speaks evill for good Psal 35.12 Nothing for Gods seed and his rain but the weeds and bryers of sin nothing after his pains in planting fencing digging Is 5. pruning but wild and sower grapes those of murmuring and repining Deut. 33.6 But haeccine reddis Domino it was Moses exprobration to the Israelites do ye thus requite the Lord and I fear it may be said to us Christians that are as deep in Gods benefits as ever they were but that so it may not be said let each of us endeavour for his part and put in with David for a particular thankfulnesse that what he said in his own person we may every one say in ours what shall I render Our third particular Particu ∣ lar 3 I that is David and David in a threefold respect 1 as a more benefic'd man 2. a parricular man 3. a righteous man in each of these respects to be thankfull and we in each 1. As a benefic'd man endowed with more favours and deliverances then others and so more engaged to thankfulness too Gloria umbra virtutis est Sen ep 79. for ever as the benefits are so must the gratitude be for as glory is said to be the shadow of vertue and this for one reason that it increaseth as vertue doth which is as the body that makes it so thankfulness is the shadow of bounty and should grow in proportion as the benefits do that look how great the one so great should the other be also Neither may any man here think himself excused from a larger measure of thanks because his outward blessings are not so eminent as anothers for not any of us all but if we did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as St. Basil speaks look down on that which is beneath us and compare our own good with that which is some way worse in others we should find great cause of thankfulnesse and to say that of the Pharisee in a very good sense Lord I thank thee that I am not as this man not hereby to magnifie our selves but to glorify God in his blessings which is by acknowledging them for As Rigaltius reads it Lib. de poenitentia Non verecundae sed ingratae mentis indicium est beneficia tacere divina Leo. Ser. 1. Non est ista verecundia sed inficiandi genus Sen. negat beneficum qui beneficium non honorat It is Tertullian he denieth the Giver that does not honour the gift and Ingratae mentis est saith Leo to conceale Gods benefits is not so much modesty as ingratitude a way with that modesty that prejudices Gods glory The second respect considereth David and with him every one beside as he is a particular man who having received particular benefits is obliged eo nomine unto a particular thankfulnesse For besides those benefits in common whereof all do partake alike every man hath those by himself for which by himself he is to be thankful which our Saviour did intimate unto us after his curing of the lepers when but one of the ten returning to give thanks Luke 17.17 he enquireth after the rest where be the nine would excuse none from the dutie Nor is this to be done in private onlie with our selves but in publick also with the whole congregation that God may reap no lesse of us then he did of old in Davids time Psal 28.9 that in his Temple every man speak of his honour None must be dumb in this Quire Any ones silence doth injure the consort that the Musick is not full Every one should lend a voice unto the Anthem of Gods praise and all little enough Every one should but every one cannot that is not as David in the third respect Basil in Psal 32. that is a righteous man for so he telleth us Psal 32. praise is comely for the upright for none but them and for them comely will not fit well with a perverse or crooked heart no more then a straight shooe with a wry foot and 't is as uncomely in their mouthes too Ecclus. 15.9 saith Ecclesiasticus praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner so no where comely for such as they And hence it was that when the devils would have blazond our Saviour he straitly forbad them Mark 1.25.34 Acts 16.18 would have none of their praises And the like did St. Paul to the spirit of divination would not suffer the most high to be dishonoured with such vile commendations And therefore Saint Basils advice would do well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil ibid. c. let us be ambitiously careful to avoid all crookednesse in our doings and rectifie our soules as a straight rule that becoming upright indeed we may be fit for the praise of God for without that no praising of him Which the Church most wisely considering hath taught us by prayer to prepare our selves thereunto both for the cleansing of our hearts to conceive Gods praise and for the opening of our mouthes to utter it The former we have before the Commandments cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy holy Spirit that we may worthily magnify thy holy name The latter at the beginning of our service having Davids warrant for it O Lord open thou our lips Psal 51.15 and our mouth shall shew forth thy praise To the doing of both we receive his assistance and obtain that of himselfe which we offer unto him who is the object of our thankfulness as he was of Davids Jehovae to the Lord. Particular 4 And to whom more fitly the thanks Qui molem istam verbo quo jussit ratione quâ disposuit virtute qua potuit de nihilo expressit in ornamentum majestatis suae Tertul. Apologet. then to him that gave the benefits who by his word commanding by his wisdome disposing by his power effecting brought the mafs of this world out of nothing for the glory of his Majesty and doth continually from the treasures of his bounty sustein the whole family of heaven and earth For being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Cyril stileth him the ever-flowing fountain of all goodnesse and beneficence he never ceaseth to defund on his world of creatures Psal 19. Psal 148.10 and to refresh them with the streames of his mercy whose glory not only the heavens declare but every creeping thing of the earth be it it never so despicable and if men should hold their peace the very stones would immediately cry out against our ingratitude And yet strange it is to see how many have failed in this duty of praising the Lord The Gentiles so much for their part that they praised any thing more then him They changed saith St. Paul the glory of God into an image made like to beasts Rom. 1.23 and a Felis Cunis Lupus pro Deo sunt adorati Leo voraeor hominum Anguis Dreco Et erubesco referre jam etiam
Psal 46.8 It may well be so judged by the effects if we consider the works of the Lord what desolations because of this sin he hath made both in heaven and earth thundring so dreadfully with his judgements against it that the foundations of the Mountains tremble withall Aug. cont lib. 10. c 36. It is St. Austins high expression Intonas super ambitiones seculi contremiscunt fundamenta montium The Angels in heaven that would needs be like the most high by partaking of his glory as if in their devils ambition they would devide the monarchy of heaven were thrown like lightning from their bright station into the abyss of darkness and miserie And following them our first parents in Paradise Gen. 3.5 Cum de Originis loco exterminat pellitus orbi at metallo datur Tertull de pallio enchanted with the charme of Eritis sicut dii ye shall be as Gods soon felt the delusion in their banishment being condemned to the world as it were to dig in the Mines So jealous is God in securing his glory though it be with the ruine of his most glorious and excellent creatures And on this accompt we finde him conferring his graces so strangely I might say preposterously that is on persons so ungratious in the eye of man Gen. 48.14 that Jacobs crossing of his hands on the sons of Joseph may seem to have been an intended Emblem of this mystery where God often layes the right hand of his favour on those that are lowest in the worlds esteem raising the poore out of the dust and exalting those of low degree but scattering the proud Psal 113.7 Luke 1.51.52 Gen. 11.8 like those that were building the tower of Babel in the imaginations of their hearts Suitably hereunto you may note from Pelusiot Isid Pelus Epist 394. lib. 3. that in the heraldry of Gods attributes over the high and mighty of the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is stiled in termes of distance and imperiousnesse King of Kings and Lord of Lords when as to the poore and destitute by more familiar and respective titles he delights to be called the father of the fatherlesse Psal 68.5 and the Judge of widows Neither is it improbable to avouch that the Son of God our blessed Saviour would therefore appeare in that despicable condition 1 Cor. 2 8. Phil. 2.7 The Lord of glory in the forme of a servant either to confound the proud thoughts of the haughty in their scornfull rejection or to prostrate them in embracing so humble a refuge when during the course of his mortality he miraculously restrained the glory of his Godhead that it should not flow out into his Body was not pleased to win the beholders by such ravishing majesty And but once permitting a glimpse of his divinity in his transfiguration he communicates that heavenly shew onely to three chosen witnesses Mâ—t. 17 9 who must not report the newes of their vision untill he was risen from the dead whereas being to undergo the opprobrious death of the Crosse as if he would now taske his disciples with an impudent faith he offereth up his crucifyed person a common spectacle to all nations Lâ—kâ— 23.38 In letters of Greeke and Latin and Hebrew Jo. 19.19 then flowing together like a spring-tide to the feast of the Passeover And least the ignorance of any should lessen his infamie suffers an inscription in the lowdest languages of the world Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jewes Nor was his doctrine more agreeable to the arrogant spirits of the mighty which proposing poverty and patience as the principles of Christianity so nullified their prerogatives of honour and insolence that must now learn a new degree to exaltation by debasing themselves and through the policie of infirmities aspire unto the kingdom of heaven But the raritie and difficultie of their conversion doth more illustrate the faith of our rulers that notwithstanding those impediments could allow themselves to be Christians In whom if you consider the act of their beleeving you may justly commend their humilitie that renouncing the proud opinion of their own abilities in performing the law they would condescend to the captivity of faith that faith which the Graecians derided as foolishnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Clemens terming it barbarous and vaine and wherewith Julian grieved the Christians Clem. Strom. 