of their Faith 1. An Intendment of Confirmation Before they confessed and believed And now again their faith is miraculously confirmed and ratified It is Gods gracious course thus to â—…port and strengthen the beginnings of a true faith Revelations Visions Miracles Signs from heaven all shall serve for further Confirmation Thus God to Ahaz Ask thee a Sâ—…n of the Lord thy God ask it either in the depth or in the heighâ—… above 〈◊〉 vii 11. If it be true faith he will make it stronger He is alwayes watering this grain of Mustard-seed Thus to Nathaneel Ioh. i. 50 51. Believest thou because I said unto thee I saw thee under the Fig-tree Thou shalt see greater things than these Ye shall see heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man 2. An Intendment of Remuneration This faithful Confession is honoured and rewarded with an evident Revelation a glorious Vision This is the method of Gods dealing with his children The ground of faith is not sight and reason and evidence but the reward of faith is evidence and clearness of full Representation Christians are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non Rationales Aug. That is the duty of faith but the issâ—… and end of it what is that It shall end in Vision Then we shall see him as he is First faith looks upon his back-parts and covers its face as Elias in the cave then it is advanced to see him face to face as Elias on the Mount To believe because we see it is the weakness of faith but to see because we believe it is the honour of faith Aliud est videndo credere aliud credendo videre After these sayings That 2. Is Post mortis praedictionem vers 22. The Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected of the Elders and Chief Priests and Scribes and be slain After that saying then he was Transfigured he shewed his Glory And so it carries with it these Intimations 1. Quod non ex infirmitate moriturus That he was not to dye out of Infirmity He who can thus at pleasure assume a state of Immortality hath no inward necessity to dye It was not necessity of nature but dispensation of grace that exposed him to death Non impotenter sed potenter mortuus est As Moses dyed not of weakness His eye was not dim nor his natural force abated Deut. xxxiv 7. but upon special order So dyed Christ. As Sampson it was his strength not his weakness that ended him So Christ he dyed Clamore magno non singultu He did not exspire with a sigh or a groan but when he had cried with a loud voyce he yielded up the ghost Matth. xxvii 50. 2. Quod non ex vi externa That he did not dye from any external violence He who hath the title of the Lord of life and can assume to himself Impassibility What violence can assault or annoy him No man taketh away my life from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again Ioh. x. 18. He who can Pertransire per medium eorum pass through the midst of them and go his way Luk. iv 30. sure his death is not enforced but assumed 3. Quod non ex odio paterno That he did not dye because his Father hated him It may be it shall be said God hath forsaken him His Fathers displeasure exposes him No that scandal is prevented by this glorious Manifestation of himself He is by an Oracle from heaven honour'd and acknowledg'd the Son of his Fathers love 4. After his Death is foretold his Glory is discovered That intimates the Order and Entrance and Passage into his Kingdom He did not pass à deliciis ad delicias No but first he must suffer and then be glorified Ought not Christ to have suffer'd these things and then to enter into his glory Luk. xxiv 26. First Mount Calvary must be ascended then Tabor and Olivet Post fel favum He must tast the gall of his Passion then after he shall tast the honey-comb of the sweetness of Exaltation 3. Is Post Resurrectionis Intimationem vers 22. He must be raised the third day After that saying then he was Transfigured And so it reflects upon that saying in a double notion 1. Ut ostenderet possibilitatem Resurrectionis He who can make his body thus radiant and resplendent transform it into such Glory Why should we judge it impossible or difficult to revive and raise it Why should we judge it impossible saith S. Paul for God to raise the dead Acts xxvi 8. He hath power to lay it down and power to take it up again Necesse est Spiritui restituatur Templum suum Look upon Mount Tabor and this Transfiguration and then go to Golgotha and doubt not of a Resurrection 2. Ut monstraret Modum The glory of this Transfiguration shews the glory of his Resurrection It was Praeludium Resurrectionis Dominicae It shall not onely be a bare recovery of life but an advancing of it S. Paul calls it His glorious Body The High Priest Iosedeck his vile garments are taken from him and precious garments are given unto him Consider the glory of this Transfiguration and then doubt not of the Immortality Impassibility Agility Clarity of the Resurrection 4. Is Post Crucis Impositionem vers 23 24. If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow me Taking up the Cross losing of their lives for him After these sayings then he was Transfigured So it imports a seasonable Consolation They must endure the Cross part with life sad tydings an hard saying Who can bear it These are things dreadful to flesh and bloud Ay but stay a while and see him and his servants in glory that will sweeten all He purposely gives them a glimpse and view and tast of that glory that shall attend their sufferings Look upon thy sufferings and thy spirit may droop but get up into this Mountain of glory see those Crowns and Scepters and White Robes and then you will be encouraged These light afflictions which are but for a moment work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. iv 17. Thus Christ sweetly enterchanges his dealings with his servants 1. Having put them into the sad meditation of his Death he shews them his Glory 2. Having rejoyced them with that then he allayes it with the remembrance of his Death again reminds them of his Passion 5. Is Post Gloriae Promisionem vers 24. He tells them hereafter they shall save their lives at his coming in Glory After that saying he is Transfigured So it is F 〈…〉 Glorie Representatio He puts them not off to future expectations and reversions Totum id quod Christiani sumus spes est sayes hard to some mens faith Ay but he gives them in present a glimpse of glory These first fruits and preludes of
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bound in the Spirit carried by a strong guidance of the Holy-Ghost in all his conversation Hath he vouchsafed to dwell in thee Yield up thy self to his command and authority 4. Dwelling implies Care and Protection and Provision All that are within the Verge are under Protection The Master of the house is to see to all and to provide for them The good man of the house wakes soonest and watches longest Aristotle gives this rule in his Oeconomicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The care of his house belongs to him Nor is this Spirit of Christ wanting in this property A Christian possess'd by God hath a Patent of Protection a full supply of all comfortable provision He will safe-guard his house and protect it he withstands all assaults made upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he resists the assaults that Satan makes upon it He that destroyes the Temple of God him shall God destroy See the Patent of Provision that God grants to his houshold My servants shall eat but ye shall be hungry my servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty my servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed Isai. lxv 13. For use 1. It should teach us gladly to yield up our selves as Mansions for him to dwell and abide in us not onely to receive him guest-wise or at some good time onely as at a Communion but resign up all to him give him the keys let no room be shut up against him Invite him to come in unto us to own and possess us Turn in my Lord turn in to me 2. When he hath taken up his dwelling offend him not by any thing that may make him mislike much less give over and forsake his dwelling Res delicata est Spiritus Dei Tertul. 'T is not every rude and homely entertainment that will content him Nobilem hospitem habes O anima O man thou lodgest a glorious Inhabitant study to please him We must not grieve him Ephes. iv 30. much less resist him Actâ—… vii least of all despise him Heb. x. 29. He will abide no longer than where he is observed As the spirit of man stayes no longer in the body then it is pliant to him hinder it from working and it forsakes us presently 3. This Inhabitation of the Spirit in us challenges a reverence of the souls and bodies of Gods Saints as of the Mansion-place where God himself abides Violence to a Temple 't is counted Sacriledge such a Prophanation is no less then an Abomination to God Neither scorn nor cruelty nor any unworthy usage to these Temples of the living God but strikes at the face of God himself Do you despise the house of God saith S. Paul As Christ saith He that swears by the Temple swears by it and him that dwells in it so he that violates the body of a Saint offers indignity to that God that dwells in it Take heed of profaning your selves being dedicated and devoted to the Holy Ghost Thus S. Paul dehorts them from uncleanness The body is not for fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the body Portastis Dominum in corpore vestro as the old Translation hath it Possess them in Holinesse and Honour We have seen the particulars Now II. Briefly take notice of the summary intent and purpose of this Clause If the Spirit of him that raised Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised Iesus from the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies The Exigence and Illation from this Conditional is thus much That Sanctification is a necessary Requisite to a glorious Resurrection The expectation of future Glory it must be founded upon present Grace Thou will not give thine holy One to see corruption saith David Psal. xvi Solum Sanctum non videbit corruptionem saith S. Bern. 'T is holiness that embalmes our dead bodies and will keep them from corruption The many habitudes and references that Holiness hath to Happiness Grace to Glory will confirm this truth 1. Grace in reference to Glory it hath Rationem seminis Everlasting life it is called the fruit of holiness Rom. vi 22. and Galat. vi 8. He that sowes to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Sementis hodie â—…ras messis saith S. Chrysostom This life is the Seed-time the next life is the Harvest If there be no Seed-time of Grace never expect any Harvest of Glory 2. Grace unto Glory hath the respect of a First-fruits to the whole Crop Rom. viii 23. We that have the first-fruits of the Spirit wait for the redemption of our bodies The First-fruits dedicated the whole Harvest These ripe Ears of Grace are a blessed assurance of the full Sheaves of Glory to be reaped hereafter 3. Grace unto Glory hath the respect of a Fountain to a Stream or River Ioh. iv 14. The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life And what that Well of water is he tells us chap. vii 39. This spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive Damm or dry up the Spring-head and the Streams flow not we must begin at the Fountain of Grace if ever we mean to attain to the Ocean of Glory 4. Grace unto Glory hath the respect of a pledge or earnest or seal unto a full actual Possession 2 Cor. i. 2. Who hath sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts And again Eph. i. 13. Ye are sealed with that holy Spirit of Promise which is the earnest of our inheritance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. saith S. Chrysost. It seals up all and is in stead of all Theodosius made it a Law That they who received not the Pledge of Matrimony should lose their Dowry Without this earnest of Grace we cannot expect the fruition of Glory 'T is like the red thread on Rahab's house if we part with that token we cannot escape 5. Indeed there is so near a Conjunction twixt Grace and Glory that the Scripture makes them both the same thing Saint Peter calls Grace The Spirit of Glory The Spirit of God and of Glory rests on you 1 Pet. iv 14. They differ but in degrees as the Morning-light doth to the light of the perfect-Day Prov. iv 18. Grace 't is the beginning and day-break and dawning of Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as there is some light before the Sun rises Glory 't is nothing but gratia consummata and the blessedness of Heaven 't is gloriosa sanctitas holiness in the brightest hue shining in its full lustre This makes the Scripture urge and enforce the necessity of Holiness Follow holiness without which none shall see the Lord Heb. xii 14. c. We have done with the first Particular The Condition upon which our Resurrection is promised If the Spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you Now follows Secondly The efficient cause
home with joy As every sin leaves a sting after it so the duties of Piety and Devotion calm the soul and fill it with much joy and glory even as if they heard an Euge from heaven Now that this glorious effect may follow our Prayers three conditions are required 1. They must be frequent To be strange with God to keep aloof from him and yet to think that our rare and disused Prayers shall find such success it is groundless Daniel who would not abstain thirty dayes but thrice every day prayed he had an Angel to assure him Knock Seek they are words of diligence Daniel's thrice David's seven times these find joy Thou who art strange to God canst thou wonder if he be strange to thee if he impart not those joyes that are for his Favourites 2. They must be cheerful We must delight in this communion God he delights to hear us pray Cant. ii 14. Let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voyce for sweet is thy voyce and thy countenance is comely If he delights to hear our Prayers how should we delight in offering them to him They who count it the burthen of their lives to pray irksome tedious can expect little sweetness in this communion No David is glad to put himself into this communion Psal. xxvii 8. My heart hath talked of thee Seek ye my face Thy face Lord will I seek 3. They must be fervent Our remiss feeble benummed suits what force have they to work upon God or upon our selves See here our Saviour prayes himself into heaven In the garden prayes himself into an Agony Paul praying was carried up into the third heaven S. Peter praying was cast into a trance S. Iohn was ravish'd in spirit Zeal it is the wing of Prayer the ladder of Heaven like Elijah's fiery Chariot Whereas our cold slumbering suits like Meteors in the Ayr vanish into nothing Nay so far are they from Intention and Zeal that they scarce have any Attention and Mind Can such cold formalities invite God home into their heart They at Emmaus were importunate with Christ constrain'd him to stay with them Lot urged the Angels to turn in to his house Use these violences and thou breakest open heaven David's heart panted for God Oh! When wilt thou come unto me Oh! keep this passage open 'twixt God and thee let no neglect stop or damm it up We have seen his disposition Oravit He prayed Now follows Secondly his glorious Transfiguration In it two things 1. The nature and condition of it 2. The reason and purpose of it First The nature and condition of it It is called here an Alteration S. Matthew calls it a Transfiguration or a Transformation In it three things 1. The Alteration it self 2. The Subject