THE RAINEBOW OR A SERMON PREACHED AT PAVLS CROSSE THE tenth day of Iune 1617. By IMMANVEL BOVRNE Master of Artes and Preacher of Gods Word ECCLESIASTICVS 43.11 12. Looke vpon the Rainebowe and praise him that made it c. LONDON Printed for Thomas Adams 1617. SAINT PAULS TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND TRVLY NOBLE LORD ROBERT LORD SPENCER BARON of Wormelayton Grace mercy and peace bee multiplied in Christ Iesus Right Honourable REmembring that prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know thy selfe I was not without much vnwillingnes drawn to preach this Sermon at the Crosse not being ignorant either of mine owne weakenesse or of the weightinesse of so great a taske and with much more vnwillingnesse was I ouercome to commit it to the presse for my resolution was that as my subiect is of the Rainebowe so my Sermon should haue beene like the Rainebowe not a permament but a vanishing Bowe appearing to the eies of some few not remaining to be scanned by the iudgements of all for comes calami calumnia as there are many colours of that Rainebowe in the cloudes so I am sure there will be many censurers of this my Rainebowe at the Crosse that of the Apostle may be applyed vnus sic alter autem sic one iudging after this manner another after that one speaking well another ill But as commaunding Authoritie was the cause of the former so ouerruling importunitie hath effected the latter and now like an infant new borne my Bowe is come naked into the world and without a case It was the saying of the spouse in the Canticles wee haue a little sister and shee hath no breasts and I may say the like of this I haue a little birde and shee wanteth wings yet flie shee must into the open ayre and shift for her selfe But alas what can shee doe before her winges bee growne or her sicke feathers come to ripenesse It is impossible that shee should escape and not be torne in peeces by the sharpe eied vultures the Time-consuming critickes of our time except some princely Eagle shall in pittie to so poore a wanderer shadow her with the winges of protection Your Honorable disposition Right Noble Lord in giuing incouragement to the Ministers of Christ hath emboldened this little birde to shroud her selfe vnder the roofe of your Honorable fauour and my selfe to dedicate this firstlinge of my studies vnto your Lordshippe whome with a most thankefull heart I must euer acknowledge my first incourager in my worke since I haue beene a poore and vnworthy labourer in the vineyard of Christ And if at this time I may obtaine your Honorable loue in accepting this small token of my thankefulnesse for those many and vndeserued fauours conferred vpon me by your Honour and by that most Noble Knight your Right worthy Sonne Sir William Spencer I shall receiue a most comfortable incitement to goe one forwards in my studies and bee for euer bound to praie for a blessed increase of all graces spirituall and temporall both for this life and the life to come vnto your Lordshippe your Honorable Sonne with his Right Noble Ladie all your Honourable progenie and their posteritie for euer Resting vntill Death Your Honours most readie in all respectiue seruice to my power IMMANVEL BOVRNE A SERMON Preached at Pauls Crosse the tenth day of Iune 1617. GENESIS 9.13 I haue set my Bow in the cloud and it shall bee for a signe of the couenant betweene me and the earth IT is the rule of the Preacher Preface Ecclesiastes 3.1 To euery thing there is set time yea an appointed time to euery purpose vnder heauen And therefore the same diuine and heauenly Penne-man wise and vnderstanding Salomon fitly compareth a word fitly spoken to apples of gold in pictures of siluer Prou. 25.11 according to which that I might not at this time haue broken this golden thread of beautifull order I should fitly haue spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the time of Pentecost concerning Pentecost Yet because I doubt not but you haue oftentimes heard this learnedly and religiously handled already I haue thought it not much out of order I am sure not vnprofitable to let passe the time in particular and to apply my selfe to the time in generall and yet the time present also and to speake fitly of this and of those things that pertaine to the same I haue chosen this portion of Scripture which I haue now read vnto you I haue set my bow in the cloud and it shall be for a signe of the Couenant betweene me and the earth Almightie God who is wise in counsell Occasion wonderfull in iudgement and adminble in the execution of his vnsearchable will hauing manifested