drop out of such things from which otherwise it could hardly or never be extracted And this celestiall heat that exhaleth cloudes of water into the head and distilleth them in tears even such clouds as drop fatness and are as the dew of Hermon which fell upon the hill of Sion and come down like the rain into a fleece of wooll Even like that rain upon Gideons fleece which was to assure him of the Victory Judg. 6. This exhalation this distillation no doubt have many of the Saints felt As Peter who went forth and wept bitterly Mat. 26. Mary Magdalen who washed Christs feet with her tears Luk. 7. And David who every night washed his bed and watered his couch with his tears Ps 6. 7. Heat increasing and decreasing by the wind Doth not the fire increase or abate by the wind respectively according to the nature or qualitie of the subject or matter wherein it is sometimes blown in sometimes blown out by one the same kind of blast And so indeed this fire of the spirit is sometimes increased sometimes decreased by the Word The Disciples going to Emaus hearing Christ their hearts did burn within them Luk. 24.32 there it was kindled by the wind But Ahab hearing Michaiah hated him 1 Kings 22. and the Jews hearing Stephen were cut to the heart Act. 7.54 there it was quenched by the wind And why the fire worketh not alike in every subject therefore the same Word that is the savour of life unto life is also the savour of death unto death in divers men 2 Cor. 2.16 O heat unsearchable in faculty incomprehensible in variety irresistible in efficacy What pains should we take in seeking it What joy should we make in finding it what care should we shew in keeping it For what comfort can we have inwardly or yeeld outwardly what growth what health what life can there be without it Wo be then unto us if we have no sense or feeling of it or but falsly in a wrong kind and the quite contrary way Namely if in what we should be revived hardned dryed increased even in that we be consumed softned moystned decreased or if instead of gaining the heat we have onely stoln the light of this fire to shine onely instead of burning and that but in the dark like gloworms meteors rotten wood Then such lack or abuse of heavenly fire here will but prepare and entitle us to hellish fire hereafter If ignis fatuus hypocrisie be our practise here ignis furens tormenting fire shall be our portion there If light without heat content us here heat without light shall discontent us there even unquenchable fire in utter darkness 3. But how doth this fire appear In the form or shape of cloven tongues This is the third symbole And there appeared unto them cloven tongues Tongues Tongues cloven First Tongues Very notably and excellently doth the Holy Ghost expresse and exhibit himself in the figure of a Tongue whether you respect the work or the instrument of that work which he now intendeth 1. The work what is it The work of Regeneration the making of new man which is the making of true man For man though true made at first was now marr'd and had need to be new'd and as I may say tru'd again What then behold a lively figure of this holy work What A Tongue A Tongue the figure of a true man Yes a more lively one cannot be devised For wherein consisteth the truth of a man but in his tongue whether ye take truth properly in its naturall sense or for the perfection of any other good For truth it self where is it if it be not in the Tongue And where else also is the perfection of any good Take the four Cardinal virtues Prudence Temperance Justice Fortitude where is the perfection of each of them but in their expression and where is that but in the tongue Ye will say they all especially Fortitude seem rather to belong to the hand No no the hand is but the tongues servant and but a blind one too it doth nothing but by command and direction from the tongue And what act so strong or great was there ever performed by the hand which hath not been matcht or excelled by the tongue Cyneas plures dicendo qua m Pyrrhus dimicando subegit Cedant armatog concedat laurea linguae Strength must yeeld to eloquence the faculty of the hand to the faculty of the tongue Bring man to the touchstone search his substance to the quick Is it not in his tongue For what differenceth man from beast Ratio oratio reason and speech and speech is the flower of reason without speech reason is but a dumb shew Yea what differenceth man from man but speech Stulto intelligens quid interest What 's the difference between a wise man and a fool Ask Socrates and he will say Loquere ut te videam speak that I may see thee he will find a mans substance in his tongue Ask Solomon and he will say A fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wise Prov. 17.28 He knows no difference but in the tongue In a word doth not David reduce a mans whole perfection to his tongue when he calleth it his glory Ps 59.7 Awake up my glory If therefore all the Magi of the East all the old Egyptian and Chaldaean Wise men were alive again to exercise their Hieroglyphick art to make holy Sculptures dumb shews and figures speaking signes to tell their eye their meaning they could not devise a more fit character to signifie a man then a tongue A tongue is a lively hieroglyphick of a man because by his tongue a mans substance is exprest Behold then this holy workmaster by this figure sheweth what work he intends he comes to renew man into his perfection he comes therefore in the likeness of tongues O come hither and consider this all ye that abuse your tongues to lying and falshood to vanity and sin What are ye not men but monsters devils incarnate