of it It was 1. In Vultu in his Countenance 2. In Vestitu in his Garments 3. The Manner Shining as the Sun that 's for his Countenance Exceeding white that 's for his Rayment 1. Ut Nix As the Snow 2. Ut Lux As the Light 3. Whiter then any Fuller on earth can white them I. For the Alteration it self He was Transfigured That implies two things 1. It was Passiva mutatio A passive Alteration Non Transfiguravit se sed Transfiguratus est He did not Transfigure himself but he was Transfigured 1. Because his Humanity was only patient and receptive in this glorious Alteration had no activity to infuse this glory That was but as a Lanthorn which gives not light of it self a Candle within it must shine and enlighten it 2. To intimate that it was the Action of God the Father putting Honour and Glory upon his Son and not so much the Action of the Son assuming Glory to himself Father Glorifie thy Son that thy Son may Glorifie thee The Merits were the Son 's the Rewards his Father's 2. It was Qualitativa mutatio A Transfiguration a glorious Alteration in the appearance and qualities of his Body not a substantial Alteration in the substance of it Assumpsit gloriam non deposuit naturam Hieron And from it gather these Corollaries 1. Haec fides nostra It is a rule for our Faith It was the same body of Christ in nature and substance before and in and after Glorification Ubiquitaries and so Papists make Christ's Glorification not to consist in investing of his body with glorious qualities but in the abolishing or turning his flesh into his Deity No Christ's body here and in heaven is not changed in the natural proportion but enriched and beautified with heavenly endowments His nature is not abolish'd but onely replenish'd with Glory Glory freed him from natural infirmities it doth not strip him of natural properties Still eadem quantitâ—…s Ubiquitaries say by virtue of Union and glorification it must be every where Papists say by virtue of glorification it may be any where in a thousand places at once Thus in the Sacrament they have built him a Tabernacle of accidents and shadowes No Glory as Grace perfects Nature it doth not destroy it It is a qualitative not a substantial alteration 2. Haec gloria nostra It was a qualitative alteration his body remaining the same this is our glory Our flesh is glorified in Christ and he communicates to it a glorious condition This is the advancement of our bodies He assumed our body not only for passion but for glorification Fond Hereticks say he left this body behind him No he hath united it undividedly to him dedicated it in himself to glory Securae estote caro sanguis occupâstis coelum in Christo Hieron 3. Haec spes nostra This is our hope that these our frail earthly bodies shall be in his good time transfigured and made like his glorious Body Anabaptists dream of new bodies to be made No what he hath shewed me in his own he can and will perform in ours Our vile bodies shall be made like his glorious body His glorified body was primitiae the First-fruits and they are pledges of the whole Crop So much for the first the kind or nature of this alteration Now II. For the Subject of it 1. It is Corpus not Anima his Body not his Soul this was not enriched with any new encrease of glory but his body only The Soul by virtue of the hypostatical Union was replenished with all grace and glory from his Conception Then he was annointed with the Oyl of gladness He was comprehensor quoad animam ab instanti but he was viator in corpore that was in a state of infirmity and so capable of increase of glory Addition of glory to his Soul 1. It was needless 2. It was useless This Transfiguration was purposed for the good and profit of the Apostles and so to be such as was observeable by them 2. It was vultus his Face or countenance No question all his Body was cloathed with Majesty but his Countenance was most Resplendent That is sedes majestatis What the natural beauty of our Saviour's countenance
was some curiously enquire and accordingly resolve it to be beyond all others even beyond Adams in Paradice But as Moses vayled his Face so the Scripture hath put a Vaile of silence and concealment upon this of Christ. It is best to resolve the habit of his Body as it was utterly free from the least blemish and deformity so was it also fitted and tempered to his state of humiliation and infirmity 3. It was vestitus his Garments that 's the other subject of this alteration And then follows III. The manner 1. His Countenance that was shining as the Sun Not but that Christ's glorified Body doth now surpass all created Glory all excellencies cannot equalize his Majesty But 1. This is the most glorious Creature to which we may resemble it 2. This Transfiguration was not a full representation of his Heavenly Glory but only a glimpse of it Non erat plenitudo gloriae sed similitudo Had this Sun of righteousness shined in his full glory the eyes of the Apostles could not have beheld it He dwells in that light that no eye can approach unto Now from this resemblance of Christ's glory as the Sun deduce it into these particulars 1. Sol it is origo lucis all light flows from the Sun and is derived from it The Starres shine by a borrowed light So Christ he is the original and Fons gloriae the Fountain of glory All his Saints and Angels are opace dark in themselves their light it is from him He is Fons gratiae gloriae as the King is Fons honoris From his fullness they receive all he cloaths them with light if he hide his face they are eclipsed 2. Solis splendor it is purissimus the light of the Sun it is most refulgent The Moon is waterish the Starres glimmering but the Sun is most pure So Christ he is not onely pure but purity it self No mixture or shadow of darkness or corruption is in him There are maculae in Luna sic in Ecclesia spots in the Moon and so there are in the Church The Starres are impure in his sight Cujus participatione sumus justi ejus comparatione sumus injusti 3. Solis splendor 't is vegetans the light of the Sun it enlivens and quickens and gives vivacity to all creatures Philosophers say without the influence of the Sun no creature can live This being eclipsed all things languish In its departure there is nothing but fading and dying in its return it gives vivacity So Christ he is the Fountain of spiritual and glorious life A gracious aspect from him enlivens us as it did S. Peter Malach. iv 2. The Sun of righteousness comes with healing in his wings and ye shall go forth and grow as the Calves of the stall 4. Solis splendor it is laetificans the light of the Sun it is cheering and comforting It is a good thing to see the Sun darkness is sad and irksome So Christ refreshes and glads the Soul Ps. iv 7. the light of his countenance puts gladness in my heart more then in the time that their Corn and their Wine encreased The Church in persecution therefore prayes Ps. lxxx 7. Cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved We have seen his Countenance shining as the Sun See 2. His Garments these are shining and glorious And it is express'd three waies 1. White as the Light Matth. xvii 2. 2. Exceeding white as Snow Mark ix 3. 3. By a transcendency so as no Fuller upon earth can white them exceeding Art which is inferiour to Nature nay surpassing Nature Here are two Queries that may be put 1. Why are his garments glorious A gloryfied body shall have no other garments then the robes of immortality and glory True but Christ was 1. Not instatu gloriae but only in actu in a transeunt passage of glory 2. Not in the fullness of glory but in some resemblance In Heaven he cloaths himself with light as with a garment now he cloaths himself with garments as with light 3. Not inter glorificatos and so habituates his body to the decencie of humane conversation How irreligious are some of those disputes which the Jesuits have concerning the body of Christ 2. Whence arose this glory of his Garments From the glory and resplendency that was in his Body His Divinity that conveyed glory into his Soul and that transfused it into his Body and that transmits it into his Garments As his power of miracles was originally in his God-Head then in his Soul then in his Body then in his Garment The hemm of his Garment had virtue in it being instrumentum conjunctum Now from the glory of his Garments as Snow as Light 1. Gather what modell we must gather of Christ's glory and our glory with him Look upon all the Beauties that are in the world the most glorious and resplendent creatures and unite all their excellencies and raise up thy thoughts by them and from them to the contemplation of that glory which is in Heaven View the curious rarities of Art and Nature Is the Snow a vanishing Meteor so white The material Heavens so pure The Lilly so beautiful Oh! Our Solomon in his glory is cloath'd more richly then any of these Eye hath not seen Ear hath not heard the Heart cannot conceive the Greatness of his glory 2. Consider Qualis sanctitas Christi Sanctorum How great is that glorious purity which is in Christ and which can stand before him It must be exact and pure without all stain and blemish Glory is nothing but Excellens Sanctitas Our white robes are the righteousness of the Saints David prayes to be whiter then Snow How should we buy of him fine Linnen and pure and wash our Robes in the bloud of the Lamb The Papist's they have their Fulling-Mills Purgatory Pennance No those are all polluted It must be Christ who must come with Fullers Sope Malach. 3. Consider are his Garments thus glorious How holy and glorious shall his Members be It is he that puts his own comeliness upon them See how he commends the several lineaments of his Church in the Canticles her Eyes her Lips her Nose c. If these outward applications of garments derive such beauty and glory from him how then shall not those neer intimate spiritual Unions As S. Paul speaks Upon our less honourable members we put more honour So much of the Nature and Condition of his Transfiguration See now Secondly the ground and reason why he was transfigured before them 1. Christ puts himself into this appearance of glory to testify and demonstrate the truth of his Divinity His Humanity did appear unto them now his glory gives evidence of his divine Nature Q. But how can this glory of his Face prove his Divinity seeing Moses his Face did shine A. Christ's glory came not from a gracious dispensation but from a substantial bodily inhabitation of the God-Head but Moses his shining was far inferiour 1. He had it
extrinsecus by conferring with God as a Mudd-wall when the Sun shines upon it but Christ's glory came from within from his Deity to his Soul 2. Moses his shining was not in such glory that was concealed and hid by the covering of a Vail Christ's darts through his Garments His shinings were radii divinitatis Damasc. Moses had splendorem sub velamento Christ had velamen in splendore 3. Moses his shining was terrible Christ's was comfortble The Apostles were loth to lose the sight of it 2. Christ was Transfigured to prefigure the glory of his second comming at the day of Judgment Then he will have his Saints about him as Moses and Elias and his Apostles to be present with him and he Himself will be in his glory His first Coming was in infirmity but the Kingdom of God shall come with power Look upon Mount Tabor and then believe the glory of his second Appearance 3. Christ was Transfigured consignare Resurrectionem It shews the possibility nay the facility of his own and our resurrection He who can transform himself thus into glory how easily can he raise up himself and us also and translate us into glory Look upon Mount Tabor and then doubt not but Mount Golgotha shall give up her dead 4. Christ was Transfigured armare contra scandalum crucis He had told his Disciples of his Cross and sufferings It greived and troubled them Now to remove this scandal of his Cross he arrayes himself in glory This Face that shall be spitt upon I can make it as the Sun this Body that is to be tortured shall shine as the Light these Garments that are to be parted shall be made resplendent Look to Mount Tabor and be not offended at Mount Calvarie 5. He shews himself in glory to his Apostles gives them a glimpse of Heaven to quicken up their appetites to the longing for it These praeludia of Heaven will support any drooping spirit As Ionathan the tast of Hony revived him presently As Caleb cut down a bunch of Grapes from Eschol and by the presenting of that encouraged the people to desire Canaan Fix thy Meditations upon these glories behold by faith Christ in his glory not attended only with Moses and Elias but with innumerable Angels behold thy Throne thy Crown thy white Robes it will make thee couragious and desirous to be dissolved THE THIRD SERMON ON S. LUKE ix 30 31. And behold there talked with him two men which were Moses and Elias Who appeared in Glory and spake of his Decease which he should accomplish at Ierusalem NOw follows Christ's honourable Attendance that accompanied him in his glorious Transfiguration And in it observe three particulars 1. The Persons who are present 2. The Manner of their presence They appeared in glory 3. Their Action and Employment An holy and heavenly Conference They spake of his decease First The Persons that attended and were present at his Transfiguration And they present themselves in three considerable notions 1. Their number Two 2. Their kind Two men 3. Their specialty Moses and Elias I. Their number Two Why so small a number of glorious Attendants He could have commanded twelve Legions All the assembly of the Saints were ambitious of this honour heaven would have emptied it self upon this Mountain to celebrate this glorious Transfiguration of Christ. Yet but two admitted 1. This Transfiguration of Christ was but a glimpse of his Glory no full manifestation He shews here but one beam of his Majesty not the full lustre and splendour of it When he comes in full Glory troops and millions of Saints and Angels shall wait upon him Now he more privately discovers himself in the view of a few and if he be now so glorious how resplendent will he be in all his Saints and holy Angels 2. These Saints present are not present for attendance only but as witnesses to give testimony to the Son of God And two witnesses of such choice and note of so great authority to seal and assure us of Christ's glorious Divinity are sufficient At the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall a matter be established Deut. xix 15. There need no more Here therefore onely three from earth are assumed to this vision and two onely from heaven Hereafter Every eye shall see him Now the sight of him is more reserved and mystical and of a more reserved dispensation 3. Two Saints are assumed into attendance of this Glory others are omitted to shew and figure out a disparity and diversity of Glory in those blessed Spirits All the Saints have their portion of bliss but in their proportion not in a just equality As from earth he hath his favourites three choyse Apostles the rest stood at a more remote distance so in heaven though all are happy yet have they their measures and degrees of Glory These two in the Text are taken into a greater nearness admitted to a more full view of Christ others were waiting his coming into heaven longing for and expecting his glorious Ascension These had the favour of seeing him before in the dayes of their flesh Moses and Elias saw his back-parts These again are dignified with this glorious Apparition assumed with him into his triumphant Chariot as Iehu did assume Ionadab That 's the first their number two II. Their kind two men Why was he not attended with glorious Angels Why were not these commanded to wait upon him and worship him No he assumes not Angels but these holy men 1. They were magis idonei Testes more competent and convenient witnesses of his Deity and Mediatourship then the choicest Angels Moses and Elias should be of more prevailing Autherity then the Angels These had Authority of teaching in the Church And they bear record here in relation to what they were before with respect to the Scriptures of which they were the Pen-men and Teachers This is a great assurance of Truth that those Saints who first published the tidings of Salvation are now eye-witnesses feel and find the truth of what they Preached Remember them who have spoken to you the word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation Heb. xiii 7. That Doctrine which they taught brought them to Glory 2. Duo homines Two men they attend this Glory of Christ because they are more concerned in Christ's Incarnation and Mediatourship These are not onely Spectators but Partners Our Salvation and bliss is the main aym of Christ the glory of the Angels is less principal and accessory He took not upon him their nature fulfilled not their Covenant To us he was born to us he lived for us he died They are not the Spouse but the friends of the Spouse The Church is Christ's Spouse they like S. Iohn the Baptist rejoyce at the sight of it As when God led the Israelites into Canaan a mixed people followed them and entred in with them so we are the choise people who are