his great terrible iudgments vnto the olde world in destroying them with a fearefull deluge of waters for their abominable impietie and wilfull impenitencie and declared his gracious fauours vnto righteous Noah in sauing him and his family in the Arke from that most direfull destruction hee doth for the further manifestation of his vnspeakeable goodnesse and most infinite grace make a compact promise and couenant betweene himselfe Noah and euery liuing creature vpon the face of the earth and withall giueth them a signe and seale of the couenant the admirable and beautifull Rainebow for the more full and perfect confirmation of their faith Both which signe and significate the Rainebow and the Couenant Moses that great Prophet of God that valiant Captaine of the hoste of Israel that meeke man aboue all the men in the earth doth briefly expresse in the words of my text I haue set my Bow in the cloud and it sall be for a signe of the Couenant Diuision betweene me and the earth In which not to dazell the eyes of your vnderstandings with any quainte or curious diuisions for my better direction and your better instruction I doe briefly and plainely obserue these particulars First the Author of this externall signe the Rainebow and of the internall significate the Couenant the omnipotent The first part Isaiah 42.8 Ego sum Iehouah illud est nomen meum Genes 3.2 Spiritus ELOHIM a. vs 1. ELOHIM Bara fortes creauit Gen. 7.1 Ezod 3.14 EHEIE ASCHER EHEIE I am that I am ANI EL-SCHADDAI ego sum Deus fortis c. Isaiah 45.12 Isaiah 43.16 and eternall God in the first words I haue set Secondly the signe it selfe the Bowe Thirdly the situation of it in the Cloud Fourthly the vse of it it shall be a for a signe Fiftly and lastly the intimation of the internall significate in the last words of the couenant betweene mee and the earth Of these in their order by the assistance of Gods gratious Spirit your christian patience and permission of the time And first of the first the Author I haue set that is I who am IEHOVAH ELOHIM the stronge one the mighty Lord of heauen and earth who am EHEIE I am alwaies the same immutable from all eternity to all
effect of these causes the Rainebow was before the floud also except it can bee shewed that the generation of the Bowe was hindred by some other impediment which cannot be for it is a rule in Philosophie Posita causa ponitur effectus the cause being placed perfected the effect must of necessity follow as when the Sunne draweth towards our Horison the light and day begins to appeare when the fire is kindled the heate doth suddenly increase or when as a man beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse his image is presently represented to his sight so likewise a soone as the sunne did cast his bright beames vpon the glasse of the waterie cloudes the effect thereof did presently manifest it selfe vnto the world but this was before the floud and therefore the Rainebowe before the floud also Yet against this those of the contrarie opinion obiect the words of my Text that God speaketh here vnto Noah in the future tense I will set my Bow in the cloude therfore it should seeme rather Cornelius cornelii a lapide in Comment in Genes that the Rainebow was created after the floud then before To which I answer that howsoeuer in the Septuagint translation it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pono I do put and in the common Latine ponam I will put yet as a learned interpreter well obserueth in the Hebrew text it is in the preterperfect tense NATATTI dedi posui I haue giuen I haue set and God might well haue said I doe giue I doe set or I will set but not that it was not there before but that it should now bee for a signe of that couenant betweene me and the earth for after the same manner the water in Baptisme was instituted by Christ our Sauiour to be a signe in the sacrament and yet water was an element created at the beginning as the Rainbow was created before the floud so that I may thus answer the 1. Obiection Almightie God not naturally but by his diuine institution hath appointed the Rainebow for a signe that there should not any more come a generall floud to destroy the world Againe if the Rainebowe be not a naturall signe of a following floud of what then is it a naturall signe of Raine or of faire weather of windes or of the tranquilitie of the heauens Plinie in his second booke of naturall historie seemeth to be of opinion Plinius lib 2. natural hist cap. 59. Plin lib. 18. cap. 59. that it is no certaine signe of of any of these yet in his eighteenth booke he affirmeth that