Have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a devill Joh. 6.20 Good mens tongues are sparks of heavenly fire but wicked mens tongues are sparks of hellish fire The tongue is a fire it is set on fire of hell Jam. 3.6 Is not every man distinguished by his tongue and known what country man he is And do not our tongues also discover us whether we belong to heaven or hell Away then thou prophane swearer thou false lyar thou ribald talker away from Christ and from his spirit Have thou nothing to doe with that just man Thou art none of them for thy speech bewrayeth thee Say shibboleth Learn the language of Canaan speak edifying words that may minister grace unto the hearers Canst thou not so pronounce then thou art a rebellious Ephraimite thou art to be cut off from the congregation of Israel And may I not here especially and most properly speak to the Doctors of equivocation even
Because God hath prized us so highly we should not disesteem or sleight our selves but carefully passe the time of our dwelling here in fear 1 Pet. 1.17 18 19. 10. Q. Why to our neighbour A. Because God hath so dearly loved us 1 Joh. 4.10 Sect. 4. Of our receiving our Remedy 1. Q. HOw doe we receive the remedy which Christ hath wrought for us A. Onely by Faith Ioh. 1.12 Ioh. 3.16 Rom. 10.4 2. Q. But doth not faith work by love Gal. 5.6 A. Yes outwardly to the world and inwardly to our self in point of its own probation but not upwardly to God in point of our justification there Works are shut out Rom. 3.28 Eph. 2.9 3. Q. But though our Works have no hand in receiving our Justification yet do they not help to make us acceptable to God A. No more then the wiping with a filthy ragge would cleanse our faces Is 64.6 4. Q. But is there no worth or virtue in our Faith for which it receiveth our justification A. No for we are said to be justified or saved by Faith Rom. 3.28 and through Faith Eph. 2.8 but never for Faith for the price is onely Christs satisfaction Act. 4.12 Is 53.5 And to say we are justified by Faith is but a Figurative speech for Faith doth justifie us no otherwise then our hand doth feed us and that is but as a receiving and an applying instrument 5. Q. And doe you by your particular faith receive your own justification to your self A. Yes or else my faith were no better then the Devils I am 2.19 6 Q. But is it not enough at least for the ignorant to beleeve as the Church believeth in implicite Faith A. No for the just shall live by his faith Heb. 2.4 And in the Creed we are taught and required every one to professe and confess the particulars of our faith 7. Q. And have you any assurance in your particular Faith A. Yes though in much weaknesse Mark 9.24 and reluctation of the flesh Gal. 5.17 For Faith is the ground of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 8. Q. How can you have particular assurance having no particular warrant or promise to you by name A. Because the Covenant of Grace was made indefinitely to all beleevers every beleever may and must take and apply the same unto himself in particular as Iob 19.25 Iob. 20.28 Gal. 2.20 9. Q. What followeth or may be gathered out of this doctrine of our justification by Faith onely A. Humiliation and Confirmation 10. Q. How or why Humiliation A. Because in our justification we are meer and bare receivers and have nothing to boast of 1 Cor. 4.7 Luke 17.10 11. Q. How or why Confirmation A. Because we build not on the sand of our own merits but on the foundation of Gods knowledge 2 Tim. 2.19 Gal. 4.9 and on the rock of Christs perfection 1 Pet. 2.6 7 8. Sect. 5. Of the proof of our Faith 1. Q. WHat need is there of proving our faith A. None in respect of God for he knoweth what is in man Ioh. 2.25 and worketh whatsoever is good in man Iam. 1.17 but in respect of the Church and of our selves 2. Q. What is the proof of our faith outwardly to the Church A. It s good fruits Gal. 5.6 2 Cor. 5.17 Iam. 2 18. 3. Q. How necessary is that good fruit Obedience to true faith A. As necessary as the soul is to the life of the body I am 2.26 4. Q. What reason can you shew for this A. Because love is of the nature of fire 5. Q. And what do you infer from that A. That the fire of Gods love wheresoever it is received by faith will inflame Ps 39.3 and purifie Act. 15.9 6. Q. What inward proof is there to our self and our own conscience A. The testimony of Gods Spirit Ioh. 4.13 Rom. 8.16 7. Q. How is that wrought known or found A. Descendendo by showring down comforts Ps 72.6 and ascendendo by exhaling Graces Gal. 5.22 for so Iacobs dream Gen. 28.12 is fulfilled in Christ Ioh. 1.51 8. Q. What followeth for instruction of our practise out of this doctrine of the necessity of good works A. That we must take heed of denying God our selves Tit. 1.16 and of setting others awork to blaspheme him Rom. 2.23 24. 2 Sam. 12.14 Sect. 6. Of the helps of our Faith 1. Q. WHat speciall help have you of or to your faith A. The Sacraments for therein Christ is offered to us both by word and action 2 Q. How long have Sacraments been in use A. From the beginning 3. Q. What Sacraments had Adam A. The tree of Life pawning life to his obedience and the tree of knowledge of good and evil pawning death to his disobedience Gen. 2.9 4. Q. Had these any relation to Christ and the covenant of Grace A. No for there was yet no need because no sin 5. Q. When began the Sacraments of Grace A. Circumcision began by Abraham Gen. 17.9 and the Passeover by Moses Ex. 12.3 6. Q. Why are these ended and taken away A. Partly because Christ was the end of the Law Rom. 10.4 and the body of those shaddows Col. 2.17 and partly because God fitteth his Church according to its age and quality with spirituall as the Nurse doth her child and the Physician his patient with corporall food and Physick 7. Q. How many Sacraments hath Christ ordained in his Church A. Two onely as generally necessary to salvation that is to say Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. 