the Chaldie Paraphrase insteed of the Hebrew I come saith fitly to this purpose I will appeare and because God doth not alwayes appeare to men alike therefore when hee doth more notably appeare vnto them hee is said to come Touching the varietie of Gods appearing or manifesting himselfe to the world take a similitude from the Sunne The Sunne doth manifest it selfe first by daylight and that is common to all that dwell in the same Horizon vnto which the Sunne is risen some haue more then the daylight they haue also the Sunshining light which shining light of the Sunne is not in all places where the day light of it is finally the Sunne is manifest in the heauens in his full strength for the very body is present there which none can endure but the Starres which become glorious bodies by that speciall presence of the Sunne amongst them In like manner God in whom all things liue moue and haue their being doth manifest himselfe vnto some by the workes of his generall prouidence of which manifestation Saint Paul speaketh when he saith Acts 14. God left not himselfe without witnesse to all nations in that he did good and gaue vs raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with food and gladnesse This manifestation of God is like the daylight Psal 145 v. 15. it is common to all it is an vniuersall grace The eies of all things looke vp vnto thee O Lord and thou giuest them their meate in due season There is a second manifestation and that is peculiar but to some it is like the Sunne-shine it is that manifestation which God vouchsafeth his Church of which Esay speaketh Arise shine Chap 60. for thy light is come and the glorie of the Lord is risen vpon thee but darknesse shall couer the earth and grosse darknesse the people for in comparison of the Church the rest of the world sitteth in darknesse and in the shadow of death The third and last manifestation is that which God maketh of himselfe in heauen to the Angels and Saints the cleerest and fullest whereof a creature is capable and those which partake this presence of God become thereby glorious Saints more glorious then the starres which receiue their resplendent lustre from the aspect which they haue to the Sunnes bodie The manifestation that we haue to doe withall is of the second sort it is not so cleare as that which the Saints enioy in heauen it is not so darke as that which is common to the world but it is of a middle temper proper to the Church militant to whom God is said to come when hee doth so manifest himselfe vnto her From hence we must take notice that as there are those who are in better case then we are so there are who are in worse case and therefore we must thanke God for our present aduancement and remember that wee make forward to that neerenesse vnto God which is reserued for vs in heauen This may suffice for our vnderstanding of this phrase I come The next point is the manner of his comming In the thick cloud Before I speake distinctly hereof I will giue you a note vpon the Cloud Some make a question whether it be the same Cloud which guided the children of Israel through the wildernesse or some other they thinke some other greater and thicker but they thinke so without great reason for after that the guiding Cloud once rested on the Tabernade we heare no more of any Cloud vpon Mount Sinai neither did Moses after that ascend vnto Mount Sinai but God deliuered his minde vnto him in the Tabernacle where the Cloud then rested and God promised to dwell amongst the people after the Tabernacle should be built by bringing the Cloud and his glorie thither which was accordingly performed Exod. 40.34 Exod. 19.43 â—â— before that the people remooued from Mount Sinai yet after that time wee reade of no other Cloud vpon Mount Sinai Insteed then of coyning a new Cloud obserue rather how by degrees God approched to his people at their first comming out of Egypt he kept aloft in the aire the people had not yet shaken off their Egyptian disposition neither were they sitted for any nearenesse to God When they rose higher in their thoughts and had contracted with him God descended lower and came neerer vnto them he descended to the top of Mount Sinai Afterward when they had yet better exprest their affection to entertaine God by building the Tabernacle God vouchsafed to come lower to them he chose to reside in the midst of their Campe. And let vs take this for an vndoubted lesson the better wee preuented by grace prepare our selues for God the nearer will God approach to vs. I now come to speake distinctly of the manner I told you that the manner of Gods appearance was first maiesticall because in the thicke Cloud in this Cloud that you may see the maiestie of God obserue first that God was in it for there was the Angell of God that Angell in whom is Gods Name so we reade Exod. 23. verse 21. and who is called Gods presence Exod. 33. verse 14 15. so that the Cloud was Gods chaire of State or his Chariot or Pauillion as the Scripture doth call the Clouds when God putteth them to this vse And as God was in the Cloud so was the Cloud enuironed with an host of heauenly Courtiers becomming the maiestie of such a King learne it out of the sixtie eight Psalme The Chariots of God are twentie thousand euen thousands of Angels the Lord is amongst them as in Sinai in his holy place And besides these attendants we find obserued two other Ceremonies of State As Kings giue notice of their comming by the sound of Trumpets so this Cloud was attended by the voice of a Trumpet exceeding lowd And as before Kings there is wont to bee carried the instrument of Iustice and Vengeance the Sword so was Gods appearance in this Cloud attended with those dreadfull Meteors Lightning and Thunder Lay together those particulars and you will confesse that God appeared in awefull maiestie when he came in the thicke Cloud The Israelites confessed as much Deut. 5.24 Behold the Lord hath shewed vnto vs his glorie and his greatnesse we haue heard his voice out of the midst of the fire Mortall Kings neuer put on greater state then when they goe to their Parliaments the reason that moueth them is the same that moued God that men should feare to offend them whom they see armed with so great power and the greater regard be had vnto their Lawes As the thicke Cloud doth set forth Gods maiestie so is it also full of mysterie The first mysterie to be gathered out of it is obserued by God himselfe he clothed himselfe with a thicke Cloud to put the people in mind that hauing seene no shape of him they should not presume to make any image Let our lesson be Voluntas Dei non essentia
to loose all those that will make vse of the flight amongst which these Iewes were none For who hath forewarned you saith Saint Iohn vnto them Before I come to the question I must a little describe the persons they were Sadduces and Pharisees There are but two extremities of Religion into which men run Superstition and Atheisme these fell the one that is the Pharisees into the one extremitie and the other that is the Saduces into the other extremitie Now sinnes are of two sorts some whose nature is in opposition to the flying from the wrath to come and some which are such as they doe not exclude the same A Drunkard an Adulterer a Murderer are grieuous sinners and in danger of the wrath to come but the Principles are not corrupted vpon which the forewarner must worke when hee perswadeth then to flie they doe beleeue the iudgement to come and in cold bloud will easily belieue that there is euill in their liues therefore vpon such good counsell may worke and wee see daily that many such are reclaimed But there are many whose sinnes are opposite vnto this counsell of flying either because they thinke there is no wrath to come as the Saducee or that they are out of danger of it as the Pharisee vpon such it is hard working Now come to the question Who hath forewarned you I am not ignorant that sundrie Writers ancient and later suppose that this is Quaestio admirantis and make Saint Iohn Baptist who receiued all others quietly when these persons came to stand amazed and wondring Is it possible hath Gods grace preuailed with Saduces with Pharisees and will they also bee Christs Disciples Is Saul among the Prophets Can hee that thought there was no Hell be brought to flie from Hell and hee that thought himselfe righteous prouide against the Iudgement day Surely such examples are rare not that God doth not yeil◠some to shew nothing is impossible to his grace but he yeildeth but few because men should take heed of such sinnes and wee see by experience how Pharisaisme in Papists and in Atheists Saducisme frustrate the labours of many painfull Forewarners the corrupt Principles of their conscience hinder their preuayling Who forewarne them to flie from the wrath to come But I take the Question rather to bee Negatiue and that as Christ often so Saint Iohn here doth detect their hypocrisie and telleth them that they aimed little at that which was intended by Baptisme The Kingdome of God happily in their sense they could bee content to enter into by the Baptisme of Saint Iohn for their Messias was to bee a worldly King or if so be they thought vpon wrath which they desired to escape it was wrath present not wrath to come the wrath of men not the wrath of God they would shake off the yoke of the Romanes they feared not the paines of Hell when they perceiued that Saint Iohns Baptisme sorted not with their desire it is obserued that they despised it to their destruction and when Christ asked them Whether it were of heauen or of men they durst not answere him from Heauen least Christ should come vpon them with Why did you not then belieue it Adde hereunto that it is not likely Saint Iohn would haue reproched them with these words generation of Vipers had there not bin hypocrisie in them I conclude then that the Question containeth a negation and that S. Iohn herein doth set forth the second euill of these Iewes They wanted meanes of forewarning which might apply to them the Remedie which God hath appointed against the wrath to come Matth. 