we hear him in his Word We take him in our mouths when we confess him We take him into our hearts when we desire and love him We take him unto our necks when we submit to his obedience We take him upon our knees when we pray unto him We take him into our heads when we meditate and think upon him 'T is good taking him any of these ways nay all he must be taken But our business at this time is in our arms or hands to do it and so to take him is First To believe and hope in him Faith and Hope are the two arms of the soul whereby we take and entertain whatsoever it is we love And here Simeon did so he would not so have waited for the consolation of Israel had he not fully believed and hoped strongly to attain it nor would he have either so have stretcht out his hands to bless the Parents nor his arms to receive the Child nor his voice to sing so loud salvation to the ends of the World that Iew and Gentile both might hear it 2. To take him in our hands and arms is to receive him in the Sacraments Those are the two arms that the Church opens to take him Baptism as the left hand the weaker for young weaklings and the Eucharist as the right and stronger for those of riper and stronger years and in these arms he lies at all times to be found with them he is taken and when at any time we duly and devoutly use them we take him by them And by the one of them we have I hope all of us this day taken him 3. But there is yet a way and arms every day to take him with Good works are the hands and the two branches of Charity Divine Charity and Brotherly love that divide the two Tables of the Law betwixt them are the two arms that embrace him The good works that proceed from the first are the hands of the one and they that issue from the second are the other And I may have leave to call the Ten Commandments the ten fingers that make the hands that receive him Only here 's one thing to be observed and worth it too that these hands and fingers the duties of the Moral Law are to take Christ to them his merits to supply their defects his strength to actuate their weakness his faith to raise their flagging dulness and earthy heaviness which till then looks not high enough beyond worldly interests ere they can reach heaven But by these hands thus ordered purified and lifted up no fear of taking Christ wholly with his greatest benefits and utmost relations You need not fear the hands or doubt the vertue of them that are thus first enabled by Christ but that they are the truest power we hold him by Let but our goodness die our righteousness fail our good deeds vanish out of sight and Christ does too he that is the eternal Wisdom will not dwell in a body that is subject unto sin that is the vassal of Satan under the dominion or habit of any iniquity By these hands therefore you are dayly to embrace him These are the hands that keep him too that hold him fast So long as our good Works so long continues he so long as our Sanctification so long our Justification if the one goes the other does not stay no is not remembred says God God himself forgets it as if it had not been when once the righteous turns from his righteousness and turns wicked This day my beloved you have taken Christ by the hand of the holy Sacrament That was your morning service Take him now henceforward by continuance in well-doing by loving God by loving your neighbour those two arms of Charity and by all the fingers and joynts and nerves of good works all sorts of good works that you never more be deprived of him And yet suscipere is somewhat more Sub capere sursum capere or in the English to take him up Take up his cross and follow him Put your neck under even his hardest yoke if he point it out That 's Capere sub super too to take on and up to deny your selves and submit to any affliction any cross any persecution any loss of liberty or limb or life or goods or friends or any thing rather than part with Iesus than part our arms to let him go than any way part with our part any part or portion in him And then lastly Sursum capere Take him up and offer him again unto his Father Offer him as our Lamb for a burnt-offering offer him as our Turtle for a sin-offering for he is our Turtle of whom it is said the voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land Cant. ii 10. offer him as our Dove for a Sacrifice of thanksgiving for he is our love and Dove Cant. ii 13 14. Offer him for our meat-offering for he is our meat the very bread that came down from heaven fittest therefore of all bread to be offered to heaven again Offer we him as our Turtur in our solitude and retirement Turtur avis solitaria the Turtle is a solitary bird Offer him as our Dove in company and in our Congregations Columba avis gregaria Doves fly by flocks together Offer him in our contemplation and offer him in our practical conversation And offer we up our selves together with him for it is an offering day and we must not stand out nor come in empty offer up I say our selves as Turtles and Doves some their single estate with the Turtle others their married with the Dove Offer we up the Turtles sighs instead of wanton Songs The Turtles chastity and purity and the Doves simplicity Let our lives be full of sorrow for our sins and compassions to our brother full of purity and innocency Keep we still this sursum in suscipere upon the tops of the Mountains with the Turtle as near heaven as can be Set no more our foot upon the green trees or boughs as the Turtle does not when his Mate is dead rest we no more upon the green and flourishing the light and leavy pleasures of the World but spend the residue of this mournful life in bewailing the widowed Church our lost both Spouse and Mother our deceased Husband and Father to Thus taking Christ and his Offering and proportioning ours according to it our heaviness may again be turned into joy a joyful light spring up again our Purification become also a Candlemas an illustrious day of lights and glories 'T is Candlemas day I tell you again Let it be so henceforward with you for ever perpetual Candlemas perpetual Christmas your good works perpetually shine before men that they also may glorifie your Father by that light and nothing be henceforth heard of but Christ in your hands and arms and mouths all your words and works and lives and deaths nothing but Christ nothing but Christ as if you were wholly full this
could words of comfort come better then in the full discourse of the day of Judgment nor can comfort ever be more welcome then in the midst of those affrightments Christ never spoke out of season but here he seems to have even studied it When these things begin to come to pass before they are at their full height even then look up Worldly comforts come not so early The heat and fury of the Disease must be abated e're they yield us any refreshment They are only heavenly comforts that come so timely to prevent our miseries or to take them at the beginning Nor is it yet only when the day begins to dawn wherein the Son of man comes forth to Judgment that we should first begin to take courage to approach but whilst the foregoing signs of that day are now first coming on Those terrors that affright others should not startle us even whilst the lightnings run upon the ground whilst the Earth trembles the Sea roars the Winds blow and Heaven it self knows not how to look the Righteous is as bold as a Lion he stands in the midst of security and peace This is the state we are to labour for so to put our trust in the most High that no changes or chances of this mortal life may either remove or shake it or make us to miscarry Every calamity should teach us to look up but these should teach us also to lift up our heads Whilst common fears and troubles march about us our Christian patience will teach us cheerfulness but when these things begin to come to pass these which are the ushers to our glory these should rejoyce and cheer us up that our reward is now a coming to us Vs I say for this comfort is not general to all that shall see the Son of man coming in glory but his Disciples only such as have followed him on earth to meet him in heaven Lift up your heads to his servants he speaks such as hear his words and attend his steps and do his precepts Others indeed must hold down theirs the ungodly shall not be able to look up in judgment The covetous man has look'd so always downward that he is not now able to look up The Drunkard has so drown'd his eye-sight in his cups so over-burthened his brain that he can neither lift up his head nor his eyes at this day The voluptuous man has dim'd his eyes with pleasures that he cannot look about and the ambitious man has so lost his hopes of being high and glorious and is become so low and base in the eyes of God that he is asham'd to lift up his head These only that are the true Disciples of their Master whose eyes are us'd to heaven who have so often lift up their eyes thither to pray and praise him they only can look up when these things come to pass Nothing can affright the humble eye nothing can amaze the eye that ever dwells in heaven nothing can trouble the eye that waits upon her God as the eye of a Maiden upon the hand of her Mistriss The humble devout and faithful eye may look up chearfully whilst all things else dare not be seen for shame O blessed God how fully doest thou reward thy servants that wilt thus have them distinguish'd from others by their looks in troubles who hast so order'd all things for them that nothing shall affright them nothing make them to hold down their heads This is a kind of comfort by it self above ordinary that grief or amazement should not appear so much as in our eyes or looks though so many terrors stand round about us I will lift up my eyes unto the Hills and I will lift up mine eyes to thee O thou that dwellest in the heavens are the voice of one that looks up for help and in the midst of these dreadful messengers of Judgment it will not be amiss for us even so to lift up our eyes to beg assistance and deliverance But that is not all our comfort though it be a great one that we can yet have audience in Heaven amidst these fears we have besides the refreshment of inward joy whereby we rejoyce at our approaching glory The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance Psal. lviii 9. even when the day of vengeance comes and the righteous shall rejoyce in their beds Psal. cxlix 5. whilst they are now rising up and lifting up their heads out of their graves to come to Judgment Nor must it seem strange to see the righteous with chearful looks whilst all other faces gather blackness It is not the others misery that they rejoyce at but at their Saviours Glory and their own happiness For their Redemption draweth nigh that 's the ground of all their joy And would you not have men rejoyce who are redeem'd from misery and corruption from the slavery of sin and the power of death would you not have poor Prisoners rejoyce at the approach of their delivery you cannot blame'um if at such news with Paul and Silas they sing in prison sing aloud for joy so loud that the doors dance open for joy though the Keepers awake and even sink for fear Your redemption draweth nigh They are words will make the scattered ashes gather themselves together into bones and flesh words that will make the soul leave Heaven with joy to lift up the head of her dear beloved body out of the Land where all things are forgotten Yea the insensible creatures that groan now under the bondage of corruption will at these words turn their tunes when they see at hand the days of the liberty of the Sons of God Death and destruction are things terrible but when the fear of them is once overpois'd by the near approach of a redemption to eternal life and glory O' Death then where is thy sting O Grave then where is thy victory They shrink in their heads and pull in their stings and cannot hurt us while we with joy and gladness lift up our heads What are all the signs and forerunners of the day of Judgment that they should trouble us when we know the day of Judgment is our day of redemption our day of glory What are the darkness of Sun and Moon the falling of the Stars the very totterings of Heaven it self to us who even thereby expect new heavens where there is neither need of Sun nor Moon nor Star to give us light for the glory of God shall lighten it and the Lamb this Son of man that is coming in his cloud is the light of it Rev. xxi 23. What are the quakings of the Earth and roarings of the Sea to them who neither need Land nor Sea in their journey to heaven What are Wars and rumors of Wars Famines and Plagues and Pestilences and false Brethren what are persecutions and delivering up to Rulers to death and torments what are those perplexities and fears that rob men of their hearts and courages for looking