2. Naziane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that their wisdome was nothing but credulitie Then withall no lesse their resolute piety that forsaking the ordinances of the Patriarks and Prophets their reverend Ancestors together with the legal institutions whereunto they had been so long accustomed they would thus adventure on a new way unto salvation Or if you consider the object of their beleef which was the Man God Christ Jesus you may justly admire the sharpnesse of their faith that could discerne his saving power whom they beheld so obnoxious to humane infirmities so touch inferiour to themselves in state and deportment and so unworthily exposed to the contumelies of the scoffing multitude Whose lineage kindred and breeding they knew and grew up with him in the leasurely degrees of maturity and yet after all without the suspicion of heathen idolatry would thus assent unto the worship of a visible God But howsoever let not charitable admiration betray us into sacriledge nor our benevolence to these Rulers detract from the mercy of God who being the prime and grand efficient in the worke of their conversion may justly exact the solid glory of so great an atchievement It was the unsearchable councell of his will to ordain them unto life that he might make known the riches of his glory on these vessels of mercy Rom 9 23 And having thus decreed the end he therin included the meanes to attaine it Aâ—gustin de buno peâ—sevâ— cap. â—4 predestination being as St. Austin speakes the preparation of devine grace whereby their soules were organized for the infusion of faith as their bodies were for the infusion of their soules and gave easie admission to those speeches and wonders which were appointed as the outward motives of their calling having no ability of themselves Alvares de Auxilis gâ—atâ—aeilib 9 either to meet with that which could affect their phancies or to be affected with that which they met with all but wholly depending on a supernaturall assistance as well for the proposal of such sâ—table inducements as for inclining their assent unto him So then it was the language of our Saviour which exhorted them to beleeve but it was the Spirit of our Saviour which interpreted that language that they received it not as the words of a man but as indeed they were the words of a God 1 Thes 2.13 His humanity administred to the operation of his miracles but his divinity enlivened them to apprehend those miracles and thereby wrought in them a greater miracle to wit their conversion Not by the impotent device of perswasion but by
the truth of that observation The Fly and the Gnat what a noise they make and with their lowd alarmes delude our attention Ecclus. â—3 1 Seneca de benef lib. 4. when the Beauty of heaven with his various shew makes no sound at all Quanta rerum turba sub hoc silentio evagitur That living mountain Behemoth though he can draw up Jordan in his mouth Iob. 40.15.23 Chap. 41.14 â—9 there is no mention of a voice and though out of the door of Leviathans face go burning lamps and sparks of fire leap out yet no voyce is heard and it seems God would be like his nature in this 1 King 19 11.12 1 Pet. 5.8 who cometh not in the acclamation of a tempest but in a still and soft voyce whereas by a cursed opposition the devill is the roaring Lyon But without the pardon of a metaphor we have a more obvious instruction in man where action and language by a common repugnancie seem not more to teach modesty then enforce it If you wil beleive the criticism of Poets though not the story Aenead lib. 11. it was the character of Virgil upon Drances that he was melior lingua sed frigida bello dextra a person of a voluble tongue but of dull performance And Ajax in the Metamorphosis Metam lib. 13. assuming to himself the praise of honourable exploits could afford Vlisses that other of language Quantumque ego marte feroci inque acie valeo tantum valet iste loquendo Or if a more Catholick instance will better content your observation the mightiest Monarchy hath bequeathed you an example In the time of Romes bravest adventures Pasch de opt genere elocut as Paschalius defines it under the politick emulation of Consuls what rudenesse of speech accompanied those noble atchievements Homines tacebant quia res loquebantur whereas Greece that scarce earnd an historian Verulam praes in Org. novum in the plenty of language exceeded all nations and had this property of children to be as busie in prating as feeble in action or without the trouble of chivalrie you may take notice of a more sutable instance in arts and sciences where you may perceive the profoundest truth attended with the coursest expression and the most flourishing eloquence coming nearest to fiction witnesse our Logick and Metaphysicks that to explain their nicest notions borrow almost a canting dialect and by a barbarous subtilty of terms at once purchase our laughter and apprehension And you may no lesse observe in divine Scripture how the loftiest mysteries are disguised in a reverend simplicity and the most solemn businesses of Religion performed in the secrecy of a Sanctuary whence perchance the Nations by an apish devotion Tertullian adv Valentin so muffled their superstitious ceremonies Solo secreto venerandas that what they wanted in reall Majesty they might make up in a mystical silence But if you will save this labour by a more familiar instruction return we to our selves and S. James out of our own mouthes will inform uS that the least part of our selves gives the loudest report The tongue is a little member Jam. 3.5 and boasteth great things This is the instrument of glory Quod hominis dignitas excellentia nulla alia re magis cognoscitur quam oratione Pet. Martyr 2. pag. 4. Gen. 49.6 Psal 30.12 108.1 Psal 12.3 V. 4. Gen. 10.9 11.4 and is so interest in the quality it expresseth that in the Original it is taken for it Cavod signifying both glory and the tongue by the authority of no lesse Rabbines then Iacob and David as thereby intimating that the chiefest glory of man is in his tongue If the soul be puffed up with haughtinesse it is the tongue that speaketh proud things and when the thoughts are conspiring in a mutinie and close rebellion at last they burst out With our tongue we will prevaile who is Lord over us Neither do we find it more forward in their fault then peculiar in their punishment when proud Nimrod by the madnesse of ambition thought to reach heaven by his tower of Babel the confusion of tongues was his punishment Quoniam dominatio imperantis in lingua est ibi damnata est superbia ut non intelligeretur jubens homini qui noluit intelligere ut obediret Deo jubenti Aug. de civ lib. 16. cap. 4. Luk. 16.24 Greg. Moral lib. 1. Citatus à Plutarcho that wherein he had before so vainly domineerd he should not now be understood and the damned Rich man in the Gospel as if his tongue had been chief actor of his arrogancy complaineth most of that in the punishment Send Lazarus to coole my tongue for I am tormented in this flame And justly may it be tormented in hell that did so torment others here on earth you will easily admit the congruity of the judgement if you consider how we are tortured with any mans boasting and if we cannot almost with the same patience endure our own reproaches as anothers selfe praises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cries their fellow in Menander he kills me with bragging 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I grow lean in his company And yet it is not altogether unpunished in the very offence whilest we argue every man is most defective in that vertue which he most atributeth to himself and as Plutarch speaks out of Demosthenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come away onely more incredulous of that worth of which any man reporteth himself the owner Even truth it self could not be beleeved in giving a testimony of it self If thou bear witnesse of thy self Joh. 8.13 thy witness is not true which though it were blasphemy to his divinity yet as he was masked in man it might seem onely a churlish discretion and therefore to one that upon the taking of an injury Bâ—et de cons lib. 2. insultingly demanded if he did not now think him a Philosopher it was justly replyed Intellexeram si tacuisses I had so thought if thou hadst said nothing his saying so said he was not so In Bibliotheca patr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said the reverend Monk Antiochus The prudent man concealeth his riches and vertuous labours and like Moses putteth a veile on his shining graces as it were blushing at his good deeds and afraid to hear of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imitates the Bee that what she extracteth from flowers abroad carrieth home with her into her hive and makes honey within is offended at nothing more then smoke which is the least hieroglyfick of human fame and it is to be feared that those who live upon this ayre like those Astomi the mouth-lesse people in Solinus Solini poly hist cap. 55. Mat. 6 2. have no mouthes too in the praises of God Our Saviours caution was not in vain When thou dost thine almes do not sound a trumpet before thee as the Hypocrites do Châ—ysologus Talis eleemosyna hostilis