21. v 25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orat. 31. p. 501. Nazianzen obserueth well It is not the Nation but the disposition that maketh a Pharisee euery Countrie may haue Pharisees and Saduces for it is not the name of a Nation but a conuersation and therefore this question may concerne vs and we must inquire into our selues whether wee haue either a Pharisees or a Saduces disposition And indeed wee shall find too many of both Heretickes Atheists vpon whom Forewarners cannot worke and if we be better disposed wee must acknowledge Gods great mercie that as hee hath appointed wrath so hee hath appointed a Remedie wee must learne both of our Forewarners and so learne both that we be the better for them and scape the vengeance that is to come The summe of all is sinnes and punishments are not inseparable God hath set a space betweene them and appointed a Remedie to the one for the auoyding of the other for the knowledge hereof hee referres vs to our spirituall Pastors and we must take heed we haue neither Saduces nor Pharisees eares which may make vs vncapable of their forewarnings O Lord that hast appointed Forwarners to thy Church so blesse their paines that they may fixe our thoughts on and resolue our reason of that wrath which is to come not only the sight of it but also the flight from it Let vs not despise the riches of thy goodnesse forbearance and long-suffering nor with hard and impenitent hearts treasure vp vnto our selues wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2. Eccles 18. but knowing that thy goodnesse leadeth vs to repentance let vs so thinke vpon the wrath that shall be at the end that we may flie from sinne to grace and so bee thought worthy to escape this euill and stand in the last day with comfort before the Sonne of man stand for euer to giue glorie vnto thee the Father of mercie through Iesus Christ our only meanes to obtaine this mercie in the Communion of the holy spirit who only teacheth vs to make the right vse of this mercie Amen The third Sermon LVKE 3. VERSE 8. Bring forth therefore fruites worthy of Repentance SAint Iohn Baptist hath in his Sermon hitherto shewed the Iewes of their bad case in regard both of sinne and woe If he had here ended he should rather haue seemed to bee a minister of Moses then an harbinger of Christ and although happily he might haue awakned the worme of Conscience to bite them with the terrours of the Law yet should hee not haue answered his fathers prophecie by giuing light to them that sit darknesse Luke 1. and in the shaddow of death and guiding their feete into the way of peace wherefore to shew that hee came indeed in the spirit of Elias and meant to turne the hearts of the fathers towards their children Malachi 4.6 and the children towards their fathers before the Lord came and smote the earth with cursing as he vnpartially gaue the Iewes to vnderstand the euill of their case so doth he carefully endeauour to set them in a better course The ground and scope of his words is in effect this Euerie Iew is to haue a double being in the Couenant an hereditarie a possessorie in that he is the of spring of Abraham he hath a title to the promises but possession of that whereunto
that should trouble vs Therefore let vs keepe our eyes on him and we shall bee vndauntedly patient of any disgrace or danger that wee must passe in performing our charge Againe though we bee naturally proud and thinke our selues worthy of high preferment and sufficient for great employment yet when wee are called to these supernaturall Acts we are farre from being ambitious yea we are plaine incredulous that euer such things can be done by vs or that we are fit to be vsed in doing them wee can then plead our imperfections the imperfections of our head the imperfections of our heart it is strange then to see how vile we will be in our own eies and be glad that any one should haue the honour of this seruice rather than our selues we see this truth in Moses Ieremie and others But this is a mis-placing of our eyes Christ taketh them off from this contemplation and placeth them vpon himselfe Behold I am with you it is my spirit my wisedome my grace that produceth these heauenly effects I doe you the honour to make you my Instruments but I will be the principall Agent regard not your weaknesse but my power and doubt not but that I will doe by you whatsoeuer I shall giue you in charge Let this be your encouragement Christ would neuer send vs to baptize with water but hee meaneth to baptize with the holy Ghost hee will neuer send vs to dispence bread and wine but hee will bee present to giue vnto beleeuers his body and blood if he send vs to binde and loose on earth himselfe will binde and loose in heauen finally the foolishnesse of Preaching which he vttereth by our mouths himselfe doth accompany with a demonstration of his Spirit Ecce Behold this Behold how I am with you how I cooperate with you The last particular which I obserued is contained in the last word Amen and this must second Ecce Behold So soone as euer our eyes are vpon the right obiect and wee see what shelter what succour wee haue who doth support vs who doth worke by vs we must fall to our Amen we must vndoubtedly beleeue the truth of Christs promise and heartily desire the accomplishment thereof the word Amen implieth both and we must say Amen both waies Christ doth promise I am with you I will not leaue you nor forsake you whensoeuer or whithersoeuer you goe in my seruice we must answer Amen Lord I am assured it will be so I am sure it will be so also when thou sayst Loe I am with you by you to giue light to them that sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death and guide their feete into the way of Peace And seeing what thou Lord sayst shall bee what is my desire but that it should bee Da Domine quod iubes inbe quod vis Lord be thou with me and I care not what charge thou dost impose vpon me thou biddest me goe into all the world Amen so bee it I will goe thou promisest to be with me wheresoeuer I goe Amen so be it Thus should Ecce Behold set a-work Amen and Amen So be it should euer attend this Ecce Behold I haue done with my Text and with the particulars which I pointed out therein lay those particulars together and see how many things there are to be obserued by you that are to enter into Holy Orders Here you may see that the Originall of your calling is from Christ that Christ calleth you to bee his Embassadours the errand whereupon you are sent is the gathering of Gods children into his Church Hee trusteth you with the seales of his Couenant his Sacraments He maketh your mouthes his Oracles vnto the people his presence maketh your persons secure and sacred whether hee bee pleased that you be Patients or Agents his presence shall make you conquerours vnder the Crosse and conuerters of sinnefull men And this hee will doe by you and those that shall bee honoured with the like calling vntill the number of the Elect are fulfilled and we all meete comfortably after our seruice is happily ended to raigne with him for euer in his Kingdome of Glory HEe that giueth you this Charge grant you this Comfort and make you so behold it that you may say Amen vnto it Amen Amen IHS A SERMON PREACHED AT A VISITATION At BATHE ZACHARY 11. vers 7. And I tooke vnto me two staues the one I called Beautie and the other I called Bands and I fed the flocke THis Chapter containes the last and worst destruction of the Iewes the manner and the cause is contained herein The Manner is most wofull for it is Libellus Repudij God will haue no more to doe with them and they were to be Lo-gnammi no longer the peculiar people of God no degree of person was to bee exempted from this plague neyther were they euer to recouer their state againe Of so wofull a manner the cause was most iust Curati noluerunt curari God gaue the Iewes ouer Pastors and People to a totall to a finall desolation because in their day the last of their dayes they would not know they did not regard those things that belonged vnto their peace What those things were for the most for the best part wee are taught in these words that now I haue read vnto you The whole text is a Parable wherein a ghostly shepheard is resembled to a bodily and the care of the one is represented in the others care This is the summe of the whole text But more distinctly In moralizing the Parable wee are to make two enquiries first Who it is that speaketh these words secondly What that is which he meaneth by this speech By laying together the parts of this Chapter you shall finde that he that speaketh is our Sauiour Christ it is he that saith I tooke to my selfe two slaues c. As it is he that speaketh so that which hee speaketh concerneth himselfe the contents of his words are his owne exemplarie pastorall care In opening this care the text will teach vs 1. how hee did furnish himself sutably to his calling 2. how he did employ his furniture to the good of his charge His furniture was Authority and Ability Authority noted by the staues for Padum insigne Pastoris a Shepheard is designed by his crooke and the crooke is an embleme of Authoritie Authority is not enough he hath Abilitie also his Ability is noted by the propertie of the staues The properties are two and so the abilitie groweth to be twofold the first is noted by Beauty by which is meant Veritas Euangelica a Shepheards skill in the couenant of Grace the second is noted by Bands whereby is noted Charitas Christiana the Shepheards care of the Churches peace With these doth the Shepheard furnish himselfe so hee saith I tooke vnto my selfe I tooke he receiued this furniture from his Father so I gather out of the fourth verse and what hee tooke therewith he qualified himselfe