when two Rainebowes appeare it is a signe of Raine and if a Rainbowe appeare after showers it is a signe of faire whether although not alwaies certaine But Seneca teacheth that as the Rainbow doth appeare Seneca lib. 1. naturel quest cap. 6. in a diuerse region of the aire or in a diuerse time of the day so it doth portend diuers things If in the morning it sheweth Raine that is past and some small showers to come If at noone or there abouts it is a signe of greater showers Scaliger contra cardanum exercitat but if it appeare at night it signifieth faire weather to whom Scaliger others accord And the reason of this is giuen by Philsophers because a morning Bow being ful of the moyst vapours of the night is as it were a vessell of some following showers by reason of the thicke mistes that remaine A meridian Bowe doth carry greater store of waters and portendeth more Raine because the waters gathered cannot be dried vp with the most vehement heate of the Sunne such is the greatnesse of their force And an euening Bow hauing the greatest part of the moyst vapoury miste dried vp in the former part of the day promiseth faire weather and therfore seldome or neuer doth any store of Raine follow imâ—ediately after But I proceede forwards God hath appointed it for a signe And a signe as S. Augustine describeth it S. August l. 2. de Doct. Christ cap. 1. Signum vero est res praeter speciem quam ingerit sensibus aliud aliquid ex sefaciens in cogitationem venire 2. King 20.11 Ioel. 2.31 Gen. 2.9 Iudges 6.37 38 39. Isaiah 7.14 Gen. 17.10 Exod. 12.3 Math. 28.19 Luk. 22.19 is a thing which doth cause another matter to be remembred besides that externall figure which it doth shew to the outward senses And signes are commonly of 3. sorts the first signastuporis signes of wonder and amazement as the Sun when it went ten degrees backe at the praier of Ezechia The second signaterroris signes of terrour and affrightment as those signes which shall be before the day of iudgement when the Sun shall be turned into darknesse the moone into bloud The third are signa amoris signes of loue and contentment As the particular signes of Gods loue to his elect and these either to certaine persons as the tree of life to our first parents in Paradise Gene. 2. The wet dry fleece to Gidion or the conception of the virgin to king Achas or to the whole Church either before Christ as Circumcision the Passeouer Sacrifices or since Christ as Baptisme the Supper or last of all that vniuersall signe of Gods loue to the whole world the admirable Rainebowe which he hath appointed for a signe of the couenant betweene him and the earth Ecce post policitationem verbo factam hoc signum addo saith S. Chrysost as speaking of God Behold after my promise 1. S. Chrysostom Hom. 28. in Genes I doe giue you a seale of my promise to confirme the same So that God doth not only manifest his loue by Oracles and binde himselfe by promise and couenant but he proceedeth further and addes sacraments seales to his couenant Gods omits nothing that may confirme the faith of his chosen that he might seeme to omit nothing which might serue to confirme the faith of his chosen Thus did he in the Spirituall couenant hee gaue to our first parents in paradise the sacrament of the tree of life and of the tree of knowledge of good and euill he gaue to the Patriarches the sacrament of circumcision the passeouer he hath giuen to his church since the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Supper and thus he doth in the corporall couenant he giueth vnto Noah the admirable Rainebow for the confirmation of his faith and to be a seale of the couenant betweene him and the earth to teach vs to banish incredulity Incredulitie must be banished to beleeue his promises For as the vse of the Rainebow on the part of God is to testifie his grace and mercy vnto men so the vse of the Rainebow one the part men is to confirme their faith Mercelus in Genes and loue towards God the Iewes are exceeding religious in this matter for when they see the Rainbow they go forth fall downe and confesse their sins acknowledging themselues