companions of this voyage were a great part of the calamity V. 42. souldiers and prisoners No place of doubting here was left save in the variety of perishing either to be split on the rocks or ingulphed in the quick-sands V. 17. Their onely refuge was to undoe themselves V. 18. by lightning the Ship of her lading so as they left nothing to be cast away but themselves Their munition too being now grown dangerous V. 19. and their tackling only able to profit them in being throwen away And yet they did but begin to be lost in the dammage of their goods V. 20. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes the divine Historian all hope of their safety was taken away Exod 10.21 Onely a three dayes darknesse was enough for the seventh plague of Egypt which though the least of these evils V. 20. is exceeded here too No Sun or star in many dayes appearing nor affording this lamentable comfort to know the place of their perishing Verse 30. To paint out the perill in its lively extremity the Marriners were afraid those leaguers with death and play-fellowes with danger and under colour of casting Anchor would have stole away in the boat All this while too that they might not only be afraid they tormented their bodies with a fourteen dayes abstinence Verse 33. as if in the expectance of death they had forgotten to live Verse 22. In the middle of this extremity our Apostle dares prophesie a deliverance but see how it is accomplished Their safety must be contrived by a shipwrack Verse 41. and the breaking of their vessel by a lucky disaster is the only method of their escape for on boards Verse 44. and broken pieces of the ship they escaped all safe to land Quis neget diis cura esse propter quem fuit innocens ruina Martial 2 Cor. 1. And who can deny now that Paul is Gods charge to whom ruine it self becomes a preservation Had he remained unshaken in prosperity how had he known or the world by him the mystery of the divine protection which appeares not so cleanly in a setled tranquility as when we are pressed out of measure and despaire even of life Then is the time for him with whom all things are possible to work a dâ—liverance befitting himself that he alone may have the glory And to this end you may please to observe how the Father Almighty taketh pleasure in the infirmities of his children and humbleth his Majesty to the safeguard of those that are most destitute of meaner succour When my Father and mother forsake me sayes the Psalmist then the Lord careth for me Psal 27.10 as it he stayed for that opportunity of defection to endear the favour of his adoption so in the minority of Abrahams posterity he was familiar with his people when Israel was a child then I loved him Hos 11.7 But being multiplied grown numerous he withdrew his presence from them So in the infant state of the Gospel miracles visions and revelations maintained a commerce between heaven and earth whereas in the elder time as wealth and worldly pomp increased those gifts and graces discontinued So the young ravens Psal 147.9 and the hungry are filled with the riches of his bounty when the rich like Midas with his golden penury are sent empty away Luke 1.53 But if you will awhile attend the greatest workeman in the meanest of his works Minutiora quae maxmus artifex de industria ingeniis aut viribus ampliavit sic magnitud in mediocritate probari docens quemadm virtutem in infirmitate Tertul. lib. 1. adv Marc. with delightful wonder you may behold him Maximum in minimis no where more admirable then in things of the smallest moment and oft times lodging rare endowments in the most despicable creatures as if from the very contempt of their littleness he would increase our admiration For instances the Scripture will readily furnish us that one place alone in the Proverbs will do it Ch. 30. where the wise man tells us Prov. 30.24 There be four things which be little upon earth but they are exceeding wise so wise in the judgement of Tertullian that he chooseth some of them to confound the proud wisdom of man daring him to imitate if he can In his tam parvis atque tam nullis quo ratio quanta vis quam inextricabilis perfectio Galin lib. 11. cap. 2. Apum aedificia formicae stabula araneae telas bombycis stamina the architecture of the Bee the granary of â—he emet the lawn of the spider the loom of the silk-worm whose curious industry may catechise any not worse then an Infidel to give God the glory of such perfections shining in his darkest creatures But farther yet you may behold them not onely the objects of his bountie and wisdom but the instruments also of his power and justice Exod. 23.28 when to plant the Israelites in Canaan he provides them an armie of Hornets to marshall their way and proud Pharaoh in his own dominions acknowledgeth an overthrow from lice and frogs Exod. 8. The Oxe goad and the jaw bone are exalted into the activity of a conquest Josh 6.20 and but the sound of the Rams-horns is engine enough to call down the walls of Jericho So the scorn of man can triumph over man to the glory of God and the vilest creature armed with the divine justice becomes the revenger of humane rebellion Thus hath God chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty 1 Cor. 2.27.28 and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are Verse 29. that no flesh should glory in his presence So when he would make use of fit messengers to declare his will it became his omnipotence to make choice of the most unlikely Agents to put his treasure in earthen vessels 2 Cor 4.7 that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of them Slow tongued Moses rude Amos simple Peter unto these he vouchsafes his presence conference revelations and makes them fit for employment by employing them lest more fashionable undertakers might rob him of his glory by fixing the peoples eye no higher then their own worthinesse Of which danger we have a double example in S. Paul who on a little more then ordinary manifestation of his vertues among the Barbarians was twice mistaken for a God Acts 28.4 Once at Melita for not falling down dead at the viper as though to outlive the sting of that Serpent he must needs be immortal Acts 14.11 And before that at Lystra where his eloquence accused him into Mercury and having easily perswaded them he was a God could scarce make them to beleeve he was a man but their zealous idolatry will needs abuse him with sacrifice
of Christ who is the light and the day Quid in zeli tenebras ruis Why dost thou rush into thine old Egyptian darkness and enwrap thy self again in the night of envy and with the damp of that earthly passion extinguish the light of peace and charity 1 Iohn 2.9.11 St. John hath shew'd the danger of it He that saith he is in the light and maligneth his brother is in darkness even until now and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darknes hath blinded his eyes Vadit enim nescius in Gehennam Both St. Cyprian and Austin are bold to say it for he goeth blinfold the way to hell and falleth headlong on his ruine as having forsaken the light of Christ Luke 1.79 which should guide his feet into the way of peace To be secured from this danger Iohn 8.12 there is no other way then to follow him who is the light of the world and that by observing what he did and taught who pressed nothing so much as charity while he lived on earth and dying left us an example 1 Pet. 2.21 that we should herein follow his steps Were it not for this he could have saved us Naz. Orat. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianzen speaks by His will alone as He made the whole frame of the world onely by his commanding word but that he would shew how much he loved us and would thereby excite us to love one another This love of Christ should constrain us to walk in love as he also loved us 2 Coâ— 5.14 Eph. 5.2 and gave himself for us an offering to God for a sweet smelling savour All our bitterness should be allayed with the sweetness of what he hath done and suffered for us Exod. 15.25 as the waters of Mara were made sweet by the tree that was cast into them Lignum crucis is of that vertue that if we apply it as we should Heb. 12 15 no root of bitterness could ever spring up in our minds to trouble us it would prove the mortifying of our lusts and affections the crucifying of this body of sin Rom. 6.5 Now if we have been thus planted together in the likeness of his death we should be also in the likeness of his resurrection 2 Pet. 1.11 and so an entrance shall be ministred unto us into his everlasting Kingdom Rom. 5.8 Col. 1.20 Unto which He bring us in his due time that gave his Son for us when we were enemies to make our peace by the blood of his cross And in the mean time O thou great housholder of Heaven and Earth that hast called us into thy vineyard to work out our salvation by faith and love 〈◊〉 12.6 according to the grace that is given unto us give us evermore of that grace to enable our souls and bodies 〈◊〉 12. to bear the burthen and heat of the day all the difficulties that shall befall us by thy providence during the course of this mortal life And if it shall please thee to impart any of thy special graces to our fellow-labourers so content us with thy self that we may not envie them but glorifie thee O Father Son and Holy Ghost One God eternal Amen SERM. IIII. PHIL. 3.21 Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body OUr Saviour hath got the victory over Hell Hos 13.14 with 1 Cor. 15.54 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cypril Cat. 14. Heb. 2.10 Acts 5.31 Iohn 14.2 Dr. Donns Devotions expostulat 14. Eph. 2.19 wâ—th Heb. 12.22 and the Grave and well may we be at the solemnitie of a Triumph a Triumph of joy and exaltation though not of glory and fruition this we looke for hereafter It was necessary that the Captain and Prince of our salvation should go before us into Heaven both to prepare a place for us and us also for the place we are not ready to go yet a while It is not meet we should come thither in our old cloths these course and soiled bodies this were to lessen the glory of our Saviours triumph they must be new fashioned and refined ere we appear in his train yet in the mean time we are Citizens of the heavenly Hierusalem and have our title and interest therein if we do not forfeit them by our own fault 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says the Apostle Our * Nos ut municipes coelorum nos gerimus secunduÌ„ BezaÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 municipium potiùs quà m câ—nversationem significat Gallicè la Borgefia ו Jus civitatis nostrae in coelo est sea cives sumus coeli non terrae Zanch. corporation is in Heaven from whence also wee look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body A strange and happy alteration from misery unto felicity to be taken out of the dust and crowned with celestial glory and yet such shall be the honour of our body at the last resurrection it shall be raised out of humble corruption into high and glorious immortalitie of which blessed expectation my text is both the promise and assurance wherein you may see comprized all the means to effect this marvellous work the exalting of our body Division Here is First The Artificer Christ implyed in this Relative Qui Who Secondly the miraculous manner of his working agreeable unto so powerful an Agent transfigurabit shall change Thirdly the matter or subject of this work Corpus nostrum Our body and that though never so unlikely to appearance in being humile a vile body Fourthly the pattern or ensample whereunto he will work Ejus corpori glorioso his glorious body Lastly the project or intent of this work Vt conforme fiat that it may be fashioned like unto it So we have every thing requisite unto the performance of this work the Artificer the Matter the manner the Pattern the Project that may now serve to the raising of our faith as hereafter to the raising of our bodies while we make each several circumstance the Object of our consideration beginning with the first the Artificer Qui who First Part The Artificer It is not curiosity but gratitude to enquire after our Benefactor and him so great a One as the Repairer of our bodies whom we may find with as much ease as satisfaction by reflecting on the last words before where we have displayed with accurare heraldry the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ verse 20. And why in such plenty of Titles But to intimate unto us both the might and mystery of our deliverer God and Man who as he began will consummate our †Tali auxilio et natura nostra indigebat et causae ut reparare humanum genus nec sine majestate posset humilitas nec sine humilitate majestas Aug. de tem 33. Oratione 3. in resurrect Auctor resurrectionis
into dust that dust vanish into aire so that now we have nothing to see any further Act. 17.32 And can you then blame the Athenians for mocking at the newes of a resurrection You cannot from the light of nature but you may from the schoole of Christ which doth teach us to our comfort that our body is neither so desperate or ignoble but it may rise again Mat. 19.8 All the vileness is from our selves A principio non fuit ita it was not so from the Creation It is Corpus nostrae humilitatis in the text not a It is Zanchies observation on the place the vileness of our bodie but the body of our vileness the vileness is more ours then the body The body is Gods who created it honourable till we dishonoured it by sin And yet hath it pleased the divine goodness that can worke good out of evil as it brought light out of darkness to make even this vileness serve to our advantage This weakness to humble us Admiranda Dei potentia ac bonitas quae illa quoque quae ad contumeliam destructionem videntur tendere ad suam gloriaÌ„ ad hominum utilitatem convertit Hyper. meth lib. 2. cap. 33. that when the conceit of our excellencie too much exalts us the sense of our infirmities may curb and restrain us This malignity to exercise us that having our enemie still at hand to encounter us we may still be addressed to a spiritual warfare This misery to excite us Praeunte taeli corruptione corpora ad novas qualitates accipiendas redduntur idonea c. ibid Nam in massa carnis nostrae qualis nunc est excellentes illa corporum resuscitatorum dotes induci atque inhaerere minimè possent quamobrem morte confumi penitùs hac non aliter quam aurum igne purgatur capacia novarum qualitatum fieri necesse est quod eloquenti similitudine de semine scriptura ostendit 1 Cor. 15.36 that we may groane the more earnestly for our adoption the redemption of our body Nay lastly this corruption to purifie us that we may so become capable of glorious endowments when our body shall arise more glorious out of that dust in which it seemed to be abolished for though it be hidden unto sense it is not loft unto nature nor may we call that a perishing which is only a retyring Habet caro suos sinus interim as Tertullian had the faith to discerne them Cum in haec dissolvi videtur velut in vasa transfunditur si etiam ipsa vasa defecerint in suam matricem terram resorbetur ut rursus ex illa repraesentetur de resur cap. 63. The body hath its receptacle as well as the soul and though it be dispersed among the four Elements it is but laid up in so many vessels that shall faithfully restore it at the resurrection Look but on its Creation and we need not doubt of its repairing that was from the dust and this is no more a Pineda in Iob. Quid mirabilius quam in nostra origine prima formatione ex terra imaginem memoriaÌ„ nostrae mortis constituisse Deum rursus in ipsa nostra morte reditu in terraÌ„ futurae per resur nativitatis uitae solatiuÌ„ ostenâ—isse Greg. Nys Orat. 3. de res v. Then did God provâ—de us a type of the resurrection and as by forming it out of earth he presented us with the memory of our death so by its returning into earth he presenteth us with the hope of a new life Or if we look on the excellencies of its creation we may there find hope of its repairing the deliberate * Aquin. p. 1. q. 9. art 4. Gen. 1.26 contrivance of the Trinity the divine curiosity of its workmanship in making it after the image of its maker with the marks of soveraignty and dominion It is not likely they had been graced with so many prerogatives to lye for ever abandoned in the grave Absit ut Deus ingenii sui curam adflatus sui vaginam molitionis suae reginam liberalitatis suae haeredem religionis suae sacerdotem testimonii sui militem Christi sui sororem in aeternum distinet inte itum Tertul. de resur car And yet how little are these to those others in their regeneration When it pleaseth the Almighty to fashion them into weapons of righteousnes Rom. 6.13 1 Cor. 6.15 verse 19. to incorporate them into members of his Christ and to build them into Temples of his spirit Now can any imagine that these weapons should lye useless in the grave or these members divorced f om their body or these Temples demolished in the dust Certainly God is to less jealous of his glory in heaven then upon earth 1 Cor. 6.10 and when here we glorify him in our bodies Cum Deus sit Rex gloriae necesse est ut cives ejus Regni congruenter vestiantur imperfectuÌ„ Psalm 6 verse 5. autem vestimentuÌ„ in hominibus est gloria animarum â— c. Gal. Paris de univ p. 2. 't is reason that there we should have bodies wherein to glorifie him or else he should loose a great part of his glory for none give him thanks or praise in the graue And as God should lose so much of his glory so we of our happiness if our souls only reign in bliss without the fellowship of their bodies that are no less sensible of bliss convenient unto them Nay our souls being parts only of humane nature we should be thereby * Si enim non redderentur ipsis corpora sua non glorificarentur animae ipsae sud essent quasi mutilatae quantuÌ„ ad res quaruÌ„ operationes exercentur p r corpora Gal. Paris de univers p. 2 ca. 21. no more then half blessed nor appear so compleat Saints as we are men but more imperfect in the state of glory then we were at the Creation But let man faile of his happiness yet cannot God of his * Haec est series causa justitiae ut quoniam corporis animaeque communis est actus quae animus cogitavit corpus effecit utrumque in judicium veniat utrum que aut poenae dedatur aut gloriae reservetur Amb. de fide resur Vt ex societate clientela quam reddiderit animae caro aliquid ei commodi proveniat Cyp. de resur Et in quo convenientius incorruptibili corpore laetabuntur quam in quo corruptibili gemuerunt Aug. de civ 22.26 justice which rendring unto every one according to to his work will not suffer the body to be unrewarded but as it hath assisted the soul in her labours in watching and fasting and praying Corpus nostrum so to accompany the soul in her recompense the joyes of Heaven And that not any other but Corpus nostrum Our body The same to reap the fruit Sicut aequum est ut