Heauen In HABAKKVK the stones and timber of the King of Babylons house built with blood doe cry Finally Iames 5. in St IAMES the wages of the hireling kept from him doe cry and come into the eares of the Lord of Hosts Cap. 6. And as sinnes so iudgements haue a Voyce MICAH hath a notable place The voice of the Lord cryeth vnto the Citie the Man of Wisdome will see thy name heare ye the rod and who hath appointed it And the Lord is sayd to make his iudgement to be heard from Heauen When then GOD saith I was deafe and dumbe he meaneth that though the cry of the sin were loud yet he did not heare it he was deafe neither did they heare from him though there was iust cause he was dumbe In these two points stands the Patience of GOD. Where-hence we learne that when we are free from plagues we must not conclude that we are without sinnes crying sinnes The cause of our peace is often times not our owne innocencie but GODS patience it is not because our sinnes hold their tongues but GODS iudgments hold theirs notwithstanding our guilt he is silent And here appeareth a great difference between God and Men Men are as soone moued as they are prouoked few can hold their hands scarce any their tongues so sensible are we of wrongs and so reuengefull according to our power Not so GOD it is one of the characters of his Nature to be long suffering euen when he is grieuously offended he can hold his Tongue not onely his Hands Behold an euidence hereof in this Penitent whose incestuous life GOD hath forborne so many yeeres though he might haue rewarded him according to his deserts when he first fell into this foule offence yet hath GOD lent him many yeeres and expected his repentance But what vse doe men make of GODS patience Surely the Iewes did but verifie the old saying veterem ferendo iniuriam inuit as nouam the more GOD forbeares the worse we waxe GOD holds his peace that we might speake is deafe that we might heare Rom. c. 2. but enormous sinners make vse of neither they abuse the patience and long suffering of God and like IESABEL though GOD giue space to repent they repent not Reuel 2 21. We should heare our sinnes that GOD might not heare them we should heare them speaking to the eare of our Consciences whereinto if they did enter they would not ascend higher into the eares of GOD. And seeing GOD is dumbe that we might speake we should speake to GOD by repentance and then GOD would not speake vnto vs by vengance according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.31 If we did iudge our selues we should not be iudged of the Lord. But what doth the Iewe He grosly abuseth this patience of GOD in stead of so hearing and speaking he thinketh that God is like vnto himselfe Behold the world turned vpside downe GOD made man after his owne Image and see man would faine square GOD after his Image whereas the creature should resemble the Creator the Creator is drawne to resemble the creature An absurd conceit is it in reason how much more in Religion When 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turned into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Patterne into the Exemplification but yet might it be excused if so be man were vnderstood as he was made of GOD for we vse in Diuinitie out of the obseruation which we make in the nature of man to draw descriptions of the nature of GOD because whatsoeuer is in the effect is but much more emminently in the efficient so we talke of the Truth the Righteousnesse and Holinesse of GOD guessing at them by those sparkes of vertue which appeare in man But the conceit of these men is not so good for thus must the words be knit Thou thoughtest that I was like vnto thee which hast done these things and such a thee is a sinfull thee so that GOD is not onely resembled vnto man but vnto a sinfull man outragious blasphemie It was a great sinne which ADAM committed when he affected to be like vnto GOD though it were in an holy attribute the attribute of his Knowledge How fearefull a sin then is it not onely to debase GOD to be like vnto men but also to be like vnto him in a hellish Attribute the Attribute of sinne There are three steps of Atheisme Psal 94.7 It begins with Tush God doth not see and is there vnderstanding in the Highest It goeth on to Tush God doth not care Scilicet is superis labor est ea cura quietos solicitat The Lord will doe neither good nor euill as the Prophet speaketh It commeth at length to We account the proud blessed Malach. 3.15 and they that tempt God are exalted Of these Atheists the first turne God into an Idol giuing him eyes that see not and eares that heare not The second make him an idle or carelesse God as if he did onely looke on and leaue euerie man to shift for himselfe The last doe plainly turne God into the Diuel for their blasphemie is not onely priuatiue denying GOD to be what indeed he is but also positiue fastning vpon GOD what is cleane opposite to his Nature so that it is not without cause that our vulgar English hath Thou thoughtest wickedly for it is a most wicked thought We must then take heed how we entertaine sinne seeing we shall grow worse and worse by degrees There are inborne principles of honestie and pietie which are sensibly felt when we first fall to sinne the further we goe the lesse are they felt and when we grow senslesse of them then fall we to apologize for sin and there can be no stronger apologie then to make GOD our consort for it is a principle stampt in our nature That God is the soueraigne good whatsoeuer then is either from him or in him must needs be good so that if a wicked man can make GOD either the Author or Patterne of his sinne he need no sayrer colour nor stronger argument wherewith to resolue either himselfe or others that bitter is sweet darknesse light death life and good euill And the Diuel knoweth that we will sinne securely when we are resolued that by sinne we doe GOD good seruice he that reads the stories of the Heathen gods shall find that one of the greatest prouocations that the world hath had vnto sinne hath beene the worship of such gods as their owne Poets describe theirs to be stained with all kind of sinnes The Fathers that wrot against them IVSTIN MARTYR CLEMENS ALEXANDRINVS EVSEBIVS LACTANTINS ARNOBIVS and Saint AVSTIN insist much vpon this point when they defend Christian Religion against the Gentile And who can tell whether GOD in this place doth not taxe such Gentilisme in the Iew And intimate that their Idolatry was a cause of their impuritie for it is plaine in the Prophets that they worshipped Idols of all Nations You
they may haue learned from that old m Cacu◠apud Liuium lib. 1. Italian Thiefe who was wont to draw all the faire Oxen he could lay hands on though it were obtorto collo auersis vestigijs vnto his owne Den. But to preuent all such practises in this particular I hold it not amisse to acquaint thee somewhat more particularly with his resolutions touching matter of Religion and how hee stood affected to the controuersies of our times It is true that of his owne disposition whether framed so by nature or by grace or both he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a most peaceable and milde temper apter to reconcile differences then to make them and to interprete the sayings euen of the Aduersaries where they were ambiguous in the better part in regard whereof if there be yet any hope left of sowing vp those innumerable rents which Faction hath wrought in the seamelesse coat of Christ and of drawing the distracted parts of his Church to some tolerable vnitie J thinke he had beene such a man as is hardly found amongst many to bee imployed in that seruice Howbeit as Saint Iames sayes of the wisdome which is from aboue that it is k Iames 3.17 first pure and then peaceable so J may be bold to say that this mans desire of peace came euer in the second place and that his first care was to maintaine the puritie of Religion as it is now taught in the Church of England For proofe whereof though I might thinke it enough to referre thee to these and other of his Sermons wherein he hath as his matter led him confuted and cut the throat of most of the errours currant at this day in the Church of Rome yet because it may be excepted that a mans opinions are in some sort as the Lawyers say of ones Will ambulatorie while he liues and that no man is bound to stand to any Religion but what he dies in I will rather impart to thee a late profession of his made in his last Will and Testament which is the most authentike Record of a mans minde and such as when hee is once dead l Gal 3.15 no man disanulleth or addeth thereunto as the Apostle speakes Jn this last Testament of his amongst other pious recommendations of his soule to God he hath these words I Desire to end my life in that faith which is now established in the Church of England whereof I am a member and haue beene by Gods blessing well nigh thirtie yeares a Preacher and my soules vnfained desire is that it may euer flourish and fructifie in this Kingdome and in all his Maiesties Dominions and from thence be propagated to other Countries which sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death whether Jnfidels or Heretickes Amen Behold here not only a sound but a zealous Professor of the Religion established and I would to God euery man of learning and conscience whether of the one or other side would but make the like declaration of himselfe in his last Will perhaps it would be as good a Legacie as any hee could bequeath to Gods Church For by it would it appeare what euery man thinkes of the summe of Religion truly and indeed when all worldly hopes feares preiudices dependances and engagements being set aside he hath none but God and his owne conscience to satisfie And then I doubt not but as an eminent Prelate of the Church of Rome said of the doctrine of Iustification by faith only that it was a good Supper-doctrine though not so good to breake fast on so it would bee acknowledged of our reformed Religion in generall that although it be not so plausible and pleasant a religion to liue in as some other may be yet it is the only comfortable Religion to die in as being that which settles a man vpon the true rocke and giues a sure footing to his faith when all the superstitious deuises of mans braine doe like sand faile and moulder away But to returne to this Reuerend Prelate of whom we are speaking being fallen vpon the mention of his last Will and Testament it may haply bee expected that I should here relate what Legacies he gaue therein to the Church what summes of money he bequeathed ad pios vsus c. for that is the pompe of Willes in these dayes But for that J haue said enough alreadie He that gaue all whilst he liued euen his very Bookes a great part of which I thinke to the value of foure hundred pounds worth bee disposed to the Librarie of New Colledge in Oxford by a Deed of Gift diuers yeares before his death reseruing the vse of them only for his life time could not haue much left to bestow at his death Only a name hee hath left behind him and that more precious then any ointment a name that filleth the Church for the present with the sweet sauour thereof and I trust that euen Posteritie also shall be refreshed by it For r Wisd 4 1 2. the memoriall of vertue as he saith is immortall because it is approued both with God and Men. When it is present men take example at it and when it is gone they desire it it weareth a Crowne and triumpheth for euer hauing gotten the victorie and striuing for euerlasting rewards As touching the