not offended in him 6. Others are judicially blinded He hath blinded their eyes and hardned their heart that they should not see with their eyes and understand with their heart and be converted and I should heal them Again God hath given them the Spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear unto this day So that it is as much a mercy to have an eye to see as the Sun to give us light and the same cause to blesse God for giving an eye or eare as for the Gospel and for giving faith as wel as giving Christ. Christ without faith profiteth no more then the Sun without an eye or meat without a mouth This being a communicable Attribute it gives us an imitable example the Uncommunicable Attributes of God are Un-imitable To aspire to be equal to God in glory which he wil not give to another was the Pride of Lucifer in Omniscience was the sacriledge of Adam in Power was the insolence of Babylon in wisdome and Policie the ambition of Tyre they all perished in such attempts but to affect to be like God in holinesse purity mercy forbearance c is a Gospel duty So to affect to be like the Sun in his splendor glory to move in a higher orbe that we might shine alone and all others be eclipsed by our fame and glory were to say with Lucifer I will walk among the stars But to be as like the Sun as may be in Communicativenesse wil be our glory There is to be a communicativenesse 1. In Spiritual 2. Civil matters 1. In Spiritual things and that 1. By the Ministers who must be as the lights of heaven and the Salt of the earth go about as Christ himself doing good He must be eyes to the blind warmth to the cold The Sun when gotten higher gives more heat then when it was lower you must be more useful then when you were private Christians 2. By private Christians who must exhort one another speak one to another As you have received a gift minister the same as good stewards of the manifold grace of God The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withall Yet God being the God of order not confusion intended not that all should become publick teachers to extinguish the calling of the Ministry they are to be Stars in private not Suns it were to be wish'd indeed that the light of the Moon were like the light of the Sun and that the hearers were almost and altogether such as the Preacher that all the Lords people were Prophets but not that the Sun should be pul'd down and the Moon and Stars which are to give light only by the night in absence and defect of Ministers should rule by day and openly teach in the sight of the Sun It went of old for a fable I fear as this age hath turned many truths into fables so it wil some fables into truths and it may prove too true that our Phaetons in the Chariot of Phoebus wil set all on fire It is twice noted in sacred history that the lowest of the people were made Priests and both times ominous In Jeroboam's time whose house sunk with it and in Hosheah's Reigne when the ten Tribes were finally cut off But both times it was but to officiate to Calves and the Images in the high Places never to the true God Woodden Priests and Golden Calves may go well together as was said of Caligula who would himself be adored as a God and would have his Horse consecrated for his Priest there was like God like Priest as the Historian observed As for the Church of Christ she is described to be clothed with the Sun the Moon under her feet and a crown of Stars on her head It is a sad change that now she should be stript of the Sun clothed with the Moon and have the Stars trod under her feet 2 In Civil things 1 All rich persons should remember their charge To be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate thereby laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life Again Distributing to the necessitie of the saints given to Hospitality propounding to themselves that example of him who when he was rich became poor that we through his poverty might be made rich Or this of the lower Sun who is liberal to the poore and shines not only on the fertile pastures but on the barren rocks and sandy wildernesses whence no fruit can be expected 2. But especially the Magistrate who was wont to be emblem'd with a Sword in one hand Ballances in the other eyes closed to be without respect of persons in administring justice and by a fountaine to denote their communicativenesse He should not as Lucifer affect a higher orb and climb unduely to that place to which he is not called Such prove prodigies not stars and are as the blazing stars the astonishment of the world made up of fiery and malignant matter which after they have caused terror in the Land of the Living consume themselves and appeare no more The Sun is not placed in the highest but in the middle Sphere there more safe there more useful Saturn is far higher and Mars also is above him but both of malignant Aspect The Sun is the Earths Patron and Benefactor The Sun is more full of lively heat and influence when gotten higher a warning to those exalted to Higher Places to grow better as they are grown greater Prodesse magiâ— quam praeesse Yet it is commonly observed in the Heavens That the Sun moves slower when it is at the Highest swifter when lower and we ordinarily find men with their Advancement to lose much of their activity and usefulness Yet it was the grave advice of Plutarch That Magistrates should herein also resemble the Sun moving when at highest more slowly as to violence not to activity but more deliberately and with Moderation for the benefit of the Commonwealth and their own particular security CHAP. X Of several Properties of the Sun whereof first his Greatness THE third thing wherein the resemblance holds between these two Suns is their like Properties whereof there be many we shall begin with that of Greatness Who knoweth or will believe the stupendious magnitude of the Sun All the Etherial Bodies far exceed these Earthly in their Greatnesse The Sun especially which though the ignorant Countrey man believes as Epicurus taught that it is but Bipedalis or of the bigness of a Bushel the Learned know that of necessity it must be far bigger then the whole Globe of the Earth and Seas One hundred and sixty times bigger the Learned say although by conjecture rather then certainty to be exactly so and no more The fixed Stars are said to be of six Magnitudes the least whereof are