judges right Let us do nothing but with moderation and not think much to shew it unto all when we are sure to be rewarded for it and those that observe it not are sure to be punished 8. The Lord is at hand in the blessed Sacrament and that is also now at hand but a week between us and it And moderation of all kinds is but a due preparation to it some special act of it to be done against it Righteousness and equity is the habitation of his seat says David the Lord sits not nor abides where they are not The holy Sacrament that is his Seat a Seat of wonder is not set but in the righteous and good soul has no efficacy but there Modesty and humility are the steps to it into the modest and humble soul only will he vouchsafe to come All reverence and civility is but requisite in our addresses unto it But moderation meekness and patience and sweetness and forgiving injuries is so requisite that there is no coming there no offering at the altar till we be first reconciled to our Brother Go be first reconciled to thy Brother says our Lord himself S. Mat. v. 24. so that now if we desire a blessing of the blessed Sacrament unto us if we desire the Lord should there come to us let our moderation be known to all men before we come Let us study the art of reconcilement let us not stand upon points of honour or punctilio's with our Brother upon quirks and niceties let us part with somewhat of our right let us do it civilly use all men with courtesie and civility express all modesty and sweetness in our conversation all softness and moderation patience and meekness gentleness and loving kindness towards all even the bitterest of our enemies considering the Lord is at hand the Lord of Righteousness expects our righteousness and equity the Lord in his body and looks for the reverent and handsom behaviour of our bodies the Lord of pure eyes and cannot endure any unseemliness or intemperance either in our inward or outward man the Lord that died and suffered for us and upon that score requires we should be content to suffer also any thing for him not to be angry or troubled or repine or murmur at it or at them that cause it At the Holy Sacrament he is so near at hand that he is at the Table with us reaches to every one a portion of himself yet will give it to none but such as come in an universal Charity with all the forementioned moderations Give me leave to conclude the Text as I began it and fix the last Argument upon the time The time is now approaching wherein the Lord came down from Heaven that he might be the more at hand Fit it is we should strive to be the more at hand to him the readier at his command and service the time wherein he moderated himself and glory as it were to teach us moderation appeared so to all that our moderation also might appear to all of what size or rank or sect whatsoever I remember a story of Constantia Queen of Arragon who having taken Charles Prince of Salerno and resolving to sacrifice him to death to revenge the death of her Nephew Conradinus basely and unworthily put to death by his Father Charles of Anjon sent the message to him on a Friday morning to prepare himself for death The young Prince it seems not guilty of his Fathers cruelty returns her this answer That besides other courtesies received from her Majesty in Prison she did him a singular favour to appoint the day of his death on a Friday and that it was good reason he should die culpable on that day whereon Christ died innocent The answer related so much mov'd Constantia that she sends him this reply Tell Prince Charles if he take contentment to suffer death on a Friday because Christ died on it I will likewise find my satisfaction to pardon him also on the same day that Iesus sign'd my pardon and the pardon of his Executioners with his Blood God forbid I shed the blood of a man on the day my Master shed his for me I will not rest upon the bitterness of revenge I freely pardon him Behold a Speech of a Queen worthy to command the world worthy a Christian indeed To apply it is only to tell you we may often take excellent occasions of vertue and goodness from times and days and bid you go and do likewisâ— The time that is at hand is a time to be celebrated with all Christian joy and moderation some particular and special act of Charity Equity Modesty Meekness Moderation to be sought out to be done in it or to welcome it The Feast of Love to be solemnized with an universal Charity the Lord at hand to be honoured with the good works of all our hands His coming to pardon and save sinners to be accompanied with a general reconcilement and forgiveness of all enemies and injuries of a moderation to be exhibited unto all Let your moderation then keep time as well as measure be now especially shewn and known and felt and magnified by all with whom we have to do that thus attending all his comings he may come with comfort and carry us away with honour come in grace and hear us come in mercy and pardon us come in his word and teach us come in spirit and dwell with us come in his Sacrament and feed and nourish us come in power and deliver us come in mercy and reward us come in glory and save us and take us with him to be nearer to him more at hand to sit at his right hand for evermore THE FIRST SERMON ON Christmas-Day ISAIAH Xi 10. And in that day there shall be a root of Iesse which shall stand for an Ensign of the People to it shall the Gentiles seek and his rest shall be glorious AND in that day there shall be And in this day there was a root of Iesse that put forth its branch That day was but the Prophesie this day is the Gospel of it Now first to speak it in the Psalmists phrase truth flourished out of the earth now first the truth of it appeared Some indeed have applied it to Hezekiah and perhaps not amiss in a lower sense but the Apostle who is the best Commentator ever upon the Prophets applies it unto Christ Rom. xv 10. There we find the Text and him it suits to more exactly every tittle of it and of the Chapter hitherto than to Hezekiah or any else He was properly the branch that was then to grow out of old Iesse's root For Hezekiah was born and grown up already some years before thirteen at least He 2. it is whom the Spirit of the Lord does rest upon ver 2. upon Hezekiah and all of us it is the Dove going and returning Upon him 3. only it is that the Spirit in all its fulness with all its gifts wisdom and
First-born he will be ever should be of all our thoughts will be acknowledged so whensoever born primogenitus one before whom none for that only is the sense of First-born here not referring to any after but to none before Col. i. 14. begotten before any creature in honour above all creatures endued with all the rights of primogeniture even as man also Now three things belonged to the First-born Son the Priesthood the preheminence or regal Dignity and a double or larger portion He is the High-Priest of our profession Heb. iii. 1. The great High-Priest of the Christian Profession and Religion He 2. the Head of his Church Col. i. 18. To whom all power is given in heaven and earth S. Mat. xxviii 18. He 3. also anointed with the oyl of gladness above his fellows Psal. xlv 8. A portion of grace far above others S. Iohn i. 16. That in all things he might have the preheminence being the First-born as well of the dead as of the living says S. Paul Col. i. 18. All these mysteries we have wrapt up in the title of the First-born that by it he is intimated to be our Prince our Priest our elder Brother one in whom all fulness who should be therefore so acknowledg'd and us'd be first entertain'd in our affections be the first birth our souls should travel with and our affections and actions bring forth But there are more wrapt up in his being wrapt in Swadling-clothes then can readily be exprest All the benefits that came by him were wrapt up and not understood till the Clothes both of the Manger and the Grave were unwrapt by his Resurrection He seem'd not what he was shewed not what he came for until then All the while before nothing but folds and things folded up the Cross made up or involved in his Cratch for of the form of a Cross the Cratch some say was made mans salvation in Gods Incarnation the Churches growth in the Virgins bringing forth many brethren in the First-born among them His Glory 2. that was wrapt up in those Clothes his God-head in the Man-hood the Word in Flesh Eternity in days Righteousness in a body like to a body of Sin Wisdom in the infancy of a Child Abundance in Poverty Glory in disrespect the Fountain of Grace in a dry barren dusty Land eternal light in Clouds and everlasting life in the very image of death will you see the Clothes that hid this treasure not from men only but from Devils The espousals of just Ioseph and holy Mary hid Christs Conception of a Virgin The crying of an Infant in a Cradle the bringing forth without sorrow The Purification her entire Virginity The Circumcision his extraordinary Generation without any sin His flight conceal'd his Power his Baptism his unspotted Innocence His open Prayers to his Father his infinite Authority and Equality with him His sad sufferings obscur'd his perfect Righteousness The poverty and meanness of his life the height and greatness of his Birth and the ignominy of his Death the immensity of his Glory His Gospel 3. that was wrapt up in Clothes that seeing we might see and not presently understand a mystery kept secret since the world began his Doctrine wrapt in parables his Grace covered in the Sacraments the inward Grace in the outward Elements his great Apostolick Function in poor simple Fishermen his Vniversal Church in a few obscur'd Disciples of Iudea the height of his knowledge in the simplicity of Faith the excellency of his Precepts in the plainness of his Speech and the Glory of the end they drive to in the humility of the way they lead well may the Prophet exclaim Vere tu es Deus absconditus Psal. lv 15. Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self O God of Israel the Saviour Well may we admire thy folds and wrappings up O God and not strive to pry into thy secrets thy goings out and thy comings in and all thy counsels are past finding out to thee only it belongs to know them to us to obey and submit to them and adore them Yet 4. he was thus wrapt up to shew us our condition that the beauty and sweetness of Christianity as well as Christ of Christians as well as Christ appears not outwardly or but in rags We cannot see the Christians strength for the weaknesses that surround him nor his joy for the afflictions that encompass him nor his happiness for the worldly calamities that oppress him nor his wisdom for the foolishness of Preaching that so much delights him nor his riches for the poor condition he is sometimes brought to nor his honour for the scoffs and reproaches of the world he often labours under He seems unknown when he is well known dying when he only lives kill'd when he is but chastned sorrowful though always rejoycing poor yet making rich as having nothing and possessing all things 2 Cor. vi 9 10. Thus the Christian you see is wrapt up as soon as he is born nay and his very life also is wrapt up with Christ in God Col. iii. 3. Nay lastly our practice and duty is wrapt up with him He is wrapt up in poor Clothes that we might be wrapt up in stolâ primâ the best Robe his Robe of Righteousness that we might put on the white Linen of the Saints Wrapt up again 2. he was his hands and feet bound up like a Childs that by the vertue of it our hands and feet might be loosed to do the works of Christ and run the way of peace he is made a Child that we might be perfect men in him he brought forth that we might bring forth the fruits of good works and godly living The next mysteries lie coucht with him in the Manger where in a strait and narrow compass he lies that he may open Heaven wide to all believers all that keep a strait and strict watch over their ways and actions Where 2. uses to lie the Beasts provender there lies he also who is the bread that came down from Heaven to feed us who are often more unreasonable than the Beasts they know their owner the Oxe and Ass does so says God but my people do not theirs they will but satisfie nature we burthen it they will but eat and drink to satisfie men are grown so sensual they cannot be satisfied We have made our selves fit for the Manger which made Christ lie there to see if he could fill us seeing nothing can 3. In the Manger among the Beasts that we might sadly consider what we have made our selves and change our sensual lives now he is come into the Stable to call us out 4. There he lies in a place without any furniture or trimming up that we might by the place be instructed that the beauty of Christ wants no external setting out that 2. his beauty is omnis ab intus all within and his Spouse is all glorious within Psal. xlv That 3. our eyes might not be diverted from him by
so too To redeem our honours and us thence God sent his Son says S. Iohn iii. 17. and he chose us out of it St. Iohn xv 19. Sin 2. that had made us Captives too chain'd us up so fast that the best of us cannot but cry out sometimes O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me Rom. 7. 24. And none but this visitour could or can God through Iesus Christ so S. Paul presently adds upon it and would have us thank and bless him for it Death that had also got dominion over us for no more dominion Rom. vi 9. signifies it had it once and kept us shrewdly under Rom. v. 17. But Christ Iesus by his appearing they are the Apostles words has abolish'd death 2 Tim. i. 10. Made us free from sin and death Rom. viii 2. The Devil 4. he took us captive also at his will 2 Tim. ii 26. But for this purpose was the Son of God manifested says S. Iohn that he might destroy the works of the Devil 1 S. John iii. 8. And as high as the Fiend carries it he will bruise him under our feet Rom. xvi 20. Now to be delivered from such masters as these is a blessing without question All the question is how either Zachary could say so long before our Saviour's Birth or we so presently upon it he hath redeemed when S. Paul says 't was by his Blood Col. i. 22. S. Peter through his death 1 S. Peter i. 19. Why very well both the one and the other At his Birth was this Redemption first begun the foundation laid at his Death 't was finished In his Incarnation and Nativity he took the flesh that died and the blood he shed and we might truly have been said to be redeemed by his Blood though he had not shed it and by his Death though he had not died because he had already taken on our flesh and blood and from that very moment became mortal and began to dye or to speak a little plainer He brought the price of our Redemption with him at his Birth He paid it down for us at his Death The Writings as it were and Covenants between God and Him about it were agreed on at his Birth were engrossing all his Life and seal'd by him at his Death So 't is as true to day as any day He redeemed And had not this day been first in the business the other could not have been at all or first or last O Blessed Day that hast thus laid the foundation of all our good ones O ever Blessed Lord who hast thus visited and redeemed us what shall we do unto thee how shall we bless thee 3. Nay and yet 3. thou hast sav'd us too That 's the next blessing to be considered And 't is worth considering For redeem'd indeed we might be and yet not saved Redeem'd and yet fall again into the same bad hands or into worse redeem'd from evils past and yet perish by some to come 'T is this salvation that makes all safe Where 1. we are saved from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us ver 71. every thing that may hereafter hurt us as well as we were redeemed from all that did Nor life nor death nor height nor depth nor any thing can separate us now from the love of God in Christ Jesus Rom. viii 39. all things shall continually work for good ver 28. all work henceforward for our salvation Especially seeing he saves us 2. from our sins as the Angel tells us S. Mat. i. 21. Does not redeem us only from the slavery of our former sins and the punishments we lay sadly under for them but preserves and saves us from slipping back into the old and from falling into new ones 'T is a continual salvation Nay 3. 'T is an eternal one too he saves us with He the Author of eternal salvation Heb. v. 9. There we shall be safe indeed All salvations here may have some clouds to darken them some winds to shake them something sometimes to interrupt them somewhat or other to tarnish or soil their glory New enemies may be daily raised up to us Sin will be always bustling with us here we had need to be sav'd and sav'd again daily and hourly sav'd but with this salvation once sav'd and sav'd for ever Well may we pray with holy David Psal. cvi 4. O visit us with this salvation And well may we term it now as our Translation does a mighty salvation 4. And mighty sure we may justly stile it For it required a mighty Power a mighty Person a mighty Price and mighty Works to bring such mighty things to pass And it had them all 1. A mighty Power Almighty too No created Power could do it Horse and man and all things else but vain things to save a man to deliver his soul from the hand of Hell Psal. xxxiii 17. lxxxix 47. 2. A mighty Person the very God of might I the Saviour and besides me none Isa. xliii 11. No other person able to effect it 3. A mighty price it cost No corruptible things says S. Peter 1 Pet. i. 18. Nothing but the blood of the Son of God the precious Blood of Iesus Christ no less could compass it 4. Mighty works lastly and mighty workings to work things about Miracles and wonders good store it cost to accomplish the work of our salvation such as he only who was mighty before God and all the people St. Luke xxiv 19. could bring to pass And this adds much to the glory of this salvation that it was done by such great hands and ways as these But not the works only that wrought it but the works it wrought speak the salvation mighty too Mighty for certain which neither the unworthiness of our persons nor the weaknesses of our natures nor the habits of our sins nor the imperfections of our works nor the malice of our enemies nor any power or strength or subtilty of men or Devils were able to hinder or controul but that maugre all it spread it self to the very ends of the earth carried all before it A salvation we may trust to we need not fear in this mercy of the most highest we shall not miscarry 5. For 5. we have here gotten a good Horn to hold by A horn of salvation the original gives it a salvation not only strong but sure Salvation that is a Saviour too one that we may confidently lay hold on one that neither can nor will deceive or fail us For 1. He is a King so the Horn signifies in the Prophetick phrase Dan. vii 8. The four and seven and ten Horns there so many Kings and it stands not with the honour of a King to deceive or disappoint us 2. And he is not a King without a Kingdom He hath a Kingdom 2. and power to help us The Horn signifies that too in the stile of Prophesie because in the Horn lies the strength and power and dominion
the lowest price a man could be thirty pieces of Silver So poor he could scarce speak out Non clamabit says the Prophet he shall not cry he did not says the Evangelist S. Mat. xii 18. It was fulfilled You could scarce hear his voice in the streets ver 19. In a word so poor that he was as I may say asham'd of his name denied it as it were to him that called him by it S. Matth. xix 17. Why callest thou me good when yet he only was so Lastly poor he was in his Death too betray'd by one Disciple denied by another forsaken by the rest stript off to his very skin abus'd derided despis'd by all died the most ignominious death of all the death of Slaves and Varlets And can you now tell me how he should become poorer or can you tell me why we should think much at any time to become poor like him or not rather cry out O Blessed Poverty that art now sanctified by Christs putting on How canst thou but be desirable and becoming since Christ himself became poor If God become man what man would be an Angel though he might If Christ the eternal riches think it becomes him to be poor who would make it his business to be rich Give me rags for clothes bread for meat and water for drink a Stable for a Palace the earth for a bed and straw for a covering so Christ be in them so he be with them so this poverty be his so it be for him I will lay me down in peace and take my rest upon the hardest stone or coldest ground and I will eat my brownest bread and pulse and drink my water or my tears with joy and gladness now they are seasoned by my Masters use I will neglect my body and submit my spirit and hold my peace even from good words too because he did so I will be content with all because he was