accompanies his owne Ordinance which whilst the eye is fixed upon the signe the water carries the minde to the consideration and so on in a sweet meditation of the thing signified the blood of Christ by that the Baptist washes the bodie with this the holy Ghost clenseth the soule and this cleansing is a changing also persona tingitur natura mutatur Euseb Emissen de Ep. Hom. 3. and this purgation by the blood of Christ is a preparation for the grace of Christ which upon is infused into the soule so St. Cyprian in expiatum pectus purum desuper se lumen infundit and being then Cyp. lib. 2. ep secunda Donato pag. 69. circa sinem infused it giveth to the powers of the soule their first disposition unto newnesse of life which by frequent acts of vertue is wrought into a habit and so is Christ formed in us tantae molis erat such a do there was this blood and sweat it cost to Redeeme man from slavery and bondage to repaire the decayes of nature to recover the lost heritage and to restore to the Father his lost Sonne And now brethren you see your calling how the sons of Adam are made the sonnes of God here 's an Alteration which the spirituall eye may easily discover First here is a change of our estate and condition when we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the blood of his sonne who by his death overcame death which we had deserved suffered for sinne which we had committed fulfilled Gods law which we had violated satisfied his justice which we had offended appeased his wrath which we had kindled recovered his favor and made our peace and by this means we that were by nature children of wrath by that Grace and favour which Christ hath obtained for us at Gods hands are taken in to be the sonnes of God for so well pleased was he with the obedience of the naturall sonne that for his sake and at his intercession he is pleased to accept us for his sonnes thus Christ became our baile and surety undertooke for us and humbled himselfe to the meanesse of a servant that we might be advanced to the estate of sonnes And that our nature may be fit for that estate there 's a change of that too the change of our estate is ascribed to the Credulitas quae deum spiritum proclamavit de carnis substantia mortali in vitalem spiritus sustantium vos mutavit Chrysol ser 71. 2 Pet. 14. Est in locū riches of Christs merit but this of our nature to the grace of his holy spirit this change is not in substance but in quality and so in quality though not in substance the spirit of God altereth our nature conformes us to the Image of Christ and makes us partakers of the divine nature but mistake not St. Peter for by nature he understands not the essence of God which is appropriated onely to the Trinity of persons and communicated to no man but the divine Attributes of wisdome justice holinesse truth glory and immortallity and in these we have fellowship with the Father and with his sonne Jesus Christ and so are made wise righteous holy mercifull immortal and glorious like God in respect of the qualities not equality our vertues being but a ray of his Son a sparke of his eternall Aq. in 2 Pet. 13. fire a participation of his fulnesse he being an inexhaustible fountaine of grace and goodnesse filleth our frayle vessels secundum modulum nostrum according to their capacity see that what soever grace the holy Ghost effectually worketh in us it is first originally in God and is made ours either by imputation or infusion our nature is corrupt I know that in me saith St. Paul Ro. 7. 18. dwelleth no good thing mans goodnes is not inherent but either impured or imparted and so when God is pleased to participate unto us his own goodnesse there is a change wrought in our nature new light is put into our minds new desires into our affections new obedience into our wils and a sweet conformity into all our actions in this renovation there is no destruction but a conversion no subversion of the old substance but a generation of new qualityes there still remaines the same subject and this alteration of our nature is a transformatiō not a transubstantiaton To this new man there is not wanting a new name and names are given to expresse the nature of things now no name can so fully and so fitly notifie him who is made partaker of the divine nature adopted to the inheritance of glory and immortality in the kingdome of heaven as this of Gods son here then is a change of our names too there are no more termes of hostility between God and man the enmity is now abolished and all such names as carrie in them sorrow shame and misery are done away and a new name that imports comfort glory and felicity is imposed and now we are no more enemies but sonnes now surely this is good newes to heare the father hath found his lost sonne an Angell is not an able and sufficient messenger God him-himselfe bowes the heavens and comes downe ecce novum behold a new thing upon earth Esay 43. 