said only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 1. 14. attentè consideratè spectare contemplari It is but a speculative Theory we have here The Suns essence is a Quintessence or rather a Sextessence a glorious essence indeed or none such being not of a grosse mixt but pure simple heavenly essence The heaven is a Quintessence purer farre then earth or the other elements but the Starrs are purer then those heavens and the Sun as much purer then all the starrs put together There is a Confluence and Treasure of light put together in the Sun So is it with Christ. 1. His Divine Nature is the purest essence heaven not Pure in his sight The Angels far below him they hide their faces in his presence Isa 6. 2. as the lesser stars their heads before the Sunne 2. In his humane nature There dwells the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily Col. 3. 9. All treasures of wisdome and knowledg of grace and glory more in Christ by far then in all the Angels as Saul above all Israel for Stature higher from the shoulders and upwards and Absalom above all Israel to be praised for his beauty from his feet and upwards no blemish in him so is Christ fairer then the children of men from the feet and upwards and higher then the highest Angel from the shoulders and upwards 1. This may check the pride and blasphemy of those proud spirits and selfe anointing Cherubs or new Christs who call themselves not so low as Apostles but are not but Christs and are not Apostles who say God is as much in them as ever he was in Christ because misunderstanding the sense of that 2 Pet. 1. 3. made partakers of the Divine nature There is but one Sun a many Stars which partake of the nature and light of the Sun cannot these Stars partake of the Suns light but they must be so many Suns ceasing to be Stars The divine nature we are said to be Partakers of is the communication of Divine or holy God like qualifications such whereof we are capable excluding the perfections of Christ which are not communicable to the creature Like as Christ is said to partake of our humane nature being in all things like to us excluding only these imperfections of sin whereof his Divine nature was not capable nor were sutable to him The water cold by nature when boyling on the fire is made partaker of the nature of the fire yet is water still the waters coldnesse is not incapable of the fires heat the fires heat expels not the waters moisture there is fire and water both water in nature as fire in quality The cold and rusty Iron in the fire loseth both his coldnesse and colour of cold becoms fire hot of rusty fire-red It partakes of the nature of the fire yet is but Iron still Or as Judas may be said when Satan entred into him to partake of the nature of the divel He was a divel he lived not but Satan lived in him that is he was full of all sin hypocrisie treason impudence malice Impenitence despaire as if he had been a very divel rather then a man yet was Judas Iudas still a man not transformed at least not trasubstantiated into a Divel So when Christ enters into us we are so acted by him that we seem not to live but Christ in us Gal. 2. 20. And so that other place as much mis-understood 1 Joh. 5. 17. As he is so are we in this world is to be taken not as if there were no difference at all between Christ and us but there is 1. a sicut similitudinis as is the father begetting so is the young infant begotten Ora. oculique manusque eadem an As of likenesse And there is a 2d Sicut Aequalitatis As of Equality As is God the Father sucâ— is the Son Coessentiall coeternal not aâ— as of equality but of similitude betweene Christ and us we receiving of his fulnesse grace for grace the same grace not the same fulnesse 2. Then give unto Christ the Glory due unto his name sutable to his nature Divine glory Worship this rising Sun it is not idolatry but Purest Religion not base Policie but truest Pâ—ety The Sun was idolatrously worshipped with a forbidden worship among the Persians of old and by some of the Atheistical Jews Ezek 8. 16. But it is commanded that this Sun should be worshipped both by men and Angels Heb. 1. 6. When he bringeth in his first be gotten into the world he saith lâ—t all the Angels of God worship him Joh. 5. 