8. Q What say you then to those 5 which the Church of Rome will have also to be Sacraments Confirmation Pennance Extreme Unction Orders Matrimony A. That they be not Sacraments First because Christ did neither partake nor ordain them Secondly because they be not all alike common to all for Orders can belong but to one profession Thirdly because they crosse and oppose one another as Orders and Matrimony which cannot agree together as they suppose 9. Q. What meanest thou by this word Sacrament A. I mean an outward visible sign of an inward and spiritual Grace given unto us ordained by Christ himself as a means whereby we receive the same and as a pledge to assure us thereof 10. Q. What do you shew or touch in this answer A. The nature of a Sacrament that it is an outward sign of an inward grace The Author that it is from Christ The Effect that it doth conveigh and assure the Grace which it signifieth 11. Q. Doth then the outward sign alwaies give and confirm the grace which it signifieth A. Not properly of it self and by the very action but instrumentally where it pleaseth God to make it effectuall for Simon Magus was in the gall of bitternesse after Baptism Act. 8.13.23 Whether Judas did communicate is controverted and Iudas after the Lords Supper if he received it was a lost child of perdition Joh. 17.12 12. Q. Why then doth your common Catechism say that in Baptism you
them for their work sake then ye will love them for their own sake because they are workers and for Gods sake because they are his workers and for your own sakes because the benefit of their work extendeth to you temporally spiritually eternally For bodily exercise profiteth little but godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 Yea love them for their presence and companies sake for much is the benefit that secretly you may receive thereby God blessed Laban for Jacobs sake Gen. 30.27 and Potiphar for Josephs sake Gen. 40.5 yea he gave Saint Paul the lives of all his fellow passengers in that desperate danger of shipwrack Act. 27.24 And if ten righteous could have been found in Sodome all the multitude of miscreants even all the whole citty should have been spared for their sakes Gen. 18.32 And what knowest thou whether the company and acquaintance the society and near neighbourhood of one of Gods favourites may be unto thee and all thine both a prospering in good and a defence from evill But what is the notice that God gives and thereby shews that he took of Moses life Even this That he was his servant Behold then God is no ungratefull Master no man can serve him for nought He observeth as diligently thy obedience to approve and reward it as thy disobedience to reprove and punish it yea though it bee in secret he will reward thee openly Mat. 6.4 yea though it bee but little and of small value that thou doest for a cup of cold water shall not lose its reward Mat. 10.28 The Widdows Mite is not disdained but extolled Luke 21.1 Yea he keeps a book to register every word and a bottle to preserve every tear that true repentance shall bring forth Put my tears into thy bottle are not these things noted in thy book Psal 56.8 O then be not weary of well doing for in due time ye shall reap if ye faint not Gal. 6.9 And say not it is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Commandements and walked humbly before the Lord Mal. 3.14 But be ye stedfast and unmoveable alwaies rich in the work of the Lord for as much as yee know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 But doth God give no other notice of Moses then that he was his servant No this was the height of his honour for the Law afforded but Servantship it is the Gospel that bringeth Sonship the time of Sonship was not yet come For even that Heir the Church of Israel differed nothing from a servant though he were Lord of all but was under Tutors and Governours yea in a kind of bondage under weak and beggarly rudiments Gal. 4. But when the Son became a Servant then servants became sens He made himself of no reputation but took upon him the form of a servant Phil. 2.7 From thence forth that was fulfilled to us Thou art no more a servant but a son Now if thou be a son thou art also the heir of God through Jesus Christ Gal. 4.7 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with with the yoke of bondage Gal. 5.1 The yoke of bondage of the Ceremonial and of the Moral Law Of the Ceremonial Law as touch not tast not handle not which were shaddows of things to come but the body is in Christ Col. 2.21 Of the Morall Law For even that also may prove an entangling yoke of bondage Namely if we stick to the Covenant of Works and presume on our own meriting Beware then with the Dog in the Fable ye lose not the substance by catching at the shaddow That ye go not about to establish your own righteousness not submitting your selves to the righteousnesse of God for Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnes Rom. 10.3 in him we must seek it or else we shall never find it It may prove also a yoke of bondage if we stick to the covenant of it the contrary way namely by dispairing yeelding to the force and sinking under the burthen of the curse of it taking no hold on that Anchor of hope which we have in Christ Heb. 6.19 For Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 In all these respects therefore stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made us free for the sonne having made us free now are we free indeed Joh. 8.36 even of servants we are made sons But how are we made lawless sons and hath the Law indeed no more power over us Not so the curse of it is taken away not the force of it the killing letter is blotted out not the binding Letter We are freed in respect of vengeance from God not in respect of obedience to God so that still we must doe all that ever we can but when all is done we must say we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to doe Luk. 17.10 As free and yet not as having your liberty for a cloak of malitiovsness but as the servants of God 1 Pet. 2.16 For brethren you have been called unto liberty onely use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another Gal. 5.13 For how much more priviledge God affordeth us so much more duty we should afford him acknowledging his service to be perfect freedom And so much of Gods notice taken and given of Moses in his life Of his death also he takes and gives notice Moses my servant is dead shewing that even Gods servants also must dye from that none can be priviledged By Adams sin death went over all men Rom. 5.12 It is appointed to all men once to die Heb. 9.37 Yea though Christ hath taken away his Fathers wrath in the curse of death yet he hath not taken away his Fathers word concerning the course of death he hath turned the curse of death into a blessing because he is merciful He will not alwaies be chiding neither keepeth he his anger for ever Psal 103.9 but he hath not stopped the course of death to stay it from proceeding because he is just and true Heaven and earth shall passe away but his word shall not pass Mat. 24.35 All must dye Let every man therefore from the meanest to the greatest from the worst to the best watch and wait yea provide and prepare for death as unavoydable thy poornesse cannot hide thee thy greatnesse cannot protect thee thy holinesse cannot priviledge thee Moses Gods servant dyed and so must thou Again this sheweth that God taketh notice of the death as well as of the life of his servants and that they who live to him cannot dye from or without him Right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Ps 165.15 he dearly regardeth it he
doth not slightly neglect it Lazarus was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom as Christ testifieth Luk. 16.22 and Moses his dead body was protected and defended against the Devill by an Angel yea by Michael the Archangel as St. Jude testifieth Iude 9. Behold then your happiness all yee that serve God for when or where or howsoever death shall finde you God doth not then lose you your soul and body shall be parted but neither of them parted from God the one goes to joy the soul fleeth to God that gave it Eccl. 12.7 the other to rest Blessed are they that die in the Lord they rest from their labours Rev. 14.13 by whatsoever casualty or cruelty therefore thine own or thy friends death cometh grieve not lament not despaire not feare not for not onely the soules of the righteous are in the hand of the Lord Wisd 3.1 but their whole persons All Saints are in thy hand Deut. 33.3 Tyrants cannot kill the soul at all nor yet the body without Gods observance nor yet destroy it past his preservance but every faithfull one in every kind of death may comfortably yeeld himself unto God as unto a faithfull Creator 1 Pet. 4.19 with Davids assurance of safety Psal 4.8 I will lay me down in peace and take my rest for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety And thus much for the first part of my Text Gods approbation of Moses Now for the latter part his ordination of Joshua Now therefore arise Ye may understand Joshua's name for it is to him spoken Note that God calleth Joshua and whereto he calleth him 1. That he calleth him and that Joshua stirreth not without bidding For Great places must have great and strong calling Moses was afraid to undertake his charge yea even contended with God by urging his disability Exod. 4. Jeremiah crieth out Behold I cannot speak for I am but a child Jer. 1.6 And of the Priesthood it is said No man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5.4 Yea who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2.16 Woe be then to the corruption of our times in rising to places Doe they come without calling No for they call themselves I have not sent these Prophets saith the Lord yet they ran Jer. 23.21 But let unlookt for Guests beware of that unlookt for question Friend how camest thou in hither Mat. 22.12 Doe they rise without bidding No but it is in a contrary kinde to that which should bee for instead of Gods bidding them by the motions and bidding for them by the gifts of his spirit they bid for themselves by gifts and summes as the place is worth in a wordly eye But wo be both to the receivers and givers of such biddings To the receivers for what difference is there between Balaams going and their setting others to goe for reward Or what difference between Judas his betraying Christ and their betraying the Church the body of Christ for money May not all such taking bee justly called the wages of iniquitie To the givers for God hath ordained that spirituall things shall buy temporall If we have sowen unto you spirituall things is it a great thing if we reap your carnall things 1 Cor. 9.11 Not that temporal shall buy spirituall they that offer that are in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity Act. 8.23 They may boldly say to their people Dearly beloved brethren for their charge cost them dear it was a dear bargain dear to their purses dearer