Pastors in former Times Austin Aug de gest almost thirty Bishops besides himself out of modesty and humility agreed either to admit Partners into their Sees or else pro Christi unitate Episcopatum deponere for the Unity of the Church to lay down their Bishop-like Authority Thus they reasoned with themselves Did Christ descend from Heaven into our humane members that we might be his members and are we affraid to come down from our Sees to prevent division in Christs members Our lives should not be deare unto us so as we may fulfill our course with joy Acts 20.24 Acts 20.24 Concerning peace let us say as faithfull Mephibosheth did to David concerning his returne to his own house Let him i. e. Ziba 2 King 19.30 take all so long as my Lord the King is returned in peace Fourthly Rom. 12.10 Phil. 2.2 1 Pet. 3.8 Ephes 4.2 1 Cor. 13.4 Love and Charity is another way of Peace Rom. 12.10 1 Pet. 3.8 Ephes 4.2 that will cause us both to beare and forbeare It suffers long it is kind not easily provoked c 1 Cor. 13.4 It will not give offence carelesly nor take it causlesly If there be difference in judgment yet there may be no distance in Affection Still we should Love as Bretheren as did Paul and Peter Hierom and Austin This will keep us from judging and censuring those who dissent from us as Antichristian prophane Oh that we could tread in this path but iniquity abounds and love is grown cold Thus you have heard of the paths of peace and of that which makes for Peace which must be followed The third and last thing that must be done for procuring Rest to the Church Psal 122.6 Psal 51.18 53.6 Rom. 15.5 2 Thes 3.16 is Prayer Psal 122.6 Thus David frequently Psal 51.18 and 53.6 Psal 102.13 So Isay 62.7 Jer. 29.7 In all your Prayers let the Church of God find a Roome And thus you have heard what is to be done by us for procuring the Churches peace I have now only a word or two by way of Motive to say unto you I would faine set an edge upon what hath been delivered and quicken you to the Duty in seeking after the Rest of Gods Church And for this end Consider First you have a Call to do it and that may encourage you 1 Cor. 7.15 Colos 3.15 Heb. 13.10 1 Cor. 14.3 Isay 9.6 Ephes 6. 1 Cor. 7.15 Colos 3.15 If you look to Particulars you have the God of Peace for your Father The Prince of Peace for your Governour your Law is a Gospel of Peace your Titles Titles of Peace Sons of Peace you are Doves and Sheep not Doggs nor Swine No one duty more pressed nor called oftner upon then this of Peace Peace hold your Peace hath the Parents of our bodyes often said Now then let me use the Apostles words If there be any Consolation in Christ c if there be any such thing as the comfort of Love or the fellowship of the spirit fulfill you my joy yea your Fathers joy your Mothers joy your Bretherens joy that you be like minded c. Secondly Consider the good that followes upon the Churches Peace Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is Psal 133.1 Pax optima rerum It is good beyond expression Psal 133.1 every way good Behold it First in Reference to God so it is good It makes us fitter to praise him and do him service with greater comfort and encouragement as we see Rom. 14.5 Rom. 15.5 Now the God of Patience and Consolation grant you to be like-minded c. why to what end that you may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God even the Father c. Secondly it is Good in Reference to Christ the Head whose comming was to establish peace on earth as appeares by the Angells Luke 2.14 So Ephes 2.13 14. Colos 1.20 Rom. 5.10 Luke 2.14 Ephes 2.13 14. Colos 1.20 Rom. 5.10 John 14.21.23 Now whilst there is discord c the work that Christ came to do is undone hence is that of our Saviour in his Prayer John 17.21.23 Holy Father keep through thine own name those that thou hast given me that they may be one as we are that the world may beleeve that thou hast sent me that is that the world may be convinced of the efficacy of my comming seeing the Concord Vnity and good Agreement amongst the members of the Church Thirdly it is good in Reference to the Church for as it is in the naturall body not only the beauty but the strength and safety of the whole consists in the Union of the parts so is it in the Body Mysticall which like a tight ship makes head against the waves and whilst her sides hold and her planks lye close she worketh it out bravely in a storme but when they are disjoynted shipwrack followes Agree amongst your selves said Severus to his Soldiers and feare nothing Fourthly it is good in reference to our selves as being an evidence of our being in the Body and true members of the Church Isay 11.6 John 17.11 22. Jer. 29.7 Psal 122.6 Psal 34.12 13. 1 Pet. 3.10 Isay 11.6 John 17.11.22 And for outward Blessings our Peace depends on the Churches peace Jer. 29.7 Psal 122.6 There is plenty and prosperity attends the Churches peace never look to see good dayes till you see the Church enjoy her Rest Psal 34.12 13. 