23. that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father Fear not then to give the same divine honour religious worship to the Son as to the Father to believe in place hope on and make thy prayer to the Son of God The creature Sun is to be admired for his Brightnesse it is a shadow of the Deity not to be adored The Sun the Creator is to be adored he being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The brightnesse of his glory and the expresse image of his Person who upholdeth all things by the word of his Power CHAP. III. Christ and the Sun alike in their Attributes Unity the first THe Attributes of the Sun and of Christ wherein they are alike are either 1 Incommunicable 2. Communicable The first incommunicable Attribute of both is their Unity Sol quasi solus Next to the glorious Essence Unity is the highest perfection of God and his first Incommunicable Attribute The Sun among the Creatures is matchlesse in his glory because of his Unity In heaven God hath planted thousands of lesser Lights whom he cals all by their names in earth thousands of other creatures but one Sun for both In heaven thousands of fixed Stars which never fell in earth thousands of lesse lights whom the Father of lights knows and cals every one by his name But as the same Sun gives light to the Stars above and to the creatures below so one Christ is head to Angels and Surety for sinners from him they receive confirming grace we reconciling There is one God one Sun one God and one Mediator one Blood for Reconciliation one name for Salvation one Sacrifice for Universal Redemption one Righteousnesse for Justification There was one Temple High Priest Altar of old one Brazen Serpent one Rock one Bread one Garment of the High Priest for all his successours now one spotlesse seamlesse garment for us all One must die for all and he once for all Travellers beyond the line losing their old find new Stars no new Sun They under the Law had other stars the Prophets we on this side the line other Apostles Ministers and ordinances the same Sun The Saints departed having crossed the line leave all our Stars Ministers private Christians and Ordinances but enjoy the same Sun Unity is the glory of the visible heavens one peerlesse Sun and of the invisible heavens 1. The Unity
of the Divine Essence in three Persons I and my Father are one John 10. 30. There are three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one 2. So in Christ visible for his humanity invisible for his Divinity Unity is the perfection of his person Only in the former Unity of Essence there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alius not aliud here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliud not alius in this unity of Person As in the Creature Sun there is a conjunction and union of two different qualities light and heat Light such as is in heaven among the Stars none such on earth Heat such as is in living creatures on earth none such in the Stars So in Christ there is an union of an heavenly and earthly nature 1. Of a Deity which the other persons have without humanity 2. Of Humanity which we have without a Deity In this one High Priest alone the Thummim and the Urim the perfections of God and the light of men conjoyn'd 1. Then give unto Christ the glory of this Singular attribute of Unity in a double Unity 1. The Unity of faith 2. Unity of Love 1. By an Unity of faith eye Christ only eye him with a single eye look up to no other Mediator go not to glean in any other field as was said to Ruth one Sun gives light to all the world there needs no more He were a mad man should say set me up another Sun or light me a Candle at noon day to help out the Sun He more irrational who saith give me somewhat besides Christ another Mediator It is looked upon as prodigious in nature to see two or three Suns or Parelii together There is no such thing they are but imaginary Suns in a cloud having a little light no heat or vigorous Influence There is but one Sun which gives light to these so to set up Saints merits the Virgin Maries Intercession or our own duties were prodigious all have what they have from Christ and contribute nothing to him And these Parelii are never seen but when the Sun is low at morning or evening never at noone This flying to the Saints with Papists or imagined Righteousnesse with some carnal Protestants is only a sign of a dim knowledg and of a weak faith never of a sound judgment and a wel-informed mind How unhandsome is a new piece on an old garment or the garment part wollen part linnen Christ will be Solus or nullus Look to me and be saved all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else Isa. 45. 22. Each man puts out his candle and opens his window to let in heaven light when the Sun is up do so for your souls tread out your sparks they may burn thee they cannot lighten thee Isa. 50. 11. Behold all ye that kindle a fire that compasse your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled this shall ye have of my hand ye shall lye down in sorrow 2. Next look after the other great Unity The Unity of love the Unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace Faith and love are the two great uniting graces faith to the head love to the members As there are two great unions in heaven the first of three in one Trinity in Unity the other of two in one two natures in one person So next to these two most glorious Unions there are two mysterial Unions in earth of faith to Christ where two are one of love to the Church where all are one And as this is Gods perfection so the Churches according to Christs last Prayer John 17. 