19. This is novum and inauditum a thing never heard of before God in the flesh revealed it heaven and earth God and man reconciled good tidings Blessed be the peace maker God and man made friends good news welcome be he whosoever brings it his lips are gracious and his feet beautifull whose heart doth not leape for joy to heare himselfe by the everlasting Father called my Sonne And this new name must be attended with a Chrys ser 68. in ora Domi. new life qui Dei filium credit actu vita moribus honestate tanto generi respondeat they that professe themselves the Sons of God must be answerable to such honorable compellations this is a high and a heavenly calling and our conversation must be suitable to our calling nec degeneret Cyp. ser 5. de ora Domi. actus noster a spiritu ut qui coelestes spirituales esse caepimus non nisi spiritualia coelestia cogitemus agamus we must looke unto the Rock from whence wee are hewne and beware we degenerate not from that Royall family where into we are admitted but we who call God our Father should be blamelesse and harmelesse the sonnes of God without rebuke Phil. 2. 15. a godly name and a wicked life agree not sinners are hardened and God dishonoured when he that is called a sonne of God behaves himselfe as a servant of sinne it is very fit that every sonne of God should imitate his Matth. 11. heavenly father or if he desire a patern neerer hand let him learn of his elder brother discite à me saith Christ learne of me Frame your lives to his rule and they wil acquit you convince men
* Luk. 1. 38. ancilla domini Behold the hand-maid of the Lord nay more yet he that was Lord of all became a servant So by Gods own compellation Esay 53. 11. So by his owne profession 4. Matth. 20. 28. and no more in the worlds estimation Philip. 2. 7. enough it is for any man to be reckoned amongst these worthies to be of Gods familie in any Relation but God thinkes it not enough for his Love It is not therefore My servant but My Sonne We that were unworthy to be accounted servants he hath advanced to the honour of Sonnes Not My Servant therefore but My Sonne Nay not my friend this priviledge had Abraham the father of the faithfull Ja. 2. 23. for his faith And the same is promised to Christs disciples upon condition of their obedience Jo. 15. 14. And a great prerogative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laere Diog. do vita c. Ego sensi animam meam animam amici mei unam fuisse animam in duobus corporibus Ang. lib. conf 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ar. lib. 8. 1 th it is to be Gods friend for a friend is alter ego a second selfe and amicorum omnia communia all things are common amongst friends no comfort with-held no secret hid from a friend * Gen. 18. 17. Pet. 1. 4. yet it is not my freind but My Sonne for Gods love which is infinite knows no bounds but extends to the highest degree of kindnesse and calls man now not my Servant not my Freind only but my Sonne To be of Gods Court his servant is much to be of his counsel his Friend is much more but to be partakers of the Divine nature the Sonne of God is most of all of this I may say as Elizabeth in a case not much unlike unde hoc mihi * Luk. 1. 43. whence is this to me that I should be called the Son of God But how the Sonne of God Or what Sonne doth God here meane Not his naturall Son so is none but Christ as God he is both Primogenitus and unigenitus his first-begotten and only-begotten of the same essence consubstantiall coaeternal and coaequal with the father begotten by an unspeakable Generation which we may adore cannot search out for who shall declare his Generation Esay 53. 8. Yea Christ as man by grace of hypostatical or personall union is after a speciall manner the Sonne of God so fore-told to be before he was so Luke 1. 32. That holy thing that shall be borne of thee shall be called the Sonne of God And so declar'd to be when he was so Matth. 3. 17. This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well-plea-sed And thus is none the Sonne of God but only he who both by nature and the union of his person is indeed the very Sonne of God Others there are whom holy Scripture hath honoured with this title Adam he was so by Creation the immediate Sonne of God for God was Father Mother God-Father made him produced him named him Luke 3. The Angels they are so made in Gods image and stiled his Sonnes Psal 89. 6. And so are Kings by Gods owne ordination and special appointment the Sonnes of God Psal 82. 