performances 4. It is not suitable to the Glory and Truth of Christ to delude men with shadows and empty Appearances He was most real as of himself handle me feel me All these are evidences for a real Appearance Now this reality of Appearance assures us of two Truths 1. Is Veritas Immortalitatis the truth of the Immortality of souls and spirits The spirits of these two holy men are living and immortal It is a wicked opinion of the Sadduces now raigning among the Jews that the souls are extinguished with the bodies Here is not onely Elias whom they rejected but Moses whom they believed is here really exhibited This is the assurance of our Faith Ye are come to the spirits of just men made perfect This is a foundation of Religion If no Immortality hereafter no Piety here How carnally drunk do many live as if there were no soul or no Immortality 2. Is Veritas the truth nay more facilitas Resurrectionis the easiness of the Resurrection Elias indeed in body was translated but Moses was dead and buried in the plain of Moab yet here his body is united to his soul and appears in Glory How easily can the Lord of our bodies and souls raise and place our bodies in Glory See he beckens Elias out of heaven Moses out of his grave Moses his body was not as Lazarus's four days but two thousand years in the grave yet at the nutus of Christ is it raised and united Our bodies and souls shall be in his hands not onely for safety and custody but for guidance and disposal Speak but the word Lord and thy servants shall revive That 's the first a real Appearance II. It is a glorious Appearance Appear'd in Glory Moses and Elias being attendants upon Christ appear in Glory as Noblemen appear in greatest Magnificence to attend the King 1. Here is the glory of the Saints to attend Christ in Glory The Jews thought if Christ were advanced Moses must down Whosoever preached Christ spake against Moses No Moses was never so glorious as in this Attendance It is otherwise with this Sun of righteousness and the Saints then with the body of the Sun and the Stars These do occidere heliace not appear when they come nearer to the Sun But our Sun of Glory makes these Stars the nearer they be to be the more glorious As in Ioseph's dream the Sun Moon and Stars were all shining together 2. Moses and Elias appear gloriously in Christ's presence Moses is then made manifest and clear when Christ comes Take Moses asunder and without Christ 1. He is obscure there is no luster no clearness he is under a vail but Christ he with his Coming if he appear with Moses he makes all gloriously clear and evident to us 2. He is imperfect nothing but emptiness and shadows Christ gives a fulness to Moses He is not so much the abolition as the consummation of the Law Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ. Paul calls them beggerly rudiments void of Christ. 3. Moses apart from Christ he is fearful and terrible The Law causeth wrath Ay but look upon Moses standing with Christ then he is comfortable Make Moses a servant to Christ the Law to Faith and never look upon Moses but see Christ with him and above him and that will rejoyce thee That 's the second the manner of their appearance in Glory Thirdly see their Action and Employment They talked with him In it three things 1. The Action Collocuti 2. The Person Cum Christo. 3. The Matter de Exitu I. The Action Collocuti They talked It was no dumb shew and representation to gaze upon but an holy and heavenly communication Moses and Elias if they appear they appear as Prophets speaking and conferring either speaking of God or to God It is the life of a Prophet in heaven day and night without ceasing there is nothing but speaking We have here too Moses and the Prophets let us conferr with them and Christ it is a glimpse of Glory In the Scriptures we find Moses and the Prophets conferring with Christ which S. Peter preferrs before this Vision and calls 2 Pet. i. 19. A more sure word of Prophecy Now this Colloquium this Speaking implyes two things 1. Consensum 2. Familiaritatem 1. Consensum It teaches us That there is a sweet agreement betwixt Moses and Elias with our Saviour Christ that there is no repugnancy or contradiction 'twixt the Old and New Testament but a sweet harmony and agreement Here the Law and the Prophets like the two Cherubs are both compassing and looking upon the Mercy-Seat This Christ taught his Disciples All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes concerning me Luk. xxiv 44. There were certain Hereticks in S. Aug. time who professed themselves enemies to the Law and the Prophets But Non potes segregare Legem ab Evangelio ut nec umbram à corpore The Lord thy God will raise unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy brethren like unto me saith Moses Deut. xviii 15. Like unto me not contrary to me The same Religion the same substantial Truth the same Grace and Salvation is in both Testaments There is a variety of Ceremonies but the same Truth and Substance there is the same Authour of both Thus S. Iames answers this doubt Known to the Lord are all his works from the beginning it is no change in God As the prescripts of the Physician are some of one kind to day to morrow of another both ayming at the health of the Patient Aug. The Gospel was comprehended in the Law the Law is explained and cleared in the Gospel The Law shews Moses vailed the Gospel unvails him 2. Denotat familiaritatem Their talk and conference betokeneth a sweet and holy familiarity and communion with God on earth As of Moses it was said The Lord spake unto Moses face to face as a man speaketh unto his friend Exod. xxxiii 11. Observe Moses and Elias were men of much communion with God upon earth many heavenly entercourses passed between them and now they are admitted into a near and sweet and familiar communication Men of communion with God here shall be received with more free access and familiar conversation with Christ in heaven They who never maintain speech with God here how can they look to have access in heaven They who love to come into his presence delight in hearing him speak to them and they to him by Prayer and Meditation they shall have nearest and freest and sweetest communion hereafter That 's the first the Action Collocuti sunt They talked II. The Person Cum Christo With Christ Not with the Apostles nor the Apostles with them Here was a miraculous Apparition but no parley nor entercourse Observe Here is no shew or appearance of any entercourse 'twixt Christians on earth and the Saints in heaven no invocation or salutation on the Apostles part
flings down these Tabernacles sets up Christs onely In the new Ierusalem there is no Temple but the Lamb is the Temple Rev. xxi 22. Who is Moses and who is Elias but servants of this Tabernacle of which Christ is Lord We must not have not only Altare contra Altare but not Altare cum Altari Christ alone is the Lord all the rest are but servants 2. A second Error Moses and Elias must needs have Tabernacles and abide with Christ to make up this Glory Why Christ alone and his Tabernacle cannot that suffice us It is an Error so to affect the presence of the Saints as to account Christ an imperfect Saviour if they be wanting or our happiness insufficient if Saints be not joyned with him 'T is comfortable to have the society of the Saints but in point of salvation hereafter or comfort here we must know he is alone All-sufficient for us Whom have I in heaven but thee Nihil Domine praeter teipsum In this case though Abraham know us not and Iacob be ignorant of us and Moses and Elias they abide not Yet thou art the same Lord thou never failest The Court is where the King is though none of his followers attend upon him If Christ be not thine and vouchsafes his presence all the Saints and Angels in heaven cannot comfort thee If thou hast him were they all strangers to thee thou hast fulness of bliss in him onely The Sun alone is more refreshing then all the Stars in the Firmament 3. A third Error Peter will set up three Tabernacles One for Christ then for Moses then for Elias Christ indeed is first named but here is too much equalizing the servants with the Master Nimis perversum quod Mosen Eliam Collegas Christo facit cum omnes in ordinem cogendi ut ille solus emineat It is too fellow-like a provision to sort Christ and Saints in such Tabernacles of equality All Sheaves must fall down and worship this Sheaf All Saints must do homage and stoop and not state it in several Courts and quarters as petty Christs No Christ's footstool is a glorious Throne for the highest Saints Maldonate the Jesuit upbraids Calvin with making this construction of Peters good meaning But Calvin is not the first His own Cardinal Turrecremate conceits it before him How hath that Church pitch'd Tabernacles check-mate with Christ's The Virgin Maries Tabernacle is more frequented There must be a writ of Command from this to Christ's What Peter did in an astonishment and incogitancy these do wilfully and wickedly paralelling Saints with Christ the Law with the Gospel servants of the house with the Lord of it Three Churches there are built on Tabor and a Monastery 4. A fourth Error Christ and Moses and Elias in Glory must have three Tabernacles A strange weakness of this holy man What use have glorified bodies of these Tabernacles made with hands Indeed the Feast of Tabernacles was a Type of our heavenly joy but a poor shadow onely A Tabernacle it was a Travellers habitation their journey being past that was a refreshing their toyls over that was a shelter It was a Military habitation their warfare past that was their covert But there is no Tabernacle in heaven As Moses himself confesses Psal. xc Lord thou art our dwelling place The carnal thoughts of men think these earthly comforts to have place in heaven As the Sadduces thought If there be a Resurrection then there is Marrying and giving in Marriage So the Iews thought That if the Messias be then there must be carnal victory worldly pomp So the Turks promise themselves sensual delights In this sense it is true The kingdome of heaven is not meat nor drink nor any such comfort but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost We look for a Tabernacle and Building made without hands Those Eternal Mansions whose Foundations are Eternity and whose Walls are Salvation need not our poor Cottages THE SIXTH SERMON ON S. MATTH xvii v. While he yet spake behold a bright cloud overshadowed them and behold a voyce out of the cloud which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him WE have seen the Progress of this glorious Appearance of Christ hitherto First In his holy Preparation He prayed Secondly In his glorious Transfiguration of his body Thirdly In his honourable Attendance of Moses and Elias Fourthly In the ravishing and ecstatical Contemplation of his Apostles Now Fifthly We come to the highest pitch and rise of Glory put upon him by God and unto which all the rest were subordinate and purposed the great Glory and Honour put upon him from heaven by God the Father in this magnificent and renowned Testimony This is my beloved Son As when Nathan and Zadock had attended Solomon to Gihon and there invested him in the Title of the kingdome with Applause and Shouting then David his father gives him the solemn Consummation in placing him upon his own Royal Throne and establishing his Succession by his own Approbation So here Moses and Elias having adored him on Mount Tabor now God the Father seals up his Glory Go forth O ye daughters of Zion and behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith his mother Crowned him Cant. iii. 11. This David spake of Psal. ii 6. I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Zion Vers. 7. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Three times we see this glorious voyce came from heaven to magnifie Christ 1. In his entrance and initiation of his Mediatourship when he was baptized by Iohn then lo a voice from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. iii. 17. 2. Here in the course and progress of his Mediatourship 3. At the end and closure of it before his Passion Then came there a voice from heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorifie it again Now in this glorious Testimony given to our Saviour here in the Text there are two things 1. Is a fitting and significant accommodation and preparation for it A bright cloud overshadowed them 2. Is the publication and declaration of this glorious Testimony This is my beloved Son First is the preparation A bright cloud overshadowed them I. A cloud overshadowed them The overspreading of this cloud upon our Saviour and the Apostles was purposed of God for divers reasons 1. To correct the Error of Peter He would prepare Tabernacles to shelter Christ and those glorified bodies as supposing that those glorified bodies had need of shelter coverture God confutes this Error Here is an overshadowing and shelter from heaven not a Booth or a Tent pitch'd by man but framed by God an heavenly Cloathing miraculously framed As David speaks He layes the beams of his chambers in the waters and makes the clouds his charret Psal. civ 3. He cloaths himself with this aëry or rather heavenly Mansion Thus Solomon The heaven of heavens cannot contain him