1 Pet. 3.10 Wherefore for Gods sake for Christ's sake for the Churches sake for your own sakes labour and endeavour after the peace of the Church Fifthly It is good in respect of those without for peace in the Church is as an Adamant it drawes men into it This was a prevailing Argument with the Sichemites to enterteyne Jacob The men are peaceable Gen. 34.11 said Sichem Gen. 34.11 So it drawes others to a Love of true Religion Thirdly if this prevaile not then consider the ill effects of her trouble and disquiet for hereby the Church comes to be scandalized One of the maine scandalls that the Jewes take against Christians is their dissentions in Religion And the Turke could say that he should sooner see all his fingers to be of one length then Christian Princes to be of one mind And Camerarius tells us of one Philip. Camer in oper suâ—c c. 30. who somtimes had been a Christian and a School-Master but afterwards he turned Turke and being sent Embassador to Steven the King of Poland did professe freely and openly that he was moved to renounce Christ by the discords and jarrings that he found amongst Christians in point of their Religion And one of the chiefest objections of the Papists against the reformed Churches at this day is our dissentions amongst our selves evident signes say they of an Hereticall Spirit Nay among our selves Religion suffers by our discords men of prophane mindes think Religion but a fancy or a phrensie as 1 Cor. 14.23 1
are here exercised and tryed Revel 13.10 so God dealt with Job proved his Integrity against Sathan's accusations And the graces of his spirit are hereby encreased in us When it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of other women then Isaac was conceived so when it ceaseth to be with the Godly after the manner of the world's favourites then holy thoughts and godly desires are begotten and conceived in them Fourthly his mercies are hereby sweetened and better relish with us Hunger is the best sawce Sicknesse makes Health more gratefull paine Pleasure more delightfull Affliction and misery Prosperity and happinesse more desireable and Want the worth of a blessing more sensible When Darius in his flight from Alexander had drank puddle water polluted with dead Carkasses he professed that he had never in all his life drunk any thing more pleasing the Reason might be for that he alwayes before that used to drink ere he was a thirst Gods blessings seldome appeare to us in their full beautie till they have turned their backs upon us and are going or gone from us Is it not so at this day A Probatum est upon the head of this truth you may putt Fifthly By this meanes we come to be weaned from the world and long for home we are taught hereby not to seek for true felicity upon earth but to seek for that above Till Naomi was left of her husband and her two Sonnes were dead Ruth 1.6 there is no speech of her returning from Moab to her own Countrey And before the Prodigall was in want he thinks not of going home to his Father's house Were the world better to us our hearts would cleave faster to it Luk. 15.17.18 it is the worlds venison that causeth us to lose our Fathers blessing And thus you see how God in dispensing of these outward things hath reference to the good and wellfare of his people Thirdly and lastly It is not without Reference to his own glory God will have his Wisdome seen in suiting every one with an estate answerable to his station In the Body there are many members and every member hath its proper use and function There is a Foot as well as a hand and head 1 Cor. 12. and for the Foot a shoe of leather is as fitt as for the Head a hat of Bever So in Gods house he suits men and gives wages according to their parts and abilities And as his Wisdom is herein seen so hereby is his Power known in disposing all things according to his own will not our pleasure Deut. 8.17.18 And likewise in the preserving of his Servants by weak meanes Deut. 8.17.18 Or from so mean a condition in advancing of them to great promotion Deut. 8.3 Herodotus tells us Herodot l. 3. that Polycrates the Tyrant very much exercised Roberie and Pyracie both by Sea and Land and his custome was to spoile his Friends as much as his Enemies and this was the Reason which he gave that when he should afterwards understand that his Friend was robbed of any thing he might gratifie that Friend more in restoring that which was lost then if he had taken nothing from him The practise was badd but the Reason saith one hath witt and meaning and he applies it thus God knowes Bishop Abbot on John 10. Lect. that when himselfe taketh from us such things as are not ours for we are but his disposers and Tennants at will unto him he maketh us so much the more embrace his mercy who sends Grace in wretchednesse and comfort in extremitie Thus you have here the Reasons Now before we apply the point let us Answer some objections Obj. 1 That which we read in Psal 34.10 may be objected against what hath been delivered Psal 34.10 Psal 84.11 The Lyons shall lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall want no good thing and Psal 84.11 No good thing will he with hold from those that walke uprightly Resp To this we Answer First in Generall These promises of temporall things are not absolutely made but with reservation of the Crosse and with this limitation so farr as may make for Gods glory and his Childrens good Secondly more particularly the promise is not simply that such as feare him shall never be in necessitie and want but that they shall not want any thing that is good Now albeit wealth and riches and the outward comforts of this life are Gods good blessings in themselves yet are they not absolutely good so as to make them good that have them But they are of an indifferent nature and mutably good or bad as they are used Good they are to the good evill to them that abuse them Albeit then they are good in themselves yet God sees they would not be so to thee Thy weak braines cannot bear such strong liquor Did God see that it were good for thee to have them thou shouldst not be without them but he knows it is better for thee to be without them And so he fullfills his promise to thee in withholding these things from thee For want to thee is good Rom. 8.28 and for thy best Rom. 8.28 If thou beest one that feareth God thou mayest assure thy selfe that that Promise shall never fail thee Obj. 2 But want is threatned as a Curse to the Rebellious and disobedient Deut. 28.48 Psal 109.9 10. 1 Sam. 2.36 Resp Deut. 28.48 And that they shall begg their bread Psal 109.9 10. 1 Sam. 2.36 Resp It is so indeed to the wicked but let us here distinguish There are two sorts of Persons that are in want First Impotent poore ones such as fall into want through sicknesse age or other casualties as by Fire Water Theeves Robbers or such like men And there are Impudent poore ones such as by sinfull and licentious courses bring want upon themselves To these latter sort want is a curse But to the former though it be a Crosse yet it is no Curse but a Tryall for exercising of their Graces Secondly Although God should send want upon such as a just Judgement for their sinnes yet if a man be brought thereby unto Repentance and be humbled for his sinnes and reforme his wayes although the enterance into that estate be in a Curse yet it shall be turned into a blessing in that it works for his good and everlasting happinesse Obj. 3 But David saith that he never saw the Righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread Psal 37.25 Psal 37.25 This hath much perplexed the Spirits of the Godly Resp First David may be understood as speaking of a trade of Begging or a constant course of street-beggery which in these dayes is become a kind of a Calling and whereof there is a Corporation some Parents bring up their Children to it others take Apprentices to learne them the Trade They teach them how to look what to say how to lye how to cry c. The Prophet never knew
manifest himself most of all and in the greatest splendor that may be And that immediately Revel 21. Psal 19.1 76.8 Rom. 1.18 Jam. 1.17 Psal 102.19 20. not by meanes neither Ordinary or Extraordinary as he doth here in this world Thence we see most evident signes of his Properties and Attributes of his Omnipotency Wisdome Justice Mercy Psal 19.1 76.8 Rom. 1.18 Jam. 1.17 Psal 102.19 20. Thence he sendeth his Angells Thence the Son of man descended Thence the holy Spirit was sent And thence the Son of man shall come to judge the world In a word Look as the soul of man is said to be in the Head or Heart so conceive of Gods being in Heaven The soul we know animates the whole body of man and by the presence of it in every member communicates Life to the whole yet by way of preheminency and excellency it is said to be in the Head or Heart of man because in these two parts of man and from thence she exerciseth her cheifest functions and deriveth her cheifest influence Thus it is with God he is every where And yet said to be within in Heaven because thence is the cheifest rayes of his majesty manifested Thus God may be said to be within in respect of his Habitation and dwelling More Particularly God may be said to be within in two other respects First in regard of Audience he is reâ—dy to hear us when we call upon him Secondly in regard of Ability and Power to help and succour us in our greatest distresses He is alwayes within in respect of his readinesse to heare us when we call upon him Psal 34.15 verse 17 18. Psal 145.18 19 So Psal 34.15 His eares are open unto our cryes and verse 17 18. The Righteous cry and the Lord heareth he is nigh to them that are of a broken heart So Psal 145.18 19. The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him yea to all that call upon him in truth he will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he will also heare their cry and will save them Psal 102.17.19 20. So Psal 102.17.19 20. He hath regard to the prayers of the destitute c He looked down from the height of his Sanctuary from Heaven did the Lord behold the Earth to heare the groaning of the Prisoner to loose those