6. I have said ye are Gods and all of you are Children of the most high This title thus taken is a singular prerogative peculiar to some special persons But here we will take it more generally as it is a common title given by God to all the faithfull My Sonne Not by naturall Generation for so is none but Christ as God Not by grace of personall union for so is none but Christ as man Not by immediate creation for so was Adam and the Angels only Nor by Divine Ordination for so are Kings and Princes only But by grace adoption every true beleever is truly the Son of God The faithfull by adoption are filij designati appointed by the Father for the Sons of God Through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus they are filii facti made the Sonnes of God And by the laver of regeneratiō they are filii signati sealed by the Spirit for the Sons of God They are first designed by the Father for heires Then really made and accepted by Christ for Coheyres And finally assured by the holy Ghost of an Inheritance undefiled that fadeth not away reserved for them in the heavens Gods Sonnes the faithfull are before they are so in the purpose of the Vosque si nondum natos jam tamen designatos filios jam credite Chrys Ser. 71. in orat dominum pag. 306. father but not so in his Delight they must declare their predestination by their conversation before they can be admitted into Gods familie there must concurre with the Fathers purpose the purchase of the Sonne and the purging of the holy Ghost when in the Sonne and by the Holy Ghost they are made such as the father purposed they should be then he takes delight in them and ownes them for his Sonnes and not before for it is not the fathers Adoption nor the Sons Redemption that can priviledge the faithfull from being by nature the children of wrath even as others Ephes 2. 3. without righteousnesse holines Innocencie and all right to glory meer carnal men and so by nature must still continue for that which is borne of the flesh is flesh there John 3. 6. must be a new birth they must be borne againe and so made new Creatures before they can become the Sonnes of God and here must not be left out the office of the holy Ghost for as the Sonne of God could not become the Sonne of man so neither can Luke 1. 35. the Sonnes of men become the Sonnes of God without the speciall office and operation of the holy Ghost Jo. 3. this cannot be the worke of flesh and blood which naturally produces it's like carnall and sinfull nor the worke of man for parentes peremptores our parents are our murtherers wee derive from them the contagion of sinne * and Non imitatione sed propagatione with sin an Obligation to eternall death and so saith Saint Austin wee are damnati antequam nati dead in sinne before alive in the world Mans freedome from this wretched condition and translation into the glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God is a worke of Grace Gods entire worke so Saint James Of his owne will Tit. 3. 6. Verbum adveniens aqua dat ei virtutem abluendi Aq. in locum Austin begate he us with the word of Truth cap. 1. 18. with the washing of water by the Word so Saint Paul Eph. 5. 26. Accedit verbum ad elementum fit Sacramentum by the power of the word the Element is made a Sacrament And that water whose common use was to wash the bodie from filth now serves for a holy use to clense the soule from sin to this use God hath ordained it and his Spirit
and please God whilest he sees his name honored in your conversation their conviction Old things are past behold all things are become new new estate new nature new name new life Estate happy the merit of Christ hath purchased that nature holy the spirit of Christ hath sanctified that name heavenly the love of God hath bestowed that life godly the grace of God hath wrought that happy estate holy nature heavenly name godly life man is now a sonne by grace not unworthy to be own'd of so great a Prolis tanto non in ficienda parenti Father At length I have brought you to the height of Gods love and Mans Dignity Gods Love never so Et quidem deitatis erga nos dignatio tanta est ut scire nequeat quid potissimum imitari debeat creatura utrum quod Deus ad nostram deposuit servit utem an quod nos ad suae divinitatis rapuit dignit at em Pet. Chrys ser 72. manifest as in making us his sonnes the utmost we could hope for was pardon not for preferment but to debase the naturall sonne in making him like us that he might honor us in making us like him is love without measure which we are as unable to conceive as we are unworthy to receive the expression is too meane and low to say it was paternall a it Et sicut omnem ut scriptum est paternitatem in Coelo in terris a scipso volvit nominari fic a nobis patris in se affectum voluit cognosci quid dicam