sonnes of unbelief She sets her foot upon the neck of this King of feares and so as a Conquerour sets up a Flag of defiance to all petty dangers and feares which are onely dreadfull because they march towards and tend to Death the last the end and summe of all feared evills Let Death dresse it selfe like the cruellest and most bloudy fury come with all her Racks Fires Strappadoes wild beasts all her exquisite tortures invented by the wit of the most savage Tyrants Faith will set a Woman a child to make sport with it to dare and tire it and its executioners A faithfull man dying lookes up to Iesus as Alexander look'd his Physitian in the face Heb. 12.2 Curt. when he dranke off his potion wherein he was told there was poyson and being assured that Christ drunk out of Deaths bitter Cup an eternall health to all Mankinde suck'd the Gall and Venome out of it and made it an wholesome potion of immortality upon this assurance he looks into the Grave without feare and upon Death without horrour embraces it with joy as old Egredere anima mea c. so said He dying Hieron in vita ejus Hilarion and the Martyrs did as being the end of sinne and misery and the beginning of everlasting felicity This pious thought had St. Cyprian of it who when he was condemned to die by Valerian did lift up his hands and eyes to Heaven and cheerfully replied at the hearing of his fatall sentence Benedictus Deus c. God Almighty be blessed for this Gaole-delivery for that he is pleased to deliver mee from the fetters of my Body A man that is in debt feares the face of a Serjeant or Baliffe nay every one that weares a Sword is a terrour or death unto him Thus it is with the wicked their debts being not paid the black bills of the Lawes endictments against them being not cancelled they feare death 'T is otherwise with the Godly whose sinnes are pardoned and they reconciled to God they entertaine Death with the greatest welcome and delight that can be imagined as a messenger from their heavenly Father to invite them to a Palace from a Prison Chrys in Colos to a Court of Glory from a Dungeon of sorrow to be solaced and feasted amongst the Saints and Angels with heavenly delicacies the chiefe dish of which glorious banquet is the Vision of Almighty God to behold the soule-ravishing aspect of our Lord Iesus now glorified Death is the * Eccl. 41.1 O Death how bitter c. Rich mans feare the good mans wish whose sinnes are washed away in the bloud of the Lamb Christ Iesus whose person is therefore reconciled to God who upon this ground has a good Conscience a Conscience that is quiete bona that is not troubled nor staind with unrepented sinnes He that trembles at the approach of Death we may say to that man in the words of St. Austine O homo perdidisti fidem O man thou hast lost thy Faith which in the last place as in Adversity and Death so it has a quickning power to enliven us in Duty When there is great Faith in the Heart there will be much prayer in the mouth Charity in the Hand sedulity in the Feet to move with alacrity in those paths which tend to God and bend toward Heaven Faith like the Spring in a Watch sets all the Wheeles or Members of the Body on worke Heb. 11.26 Psal 71.20.80.18.119.25.37.88.107.149.154.159.143.11 Faith reflecting upon the Promises and having with Moses respect unto the great recompence of the reward of everlasting Life Doubtlesse David prayed to God for the enlargement or encrease of Faith when he desired so often as we finde in the Psalmes to be quickned This livelinesse in duty when we serve God with cheerfulnesse breaking through all oppositions to the contrary as it is the effect of a strong vigorous active Faith so it is a thing most pleasing to God Rom. 12.8 Shew mercy i. e. give Almes with cheerefulnesse God loveth a cheerefull giver 2 Cor. 9.7 As for those weake Christians Is 42.3 those bruised Reeds and smoaking flax who by meanes of their bodily distempers or weaknesse of Faith finde in themselves some indispositions and deadnesse unto or about spirituall duties when their Altar seemes to have no fire when they pray but not with wonted fervency when they heare but not with an attentive alacrity Let them not measure their interest or share in Christ by sense or feeling let them not be discouraged though they want inward comfort which is oftentimes denied to many a deare Saint it being a dish reserved for many a one till he comes to partake of the Heavenly Banquet Advise to those tha want comfort in duties and let me advise such although they have no comfort nor delight in duties as they are performed by them with some imperfection and drinesse yet let them rejoyce in this that they have so much grace as to doe the Wi l of God even with some reluctancy of theirs then they discharge their duty for the substance or matter of it though they faile in some circumstance or manner of doing And let them know too that that duty is most acceptable to God