eternity I who am EL-SCHADDAI the strong powerfull omnipotent and all-sufficient God I who haue created the heauens and the earth and established them by the word of my power who haue made a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters Iam. 1.17 Psallam nomini tuo Excelse who haue spread out the firmament like a curtaine and giuen the Sea her bounds and Starres and Planets their seuerall influences who am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse Psal 9.2 neither shadow of turning who am HELION the highest ouer all the earth the onely Lord and gratious deliuerer besides whom there is no Sauiour in a word I who haue destroyed the old world with aboundance of waters and haue saued thee my seruant Noah Gen. 7.23 and thy family in the multitude of my mercies I euen I haue set my Bowe in the cloud and appointed it for a signe of the Couenant betweene me and the earth Here then it is euident that Doctrin God the fountaine of all grace Non â nobis sed â Deo est principium soederis omnis gratiae Not of our selues but of God is the beginning of the couenant of the signe of the couenant and of all grace fauour and mercy for fons gratiae in Deo est hee it is that is the fountaine of all grace and the well spring of mercy from the happy smile of whose fauourable countenance all true ioy Rom. 9.16 Eph. 2.4 5 6. 1. Pet. 1.3 and happinesse doth proceed whether we respect the grace of Election or the grace of effectuall vocation the grace of iustification or the grace of Sanctification whether we respect temporall deliuerance Gen. 7.13 16. as of Noah from the destruction of the old world of Lot from the desolation of Sodome Gen. 19.16 Exod. 15.30 Numb 16. 32 33 34. Eph. 2.8 and of the children of Israel from the ouerthrow of Pharaoh and deuouring of Corah or the eternall deliuerance of Gods elect from the paines and torments of hell fire all proceedeth and floweth from this well-spring of liuing water from this euerlasting fountaine of the free grace mercy bounty and goodnesse of God all these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free gifts of grace Rom. 5.8 1. Iohn 4.10.19 and loue tokens of a fauourable God and therefore St. Iohn tells vs in this is loue not that we loued God but that hee loued vs and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins and we loue him because he loued vs first S. August Tom. 7. lib. de bono perseuerantiae cap. 21. of this loue S. August speaketh excellently Deum non diligeremus nisi prius dilexisset nos fecisset dilectores suos we should not haue loued God except he had loued vs first made vs to be louers of him and he giueth the reason quoniam charitas ex ipso est because the fluent streames of loue and charitie doe flow from him and not from vs. S. Bernard lib. de amore c. 4. QueÌ„ admodum Nilus fluuius Egyptum inundam vbertate complâ—t ita diuinae misericâ—rdia flamâ—n orbem veluâ—i inâ—â—dâ—tus Câ—â—stibus lâ—nis impleuit Barradius Tom 1. lib. 8. cap. 18 Plutins lib. 5. cap. 9. No merit in man And S. Bernard sweetly Cùm nos amas non nisi propter te nos amâ—s When thou louest vs O God thou louest vs not but for thy selfe the abounding Sea of diuine loue it is in thee and not in vs from whence the riuers of heauenly graces doe flowe foorth most plentifully and water all creatures vpon the face of the earth but his elect and chosen Angels and men after a speciall manner making them fruitfull with his blessings like the land of Egypt with the ouerflowing of Nilus or the pleasant Paradises of the earth with the first and latter raine of his fauours 1. From this therefore it must necessarily follow that whatsoeuer grace is granted vnto vs and much lesse that especiall grace of eternall happinesse it is not giuen vs as the papists affirme and teach for any merit or desert of ours but for the free grace and mercy and bounty of God in Christ For if as our Sauiour commandeth Luk 17.10 Luk. 17.10 when we haue done all that we can Ephes 2.8.9 we must say we are vnprofitable seruants how then can we attribute any thing to our owne merits if as the Apostle witnesseth Ephes 2.9 we are saued by grace not of workes S. August lib. Hom. Hom. 14. et in Psal 144. Merita tua nusquam iactes quia et ipsa merita tua dei dona sunt Psal 103.4 S Aust de predect Sanct. Humana merita hic conticescant que Periere per Adam regnet Dei gratia per Iesum Christum S August Epist 105. least any man should boast how then can we rightly boast of our merits Lastly if that good Centurion whose fayth was so much commended that there was not the like to be found in all Israel Matth. 