mystery of his Person that both these Natures should be so strangely and admirably united into one Person that God and Man should be personally one Christ 1. Not by a concord of wills 2. Or by a transfusion of properties 3. Or by assistance of grace but 4. By an inward union and conjunction in Person It is a mysterie that Divines have laboured to express by any possible similitudes and could not do it 2. 'T is Magnum Mysterium This of Christ's Incarnation 't is the grand Mysterie because all other mysteries are subordinate and serviceable to this all sacred truths point at this Truth all like lines meet in this center 'T is the end and drift of all the sacred Prophesies To him give all the Prophets witness Acts x. 43. It was the summe and scope of all their Predictions All the Prophets from Samuel and those that follow after as many as have spoken have foretold his Coming Acts iii. 24. Of this Salvation all the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently He is Abraham's promised Seed Moses his great Prophet Samuel's anointed King Iacob's Shilo Esay's Immanuel Ieremy's Man compassed by a Woman Ezekiel's Shepherd Daniel's Holy One Zachary's Branch Solomon's Lilly David's Lord Malachy's Angel All that prophesied looked at him He is the end and body and substance of all their Rites and Ceremonies He was Abel's Sacrifice Abraham's First-fruits Isaac's Ram Iacob's Ladder Moses his Passover Aaron's Rod the Israelites Rock the Patriarchs Manna David's Tabernacle Solomon's Temple all types and representations of his Incarnation All their Kings were figures of this great King all their Deliverers and Judges types of this great Saviour all their Priests were Ushers to bring in this High-Priest of our profession All the mysteries in Scripture were serviceable to this mystery 3. 'T is Magnum Mysterium 't is a great mysterie far exceeding all mysteries in the world All secrets of nature are but elements and rudiments to this Oracle The learnedst men that can search into all natural knowledge stand gazing at this and cry out How can this thing be All mysteries of States they are but meer follies and dotages to this Wisdom The vanquishing of Satan What victory like this The birth of God What Prince's nativity so honourable The laws of the Church the heavenly Oracles What laws so righteous The priviledges of the Gospel What Prerogatives Charters Liberties so ample Other Kings saith S. Chrysostom they govern the bodies this King reigns in the souls of men Other Kings fight with bodily weapons this King with spiritual Other Kings fight against Barbarians Christ against Devils All subtilties of Art but meer daubings and botcheries to this great mysterie That Art can tame Lyons lead about Tygers How do we wonder at this This Mysterie here can change and alter brutish savage barbarous men reduce them to all sobriety and moderation Christs Incarnation shall make the Wolf dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard lye down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lyon and the Fatling together and a little Child shall lead them c. Esay xi 6. That Art is curious that can drive away diseases lengthen and strengthen life How far exceeding is this mysterie that can cure soul-sickness not onely cure sickness but recover from death regenerate and renew a man old and withered nay dead and give life to him Other Arts can alter nature but this doth change it That may polish brass but not turn it into a purer metal Evangelium ferreum vas reddidit aureum 4. 'T is Magnum Mysterium a great mysterie because 't is a mysterie even to all men of the largest capacity the most clear understanding In other truths that may be a mysterie to one man which is but an easie ordinary truth to the mind of another As in Nature some things seem very mysterious and obscure to a vulgar understanding which a learned judicious man can presently comprehend As the Eclipse of the Sun an unlearned man wonders at it as a great secret of nature but a Scholar counts the knowledge of it easie and obvious So in works of Art Aliter judicat peritus Artifex aliter imperitus inspector An unskilful man will account that a curious piece of work which an expert Artificer will judge but ordinary But this Oracle and mysterie with which we have to do it poseth the greatest wits far exceeds the largest understanding Solomon who knew the secrets of nature his large head was too narrow for it He confesses I have not the understanding of a man I have not learned this wisdom It is hid even from the wise and prudent Matt. xi Where is the wise Where is the Scribe Where is the disputer of the world 1 Cor. i. 20. All their wisdom falls short of this It fares with the greatest Understanding as it doth with the bodily eye The sharpest eye-sight that can behold all earthly things clearly yet if it look up to the body of the â—…un it dazles and trembles and cannot behold it The least appearance of this mysterie it overwhelmed and surcharged the most enlightned understanding When Christ appeared to Abraham which was but praeludium Incarnationis he falls on his face and trembles When Moses had but a glimpse of this glory I tremble exceedingly saith he When Elijah saw but the back-parts of Christ he hid his face he durst not look on When Daniel approaches near it it layes him for dead It casts Paul into a rapture Peter into a trance Iohn lay as a dead man Excellens objectum destruit sensum This knowledge it is too high I cannot attain to it All humane understandings tremble adore are astonish'd at it 5. 'T is Magnum Mysterium a great mysterie not onely to humane but even to the highest Angelical understanding 't is a great deep mysterie even unto the Angels Those Stars of the morning as Iob calls them are overwhelmed with the splendor of this Sun 'T is a mysterie to them This great Work it was conceal'd from them it lay hid in the womb of Eternity and they still wonder and admire at the greatness of it See this in two places one is Ephes. iii. 10. Unto Principalities and Powers in heavenly places is made known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God Not onely some inferior Angels as Lombard conceits were ignorant of it but the most illuminated Angels it was a mysterie to them and by the Church they learn it as some conceive that they see and behold in the Church and wonder at the secrets of the Gospel which are there unfolded At the preaching of the Gospel the Angels flock to see the fulfilling of those mysteries represented in the Tabernacle all the curtains being adorned with Cherubs Another place is 1 Pet. i. 12. Which things the Angels desire to look into They do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stoop down and pry and desire to look into these glorious Mysteries This was prefigured in the two Cherubs on
Heaven serve to support the infirmity of Faith Robusta fides strong Faith can hold out without sight cares not for present pay for any thing in hand but Infirma fides weak Faith would droop without some taste of future Glory See then Be not faithless but faithful As Ionathan fainting with one taste of Hony recovered sight and vigour so the least relish of that hidden Mannah revives faith and puts strength and alacrity into a believing Christian makes him as a Giant refresh'd with Wine As the bunch of Grapes from Eschol made Caleb encourage the people made them forget Egypt endure the Wilderness so this view of Heaven it puts spirit into us Otherwise we are hardly drawn with naked promises Spem periculo emere Therefore Hoc infirmitatis remedium ut praesentibus sustineatur infirmitas Ambros. 6. Is Post Regni mentionem v. 27. I tell you of a truth there be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Kingdom of God After that saying he was transfigured So it is Erroris correctio They never heard of Christ's Kingdom but they imagined a terrestrial outward Kingdom Christ to make them understand the condition of his Kingdom sequesters their thoughts from outward things shews them the Spiritual Supernatural Celestial nature of his Kingdom Hierusalem comes down from Heaven It is above the Mother of us all All outward things are Bona Scabelli the good things of his Foot-stool not Bona Throni not the good things of his Throne Solatia miâ—… the comforts of the Miserable not Gaudia beatorum the joyes of the Blessed So much of the first Ordo successio The other is II. Mensura continuatio About an eight days after St. Matthew and St. Mark say Six days St. Luke here Eight 1. They say more exactly St. Luke not so precisely but about eight days 2. Even both say precisely true They speak Exclusively leaving out the day of this Prediction and of the Transfiguration and mention the six days intervening St. Luke speaks Comprehensively reckons both the day he spake it and the day he performed it and so makes up eight Now the exact setting down these days carries with it a double purpose 1. Is a Moral signification 2. Is a Mystical 1. Is a Moral signification It was after eight days He stayes and deferrs so long 1. To stirr up expectation and to quicken their desires to see that Glory Moderate delayes serve to set an edg and to quicken our hope and expectation Thus Elijah delayes and puts off Elisha from seeing his Rapture to enflame his desire the more to behold it The Lord is not slack as men count slackness but to enlarge our desires he seems to delay Thus he dealt with the Canaanitish woman 2. It was after eight days he stayd no longer Why he might have deferred longer It was in these terms that he promised before they die Time enough therefore hereafter Indeed for us if we promise any thing to God before we die we must do it presently because we know not the time of our death As the Rabins say If a man vowed to be a Nazarite one day before his death he was to be so presently because this day may be the last day But God knows these times and seasons and the number of our days What then yet after eight days he performs it In all his promises he is better and fuller and speedier then his word It is enough if thou hast comfort though it be at the day of death Oh! but nescit tarda â—…olimina He sends to his Disciples to meet him in Galile 2. Is a mystical signification Eight days Not only the Fathers Chrysostom Ambrose others who delight in allegories but even later Writers who are more sparing in those allegorical accommodations of Scripture they sweetly conceit a double mysterie 1. Is the Mysterie of Christ's Resurrection He was Transfigured on the eighth day raised in Glory on the eighth day afterwards This reason S. Aug. gives why the number of Eight is consecrated in Scripture The Circumcision it was Octavo die ut figuretur Dominica Resurrectio that was on the eighth day to figure Christ's Resurrection Many legal clensings and offerings were on the eighth day Thus St. Aug. descants upon some Titles of the Psalms in Octavis All prefigurations of Christ's Resurrection 2. Is the Mystery of our Transfiguration and Resurrerection Six ages of the world must pass first Post sex dies gloriae Dominicae habitus ostenditur Sex millium annorum temporibus evolutis Regni coelestis honos praefiguratur Hilarius Six ages the world's continuance the seventh day that 's the day of Judgment then the eighth is dies aeternitatis when we shall be taken up in glory So much of the first Circumstance the choyce of time About an eight days after these sayings Secondly an other Circumstance is the choice of Attendants he took Peter and Iohn and Iames. And herein observe these three Considerations 1. Discipuli comites 2. Tres discipuli 3. Hi tres I. His attendants are his Disciples why not the people the Priests and Pharises As Iudâ—… saith not Iscariot Lord How is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the world In likelyhood it would have convinced and converted many 1. It was a Revelation and revelations of mysteries are not for Infidels but for Believers To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of heaven but to others it is not given Mat. xiii 11. For common Illumination he enlightens every man but special revelation it is the Childrens bread the â—…den Mannah He expounded all to his Disciples apart As every subject may know the Kings Laws but his choyse counsellers are only acquainted with his Secrets So the Law of God is exposed to all but the mysteries of his Kingdom are concealed from many and communicated only to his own 2. It was a revelation of his Glory and therefore not to all but only to his Disciples It was the Oeconomie of his Incarnation to carry secretly his Divinity in the dark-Lanthorn of his Humanity so to make way to his Death and Passion Had they known the Lord of life and glory they would not have Crucified him Hence he charges them not to publish it till after his Passion Thus the greatest Rabins never conceived how David's Son could be David's Lord and therefore the Iews to this day because in some places they finde predictions of Divinity sometimes of humanity not knowing how to accord them imagine two Christs Filium Ioseph he that shall suffer and die and Filium David that shall rule and reign 3. It was a revelation of the Saints after-glorification therefore to Saints only This is a name that none Knowes but he that receives it He gives the Earnest only where he will bestow the main Substance the first-fruits of glory where he intends the whole harvest As Christ after his Resurrection never shâ—…wed himself but
heaven and Angels nay did Christ himself offer up this Worship It deeply concerns us to perform it to him 2. Did Christ sollicit his Father for supply of Mercies Why he had right and title to all All was his due How then should we dare to usurp any of God's blessings and not beg them by Prayer at his holy hands Must the Son be a Petitioner and shall the servant intermeddle serve himself in his desires without craving by Prayer Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance Psal. ii 8. 3. Did Christ abound in this grace of Prayer though freed from all Infirmities out of the reach of temptations though full of all graces How then should we who are clogg'd with infirmities incumbred with temptations beset with corruptions How should we abound in this grace to draw supply and strength from heaven 4. Did Christ sue by Prayer He was most certain of the event of every thing knew that all things were set and purposed his own Glory his Churches Redemption yet he would Pray Then earnest Prayers may be made for those things whereof there may be fullest assurance We are told If men may be certain of Grace and Glory why do they pray for it Certainty on God's part doth not weaken but strengthen the force of Prayer Isaac had promise of a son yet he begged him Elijah was sure of rain yet he pray'd for it David was sure his house should be established yet he prayed for it Christ was sure of all yet he abounds in this service of Prayer Prayer it is serviceable to God's Appointments II. Consider our Saviour's Prayer here respectively to his glorious Transfiguration While he prayed he was Transfigured and so it imports an efficacy in his Prayers producing and effecting his Transfiguration Observe the admirable power and efficacy of devout Prayer It is able to transport the soul to ravish the spirit to lift up the heart into an heavenly rapture and to fill soul and body with unspeakable glory A strange doctrine to our drowzy Petitioners they never felt any such thing Well saith S. Chrysostom Sancti intelligunt quid dico They who abound in this Spiritual exercise give testimony to this Truth and find it by experience Thus David professes that Prayer and Praise was to him as marrow and fatness My mouth shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips Psal. lxiii 5. I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears They looked unto him and were lightned and their faces were not ashamed Psal. xxxiv 4 5. Now Prayer hath this power 1. Because it raiseth the soul into heaven far above all earthly vanities or vexations The soul lying groveling upon the earth feels many incumbrances Prayer mounts it above the clouds And then like the woman in the Revelation if the Moon be under thy feet thou shalt be cloathed with the Sun These lower regions are dark and tempestuous get up into heaven by Prayer there is nothing but sereâ—…ity