17. That they may be all one as Thou Father art in me and I in thee That they may be made perfect in one It was the glory and beauty of the Wheels that they were so Artificially joyned one within another that though divers they seemed one wheel and they had all one motion for one Spirit animated them All those innumerable fixed Stars keep their proper and certain station are therefore never eclipsed nor do they eclipse others but move together uniformly one motion is common to all The Planets move in several Orbs no two together and they are all eclipsed one by another Christians should as Stars in the Firmament not thwart cloud censure slight eclipse each other disparaging this mans Ministry question that mans sincerity Oh that the Trumpet might not make an uncertain or different sound but bee all as one as when the Temple was dedicated and when Jericho was besieged all the Priests blew together all the people gave one shout thereby should Babylons walls be finally ruined and Jerusalems fully repaired Then would it be said Who is this that looketh forth as the morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun terrible as an Army with banners This Unity of the Spirit would become the bond and cement of our Peace our bands and beauty the staff of the Church in her now old age and bring in those Primitive times again when after stormes The Churches regained rest and were edified walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplied Why should there not bee as one God one Church as one Lord one Baptism as one Spirit one Faith as one Father one Family as one Christ one Hope as one way one Heart as one Bread one Body as one Cup one Lip Cor unum via una Dominus unus Nomen unum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 12. 12. All should be one How delightful is it to see ten thousand beams streaming from the same Center of the Sun in heaven meet and re-center in the same punctulum on earth What a resplendent light and piercing heat do they give So when all the Graces coming from the same head do unite and con-center together what beauty light and heat is there The Beams dispersed are weakned united are more burning as in a Burning glass where all the Sun seems contracted in so narrow compass Where is most of Unity there is most of Christ. And now thou glorious Sun of Righteousness and blessed Peace maker who art all Union and the Fountain of it in whose Person the Father and Holy Ghost was from eternity united in whose Incarnation the Humane Nature was united to the Divine in whose Mediation the Divine was again united to the Humane In the strength of these two great Unions produce a third that union of our Nature with it self that there may be no more Schismes in the body Thou that didst slay the enmity between Jew and Gentile slay that between Christian and Christian and as thou art the foundation stone of our faith be also the corner the coupling stone of our Love and the
held to be eighteen times bigger then the Earth and those of the first Magnitude an hundred and seven times greater The Moon however it seem to us is the very least of all but Mercury and is Quadragesima pars terrae the Earth being thirty nine times bigger and the Sun seven thousand times or thereabout as is conceived Should all the earth and seas be supposed to be where the Sun is it would be as a Mathematical Point no bigger then a Diamond or a spark But who can compute the Greatness of the higher Sun Christ Iesus Canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection It is higher then Heaven what canst thou do dâ—eper then Hell what canst thou know The Suns Body can be measured his Diameter is taken to be so many thousand miles his motion observed to be so many hundred miles each hour But Christ his greatness unsearchable the Sun to him an Atom or spark the Heavens a span the earth as the dust of the Ballance the sea a drop of a bucket and all the Iles a little nothing and man less then nothing With the sole of his foot he covereth the earth and sea in the hollow of his hand holds all the deep 1. What high thoughts should this beget in us of Christ To whom will you liken him or can you equal him Regum timendorum in proprios greges Reges in ipsos Imperium Christi He bringeth Princes to nothing He can crush them as a moth and with his looks or frowns can undo them and their projects yea command them into Hell God looked on Pharaoh and he never looked up after it His wheels moved no more Ahasuerus looked displeasedly Hamans face was covered and he was presently led to Execution Fear him fear him 2. But let the poor Believers rejoice We have a great Savionr whose Grace Mercy Wisdom Merits are infinite He is many times bigger then the earth All sins of the world before his Merits no more then a cloud before the Sun I shall speak two great words 1. The one this That if all sins of all Believers were all laid on one person they were nothing to countervail his Meritorious satisfaction 2. The other a greater yet as true That if all sins of unbelievers since the world was were upon the account of one man that if you could suppose one man to be guilty of Cains Murder Pharaâ—â—s Obstinacy Ahabs Impiety Sauls Rage Ahitophels Treason Absoloms Parricide and Incest and Judas his Christicide and despair too and Sauls blasphemy withal yet this man flying to Christ Jesus should have all these sinnes done away as a cloud and should be as safe as Abel the Righteous The latter Act of turning Tamar out of doores was more shameful then the former in deflouring her To turne Christ out of doors after all other Contumelies and abuses is the foulest sin Any were admitted to the Feast but they who slighted the Invitation and had abused Mercy He who despised Moses Law dyed without Mercy yet there is a sorer punishment for such as trample under foot the bloud of Christ and despight the Spirit of Grace Can any thing be sorer then to dye without Mercy you 'l say Yes this 1. They dyed without Mercy at mans hands might find Mercy at Gods These without Gods Mercy 2. They dyed Temporally these Eternally 3. They if they went to Hell also have a more tolerable Hell there are several Dungeons there as Mansions in Heaven then those who have so much abused Grace What weight may