patris imo potius plus quam patris a Sal. di guber dei lib. 4. pag. 121 was more then mothers love and was what himselfe is infinit Man never so dignified who am I and what is my fathers house saith David that I should be Sonne in law to a King what is fraile man that he should be exalted to the dignitie of Gods son called to the hope and invested with some possession of eternall life what a happinesse is this above the rest of mankind who through ignorance and unbeliefe abide still in misery and I would to God he would perswade the hearts of all men to account this their chiefest honour to be Gods sons religion is and ever hath been the honor and safety too of kingdomes familyes and particular persons and this of Gods sonne preferred before the most glorious titles It was the Religious boast of the Emperor Theodosius malo esse membrum Aug. de civi dei l. 5. c. 26. eccelesiae quam caput imperij and in the most magnificent it is an addition to their honor to be Gods sonnes the greatest in the world is nothing if he be lesse the meanest is enough if he be so much and so much is every true beleever for to as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sonnes of God even to them that believe on his name Jo. 1. 12. How is it then this priviledge is so sleighted and undervalued of many and carnall alliance and kindred so much stood upon by all men account their carnall pedegrees and if they can reckon a great man of their house how they glory in it whereas there is greater cause of boasting to be of Gods family then to be descended from the loynes of Princes for carnall affinity is but transitory it abideth not Kingdomes and families have their periods and in death there is a dissolution of al kindred after the flesh the mightiest man alive must one day say to corruption thou art my Father Job 17. 14 to the worme thou art my Mother and my Sister but our alliance here by faith death nor the grave hath no power over 1 Cor. 15. 55 and as it is begun on earth by grace in our adoption so shall it not be ended but perfected in heaven by glory in ful fruition when all the adopted sonnes shall be like the naturall sonne and their bodies made conformable to his glorious body according to the mighty working whereby he is able to Phil. 3. 21. subdue all things unto himselfe Many excellent things are spoken of you ye sons of God! but what man lives that dares challenge to himself this priviledg seeing every man is a sinner if a sinner no son for he that is borne of Ro. 3. 23. God sinneth not 1. Jo. 5. 18. how sinneth not sinneth not at all God never gave any such priviledge to the regenerate saith Oecumenius for the Oecumcinus in locū best of Gods Saints speakes in his own name and others If we say we have no sinne we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Wee sinne daily and hourely the best of us but the best of us sinne no otherwise 1 Jo. 1. then Gods children may sinne Not totally with a fulnesse of consent quasi ad peccatum vacantes but over come through infirmity with strength of tentation Nor finally ad mortem they sin not that is sin not untodeath that sin for which the holy Ghost hath said thou shalt not pray In all their sinnes there is still place left for their humiliation and Christs Intercession so still they are innocent from the great offence for although many lesser sins do passe them without their knowledge and many greater sinnes be committed with their knowledge yet in the escape of those lesse and the committing of these greater they are patients not Agents not obedient to the rule of sinne but overmastered by the rage of sinne here is St. Pauls case just Ro. 7. malum quod nolo facio they sinne unwillingly and their unwillingnesse to sinne will appeare in their heavinesse for sinne when the remembrance is grievous unto them the burden intolerable then is the waight not charged on them but laid upon him who hath satisfied Gods justice for it by bearing it on his owne body on the tree for whose sake lesser and unknowne sinnes charitate absconduntur are in charity covered and our greater and well known sins poenitentia abluuntur are by actuall and unfained Bernard repentance purged who then shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth thus the sons of God they are sinners and no sinners No sinners for being justified by faith they have not onely a plenary remission of all sinnes that are passed actually purchased by the blood of Jesus but also a preservation from sinnes to come effectually promised by the spirit of grace But sinners in regard of that inherent corruption which against their wils doth lead them captive into actuall transgressions For as there is semen gratiae a seed of grace in the regenerate which will not suffer them totally to sinne So also there is semen peccatia seed of sin which wil not suffer them wholy to be sanctified Christ by his death indeed hath wholy taken away both reatum suppliciun the guilt and eternal punishment of