Vid. Fr. de Sales Bp of Geneva his Introduct to an holy life l. 4. c. 14. Is 50.10 Is 8.17 which is performed meerly out of Obedience to his command when our vigorous wills carry us to it and we take little delight in the performance of it because then we seeke not to please or content our selves so much as God And who is He that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God who sometimes hideth his Face from his Children who are of the Familie or off-spring of faithfull Abraham This King of Spirits and Lord of Soules hath a Throne of Grace set up in his Childrens heart he rules and raignes in them by his blessed and holy Spirit whose Dominium and the parts of it you have heard Now followes the second particular which is Dominii generalitas the Generality of the Spirits Lording power in us of which with much brevity and concisenesse The Soule of Man may be fitly resembled to Noahs Arke Gen. 6.16 in which there were Gen. 6.16 First Second and Third stories Gen. 6. So in the soule there be upper and lower roomes the superiour and inferiour faculties and in all these the Holy Ghost by a generall command and rule keepes his abode and residence First it dwells or resides in the understanding which is the Soul 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the upper loft by clearing the darke and dimme eye of it by begetting in it a saving knowledge whereby we come to know the things of God 1 Cor. 2.12 those things which are revealed to us in his Word concerning our future end which is our soules salvation and the meanes
THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH OVER DEATH Or The Just Man's Memoriall Compris'd in a Panegyrick and Sermon at the Funerall of the Religious most Learned Dr. COMBAR late Master of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge and Deane of Carlile Delivered in Trinity Colledge Chappell By R.B.B.D. the 29. of March 1653. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritus Sanctus non incolit nisi virum fortem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chry. 1 COR. 15.55 O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory LONDON Printed by J.G. for R. Royston at the Angel in Ivy-lane 1654. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE JEROME Earle of PORTLAND c. Right Honorable IT is an high prerogative of nature and priviledge of Grace when Good is annex'd to Greatness And it is better to be without this than not to be great in goodnesse But when both meet in one they make a glorious and an happy conjunction commanding by a secret power both imitation and honour Men usually honour those that are great whose natures lead them to imitate the Good My honour'd Lord though I am a stranger to your Person yet not so to your fame and though you may justly wonder at my hardy attempt in fronting this Treatise with your noble Name yet in this forward act I want not a President even the learned Austine Lib. 4. c. 14. Quem non noveram facit sed amaveram bominem ex Doctrinae fam◠c. who in his Confessions makes an acknowledgement to God of a piece of boldnesse in dedicating a Book to a great Oratour of Rome by Name Icherius whose face he had never seene However if this be objected as a crime I cannot but promise to my self your Lordships pardon especially when your Goodnesse shall reflect upon the Spring of this hasty motion It was the prevailing importunity of the dearest friends of our late reverend Deane which forced me to the Presse and put me upon this bold Dedication that so they might give to the World a cleare Expresse of their gratitude to your Lordship for your high favours to the most renowned Doctour now deceased who was a Magazen of Learning and an exact Modell of vertue a Picture of Patience and a Patterne of Devotion It addes not a little to your Lordships honour that you had relation to Him as your Tutour who ever had an high esteeme of your noble Person thus not unknown to me who know that men not rancord with envy usually love in others what they see in themselves and therefore He whom Combar loved and honourd must needs be rare and excellent My Lord all that I humbly beg is this that your Honour would grace Him now dead with your Tuition who living did adorne you with His in our Society which owes much to your Lordship in promoting Him to be Master of it who was it's happy Crown and Glory In that promotion my selfe with many others had a share and as a Testimony of a thankfull brest I humbly crave your Honours acceptance of this ensuing Worke which falls as short of the Deceased's merit as He outstripp'd the men of this proud Age in knowledge and sweetnesse of Spirit With it your Lordship has a tender of my most hearty Devotions I shall ever supplicat the Almighty that when you have finished your Course with the glory of those two Graces which are oft joynd in the * Rev. 2.19 13.10 Heb. 6.12 Scripture and like Eros and Anteros in the Fable live and die together I meane Faith and Patience you may inherit a blessing in the Land of Promise the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Haven of everlasting rest and happinesse This is the unfained wish of Your Honours devoted Servant R. Boreman Jan. 9. 