a weak man swim with upon his back who hath bladders under his armes What sin can sink him that hath Christ in his armes Thou maist sink with all Duties without Christ and be safe after all thy sins with Christ. Thy sins are many great only less then infinite Christ is great and infinite and more then one way infinite his Person Blood Obedience Intercession Grace Power so many Infinites Should I tell an ignorant person That the Sun is One hundred sixty and six times bigger then the Earth he would laugh at it and not believe me yet so it is though he believe it not So should I say Christ his Grace Mercy and Merits are One hundred sixty and six times more then all our sins put together to an Unbeliever he would not assent yet so it is The Apostle calls them the unsearchable Riches of Christ. A little of sins Poison one drop of Pride may corrupt all our Righteousness A spoonful of Poison may infect a whole Vessel of Wine All Poisons cannot infect the Air the sea the Sun much less which will dissipate and correct all Malignity A little sin may mar all our Box of Duty and mar a mans yea Angels Righteousness and make us past recovery by Duties of the Law oâ— help of Angels but not past Christs help The Stars of the first Magnitude are One hundred and seven times bigger then the Earth yet shew nothing to the Sun The Angels are one hundred times more pure then we yet they need Christ and are nothing to him Oh Unbeliever cast not thy selfe and hope and safety wilfully away The Sun with one look dispels all darkness from the one Hemisphere and at another the darkness of the other Two looks enlighten the whole world What can two drops of the bloud of Christ do and two of his looks He looked and prayed for the sins of all those before his coming they were done away he looked again up to his Father for all these since his coming and they are gone Thus this one Lamb taketh away the sins of the world But as it sometime falls out with an over carfulf woman riding over water a good horse under her her Husband before her to hold by yet betrayed by her causeless fears she lets all go and casts her self down and is either drowned or well washed So do often we when we have Christ to hold by and are as safe as he himselfe we cast away our confidence and disquiet our selves with unnecessary fears Lord carest thoâ— not that we perish Let the Great ones of the world who are as the Sun in these lower heavens many times greater then other men Resemble this great Pattern who is not so much greater then the other Stars as it exceeds them all in Glory Beauty Light Influence cherishing the inferior Orbs with his beames and presence It affecteth not the highest Sphere but the most convenient is well content others should be above it in place so it may be more for common benefit He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God And he shall be as the light of the morning when the Sun ariseth even a morning without clouds as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain It is observed how all Creatures thrive and mend when removed into a better Soyl. Plants or Beasts taken
if Paul lost his sight when Christ appeared and shone round about him with a light far greater then the Sun CHAP. XII The third Property Light THe next great Property of the Sun is his Light which must not be forgotten Jer. 31. 35. Thus saith the Lord which giveth the Sun for a light by day c. He speaks as if it was chiefly created for this purpose Light is the glory of his glory and greatness Herein an eminent resemblance of Jesus Christ who is so often called a Light the True Light the Light of the world As in nature are to be seen several lights so the Scripture mentions many sorts of Lights 1 Some good 2 Some bâ—d 1. Some good 1. Divine and Uncreated 2. Created 1. Divine and Uncreated Light is so excellent a thing that God hath not disdained to be described by it entitled to it clothed with it 1. Take God Essentially he is a Light 1 Joh. 1. 4. clothed with Light Psâ—l 104. 2. 2. Consider God Personally 1. The father is called the Father of Lights as he is the father of Christ h. e. the Original of increated Light He hath communicated the Light of Divine nature to Christ who is God of God Light of Light into whom the Father hath put all fulnesse 2. Christ as God inhabiteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light Inaccessible 3. The Holy Spirit is a like co-equal and co-eternal Light whose proper work is illumination and his first worke in the new creature is answerable to that first word in the old Creation let there be Light and there was light So here the spirit of God moves upon the heart and brings it out of darkness into a marvellous Light 4. Christ Iesus as Mediator is the Sunne into whom the God head hath plentifully imparted all fulnesse of Divine Light as the light of heaven is cumulatively aggregated and embodied in the Sun to be the standing treasury of the Church as the Sun is of the world Thus those phrases are to be understood that he is the true Light and Light of the world viz as he is God-Man and Mediatour 2. There are many Created Lights 1. The Ancientest the Angels who were at first all of them Angels of Light by creation though since many of them are fallen Stars these the Lord cals the Morning stars who sang together when all the Sons of God sung for joy glorifying God for the excellency of his work as they were created These are Heavenly Lights 2. There be other Lights in earth whereof the first and chiefe are the holy Scriptures given to be a light to our feet and a Lantern to our paths to which we must attend and follow as a light shining in a dark place Our Cynosura and Pole Star they are as we are Mariners our Pillar of fire as we are Travellers our Sun as Mr. Brightman interprets all along in the Apocalyps 2. Next to these are Religious and godly Magistrates Stars of the first magnitude in the inferior orbs these come in place and dignity next to the Angels in Principalitie power and Influence and when they come neerest to Scripture Rules and Presidents they are of most sweet aspect as Gods on earth Gods set over us in the likenesse of men and these are not as the lesser stars but as the greatest Sun when they rule in the fear of God as David saith they shall be as the light of the morning when the Sun ariseth as a morning without clouds 3. After these follow the godly and exemplary Ministers who are the Stars in the hand of Christ Rev. 2. 