so The servant must not be better than his Lord nor the Disciple than his Master Our Lord poor our Iesus poor our Christ poor and we striving to be rich what an incongruity The Camel and the needles eye never fitted worse Poverty we must be contented with if we will have him poor at least in spirit we must be ready for the other when it comes and when it comes we must think it is becoming very much become the Disciple to be like the Master the servant wear his Lords livery For our sakes he became poor and we must not therefore think much to be made so for his be it to an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the extreamest Especially seeing poverty is no such Gorgon no such terrible lookt Monster since Christ wore it over his richest Robes even chose to be poor though he was rich would needs be poor and appear to be so for all his riches Indeed it was the riches of his grace that made him poor had he not been rich superlatively rich in that in grace and favour to us he would never have put on the tatters of humanity never at least have put on the raggedest of them all not only the poverty of our nature but even the nature of poverty that he might become like one of us and dwell among us And it was the riches of his glory too that could turn this poverty to his glory What glory like that which makes all things glorious rags and beggary what riches like his or who so rich as he that can make poverty more glorious then the Robes and Diadems of Kings and Emperours who so often for his Religion sake have quitted all their secular glories plenties delicates and attendants for russet coats and ordinaty fare and rigours and hardships above that which wandring beggars suffer in the depth of Winter Christianity no sooner began to dawn into day but that we find the professors selling all Acts iv as if they thought it an indecency at least to possess more than their Master did though they were rich they became poor because their Lord became so though he was rich But when men of rich become poor the case is much different yet from that of Christs men cease to be rich when they come to poverty but not so Christ he is poor and rich together 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being rich he yet shewed poor Prov. xxii 2. The rich and poor meet together never truer any way then here utriusque operator est Dominus the Lord is both himself as well as worker of them both in others For in this low condition of his it is that S. Paul yet talks so often of the riches of Christ the riches of his grace Eph. i. 7. the riches of his Glory Eph. iii. 16. the riches of the glory of his inheritance Eph. i. 18. the exceeding greatness of his power Eph. i. 19. the exceeding riches Eph. ii 7. the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes. iii. 8. Christ he in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. ii 3. his very reproach and poverty greater riches then all the treasures of Egypt Heb. xi 26. So Moses thought and reckon'd says the Apostle when he saw his riches but under a veil saw but a glimpse and shadow of them at two thousand years distance too So rich is Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only rich so great are his riches Indeed the riches of the Godhead that is all riches indeed dwell all in him though he became man he left not to be God our rags only cover'd the Robes of the Divinity his poverty only serv'd for a veil to cover those unspeakable riches to teach us not to boast and brag at any time of our riches not to exalt our selves when we are made rich or when the glory of our house is increased but to be as humble notwithstanding as the poorest and lowest wretch to teach us 2. that riches and poverty may stand together as well in Christians as in Christ the riches of grace and the poverty of estate and again the riches of estate and poverty of Spirit To teach us 3. not to put off the riches of grace for fear of poverty not quit our Religion or our innocence for fear of becoming poor by them to teach us lastly that we may be rich in Gods sight In truth and verity how poor soever we are in the eyes of the world how needy and naked soever we appear He that being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God even whilst he was so made himself of no reputation of as low a rank as could be and being the brightness of his Fathers Glory the express image of his person and upholding all things with the word of his power veils all this glory darkens all this brightness conceals all this power under the infirmities and necessities of flesh and poverty yet only veils all this great riches hides and lays it up for us that through his poverty we might be
rude barbarisms had exempted them from the number of civil Common-wealths who did not deserve the name of people not of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without either Article or Adjective such as no body could point at with an Article or construe with an Adjective such as seem here to be excluded out of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that yet one would think includes all Such as if you were to number up all the world you would leave out them to these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to uncover and shew 'um to the world and out of their thick darkness to light them the way unto salvation Which brings me to the benefits together with the parties Light and Glory Light to the Gentiles Glory to Israel A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of the people of Israel I keep Gods method Fiat Lux begin with light Gen. i. 2. I need not tell you 't is a benefit Truly light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is says the Preacher Eccles. xi 7. and Mordecai joyns light and gladness together Hest. viii 16. So salutare letificans it is salvation that brings joy and gladness with it 2. Light of all motions has the most sudden it even prevents the subtilest sense And was it not so with this salvation When all things were in quiet silence and that night was in the midst of her swift course thine Almighty word leapt down from heaven out of thy Royal Throne Wisdom xviii 14. Salutare praeveniens vota Salvation that prevents our dreams and awakes our slumbering consciences 3. And when our eye-lids are past those slumbers then Lighten mine eyes O Lord that I sleep not in death Those dark chambers have no lights A light to lighten them a light to shew my self to my self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reveal my inmost thoughts to shew me the ugly deformity of my sins will be a blessing Lumen revelans tenebras no dark-lanthorn light a light to shew us the darkness we are in our Salutare dispergens tenebras salvation that dispels the horrid darkness 4. And to do that the enlightning of the medium is not sufficient In conspectu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 just before us it may be and the windows of our eyes damm'd up against it A light then to pierce the Organ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into it it must be Lumen penetrans oculum salvation not only presented to the eye but to the sight the eye fitly disposed to behold it 5. Every enlightning will not do that It must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the light of revelation No other will serve the turn not the light of nature not the dictates of reason not the light of moral vertues or acquired habits but something from above something infused such as comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divine inspiration What light else no remedy but buried we must be in everlasting night Scriptures or revealed truth the revelation of Iesus Christ must save whoever shall be saved No man can come to me except the Father draw him St. John vi 44. No man lay hold upon the Name of Iesus or salvation but by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit Lumen divine revelationis salvation by the glorious light of Divine Revelation 6. There is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which yet wants an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Revelation that wants a Revelation such as St. Iohns a dark one This an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lightsome one such as Revelations are when Prophesies are fulfilled of things past not things to come Lumen Revelationis revelatae a light of salvation as clear as day 'T is time now to ask whither it is this light and revelation lead us I shall answer you out of Zacharies Benedictus S. Luke i. 79. They guide our feet into the way of peace Send forth thy light and thy truth and they shall guide me Psal. xliii 3. So David guide me whither Psal. lvi 13. To walk before God in the light of the living One light to another the light of grace to the light of glory So Lumen dirigens or salutare pertingens ad coelum salvation leading up to heaven Sum up all Salvation to make us glad a light a light to comfort not a lightning to terrifie The lightnings shone upon the ground the earth trembled and was afraid no such no lightning Nor St. Paul's light a light to blind but to give light nor to play about the medium only but to open and dispose the weak dim eye Not by a weak glimmering of nature nor by a dusky twi-light but by a clear Revelation not an ignis fatuus to misguide us out of the way into bogs and quagmires but to guide us to peace and to salvation Lastly not a light to any to see only that they are inexcusable ut essent inexcusabiles that seeing they might see and not understand a light to light 'um down to Hell that they might see the way down through those gloomy shades with more ease horrour and confusion that 's the event indeed sometimes the end never but thither upward from whence it comes to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the beginning of the Text to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the end And can your thoughts prompt to your desires any greater benefits can you wish more And yet if we but consider in what plight the parties were upon whom the rays of this light shone the salvation will seem more beneficial They were in darkness and could any thing be more welcome to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death then a light to lighten That was the miserable case the Gentiles now were in Neither have the Heathen knowledge of his laws 't was so in Davids time and so continued on till this days rising Sun scattered the Clouds and now the case is altered Dedi te in lucem gentium fulfilled in his time The Gentiles now enlightned Enlightned what 's that Those that are baptized are said to be enlightned Heb. x. So the Gentiles enlightned will be in effect the Gentiles baptized Baptized they may be with water and they had need of some such cleansing element to wash their black dark sullied souls but there is another Baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire fire that 's light so to be baptized with light will be with the Holy Ghost 'T was heavy midnight through the world Iudea was the only Goshen the land of light till he that was born this day breaking down the partition that divided Palestine from the nations gave way for the light which before shone only there to disperse its saving beams quite through the world Then did they whose habitations were pitcht in the region of death whose dwellings in the suburbs of Hell see a marvellous great light spring up that 's salus personis accommodata salvation fitted to the parties Fitted and tempestively too to them