to their consciences but dearest of all without repentance to their soules That is the right golden hook they fish withall And yet indeed they speake falsly in calling the people Dearly beloved for it is not the people but the profit that they love They cannot say with Saint Paul I seek not yours but you 2 Cor. 12.14 But contrariwise I seek not you but yours So much of Joshua's being called Now whereto he is called Arise This implyeth Honour and Labour 1. Honour For Great places yeeld honour to the possessors Joshua was at first Moses's Minister or servant now hee be the peoples head or governour Therefore he must arise that is take greater degree of honour Hereto agreeth that speech of lifting up He lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill to set him among Princes 1 Sam. 2.8 Thou art the lifter up of my head Psal 3.3 and this is confirmed by that 1 Pet. 2.17 Honour the King and by the Commandement Honour thy Father and Mother Let Superiours honour then bee maintained by themselves and by others By themselves the higher they are raised the more they are in the peoples sight the more care they need to take of themselves they are the light of the world and as a Citty set upon a hill that cannot be hid Mat. 5.14 By others For wee must give every man his due custome to whom custome fear to whom fear honour to whom ye owe honour Rom. 13.7 For God is not the author of confusion 1 Cor. 14.33 But he will have every man known and acknowledged in his degree to the fulfilling whereof he requireth a kinde of strife and contention who shall doe most In giving honour prevent or go before one another Rom. 12.10 2. Labour For Great places require great labours To arise argueth no sleepy idlenesse but painfull practise honos onus cannot be divided every honour hath its burthen the words sound alike and there is not much oddes in the letters nor in the number of them but one which is an aspiration the peoples breath his rising here is not as Exod. 32.6 The people sate down to eat and drink and rose up to play It is no play game but a matter of laborious consequence he must arise and goe over Jordan It was labour in leading more in ruling most in fighting It is said of Christ Is 9.6 The government is upon his shoulders and Exod. 28.12 Aaron likewise must bear the names of the twelve Tribes upon his two shoulders And it is generally true that Governement is a shoulder worke a burthen requiring strength and industrie Let every one therefore from the highest to the lowest that hath had any rising above others look to his labour and charge therein for even the meanest Master or Father that is risen to be over a Family is therein risen to labour Hee hath others to answer for as well as for himself Duxit uxorem altera cura nati liberi altera cura If he have married a Wife he hath another charge if he have children he hath another charge the greater his charge the greater his place is the greater is his labour and therefore the greater should be his care for hee may bee sure his accompt will bee greater and his reward will bee greater if he accompt well and his punishment greater if ill For to whomsoever much is given of him much shall be required Luk. 12.48 And now
I conclude with Application This Text fits well with this time and place at least in the fore-part of it Moses my servant is dead That my Predecessor lately dead was a Moses and Gods servant it is needlesse for me to tell you that can tell so well and doe tell me so much even such a memory of him as that a better cannot be wisht so that I fear to speak much of him lest my much should bee too little lest I should faile in speaking so much good of him as others doe I will say all then in that which may serve as an Epitaph to set upon his grave even that Eze. 2.10 as the vulgar Latine readeth it and as I may construe it to my purpose Lamentationes carmen vae To his death belongs lamentation and song and woe Lamentation to you and to all his friends from whom hee is parted a song to him who having finished his course hath received no doubt the end of his faith the salvation of his soul and is gone into that place of heavenly singing Halle-laiahs songs of praise to God with the Quire of Angels But woe to his Successor for as much as his Worth was so great and his Memory is so good that there is little hope left to another to match so much desert or to find such an acceptance And in the other part also the Text is not unfit For though I arrogate not to my selfe the name and worth of Joshua yet now I must professe my selfe to be your Joshua your Leader into the heavenly Canaan your Guide and Captaine in your spiritual Warfare I professe also to have had like calling with him hereunto even to arise I professe like calling though not by an audible voice from heaven which now we must not expect Miracles being ceased yet by a fair and free calling as ever was any For never did any that asked at all make less suit or asking then I have done for this And if offers gifts services friendship kindred could have prevailed I could not have sped So that you must take mee as at the Lords sending what ever I am and I must say It is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in my eyes I professe also my calling to be to arise as in honour so in labour Which profession that I may fulfill and practise I desire you every one from the oldest to the youngest as many as can pray to help mee by your prayers not onely weekly here in publike but daily at home in private For if you lack wisdom you must ask it of God not of me for it descendeth from above Jam. 1. And if ye think it not worth the asking yee make your selves unworthy of receiving Ask therefore and you shall receive that your joy may be full Joh. 16.24 Which the Lord grant c. Finis Maii 19. 