of Gods benefits urgeth him to three one and the feeling of his own wants holds him to the other that as a spur incites him to a requital but this as a Bit makes him pauze awhile puts him to his quid of consultation what he were best do If he had gone with the world no need of consulting then a few words of course would serve the turne well enough Luke 18 11 at most that sleight complement of the Pharisee God I thank thee and no more But David is of another mind he makes it a business of meditation calls a Parliament within himself musters up all the powers of his soule that he may do it to some purpose in the mean time thinks it better to remain in Gods debt then to repay unworthily It was his custome still at the receipt of a new benefit to study for a new praise all his Psalmes are so many monuments of his deliberate thankfulness that we may see 't is not enough to thanke God ex tempore Levit. 7.12 And it seems God intended no less by appointing a sacrifice of thanksgiving but that it should be done with solemnity as sacrifices are wont to be and it may appear more expresly by his manner of appointing it First for the rank of it it was one of the kinde of peace-offerings whereof a vow was the other and so both wayes doth intimate unto us a deliberateness in the doing of it both as it is put under the one and as it is joyned with the other 1 As it is put under the title of peace-offerings that it should be done leisurely and maturely as in time of peace things are done not hastily and tumultuarily as in time of warre 2. As it is joyned with a vow that it should be performed with like heed and foresight as vows ought to be not rashly and inconsiderately without regarding what we are about Then for the matter of the sacrifice besides the Cakes and the Wafers Verse 13. it was to be of leavened bread which required some time for the preparation could not be done of a suddain and besides too in leaven we know there is salt which was the seasoning of all sacrifices in the old Testament but is a tipe of wisdom and discretion in the new And all this to teach us a due care and advisedness in our thanksgiving without which it is but insulsum sacrificium a saltlesse or unsavory sacrifice Eccles 5.1 no other in Solomons verdict then a sacrifice of fools who consider not that they do evill do evill even then when they think to please God who is not pleased with such sacrifices but rather highly offended that 's all the thanks they have for their thanksgiving They are but so much the greater sinners and while they think to quit themselves of ingratitude they fall into irreverence and profaneness So that Consulto opus we see great need there is of consulting to bethink us well of the sacrifice ere we offer it unto God It is that which makes way for the rendring The Act and our next particular Particu ∣ lar 2 A difficult matter indeed for can there be any rendring to God Eccles 5.2 Deus in coelis saith Ecclesiastes God is in heaven and thou upon earth and so as much above the reach as the need of thy recompence But more difficult yet that we may be able to render we must have something of our own for we cannot repay one with that which is his already but alass what have we of our own but only our sins and these no way meet to pay God let us see how David resolves this case it followes in the verse Verse 13. I will take the cup of salvation But is that to render by taking more St. Austin is so bold to tell him if he speak yet further of taking he is a debtor in his very payment a greater debtor certainly and so we are all the more we pay unto God Quantò quis amplius retribuerit Domino amplius solverit gratitudinis debitum tantò amplius ei debet amplius obligatur O admirabile gratitudiris vinculum c. Bradward de gratitud in Deum the more we are obliged unto him for his grace whereby we paid it and so by a strange knot of gratitude we are tyed the faster by loosing And yet notwithstanding all this God hath left us the means of rendring and he is pleased to accept of it though never so little according to that a man hath though but a willing mind 2 Cor. 8. so that none need to plead a disability of what condition soever be he poor and indigent he may do it without cost or weak and sickly he may do it without pains Qui grate beneficium accepit primum ejus pensionem absolvit fâ—atim gratus est qui se onerat Sen. de ben lib. 2. have he only a thankful heart humbly acknowledging Gods benefits he hath rendred already it will be taken for requital enough but to confess that he is unable to requite them That 's enough for such as can do no more but for such as can not enough for them a more real performance is required at their hands for so the word here importeth not what shal I say or wish but render a word of doing so that if God hath enabled thee with greater faculties then resolve with David I will not offer unto the Lord of that which costs me nothing be at some charge upon him 2 Sam. 24. in the repairing of his house in the relief of his poor members with the like works of mercy And yet this not of courtesie neither but of duty not as free largess but as a due debt It is not quid tribuam what shall I give but retribuam render by way of restoring as Gods right and so unlawfull to withhold it that when all is done 1 Chro. 29. they must say with David of thine own have we given thee given thee saith David Cum totum suum sit quod ab eo accepimus nostrum esse dicit ut demus ut quem devotio non illiceret ad largienduÌ„ neecssitas cogeret ad exolvendum Salvian ad Eccles Cathol lib. 1. but our Saviour calls it rendring Matth. 22.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the word is render unto God the things that be Gods and both to good purpose according as the parties be from whom they come given from them that do it willingly it goes for their gift but render to such as be backward 't is a taxe upon them so Salvian smartly enforceth it Da si vis redde si non vis give if thou be willing if unwilling restore God exacts it at thy hands But 't is the language of the world Quid recipiam what shall I receive more if you will but no rendring any thing at any hand or if they do it is but malum pro bono as the Psalmist
apud nonnullos coepae sum adoratae Cyril Hiero. Cater 6. Clem. Alex. proto creeping things A Cat a Snake the fire nay the Onions in their Gardens were more highly accounted of them and obtained divine worship instead of God Of which horrid impieties should I speak with Cyril 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O wonderful blindnesse in men to fall from such lofty Majesty to such abject baseness or rather with that other Father O stupendam Dei patientiam O the admirable patience of God! that could forbear to break the heavens and revenge so foule indignities Now though heathenisme be dispelled by the Sun-shine of the Gospel yet some clouds do still remain in the minds of many Christians who set up other Names together with the Lord and unto them ascribe their felicity as those of fortune and nature words so riefe among us which are indeed but the attributes of God though mistaken by men for that which is termed fortune here below hath the name of providence above and is nothing else but the will of God from whom as St. James speaks Every good gift descends Jam. 1.17 Descends saith he not slippeth from him that is comes down by appointment not falls down by chance And as Fortune is the will of God Naturam intelligimus ordinariam Dei potestatem sicâ—â—i fortunam ejus voluntatem c. Scalg Excicit 188. so nature is no other then the power of God and what she doth is by him as his Agent or Commissary here below only storing us with those blessings which she receiveth from him for though she reach out her hand and give us plenty of provision it is God that fills her hand before and then opens her hand after that she may rain down her showres upon us Another sort more directly injurious unto the divine honour exalteth Saints whom the God of Rome is pleased to admit into the throne of God and giveth that honour to the Creature which belongeth onely unto the Creatour making them the object of their praise and thanksgiving Fully evinced by Dr. Th. Iackson on the Creeâ— A sin of so foule a nature that let them mince it how they can is no lesse then plain sacriledge or idolatry choose they whether A third sort make idols of themselves and impute what they have to their own abilitie like those of whom the Prophet complaines Hab. 1.16 of the Chaldeans that sacrificed unto their nets and burned incense unto their drag It was their own hand that wrought it and their own brain that compassed it and no thanks to any other Thus is the Lord on all sides robbed of his due his due I may call it Psal 29.2 for David does so Psal 29.2 Give unto tbe Lord the glory due unto his name and if due then in no wise to be withholden for so saith the Apostle Rom. 13.7 render unto all their dues of which one of them there is honour to whom honour much