1. are to be burning and shining lights in grace and doctrine then are worthy to be looked upon and followed as the light of the world You are the light of the world said our Saviour to his Disciples lesser lights in the lesser world these are to be as so many earthly Angels To the Angels of the seven Churches Paul was called by Chrysostome Angelus Terrestris and these are to receive their light of grace from the Sun of Righteousnesse in heaven and their light of doctrine from the Sun of scripture in earth that they may be as men of God throughly furnished to every good work 4. Each private Christian is so to hold forth the word of life that they may be as so many lights shining in the world Yet Christ and all these lights differ much 1. He is the great and true light John Baptist was a burning and shining light Joh 5. 35. but he was not that light that true Light Christ is the true Light as he is the true Vine the true Bread that is the great and excellent Light 2. Christ is perfect Light in him no darknesse at all In the Angels there hath been a defection of Light there are now many of them in chains of darknesse In Scripture is some obscurity in Ministers Magistrates Best Christians are many defects as spots in the Moon there is smoak in our best elementary fire and a black steam in our purest wax candles no smoak or steam in the Sun 3. He the fountain of Light as the Sun to stars and creatures having before been furnished and called to that office he having received all fulnesse from the Father freely imparts his light to Angels Scriptures Magistrates Ministers other Christians yea to Eveâ—y man that cometh inâ—â— â—he world as the Evangelist speaketh which is to be understood 1. of the light of coÌ„mon understanding and natural Reason not that higher light of supernatural Grace this is not given to all but hid to many for this as other common mercies and universal preservation floweth from Gods rich benignity as a fruit of Christs interposing Or 2. If you will understand it of saving knowledg He enlightens every one that cometh into the world then it must be understood of all and onely those that are of that number none have such light but from him So in many places of Scripture the word Every is to be taken which if wel considered would discover the unsoundness of Pelagian Doctrines and Arminian Conclusions The Apostle saith as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith The manifestation of the spirit is given to every one to profit withal not that every man hath faith the same Apostle saith all have not faith or that every man hath the spirit but he speaks only of such as are of that number the Elect called and godly 4. He the most eminent light out shining all them he present they silent and draw in their light as the Stars before the Sun So Angels Ministers Scriptures Ordinances yea the Sun it selfe are silent and of no more use to the Church in that heavenly Jerusalem where the Lamb is the Sun and Temple and Bible and all 5. In him all fulnesse as in the Sun of Light in Sea of water all receive all from him yet all cannot receive all
thee and bear thy yoake There is some duty required after cure when strength is given thee from recovering and assisting grace grace assisting must be sin resisting grace Israel was delivered from the Egyptians while they struck not a stroake God fought for them they must not expect they should alway stand still and see the salvation of God and that the Canaanites should be overcome without battel God will fight for them they must go before the Lord armed and fight under him Justification and first conversion is Gods work not ours Christ fights for us dyed for us we stand still and see that salvation Sanctification must be carried on by our Endeavours also 4. Direction Then take heed of relapses Remember that Item Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse evil come unto thee Thou mayst sin thy self into a worse condition then before thou mayest sinne away thy peace pardon comforts If thou return againe to folly Great care must be had of taking cold in Physick taking and of relapses after a begun recovery 5. Direction Then wait after all for the Appearing of Christ. The rising of this Sun with his neerer approaches be still fearing his name and ly at the Pool in use of means His appearance will make thee whole and grow up giving both strength and growth All the Godly waite for the appearing of Christ. A twofold appearance thou maist waitfor 1. Here for a more full discovery of his favour and a more sensible manifestation of his presence which will cheer thy heart and chase away all former feares and troubles 2. A perfect manifestation of him selfe to thee at death saying Lord Iesus come come quickly this wipes away all tears from the eyes of Gods