know that not here but in heaven where their Father is their inheritance is there must their hope be fixed on that their care placed and for these temporall blessings they must cast their care upon God and depend upon his fatherly providence who knows their wants and will supplie them your heavenly Father knoweth whereof you have need saith Christ and Matth. 6. you know it is enough for a father that is of abilitie such an one as is our heavenly Father to know the wants of his Children his owne goodnesse will supplie whatsoever is needfull or convenient It is not then against the honestie and it may well agree with the pietie of a Father such an one as God to owne a wretched if a contrite sinner for his beloved Sonne But all this while this Title seems to determine the Relation to one Sex seems but doth not for God who of the woman requires the dutie will his Justice permit her to be excluded from the Dignitie certainly no! the word is not to be restrained to the sex but extended to so many of the whole kind as truly beleeve whether they be male or female for God is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he maks no difference of sexes ages nations professions degrees estates or conditions of men but he that is Lord of all is rich unto all that call upon him male and female Jew and Gentile young and old rich and poore prince and people bond and free if true beleevers he ownes them all without difference for his Children And yet there is a difference amongst them both in respect of Gods grace towards them and his grace in them they are all beloved but not equally and that Gods grace and favour is more to this then that man is not from Gods final intention which is equall and alike to all his chosen Salvation and Happinesse but as men are said to love more where they conferre more and to favour most where they receive most so God in regard of some outward expressions of love and favour is said to love one more then another and in regard of mens apprehension to some having a greater sense and feeling of his love and favour then others And for his grace that is in them whether for the qualification of their persons or salvation of their soules If wee speake of the former some are better fitted and enabled for the execution of such offices and duties wherewith by their callings they stand charged wherein he that is most faithfull is most highly favoured If we speake of the latter the more grace God worketh in them the more gracious hee is said to be towards them and so the stronger their faith the ferventer their love the more unfained their repentance the more universall their obedience the more sincere their conscience the greater his love unto them the more he is delighted in them and such as in his love he hath gifted above their fellows he usually honoreth above their fellows and according to the excellency of their graces is the eminencie of their places And therefore though all the faithfull be Gods sonnes and in relation to him brethren and he the common Father of all yet for all this it will not become an inferior to affront his superior with a jam sumus ergo pares haile fellow well met for his communitie overthrows not that difference which nature civilitie and Gods owne ordinance hath made betwixt man and woman and one man and another nor will either state or Church or private families admit so absurd a paritie To lay all level no principalitie in the state no Prelacie in the Church no command in families were to ruine all an inconvenience which the seasonable fore-sight of Almightie God hath by his owne blessed Ordinance prevented nor did Christ at his comming unto whom God committed all rule and all Authoritie and Power divest the Princes of the world of that Regal and Soveraigne power wherewith God Per fidem Christi non tollitur or do justitiae sed magis firmatur Aq. prima secundae qu. 104. Art 6 conc hath invested them he abolished it not established it rather And thus though all men be alike in the first Adam made of the same mould And all the faithfull alike in the second Adam the Sonnes of God Yet the Lord for the singular benefit of mankind hath distinguished How son ser hab Oxon. 1602. them in great knowledge and made their wayes and reputations divers some of them he hath blessed and exalted as Kings and Princes Some he hath sanctified and appropriated to himselfe as Priests and Prophets Some he advanceth above their brethren and makes their fathers children bow downe before them and others