more to God then he to have more then all as being more then all to us either King Father Benefactor or what else we can name and may well therefore challenge this honour at our hands This is all we can return him for his infinite benefits and this is all he requires of us for those benefits The nature whereof we now come to consider in the next place The motive of Davids thankfulnesse and our second General Particu ∣ lar 5 What Benefits are we all better understand by experience then by definition every thing that we enjoy is such some ray or beam of the divine goodnesse imparted unto us nor do the beams so clearly discover the Sun as benefits do God who displayeth hereby the riches of his glory over all his creatures Nay thereby the Creature gets so much glory as to be like his Creator and in nothing so like as in this by doing good In this alone God and man have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Synesius speaks a kind of fellowship Synes epist and communion each with other a communion so near that the heathen could not distinguish them but mistook Paul and Barnabas for very Gods in the likenesse of men upon the healing of a creeple Acts 14.11 Dr. Iackson on the Creed And what ever other Gods they devised as the Sun Moon Starres nay the vilest beast that was it was meerly for the opinion of some benefit received from them Whereby they seemed to acknowledge that Benefits came all from God though they knew not the God from whom they came from whom nothing but goodnesse proceeds no worse matter from him however some heads that are giddy in the maze of Gods counsels imagine to themselves for more possible it is for darknesse to come from the Sun then evill from God who being essentially good or goodnesse it self can as soon cease to be God as to do good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is St. Basils argument if he be the Authour of evill he is not good Basil hom Quod Deus non sit Author mali Quid interest utrum Deos neges an infames Sen. ep 123. and if not good not God neither they both go together But though not of the evill of sin may he not be of the evill of punishment no Melch. Cani loc Thelog lib. 2 c. 4. not of that neither as evill not of losses or sicknesse or any tribulation so indeed of the punishment in the evill he is Authour but then that is a benefit the very thing we have in hand an Act of mercy from God that inflicts it and on man that suffers it either for the exercise of his patience or the correction of his sin and so as a benefit look for Iobs benediction Job 1.21 to have the Lords name blessed for the â—â—me for these as well as for others that be all His benefits which is the worth or quality of them in the next place to be considered Particu ∣ lar 6 Benefits are thereafter esteemed as the party is that gives them indifferent ones from a person eminent are highly accounted of yet if with the excellency of the Donour they are precious in themselves 't is good reason they find better acceptance But besides this if they come freely too Gâ—atissima sunt beneficia parata facilè occurrentia c. Sen. de ben â— 2. without any suit or desert of the receiver this gets them a welcome none the like Now all these degrees are to be found here in these His benefits and that in the highest degrees that may be 1. The Donour is God Almighty supreme Monarch of Heaven and Earth unto whom the mightiest Monarchs of the world are but Vice-Royes and Deputies and derive that from him which they impart unto others now for such an one to give us what can be more 2. The Benefits are such as make us to be our selves and but for them we should not be at all not only what we have
but also what we are our soules and bodies with all that sustain them and what can be greater then these 3. For the mannner of conferring them it is graciously first and then continually Planum est quia nihil ante promeruit qui penitùs nihil fuit Bernard serm 14. in Psal 91. 1. Graciously without our desert as is manifest at our creation when we could deserve nothing at all that were nothing at all that had not so much as a tongue to ask nor an hâ—â—rt to think of a prayer and might still have been left in our nothing had it not pleased God to prevent us as he did David Psal 21.3 with the blessings of goodnesse Graciously so without so much as a request but graciously again at the first offer of a request ere we can spend any time in a Petition Adhuc illis loquentibus ego audiam Isai 65.24 is his own promise by his Prophet Isaiah whi es they are yet speaking I will hear O the main speed of his clemency said Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Orat. 40. in sanctum baptisma he desires to be desired seems pleasur'd with a benefit when he is askt one and gives more readily then others receive But how graciously soever he give once if we need again and dare not ask for fear of a check or a denial we are but in an ill case Iam. 1.5 but here is comfort for that too he upbraideth not Luke 16.25 Iam. 1.5 sends us not away with a Fili recepisti these and these many good things thou hast received and art thus much endebted already Ne Deos quidem immortales ab hac tà m effusâ liberalitate sacrilegi negligentèsque eorum deterrent Sen. de ben lib. 1. but is still ready with new benefits like ware upon ware to follow and orewhelm the former hits none in the teeth with their unworthines but how unworthy soever makes them partakers of his favours who makes his Sun to rise on the evill Matth. 5. such as vexe and offend him nay Mat. 5.45 Luke 6.35 is kind to the unthankefull Luke 6. such as forget or repine at him nay further yet bestoweth gifts on his enemies Psal 68. Psal 68.18 such as blaspheme and persecute him On these gifts a plurality of them but all upon David and such as he which is the Quantity of these benefits and comes next to be weighed No marvail if he stick at a quid retribuam that sets all Gods benefits before him any one had been enough to puzzle his gratitude and does he speak of rendring for all what world 's of Davids could do this nay what heavens of Angels or any thing lesse then the Almighty Cast we but our eyes awhile on some of that All and we may soon guesse at the difficulty of the attempt Psal 139.14 on these bodies of ours so fearfully and wonderfully made so curiously wrought by divine art Corporis fabricam cum intueor tot invenio beneficia tua quot membra quot sensus quot venae quot fibrae c. Granatens as struck the very heathen into the confession and wonder of a Deity where look how many members so many benefits appear Every nerve and muscle about us is an instance of Gods singular bounty 2. On our soules made after the divine Image and * Rodigin Ant. lect lib. 2. cap. 17. capable of all Arts and Sciences all vertues and graces all naturall and heavenly endowments and which is more then all of God himself the Lord of all 3. On all about us and what see we but a world of benefits where among so many millions Râ—ymund de Sab. liber Creat tit 98. 99. Basil Hexam Vt omnes rerum naturae pars tributum aliquod nobis conferret Sen. de Ben. lib. 4. and millions of creatures there is not one but serveth us either for our necessity or delight or instruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Basil saith it is for us that the Rivers flow and the fountains spring and the clouds yeelds rain The heavens with their host and the earth with her fruits they are all for us All nature in a manner is tributary unto man We cannot stay too look on that Sea of benefits the manifold benefit of our redemption which Saint Ambrose thinks David here chiefly intended wherein the Lord gave us himself for a benefit and with himself the whole treasure of his riches and bounty Yet can we not but look with David on that other sort of benefits his many deliverances Ver. 3.6 8. one of which surely was the chief motive of his present gratitude They are benefits too and as great as any every deliverance from death is as much as a new life the keeping one alive as much as the giving life And though every one be not thus delivered their benefit is no whit the lesse nay rather the more that they were not in danger In the state of our bodies we all know It is better not to be sick then to be recovered from sicknesse And in the state of our soul too Saint Austin thought it better August Confess Non est peccatum tam grande quod unquam fecit homo quod non possit facere alter homo si Creator desit á quo factus est Quapropter omnium hominum peccata non immerito mea appellabo beneficia c. Granatens non implicari quà m exui not once to be entangled in sin then to be released from it And so not improperly in this respect I may call every mans sin my benefit there is none of them all that any man hath committed but I might have committed the like that am the same by nature if Gods grace had not prevented me And I may call the punishments of all men my benefits too There is no man born blind or lame or distorted but I might have been so that am made of the same clay that they were if Gods mercy had not succoured me After these do but glance on those swarms of Benefits like so many motes in the Sun-beamâ—s that are every day renewed upon upon us with the morning Lam. 3.23 which although for their custome and frequencie we cannot perceive Psal 68.39 and the more unthankfull we yet David did as it seems Psal 68.19 where he blesseth the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits yea double loadeth us once by heaping on us the blessings of each day and again by taking from us the sins of each day Thâ—s unloading is a loading in Saint Bernards account * In Psal 19. Serm. 15. Onerat beneficio cum exonerat peccato he loads us with benefits when he unloads us of sins whole loads of benefits and 't is strange we feel them not who are each of us under them that have not onely all upon all of us but all upon every one none beares off the weight from another