1654. EPITAPHIVM Reverendissimi Doctissimique Domi. Do ris Combar c. qui devotam Deo animam reddidit 28. Feb. 1653. postquà m annos 78. plus minus cum celebritate nominis compleverat COs priscae pietatis atque lima Sincerae Solidae Piae sed acre Novae hujus Logodaedalae Sonorae Fucatae meretriciae Flagellum Atlas Religionis Orthodoxae Tibicen fidei Columna veri Falsi Malleus haeresin retundens Retundens quoque Schisma Hypocritarum Doctrinae jubar eruditionis Fundus Fax Criticae politiorum Fons linguarum idiomatumque nidus Cunctas tam benè continens loquelas Loquelas veteres eruditas Eos quotquot habet quot Occidensque Nido scilicet adde quas ad unguem Modernas tenuit cubabat isto Chaldaeus Syrus Aethiops Arabsque Hebraeus Samarita Persa Coptus Flumen nectaris ingenî Scatebra Thesauri sed Ausonî Pelasgi Penus Flos Latialis Vmbra Tullî Athenae merae Attici Leporis Favus mellis Hymettii alveare Torrens eloquii Medulla Suadae Dicendi Veneresque Gratiaeque Sagax arbiter elegantiarum Legendi sine fine dipsas atrox Librorum helluo litterarum abyssus Aevi surculus aurei renascens Morum stella nitens in his tenebris Exemplar probitatis atque gemma In hoc stercore temporum refulgens Candor Simplicitasque Comitasque Et mista gravitas suavitate Frons jucunda decor verendus oris Iecur felle carens cor absque fuco Ingens pectoris integri serenum Musarum meliorum amor voluptas Et gentis decus dolor togatae Hoc uno partitèr facesse livor Quo Combare jaces jacent Sepulchro J. Duport Gr. Linguae Professor R. Joannis Morini Blesensis de reverendissimo decano Doctore Combar Testimonium ALius praeterea codex nempe Samaritanus celebratur dicitur esse Archiepiscopi Armachani ab eo è Palaestinâ in Hyberniam exportatus qui Leydensibus Academicis nonnullo tempore fuit commodatus Istum codicem vir clarissimus Doctissimus Thomas Combarus Anglus quem honoris officii reddendi causâ nomino cum textu Judaico verbum e verbo imo literam cum literâ maximâ diligentiâ indefesso labore comparavit differentiasque omnes juxta capitum versuum ordinem digestas ad me misit humanissime officiosissime Excerpt è Morin Animadvers in Censuram Exercitationum p. 419. Errata in concione corrigenda PAge 16. Line 29. redundant linguis p. 17. l. 21. for but read heat p. 19. l. 8. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF THE Reverend and Learned Religious Dr. COMBAR WE never read of any that were blamed for drawing too much Water out of the well of Life The saying of a learned Divine Dr. F. Neither can we possibly give too much honour to the Lord of glory and King of Saints though wee should put our inventions upon the Rack and scrue up our expressions to the highest There are many wayes and diverse meanes whereby God may be glorifyed by us but none more effectuall and powerfull to the advancement of his glory then by acknowledging with due Prayses the many eminent vertues which as so many Rivelets streame into the Soules of the Saints from the everlasting Spring of Divine Grace They glorifyed God
was snatched from his Domestick Contents and his meanes taken from him by the hand of violence through this storme he beheld a higher arme of Providence and kissed the Rod with meekenesse herein imitating holy Job of whom he was an exact Picture and concerning whom St. Austine sayes thus libro 1. de moribus Ecclesiae Catholicae Amisit ille omnes divitias factus repente pauperrimus tam inconcussum animum tenuit infixum Deo ut satis de monstraret non illas sibi fuisse magnas sed se illis sibi autem Deum It was his vigorous active Faith working by love that was the ground of this undaunted Patience Non murmurat Qui se filium Dei cogitat Vincentius He that believes himselfe to be in the number of Gods Sonnes will never murmur nor repine at providence He believed that Christ had provided for him in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.34 an everlasting inheritance a better and an enduring substance Therefore he tooke joyfully the spoyling of his Goods and those things which others court with dazled Eyes he did not account worth a glance of his which like the Sunne-flower did not open to every blaze but onely to the light and heate of Christ the Sunne of Righteousnesse Whom he loved whom he served of whom his heart was full dwelling therein by his spirit which kept out all things else from comming in so that there was no roome for hatred no roome for malice no roome for desire of revenge for he was never heard to dart out of his mouth any passionate word from the time he first suffered against the persons of his enemies but onely these God forgive them This was the Language of the Sonne of God upon the Crosse and it is the