hee leaves in the common rancke some he hath laden with honours wealth promotions and dignities and others he hath bestowed in meaner callings thus wisely hath God ordered the estate of this present world with the connexion of such variety of parts begetting a harmonie and bringing a perfect soundnesse and sweetnesse to the whole body Where all the strings are of one sound there is no musicke where all the members are alike there is no body but a bulke and even so there is nothing but discord and deformitie where there are not differences of degrees estates and callings of men and where God hath put a difference let man doe so too that mans estimation concurring with Gods ordination every man may be honored and respected according to his place and dignitie The stones in a building are not all of one syze The vessels in an house not proportioned all for one use The members of the body are not all of one fashion or for one office There are many stones in a building many vessels in one house many members in one body and in these many there is varietie not Identitie not many of the same but of divers syzes for divers uses of severall fashions for severall offices and this varietie of parts doth beget an unitie in the whole so we being many concludes St. Paul are one body and in a body composed of multiplicitie and varietie of parts there is more beautie greater safety and this not only in the natural Connexio totius corporis unam sanitatem unam pulchri tudinem Tacit. Leo. Ep. 8. cap. 11. body which is man but in the politicke body the state and in the mysticall body the Church beautified and strengthened with the severall offices orders degrees and callings of men diversly qualified making a distinction amongst men of the same Christian profession for a communitie of Religion induces not a confusion into Christian common wealths but confirmes them rather in peace and good order enjoyning every one by an Apostolical Canon 1. Cor. 7. 20. to abide in that calling wherein he is called propounding no new but perswading a more conscionable use of the old * and if there See Luke cap. 3. verse 10 11 12 13. be any that
actions do shew forth their internall affections The heart that is unscrutable to man but * gentis corporis Hirom Gestus est sermo quidem corporis Cic. de Orat. lib. 3. vox animi the outward carriage of the body is a faire testimonie of the inward disposition of thy mind and then is discovered what the heart thinketh by that which the body acteth for grace in the heart is the light of the body and this light must shine before men that they may see aswell as God And that men may reape the good God receive the glory Gods heavenly inspirations and mens holy desires should empty themselves here that the Church may outwardly testifie what Ad significandum debitum ordinem mentis humanae in Deum Aq. pri se quest 102. art 3. inwardly each man should be by such outward worship as might betoken the Majesty of God beseeme the dignitie of Religion and concurre with the celestiall impressions in the minds of men Idem 2. 2. q. 92. Art 2. The performance of all Religious services respect God and man to please him and edifie them and so must be equally poysed with the two theologicall vertues Faith and Charity Faith towards God and Charity towards men without faith it is impossible to please God and cordi creditur man believeth with the heart it is the heart that seasoneth our devotion and faith that seasoneth the heart directs it to the true object and in the right end of pure Religion And as faith seeketh to please God so charity to approve it self before men and charity in the performance of a duty unto God hath respect unto the benefit of man too God sees faith in the internall devotion of the Heart and therewith he is well pleased Men see charity in the externall carriage of the body and therewith they are edified God calls for that by Solomon in my text My sonne give me thine heart and he cals for this by St. Paul in another text to present your bodyes aliving Rom. 12. 1 sacrifice c. and then concludes and not til then your devotion to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your reasonable service and good reason there is God should be served both in body and soule for at the first he made both and he once redeemed both he dayly preserveth both and finally saveth both and therefore glorifie him in both And thus the Christian offers that Holocaust to God in substance and truth which the Jewes did offer in type and figure making his approches into the house of God with Davids hymn in his mouth Introibo Ps 66. 