to wait upon their Lord that had now set them at liberty from the Grave and divulge the greatness and glory of his Resurrection When Moses and Elias appeared upon the holy Mount at Christs transfiguration talking with him St. Luke tells us they spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Hierusalem St. Luke ix 31. And 't is highly credible the discourse of these Saints with those to whom they appeared was of his Resurrection Their going into the City was not meerly to shew themselves nor their appearance meerly to appear but to appear Witnesses and Companions of their Saviours Resurrection Nor is it probable that the Saints whose business is to sing praise and glory to their Lord should be silent at this point of time of any thing that might make to the advancement of his glory Yet you may do well to take notice that it is not to all but to many only that they appeared to such as St. Peter tells us of Christs own appearance after his Resurrection as were chosen before of God witnesses chosen for that purpose Acts x. 41. that we may learn indeed to prize Gods favours yet not all to look for particular revelations and appearances 'T is sufficient for us to know so many Saints that slept arose to tell it that so many Saints that are now asleep St. Peter and the Twelve St. Paul and five hundred brethren at once all saw him after he was risen so many millions have faln asleep in this holy Faith so many slept and died for it that it is thus abundantly testified both by the dead and living both by life and death even standing up and dying for it and a Church raised upon this faith through all the corners of the earth and to the very ends of the world But to know the truth of it is not enough unless we know the benefits of Christs Resurrection they come next to be considered and there is in the words evidence sufficient of four sorts of them 1. The victory over sin and death both the Graves were opened 2. The Resurrection of the soul and body the one in this life the other at the end of it many dead bodies that slept arose 3. The sanctification and glorification of our souls and bodies the dead bodies that arose out of the graves went into the holy City 4. The establishing us both in grace and glory they appeared unto many All these says the Text after his Resurrection by the force and vertue of it Indeed it seems the graves were opened death almost vanquished and the grave near overcome whilst he yet hung upon the Cross before he was taken thence deaths sting taken out by the death of Christ and all the victories of the grave now at an end that it could no longer be a perpetual prison yet for all that the victory was not complete all the Regions of the Grave not fully ransackt nor the forces of it utterly vanquisht and disarm'd nor its Prisoners set at liberty and it self taken and led captive till the Resurrection 'T is upon this Point St. Paul pitches the victory and calls in the Prophets testimony 1 Cor. xv 54. upon this 't is he proclaims the triumph ver 55. O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory even upon the Resurrection of Iesus Christ which he has been proving and proclaiming the whole Chapter through with all its benefits and concludes it with his thanks for this great victory ver 57. So it is likewise for the death and grave of sin the chains of sin were loosed the dominion of it shaken off the Grave somewhat opened that we might see some light of grace through the cranies of it by Christs Passion but we are not wholly set at liberty not quite let out of it the Grave-stone not perfectly removed from the mouth of it till the Angel at the Resurrection or rather the Angel of the Covenant by his Resurrection remove it thence remove our sins and iniquities clean from us 2. Then indeed 2. the dead soul arises then appears the second benefit of his Resurrection then we rise to righteousness and live 1 Pet. ii 24. then we awake to righteousness and sin no more So St. Paul infers it That like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father even so should we also walk in newness of life Rom 6. 4. This Resurrection one of the ends of his our righteousness attributed to that as our Redemption to his death From it it comes that our dead bodies arise too Upon that Iob grounds it his Resurrection upon his Redeemers Iob xix 25. I know that my Redeemer liveth well What then Why I know too therefore that though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh I shall see God The Apostle interweaves our Resurrection with Christs and Christs with ours his as the cause of ours ours as the effect of his a good part of 1 Cor. 15. If Christ be risen then we if we then he if not he not we if not we not he And in the Text 't is evident no rising from the dead how open soever the graves be till after his Resurrection that we may know to what Article of our faith we owe both our deliverance from death and our deliverance into life here in soul and hereafter in our bodies by what with holy Iob to uphold our drooping spirits our mangled martyr'd crazy bodies by the faith of the Resurrection that day the day of the Gospel of good tidings to be remembred for ever 3. So much the rather in that 't is a Day yet of greater joy a messenger of all fulness of grace and glory to us of the means of our sanctification 3. of our rising Saints living the lives of Saints holy lives and of our glorification our rising unto glory both doors opened to us now and not till now liberty and power given us to go into the holy City both this below and that above now after his Resurrection and through it He rose again says St. Paul for our justification Rom. iv 25. to regenerate us to a lively hope blessed be God for it says St. Pet. i. 3. that we might be planted together in the likeness of his Resurrection says St. Paul Rom. vi 5. grow up like him in righteousness and true holiness and when the day of the general Resurrection comes rise then also after his likeness be conformed to his Image bear his Image who is the heavenly as we have born the Image of the earthly our vile body chang'd and fashioned like his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. iii. 21. whereby in the day of his Resurrection he subdued death and grave and sin and all things to him 4. And to shew the power of his Resurrection to the full there is an appearing purchast to us by it an appearing here in the fulness
themselves are inconstant to themselves no wonder then if so to us Health loses it self when it fails it Master Riches decrease not more to their owner than to themselves Pleasure fades at the same time wherein it leaves the pursuer Honour becomes but air when it is departed from him it honoured All earthly hopes only therefore fail us because their own natures fail them The things we hope for perish and we therefore lose them All this might be endured to be fail'd by failing hopes But that a Hope in him who cannot fail should fail us a hope in him that cannot deceive should delude us who could think it Yet too true it is Such a hope many such a one there is When though the object be right or at least materially so even Christ our Saviour yet either 1. the formality or way of apprehending him is wrong or 2. the ground false or 3. the reason none or 4. the order ill or 5. the managing of it naught or 6. the nature of it not right or 7. the strength of it not competent or the continuance too short We shall best understand what this false hope in Christ is by considering what is required to make up that which is the true one And to it are required 1. a right apprehension 2. sure grounds 3. good reason 4. order 5. discretion 6. purity 7. stedfastness and constancy 1. True hope should have a right apprehension of its object as well as an object that is right 'T is not enough to justifie our hope that we say it is in Christ unless it be in Christ truly apprehended To conceive Christ so to be the Saviour of sinners as remaining sinners to imagine he will give us heaven because we imagine it to expect he should violently draw us thither whether we will or no to hope that he will save us without doing any thing our selves is presumption at the easiest I can speak it but some part of it is Blasphemy viz. To make Christ so to receive sinners as even to approve the sins by taking the persons into favour and justifying them or declaring them to be just and righteous whilst they wilfully continue in them and so far from truth it is as that himself professes he came not to save them otherwise than by calling them to repentance St. Mat. ix 13. Yet as bad a hope as it is it is too common now commonly profest and preacht too as well as practised though most injuriously to Christ and as dangerously to themselves 2. Hope that is true Hope should be well grounded now there is a groundless one that must needs be nought The ground of hope is the Word of God In thy Word do I hope says David Psal. cxix 81. And that in the Scripture ye might have hope says St. Paul Rom. xv 4. That which hath other foundation is without foundation Gods Word not mans Comment Christs Promise not mans Fancy must ground our hope To hope we shall be saved only because we hope so To hope God will save us only because he is merciful infinitely merciful or that we shall to heaven because we perswade our selves we are Elected and Predestinated or conceive our selves the only Saints and darlings of the most High To make either our own groundless and sudden hopes or Gods general mercies only or temporal successes and prosperities which are common also to the most wicked or rash and obscure fancies of Predestination and Election or our own meerly imagined holiness and Saintship or yet some new revelation or inspiration or some extraordinary strange light and motion within us which may as well proceed from him who too often changes himself into an Angel of light as from the Father of lights for ought we know nay for we know it does so if it be contrary to any parcel of Gods revealed will in Scripture that from God it is not if it be so upon any of these I say nay upon all of them together yea though the Prophets we have chosen to our selves add their word to it to assert it to found our hope is to build it upon the sand that when any storm shall come from heaven any wind or tempest of Gods displeasure beat upon it when temptations afflictions or persecutions sickness or death shall smite the corners of this specious building of our hope down it falls and in the dust there lies our hope yea the fall is great so much the greater by how much the higher the larger built He that will ground his hope aright must not be too sudden Qui crediderit ne festinet says the Prophet Let him not be too hasty to believe He that believeth shall not make haste To Gods general goodness and Promises he must add some inward feelings For his opinion of being Predestinated or Elected he must find some ground from his effectual calling inward Sanctification