voyce of Gods Sonnes and Servants It was ever His who was often like holy David and the melting Prophet Jeremy seene which hee desired not to weepe and being demanded why he did so He then replied it was out of griefe when he considered the miserable sad condition they were in who in these times even against the Word and against Conscience runne as it were in a gallop to Hell in the broade way of Sacriledge Wrong and Violence whilest they forget God our Lord Christ that bought them at a deare price not observing the will of him that died for them and would reward their service with Eternall joyes as he hath promised but serving the Devill who will requite them for their paines with paine and torments and that everlasting When the good Deane considered this woefull madnesse in worldlings and the miseries which attend their sinfull Soules he used to weepe which is an infallible signe of a good man and a sanctified Spirit to weepe for the sinnes of others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good men are of a melting weeping temper and disposition It would require a larger time than these straites wherein I am bounded to relate unto you the severall actions of Piety which passed from him all the time of his lingring sicknesse He made good by his devoute practises that saying of Saint Austine Prov. Gall. Non potest malè mori qui vixit benè hee cannot die ill that liveth well It is never a bad day that hath a good night I could tell of his frequent ejaculations to God in prayer which was for the most in Latine and sometimes Greek I could likewise enlarge my discourse in a repetition of his frequent Almes his often remembring the poore knowing that Almes accepted upon the Altar of Christs Merits deliver from death and that God will not turne his face from him that turnes not away his face from the poore in their affliction c. In a word he walked as a friend with God as Enoch Gen. 5.22.6.9 Noah and Abraham did He was much in that great duty of Prayer he often spake to God in it and loved to hear God speake to him in his Word He delighted to reade it himselfe and heare it read which was constantly and frequently done by his deare Consort who one night above the rest reading to him that passage in the Gospell concerning Thomas his thrusting his hand into our Savours wounded side John 20.27 John 20.29 He upon this fell a weeping with that expression in his mouth which fell from our Saviours to Thomas Happy are they that believe and see not He believed though He saw not and therefore did he weepe He washed with the teares of Repentance those wounds of his Lord which did bleed upon the Cross for his sinnes and in a lively faith touched the print of his Nailes and thrust his Finger into the hole of his side Thereby taking a reall possession of his Crucified Saviour therefore presently as he wept he said with Thomas his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My God and my Lord The Nailes and Speares The bloudy Crown of Thornes which printed his sacred Temples gored his Lords side pierced his Hands and Feete had so imprinted the love of Christ in the Soule of our deare Saint that he was ready with St. Paul and other holy Martyrs to die for the Lord Jesus on whom his heart was alwayes fixed by whom it was possessed in whom it was established to whom it was most sincere and truly devoted as appeares by the constancy of his Faith even to the houre of his Death which is a cleare evidence and demonstration that he was a true Divine a man of God one led by the spirit You know what S. Paul sayes Rom. 8.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And as Chrysostome notes upon this Text they onely are said to be ledde by the spirit who are carried on to their lives end by it in a continued practice of holinesse and never fall from their holy profession by meanes of any secular Feare Crosse or Tribulation Filium Dei se prodit qui bonum quod cum laude inchoarit etiam perfecit cujus finis exordio respondet Novar Bona inceptio sine fine est instar corporis speciosi sine capite A good beginning without a good end is like a beautifull specious body without an head The saying of Henry the Fourth in an Epistle of his to Otho Bishop of Ramberg That consummatū est It is finished which Christ uttered dying might though not so fully become him who finished his course with patience and kept the Faith with a Martyr-like constancy and perseverance being one that was most constant to his friends and loving to his enemies as appeared by his promoting the servants and retinue of his Predecessour who had been uncivill to him who was civill to all and well reputed by all which stirred up Envy if not Malice in the brests of his Adversaries When he had almost runne his last stage and neere the end of his Race He was shot by one of Deaths black Arrowes with a Disease in his Feete which hindered not his progresse in godlinesse That begat another as it