manner of his death though any man might guesse at it that hath beene acquainted thus farre with the passages of his life for seldome doe a mans life and his end varie yet it will not bee amisse to acquaint thee with thus much that hauing some few houres before his departure made a zealous and deuout confession both of his faith and sinnes to the Bishop of Elie there present from whom also he receiued absolution according to the order of our Church and being assisted to the last gaspe with the comfortable and heauenly prayers of that diuine Prelate after he had taken particular leaue of all about him and giuen them respectiuely both his counsell and benediction he speedily yeilded vp his soule to God There passed not many moneths before that Reuerend Bishop whom J last mentioned followed him to his graue with whom as he had liued many yeares in a most entire league of friendship not vnlike that which Saint Chrysostome describes to haue beene betwixt himselfe and Saint Basil Lib. 1. de Sacerdotio so J doubt not but they are now vnited and incorporated together in a farre more firme and vndiuided societie euen that of the first-borne which are written in Heauen Heb. 12.23 and as they were heere geminum sidus a paire of Lights of our Church comparable euen to those Primitiue ones whose lustre and influence remaines with this day so they haue by this time receiued the reward of such as turne many to righteousnesse euen to be Stars in the Firmament for euer and euer Dan. 12.3 Now although an k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Epitaph be a good mans due after
inlargeth their worke vpon that obiect to the vtter most he excepts no sin but would haue them all pluckt vp by the rootes Hide thy face from my sinnes blot out all mine iniquities This is King Dauids suite a hard suite you may oubt whether it can be granted you may doubt whether such indulgence may stand with the Diuine Prouidence how he that seeth all can hide his face from any thing and how he can blot out any thing that keepeth a record of all I must therefore in the last place shew you the possibilitie which King Dauid hath of obtayning his desire shew you that such Indulgence doth not preiudice Gods Prouidence and Gods Prouidence not hinder such Indulgence You haue the particulars which are contained in this Text which I will now farther vnfold I pray God it may be to our edification But before I enter vpon the particulars I must giue some light vnto the phrases which are darke because figuratiue and may mis-guide if they bee taken as they sound Whereas then here is mention made of a Face wee may not conceiue that God hath a body made of flesh and bloud they were long since condemned for hereticks that did so grossely mistake the Scripture God in such phrases by a resemblance informeth vs as far as we are capable of his incomparable Essence Consider then the vse of our face it is the instrument of knowledge therein are the senses placed of seeing hearing smelling c. but yet though they appeare there we must not impute the sense vnto the body but vnto the soule that quickens the body Philosophie teacheth that Anima est quae videt quae audit c. and there is sensible proofe of it when the soule is departed from the body though there be an eye left and an eare yet there is neither seeing nor hearing whereupon it followeth that the vertue of seeing and hearing is in the soule these are the faculties of a spirit so that God may haue them though hee haue properly no face hee may haue that which is signified by the face the power of discerning things A second vse that is made of the face is that it serueth for a looking-glasse wherein to behold our affections this vse followeth vpon the former for that which wee apprehend outwardly by our senses doth inwardly content or discontent the euidence of either you may reade in our countenance if it content we looke vpon it cheerefully and turne from it wrathfully if it discontent hereupon it commeth to passe that the face is vsed to note sometimes Gods fauour and sometimes his anger according as that which is presented before him doth please or else displease Out of both these vses of the face applyed vnto God we must learne that there is no perfection in man which is not in God that beflowed it vpon man but wee must conceiue it in God as it beseemeth God according to the vncompoundednesse and infinitenesse of his nature The second phrase of blotting out which presupposeth a Booke wherein things are written is also a phrase borrowed from men whose brittle memory maketh them haue recourse to such helpes least otherwise many of their affaires should either be forgotten by them or denyed by others the Booke supplies both these defects and what is entred there serueth our owne memory and resolueth the doubts of others we haue proofe hereof in our Oeconomicks no good husband which taketh not this course at home and in the Politicks there is no well aduised State that is without a Register and maketh not vse of Annals and Iournals To apply this God is Master of his house the Church the world is his Kingdome wherein hee reignes wee may happily thinke that though hee seeth all yet he may forget much to refute so vaine a dreame the Scripture doth remember his Booke not meaning that his memory wanteth a helpe but that it is as firme as ours is with such a helpe yea much more firme for our helpes are as much subiect to casualty as our selues are but Gods booke is nothing but himselfe and himselfe is no more lasting then is his record we must therfore sublime our thoughts when wee thinke of Gods Booke and fancy nothing which is not Diuine But I leaue the phrase and come to the matter I told you that Gods prouidence intimated by these two phrases consisteth of these two acts the first is Omnia nouit hee hath an vbiquitary Eye all things as Saint Paul speaketh are naked before his eyes Elihu in Iob Heb. 4.13 Iob. 34.21.22 his eyes are vpon the wayes of man and hee seeeth all his goings there is no darkenesse nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselues Psal 139. King Dauid hath made a whole Psalme wherein hee sheweth how vaine a thing it is for a man to seeke a hiding place from God Ecclus. 23.19 The sonne of Syrach in few words The eyes of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter then the Sun beholding all the wayes of men and considering the most secret parts he knew all things ere euer they were created and when they were created hee looked vpon them Cap. 30.1 therefore doth God in Esay cry out against them that take counsell but not of him and that couer with a couering but not of his spirit and it is not without cause obserued as a great folly in our first father Adam that hee thought a thicket of trees would hide him from God The same discase is inherited by his posterity wee may gather it out of the phrase â—om 1â— 12 〈◊〉 3. â—0 Iob. 24.15 16. wherein the holy Ghost describes sinnes calling them workes of darkenesse because as Christ telleth vs Qui male agit odit lucem adulterers and theiues choose darkenesse when they will fulfill their lusts and they that are drunken saith the Apostle are drunken in the night but silly wretches while they thinke no eye seeth them the eyes of God are vpon them 〈◊〉 23.19 Psal 39.12 and hee is priuy to their most inward thoughts for night is to him as the day and darkenesse is as the cleare light This is the first worke of Prouidence Omnia nouit hee knoweth all things The second is Omnia notat he maketh a record of all things that is implied in the Book Psal 139.16 Dan. 7.10 〈◊〉 20 12. 〈◊〉 20.12 cap. 3.5 Often mention is made therof in the Psalms in Daniel in Ezekiel in the Reuelation and the Platonists Mundus intelligibilis and Idaeaes seeme to import the very same but that which I principally obserue is that God doth not see things as if they did not concerne him but as Salomon speaketh his eye-lids try the sonnes of men and hee pondereth all their pathes yea hee doth make a record of them whether they bee good or bad Vers 16. Of the good you haue an excellent place Malach. Chap. 3. when the Atheist had blasphemed then they
vs his liuerie leaue vs no marke of our reference to him and this is that which I called depriuation But more distinctly in reiection we will obserue 1. from what Place and state both are included in Gods presence Secondly with what disgrace and danger a sinner deserues to bee reiected we may gather them both out of the words Cast out In the depriuation we will obserue first Whereof secondly how farre a sinner may be depriued Whereof first of what gift of the Holy spirit then What worth there is in the gift spiritus tuus thy holy Spirit or the Spirit of thy Holinesse a most precious gift of this a sinner deserueth to be depriued But how farre that appeareth in aufer as the taking away which wee will resolue into these two Notes the first is the taking backe of the spirit which God once gaue him and therefore some render it Ne recipias withdraw not secondly the spirit is so taken backe that nothing of it remaines with a sinner it is not a diminution but an ablation a stripping him wholy of the Spirit of God Finally both these reiection and depriuation must bee considered not in themselues but also in their consequences and the consequences are two and they much aggrauate the fearefulnesse of the iudgement The first is We cannot be reiected of our old good Master but wee shall fall into the hands of another who is much worse and wee shall be forced to weare a much worse Liuerie if we be stript of his Looke whatsoeuer good we lose we shall fall vnder the contrarie euill if we bee reiected if we be depriued This is the first Consequence A second is that such a sinners Case is desperate God will heare no mans praiers for him and he wil giue him no grace to pray for himselfe And what can follow but that being brought into so bad a case he senselesly runne a gracelesse course which commeth to the maine point of my Text which I told you was a desire of perseuerance in grace whereunto nothing can bee more opposite then this reiection and depriuation which is prayed against by our penitent King And so haue I broken vp this Text the parts whereof I shall now open farther vnto you God grant they may further our religious repentance First then of the manner of the Prayer I told you it is a deprecation a praying against When we are in danger we must not be senselesse bee it but corporall how much