1633. Trino-uni gloria Per me Gulielmum Gaium A SERMON preached at Longleat at the Baptism of the late hopefull Spark too bright for this World Mr. THEOPHILVS THYNNE Text 1 PET. 3.18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins THis Text doth give me occasion to tell you a dolefull tale very strange yet not more strange then true very like in some respects and yet also in some other respects very unlike to that Tragical story of the death of Absalom recorded 2 Sam. 18. 1 In some respects it is like it For Absalom there spoken of was the son of David a great and mighty King and Christ of whom I am to speak was the Son of God the King of Kings and Lord of Lords 2. Absalom was the beloved son of his Father else he would never have made so great lamentation for him as he did crying O my son Absalom my son my son Absalom and Christ was the beloved sonne of his Father else he would never have given so great commendation of him as he did saying This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased 3. Absalom was excellent in corporall beauty from the sole of his foot to the crown of the head there was no blemish in him and Christ was absolute in spiritual beauty there was no spot or stain of sinne to be found upon him 4. Absalom died hanging up in the air on the bough of a tree and Christ dyed lifted up between heaven and earth upon the crosse 5. Absalom was thrust through with darts and Christs side was pierced with a spear 6. Absalom being dead was taken down and cast into a pit and a great heap of stones laid upon him and Christ being dead was taken down and laid in a sepulcher and a great stone rolled against him 7. Concerning Absalom there was one souldier that answered Captain Ioab Though I should receive a thousand sheekels of silver yet would I not lay my hand upon the Kings Sonne and concerning Christ there was one woman that sent unto Lieutenant Pilate saying Have thou nothing to do with that just man 8. When Absalom was slain his Father withdrew himself from the cruell Captains and shewed them no grace nor favour but displeasure and when Christ was slain his Father withdrew himself from the murthering Jews and to this day they have his wrathfull indignation according to their own imprecation His blood be upon us and upon our children But to make this Tragedy of Christ more pittifull and lamentable then that of Absalom behold also here great difference and dissimilitude 1. Absaloms Father had many more children but Christ was the only begotten son of his Father 2. Absalom was a rebellious and disobedient sonne and wilfully ran upon his own death contrary to his Fathers good will but Christ was so loyall and obedient a Sonne that hee would not so much as avoyd death without his Fathers good will for so he spake Not my will but thine bee done 3. Absalom did not only himself flee from his Father and rebell but hee drew others away with him but Christ did both yeeld himself unto his Father saying Into thy hands I commend my spirit and with himself hee drew others also saying to the Thief upon the Cross This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise 4. Absalom dyed unwillingly notwithstanding he suffered no punishment but his owne deservedly due unto him but Christ dyed willingly notwithstanding the punishments due unto all the world were undeservedly laid upon him 5. The hair of Absaloms head fastned in the bough of a tree was strong enough to bear the weight of him It is probable that his great bush of hair hung in a bough 2 Sam. 14.26 but Christ was loaden with so insupportable a burthen that his hands and his feet nailed to the body of the Crosse were little enough to hold him 6. Absalom hanging by his hair felt pain and torment no where but in his head till Ioab came with his darts to dispatch him but Christ both before he was crucified and while he was crucified was tormented and tortured in all his
body 7. It was but an Oaken bough wherein Absaloms head was entangled but it was a sharp thorny bush wherewith Christs head was wreathed 8. In a word Absaloms story was a right Tragedy for it began merrily he invited his brethren to a Feast but it ended mournfully he and his followers were put to the sword but Christs story was more and worse then tragicall for his birth his life his death began continued ended with no mirth at all but with continuall mournfull misery But that I may proceed orderly in this my discourse I propose these three chief parts or points of the Text to be observed 1. The sufferer Christ 2. His sufferings hath suffered 3. The cause of his sufferings for sins Concerning the sufferer we are to consider who hee was and what he was who in his person what in his office The former the Prophet plainly sheweth Is 9.6 Unto us a child is born and unto us a Sonne is given Parvulus a Child that noteth his humanity Filius a Sonne that noteth his Deity Parvulus a Child even man of the substance of his Mother born in the World Filius a Sonne even God of the substance of his Father begotten before the World Parvulus a Child behold his humility She brought forth her first born Son and wrapped him in swadling clothes and laid him in a manger Luk. 2.7 Filius a Son behold his dignity When he bringeth in his first begotten Son into the world he saith and let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1.6 That hee was man there is proof It is enough to the purpose to say seeing it is a saying undenyable he was born he lived he dyed That he was God there is proof St. Peter