whilst you live may truly be said to be dead because they have the Seale of Death as it were stampt upon them being by reason of sinne Aug. lib. 1. de peccatorum meritis c. 4. mortis necessitati facta obnoxia ut quasi jam habeantur dicantur mortua So St. Augustine where he affirmes against the Pelagians and Philosophers that if man had not sinned he should not have died out of any necessity of nature as they maintained and with them Eugubinus upon the second of Genesis Against these we must assert with the forenamed learned Father Corpus mortale non moriturum si nimirum in Innocentiâ persisteret nunc autem post peccatune mortuum Aug. Ibid. That man before the fall had a mortall body yet so that he should not have died if he had persisted in innocency but now being wounded by sin it is a dead body and fraile Man a composition of Sinne Death and Misery The Text doth branch it selfe into these two Generalls First Suppositio Secondly Positio a Supposition and a Position or positive assertion If the Spirit c. Here is the Supposition He shall quicken c. This the Position In the first Generall I shall unfold or open these foure particulars First Quis. Secondly Cujus Thirdly Quare Fourthly Quid. Who this Spirit is Whose Why called Spirit and what is meant by his dwelling in us If the Spirit of Him c. In the second Generall observe with me these two parts First Quis fructus inhabitantis spiritus The fruit or benefit of the Spirits dwelling in us Secondly quomodo aut per quem accrescit nobis How or by whom it is derived and conveyed unto us our mortall or dead bodies shall be quickned or raised to life by the power and efficacy of the same Blessed Spirit He that raised up Christ from the dead c. I shall lead your Meditations through these six stages and begin First with the Quis who this spirit is And whilst I undertake this and my next laborious task I shall implore that holy spirit in the words of Divine Nazianzen Orat. de Spir. San 1. defending the Deity of the Holy Ghost against the Macedonians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. First by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit in my Text we must not understand with the Macedonians and Socinians who joyne issue in their impious Heresies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as it is in the Socinian Catechisme virtutem ceu efficaciam quâ homines fideles sanctificantur Divinis usibus consecrantur A bare action efficacy or power of God in the Hearts of Men sanctifying their natures and consecrating them to Divine uses This was the cursed Opinion of Samosatenus concurring herein with the forenamed Hereticks but by the spirit you must conceive the third person of the glorious Trinity who with the Father and the Sonne is the same in the Essence of the * 〈…〉 3 Deity and most powerfull dignity And therefore the Scholemen conclude that this Holy spirit is the Third Person Non gradu sed ordine The third in order not degree the third non naturae diversitate aut Majestatis inaequalitate sed susistendi ordine because He is equall to the Father and the Son as in Being or Nature so in Power and Majesty Revel 22.1 We reade in the Apocalyps that St. John saw in a Vision a pure River of living Water or water of life cleare as Christall proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lambe that pure River of living water what is it sayes Justin Martyr but the everliving most pure and loving spirit John 7.30 who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living Water John 7. and proceeds after an ineffable manner from God the Father and the Sonne Aug. who is Agnus et Leo a Lamb and a Lyon a gentle Lambe to the Saints and a feirce Lyon to his Enemies This forenamed Justin Martyr adds and sayes As a River is of the same nature with the fountaine from which it proceeds so the Holy Ghost doth so proceed from the Father and the Sonne that He partakes of the same nature and Essence with them as is evident first by all those Divine properties which are ascribed to Him equally with the Father and the Sonne viz. Gen. 1.2 Psal 139.7 1 Cor. 2.10 Psal 33.6 Es 61.1 1 Cor. 12.4.12 Eternity Omnipresence and Omniscience Secondly by his Divine workes as Creation the mission or sending of Christ The gifts of Tongues and Miracles There are diversities of gifts but the same spirit To another is given the working of Miracles c. All these things worketh that one and the selfe same spirit 2 Part. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The consubstantiality of the Holy Ghost with the other two Persons is confirmed by the next which is the second particular of my Text the Cujus Him If the spirit of Him c. Him that is the Father and the Sonne as God who by the power of the God-head raised himselfe as Man Hee was quickned by the spirit 1. Pet. 3 1◠that is by the strength or vertue of the God-head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Theophylact The Holy Ghost is said to be the spirit of the Father and the Sonne because he proceeds from both which is an Article of our Creed The manner of which procession if I should goe about to declare out of the Fathers Schoolemen and other Moderne Writers I might either speake and not be understood or seeme not to understand what I speake their termes are so obscure and the modus of it so difficult Onely this I shall commend to your better understandings thus much you must know and believe against the Pneumatomachists that this Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Sonne denotes his Communion with both in the Essence or Substance of the Deity that he is as Beza observes from this place Verus deus a true Consubstantiall God who together with the Father and the Sonne as it is in the Athanasian Creed is for ever to be worshipped and glorified As for those Racovian Hereticks the Socinians in Poland and their English followers the Crellianists who maintaine the contrary Coriolan Epit. Concil I heartily wish they may not finde in their Soules and Bodies the weight of that heavy curse in the * This councell was held under Pelagius the second 589. Toletan Councell pronounced against the Adversaries of the Holy Ghost it is this Quicunque spiritum sanctum non credit aut non crediderit a Patre Filio procedere eumque non dixerit co-eternum esse Patri Filio Co-essentialem Anathema sit i. e. Whosoever doth not or shall not hereafter believe that the Holy Ghost proceedes from the Father and the Sonne and shall not say he is Co-eternall and Co-essentiall with the Father and the Sonne let him be accursed The third Particular proposed 3. Part.
nobis spiritus Deâ— efficit c. Berv. Ep. 107 Spirit that he is reconciled to God that God is his Friend his Sinnes which God hates and which makes him an enemy being pardoned whence his person is justified and God is more delighted with him because he beholds him in his Sonne Christ Jesus as cloathed with his Righteousnesse than displeased with his sinnes and daily infirmities There is more good in Christ for a godly man than there is evill in sinne against him and God would not have left this Jebusite in the Land I meane sinne in the Soule of a righteous man if notwithstanding that he could not have loved him Chamier 1 John 4.19 God loaths the sinne whilest he loves the person Et qui certus est Charitatis Dei erga se idem certus est salutis suae We love him because he loved us first Our love to God is but a reflex beame darted into our Soules from that Eternall Sonne of Love which burnes hot without wasting or the least Diminution The second worke of the Spirit as Lord in us is opus supprimens to suppresse all bad motions to sinne arising either from the corruption of our natures from the World without or the Devill about us and withall to stirre up good affections and motions to Piety and godlinesse amongst which inward motions the most principall are these First an utter dislike of sinne as sinne for that our good God is thereby displeased and offended Secondly an hungring and thirsting after Grace an eager desire above all things in the World to be at unity with God in Christ and to be reconciled unto him when we have provoked him by any hainous sin c. The third worke of the Holy Ghost in us is opus vivificans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. In Symb. Oriental Eccles. apud Epiph. ad finem Anchorati a quickning or enlivening worke It is the Spirit that quickneth Iohn 6.63 As in the first Creation God Created Light before there was life in the Creature to bring forth and multiply Gen. 1.3.14.20.24 So in our Regeneration which is a new Creation Psal 51.10 there is ever a Principle of Light infused into the Soule before we can have life or be quickned in the exercise or doing of good That spirituall light is a clear and full perswasion of Gods love to us in Christ that He is our Father and we his Children that Christ is our Saviour c. Such a strong Faith is the Adamant that nothing will breake the Palme that sinks not under the most weighty burden The Oyle that ever swimmes above the Water be this poured in never so great quantity upon it It is such a powerfull Chimist that turnes Death into Life Sorrow into joy makes riches of Poverty nay all things of nothing 2 Cor. 6.10 as having nothing yet possessing all things Lastly it turnes cold feares into warme hopes sighs and groans into triumphant and joyfull songs trembling into leaping and clapping of hands witnesse Paul and Silas in the stocks witnesse too Acts 16.25 that renownd for undanted constancy Dr. Taylor of Hadley who when he came within two miles of the place where he was executed fetched a leape or two and withall said Now lack I but two stiles and I am even at my Fathers House he meant Heaven witnesse likewise that famous Hawkes in the booke of Martyrs who being desired to give a signe whether the Fire was tolerable to be borne promised