that are appointed to Death This readinesse of God's to heare us may be seen first in giving an Answer to his as soone as ever they have done their Prayer as Numb 14.20 when the people murmured and God threatened Gen. 24.15 Numb 14.20 Moses cryed and the Lord presently answered I have forgiven them according to thy Request So 2 Sam. 22.7 And Acts 4.31 When they had done praying 2 Sam. 22.7 Acts 4.31 the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost Secondly He sometimes Answers before we have done praying So Dan. 9.20 21. whilst I was speaking and praying Dan. 9.20 21. Psal 35.13 yea whilst I was speaking in prayer the man Gabriel came c So Psal 35.13 my Prayer was turned into my own bosome This Answer David received even whilst he was praying Thirdly He shewes his readinesse in that he heares us so soon as ever we begin to pray So Dan. 10.12 Feare not Daniel Dan. 10.12 for from the first day that thou did'st set thy heart to understand and to humble thy selfe before thy God thy words were heard his eares are open at the first like a tender Mother or Nurse which use to be so wakeful as that they heare the Infant when it first begins to whimper Fourthly He shewes his readinesse to heare in that sometimes before we can speak a word Psal 32.5 when it is but in the purpose of our Hearts to pray God prevents us and grants us that which he knowes we would have begged of him Isay 65.24 Isay 65.24 Before they call I will answer He heares and sees the inclinations of the heart John 11.41 Father I thank thee said our Saviour at the raysing up of Lazarus that thou hast heard me Bernard notes upon these words that at that time when Christ gave thanks to God for having heard him he had said nothing to his Father but in his heart And that God had heard before he spake And thus as our Saviour entered into the house to his Disciples januis clausis when the dores were shut John 20.28 So God many times enters into us when our lips are shut and we have not opened them by verball Prayer Fifthly and lastly He shews his readinesse to hear us in hearing a voyce in that which hath no voyce and that is our Teares The Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping saith David Psal 6.8 Isay 38.5 Psal 6.8 So Isay 38.5 In all these particulars Gods readinesse to give us audience may appeare And as he is alwayes within in regard of his readinesse to heare so no lesse within in regard of his Ability to help and succour us God hath spoken once yea twice have I heard it that Power belongs unto the Lord saith David Psal 62.11 This hath the Testimony Psal 62.11 both of Gods word and works Of his word There is none like unto the God of Jesurun saith Moses who rideth upon the Heavens for thy help Deut. 33.26 27. Jer. 32.27 2 Cor. 9.8 Deut. 33.26 27. read Jer. 32.27 2 Cor. 9.8 The very Pillars set up in the Porch of the Temple taught this Truth the name of the one was Jachin he shall establish and the name of the other was Boaz in him is strength 1 King 7.21 Jachin and Boaz in him 1 King 7.21 cannot be sundered And the works of God in all ages have testified as much Psal 135.5 Psal 135.5 6. 6. What mervailous things hath he effected for the succour of his Church and people you have before in part heard and may heare more thereof hereafter In short Gods Almightinesse is his Essence and his Essence is his Almightinesse All in God is Mighty mighty Mercy mighty Patience mighty Power It hath no limits He hath the same way meanes receipts to keep from ruine and to help as in former times c Thus you see how God is a Friend within not only in respect of habitation but in regard of Readiness to heare and of Ability to help Use 1 This may discover to us the folly of those who neglect this Friend within and knock at a wrong dore seeking to vain helps in the day of their distresse Papists reach us to goe for all our Necessities by Invocation to Saints in Heaven but these can neither heare nor give I know that the Papists will not say that all the Saints in Heaven heare all that is said and done on Earth And we must be sure to pray where we may be sure to speed Our Saviour Christ was willing to give us a Rule for
we have it in our English Liturgy when thou didst overcome the sharpnesse of Death Aditum per vulnera pandit thou didst open the Kingdome of Heaven to all Believers Thrice were the Heavens opened to him whilst he was on Earth Math. 3.16 Math. 17.5 Acts 1.9 Once in his Baptism Math. 3.16 The second at his Transfiguration Math. 17.5 And the third at his Asscenston Acts 1.9 Which visible Scissures and patefactions were figures of our invisible enterance and that it was made by Christ alone For as St. Iohn speakes of opening the Book No man neither in Heaven nor Earth Revel 5.3 Joh. 14.6 Joh. 10.7 Revel 3.7 Revel 1.18 nor under the Earth was worthy not able to open Heaven for us in which regard he is said to be the Way Ioh. 14.6 and the Door Iohn 10.7 and to have the Key of David Revel 3.7 yea of Death and Hell Revel 1.18 Vse Let such take notice of this Doctrine as