more if it be spirituall Now that we are sensible wee can giue no better proofe then if wee pray against the danger yea the more earnest wee are in prayer the more doe wee manifest the prouident feare of our soules Dauid had committed enormous sinnes adultery 1. Cor. â— 6 1. Iob. 3.15 murder of adulterers Saint Paul tels vs that none shall enter into the Kingdome of Heauen and of the murderer Saint Iohn tels vs that hee hath not eternall life abiding in him King Dauid finding himselfe in this danger had reason to fall vnto this kind of prayer especially hauing before his eyes the wofull example of his Predecessor Saul But what needed hee 1. Sam. â— God had promised that it should goe well with him and with his seed also and that when they sinne though hee will punish them he will not withdraw his Mercy as he did from Saul whom hee cast out from before his eyes yea and Dauid for his particular had his pardon brought vnto him by Nathan It is true But it is as true that he that doth recouer out of a desperate danger is not so soone secure as hee is safe behold it in a corporall danger If a man were ready to fall into a deepe pit and a stander by timely stretch out his hand and recouer him hee cannot so soone recouer his spirits as hee saued his life you shall see him looke wan feele his heart tremble scarce get a word from him or make him stand vpon his feet he will aske some pretty time before hee can come to himselfe againe And may we thinke that hee that found himselfe vpon the brinke of Hell that saw himselfe entring at the gates of aeternall death that was singed with the flames of that vnquenchable fire and felt the palpable darkenesse of that euerlasting night though by Gods mercy hee tumbled not into the pit came not into the Chambers of death was not deuoured of the fire nor cast into the vtter darknesse thinke wee I say that hee can soone forget those affrighting spectacles that hee can suddainly calme those stormes which they raised in his soule that hee can as soone be secured as hee is safe certainly he cannot they that haue beene exercised in such conflicts yeeld vndenyable proofe and therefore wonder not that King Dauid notwithstanding Gods gracious promise as if hee did forget it maketh this kind of prayer vnto God Adde hereunto that God doth not giue his promises to make vs idle but to exercise our faith in importuning God for a performance 1. â—im 4.8 Pietie hath the promise both of this life and of that which is to come yet doe wee not forbeare dayly to say the Lords Prayer that we may speed of both Our rule then is That wee must vse Gods Promises as directions in not as dispensations from the deuotion we owe vnto God And let this suffice touching the manner of the Prayer Let vs come now to the matter And first let vs looke to the Reiection wherein the first particular was the Place from whence a sinner deserueth to bee reiected that is here called the presence of God God from the beginning of the world had a speciall place whereat hee appeared to the Patriarkes and they performed their deuotions at it the learned gather it out of the 4. of Genesis where God threatneth that Cain should bee a vagabond and Cain complaineth that hee was cast from the presence of God that is excommunicated from the visible Church and the seuering of the sonnes of God from the sonnes of Men seemeth to haue bin in regard of the meeting in that speciall place But howsoeuer that may be doubted it is out of all question that when God made the Israelites a nationall Church hee had a visible presence amongst them hee commanded the Tabernacle to be built for that purpose whereinto he entred in the Cloud and rested betweene the Cherubims on the Mercy-seat This was the typicall presence of a spirituall residence of God of his gracious dwelling amongst his people This was a thing so much reuerenced by the Patriarkes Psal 27. that they held it a great blessing to enioy it Vnum petij aith King Dauid One thing haue I desired of the Lord and that will I still require that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the faire beauty of the Lord and to visit his holy Temple As it was a comfort to them to enioy
God many enormous sinnes had neuer beene committed neither would the people so familiarly shift their Religion at the becke of their superiour But aboue all vsurpations of Gods glorie in this kind take notice of the Votiue blind obedience of the Religious Romanists especially of the Iesuites they make it a part of their solemne profession and put it in practise impiously and mischieuously as the world hath palpaple and woful proofe True it is that they pretend good limitations set to their Vow as that the superiour must not be obeyed against Gods Law and the law of Nature but while they make the superiour the interpreter of both these Lawes and that they must rest in their superiours Voice as in the Voice of Christ what they abhorre in words that they commit in deeds they commit many things both against the Law of God and nature And in generall all Papists that hold the Popes infallabilitie taking from him the resolution of our faith and manners how doe they serue God against Gods will and massacre Gods seruants out of an erroneous zeale for Gods glorie Let the conclusion then of this point be that no man may dispute or resist any voice of God but withall he doth challenge Gods Truth and his Power and whosoeuer requires absolute credit and obedience to all his words he vsurpes Gods Attributes which are incommunicable that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnerring Truth and Vncontrowable Power And so haue you the first of those things which God doth require which is Obedience The second followeth which is Fidelitie Israel must keepe the Couenant of God a Couenant is a solemne contract made betweene diuers persons and Gods Couenant is the contract that is made betweene him and his Church in those termes I will bee your God and you shall be my people But of Couenants there are two sorts Foedus aequum and Faedus iniquum as the Ciuilians speake Foedus aequum is that which is made betweene persons that are of equall ranke whereof one is not superiour to the other Foedus iniquum is that which is made betweene persons that are impari iure of vnequall ranke whereof the one is superiour to the other When we speake of Gods Couenant made with man wee must not conceiue that that the persons are equall they are very vnequall there is no proportion betweene them neither can there be betweene an infinite and a finite person this must be obserued in the very first Couenant that euer God made the Couenant of the Creation for then the Persons differed as the Creator and Creature there was oddes betweene them Secondly as there may bee oddes betweene the persons that enter into a Couenant so there may haue beene before they enter into the Couenant no enmitie or no great enmitie betweene them Nations that neuer were at warre may enter into Couenant one to strengthen himselfe by the other or one to haue the freer commerce with the other but oftentimes it fals out that Leagues put an end vnto quarrels and Couenants are the securitie of a reconciliation and open the intercourse of mutuall good offices which war shut vp Though the Couenant of the Creation had no precedent enmitie yet that of the Redemption had and therefore it is called not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Couenant but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Reconciliation when we were enemies Christ died for vs and by his bloud was the New Testament ratified Thirdly the Couenant primarily here meant is the Decalogue on those Ten Words did God make a Couenant with Israel and the Tables wherein they were written were called the Tables of the Couenant 1 eut 9 11. the Arke wherein the Tables were put is called the Arke of the Couenant 1. Reg 8.1 and the Tabernacle wherein the Arke was was called the Tabernacle of the Couenant But this Couenant of the Decalogue hath a double consideration whereof the one is Intrinsicall the other is Extrinsicall the Intrinsicall is that which looketh to the naturall power of the Law which is to discouer sinne to conuict a sinner and to doome him according to his desert the Extrinsicall consideration is that which looketh to the supernaturall power of the Law and that is to be a Schoolemaster to bring vs vnto Christ who is the end of the Law and came to fulfill it To shadow this double consideration the Decalogue was cloathed with the Ceremoniall Law wherein the offerer imposing hands vpon the Sacrifice did confesse himselfe guiltie and the slaying of the Beast shewed the desert of a sinner thus there appeared what is the naturall power of the Law The supernaturall power also appeared in the ceremonies in that the offerer vnburthened himselfe vpon the Sacrifice as a sinner doth vpon our Sauiour Christ and that by the death of the beast the offerer was exempted from death as men are deliuered from death by the death and passion of our Sauiour Christ Wherefore though the Couenant of the Redemption bee but one yet in regard of the shadow it is called the Old and in regard of the substance the New You haue seene what is the Couenant of God you must now learne what it is to keepe it First wee must learne to obserue our distance though God doe vs the honour to contract with vs yet must not we presume to equall our selues to God for so shall wee betray our ignorance that we know not of what kind the Couenant is we must therefore discerne the inequalitie of the Persons that haue contracted and wee must confesse how low God hath descended that hath vouchsafed to take vs into so neere a reference As in keeping the Couenant wee must obserue our distance so must we not be vnmindfull of the danger which we haue escaped thereby he that considereth not that he stood at Gods mercie when hee was receiued to grace that he was by merit a firebrand of Hell when by mercie he was designed to be a Saint in Heauen cannot as he ought keepe the Couenant of God Now the Decalogue wherein this Couenant standeth hath a double consideration therefore he that will keepe Gods Couenant must make vse of both First he must make vse of the Intrinsecall consideration and of euery branch thereof by the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne therefore that he may haue a true iudgemement of the nature differences and degrees of sinnes he must be well conuersant in the Decalogue he must not trust to Morall Philosophie to Ciuill Constitutions and Customes to Pharisaicall or Papisticall Traditions these are but imperfect guides in such inquiries Only Gods Couenant can tell what is and what is not finne Moses is the best Casuist Secondly he must often suruey himselfe at this glasse of the Law and there find the excesses and defects of his life no other thing can represent them so truly as this will doe this Glasse will neither flatter nor deforme vs our consciences