8.10 Mat. 8.10 answered our Sauiour so humbly with a Domine non sum dignus Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe with what pride thinke you are those possessed who dare so audaciously answer God with a Domine dignus sum Lord I am worthy that thou shouldest giue vnto me eternal life S. Augustine he was of this good Centurions mind and therefore he often in his workes repeateth this one golden sentence Deus coronat dona sua non merita nostra God crowneth his owne giftes and not our deseruings like vnto that of the Prophet Dauid he crowneth vs with compassion and louing kindnesse and the same Father speaking concerning the predestination of the Saints let humane merits saith he here be silent which haue perished by Adam and let the grace of God reigne through Iesus Christ Stella in Luc. c. 7. Non me aspicias sed vnigenitum tuum prius intuere colloca Deus meus inter me te tuum vnigenitum filium crucem eius sanguinem passionâ—m merita ita vt cum tua iustitia per sanguinem merita tui filii pertranseat cum tandem ad me perueniat iam mansâ—ueta misericordia plena sit Ansel in mâ—dit Lyran. in Expos Epist ad Rom c. 6. 23. Bell. l. 5 de Iust c. 7 propter incertitudolâ—m propriae iustitiae periculum manis gloriae tutissimuÌ„ est fiduciam totaÌ„ in sola Dei misâ—recordia benignitate reponere S. Bern. Seâ— 68. Hoc totuÌ„ est hominis meritum si totamâ—hâ—m suam pinat in eo qui totum saluum fecit And in his 105. Epistle he concludeth Haec est gratia gratis data non meritis operantis sed miseratione donantis This is a grace fauour which is freely giuen not for the merit of the worker but for the mercy of the giuer To which accordeth that
part only but totally as the Sunne is totalitèr luminosus wholly inlightened Halfe repentance is no true repentance Sicut enim interpositio tereae est causa Eclipsis solis ita interpositio peccati est causa ecclipsis bonae conuersionis 4. But alas how many in the world are rather like vnto the Moone seldome or neuer without some spot of darkenesse with in the center of their hearts euermore lodging one mountaine of sinne or other within the chambers of their breasts to eclipse the glorious light of a sincere and holy conuersion and so of a sacred life and heauenly conuersation how many are there that can bee contented like Sampson to destroy some of the vncircumcised Philistims some notorious and hatefull impieties But yet they will bee sure to keepe in their bosomes their beloued Dalilah their sweete sinne Iudges 16.17 21. in which their soule delighteth and in which they take pleasure aboue the rest and that they will not forsake though they lose both their eyes for it as Sampson did his though they loose both bodies and soules and be constrained to grinde for euer like milhorses in the prison of iniquitie and to be made scoffes and laughing stockes vnto their enemies the vncircumcised Philistims the world the flesh and the diuell who both night and day still seeke their destruction But the estate of these men is miserable fearefull and damnable except they repent For as Saint Augustine concludeth S. August Tractat. in Iâ—han in his tractate vpon Iohn Because they giue part vnto God and part vnto the diuell iratus deus quiasit ibi pars diabolo discedit totum diabolus possidet 1. Sam. 15.36 1. Sam. 18.10 God beeing angry because there is part giuen to the diuell hee departeth away as hee did from Saul and the diuell possesseth the whole man and therefore that wee may escape the arrowes of Gods vengeance let vs cast downe the darts of our sinnes and burie them in the graue of repentance that they may neuer ascend towardes heauen to pull downe Gods iudgements vpon vs. And that in this life while wee haue tyme for all though the Bowe be signum pacis a signe of peace yet further it is to be noted from the forme and figure of it That this Bowe is not a round circle but a Hemisphere and shineth in one onely hemisphere aboue the earth and not vnder the earth 5 And so likewise pacis faederisque signa the signe of peace This life only a time of mercy and of the couenant the signe of grace and mercie they shine onely in one hemisphere that is dum super terram viuimus while we liue vpon the earth in the other they shall not shine to the impenitent at the day of iudgement these will not appeare vnto them for they shall beholde them non iridem signum pacis sed summae irae diuinae signa not the Rainbow the signe of peace but the fearefull signes of Gods anger to the horror and terror of their accusing consciences now they may beholde this heauenly Bow without arrowes and bended towards heauen not threatning the earth but then they shall beholde it full of arrowes and turned not towards heauen but towards the earth bent in vengence against the wicked O then beloued let vs labour to bende him now with prayers whom then teares will not mooue and to pacifie him now with a sanctified life in whom otherwise at the day of iudgement we shal finde inexorable and let vs so inioy this world that we may haue ioy in the world to come No perfection in the things of this life For this Bow is not a perfect