saith They killed the Prince of life Act. 3.15 and St. Paul saith they crucified the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2.8 Yea that God hath purchased his Church with his own blood Act 20.28 That he should be man there was reason For man had sinned therefore man must be punished By a man came death therefore by a man must come the resurrection of the dead Man was the offender therefore man must be the satisfier Angels could not do it they had no bodies to suffer the bruit sensible creatures could not do it they had no soules to suffer The insensible creatures could not doe it they had no sense to suffer therefore man having body soul and sense must do it for he had sinned in all and he could suffer in all That hee should bee God there was reason yea double reason First that his sufferings might be sufficient and againe that his merits might bee sufficient That his sufferings might be sufficient For the sin of man was infinite I mean infinitely punishable If not infinite in number infinite offences yet infinite in nature every offence infinite because against God who is infinite No creature could therefore satisfie for it but the sufferer must be God that so his infiniteness might be answerable to the infiniteness of mans yea all mens offences And again that his merits might be sufficient he must bee God for sufficient merit for all Mankinde could not be in the person of any meer man no not in Christ himself considered only as a man For so all the grace he had he did receive it and all the good he did he was bound to doe it for he was made of a woman and made under the Law Gal. 4.4 therefore in fulfilling it hee did more then that which was his duty to doe he could not merit by it no not for himself much lesse for others considered only as man therefore he must also be God that the dignity of his person might adde dignity and virtue and value to his works In a word Deus potuit sed non debuit homo debuit sed non potuit God could but he should not man should but he could not make the satisfaction therefore he that would doe it must be both God and Man Terris crutus ab igne as the Prophet speake h Zac. 3.2 Is not this a firebrand taken out of the fire In a firebrand there is fire and wood inseparably mixed and in Christ there is God and Man wonderfully united He was God else neither his sufferings nor his merits could have been sufficient And if his could not much lesse any mans else for all other men are both conceived and born in original sin and also much and often defiled with actuall sin Away then with all such doctrines of prayers and Masses for the dead and whatsoever other merit or satisfaction of man for no man may deliver his brother nor make agreement to God for him for it cost more to redeem their souls so that he must let that alone for ever Ps 49.7 He was man even God became man by a wonderfull unspeakable and unconceivable union Behold God is offended by mans affecting and coveting his wisdom and his glory for that was the Devils temptation to our first Parents ye shall be as Gods and man is redeemed by Gods assuming and taking his frailty and his infirmity Man would be as God and so offended him therefore God becomes man and so redeemeth him Away then with all pride and disdain scorn and contempt of our brethren despise not hate not revenge not him that compares himself unto thee or lifts himself above thee pursue him not with fury prosecute him not with rage but rather seek to reconcile and winne him with kindnesse meeknesse and humility so did God deal with man his proud daring and too too high comparing creature Because man in pride would be a God therefore God in love became a man And so you have one particular concerning the sufferer namely who he was in his person God and Man Again as aforesaid we are to consider what hee was in his office the Text doth yeeld it in the name Christ This name or title Christus was wont to be given to three sorts of dignities or degrees Namely to Kings Priests and Prophets and that because the signification of that name that is Anointed did belong to them for those three degrees were wont to be consecrated and confirmed with the ceremony of Anointing so was Aaron Anointed to be a Priest Jehu to be a King Elisha to be a Prophet And of them all the Psalmists words may be understood Psal 105.15 Nolite tangere Christos meos Touch not mine Anointed But never was this name so properly given to any as to him of whom my Text speaketh For if any were Anointed with material oyl hee was Anointed with spiritual oyl the oyl of gladness if any were Anointed abundantly he was Anointed superabundantly above his fellows if any were Anointed temporally he was Anointed eternally Thou art a Priest for ever saith the Psalmist Whose Kingdom shall have no end saith the Nicen Creed If any were Anointed for any of those three dignities or degrees it was for one of them or but for two at