we exceed a proportion stinted vnto vs in the vse of the Creatures so they disproportion the harmonie of our bodies that are guiltie of this abuse and God doth in the end separate vs from them because wee for them separated our selues from God And this death we call the giuing vp of the Ghost But after these parts are dissolued there should seize on eyther of them a penall condition On the body for the graue is not only Sheol but also Shacath it doth not onely couetously swallow but digest it also verè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therein death gnaweth vpon this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this rotten mouldring house this earthly Tabernacle of ours The Reason of it is because sinne is inherent and this leprous house cannot be purged except it be dissolued dust it is and to dust it must returne againe This is the penall condition of our body And as corruption seazeth on our body so should torments on the soule there is a worme to bite it a fire to scorch it vtter darkenesse to distresse it finally fiends that execute Gods vengeance on it being exiled from the ioyes of Heauen whereunto it was created and adiudged to the paines of hell which it hath deserued This is the penall condition of the soule Of these two penall conditions consists the second death for sinne By that which you haue heard concerning death you may easily ghesse what is Resurrection it is nothing but a recouerie from death for this is an infallible principle What riseth that dyed Resurrection then is as manifold as Death to the double death the Scripture opposeth a double resurrection The first Resurrection is from death in sinne and it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nyssen when Grace quickens the soule and the soule is transformed formed into the Image of God the Image of being and doing good which the Scripture cals the Life of God and the partakers thereof new men The second Resurrection is from death for sin whether it be the dissolution or the penall condition Whatsoeuer the Heathen thought it is plaine that after the dissolution there is an habitude in the soule towards the body and a naturall desire againe to inhabit it yea it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were trauaile with that appetite appetitus non est frustra Rom. 8. such a desire is an euidence of Gods purpose The soule shall againe bee re-vnited to the body But to bee free from the Dissolution is not the vttermost of mans desire he desires also to be free from the Penall condition Non est viuere sed valere vita better these parts neuer meete than not meete to their mutuall comfort and therefore the last branch of the Resurrection is the endlesse vnion of body and soule in beatitudine plenâ securâ in qua nihil concupiscet nihil metuet so throughly so vnchangeably blessed that they shall haue their hearts desire and bee free from all feare of euill I insist no longer hereon because this point must be resumed againe Let vs come on then and apply what hath beene said to the different subiects And here first wee must take for our guide a receiued rule Talia sunt praedicata qualia permittuntur esse à subiectis suis Death and Resurrection must be limited differently according to their different subiects And the first subiect is Christ Death in sinne would not agree with Him it will not stand with the grace of his holy vnction much lesse of his personall vnion he was the Holy one of God Luke 1. yea the Holy of Holies Dan. 9. Adde hereunto that a sinner implies a contradiction to a Mediatour neyther can they both consist in one for such a high Priest it behoued vs to haue that was holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners Hebr. 7. therefore could he not dye that death As he could not dye the death in sinne no more could hee vndergoe all the death for sinne hee could not vndergoe either part of the penall condition Not that of the Graue his body saw no corruption and why though it had sinne imputed yet had it none inherent and it is only sinne inherent that subiects vs to that part of death And if his body were free from corruption much more was his soule from torment it left the body to take possession of Heauen purchased and Hell conquered vpon the Crosse therein his meritorious power after conflict brake the knot wherewith the dissolution of body and soule came fast clasped with the penall condition and this he proclaimed in his last speech Iohn 19. Consummatumest the passion is now at a full end There remaines then no part of death for Christ to suffer but onely the dissolution the separation of his soule and body and to that he yeelded himselfe as an Offerer that could not be inforced as a Sufferer When hee had triumphed ouer principalities and powers the fiends of Hell and shewed his murdering crucifiers by the supernaturall Earth-quake and Eclipse how hee could rescue himselfe from death he laid downe his life in testimony of his loue to vs and presented that sacrifice of a sweete smell to God which only was able to redeeme vs. This being the limitation of his death the limitation of his Resurrection must needes be answerable it must be restrained to the re-vnion of his body and soule 〈◊〉 Serm. 1. de Resurrect and it is no more in effect than Quod potestate diuisit potestate copulauit with what power he laid downe his life with the same he tooke it againe Though the soule were seuered from the body yet was the God-head from neither the hypostaticall vnion persisted still his body continued vitae sacrarium Ambros Rom. 1. he declared himselfe mightily to be the Sonne of God by the Resurrection from the dead But farther to open the Resurrection of Christ These words seeme to be a bare assertion and indeed a bare assertion vttered by them that are witnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were enough to warrant an Article of Faith But the words imply a manifold proofe and the proofe lyes in the word CHRIST Acts 10. For Christ signifieth Annointed annointed as the Scripture speakes with the Holy Ghost and with power This vnction is with grace and that eyther gratis data or gratum faciens of Edification or Adoption The grace of Edification designed Christ to a threefold office to be a Prophet a Priest and a King and euery one of these implies a proofe of his Resurrection His Prophesie for his Resurrection was a principall argument of that whether you looke vpon the types prefiguring or the words foretelling it he was to make both good or else his Prophesie were liable to exception As the Prophesie so the Priesthood inforceth the Resurrection How could it appeare that the obligation was cancelled the Law fulfilled God pacified sinne purged if hee had not risen from the dead
than about this time I would they did not witnesse the like again â—vs also whose breeding should remember vs of a better course and teach vs that Easter must be transitus sine reditu as in Christ so in Christians Whereupon it followeth that this meditation must make euery day to bee vnto vs an Easter day and if it bee to our soules it will hearten vs to hope well of our bodies also so that euery one of vs may boldly say with St. Bernard Declam de bonis deser Requiesee in spe caro misera My flesh fraile flesh bee still and rest in hope he that came for thy soule will come also for thee and he that reformed that will not forget thee for euer O Lord that art the life and resurrection illighten all our darkenesse that we sleep not in death of sin or for sin let vs all awake vnto righteousnesse and sin no more so shall wee in thy light see light and by the life of grace be brought vnto the life of glorie Which God grant for his Sonne Christ Iesus sake to whom with the Holy Ghost all honour glory might and maiesty be ascribed both now and euer Amen Awake thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead and Iesus Christ shall giue thee light A SERMON PREACHED IN THE CATHEDRALL Church of Wells on EASTER DAY MATTH 26. Vers 26 27 28. And as they were eating Iesus tooke bread and blessed it and brake it and gaue it to the Disciples and said Take eate this is my Bodie And he tooke the Cup and gaue it to them saying Drinke ye all of it For this is my bloud of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes Supply out of LVKE 22.19 This doe in remembrance of mee And out of St. Paul 1. COR. 11.25 As often as you doe it you shew forth the Lords death till his comming againe OVR Sauiour Christ being ready to dye and by his death to redeeme his Church the whole Church that began in Adam and was to continue vntill the end of the World immediately before honoured a Sacrament of either Testament the Passeouer that was an annexe of the Old and the Eucharist that was to be the annexe of the New Testament Of the Passeouer St. Matthew speaketh in the words that goe before of the Eucharist in these that I haue read vnto you The Argument then of my Text is the Eucharist the originall thereof And of that fitting the present * The receiuing of the Communion occasion my purpose is to giue you a very plaine and a very short Exposition Wee may resolue then the Originall of the Eucharist into the Author and the Institution The Author is here called Iesus Touching the Institution we are to see 1. When and 2. How he did institute it When while they were eating How partly by practice and partly by precept In the practice wee are taught What Elements were chosen and What was done with them The Elements were two Bread and Wine Christ chose these He tooke Bread he tooke the Cup. In opening what was done with them the Euangelist informes vs of two workes first Iesus his worke and secondly the worke of his Disciples And eyther of their workes is double Iesus worke is first to consecrate and then to distribute the Elements In the Consecration we must see first How Christ did it and secondly Why. How he did it by blessing and thanksgiuing blessing of the Creature thanksgiuing to the Creatour Why that the Elements