it to his friends and after all expectation was past he lift up his hands halfe burned and being on a light Fire with great rejoycing strook them three times together Whence all this from what spring were derived all these streames of strength and comfort but from a lively Faith in Christ the fruit and effect of Gods Spirit and the cause of a lively Hope of happinesse which Hope is the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Root and Seminary of good workes and the Mother of Patience In a word it is this wonder-working Faith that quickens and revives us first in Adversity Secondly in Death Thirdly in Duty First in Adversitie Let whole troopes of trouble let Sicknesse or Poverty c. seize upon or lay seige to a righteous Soule armed with a strong affiance in the Lord Jesus it defies this Host this tormenting Regiment of Sinne and Satan it sees * Cant. 2.9 Christ behind this Mud-wall and beholds a Saviour under this †Fides larvam detrabit Christo Aug. Vizard it discernes a mercifull hand through this black Cloud the hand of a wise God and indulgent Father the Heart of a tenderly loving elder Brother who knowing the mold whereof we be made doth exactly measure out every crosse unto us and will not loade us above the strength of our weake natures whose Foundation is frailty our composition dust and ashes Therefore a faithfull Soule having an Eye to this gentle Hand he solaces himselfe with this perswasion from that Principle his Faith extracts this infallible conclusion that this trouble or crosse is not the Axe of perdition but the pruning Knife of correction that God hath given a more strict charge to the army of afflictions 2 Sam 18.5 than Davids was to Ioab and his followers Doe the young man no harme doe mine anointed no hurt c. Nay he is assured not onely of the Negative but also of the Affirmative that is not onely of this that his crosse or affliction shall not hurt him â—quin but also doe him much good Hee knowes that affliction is Gods Physick Medicina animae and so it is sanativa mali praeteriti praeservativa à malo conservativa in bono it is administred to us by our heavenly Physitian to cure us of our sinnes past by driving us to repentance to prevent sinnes to come by begetting in us humility and a carefull watchfulnesse over our wayes And lastly to preserve and keepe us in well-doing whilst God denies a man health and riches which He knowes would be to him the fâ—mes of sinne and wickednesse upon these considerations a faithfull Soule rejoyces in the crosse and triumphs in his afflictions which he entertaines with joy and embraces with thankfulnesse knowing that comfort is laid up and hid for him though for the present it be hid from him light is sown for the Righteous and that as the crosse came from Heaven Psal 97.11 so it will carry us thither upon the back or rather merits of our crucified Lord Iesus Secondly as in Adversity so in Death it selfe Faith hath a quickning vertue to support us in our encounter with that Giant with that great Goliah who defies all the Host of Infidells holds them in bondage all the dayes of their lives and makes their whole life no better than a living Death Onely Faith encounters with this Giant and grapples with him as a vanquished underling insulting over him as much as he doth over the
c. Sixthly Ipsam demum Charitatem omnium virtutum matrem inquirat Let him by a strict scrutiny and narrow search enquire into his breast and see whether that be the seat of Charity the mother of all Vertues and if he finds there the love of God and his Neighbour so rooted and settled that he could be willing to die and is ready to do any thing for God and stands in this frame and posture of mind toward man that he doth to others what he would have done to himself being of a mercifull disposition and bountifull Spirit Quisquis est hujusmodi Deum Rectorem Habitatorem esse non dubitet whosoever he be that is of this heavenly temper he may assure his Soule that it is the mansion or habitacle of God his Maker Orat. 44. I might adde to these three other markes out of Nazianzen in one of his orations where he ascribes three speciall operations to the spirit of grace 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A purifying An enflaming An elevating work or operation They whose soules are purified from fleshly lusts and worldly desires They who are zealous in Gods cause 1 Pet. 1.22 1 John 3.3 Tit. 2.4 and zealous of good works They whose soules are not only like unto fire but heat of zeal which enflames them and love to God but like fire too in that they are ever soaring and mounting upwards upon the wings of Prayer and Meditation upon the wing of contempt of things here below The Spirit of God Psal 143.5 6. Psal 119.48 Col. 3 2. that descended upon the Apostles in the likenesse of fire dwells in such Souls and at the great day the great God that rais'd up Jesus from the dead will raise up their bodies