and tranquillity A devout and heavenly Prayer is like the Altar on Olympus no blast of wind blows upon it Say not in thine heart Who shall go up into heaven Prayer will bring thee thither 2. Prayer will breed those ravishing and glorious joys because it brings us into a communion with the fountain of joy and glory It opens heaven to us gives us approach unto that unaccessable glory See Moses being in the Mount in communion with God his face was shining and glorious As a man long conversant in some fragrant place his very cloaths will carry those perfumes with him 3. Prayer shews us the loving and smiling and gracious countenance of God and the sight of that is of a ravishing efficacy In his face is life it self The light of God's countenance gladded David more than oyl and wine Psal. iv If He be angry his frown is the message of death Prayer pacifies him and makes his countenance most amiable If he turn away his countenance we wither our faces droop if he shine upon us we are refreshed 2 Cor. iii. 18. We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 4. Prayer brings this rapture of joy because it brings with it a joyful assurance that our Prayers are accepted Though our Prayers are not always succesful for Impetration yet seldom but they seal up to us God's Acceptation and so bring the fruit of sweet Consolation It lays hold on the golden Scepter breeding in us an heavenly tranquillity peace of conscience joy in the Holy Ghost These secret cheerings are like the fire from heaven that consumed the Sacrifice and testifie God is graciously pleased with thy Petitions What joy like that of Cornelius to have Angels bring tidings of Gods Acceptation Dan. v. 10. Fear not Daniel thy words are heard Prayer encourages us like Manoah's wife The Lord hath received a Burnt-offering and a Meat-offering at our hand he will not kill us Judg. xiii 23. Want of this made Cain's countenance fall This honour'd and encouraged Abel Oh! those inward cheerings that a religious Prayer sheds into our souls they are not inferiour to the tydings of Angels 5. Prayer infuses these glorious joys because it disburthens our grievances all of them into the bosom of God If it be an ease to a troubled mind to communicate its sorrow to some faithful friend how much more comfortable is it by Prayer to unfold our sorrows into God's bosom who pities our griefs drys up our tears Thus David in his sorrows parleys with God and his soul is refresh'd See this in Hannah 1 Sam. i. 18. She was a woman of a sorrowful spirit Elkanah could not comfort her She prays in the bitterness of her soul pours out her soul before the Lord and see what comfort she finds in Prayer Her countenance was no more sad See it in David Psal. vi He was in much sickness and sorrow Lord rebuke me not in thine ire His soul was vexed he was weary with groaning beginning his Prayer with much anguish but vers 8. he breaks out into a sudden joy The Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping vers 9. The Lord hath heard my Supplications the Lord will receive my Prayer Phil. iv 6 7. In every thing by Prayer and Supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God And the Peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Iesus 6. This duty religiously performed even because it is an holy service yields presently a sweet satisfaction and contentment to the conscience That makes it ever applaud it self and secretly to say to it self I am glad I have done this holy duty 1 Chron. xxix 9. The people rejoyced when they offered willingly So at Solomon's Sacrifice the people went
and people Out of the bounds of the Church there is no redemption or salvation He who is out of this Ark perishes he who eats the Passeover out of this house is accursed he who lives out of this Hierusalem is an Heathen They erre who teach In any Religion there is possibility of salvation No Salvation is of the Iews sayd Christ so now Of the Christians Basan is an high Mountain but this is God's Mountain where it pleaseth him to dwell They erre too who teach that Christ's sufferings may profit even extra Ecclesiam and that there is a common grace beyond the pales of the Church No no sacrifice but in Hierusalem no grace but in the Church That is the place to which God hath respect There he hath commanded a blessing and life for evermore If Shimei peep in Hierusalem his lines pass but to Gath he dies for it Enough of the conference about Christ's decease Come we now to the Entertainment that the Apostles gave to this glorious Transfiguration v. 32. It represents the Apostles in three particularities 1. In a weakness and indisposition They were heavy with sleep 2. In a more attentive view and contemplation when they were awake They saw his glory and the two men that stood with him 3. In a sudden and passionate affection motion and petition v. 33. First here we see the Apostles in a great weakness and indisposition all fallen into a sleep That we may the better conceive the nature and original of this their condition at this time we may resolve it into these three considerable estimations of it 1. As a Natural infirmity 2. As a Carnal indisposition 3. As a Spiritual amazement and consternation I. Conceive it ut naturalis infirmitas as a natural Infirmity No doubt but they were bound to have attended with all vigilancy upon this manifestation of our Saviour exacting of them a stedfast watching and careful observation as Elijah to Elisha If thou seest me when I am taken from thee yet here these choyse Apostles are clogg'd with those humane imperfections and overtaken with sleep when they should have been awakned to most attention Nay the Evangelist singles out Peter as the chief Sleeper So in the Garden these when they should have assisted and refresh'd Christ in his Passion they were then fallen a sleep again And Christ singles out Peter Simon couldest thou not watch one hour It is true as Commentators conceive it was in the time of Sleep Peter and the rest were no Church-sleepers but being called to watch on Mount Tabor and Christ Praying all Night the weakness of Nature prevailed upon them This is the condition of the best Saints Corpus quod corrumpitur degravat animam We live here a life of necessities we should wish to have Evangelical bodies alwayes to attend his Glory and service But while we bear about us these clogs of corruption we are sunk downward even in our best performances This makes the Saints groan not only under sinful corruptions but natural necessities fain would they be freed from them that they might be alwayes exercised in heavenly performances A necessitatibus meis erue me Domine But are these three noted not without imputation that they are asleep although excuseable by those forenamed Circumstances it puts the occasion into my mouth to awaken our Church-sleepers and drousie Auditors A fault though pardonable if rarely and seldome and little done yet let us question their practice who like Solomon's sluggard Fold up themselves in sleep and like Esay's dogs Delight in sleeping 1. Whence may it arise 2. What may it procure 1. The evilness of the root 2. The bitterness of the fruit will condemn it as sinful 1. Quae radix What is the root whence it springs 1. Sometimes out of Infirmity and a child of God and one whose heart seeks the Lord may be overtaken That is my case saith every one it is mine Infirmity I wish it were otherwise But if it be an Infirmity we may know it by these signs 1. It will be counted an Infirmity if we grieve for it and be sorry and humbled and troubled at it Let the sin be never so small yet if thou continuest in it securely with delight or content if thy heart smite thee not for it thou art excluded from the plea of Infirmity 2. If it be to be accounted as a pardonable Infirmity then we will strive against it we shall find a contrary holy inclination a rousing us out of it Thus Christ excused his Apostles sleeping Matth. xxvi 41. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak He saw their desires were good Didst thou ever labour against it pray against it make a Covenant with thine eyes as Iob speaks 3. If we daily get some strength and prevailing against it If we live and lye in our Infirmity and after warning never improve it it ceases to be accounted an Infirmity 't is to be reckon'd a voluntary sin 2. Sometimes it arises from our immoderate labours defrauding our selves of a due refreshing and so enforcing us to make bold with God's house and day to take up our rest This makes it more sinful God appointed a preparation to his Sabbath that body and soul may be better fitted and enabled Have you not houses to eat and to drink in saith S. Paul Hath not God given you the night for to sleep say I and your houses and beds to rest in but you must despise the Church of God 3. Sometimes ignorance and deadness of understanding is the cause of it When the spirit of a man is unacquainted with what he hears when they are things that his understanding skills not of naturally the soul sinks into heedlesness and drowsiness of spirit Didst thou know the gift of God Didst thou consider that the word that is spoken is Life and Power Wert thou acquainted with the mysterie of Godliness it could not but extort attention But when we sit as meer Gallio's regarding nothing no wonder though we sleep 4. Sometimes prophaneness and neglect and contempt of Gods Ordinances that is the original They account the Sabbath a lost day What will this Babler speak They who see no beauty in Gods Sanctuary that say We know what the Preacher can say such unclean dogs delight in sleeping Oh! David had such delight in Gods word and calling upon him that he awakened at midnight thy dull prophaness makes thee sleep at noon-day Indecens Christiano si radius Solis inveniat dormientem Aug. How much more unbecoming is it that the Sun of righteousness should take us napping Awake therefore thou Sleeper and call upon thy God 5. Sometimes Satan works it in men As he is a dumb spirit or a deaf spirit so sometimes he is a sleepy drowsie spirit He hates to see us spiritually exercised And if he cannot other wayes yet this way he can prevent the working of Gods word He can like Mercury lay souls asleep lest they should hear with
have of those unconceivable joyes are like our selves low and unproportionable Ask the piercingest judgement of those After-joyes How must they stammer and fumble and bewray Ignorance If it should be asked 1. What is that Eternity of Being which we look for in heaven We cannot comprehend it 2. What are those heavenly Speeches that souls and spirits use in Glory We cannot conceive them 3. What is that Impassibility and Agility of our bodies in heaven We cannot imagine it 4. What is that Beatifical Vision and sight of the Essence of God We cannot attain to it As Christ to Nicodemus If we cannot understand more earthly things as The work of Grace Union with Christ The manner of Regeneration How can we understand him when he speaks of heavenly O! Eye hath not seen and that sees far Ear hath not heard and that receives much nay Heart hath not ability to imagine or conceive those hidden things In this case we are no more able to conceive what that life of Glory is then a child in the womb can conceive what is the condition of this present life Our discourses of heaven are like theirs who talk of Countreys they never saw Nay S. Paul who was there yet found them unutterable All other knowledge hath some help and hint from nature but this is a Mysterie hid from Generations and Ages and lock'd up in that store-house of Eternity This inconsiderate unadvised Motion of Peter He knew not what he said 3. It arose from the surcharge and overwhelming of this great Glory The exceeding Glory of Christ hath overwhelmed the soul and mind and capacity of Peter and overcomes his understanding Excellens objectum corrumpit Our understanding is shallow limited finite proportionable to these lower things but God and the fulness of his Glory are too high for us As it is with our Brains be we on the ground then they are steddy but upon some high mountain or steeple they fail us Bonorum quorundam sicut malorum intolerabilis magnitudo est Tertull. Not onely the torments of hell would consume us but if God should not put strength into our souls the very joyes of heaven would swallow us up Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love Cant. ii 5. As we say of crazy bodies Too pure an ayr and too accurate a diet will overthrow them So our crazy souls are not able to undergo the eminency of that Glory Such knowledge is too wonderful for me it is high I cannot attain unto it Psal. cxxxix 6. Hence they say we must have Lumen Gloriae confortans elevans intellectum Our understandings enlarged and raised and strengthened to undergo that weight of Glory The Sun puts out a Candle So the light of Glory will soon damp our poor glimmering Spark This makes the very Angels stand aloof and cover their faces He dwelleth in that light that cannot be approached unto that light is like the Sun-beams to sore eys The Queen of Sheba 1 Kings x. 5. was overcome with the sight of Solomons magnificence she was spent with admiration There was no more spirit in her We have seen the nature and condition of this Motion whence it arises Secondly Consider the particular conviction of this rashness in S. Peter in the many particularities of his erroneous Motion Formerly we have seen what commendable things were contained in this his suit but we see it here censured as unadvised and imprudent Let us review these Motions of S. Peter and see his failings I. In his Motion of Continuance Master it is good being here 1. The first Error 'T is good being here He would fain abide here always He errs in desiring a perpetuity of that condition which was but transient and momentany This Vision was but a taste of Glory but a drop from the Honey-comb not a full repast of Glory intended onely to strengthen their Faith incourage their Diligence correct their Error quicken their Hope all these purposes are omitted and he must not part with this Vision of Christ but must have it perpetual As Mary she embraceth the feet of Christ would never have left him Christ bids us leave off these were but extraordinary Appearances not to be dwelt upon Besides the vileness of noysom lusts which still would be craying even the spirit of man loves to glut it self in spiritual refreshments How loath were the Apostles to part with Christ's bodily presence So in many extraordinary Appearances which are not intended as perpetual yet there is Libido and Luxuria spiritualis we would fain enjoy those ravishing joyes which are but for a time No as the Angel that refresh'd Elias said to him Feed and be walking thou must live in the strength of it forty dayes it may be all thy life time No stick to Faith that 's our Ordnary As Dives who lived deliciously every day so some Christians if they be not caught up into heaven do not see Visions of Angels they are discontent 2. A second Error is in that he places the fulness of joy in the view of the Humanity of Christ but gloriously Transfigured and can be content never to see more or go further but to behold this Glory True it is a great accomplishment to our bliss to see that price of our Redemption the Body of our Saviour in Glory but yet it is not the main and original No created Glory can be the fountain and fulness of Glory to us Even the Manhood of Christ is blessed by derivation and participation from an higher Fountain The Society of the Saints is comfortable the view of that Lamb of God most ravishing but yet it is the blessed God-head the face of God himself the adoring and enjoying an heavenly communion with the Sacred Trinity that is our true prime original happiness Shew us the Father and it sufficeth Ioh. xiv 8. The increated Glory of Christ's Deity that is the matter and summ of our blessedness Ioh. xvii Our happiness is to behold the Glory which Christ had with God not on Mount Tabor but before the world was This is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is Light 1 Ioh. i. 5. that we may have fellowship with the Father and with the Son vers 4. Our hearts are restless till setled upon this All our affections are flowing and running till they are swallowed up in this Ocean The eyes of our body indeed shall have Christs Body as the most glorious Spectacle of all Comfort but the eye of our soul that goes higher As the eye of Faith rests not upon the Humanity of Christ but upon his Divinity and so on the whole Trinity so doth the eye of Beatifical Vision that succeeds Faith 3. A third Error 'T is good being here He would settle his rest upon Mount Tabor This was an error to bring down heaven upon earth To enjoy Tabor he can be content to part with heaven and resign