circle although it be beautifull and after the same manner all humane things learning wisdome honours riches beauty and strength allthough they be faire and specious endowments yet are they not perfect in themselues and therefore wee must not labour for them as if by them we thought to obtaine perfection but striue rather for that perfection which is from God who is the author and giuer of them all wee must striue for that glorious perfection which the Saints shall receiue at the glorious resurrection The Saints neede not doubt of their glorious resurrection 7. Of which glory the children of God need not to stand in doubt For if the forme of this bowe be so glorious that amongst all the meteors there is none more illustrious none more admirable none more beautifull then it then as often as wee looke into the admirable splendour thereof it may confirme vs concerning our glorious resurrection for if God can make such a glorious meteor by vertue of the beames of the Sunne shining in the clouds much more can he at the day of resurrection as the Sonne of righteousnes shining vpon our bodies beget an admirable splendour and excellent glory in them 1. Cor. 15.53 And if this mortall must put on immortalitie if God will make vs glorious then in the time of iudgement how should wee labour to magnifie his glory now in the time of mercy The forme of the Bowe a figure of Christs kingdome 8. Againe this bowe doth neuer obtaine the compasse of a circle or exceede the magnitude of a semicircle And here lyeth a mysterie The kingdome of Christ is as it were a sphere or round circle descending from heauen vpon the earth and ascending from the earth towards heauen This doth consist of a double hemisphere the Church militant and the Church triumphant the first visible and the second inuisible and to the perfection of this there is required the twofold comming of Christ the first in humilitie to saue and this hath his power and effectuall operation til the day of iudgement The second in maiestie to reward those that are saued and render vengeance to the reprobate and the effect of this shall continue to all eternitie In coelis complebitur hic circulus putae regnum Christi dominans omnibus in omnem aeternitaiem Cornelius cornelii a lapide Comment in Genes The perfection of Christs kingdome a comfort to the godly since then till the day of iudgement the efficacy of his first comming florisheth vpon the earth and not of his second hence ariseth the figure of a semicircle like to the Rainebow neither can this circle bee perfected till the time of his second comming but then it shall receiue his full complement when hee shall raigne over his whole Church vnited in the fulnesse of glory for euermore O most ioyfull comfort to euery faithfull subiect of this heauenly King doest thou in feare and loue to this blessed God labour to fulfill thy circle to finish thy course in the hemisphere of this life then maiest thou assure thy selfe that the time shall come when this most glorious King will compasse the about with the sphere of his glory with the circle of his loue with the double Rainebow of ioy comfort and happinesse for euermore 10. To
worthy to bee drowned with a floud of Gods vengeance though we are not bound to be superstitious yet fitting it is that we should not forget Gods infinite loue and mercy towards vs. Allegorie 1. The rainbow a signe of the Gospel Againe it shall be for a signe Allegorically this Rainebow is a signe of the euangelicall Law for as the Rainebow being set for a signe did shew forth peace pardon and glory so the euangelicall law brought with it grace remission of sinnes and promise and assurance of eternall glory in the heauens Secondly this Rainebow doth signifie the incarnate word of God Allegorie 2. God in the flesh or the humanity of Christ and that after a manifold analogy A manifold Analogie betweene Christ and the Bowe and similitude betweene them For first as the Sunne shining in the Cloud doth beget a glorious and beautifull Bow so the eternall word of God that most powerfull Sunne of righteousnesse shining in and vpon our humane nature did as it were beget a glorious and blessed Redeemer after a diuine and wonderfull manner Secondly as the rainbow was a Symbole of peace in the time of Noah so the incarnation of Christ was the reconciliation of the world Thirdly the two hornes or ends of the Bowe may signifie the two natures of Christ his diuine and humane of which the hidden and inuisible string is like vnto the secret and admirable hypostaticall vnion of his two-fold nature Fourthly in the Rainebowe there