13. in domum tuam Holocastis I will go into thy house with burnt-offerings but now in Gods house there is no use of fire unlesse it be the Metaphorical fire of true zeale for true zeale is Gods fire of which St. Aug. in ps 66. alias 65 Austin thus totum meum consumit ignis tuus nihil mei remaneat totum sit tibi Let thy holy fire of zeale O Lord consume me wholy and make me thine in every part all thine and then is all his when he hath the heart for as the powers of it are inclined so are the parts of the body moved there is a league of amity betwene them like that betwene Ruth and Naomi the body like Ruth to Naomi cleaving to the soule and saying intreat me not to leave thee Ruth 1. 16 John 1. 16 Anima intellectiva quamvis sit una secundum essentiam tamen propter sui perfectionem est mul tiplex in virtute ideo ad diversas operationes indigit diver sis dispositio nibus in par tibus corporis cui ponitur Aq. prima q. 76. art 5. risp ad 3. arg or toreturn from following after thee for whether thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge thy people shal be my people and thy God my God or as his souldiers did to Josuah all that thou commandest us we will do and whether thou sendest us we will go for albeit the soule in essence be one yet to the perfection of it there are divers faculties and for the severall operations of these faculties there must needs be an answerable disposition in the partes of the body to which it is united for as the fire first kindleth the fuell and that being kindled nourisheth the fire and as the body first warmeth the clothes and then they returne a reciprocall heat to the body so the heart first disposeth the parts of the body and these partes fitly disposed In divino cultu necesse est aliquibus corporalibus uti ut eis quasi signis quibusdam mens hominis excitetur ad spirituales actus quib Deo conjun gitur Aq. 2. 2. quest 81. art 7. Ecclesiam piis quibusdam coeremoni is elegantibus ritibus institutis tanquam sponsam ornatam viro suo decorarent Cornal Agrippa de van scientiarum cap. 6. affect the heart and make devotion in the heart like the fire in the Sanctuary a flame that goes not out And even experience it selfe teacheth us how merveilously outward forme and solemnity in Gods service doth helpe weakenesse and inbecility in us perswading the will inciting the affections and making some impressions of further knowledge in the mind winging our thoughts holding up the heart in her devotions and giving stength and vigour to such motions which are otherwise apt to languish and conclude in a lazie wish but the parts of the body fitly disposed keepes up the heart till Gods wil be fulfilled and mans duty discharged True it is God hath sometimes excepted against this outward worship but then when it hath been alone when the people drew neere him with their lippes and their hearts were farre from him But when or where * Externum cultum non reprehendit dominus imo etiam ab omnibus piis requirit nec enim tantum intus in animo colere debemus sed etiam coram hominibus testari c. Calvin ap Mart. in Matth. 15. 8. Jo. 4. 22. shew me was ever God offended with the humble lowly and reverend gesture of the body in his service or where did he ever condemne outward Solemnitie when it was joyned with inward sinceritie never did hee open his mouth against the use of that but the want of this The true worshippers shall worship God in Spirit and truth saith the Sonne of God but how in truth if not outwardly in body as well as inwardly in heart and spirit God is robbed of his worship when either is with-held and when both are not exhibited Gods house is made of a house of Prayer a den of theeves And the same spirit that by the Son of God commends inward worship doth by the servants of God and those no mean ones neither his Prophet Esay and Esay 45. Ro. 14. 12. his Apostle Paul command outward worship As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow unto
Lord with our substance Thirdly for his poore childrens sake whose case hee makes his owne And so if God stand in need of nothing man can give yet Christ doth not Christus merus sed Christus mysticus Not the person of Christ for God hath put all things in subjection under his feete and exalted him to be Lord of all But the bodie of Christ Totus Christus est caput corpus Aust his Church that labours under many wants and God expects the necessities of his Church should be supplied of that which is thine his Temples beautified his Ministers maintained his poore members relieved and what is given to any of these God acknowledges as given to him so that when God becomes a suiter unto man it is not for himselfe but for his Church hee makes his Churches case his owne and when a man gives to his Church he offers to God the time was when the forwardnesse of the giver prevented all suit and then so much was given that now God