which David acknowledged for his part in his all upon me the relation and our last part Particu ∣ lar 8 God loaded David with benefits and David loads himself with thankfulnse setting all those benefits on his own score that were bestowed on all men so it appeareth by the words if we read them according to the original in a distinct proposition All his benefits are upon me as counting all his own in regard of the obligation what was every mans in regard of the possession Nor is it the practice of David alone but of every man else that will be thankful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Chrysostom affirmeth * De compunctione cordis lib. 2. It is the good servants property that what benefits his Lord gives in common to all he accounts given to himself and himself engaged for all as he instanceth in Saint Paul touching the death of our Saviour which though undertaken it were for all beleevers he applieth unto himself as if he only were the receiver for so he speaketh Gal. 2.20 Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God who gave himself for me not that he would hereby impropriate the exuberant merits of Christ but as one that reckoned himself obliged for all men beside It was here his practice and his counsell elsewhere that giving of thanks be made for all men 1 Tim. 2. as if the benefits of all belonged to every one An envious nature would stand off at this and be ready to shuffle the thanks on others that be alike interessed in the benefit But as * Ad Eccles Cath. lib. 2. Salvian well urgeth against them The debt that is common unto All is as much every mans in peculiar For as Christ did suffer for mankind so withall for each single person totum se dedit universis totum singulis And so whatsoever he did by his passion as all men owe the whole unto him so likewise doth each man the same if not rather each man more then all because he hath received as much as All. Thus he that thinks much to be indebted for others is as deeply in for his own particular nay deeper by far if he mark it well not only for the benefits bestowed on mankind but for those on all creatures beside that serve man Davids All upon me will reach out to that too Raimund de Sab. Tit. 96.97 what benefits are conferred on those creatures are conferred on me because on them for my sake They receive none of those benefits for themselves but only for me and therefore as the Master is beholding for those courtesies which are done to his servant so am I obliged for all theirs that are made to serve me and so am to perform for every creature that which every creature owes unto God Ours I say and cannot perform of themselves for lack of those faculties which I have I have understanding to apprehend Gods benefits and I have a tongue to report them which the other creatures have not and therefore I as the publick Oratour am bound to praise God in their behalf that so they also by my voyce may give God the glory Applicati ∣ on So much of the Text in Davids behalf now something in our own to see what we on our parts should render unto the Lord a matter very important to be considered no lesse then our welfare is worth both for the keeping of those benefits we have and for the procuring of others For as it was said of Trajan the Emperour that the way to obtain new favours at his hand Efficacissimum pro candidato genus est regandi gratias agere Plin. in Pâ—neg was by giving thanks for the former so likewise with the King of heaven no meanes so effectuall to continue his bounty as our thanksgiving whereas on the other side Ingratitude is ventus urens as Bernard calls it as it were a red wind that blights Ingratitudo ventus urens siccans sibi fontem pietatis rorem misericordiae fluenta gratiae Super Cant. Serm. 51. or blasts the fruit of Gods mercy and dries up the fountain of his graces towards us Deut. 28.23 For what makes our prayers so uneffectuall our labours so unprosperous the heaven brass over us the earth Iron under us the ayre infectious round about us All is our unthankfulnesse to the Lord for his blessings that rendreth us unworthy of them your iniquities says the Prophet have turned away these things Ier. 5.25 and your sinnes have withholden good things from you This shewes enough the necessity of our duty in his kind how much it concerneth us all to be thankfull which duty we shall the better perform if as David did we consider of Gods benefits towards us if as the Prophet Esai willeth us we do levare oculos in circuitu Isai 49.19 lift up our eyes round about and see how God hath encompassed us on all sides with benefits that whithersoever we turn our selves we are full of the sight of them and it will appear on the review that we are not behind David in benefits not behind him in any but before him in some First for temporall benefits we were born in peace and tranquility which David scarce obtained in his old age and that after many years and persecutions and these not from strangers only but from his own subjects nay his children Then for spiritual benefits we have the happinesse to see that performed which David desired and could not obtaine that is 1 Cor. 13.12 Gal. 3.1 the coming of Christ in the flesh what he saw darkly by prophecy onely as through a glasse we evidently in the Gospell as before our eyes what he by figures and obscure ceremonies we by clear and perspicuous Sacraments We then that are before David in benefits not to be behinde him in thankfulnesse but to offer unto God 2 Cor. 9.12 as he did verse 15. the sacrifice of thanksgiving Of thanksgiving by our lives that by our innocence and good works his Name may be praised and so as Saint Paul speakes the thanksgiving of many may redound to Gods glory Secondly of our mouthes by making them full of Gods praises rendring thanks unto him according to his benefits on or towards us for the plurality of his benefits a plurality of thanks for the continualnesse of his benefits the continualnesse of our thankes Psal 103.1 thank him manifoldly and thank him continually And that not faintly from the lips alone but from the heart and bowells rowzing up our soules with David and all that is within us to praise his Great Isai 29.13 and holy Name remembring that it is to him who pondereth the heart and despiseth the honour that is only from the lips and therefore as the Apostle adviseth to do it heartily as to the Lord Colos 3.23 24. knowing that of the Lord we shall receive the reward when for our rendering wee
A bllessing from his heart Cant. 8.6 The Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day So that the Spouse in the Canticles might very well say and so the †Quia Hebraei comparativo carent Original will warrant it love is stronger then death stronger certainly in this way of victory whereby David did more perfectly overcome Saul then by death he could have done Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy Mat. 5.43 Quod etiam in uno homine malo impleri potest In ipso enim uno qui malus est proximuÌ„ habes inimicum Aug. detem Ser. 8. For he that conquereth by death doth but overthrow the body leaving the mind wholly averse and unconquered but he that conquereth by love overcomes the whole man destroying the enemy that hated him and preserving the person to love and honour him This is Gods own way of victory to overcom by mercy and goodnesse so he overcame David with his murther and adultery Peter with his threefold and shamefull deniall Paul with his blasphemy and persecution Gal. 1.23 who neverthelesse obtained mercy even to preach the faith which once he destroyed And but for this way of victory heaven had wanted many of her Saints and the earth been desolate of Inhabitants Rom. 5.20 But this is mercy befitting his Majesty that where sin abounded grace did much more abound Isai 42.25 abound toward those that did all they could to provoke the fury of his anger against them Rom. 11.3 with 1 King 19.14 for what greater provocation then that which Elias complaines of the Jewes Lord they have killed thy Prophets and dâ—gged down thine altars and yet notwithstanding these indignities †Vt sua sibi patientiâ detrahat Tert. de pat he plyes them still with continuall blessings nay when their malicious wickednesse was come to the highest that they had no more Prophets to kill after all he sends unto them his Son †Cum majorem aggressi sunt impietatem majoribus eos prosecutus est beneficiis c. Chrysost ad Antioc hom 31. even then bestowing this highest of his favours when they had committed their utmost impieties And if we look on him that was sent our blessed Saviour in him we may no lesse behold the like wonder of mercy when having in his all-torne body †Nec remansit in eo nisi lingua ut pro crucifigentibus oraret Gerâ— Medit. 