is a three-folde colour and so likewise in Christ for Christ was Caerulean or Caelestiall by prayer hee was greene and flourishing by the flowers of spirituall graces and heauenly vertues of which hee was full as Saint Iohn speaketh Iohn 1. verse 14. Ioh. 1.14 And hee was redde by his bloud shedde vpon the Altar of the crosse by treading the winepresse of Gods wrath alone by which his raiment was stained as the Prophet speaketh Isaiah 63.3 Fiftly as from this Bowe are sent forth diuerse secret sweete and comfortable vertues amiable to the flowers of the earth so likewise from that mysticall and heauenly Rainebow Christ Iesus are sent downe many sweete comfortable and hidden arrowes of diuine loue with which his blessed spouse being wounded to the heart sings in her passionate loue to Christ her husband stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sicke of loue Sixtly as this Bowe is imbrifera a Rainie-bowe Cant. 2.4 so likewise was that diuine Rainebow Christ Iesus when one the day of Pentecost he did shower downe in abundance the sweete raine of heauenly grace and caelestiall doctrine into the hearts of his Apostles doth continually shower downe his infinite blessings vpon his seruants In a word this Rainebow being a semicircle descending towards the earth and ascending towards heauen may fitly shew Christ descending towards the earth to take our nature vpon him to free vs by his passion from the wrath of his father and his ascension to prepares a place for vs where we shall one day liue and reioyce with him in glory and happinesse for euermore And thus doth the Rainebowe figure that heauenly Bowe Christ Iesus Or otherwise this Rainebow is a figure of Christ In another manner the Rainebow is a figure of Christ the clouds may signifie his body the threefold colour his threefold substance his flesh his soule and his diuinitie or his threefold supreame dignity spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah of King of Iudge and of Lawgiuer or last of all his threefold spirituall office of King Priest and of Prophet Perâ—rius in Genes To be short the Philosophers teach that the Rainebow doth consist of a threefold substance the earth the water and the aire from whence doth arise the threefold varietie of his colour of greene redde and watery And by this is insinuated the greatnesse of diuine mercy Gods mercy in a threefold respect manifested vnto men in a threefold respect in the state of nature of the law of Moses and of the Gospell in the state of creation of naturall corruption and spirituall grace in the grace of predestination from all eternitie of iustification in time and of glorification beyond all time But I dwell too long in these Allegories yet once againe It shal be for a signe We reade in the Scripture of diuers apparitions of this glorious Bow in the vision of the diuine maiestie Ezek. 1.28 which was shewed to Ezekiel the brightnesse of the glory of God was like vnto the Bow that is in the cloud in the day of raine In the Reuelation to that Euangelicall Prophet S. Iohn Reuel 4.3 Polan de Sacramento faderis there was a rainbowe round about the throne in sight like vnto an Emerald A Rainebowe to signifie that God was mindfull of his couenant with Noah and with his posteritie In sight like vnto an Emerald to shew the mercy of God towards the penitent whom God doeth refresh with a gracious countenance Pererius in Genes A Rainbow compassing a throne the Rainebow signifieth the mercy of God and the throne his Church to shew that God doeth protect and defend his Church with perpetuall mercy as the Rainbow did compasse the throne Lastly in another vision S. Iohn beholdeth a mightie Angell come downe from heauen Reuel 10.1 Angel Christ Cloude Humanitie Rainbowe Couenant cloathed with a cloud and a rainebow vpon his head his face shining like the Sunne and his feet as pillars of brasse A mightie Angel that is Christ Iesus clothed with a cloud that is his humanitie and hauing a Rainebow about his head to shew that he is the Author of the couenant and of our reconciliation with God figured likewise by the Rainbow in my text But I passe to the last part of my text the intimation of the internall significate in the last words Of the couenant betweene me and the earth Of which I will giue a touch and so conclude The fift part Couenant Erit signum foederis it shal be for a signe of the couenant that is a signe which shall seale and confirme that couenant which I haue entred with mankind as the seale of a King confirmeth the Charter granted to his subiects nay much more firme for that may altar because it is from man but this is vnchangeable A twofold Couenant because it is from God This Couenant which God hath entred with mankind is twofold a spirituall couenant and a corporall couenant The spirituall couenant doth consist of two branches the first the couenant of works and the second the couenant of grace Couenant of workes The couenant of works is that which God made with our first parents before their fall promising vnto them eternall happinesse if they continued obedient vnto his commandements which were dictated vnto them as by word of mouth and written in their hearts by the power of his Spirit The current of this was Hoc fac viues doe this