by virtue of that powerfull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy Spirit of grace This is the position a comfortable Thesis the second generall part of my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall quicken c. i. e. Resuscitabit ad vitam immortalem beatam exemplo Christi capitis primogeniti mortuorum Estius ad Generall part He shall raise them to life and glory that with Christ their head and Saviour in Heaven they may be for ever happy This is the fructus inhabitantis Spiritus the blessed fruit or effect of the spirits dwelling in us which is the first particular of the last generall part of my Text which is also seconded with another and that is per quem accrescit nobis fructus by whom this happinesse of being rais'd to life eternall is derived unto us This is effected by the H. Spirit by the spirit immediatly whose instrumentall action is used by the Father and Son who likewise co-operate and concur though mediatè in this great and glorious worke of the Resurrection as is evident by the Text John 5.28 and the 5. of St. Iohn where our Saviour speaking of himselfe sayes The houre is comming in the which all that are in the Graves shall heare his voyce c. To wave all other doubts and doctrines concerning the Resurrection wherein I might enlarge my meditations I shall close all with some few short Uses by way of Application Use 1 First this Text methinks speakes to every man as Dalilah did once to Sampson Iud. 16.9 Vp for the Philistines are upon thee c. Thou hast a mortall body death is at the doore O therefore thou mud-wall of frailty be not proud whilst the Sun-shine of prosperity reflects upon thee one blast of death by a sicknesse his harbenger may blow thee into thy first dust and tumble thee with thy unrepented sins into hell one glimpse whereof in the judgement of Bellarmine were enough to make a man from a dissolute one turn Monk or which I say is better a strict Christian Think of your houses of clay your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your mortall bodies and you cannot you will not be proud or covetous Use 2 Luke 2 10. Againe methinkes this Text sounds in my delighted eare that joyfull message of the Angel to the Shepheards Fear not death O mortalls for I bring you good tidings of great joy although your bodies be crumbled into dust yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that raisd up Christ from the dead shall quicken and restore them unto life Therefore grieve not much for a friend deceased that lived in the feare of God and died in the armes of his mercy as Moses and this our deceas'd friend a second Moses did Grieve not for him who is passed from a Sea of troubles to an Haven of everlasting rest 1 Cor. 6 17. But rejoyce in this that God is your Father and Christ your Saviour that you are made one with Him by his Spirit and that by meanes of this happy union you have a communion in his merit in all the benefits of his Death and Passion whereby you are made partakers of Grace here and shall be of Glory hereafter Use 3 Againe when we read mortall this should minde us of our fraile condition that we carry corruption in our bosomes and death in our bodies as well as in our names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 methim in the Iewes language signifies men both living dead O therefore seeing death watches for us let us watch and waite for death as holy Job did All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite Job 14.14 till my change come Wait Jugiter orando Poenitendo Benefaciendo By being frequent in prayer Pray continually 1 Thess 5 17. By repenting daily of your sins it is Repentance that turnes death into life and drives out his venome which is sin makes it a drone that it cannot hurt Thirdly waite for it by being much in duty and in the works of Charity Then mayst thou say with greater security then that heathen Phylosopher did Epictetus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let death surprise me so speaking and so doing c. Fourthly if mortall then so because of sin which stings our bodies Use 4 unto death O then expell and hate this bosom enemy let our hatred be implacable without reconciliation constant without intermission and generall without permission of our selves to live in any the least unrepented sin †Non nisi corpus condignum habero potest caput Christum Aug. Mat. 9.11 How can a dead body accord with a living head Thou deceivest thy self O man who being a rotten nominall Christian yet pretendest to be in Christ who is a sound Physitian who came to heale sin not to harbour sinners We read that he went in to sinners conversed with Publicans but sinners shall not go in to Him never be admitted into his glorious Presence I meane such sinners that delight in uncleannesse and are unwash'd from their habituall actuall pollutions Oh therefore wash ye make you clean Is 1.16 for why will ye die venture upon damnation The