yet over-powers him not Wrestling is where there is a mutual strength of resistance Had he layd his whole strength upon him he could not have subsisted 2. Suitable to the measure of their corruption that must be eaten out and as soon as they are humbled and brought to a right temper then he relieves them David had an heavy message dispatch'd to him Thou art the man 2 Sam. 12. 7. I will raise up evil against thee vers 11. As soon as he was throughly wrought upon then presently comes a message of comfort vers 13. The Lord hath put away thy sin thou shalt not dye So Hezekiah Isaiah told him from God he must dye Isa. xxxviii 1. but as soon as he was humbled e're the Prophet gat out of the Court he was remanded back with tidings of recovery Iosiah as soon as his heart melted Hâ—…ldah must comfort him Saul when he was sufficiently wrought upon by these fears Ananias was dispatch'd to him Brother Saul receive thy sight Acts ix It is otherwise with the wicked fears and anguishes come upon them in extremity As it was with King Saul God forsook him he had fightings within and terrors without he had no answer by Prophets or Ephod but he must sink under these fears So Balthazar so Iudas finds no relief but is swallowed up of these horrors The reason is 1. God deals with them as with an enemy in hatred but with his own in love 2. Their sorrows are as poyson to destroy them No matter how much they have of them The Saints fears are as a soveraign medicine temper'd by Gods own hand order'd to work health in them When the Cure is wrought the Plaister falls off 4. He brings them seasonably out of these distresses because in them they are unfit and unable for any service Moderate fears and sorrows often whet our devotion but excessive anguish dulls our spirits As the Israelites heeded not what Moses said for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage Exod. vi 9. Metus hand diuturni officii Magister He would have us Serve him without fear all the dayes of our lives Luke i. 74 75. Application 1. It must teach us to become such to whom God uses to moderate and mitigate these fears Wouldst thou not have them come upon thee as an armed man Then be of the number of those whom he thus compassionately cares for It is his promise to his Church They shall dwell safely and none shall make them afraid Ezek. xxxiv 28. To a wicked man God saith What hast thou to do with comfort I will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh Prov. i. 26. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil Rom. ii 9. Fear and the pit and the snare shall be upon them Isa. xxiv 17. But they that trust in the Lord shall not fear any evil tidings Behold my servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howl for vexation of spirit Isa. lxv 15 16. Being so 2. It should refresh us in all perplexities We should say with David At what time I am afraid I will trust in thee Sorrow may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning See the divers carriage of God to wicked men and to his own children Matth. xxviii At the glory of Christs Resurrection and the Angels Appearance the Souldiers were afraid and the holy Women were afraid But the fear of the Souldiers overwhelmed them and so the Angel left them to shift as they could there was not any word of comfort spoken to them But the good women though much perplexed yet had a word of comfort Be not ye afraid vers 45. I know whom ye seek S. Paul was in distresses but not forsaken Daniel when he was struck with fears then was it said to him O man greatly beloved fear not peace be unto thee be strong yea be strong Dan. x. 19. That 's the second observable Consideration Thirdly Here is observable the Person who relieves and comforts them it is Iesus The glorious voyce of the Father affrights them the gracious voyce of Christ that refreshes them Observe It is Christ alone who can raise and comfort those whom the terrors of the Almighty hath cast down and dejected 'T is Christs peculiar work and function to release us from the horrors of conscience and amazements of soul. 1. He hath merited it at Gods hand to have this office to succour and relieve us Purposely he was made acquainted with fears that so he might merit comfort for us in our fears His Spirit wrestled with the terrors of God His soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto death Matth. xxvi 38. I am afflicted and ready to dye from my youth while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted saith the Psalmist in the Person of Christ Psal. lxxxviii 15. Those horrors and that dread into which his soul was brought merited for us a merciful supply of comfort in our distresses 2. He was sent of God the Father to preach and bring comfort against our fears Isa. lxi 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaim liberty to the Captives He came preaching peace Moses he preach'd terror Christ he preaches comfort Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God Isa. xl 1. 3. God hath fitted him with tenderness of compassion he hath put into him bowels of pity towards all in perplexity He is touched with a feeling of our infirmities He never look'd upon any that were in sorrow or need or misery but his compassion was stirr'd in him He had compassion on the multitude Matth. xv 32. He had compassion on the two blind men and touched their eyes Matth. xx 34. He was moved with compassion towards the poor Leper and cleansed him Mark i. 41. 4. He hath founded the new Covenant and Gospel which is a state of freedome and comfort The Old Testament was carried with more manifestations of fear A spirit of bondage was upon them But saith the Apostle 2 Tim. i. 7. God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind 5. He gives and bequeaths to us the Spirit of comfort and hath given him this office to be a Comforter to us He is call'd The Comforter not the enlightner or sanctifier though these be his works but the Comforter It should teach us to have recourse to Christ in all our fears and perplexities as the Apostles Master carest thou not that we perish In all distresses make known thy sorrows to him His peace shall rule your hearts He is like the wood that sweetned the bitter waters of Marah That 's a third observable Consideration Fourthly Here is yet one more and that is the manner of Christs
merciful and gracious recovering them out of this amazement It is fourfold He did it 1. By a comfortable Appearance His Transfiguration and Glory affrighted them now that he might more familiarly and comfortably refresh them he layes aside his Majesty and Glory and re-assumes his habit of Humiliation and so offers himself to their weakness and infirmity As Moses put a vail upon his face that the people might endure his sight and presence How gracious is this Condescending of Christ to dispense with his own Glory for our comfort Like Ioseph who discovered himself to his brethren fell upon their necks and received them with mutual embracings The truest sign of greatness is to stoop to others weakness 't is Signum roboris not infirmitatis saith Gregory Till that time when he will make our bodies like his glorious body he makes his glorious body like our weak bodies He did it 2. By his comfortable approach He came to them 1. Strength of Faith would have carried them to him as Peter Matth. xiv 20. Master bid me come unto thee 2. Moderate fear would have driven them to him Or 3. It would have made them call to him for help Oh! but they are in a weaker and lower condition their Faith is in a swoun their fear hath overwhelmed them there is no power left to seek for succour therefore they not being able to seek out for help see he offers himself graciously to them Here is the comfort of Christians 't is possible we may be so low brought as not to be able to call or look up to Christ yet then he leaves us not When we cannot comprehend him then he will comprehend us Our Faith may be so weak as not to be able to lay hold upon him yet then his Spirit apprehends us In sickness when speech and sense and all fail yet a child of God hath this comfort He will come to me when I lye unable to come to him This case David was in Psal. lxxiii 22 23. So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee Nevertheless I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by my right hand He did it 3. By his comfortable touching of them He puts his hand upon them Now this gesture and action of Christ was very usual in his miraculous works Matth. viii 3. He touched the Leper and cleansed him Vers. 15. He touched Peters wives mother and cured her of a fever Matth. ix 29. He touched the two blind men and they received their sight Matth. xiv 36. They besought him that they might onely touch the hem of his garment and as many as touched were made perfectly whole Christ uses this gesture of touching for divers reasons 1. It is Signum facilitatis He works wonders with his touch that is with the greatest ease and facility This was eminently seen in Christs wonders Nature must use stronger means to work any work Nay Elias when he was to recover the womans child stretch'd his body upon it often begged of God before he could effect it Christ he effects it by the least means The smallest means in appearance are by him made powerful to work effectually Purposely he makes choyce of such seemingly improbable means the more to magnifie the glory of his Power the means themselves having no force at all to effect such wonders Thus Ioshua chap. vi 3. The compassing of Iericho seven dayes blowing with Rams-horns Magis videntur mysteria consummare quam bella What force were there in this to batter down a City Thus it was in Naaman's washing seven times in Jordan 2 Kings i. 5. In the blind man's cure by Clay and Spettle and washing in Siloam Iohn ix 6. Thus the looking upon the Brazen Serpent cured the people He fed five thousand with five loaves and two fishes To teach us 1. Not to rest in the most effectual means though never so hopeful but to look up to him who works by them 2. Not to despair in the weakest means if of his appointment If they be Siloam which is by interpretation Sent he can make them effectual 2. It is Signum Applicationis By this touch he shews that he helps by a real and close application of himself to us Omnis actio per contactum So there must be a close application of Christ to us if we mean to receive any virtue from him And to this purpose we meet with a double touch 1. Christ toucheth us as here he did the Apostles that is he immediately unites and applies himself his grace power Spirit to us when he conveys any good to us 2. We must touch Christ that 's contactus Fidei Faith must draw near to him as the woman in Matth. ix 21. If I may but touch the hem of his garment I shall be whole Hence saith Christ Thy Faith hath made thee whole 3. It is Signum mirae Efficaciae The least if true and real union with Christ conveys grace and good to us Nature must have Vim Moram nihil tam efficax ut in transitu prosit but the Word the touch of Christ is effectual So Faith if it be not able to lay hold upon him strongly yet if it can but touch him as the woman Si tetigero minimus actus and fimbriam minimum objectum 4. It is Signum virtutis Humanitatis Christi The Humanity and Body of Christ was Omnium instrumentum miraculorum As sanctified and quickned with the Deity it served as a powerful instrument to convey spiritual and supernatural power 'T is Caro vivifica There dwelt virtue in it The leaves of the tree of Life saves the Nations The Humanity of Christ had not a transfusion of Divine properties but it was enrich'd by the Deity with miraculous virtue which being drawn forth by Faith works wonders He did it 4. Voce Consolante He comforts them by a gracious word of heartning and encouragement Arise and be not afraid He will speak peace to his people and to his servants Psal. lxxxv 8. Arise 1. It is a word of Assurance as making known to them that there is no cause of fear 'T is Christ and his Word and Warrant that can secure us Master at thy word I will let down the net Luke v. 5. Let all terrors compass us yet if Christ encourage us it is enough Fear not Go forward made Moses enter the Sea 2. It is a word promising Assistance If he bid us Arise we may hope for his help Have not I commanded thee As Iacob in his fear The Lord that said unto me or bade me return unto my countrey that encouraged him 3. 'T is Verbum Operatorium It breaths life and strength and courage into them But what can a word do to a fainting man Yes 1. 'T is Verbum Dei that is effectual He speaks life and health That Word made us of nothing 2. 'T is Verbum Spiritu corroboratum there goes with it a sweet and powerful concurrence of his Spirit As