and Renovation constancy of faith and resolution as well as from Gods goodness and mercy His holiness and Saintship too he must not measure by his own conceit but by the square of Gods Commandments Does he do that which is holy and just Then a Saint not otherwise in the Scripture Phrase New Revelations beyond the Word of God he must renounce if he mean not to reject the Word of God as insufficient and his new lights and inspirations he must bring to the light of Gods written Word his Teachers Doctrines must be tried also by the same evidence and rule and answer to it too or his hope will be as groundless as his who never heard of Christ or God only serve to make him miserable For so he is and so will be who thus fixes not his ground who has nothing else but those forsaid imaginations to go upon Nay 3. Reason too is required to our hope Be ready says St. Peter always to give an answer to every man that asketh a reason of the hope that is in you 1. Pet. iii. 15. Hope without reason is an unreasonable hope fit for beasts not men unreasonable to be required of reasonable men He that requires me to hope contrary to reason requires of me either an impossibility or a folly I cannot truly hope that which is impossible to my reason that which I really conceive impossible or I am a fool to go about desire or pursue it whilst I think so Hope above hope I must nay hope against hope I may too sometimes as Abraham is said to have done Rom. iv 18. that is against the ordinary course of Nature or Affairs but then only though when greater reason perswades me to hope against it then to fear with it when God expresly sends me word or some other way assures me he will transcend the ordinary way with me and not bind himself to Laws of inferiour nature and course and then indeed it is greater reason that I should believe God than rely upon natural reason and ability or ordinary
hand There is but one Sheepfold and one Shepherd The Sheep that were led by the hands of Moses and Aaron The Sheep that were seen in a Vision by Micaiah scattered upon the Mountains The Sheep which the Prophets led or fed in any of their times as Pastors sent by God The Sheep and Lambs that St. Peter and all the Pastors of the Church are to feed from time to time are all to make up but one fold under one Shepherd St. Iohn x. 16. all to come into one Catholick Church to be gathered all into one Mountain into the same everlasting Tabernacles at the last No Tabernacle against Tabernacle no Altar against Altar no Church against Church no schism to be made in the Mount of God 7. To place the beatifical Vision in Christs corporal presence or think that the blessed want Tabernacles and Tents to dwell in with St. Peter or which is the same in fine to place Christs Kingdom upon earth and dream of the Millenaries happiness Christs reigning with his Saints in all temporal pleasures and satisfactions upon the earth for a thousand years is meer talking in our dreams Let us make no such Tabernacles in our brains they are meer Castles in the Air rais'd in the Mount of our own fancies and vain imaginations if we say so we know not what we say No building our thoughts then upon worldly confidences 2. no making Tabernacles to shelter us from all storms even from suffering for our Master 3. no building them only for our selves 4. No raising them to keep us from our Christan duty 5. No making them to separate between Law and Gospel 6. No making them to divide the Sheepfold to set up Schism in the Church of Christ 7. No making them to anticipate heavenly happiness to keep Christ upon the Mountains of the Earth as if our business were wholly here or wholly for our selves or our affections carnal and earthly still Let us make no such Tabernacles preach no such fancies believe no such imaginations for if we do St. Luke will tell us were we as good as St. Peter we say and believe and advise we know not what IV. Now that we may know whence it is that the same words have thus different senses why they may be spoken well or ill we are in the next place to examine the diverse affections with which they may or might be spoken Either out of fear or out of joy out of fear for his Master and himself of future sufferings which he heard them talking of v. 31. and a desire to avoid them or out of joy in the contemplation of his present enjoyment and a desire to continue it Consider the words spoken as proceeding out of fear of death and suffering and a desire to avoid it to disturb the method of Redemption by a new kind of Propitius esto tibi a subtle new device to perswade Christ to favour himself and his followers Non ita fiet tibi to turn off the Cross to keep with Moses and Elias in the Mount or at least if he would go down keep them from departing keep them however with him Moses with his wonder-working Rod Elias with his commanding Fire to defend him Consider them thus and he and his fellows may well be answer'd with a nescitis cujus spiritus Ye know not what spirit ye are are of What you are to look for in the service of your Master Christ Cross the chief lesson they were to learn Consider them secondly as words issuing out of excess of delight and joy either in the present glory as the all he wish'd for in Christs corporal presence as the whole he expected in temporal felicities as the sum of his desires or in sensible consolations as the only pieces of devotion so also he is but nesciens quid diceret he says he knows not what But consider them now again 1. as arising out of a moderate delight in spiritual or temporal contentments with St. Mathew's Si vis submitting all to his will and pleasure It is good to be here Master if thou wilt and let us make Tabernacles here Master if thou wilt if thou think'st it good if thou knowest it fit for so St. Matthew relates St. Peter's words and then they may pass without reproof they are the words of knowledge of truth and soberness Or 2. consider them as spoken in the very rapture of joy and high delight in the contemplation of heavenly glory of Gods glory and his Masters and great hopes of his own desiring what he can to promote and advance it the words are the expressions of much love and piety not the speech of a mad fellow as Iehu's Captains styl'd the Prophet he knows what he says and what he desires or if through the excess of joy he said he knew not what more then he could well express there was no fault but that which such heavenly joys necessarily cause in humane language by their inexpressible greatness that if we say any thing we must needs say more then we are able to express they are so great that we know not what to say and so St. Mark St. Peter's Disciple tells the story Chap. ix v. 6. For he wist not what to say for they were sore afraid almost stupified and amazed And if now lastly that be the passion too to be added to the other two and St. Matthew says the same Chap. 17. 6. There will be at least an excuse for any indiscretion in St. Peter's speech though withal a caution to us for ours that we speak no more then we understand that we meddle not to settle conditions to pitch places to erect buildings to give counsels or pass our judgments in things we have no knowledge of lest St. Luke tell us we are to blame we say we know not what IV. Yet now in the last place we are to see how far sudden and hasty expressions may be born with and when they may not without rebuke 1. If they rise out of any sinful passion sinful they are and have no allowance 2. If they rise out of any wilful heedlesness and indiscretion they are sins of indiscretion and the words of folly foolish words 3. If they proceed out of natural infirmity and shortness of wit they are at the best but to be excus'd faulty they are for why do they venture on what they do not understand But 4. if they proceed meerly out of the excess of holy joy or any passion unblameable they are no sins we may well bear with them seeing we know not how to better them There is a kind of spiritual and heavenly drunkenness when ravisht and over-gone with the sweetness of some inward spiritual and heavenly joy made drunk with the Spouses Flagons of Wine in the holy Canticles with the drink of thy pleasures says the Psalmist as out of the Rivers Psal. xxxvi 8. over-bore with the strength of this celestial liquor we say we know not what do
commission to call us to it or command it for his service or his Churches and we not to undertake it till we find our selves truly enabled rightly called and uprightly intending in it To joyn now the two Points of the Text together to know our right grounds and settle our obedience right upon them that we may know what we undertake when we undertake to follow Christ and do accordingly not pretend above our strength but keep Advent and St. Andrew both We are 1. to provide by St. Andrews obedience for Christs Advent that he when he at any times comes to us either in his Spirit or in his Word in humility or glory in our lives or at our deaths may find us ready straight to follow him No so acceptable entertainment for him no so fit preparation for him as a ready entire well guided obedience none so fit to receive him as St. Andrew the Soul so fitted and resolved to all obedience Thus we are to make our way for Advent by St. Andrew And to keep St. Andrews Feast to give our selves up to this obedience we must remember Christs Advent to us that we cannot follow till he first come to us acknowledge all our motion is from his Look he first upon us and speak to us and we straightway run but if he come not there is no following to be expected much less hast to do it All is from him to him therefore be all the praise if at any time or wherein at any time we follow him 't is his grace that does it that comes first before we follow And then thirdly to keep time to joyn both Feasts together in our hearts all the days of our life as well as in this day of the year Magnifie we him in his Saints follow we St. Andrew as he did Christ follow him to Christ chearfully without delay to day whilst it is day begin our course let us not think much to part with any thing for him Lay our honours riches souls and bodies at his feet and with pure and unmixt intentions study we wholly his service not our own Let not any be discouraged that perhaps he has nothing worth the leaving nothing but a few old broken nets Be it never so little we have left if we have left our selves nothing but given our selves and all to Christ we have given much he that with these Saints here leaves nothing but a few knotty threds if he has no more to leave has left as much as he that leaves most for he has left all and he that leaves most can do no more It is the mind not the much that God values Remember the poor Widows mites accepted by Christ above far greater gifts for they were all she had and who could give more The poor mans all is as much to him and as much all to God as the rich mans all his tatter'd Nets as much all his living as the others Lands and Seas are his and the poor man can as hardly part with his rags and clouts his leather bottle his mouldy bread and clouted shoes as the rich man with his silks and state and dainties so much perhaps the hardlier in that they are more necessary Yet that I may not seem to leave