people CHAP. XXIII Of the Admirable growth promised to the Saints ANd ye shal grow up as Calves of the stal Observe Christ was compared to one creature the Christian to another the gracious heart can read Christ and himselfe in every creature When he sees the Sun he thinks on Christ when the Sun Rising he thinks of the Rising of Christ in the soul when the Physician healing of Christs healing when the Bird with her wings cherishing her brood of Christs wings and when he sees the Calves or other creatures grow he thinks how svveet a sight it vvere to see himselfe grow in grace This is the contemplative Divinity every spiritual and gracious heart studieth and practiseth There is a threefold use to be made of the creatures 1. A natural which is the lowest wherein men and beasts good and bad men share alike We use the sun and other creatures for food and Physick This is a lawfull but the lowest use we should make of them and in this we should remember God the Creator Lord and Donor of them and when we have eaten and are full praise his name not being like the swine who gathers up the Acorns fills his belly then tumbles in the mire but as the Chicken which every sip of water it takes so oft looks up to heaven 2. There is a moral use to be made of them which wisdome and natural reason extracteth When a wise man sees the Ant and Bee at work in the Summer he saith what a shame it is for man to be idle when he looks on the idle mans back and sees it covered with râ—gs on the sluggards field and sees the hedg broken Thistles growing he nedes no other Lecture against sloth when he sees the Drunkards eyes red face clawed countenauce disfigured he Items himselfe and others from the Taverne and Alehouse 3. There is a Gracious and Divine use the Christian makes vvhen vve have our hearts raised to a consideration of Gods goodnesse and our own duty upon the sight of every creature And this is one of the chiefe wayes we have besides the word for the knowing of God 1. God is described and known Negatively He is not a creature the Sun a Man an Angel not mutable weake finite passionate c. 2. Comparatively when I compare him to the creatures and extract al â—â—ose excellencies that are sparsed â—â—ngly in hem and ascribe them all to God to â—et out his pâ—rfections when I consider the glory and power of a King God is a King and more when I behold the light of the Sun God is light and Sun but more when the bowels of a Father or Mother God is a Father but far more Tam Pius nemo tam Pater nemo Tâ—rtul de poenitent So when in creatures I behold somewhat that minds me of duty or of grace the leaven mustardseed fishers net seed field talents oxen farm every thing may teach us somevvhat to contemplate God or selfe in It is said of Pythagoras as I remember that he brought Philosophy down from heaven what a far higher Art was that which our Saviour hath taught us who hath brought up Divinity from the earth Study this contemplative Divinity in the Book of the creatures There is a fourth use of the creature which some make but God never intended which hath neither Nature Reason nor Religion to defend it a Superstitious heathenish and brutish use When I see the Sun or Constellation of Stars to raise such a conclusion when the salt is spilt or a Hare crosseh the way then there is some ill luck followes What a beast is man to ask counsel of his staff as the Prophet saith This is to idolize or make Deities of the Creature and to resolve God into an Idol And it is as great a folly in Christians to ascribe any thing to such contingencies as for the Egyptians of old to worship their Leeks and their Garden Gods They shall grow up as Calvs of the stall or fatted Calves Doct. All the Godly in whom there is already wrought a work of Grace shall ere Christ hath done with them come to a manifest and excellent growth As the Caâ—f His growth is great speedy sightly comely in stature strength to be more tractable gentle to be afterward useful for the plough or paile Hosea 14. 5 6 7. There is a like Promise I will be as the Dew to Israel he shall grow as the Lily and cast forth his roots as Lebanon his branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the Olive tree and his smell as Lebanon They that dwell under his shade shall returne they shall revive as the corn and grow as the vine the sent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon Here is a notable discription of the Christians growth 1. For the Nature of it set forth by four comparisons the Lily Corn Vine Olive whose growth is great and excellent 2. The kinds all kinds 1. Downward in roots cast forth ver 5. 2. Upward his branches spread ver 6. 3 In beauty as the Olive 4. In smell as Lebanon 5. In taste as the wine of Lebanon 3. The order of this growth
no heat in them or a worse cold in their spirits as Solomon declining indifferent what and how many Religions there were All that pretend conscience should not want liberty Many grow fowler and fowler as the the linnen garment or courser and courser as the woollen garment when the nap is off and growes rotten and full of holes the longer it is worne Many Professors how handsome and hopeful were they at first but wear very course and full of holes and rents the longer you are acquainted with them We have cause to cry out with Jeremy Wo to us for the day goeth away for the shadowes of the evening are stretched out Jer. 46. Our harvest is past our Summer is ended and our winter is come Winter wayes fouler and fouler winter days colder and colder winter weather dark foul misty boysterous unpleasant to go abroad in and winter barrennesse All dead winter But