might be the bread the Body and the wine the Bloud of Christ so saith Iesus after Consecration of the bread this is my Body and of the wine this is my Bloud My is a markable word for it improues the Body and the Bloud in that they are his which is Iesus Secondly about this Body the Text instructeth vs in two other things first How it must be considered then Whereunto it was ordained Though they bee the body and bloud of Iesus Christ that is glorified in Heauen yet must they be considered as he was crucified on earth the body as it was broken vpon the Crosse and there giuen for the Church the bloud as it was shed and let out of his body on the Crosse The body and bloud so considered were ordained to establish a New Couenant therefore are they in the Text called the bloud of the New Testament this was the first end A second is to assure the Church of remission of sinnes the whole Church for the bloud is shed for many and the good that the many were to haue thereby is the remission of their sinnes Besides this first Act of thus consecrating the Elements Christ performes another Act he distributeth that which he consecrateth In the distribution wee haue two things first hee diuideth the Elements he brake the bread and the like is to bee conceiued by Analogie touching the wine for though not actually yet vertually he did diuide that in that he would haue euery one drinke but a part of the whole Hauing thus diuided he deliuereth the parcels of the bread and the wine to bee drunke by parts In this sense saith the Text he gaue the bread he gaue the cup he gaue both and both consecrated Besides this worke of Iesus we haue here a worke of his Disciples of the Disciples for none might doe the worke but they and all of them must doe it That which they must doe is they must take that which Christ giues and what they take they must eate and drink as it was consecrated Eate this which is my body drink this which is my bloud c. And they must eate and drinke it to the same end for which it was consecrated the doing of this is not arbitrary it is enioyned by the commandement of Christ Take Eate I haue shewed you Iesus his Practice which was the first mannerof instituting the Eucharist There is a second and that is by Precept that precept is here but implyed for the act being Sacramentall must continue so long as the Doctrine doth whereunto the Sacrament is annext the Sacrament of the New Testament vntill Christs comming againe for so long must the Gospell continue But the precept that is here onely implyed is in Saint Luke exprest and repeated by St. Paul with some exposition added to it The precept is Doe this in remembrance of mee which words require the Churches imitation and commemoration Imitation Doe this the Pastors the People both must performe their worke they must doe Secondly that which they must doe is this they must strictly obserue the patterne that is giuen in this place Besides their imitation here is enioyned them a commemoration what they doe they must doe in remembrance of Christ St. Paul openeth the phrase They must set forth the Lords death Finally whereas Christ did it now once and hee would haue them doe it againe wee may see a difference between Baptisme and the Eucharist this
haue not been carefull to bring them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death to the knowledge of Christ and participation of the Gospel Much trauelling to the Indies East and West but wherefore some go to possesse themselues of the Lands of the Infidels but most by commerce if by commerce to grow richer by their goods But where is the Prince or State that pitieth their soules and without any worldly respect endeauours the gaining of them vnto God some shew we make but it is but a poore one for it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an accessorie to our worldly desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not it is not our primarie intention wheras Christs method is Mat. 6.33 first seeke ye the kingdome of God and then all other things shall be added vnto you you shall fare the better for it in your worldly estate If the Apostles and Apostolicke men had affected our saluation no more we might haue continued till this day such as somtimes we were barbarous subiects of the Prince of darknesse Those of the Church of Rome boast of their better zeale for the Kingdome of Christ but their owne Histories shew that Ambition and Couetousnesse haue beene the most predominant Affections that haue swayed their endeauours and they haue with detestable cruelty made their way to those worldly ends in stead of sauing soules haue destroyed millions of persons We should take another course for their conuersion yea the same that was taken for ours and if wee doe it is to be hoped God will continue vs his people and adde daily to his Church such as shal be saued For Popish Recusants let me speake a word their case is mixt consisting partly in ignorance of the truth and partly in the seed of disloyaltie Wee haue made many good Lawes if not to roote out at least to keepe downe so much of their corruption as is dangerous to the State it were to bee wisht that greater care were taken for informing their consciences and indeed there should our Lawes beginne with them vnder a reasonable paine to vrge them to conference for why should we doubt but that God would blesse the honest endeauours of the Ministers of the truth who permits the Seducers to steale away so many hearts from God and the King Of this we may be sure that eyther God will worke that which we wish the recouery of those which are seduced or at least their obstinacie will bee without all excuse and the punishment thereof by sharpe Lawes will be no more than is iust in the sight both of God and man The neglect of this care of infidels and recusants is no small cause of that great distresse which at this day is fallen vpon the reformed Churches and God thereby calleth vpon vs to amend these defects Let vs vse our punishment well and let Gods chastisement prouoke vs to a better life though it seeme grieuous to vnderlie Gods heauy hand yet it is much more grieuous to be neuer a whit the better for the plagues for it is a second refusing of grace the same God that doth at first recommend vnto vs pietie by sweetning it with temporall blessings when that course speedeth not tryeth whether wee will bethinke our selues if we smart for our vntowardlinesse and certainly his case is desperate who is the worse for his stripes as you may reade in Gods complaint passionately exprest by Esay Cap. 1. Cap. 5. Cap. 4. by Amos and Ieremie hath illustrated it by an excellent simile of reprobate siluer which is molten in vaine because the drosse cannot bee separated from it Amend then wee must That is not enough we must be constant in our amendment we must feare God all the dayes of our life that is true Repentance when a man so turneth to God that he doth not returne againe like a dogge to his vomit or a sow to wallow in the myre Relapses are dangerous as Saint Peter teacheth 2 Pet. 2.21 and our Sauiour Christ tels the recouered lame man in the Gospel Iohn 5. Behold thou art made whole goe thy way sinne no more lest a worse thing happen vnto thee I will hearken saith the Psalmist Psal 85. what the Lord will say vnto me for he will speake peace vnto his people and to his Saints that they returne not again vnto their folly We should all remember Lots wife who for looking backe was turned into a pillar of salt Animae in vitia relabentis accusatricem a visible inditement of relapsing soules Most men are to God-ward like Planets sometimes in coniunction with him sometimes in a more or lesse aspect too often in plaine opposition but let vs take heed we be not in the number of those wandring stars of whom St. Iude speaketh to whom is reserued the blacknesse of darknesse for euer To begin well and not to go on is as if a man should put a soueraigne plaister to a dangerous wound and after a while teare it off againe thinke you that man would bee the better for his salue or the worse rather you heard before our sinnes are wounds and although repentance be a soueraigne salue yet proueth it not such vnto vs except it be lasting There is a good reason giuen by St. Bernard Cecidimus in lutum lapides our sias are like vnto fals into the myre wherein there are stones the mud doth soile vs and the stones bruise vs we may soone wash away the myre but we cannot so soone recouer our bruise euen so the guilt of our sin is sooner remitted than the corruption can be purged Therefore Repentance taketh time to restore our spirituall health and doth not compasse it but with much fasting watching praying almesdeeds c. and is watchfull ouer vs that second wounds make not the first more dangerous in a word being deliuered from our enemies and the hands of all that hate vs we endeauour to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Here are added two motiues vnto this constant amendment taken from the place wherein they liue It is true that wheresoeuer they liued they were to feare God all the dayes of their life because God is euery where a knower of the the heart a rewarder of men according to their workes But the place of their aboad put no small obligation vpon them first because it was an eminent place eminent corporally a good Land a Land flowing with milke and honey eminent mystically for it was the seate of the Church and a type of heauen and who should bee fruitfull in good workes rather than they that dwell in a fruitfull Land and holinesse beseemeth Gods house for euer But to sin in the Land of Immanuel in the Land of vprightnesse is no small improuement of sin and hee that is barren of good works in a fruitfull Land shall haue the earth that brings forth her increase rise vp in iudgement against him Our Countrey hath both
