeream ni malum tibi dedero Let me perish if I do not do thee a mischief He answered Dispeream ni te mihi conciliavero Let me perish if I do not reconcile thee to my self A good Example of overcoming Evil with Good Origen contra Celsum 35. One Sir John Palmer being brought to the Scaffold upon Tower-hill to die there in the beginning of Queen Mary's Reign looking to the Tower where he had been a Prisoner said I have learned more in a dark corner of yonder Tower than ever I did in my life before Stow. 36. When Theodosius and Eugenius were to fight a Battel St. Theophilus the Bishop sent his Man with two flattering Letters and a rich Present with direction to give the Letter and the Present to him that should conquer And some think the present delay of Chusing the Pope may arise from such a Politick ground 37. The four living Creatures in Ezekiel's Vision are said to be full of Eyes within and without Some Men have Eyes without to see other Mens faults but none within to see their own 38. When Traian the Emperor delivered the Sword to the Praetor at Rome he said to him Hôc pro me utere si justa imperavero contra me si injusta Use this Sword for me if I command just things and against me if I command what is unjust A brave Speech of an