and thou shalt liue The couenant of grace Couenant of grace was that which God made with our first parents after their fall promising them eternall life and freedome from wrath in Christ Iesus the seede of the woman shall breake the head of the serpents Genes 3. Genes 3.15 The current of this is hoc crede viues Beleeue this and thou shalt liue The corporall couenant Corporall couenant concerneth temporall benefits and this is that which God made with Noah and his sonnes and their posterity for euer and with euery liuing creature vpon the face of the earth especially aymed at by Moses in the wordes of my text It shall bee for a signe of the Couenant betweene me and the earth 1. This couenant was made betweene God and the earth that is the inhabitants of the earth with Noah and with his seede after him God then was mindfull of vs before we were borne God mindfull of vs before wee were borne mindefull of vs not in anger but in grace much more will be not be forgetfull now while we walke in the path of faith and waies of righteousnesse 2. The mercie of God farre exceeds his iustice Againe this couenant was an euerlasting couenant not to continue for a short time but to the end of the world to shew that the mercy of God doth farre exceed his iustice for the rigour of his iustice was but for a little space in once destroying the world by water but his mercy is perpetuall in the continuall preseruation thereof For a moment in mine anger haue I hid my face from thee but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord of hoasts Isaiah 54 8. Isaiah 4.8 To mooue vs to relye on Gods mercy in the depth of misery and to sing with the Prophet Dauid Sorrow may indure for a night Psal 30.5 but ioy commeth in the morning To conclude The spirituall couenant the fountaine of the corporall it shall be for a signe of the couenant betweene mee and the earth Of this couenant the Rainbow was a seale and as it sealeth this couenant so it signes in this that eternall couenant of God with his Church Ferus in Genes which is the fountaine and foundation of this Pactum hoc cum Noe praefigurauit faedus Christi cum Ecclesia saith one This couenant with Noah did prefigure that couenant of Christ with his Church spoken of Isaiah 54.10 Isaiah 54.10 Iris designat Christum qui est signum reconciliationis perfectae The Rainbow doeth figure Christ who is a figure of our perfect reconciliation a signe of our eternall friendship with God the Father and an euerlasting memoriall of our peace Christ the mysticall rainbow an euerlasting memoriall of our peace For although the Rainebowe the outward signe shall passe away with clouds yet notwithstanding the couenant of which it is a signe the memorial of our redemption that shall remaine for euer in the sight of God the Father and be visible in the flesh of his Sonne in the charactars of the wounds of his hands of his feete and of his side by which hee procured our most happie and endlesse peace Rom. 5.1 Actes 10.36 Ephes 1.6 Hebr. 1.14 Isaiah 11.6 Acts 4.32 Luke 2.29 Phil. 4.7 Ecclus. 2.14 peace with God the Father yea with the blessed Trinitie peace with the blessed and glorious Angels blessed and happy peace one Christian with another And last of all but not least of all peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding Which happy and endlesse peace with God the Father with the blessed Trinitie the glorious Angels the blessed Saints and our owne consciences with euerlasting blessednesse for euer God of thy endlesse mercie and most infinite grace graunt vnto vs to thy whole Church to euery one of thy faithfull seruants for the vnspeakeable loue and inestimable merits of thy deare Sonne our blessed Sauiour To whom with thee and the holy and most blessed Spirit one God in Trinitie and Trinitie in Vnitie be ascribed all honour glorie and power all might maiestie and dominion this day and for euermore Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