Nations comprehend both Iewes and Gentiles and in the Prophets the re-vnion of Iuda and Israel so often mentioned meaneth no other than the knitting of the Iewes and the Gentiles into one Church and making one Flocke of these two kinde of Sheepe The Oliue Tree will beare both branches Rom. 11. the Seale of God is to be set vpon both Reuel 6. and both make vp one peculiar purchâ—sed people of Christ one Houshold one Kingdome Ephes 2. all are Christs by the merit of his Passion and therefore the Apostles must goe to all euen to all that sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death Luke 1. and none are in any better case as St. Paul proueth to the Romanes they were dead in their sinnes and destitute of the glory of God All need the Gospell and therefore it must bee preached vnto all And that it might bee preached the Apostles were endued with all Languages The world is much troubled now about Vniuersall Grace the Resolution in short may be this that forbearing to bee ouer-busie with Gods Predestination who is not pleased to acquaint vs with his Counsell in his distinguishing persons in a Ministers Commission Grace is Vniuersall we should labour the conuersion of all and euery one neither should any man except himselfe but labour to bee in the number of that all to whom God sendeth One Note more before I leaue this point This large circuit was one of the Perogatiues of the Apostles they were not restrained to any Diocesse or Prouince as Bishops now are but as the Spirit led them and they saw cause they might euery one plant and water the Church euery where It is true that for conueniency and expedition of their message they diuided themselues into seuerall Quarters but without excluding each the other in this sense was Peter the Apostle of the Iewes Paul of the Gentiles yet did Peter preach to the Gentiles and Paul to the Iewes The power of Orders in their successors is not limited in it selfe actually all that are ordered are inabled to exercise their Function in any part of the world and they may be sent to conuert any Nation and it is but for the more orderly gouernment and edification of the Church that the exercise of euery mans Orders is restrained to a certaine charge and without leaue or a case of great necessity those that breake these Canons offend grieuously and there bee not a few that offend that way I hope that you which are now to be ordered will not proue such Hauing competently been told Whither the Apostles are sent it followeth that yee now heare Whereabout They must teach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Text make Disciples And indeede it is not a bare Historicall narration that they must make of the Gospell they must seeke by morall instruction to winne the people vnto Christ so teach that their hearers may become the followers of Christ And here obserue first the wonderfull goodnesse of God The Iewes and the Gentiles conspired both to crucifie Christ they put him to a shamefull and a painfull death would not you feare least and looke that he should send messengers against both with fire and sword to take vengeance on them and worke their vtter desolation But see our sweete Iesu came not to destroy but to saue Luke 9. hee forgetteth and forgiueth not onely Peters deniall and the rest of the Apostles forsaking him but also the impious blasphemers of his holy Name and barbarous murderers of his sacred Person hee is ready to receiue them vnto Grace and admit them to be his Disciples A goodnesse so wonderfull that all the world may stand amazed at it Secondly all the world was rent into Sects the Iewes into Pharisees Sadducees Herodians c. the Gentiles they were distracted not only in their Philosophy but in their Diuinity also and had as manifold deuotion as they had opinions the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheweth that the time was now come that they should all grow into one and in point of Religion speake one and the selfe same thing and serue one and the selfe same God All Nations should remember themselues and be turned to the Lord Psal 22. the Prophets foretold it Esay 44. One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himselfe by the Name of Iacob and another shall subscribe with his hand vnto the Lord and surname himselfe by the Name of Israel so speake the Iewes but not the Iewes onely for in Zachary chapt 8. the Prophesie is deliuered thus The Inhabitants of one Citie shall goe to another saying Let vs goe speedily to pray before the Lord and to seeke the Lord of Hosts I will goe also Ten men shall take hold out of all Languages of the Nations euen shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Iewe saying Wee will goe with you for we haue heard that God is with you And that they goe vp to be Disciples it is plainly affirmed by Esay chapt 2. Many people shall goe and say Come ye and let vs goe vp to the Mountaine of the Lord to the House of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs of his wayes and wee will walke in his pathes In Micah you shall reade the very same All comes to that which our Sauiour Christ speaketh Be yee not called Rahbi for one is your Master euen Christ Matth. 23. And the weapons of the Apostles warfare were mighty through God to bring into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ 2. Cor. 10. But those weapons were not carnall but spirituall It is for Mahumetans to make their Muselmans as they call them that is right Beleeuers if he beleeue aright that beleeues in the Alcaron a sinke of all senslesse and sensuall dreames by the sword But such a manner of making Schollars is fit for the matter they shall learne And I would too many Christians were not too neare followers of them in this barbarous course who pretend the reclaiming of Heretickes so they call the Orthodoxe but indeede would propagate their owne Heresies and what they cannot doe by the Word that they endeauour by the Sword Of this we may be sure that the Apostles neuer made Disciples that way neither would Christ haue Schollars come to him by constraint Teaching is the Heauenly meanes of Conuersion those that are Gods Schollars are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God and his Law is Thora a Doctrine Christ went about teaching Matth. 10. and it was by teaching that the holy Ghost led the Apostles into all Truth Iohn 14. 26. And indeede this is the most noble kinde of winning men to winne their vnderstanding and winne their will winne his reasonable faculties then you winne a man Not so if you force his body that may make him yeeld against his conscience but at best hee will be but an Hypocrite and you haue gotten but the worser part of him not a man but his Vizard
sweete of our welfare how can we but thinke that so secure a lâ—fe must needs be a blessed life But if our Spring bee not onely not blasted but also beare all kind of fruit all goe well with vs and we haue the world at will blessed in the field and blessed at home blessed in our cattell and blessed in our corne blessed in all where to we put our hand how can wee but deeme our selues possest of a blessed state But hauing is not enough though we hold all this securely yet is it comfortable vse that is the Soule of sensuall blessednesse if this quicken that bodie then is a man a naturall man then is as blessed as he would be When his eyes can behold the glorie of his wealth his eares be tickled with the flatterie of musicke and the musicke of flatterie his nostrels breath in the fragrancie of his Paradises and perfumes of his precious oyntments while his pallat can taste and distinguish the delicacies of Apicean Cookerie finally while euerie sense is courted with his fawning obiect and nature hath not giuen ouer to delight in such courtings but holds her selfe more blessed in so partaking then in hauing of such worldly goods when such a state is befallen a man then is heâ— come to the highest degree of that prosperitie which the world can afford And being in it little sense hath he of ought besides it for hardly will it giue leasure to the Soule to thinke that there is any other welfare then that which is enioyed by the dodie And how should it think that this is brickle if it neuer feele it crazed How should it loath that which neuer gaue it any discontent Finally how should it bee willing to bid that farewell wherein all its well-fare doth consist How then should Diues cloathed in purple and fine linnen and faring deliciously euerie day thinke of death and not thinke with horrour that commeth to make so vnwelcome a separation a separation betweene such louing friends that take such mutuall content each in the other and wherof each seemeth with an inuiolable league to haue deuoted it selfe vnto the other Pâ—reant qui inter nos dissidium volunt saith flesh and bloud euill betide them that will breake this true loue knot And who can doe this but death And how should he bee willing to heare of death that knoweth that death will doe this Death will giue the lie vnto our goods and proue they are not substance but a shadow death will turne our calme into a storm and tosse the ship that lay still our wealth which wee haue treasured it will bequeath to others and it will lodge vs in the graue long before we desire to be at our iournies end A natural maÌ„ knoweth this is so but yet he taketh no delight to make this the subiect of his thoughts the feeling of this truth when it falleth out is bitter enough Why should hee taste the potion thinketh he before he is sicke And lengthen his miserie by making himselfe miserable before his time The prognostication of such weather doth more afflict then the weather it selfe and feare torments more then paine More is he distressed that forefeeth then he that feeleth miserie for feare and fore-sight are the tortures of the Soule whereas death and the harbingers thereof fasten their afflictions onely vpon the bodie And much more sensible is the soule then the bodie can be Seeing this is the euill of worldly weale and the ease our corrupt nature taketh in it maketh vs more to distaste the loyâ—â—s of heauen mixe I beseech thee O Lord my peace with warâ—â—â— let me neuer be a secure Owner of my worldly goods Yea Lord let them appeare as they are transitorie and vncertaine that I may neuer repute them to bee my goods Let theeues strip mee let crosses distresse mee though I lose yet I shall gaine and prosper best when I doe not prosper Death that must come shall neuer bee vnwelcome nay the remembrance of it shall bee my greatest comfort it shall neuer find me but willing to leaue what I neuer did enioy and happie shall I account that hower that shall take mee out of the world when it taketh the world from me because wee neuer were at one and therefore shall not feare to bee at ods the world is crucified to me and I to the world Death shall haue no paines in parting our association which shall find vs before hand parted in affection let death bee bitter vnto others to me it shall be sweete and I will prepare my selfe by timely thinking on it so shall I neuer bee vncomfortably surprised by it FINIS