needs not to turne beggar for his Church give him that which is his owne that which the pietie of former times hath endowed his spouse with and then shee may say as Esau to Jacob I have enough my brother keep that thou hast unto thy selfe Gen. 33. But yet I have not done with tuum mihi thy goods thy body thy life omne tuum all thou hast to God when by that thou hast thou mayst doe him service keepe nothing back But above all that is thine thine heart to God any thing else thou hast God commends into thine hand gives thee libertie to dispose of it Corpus terrae thy body Terram terra tegat daemon peccata resumat mundus res habeat spiritus astra petat to the earth earth it is and to earth it must returne commend it therefore to the consecrated bed of dust to sleepe with it's fathers untill by the last trumpe it be awakened to a joyfull resurrection Bona amicis leave thy goods to thy freinds to the Saints upon earth and such as excell in vertue and forget not to transport a part before thee in pious and charitable uses remember thy freinds in heaven as well as thy kindred upon earth Peccatum Dia bolo thy sinne to Sathan hee was the first suggester of it and a daily tempter to it stop his mouth with a tolle quod tuum est vade let him gaine nought from thee but thy sinne that is his and bid him take his owne and be packing but Cor mihi thy heart for God wee must breath out our soules with David In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit all other parts at times convenient may labour about the things of this life but sur sum corda the Heart must never looke so low heaven is Col. 3. 2. it's hope and her conversation must be as high as her hope where her fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Jesus Christ and from this fellowship she must not stray when the eyes are abroad in the world the heart must still be fixed in heaven and let nothing remove it from that station keep it there and it keeps the whole man upright whilst the Heart is devoted to God there is no violence briberie or injustice in the hand no lust covetousnesse or envie in the eye the eare is not open to vanitie or blasphemie there is no Idolatry in the knee no bitternesse or falshood in the tongue no guile in the lippes no impietie to God no injurie to man and this is the blessed fruit of the hearts devotion thy Heart to God then Other Competitors there are for the Heart The world cries Cor mihi give me thine heart and thou shalt have wealth and honors The flesh cries Give it me and thou shalt have ease and pleasures Give it me saith Sathan and thou shalt have all these the riches of the world and the pleasures of the flesh give him but the heart and he will give all how comes hee thus munificent Paracelfus tels us he is but a beggarly spirit and therefore let him not delude the heart with vaine hopes or deceive it with false shewes hee promises all but can give none Matth. 4. suppose him able to make his promise good yet all hee promises even the whole world is not a valuable price for the heart and will any man be so adventerously foolish as to sell upon trust at an under rate and to Sathan too so bad a pay-master the veriest huckster in the world Give it him it is lost for ever but in Gods keeping it is sure enough and this is not all the heart gaines by being devoted to God not safety Domine quia fecisti nos ad te irrequiet ū est cor donec requiescat in te Aug. only but satietie too he fils the heart and contents it to the full cheering it on earth with his grace and crowning it in heaven with his glory even for his Christs Jo. 1. 14. sake whose is the fulnesse of grace and glory to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit three Persons but one LORD GOD Almighty Be ascribed all might majestie and dominion now and for ever Amen FINIS IMPRIMATUR Jan. 26. 1638. GUIL BRAY. Good Reader with thy pen amend the faults escaped in the presse thus ERRATA Page 8. line 5. blot out the. p. 12. l. 20. blot out 4. p. 30. l. 1. read so p. 33. l. 20. r. qui se Dei filium p. 37. l. 6. blot out for p. 38. l. 18. Sonne p. 40. l. 5. r. recount p. 43. l. 7. blot out is not p. 46. l. 23. r. only p. 48. l. 3. r. stimulus p. 52. l. 1. blot out is p. 58. l. 2. r. these p. 60. l. 20. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 62. l. 12. r. too l. 13. blot p. 64. l. 19. r. this p. 67. 19. r. ranke p. 74. l. 2. r. notion p. 83. l. 20. r. gestus p. 84. l. 2. r. the. p. 85. 116. r. corde p. 87 l. 4. adde p. 88. l. 1. r. Holocauitis p. 94. l. 10. r. gald In the margent p. 20. r. dominicam p. 28. r. substantiam p. 36. r. proles p. 37. r. voluit p. 55. r. est non p. 80. r. redun iat p. 89. r. indiget cui unitur p. 112. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