for Notes of growth take these 1. There is variety of grace where growth not all knowledge no love not all faith and confidence without fear and conscience A hypocrite may have one gift the Saint hath every grace Integrality is a note of integrity The body is not one member but many Christianity is not one Grace but all You come behind in no gift c. The tree of life brings forth twelve several fruits It is an unkind growth in the Rickets where only the head growes extraordinary big but all the body thrives not Many are all head for knowledge voice for discourse praeterea nil and all nose as he said for censoriousness Tongilianus habet nasum scio non nego sed jam Nil praeter nasum Tongilianus habet 2 Higher thoughts of Christ are a faire sign of a higher growth Ille se plurimum profecisse sciat cui Christus valde placuerit Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ. Paul had outgrown all Pharisees and his own Righteousnesse and was come to a high pitch when he counted all losse and dung to the excellency of the knowledge of Iesus Christ. The man that stands on earth thinks earth only great but Sun and Stars little were he lifted up to them earth would seem nothing lesse then a punctulum and they only great Our owne Graces and Duties seem only great to him that is ignorant of Christ and his Righteousness 3 Lower thoughts of self is ever a signe not of a lower Christian but of the growing and growne Christian. His expressions are Icount not my self perfect I have not yet attained I am more brutish then any man I have not the understanding of a man I am lesse then the least of all Saints Lesse then the least of thy mercies Much humility argues much Sincerity God gives grace to Humility Humility gives rooting to Grace 4. Strong laborious desires argue much Grace Our perfection here is but in desires Desires are infinite when Duties are defective God measures men by their desires not deeds The desire of a man is his kindnesse The Godly boast more of their desires then any thing else I desire to fear thy Name Vehement desires one of the best signes of saving Grace but they must be laborious desires not lazy wishes Through desire a man separateth himself and intermedleth with all wisdom But there are lazy desires which hell is paved with and full of the desire of the sluggard killeth him 5 The growne person can climb over greatest difficulty In the name and strength of God go out against Goliahs or Anakims With Rams horns and Faith blow down Jericho's walls with the rod of God divide the Sea as Samson when he could not find the key carryes away the gates is not discouraged with difficulties but emboldned swims against stream dares venture if called as Peter to go upon the waters or into the fire or Lions den answers all Objections with Gods Command Promise and Omnipotency Abraham was growne strong when he could believe against Faith Hope above hope neither stagger at Promise through unbelief nor Precept by disobedience but resolved all into Jehovah-jireh He would not dispute Commands nor question Promises he had learned to believe and obey when God spake with an implicite faith and blind Obedience He could not unty the knot and make Promises and Precepts agree he knew he who gave both could Endeavors Faith Obedience belong to us issues to God Oh strange Logick â— Grace hath learned to deduce strong Conclusions out of weak Premises and happy out of sad If the Major be My strength and my heart faileth and the Minor There is no blossome in the fig-tree nor fruit in the Vine c. yet his Conclusion is firm and undenyable The Lord is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever or yet will I rejoyce in the God of my saltion And if there be more in the Conclusion then in the Premises it is the better God comes ever in the Conclusion 6 Where labour is but an exercise there is growth and strength To a weak one exercise is hard labour as to a child to go alone to a sick man to go cross his chamber If we are out of breath when we begin a duty and give over what strength Revelat 2. 2 3. Thou hast laboured and not fainted 7 When men leave their wonted fallings they are grown stronger and better The weak unwary child gets many a fall and knock but as hee growes stronger hee fals seldomer and becomes more cautelous 8 When a man can bear a heavy burden and not stoop or faint 1. Of affliction from Gods hand If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small 2 Of provocation from mans David was a high grown Saint that he could hear Shimei curse yet not be distempered That sword is of good mettle that snaps not in pieces when bent or stands not bent 9 A good stomack is an excellent signe of growth Children growing are ever eating their heat is much Men grown eat heartily more then the child The new born Babe desires the sincere milk of the Word that he may grow thereby And the man-grown-Christian desires with his Saviour the strong meat With desire have I desired to eat the Passeover before I suffer 2 Hinderances of growth 1 Idlenesse never comes to good The diligent handmaketh rich To him that hath shall be given and he shall have more abundantly The Talent was doubled by industry forfeited by slothfulnesse Milo putting out his strength daily to carry his Calfe had strength to carry it when an Oxe Stir up the gift of God which is in thee 2 Over much earthly activity is as bad The thornes choak the Word the Farm and Oxen make Christs plough to stand still Earths best are heavens worst husbands Hell is full of good and bad husbands both Some of the sons of Sodom were very idle fellowes minding nothing but eating drinking and