you upon too hard a task to scare you from following Christ I shall now tell you you may keep all and yet leave your nets You may keep your honours you may preserve your estates you may enjoy your worldly blessings only so keep a hand upon them or upon your selves that they be not nets and snares unto you let them not take your hearts or ensnare your affections or entangle your souls in vanities and sins let them not hold you from following Christ and keep them while you will Cast but off the Networks the catching desires of the flesh and world and so you also may be said to have left your nets And having so weaned your souls from inordinate affections to things below Let Christ be your Business his Life your Pattern his Commands your Law Be ye followers of Christ and let St. Andrew this day lead you after him into all universal obedience ready pure and sincere think not much to leave your Nets for him that left heaven for you you will gain more by following him than all the nets and draughts of the world are worth You may well throw away your Nets having caught him in whom you have caught glory and immortality and eternal life and by following him shall undoubtedly come at last out of this Sea of toil and misery where there is nothing but broken nets and fruitless labours or but wearisom and slippery fruits of them into the Port and Haven of everlasting rest and joys and happiness And that it may be so let us pray with the holy Church in the two Collects for Advent and St. Andrew Almighty God which didst give such grace to thy holy Apostle St. Andrew that he readily obey'd the calling of thy Son Iesus Christ and followed him without delay grant unto us all that we being called by thy holy Word may forthwith give â—ver our selves obediently to fulfil thy holy Commandments that we may cast away the works of darkness and put upon us the armour of light now in the time of this mortal life in the which thy Son Iesus Christ came to visit us with great humility that in the last day when he shall come again in his glorious Majesty to judge both the quick and the dead we may rise to the life immortal through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost now and ever A SERMON Preached At St. Pauls COL iii. 15. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye are called in one body and be ye thankful HOw little or much soever the Colossians needed this advice I am sure we do more than a little and much need there is to press it close For I know not but methinks as much as we talk of peace and write it in the front of our Petitions and Projects I am afraid our hearts are not right to it it rules not there And as much as we pretend our thankfulness to God for bringing us again into one body we see but slender expressions of it And yet we have the same Arguments both for thankfulness and peace to be thankful for our late recovered peace and to be at peace if we would be thought to be thankful as the Colossians had or could be imagined to have here our being called again into one body who were not long since in several ones united now under one head who were of late under many Gods Call and our own Callings Gods present mercies and our late miseries calling to us to perswade both There wants indeed some St. Paul to mind us of it to preach it home that we would be what we pretend that men would be honest once and either say no more
it of either the one or the other much more of both cannot want strength to die be the death of what kind it will It was a gallant speech of Luther when he was disswaded from appearing before the Council of Wormes I think it was that he would go thither though all the tiles of the houses were so many Devils Had every stone that was cast at the Martyr Stephen been a Devil he would not after this vision have been afraid The Lord is my light and my salvation whom then should I fear the Lord is the strength of my life of whom then shall I be afraid says David Psal. xxvii 1. and yet he saw nothing like this sight Gods presence is enough whether it be seen by the eye of sense or by the eye of Faith to keep us stedfast to make death hide its head for fear while we stand triumphing over it I conceive it impertinent to make it a business to enquire too solicitously what this glory was and how St. Stephen saw it That it was some glorious sight some high resplendent light or brightness such as God used to appear in as Exod. xxiv 17. Numb xiv 10. 1 Kings viii 10. to Moses and his Prophets there call'd his glory or some apparition of Angels in shining garments winging about a throne of glory visibly appearing to the eye of the Martyr Stephen is the probablest to conceive and the shining of his face as if it had been the face of an Angel chap. vi ver 15. is an evidence it was a visible appearance But no doubt his understanding saw further then his eye into Heaven that lookt and saw a glory there of which the sense though elevated to his height cannot be capable Divinum lumen says St. Gregory Nissen the inaccessible light Spem in re says St. Hilary His hope already Deum Divinitatem says St. Austin God and the Godhead Imo Trinitatem and that facie revelata says he again The blessed Trinity unveiled Futurae vita gaudia says Bede The joys of the other life These all he saw say they and we shall make no scruple to say in Spirit so he did as far as humane nature is capable in this condition But without question Christ he saw in his body standing amidst that glory the words are plain for that and that alone were enough to put courage into the most coward heart To see his Faith confirm'd by sight and Christs Glory with the Father visibly appear to see whom he had trusted and for whom he had laboured and disputed now with his own eyes in glory must needs make him kiss the hands that would now send him so soon to him To see him 2. standing at the right hand of God as if he were risen from his sitting there to behold the sufferings and courage of his Martyr that stood below now made a spectacle to Christ and all his Angels that 's an honour he may well glory in To see him 3. standing amidst his hosts as if he were coming down to help him that adds more spirit still To see him 4. standing at the right hand of God as if he suffered with him and was therefore pleading for him as friends and advocates used to do with the accused party at the Bar. This infuses yet a greater confidence that notwithstanding all his sins or weaknesses he shall now easily prevail To see him 5 standing as a Priest to offer him up a sweet smelling sacrifice to his Father that still increases it To see him lastly standing like a judge of masteries at the end of the race or goal to crown him with a crown of glory cannot but make him think long for the death that shall bring him to it All these ways Christ may be brought in here as standing for us In the Creed we profess him sitting thereby acknowledging his place in Heaven and his right to be our Judge yet when his Saints and Servants have need of him he stands up to see what it is they want how valiantly they behave themselves he stands up to shew them who it is they trust he stands up to help and aid them he stands up to plead and even suffer with them he stands up to present them to his Father he stands up to reward them with the garlands of Glory Sometimes it is oftner it has been when the beginning of Christianity needed it at first that by some visible comforts and discoveries he shews himself to the dying Saint Often it is that the soul ready to depart feels some sensible joys and ravishments to uphold its failing spirits But he is never wanting with inward assistances and refreshments to those who suffer for him We must not look all of us nor Confessors nor Martyrs now adays to see Visions and Revelations with St. Stephen we are set in a fixt way where Reason and Religion so long prov'd and practis'd is able to give us comfort in the saddest distresses God does not usually confirm our reason by our sense in the revelation of himself or what he expects from us It may be because the Devil grown cunning now by so many centuries of years has taken up of late as he is Gods ape a way to fetch off souls by some sensible delusions from the Faith for he can transform himself nay does so says the Apostle into an Angel of light For this it may be God sends us now to the word and to the testimony and leaves us to reason tradition and example of so many ages to expound it However this is sufficient that neither God nor Christ will leave us wholly comfortless but will surely stand by us when we need and supply us as there is Indeed he cannot look for such a profession upon it as we find here from St. Stephen yet to a stedfast profession of our Faith those assistances he still allows us are sufficient We will look a little upon Stephens though And first here is a kind of profession of the Blessed Trinity the Holy Ghost here at the beginning of the first verse of the Text God in the middle and Jesus at the end Here is 2. a profession of Christs manhood whilst he calls him the Son of Man Here is 3. a profession of his Faith in all of them by his so loud proclaiming Here is 4. a profession of Gods ready help Christs ready assistance to his Saints in trouble Here is 5. a profession of Gods owning the Christians cause and gloriously standing up to confirm and maintain Here is 6. a profession of Christs opening Heaven to all Believers that Heaven is always open to us if we could see it that Gods Glory shines upon us to shew us the way thither that Christ stands there to make our way to guide us thither Here lastly is a profession of his confidence and resolution that though his enemies stand pressing now about him and Death before him he will not eat his words will not renounce his faith