2. no part left whole save onely his tongue he employeth this in praying for those that crucified and blasphemed him which is if we compare them right the greatest benefit for the greatest injury to pray for those that so despightfully used him And doubtless no such powerfull means to obtain their pardon of his heavenly Father The effect whereof we may plainly see in the conversion of so many a The number of the men about five thousand Acts 4.4 thousand at Peters Sermon which had not been so effectuall but for the prayer of Christ on the Crosse which could not possibly but find audience in the ears of a gracious Judge When we see here below nothing so prevailes with the Judg in behalf of the Malefactour as when the party offended sues and intercedes for him And yet this did Christ for his deadly enemies Nay more then this Acts 2.23 3.15 he died for those that by wicked hands as Peter tells them had crucified and slain the Prince of life and powred out his precious blood for their sakes that spilt it Vivificatur sanguine Christi etiam qui effudit sang Christi Cyp de bono patientiae making this extreme act of their malice the onely means of their salvation Here was overcoming indeed of abundant evill with exceeding abundant goodnesse Tit. 3.4 as if the kindnesse and humanity of God our Saviour would strive with the perversenesse of man to out-vie and conquer it And what is this but to teach us the like way of victory to contend with the malice and crossenesse of our enemies by our charity and good deeds nor need we doubt of the successe having God himself for our example nay more for our assistance too as it followes in the last place vince malum Deo Thou hast God of thy side and needest not fear what man or devill can do against thee This is our last and surest refuge that if all other means should fail us here we may be sure to overcome if we commit the matter to him if we do but as the Apostle exhorts us in the nineteenth verse dare locum irae give place unto the wrath of God who there challengeth revenge unto himself as his royall prerogative Mihi vindicta Revenge is mine and assureth us by his promise of the execution thereof Ego rependam I will recompence saith the Lord. So that to be forward in our own revenge is to anticipate and usurp the office of God and to assume that to our selves which is his peculiar jurisdiction and so by consequence to make God our enemy also whereas to refer the cause unto him is to give him this right Plus improbum illum caedis sustinendo ab eo enim vapulabit cujus gratiâ sustines Tertul. and will prove much more beneficiall to us in the end as bringing the Almighty into our justice and making him the Revenger of our quarrell who will not be wanting unto his own charge but will either vindicate our cause by some sensible token of his wrath on our adversaries Patientes facit de secuturâ ultione securitas Cypr. cont Demetrian or so arm and fortify our minds with Christian constancie and resolution that we shall find even pleasure and contentment in our sufferings Or howsoever it shall one day prove our advantage when †The Lord shall reward thee Prov. 25.22 God shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weare us Garlands more glorious out of those injuries that we have endured for righteousnesse sake Mat. 5.10 so that our short and light afffâ—ction shall work unto us a far more exceeding 2 Cor. 4.17 and eternall weight of glory which the righteous judge will give unto every good souldier of Christ that by patience and meekness following the Captain of their salvation are made perfect through sufferings Heb. 2.10 We have his own word for it Revel 3. Revel 3.21 Vincenti To him that overcomeh will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father on his throne Let not this trouble you though notwithstanding this glorious profer here made by Christ nothing were promised in effect being to be had on such hard conditions by †Mat. 20.22 Cypr. de Zelo. drinking of his bitter cup. For habet pax coronas suas besides persecutions Crown of Martyrdom even peace hath her bowels too wherewith to crown the Christian Conquerour upon his
2 Cor. 12.7 as it befell th blessed Apostle through the abandance of revelations 3. Memento humilis esto Râ—member what i Mr. Hookers Sermon of the nature of pride toward the end Vndique vilissimi sumus ob id quod sumus ob id quod non sumus ob ea qâ—ae Deus fecit pro nobis c ob ea quae non fecit in nobis c. Nâ—eremberg de adorat lib. 2. c. 16. Ephâ—s 2 3. Rev. 3.17 1 Cor. 4.7 thou art or hast of thy selfe that is nothing whereof to glory bâ—t to humble and abase thee being by nature as others are wretched and miserable and poor and naked For who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receive The more thou hast so much the more k endebted thou art to his grace that gave it and more l Verò humilis omnia bona quae à Deo recipit sibi esse onera intelligit quibus in quanto plura sunt in tanto se Deo strictiùs obligari veraciter conspicit Guil. Parâ—s Mat. 25. â—5 accountable for the talents committed unto thee which if thou improvest not in some measure according to the grace that is given thee He that lent them finding thee like that m Unto whom much is given of them much will be required Luke â—2 48 Cùm enim augentur doâ—a rationes etiam crescunt donoâ—um Greg. hom 9 Quantò enim maius abiquis beneficium accipit tanto magis est obnoxius poenae ingratus existens neque honore melior effectas c. Chrysost Piger ejicitur in tenebras exteriores quod siis qui tantum non est usus quidei futurum qui fuerit abusus ad injuriam Dei Luâ— de Pont. par 5. med t. 58. sloathfull servant can take them from thee ' and strip thee naked as in the day of thy nativity Ezech. 16.4 5. and therefore n Humiliter confitentes fragiliâ—atem nostram illius miseâ—icordiam deprecemur ut dignetur in nobi non solâ—m custâ—dire sed etiam augeâ—e beneficia quae ipse dignatus est daâ—e Augustâ—n humbly confessing thy frailty become a suitor unto his mercy that prevented thee with the blessing of goodnesse that he would vouchsafe not onely to keep but also to encrease those benefits in thee which he vouchsafed to bestow on thee All that thou hast is from his bounty and therefore o Non ait simpliciter quid gloriaris quasi non acceperis sed addit ut adferat reprehensibilem non qui in habitis sed qui tanquam in non acceptis gloriatur Bâ—rnard glory so in the having as to be humbled in the receiving giving all the glory to him from whom alone thou hast received 1 Cor. 4.7 Or if this be not enough to work in thee a due regard of thy Creator let this be the fourth advice Gen. 18.25 Memento time Remember that he is the Judge of all the earth who is no lesse sharp in discerning then severe in punishing iniquity having eys so piercing that he beholdeth even the p Heb. 4 12.1â— Haec ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 referri possunt Hensius the thoughts and intents of the heart neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do or as the Syriack q Cui reddunt rationem ut sit sensus reddendam esse Deo omnium n strarum cogitationum actorum rationem B zâ— reades this place unto whom we must give an account of our inmost thoughs and actions that if our hearts should be so false as not to condemn us r 1 Joh. 3.10 God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things knoweth them better then we do our selves as being Å¿ Quod sit in me intra me magis quam anima in corpore intimiùs per modum essentiae praesertiae potentiae Lud. de Ponte p. 6. med 14. Aquin. p. 1. q. 8. art 3. Cuâ—liâ—et n. Creaturae realiter illabitur estque sibi intimus ratione suae immensitatis Nich de Orbellis dist 37. Sent. 1. Tu enim altissimo proxime secretissime praesentissime ubique totus es nusquam lâ—corum es Aug. Cons l. 6 c. 3. nearer to our soules then our soules are to our bodies t Nequaquam tales sunt hominis gestus actiones quando solus in domo sua quales sunt cum versatur coram magno aliquo Rege quare quicunque elegit persectionem humanam in rei veritate vir Dei esse cupit expergiscatur à somno suo sciatque Regem max. perpetuò sibi adesse inhaerere Regem inquam longe majorem omnibus Regibus mortalibus c. Ralt Maâ—mon Nebochim p. 3. cap. 52. remembring then this all-seeing presence that filleth heaven and earth with his glory be afraid to offend so dreadfull a Majesty or if thou hast a mind to sinne u August de verbis Domini serm 46. Aut si peccare vis quaere ubi te non videat fac quod vis seek thee out some ret red corner where he may not see thee and do what thou wilt It were desperate madness in that malefactor who x 4 Deus qui suâ adest essentiâ Judex est omnipotens justus quis audeat coram Judice cui semper praesto sunt satellites carnifex ipse furtum c. admittere Zanch. de Naâ— Dei lib. 2. cap. 6. should dare to commit any capitall crime in the sight of his jâ—dge that were certain to to arraign him and how much more in presence of that Almighty Judge who observes thy closest actions be they never so wittily stifled with walls y Quos plerunque circumdatos nobis judicamus non ut tutiùs vivamus sed ut peccemus occultiùs Sen. and darkness so as he needs no witness to accuse thee but shall his selfe be both witness and Judge and lay all thy misdeeds before thee when thou must give an account of thy thoughts thy loose and licentious thoughts which securely lodging within thee z O quam mirabiles terribiles oculi quos neque cogitatio prava praetervolat Deus enim sicut videt actus ita hominum contemplatur affectus nec opus est ut quis ei testimonium perhibeat de homine Pet. Bâ—es epist 20â— Cui cor omne patet omnis loquitur voluntas Gloss in Gâ—atiani deci as if none could see them there made thy heart a cage of uncleane birds of noysome lusts and vile affections an account of thy words thy idle and impertinent words all what ever thy tongue hath rashly and vainly uttered and how much more then a Quòd si de omni etioso verbo Deo sunt reddituri rationem in die judicii quanto districtiùs de verbo mendaci mordaci c. bern serm