must have Instructions and limited Commissions 'T is high presumption to treat of any thing that is not given them in charge 3. They are Stewards not Lords and Masters in the house but must feed the family with food appointed them 4. They are called Interpreters not Authours of Truth but Expositors 5. They are Depositaries Truth is committed to their trust That good thing committed to thee 2 Tim. i. 14. 2. Christ alone knows Quae utilia what Truths are profitable and useful and saving Truths Humane curiosity would search into many things and ask as he did Master How many shall be saved As Peter What shall become of Iohn As the Apostles Master Wilt thou now restore the kingdome to Israel But Christ best knows all vital saving Truths 3. He alone knows the Capacity of his Church and Children what Truths are fit for them what they can bear Thus having given Solomon a large capacious heart he imparted to him all kind of Wisdome For others he distills-in those necessary Truths which are of a full proportion for their judgements and understandings Thus S. Paul being guided by Christs direction preached onely easie Truths to the Corinthians gave them Milk as unto Babes But to those who have exercised judgements for them stronger Truths Thus as the High-Priest was to divide the Sacrifice to God his part to the Priests their part to the people their part So some Truths there are we must leave to God some there are for Ministers some for the common people That 's the Injunction Secondly The Nature and Purpose of it The Vision must be concealed 'T is observable in the Works and Doctrine of Christ sometimes he commands secrecie and concealment Matth. ix 30. Having cured two blind men he charges that none should know it So Mark v. having raised Iairus his daughter charged none should know it And so for Truths he hath been pleased to reserve some Truths from publick and common notice and to reserve them till afterwards 1. Thus in the Old Law 1. The mysterie of the Trinity it was exceeding dainty and reservedly revealed 2. The Divinity of the Messias That he was to be Man was more evident but it was secret that he was God The Scribes could not conceive how David's Son should be David's Lord. 3. The Calling of the Gentiles was a Secret hid from generations The Jewish Church wondred at it Who hath begotten me these They counted it blasphemy in Stephen whenhe said The Ordinances of Moses should be changed 2. So now to us 1. The Conversion of the Jews 2. The Overthrow of Antichrist 3. The second Coming of Christ they are all concealed from us Thirdly This Vision of Christs Divinity and Glory that must be concealed till after his Resurrection 1. Till then Christ is Instatu Humiliationis and so he will have his Majesty and Glory to be covered Now he terms himself The Son of Man He was declared to be the Son of God by the Resurrection from the dead Rom. i. Thus he was pleased to vail his Glory and to become vile and of no reputation 2. It is Documentum Modestiae His Glory he is not ambitious to publish it As S. Paul fourteen years concealed his Revelations He glories in his Infirmities and weaknesses but till he was constrain'd he kept his Rapture conceal'd 3. Till his Resurrection these Apostles were Inepti weak and carnal not sufficiently grounded in this Doctrine of Christs Divinity After his Resurrection then they were endued with strength from above and then those mysteries that they could not bear the Comforter reveal'd to them 4. Quia Incredibile The Infidelity of the world was not yet to be removed it would not believe there had been such a Vision Infidelity deprives us of many Truths that God would otherwise reveal to us 5. Ne impediret Passionem It troubled Pilat to hear it mentioned That Christ was the Son of God And S. Paul saith Had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Life and Glory He purposely concealed his Deity to give way to his Passion And hence it is that he spake of his Divinity very reservedly He charged They should tell no man who he was Mark viii 20. but vers 32. He spake plainly of his Passion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word A SERMON ON JOEL ii 13. Rent your heart and not your garments and turn unto the Lord your God for He is gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil THis Chapter if we cast back our eyes to the former verses it is a fearful Prophesie from Almighty God of Judgement and Destruction And yet not so much a peremptory Prediction what he absolutely intends as a Commination onely what conditionally he threatneth And this Commination denounced against them not in Ionas's spirit with purpose and desire to have it fulfilled but in much compassion and commiseration with offers of peace and reconcilement that it might be revers'd Minantur homines ut feriant Deus ne feriat Man in his anger threatens when he means to strike God threatens that he might not strike but that we may be forewarn'd and ward off his blow It is S. Augustins observation of Christs foretelling the last Judgement and it is true in this and his other menaces Ideò multò ante praedicitur ut à nobis totis viribus caveatur And again Invitus vindicat qui quo modo evadere possinius multò ante demonstrat non te vult percutere qui tibi clamat Observe God forewarns us that he might fore-arm us to avoyd his threatnings The condition he offers it is Repentance Lex Innocentiam Evangelium poenitentiam The Gospel that offers all Mercy and Love it strictly exacts and requires Repentance The Text then it is a vehement Exhortation to Sorrow and Repentance And not an Exhortation onely what we should do but a Direction also how and in what manner Tertullian complain'd of the Heathen in his time Per poenitentiam faciliùs delinquunt quà m per eandem rectè faciunt And it is as true of the Jews They did so misplace the acts of Repentance in outward Superstition that their Repentance was no less sinful then the very sins for which they repented For the words themselves they naturally fall asunder into these two parts 1. Here is Praeceptum Poenitentiae 2. Motivum Poenitentiae 1. The Precept of Repentance in these words Rent your heart and not your garments and turn unto the Lord your God 2. The Motive to Repentance in the words following For He is gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repeuteth him of the evil The Precept of Repentance divides it self into a double Exhortation answerable to the two parts of Repentance The first is an Exhortation to Contrition Rent your heart and not your garments The second is an Exhortation to Conversion And return to the Lord your God 1. In the former duty
gives over till it hath placed us in Glory 1. Here is the fat Calf kill'd for us the holy Lamb of God redeeming us from condemnation 2. Here is the Ring put upon our finger the Seal and Pledge of his Spirit and 3. Here is the choyce Robe of Glory and Immortality that we are invested with 'T is a Connexion II. It hath the use and force of an Illation But if He deduces and proves our Resurrection out of former antecedent principles and priviledges The raising and glorifying of our bodies 't is an appendix and deduction from some other things Our Resurrection is not so much a principle as a conclusion of Faith and it must be inferred not by an Enthymeme but by a Sorites it hangs not upon one principle but upon many Not conclude Praescivit ergo glorificavit but He hath redeemed he hath called he hath mortified and sanctified therefore he will raise us and at last glorifie us These assurances are not immediate and clear in themselves but are contained in their causes We must not presently affirm I shall be saved my body shall be raised but it must be lawfully concluded out of warrantable grounds If I be justified If I be sanctified If the Spirit of God dwell in me make sure of these these are Evidences and Arguments and Pledges of our Resurrection That 's the second it hath the force of an Illation III. It hath the force of a Caution and necessary Proviso And so it makes our Resurrection conditional But how can that be 1. Our Resurrection 't is absolute and necessary ex exigentia Iustitiâ—… 't is appointed for all men to come to Iudgment Heb. ix The Resurrection shall bring the prisoners from the Jayl to the Bar. True and yet it is conditional That there shall be a Resurrection 't is grounded on Gods Justice but the resurrection to Life that 's capable of a limitation and condition If I may attain to the resurrection of the dead saith S. Paul Phil. iii. 11. That there shall be an Assizes and Jayl-delivery is settled by Law but how the prisoners shall speed whether pardon'd or condemned there is hazard in that On Pharaâ—…h's Birth-day both Butler and Baker shall come out of Prison but whether to Advancement or Execution is not so certain But then 2. This resurrection to Life hath a certainty in it Gods purpose hath determin'd it Christs merits have purchased it True and yet it is conditional Not any promise or mercy on Gods part but supposes and requires conditions on ours We cannot immediately from Gods purpose or Christs merits leap into heaven but there are pre-requisite conditions and subordinate means for our actual fruition I strive if by any means I may attain to the Resurrection Phil. iii. The ladder to heaven hath many staffs and steps and degrees many Iffs and Conditions to be observed 3. Our Resurrection 't is Articulus Fidei a fundamental Article of our Faith and yet limited with an If. Though in it self never so infallible yet a personal and comfortable apprehension for our selves depends on Condition Let our Resurrection be never so certain in it self yet extra studium Sanctitatis 't is not certain to us Without Holiness no man shall see God Heb. xii He that hath this Hope purifies himself as he is pure 1 Ioh. iii. So then for conceiving of this condition we will take of it a double Consideration 1. Let us consider it in the several Particulars 2. Then in the Summary drift and purpose of it I. Take it asunder into Particulars If the Spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you Here we have a description of the Holy-Ghost by a three-fold Reference 1. In reference to God the Father so he is called The Spirit of Him that is of God the Father The Holy-Ghost is the Spirit of the Father 2. The Holy-Ghost is described with reference to Christ as it was the Spirit of the Father raising Christ from the dead 3. He is described in reference to us by a gracious habitude and relation to us he is said to dwell in us 1. Here is a blessed relation he is the Spirit of the Father 2. Here is a glorious operation He raised up Iesus from the dead 3. Here is a gracious Possession He dwelleth in us 1 rst Look upon the first Reference the Holy Ghost is here called The Spirit of the Father These relations in the sacred Trinity are incomprehensible He dwells in the thick darkness Sanctius reverentius haec creduntur quà m discutiuntur 'T is safer to meditate on the gracious relations of God to us then of those mysterious relations within himself The light in the air is easier seen then the body of the Sun Briefly therefore the Holy Ghost is both the Spirit of the Father and of the Son proceeds alike from both of them The denial of this truth by the Greek Church caused that great Schism 'twixt the Eastern and Western Churches and if we will believe Bellarmine this errour was remarkably punished by God the City of Constantinople being on the Feast-day dedicated to the Holy Ghost sackt and overthrown However the Christian faith acknowledges the Holy Ghost to be the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of the Son Sometimes he is called the Spirit of the Father Iohn xv 26. He is called the Spirit of truth which proceeds from the Father Luke xxiv 19. The same Spirit is called The promise of the Father Both in procession and in mission his being and his sending come both from the Father Again sometimes he is called and that in truth and propriety of speech the Spirit of the Son Rom. viii 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Gal. iv 6. God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts As the Spirit is the promise of the Father so likewise he is the promise of the Son Iohn xvi He promised to send them the Holy Ghost the Comforter This procession from the Son was sweetly and aptly represented by that outward Sign and Ceremony which Christ used in giving the Holy Ghost Iohn xx 22. He breathed on them and said unto them Receive the Holy Ghost Spiratio 't is ab intra it shewed the Spirit proceeded from him The Apostles they gave the Holy Ghost but not spirando it proceeded not from them Christ gave it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they gave it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Basil speaks he by authority they ministerially S. Paul expresses it Gal. iii. 5. They ministered to them the Spirit The Holy Ghost then being the Spirit of the Son as well as of the Father why then is he here called the Spirit of the Father 1. Quia pater fons Deitatis the Father is the fountain and original of the Deity and doth communicate it both to the Son and to the Spirit Hence Divines compare the Father to the Fountain from whence the
of it He that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies That is God the Father he will be the Author of our Resurrection Divers Reasons and Congruities there are for this truth 1. The first Founder of life must be the Repairer and Restorer of it to us As he first breathed life into us so he will send forth his Spirit and renew us and recall us back again The interest he hath in us by our Creation gives him the right to atcheive our Resurrection Iob observed that chap. xiv 14 15. If a man die shall he live again Yes yes Thou shalt call and I will answer thee thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands That hand which created us shall again raise and restore us Mine own I will bring back again Psal. lxviii 22. 2. The soul in death returns to him that gave it It is in his hand and power and custody and so none but he can return it into the body and re-unite it Dives in Hell confessed this truth Father Abraham send Lazarus to my brethren He hath the keys of hell and of death and of all the Chambers of the grave Rev. i. 18. 3. He is the Restorer of life in the Resurrection as being the supreme Disposer of all Rewards and Honours and Retributions As the King is the Fountain of all civil Dignity and Honour and he must dispense it so all the Dispensations of Glory are at his disposal The Preferments in Heaven are given to them for whom they are prepared by the Father Matth. xx 23. Now this Author of our Resurrection is specified not barely by the mention of his name or person but represented under an expression of much hope and assurance He that raised Christ from the dead that gives footing and fastning to our faith that he will raise us also That great work makes our Resurrection possible and hopeful and certain too There are many Praeludia Resurrectionis many miraculous works in Scripture that did sweetly prefigure our Resurrection but none like this of raising Christ. 1. Enoch's Translation that he saw not death Gen. v. 24. God delivered him from the power and possession of death That which was to him Gratia praeveniens shall be to us Gratia subvenieus He who exempted him from death can rescue us 2. Elijah's Rapture and Assumption in a fiery Chariot he likewise was exempted from the necessity of death his exaltation was a type of our resurrection 3. Aaron's Rod a dry dead piece of wood made to bud and flourish and bring forth ripe fruit that argues a possibility that we shall revive and renew our strength again 4. The Garments of the Israelites for forty years though used and worn yet decayed not He who can preserve our Garments from wearing out sure he can preserve our Bodies from perishing 5. The three Children cast into a fiery Furnace yet preserved no smell of fire was upon them that 's a great assurance that the Furnace of the Grave shall restore us to Incorruption 6. Ionas cast up again when the Whale had swallowed him the Prophet slain by the Lion but yet not devoured by him both Praedae suae custodes and hopeful and comfortable Assurances of our Resurrection All these are sweet Resemblances and Arguments of our rising again but none like this He that raised Christ from the dead shall Christ's Resurrection 1. Argues ours possible S. Paul argues strongly from it If Christ be risen again how say some that there is no Resurrection 2. It makes ours probable and easie Death is now vanquish'd by Christs Resurrection When the Prison door is set open it is easie to escape 3. It makes ours necessary If the Head be risen the Members must follow after Christus non potest habere membra damnata The living Head must not be united to dead Members We have seen the Author Thirdly What is the Action He shall quicken our mortal bodies Mortal bodies Why not Our dead bodies That seems to be more Mortuum sounds more then mortale No purposely the Apostle uses this expression in this point of the Resurrection Mortale is a great deal more then â—…ortuum To be raised à Mortalitate is a great deal more then to be raised à Morte It expresses three Excellencies of our Christian Resurrection 1. It frees us à possibilitate mortis it takes away the necessity nay more then so the possibility of death Death shall have no more dominion over us Not onely death shall be swallow'd up in victory 1 Cor. xv but mortality shall be swallow'd up of life 2 Cor. v. 4. Our Resurrection shall be according to the power of an endless life as the Apostle speaks This Resurrection far exceeds the Resurrection of Lazarus and those others in Scripture They were rais'd à morte but not à mortalitate The fit was rather removed then the disease cured 'T is a rule they have Qui comitialem morbum habent nè quidem diebus quibus morbo vacant sani dicuntur They who are troubled with the falling-sickness upon their good dayes are not counted whole Now Mortalitas it is Morbus caducus our Resurrection cures us of that the core of death is consumed the root and fibrae of death all stub'd up Nay our Resurrection sets us in an Immortality beyond that of Adam He was endued with an Immortality but not like this of ours As was his liberty from sin so was his immortality and freedom from death Prima libertas fuit non peccare and so Prima immortalitas was posse non mori He might not have sinned that was his Liberty he might not have died that was his Immortality But the liberty from sin in heaven is Non posse peccare there they cannot sin so is our immortality Non posse mori that we cannot die it takes away possibilitatâ—…m mortis 2. This Expression of quickning our mortal bodies it brings with it a second excellency a freedom from infirmities diseases and weaknesses they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sprowts that grow from this root of death It will free us from all the sad sequels of mortality No infirmity or deformity or indecency no pains or diseases Lame Mephibosheth shall leap blind Isaâ—…c shall see clearly and ulcerous Lazarus shall be whole and sound 3. It brings a third Excellency it will free us à miseria Miseries and afflictions and vexations they are the concomitants of our mortality this resurrection shall exempt us from them too Saint Iohn assures us of it Rev. xxi 4. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying nor any more pain all these are passed by I come Fourthly To the last thing that is the ground and reason of all Because his Spirit dwells in you The inhabitation of God's Spirit that 's the ground of our Resurrection And the force and evidence of this reason may be deduced into these
deserves longing and expectation and delay naturally sharpens desire Thus Christ delayed and denied the Canaanitish woman not to repel her but to provoke her to more importunity After the strong strivings of her Faith and Prayer then O woman be it unto thee as thou desirest Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal. lxxxi 10. Delay enlargeth and stretcheth out the desire and the larger our desires of Christ are the fuller shall we enjoy him This made the Church before Christ long and expect and be earnest for his Comming Abraham he longed to see this day Ioh. viii Iacob on his death-bed O Lord I wait for thy Salvation It made the Prophets enquire diligently and search into the Promises It is the honourable style and title of the Saints in the Old Testament They were waiters for the consolation of Israel The Church like Sisera's mother look'd out at the window Why stay the wheels of his Chariot O that thou wouldst break the heavens and come down The Fathers expound it of the longings of the Patriarks for the Comming of Christ. Many Kings and Prophets desired to see this day Luk. x. That is the reason saith Gregory why the Saints complain'd Their dayes were shortned because they could not live to see Christ in the flesh They onely saluted the Promise afar off and dyed in the faith of it 4. Christ came not presently deferr'd his appearance to teach us the more to prize him now he is come and to rejoyce in him Hope deferr'd makes the heart sick Prov. xiii 12. but when it is accomplished 't is a tree of Life Hath he cost the Church so much longing and searching and praying Sure then the Church will welcom him gladly embrace him firmly retain him constantly Those that have been long without children when God sends them a son he is double welcom to them Isaac and Iacob and Ioseph they were long sued for before they were obtained and accordingly beloved Quod diu quaeritur solet dulâ—…ias inveniri saith St. Aug. The Church before Christ was like barren Hannah weeping and sorrowing and begging of a son now that Christ is born it becomes us to be like fruitful Hannah rejoycing at his birth Hannah's song saith S. Aug. 't is not Canticum unius foeminae pro filio sed totius Ecclesiae pro Christo. It becomes the Church to sing Hannahs song for the birth of Christ. The Church after much search hath found out not the lost Groat but an invaluable Treasure not a stray Sheep but the holy Lamb of God not a forlorn Prodigal but the onely-Begotten and Beloved of the Father it becomes us to rejoyce That 's the first He came not in the beginning of Time 2. Neither did he stay till the last period and end of Time that so in all differences of time Faith might have an employment Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. xiii 8. The Patriarchs they believed in Christum futurum in Christ afterwards to be exhibited The Apostles and the Saints of that Age they believed in Christum praesentem they enjoyed his bodily presence they saw and believed on him present amongst them Christians now they believe in Christum praeteritum come and gone again into heaven They that came before and they that followed after they all sung Hosanna The Patriarchs they went before the Christian Church that follows after both sing Hosanna Blessed is he that comes to us in the name of the Lord. As Kings when they go in State have their Ushers before them and their Attendants after them both honour their appearance Christ in this fulness of time is as the Sun at noon-tide East and West are both enlightned by him It shews us the efficacy of Christ and of his bloud it was effectual not onely when it was shed but before it was shed and after it was shed It sanctified and saved the Primitive Saints and the last upon earth shall be saved by it That 's the first fulness of time in the natural consideration of it In the middle of Time when the world was at the Zenith then Christ came II. There is another fulness of time that 's Constituta plenitudo temporis that time that was set and decreed and appointed by God For not onely Christ's comming but all the circumstances of Time and Place were forelaid and determined and Christ's comming into the world gave a fulness and accomplishment unto that Time That we may conceive how our Saviour's Comming brought a fulness to Time we must know there were foregoing times in which Christ was made known to the Church but yet there was an emptiness in those times His Birth and Incarnation gave a fulness to them There were three Preparative foregoing Times which Christ's Comming fulfilled 1. Was Tempus Promissionis that Time and Age of the Church when the Promise of Christ was first made and publish'd that was the time from Adam to Moses The Church of God lived and supported it self with that Promise That afterwards in God's good time Christ should be born Now Promises are all for hereafter they bring nothing in present Indeed Faith knows how to make use of them but in themselves they are but empty they exhibit nothing They give good Assurance but put us not into Possession A man may be rich in Bills and Bonds and Specialties but yet be in actual want as men lay up Evidences among their Treasures But Christ's comming fulfill'd those Promises gave a Yea and Amen to them The prayer of David was the prayer of the whole Church Think upon thy Servant as concerning thy Word in which thou hast caused me to put my trust It spread these Evidences before God as Hezekiah did the Letter that was sent to him Ey but Promises turn'd into Performances is a true fulness That 's the first the time of Performance is a real fulness to the times of Promises 2. A second Time was Tempus Typorum the time and age of the Church furnish'd with Types and Prefigurations of him that was the time of the Church under Moses It added to the former time That had but a Promise of him these Types resembled him described him to them seal'd up and assured his comming to them They were to the Faith of the Church as Signs to represent him as Tokens and Pledges to assure him to them But yet this falls short of fulness Seals and Pledges are good Assurances but actual Possession is a great deal better Annulus iste nihil valet haereditas est quam reposco The Writing and Seal is not the thing we look for the Estate and Inheritance is that we wait for Now Christ's comming fill'd up the imperfections and emptiness of these Types They had the emptiness of a shadow He brings the substance and fulness of the Body Col. ii 17. They were but shadows of things to come but the Body is of Christ. His comming fill'd the Temple as the cloud fill'd the
Tabernacle He fill'd that house with glory when Christ came into it 3. A third Time was Tempus Prophetiarum the Age of the Prophets that was yet a fuller Time then there was a more clear and particular foretelling the very manner and circumstances of his Birth and Incarnation Esay calculates and foretels the time At such a year then the Messias shall come Micah foretels the City where he shall be born At Bethleem They bring it nearer and closer home but all of them fail and fall short of this fulness They were but as Heralds and Ushers forewarning and preparing the way before him The Testimony of Iesus is the Spirit of Prophesie His comming gives a being to all their Predictions They all sate like Ionas to see when their Prophesies should be fulfilled like Elijah on mount Carmel looking often and often for his blessed Appearance His presence accomplish'd them and gave them their fulness Thus God dealt with his Church as Boaz with Ruth first he affords her some gleanings then le ts fall handfuls to her then fills her vail with a measure of clean corn dressed and winnowed then at last marries himself to her in his Incarnation So then Is Christ's Comming the fulness of time What improvement shall we make of this point for practice 1. It should teach us to take notice of our happiness that were kept and reserved to live in those times that are fulfill'd by our Saviour's comming It is a great Blessing of God to be born in good times in dayes of Peace and Plenty We pity our forefathers who lived in those Swording times when all was in an uprore and after-ages will do the like for us And one bewail'd himself that he was born nec solo nec coelo nec seculo erudito in barbarous times How happy are Christians who have all the Mysteries of our Redemption accomplish'd in these dayes of the Gospel What saith our Saviour to his Disciples Luk. x. 23. Blessed are the eyes that see the things that ye see for I tell you many Kings and Prophets have desired to see those things that ye see and have not seen them David and Solomon and Iosiah how would they have thrown down their Crowns at his feet and adored him Those Truths concerning Christ which we count common and vulgar and sleight and neglect them how would they have ravished the spirits of those Saints that were before us The Mysterie of the Trinity what dark intimations of it to the Saints of old That Christ was both God and Man Davids Lord and Davids Son it posed all the Doctors in Israel how to conceive it Matth. xxii Our Saviours Incarnation Passion Resurrection Ascension we scorn to spend time to learn them our selves and teach them others and yet the Angels and Arch-angels stand astonished at them They before us received but the Promise God providing a better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Heb. xi 40. 1 Sam. xvi Samuel would not sit down to the Sacrifice till young David was bâ—…ught from tending the sheep Christ's Sacrifice was delayed till the fulness of the Gentiles might come in The Patriarchs were the eldest sons and they were put off with a Kid the fat Calf was kill'd for us the best wine was kept last till now to entertain us 2. This fulness on Gods part doth challenge and require fulness on our part 1. Fulness of knowledge On Gods part Christ is fully revealed all the Mysterie of Godliness laid open and unfolded t is our duty then fully to know him The dim dark imperfect knowledge of the Jewish Church will not suffice the vail is now taken off and we all with open face may see and behold him When I was a child I spake as a child I understood as a child that was the condition of those times Christians must be grown men of a ripe age in understanding The times of our former ignorance God regarded not saith S. Paul but now he warns every man Act. xvii 30. The times of Christianity are foretold to be knowing times Every man shall know me from the least of them to the greatest of them Ier. xxxi 34. The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea saith the Prophet Habakkuk a Spring-tide of knowledge Zachary foretels that the feeblest Christian shall be as David Iohn Baptist a great enlightned Prophet yet the least in the kingdom of heaven may be greater then he in the Mysteries of Religion This fulness on Gods part requires of us 2. Fulness of Faith and of stedfast Assurance We owe our Faith to Gods bare Promises Shall we not fully believe his reall Performances The Saints before Christ met with many difficulties in believing All of them are removed that they cannot hinder our perswasion There were four Difficulties that attended the Promise of Christ as it was propounded to the Patriarchs 1. Was Obscuritas They saw all in a dim light all things were made known in much obscurity they had but the light of a candle to discern by the light of the Sun shines out to us 2. Was Generalitas Christ was promised to them in more general terms not so distinctly and personally as he is to us They heard of a blessed Seed to be born that is all their Faith fastned on We know who he is Iesus the Son of Mary he is pointed out to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with special circumstances Hic Nunc breeds distinct knowledge 3. Was Improbabilitas The Promise was propounded to them with some Improbabilities A Virgin shall conceive and bring forth a Son How can this thing be Yes we know it is performed that holy Virgin hath conceived and born him Performances confute all improbabilities Can there come any good out of Nazareth Come and see 4. Was Longinquitas The Promise of Christ made to the Fathers was for a long time after many hundred years to be spent ere Christ should come Tell a man what shall happen a thousand years hence you can hardly perswade him The Prophesie is for many dayes to come said those mockers in Ezekiel We need not stretch our faith so far the Promise is before us With Thomas we may lay hold on him and say My Lord and my God 3. Hath Christ brought a fulness with him It must work in us fulness of content and satisfaction rest fully in him and in his plentiful Redemption The fulness of Christ is abundantly able to satisfie and fill up all our desires Fills the soul with marrow and fatness All other cravings of the soul may be quieted for a time but they return again as eager as ever 't is like a dream of meat saith the Prophet and when he awakes his soul is empty This heavenly Manna it breeds appetite and yet it pinches not it satisfies the soul and yet it cloys not Indeed Christ hath in him all that we need or can possibly wish