will not slip the collar will not deny any thing of what he has said or done disclaim any thing that he believed desert him whom he had trusted but preach him to his death and die upon it And now the heavens being open 't is good to make what haste we can to enter it Moneta a famous Doctor of Bononia upon the hearing these words Behold I see the heavens open preacht soberly upon that they would be quickly shut if men made no more haste to enter betook himself presently says his Story to a Religious Order I say nothing to that particular but yet must tell you the words are strong enough if we would look as stedfastly into them as St. Stephen did into Heaven to perswade to a Religious Life Heaven will not always be open to us Patet atri jaâ—ua Ditis 'T is Hell that stands continually wide ope We are told by Christ himself that the Bridegroom comes and the doors are shut there will be a time if we continue in sin and negligence when Heaven it self nay Christ himself will not let us in Take we then our time whilst Christ stands at the door Heaven has this day been strangely open to us and Christ stood there in a glorious manner though our eyes did not our Faiths I hope did see him there 'T is good taking this opportunity to get in we know not whether we shall live to the next opening Prepare we then our selves with St. Stephen here by stedfast looking upward into Heaven by disdaining and scorning all things below by vehement earnest longings after things above by setting our selves attentively and constantly to our Devotions and our Prayers by holy Charity and praying for Friends and Enemies by constant resolutions to live and die to Christ by a bold profession of our Faith and continuance in it by making it our Christmas work our Holiday business our Festival delight And then though I cannot promise you Visions here while we live below I dare promise you the blessed Vision hereafter above where we shall see Iesus standing at the right hand of God and there stand round about him with this blessed Martyr Stephen and all his Saints and Martyrs in the Glory of God for evermore A SERMON ON Innocents Day St. MATTH ii 16. Then Herod when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise men was exceeding wroth and sent forth and slew all the Children that were in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the Wisemen THE Text needs no Apology 'T is for the Day The Day is that of the poor Martyred Innocents and the Text the Story of it Yet what does Day or Story here to day How does the relation of one of the saddest murthers that the Sun ever saw suit with the news of the gladdest Joy that day e're brought forth How do the cries and screeches of slaughtered Infants keep time or tune with the Songs and Hymns of Angels An hellish crue of murtherers to day agree with the heavenly host we heard of three days since What does Herod so near Christ or Childermas in Christmas Do not both Day and Story want an Apology though the Text does not Neither of them they come well now to season our Mirth and Jollities that they run not out too lavishly For we find too oft there are sad days in Christmas too days wherein we play the Herods and kill our Children and our selves by disorders and excesses for want of some such serious thoughts story and day stand fitly here to mind us of it But besides they are well plac'd to teach us that we must not look only for gaudy days by Christ he says himself he came to send a sword St. Mat. x. 34. Sent it to day amongst the little ones sends sword and fire too sometimes amongst the great ones in the midst of all their pleasure and we must expect it commonly the closer we come to him Nor Christianity nor innocence can excuse us We therefore not to think it strange when it so falls out reckon it rather a Christmas business the matter of our rejoycing to suffer with these Infants for Christ though we know not why no more than they never to think much to lose our Children or our selves for him at any time and so bring them up that they may learn to think so too These Meditations I hope are not unseasonable no not in Christmas Yet for all that I ask again Is it possible that there should be such a thing in truth such a wantonness in cruelty as to kill so many thousand Children so barbarously in a time of peace is it probable that men should raise up fears and jealousies of their own and make such innocent Lambs pay for it 'T is Gospel you see so true as that Such a thing there was in the days of Herod and we have seen so much like it in our own that we may the easier believe it Children and innocents slain and undone for nothing but because some men with Herod here thought they were mockt when disappointed of their projects when Christus Domini the Lords Christ or Anointed had escap'd them and the Wise men came not in to hinder it so they grew exceeding wroth upon it and make poor Bethlehem and Rachel all of us still rue sorely for it Well then the Text being so true in it self so pat to the time and not disagreeable to the times of late so profitable besides we 'l now go on with it by Gods blessing and see what we can make of it 'T is the Martyrdom I told you and I have the word from S. Cyprian and S. Austin of a company of little innocent babes And we have in it these particulars 1. Their Persecutor or Murtherer Herod 2. The occasion of their Martyrdom Persecution or Murther His thinking himself mockt When he saw he was mocked of the Wise men c. 3. The cause of it Wroth he was exceeding wroth infinitely angry to be disappointed that 's the reason he fell upon them 4. The little Martyrs themselves All the children that were in Bethlehem and all that were in the coasts about 5. Their Martyrdom Slain they were men were sent out to kill them He sent forth and slew them 6. The extent and exactness of the cruelty observed in it all the children from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the Wise men These are the Parts that make up the History And if in the pursuing it I shew you a mystery now and then shew you there are more Herods and more martyred children then we see in the letter of the Text that the story is acted over still every day by our selves you will be content I hope to take it for an application that brings all home And it will not do amiss even now at Christmas to mind us of
day as Simeons arms with the Child Iesus with the Lords Christ. This work is never unseasonable Christ may at all times be taken so with reverence into our mouths or arms or hearts or any part about us Yet he has a proper time besides and that is when he is presented in the Temple after his Circumcision and his mothers Purification At such a time as that when our hearts are purified by repentance and faith when the devout soul which like his Mother conceives and brings him forth has accomplished the days of her Purification and offered the forementioned offerings of the Turtle and the Dove and we circumcised with the Circumcision of the Spirit all our excrescent inclinations exorbitant affections and superfluous desires cut off we may with confidence take him into our arms But till then 't is too much sawciness to come so near him at least presumption to conceive we have him truly in our arms that he is truly embraced by us whilst we have other loves other affections which cannot abide with him already in our arms and too ready in our hands Prophane we him not therefore with unhallowed hands nor touch this holy Ark of the Covenant with irreverent fingers lest we die Many that have done so says the Apostle for so doing are sick and weak upon it and many sleep that is die suddenly in their sins whilst the hallowed meat is yet in their mouths 'T is as dangerous as death and damnation too to take Christ with unpurified and unprepared hearts or hands Take him not then till you are prepared Yet 2. if prepared take him when you can and as soon as you can when he is offered to you whilst you may To day if you will 't is offering day with him yet any day too when he is offered and whilst he is so for he always will not be so 't will not be always Candlemas he will not be offered every day There is a time when he will go and not return when he will not any longer strive with flesh when we shall stretch out our hands and he will not come nor hear nor see us neither To day if you will do it do it you are not sure of your selves to morrow much less of him To day if you will if not I know not what day to pitch nor will you find it easie to meet another if you at any time neglect the present This day then whilst it is called to day lay hold of him if you be wise and would not be put off by him with a Discedite hands off I have nothing to do with you nor you with me it is too late Many are the times and days as well as means and ways wherein Christ is offered to us but this day he has been thrust into our arms put into our hands and we have taken him Yet say I still take him up in your arms and I say it without either tautology or impertinence or impropriety Into our hands we have taken him and I hope into our arms into our bosoms into our hearts besides take him yet up higher and higher into our affections the very natural arms of our souls more and more into them nearer and nearer to us closer and closer to our hearts embrace and hug him close as we those we most affectionate-love and hold him fast that he may no more depart from us but delight to be with us as with those that so love him that they cannot live without him Thus 't is no impertinence to wish you to take him still though you have taken him Thus you are every day to take him or this days taking him will come to nothing or to worse If you go not on still taking him nearer and nearer deeper and deeper every day into your bosoms and hearts as you have this day into your hands and mouths you will be questioned in indignation by him Why have you taken me into your mouths Why have you taken me up in your hands seeing you now seem to hate me are so soon grown weary of me and put me from you and even cast me behind you Take heed I beseech you of doing thus of drawing back your hands so soon drawing back at all For after this favour whereby you have been made partakers of him whereby he has so infinitely condescended from himself as to be received into so unclean and filthy and extremely unworthy hands and souls to be embraced by such vile Creatures what can we render him sufficient for such goodness 'T is but this O man that he requires a poor thing O man that he requires at thy hand for this vast infinite favour and thou hast Simeon here doing it before thee blessing God And he took him up in his arms and blessed God Indeed we can do little if we cannot bless bless him that blesses us benedicere speak well of him say he is good and gracious loving and merciful unto us tell and speak forth his praise tell and declare the great and gracious things that he hath done for us the wonderful things that he this day did for the Children of men Came and took their place and was presented and accepted for them who were but reffuse and rejected persons were fain to send Bulls and Lambs and Rams the very beasts to plead for them glad of any thing to stand between them and their offended God even the heifers dung and ashes to make atonement for them and as it were her skin to cover them Numb xix 2. till this day when this holy Child was presented for all and all those former poor shifts and shelters at an end no need of those dead offerings more being fully reconciled by this living one for ever Bless we him and praise him and speak good of him for this Bless we him yet more for vouchsafing us the touches of his sacred Body for so kindly coming into our arms our own children do not sometimes do so but come often with much frowardness and crying reluctance and unwillingness This Child Iesus comes of his own accord slips down from Heaven into our laps when we are not aware is in our arms e're we can stir them up And that this Son of God should so willingly leave his Fathers bosom the true and only seat of joy and pleasure for ours the perfect seat of sorrow and misery and rest himself in our weak arms who have nor rest nor shelter but in his that he should thus really infinitely bless us and yet require no greater a return than our imperfect blessing him again How can we keep our lips shut our tongues silent of his praise But having this day seal'd all these favours and blessings to us by the holy Sacrament the pledge and seal of this love wherewith he loved us having so really and fully and manifestly and fast given himself into our arms we cannot sure but bless him both with our tongues and hands with holy Simeon make an