lyeth still till the quill of breath be quite wasted the life of man posteth speedily and never baits nor rests till it comes to its last Inne of death the life of man passeth quickly and admitteth no stops nor pauses till the last gasp make a full period For when the shuttle lyeth still the weavers life flyeth on when the Post baiteth his life keepeth on its journey when the tale-teller pauseth it is no stop to his life Nay when time or at least the measurers of time the sun and moon stood still in the dayes of Josuah yet then there was no stay in the course of life but many mens death were hastned and they ran to their ends faster then they could run from their Enemies as yee may read in the tenth of Jos Nay when the sun went backwards in the daies of Hezekiah even then no doubt mens lives went forward 1 Kin. 20. for wee not read that God brought backe any mans mans life when hee brought back the shadow he did onely adde some time to Hezekiahs life he gave him a longer journey to go he did not give him leave to goe it at his own leasure and pleasure but it was with Hezekiah as it is with all mens else there is no manner nor measure of stop or stay in the course of life but whether we wake or sleep eat or drink work or play still our glasses run and every moment we draw nearer and nearer to our ends My life is but a wind saith Job Job 7.7 Thou hast made my daies as it were a span long saith David Ps 39.5 What is your life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away saith St James Ja. 4.14 And herein I doubt not mans vilenesse is also much discovered namely in the shortness as well as in the miseries of his life And from hence I pray take out a twofold use First somewhat concerning God then concerning our selves 1 Vse Concerning God wee have here a discovery both of his mercie and of his justice I say of his mercie as well as of his justice for though indeed shortnesse of life came upon man at the first Nomine poenae in the name of a curse yet now Rebus sic stantibus the case standing as it doth the children of God may take it for a blessing For they endure many crosses and afflictions in this world but let them be comforted their life is but short they shall not endure them long and hereis Gods mercie Again for the wicked they prosper and flourish but let them fear and tremble their life is but short They spend their daies in wealth and in a moment go down to the grave Ps 1.21 And here is Gods justice The godly are Pilgrims and strangers upon Earth but they have an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved for them in heaven 1 Pet. 1.4 therefore their life is but short that they may not long be kept from it Behold a work of mercie But on the contrary the wicked have their portion here and all their felicity in this world as they are set forth speaking Wisd 2.9 Come let us enjoy the good things that are present For this is our portion and our lot is this therefore their life is but short that they may not long enjoy it Behold a work of justice And I hold it to be worth the observing that as the strength of sin hath increased and the times grown worse and worse Aetas parentum prior avis c. our fathers age worse then our grandfathers ours worse then theirs so the age of man hath decreased and grown lesse and lesse In so much that now adaies we do scarce reach to the tenth part of the time that the Fathers in the first ages did live To the end that the more iniquity doth abound and the more sin mischief and evill there is in the world the lesse the Saints of God might be incumbred with it might not be constrained to dwell with Mesech and to have their habitation among the tents of Kedar Ps 120 therefore the age of man is shortned and here is Gods mercie Again the more that wicked men do solace themselves in sin and take pleasure in unrighteousnesse the lesse time they might have to delight and rejoyce therein And here is Gods justice Mercie and truth are met together righteousness and peace have kissed each other Ps 85.10 In this one action of setting so short a date and stint upon the life of man both the hands of God 〈◊〉 may so speak with reverence his mercie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justice are exercised together And so ye have 〈◊〉 concerning God viz. the discoverie of his mercie and justice 2. Vse Again concerning our selves Seeing our life is so short swift and slippery that it flyeth faster then imagination O then I may cry out unto you in the words of Saint Peter what manner of persons ought we to be in holy conversation and godlinesse what a monstrous madness is it for men still to live as if they should never dye and never to prepare for the entertaining of death untill they hear him knocking at their dores Indeed 't is true death is a great man and a guest of Kings and therefore commonly hee sendeth one of his harbingers before him sicknesse or old age to take up his lodging But yet many yea very many times he rideth alone like an ordinary guest and comes unlookt for yea like a thiefe in the night at an hour when wee are most secure and unaware And therefore it cannot be denyed but that it is a good and godly prayer which we were wont to have in our Letanie From sudden death good Lord deliver us though indeed properly in it self death cannot be said to be sudden to them that ore of ripe age For how can he be said to die suddenly who having lived 50. or 40. or but 20. years hath had all or most of all that time to make himself ready death therfore cannot be said to be sudden unlesse it take us in our infancie before wee have had any time to prepare and make us ready for the very short and swift condition of our life is or should be a sufficient Item warning or notice of death Let us therefore remember the fearfull censure and judgement pronounced upon that servant that said in his hetar my master will defer his coming That servants master will come in a day when hee looketh not for him and in an hour when he is not aware and shall cut him off and appoint him his portion with hypocrits there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 24.48 And now my hour being out and requiring an end of my present discourse I pray give me leave to press upon you the duty of preparing for death by the sad occasion that is now offered to us and is so strong upon us namely the death of our late honorable Lady Wee little