think it an easie matter to enter into Heaven 1 Cor. 6 10. Revel 21.8 22 15. albeit they finde themselves amongst those mentioned in the black Catalogue 1 Cor. 6.9 19. Revel 21.8 22 15. whom God hath threatened to exclude yet they make but a tush at all as if they had power to enter whether God will or no at pleasure It is true that Heaven hath a Door but a door that stands not open to all Commers so as that who so will may enter when he will without knocking It is a Door that hath a Lock belonging to it albeit a spring-lock which we can shut upon our selves but not open again at pleasure it is the hand within that must do that Nor is there any other way to enter then by the Door The wall is said to be great and high there is no climbing over that Revel 21.12 Math. 6.20 Revel 21.12 Nor is there any breaking through Math. 6.20 Nor is there any window to creep in at The excellency of Heaven is wonderfull and secret God will not open a window for the eye of his own they may not be prying in too far into his secrets A Door indeed he hath prepared for the foot a passage for the soul both whilst it is in the body in holy thoughts fervent prayers and when it passeth out of the Body at the day of Death but yet so as that Door cannot be opened neither by force nor fraud no Pick-lock nor Golden-key can do any thing here Bribery unlocks the gates of Hell but not the Door of Heaven Nor will St. Peters keyes which the Pope pretends to have fit the wards of that Lock These keyes that hang at the Pope's girdle are the keyes of the bottomlesse pit Revel 9.1 Revel 9.1 not of the gates of this Celestial City Pope Leo being much troubled in his Conscience for sin was cheared up by his Confessor after this manner Quid times sancte Pater c. what makes you thus affraid most holy Father you have the keyes of Heaven and the merit of Christ at your dispose Oh! said Leo this you know that he who sells any thing hath no right in that he sold I fear since we have so often sold Heaven that we shall have no right nor interest therein our selves nay the very Angels of Heaven those Celestiall spirits though they be able to penetrate all things under Heaven yet are they not able by their own power to enter that body without leave no more then they are able to enter into the body of one another The Empyrean Heaven where God and all his blessed ones inhabit eternally gives way to these Messengers by the power of God when they are sent otherwiâ—e they could not passe in or out And shall any wicked Liver think to get in without Gods leave Oh desperate folly Use 2 Secondly what cause have we to magnifie the riches of Gods goodnesse to us wretched sinners who being without hope by reason of sin ever to enter into Heaven either in soul or body there being a brook in the way a torrent of wrath and curses betwixt us and it yet was pleased in giving his Son for us to dry up that torrent and drink up that wrath so that we may passe over it Psal 110.7 as Israel did over Jordan and not be swallowed up so making that possible to us through Christ which through sin was altogether impossible Hos 2.15 Had there bin no Door of Hope as we see there is we had bin the most wretched and miserable of any of the Creatures that God ever made but this may stay our sinking hearts and raise up our drooping spirits It is possible it is possible to enter into Heaven there is a Door and a Door to open Clavus penetrans Clavis aperiens saith Bernard the nailes that fastned him to the Crosse are the key that unlockt it An entrance a passage is made for our Prayers so that they may come into Gods presence and a passage for Gods blessings to come to us A passage from man to God from Earth to Heaven by the Prayer of Faith And a passage again from God to man whilst he heareth Prayer and showreth blessings upon our heads sending down his Holy spirit into us and his Holy Angels to attend upon us even in this Life and at the day of Death A passage for our souls too which if we commit to God in well doing we need not doubt but have comfortable assurance that albeit our bodies be interred in the earth for a time Eccles 12.7 yet our spirits shall return to God that gave them And at the last day a passage will be found both for body and soul into that Heaven whither Christ our head is already ascended and be for ever entertained in that house and within those Doors ubi non intrat inimicus ubi non exit amicus saith Austin where neâ—er any that hates thee shall get to thee nor any that loves thee part from thee Let us often think of the Door and be careful to find the Door get a knowledg of Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 2.2 Acts 4.12 and him crucified there is no other name under heaven to be saved by but by that name He is the way the Truth and the Life If we know not him we do but grope as the Sodomites struck with blindness for the Door but shall not find it God by his word and spirit calls upon you come up hither Revel 4.1 Follow that call it will bring you to the Door and being come knock as we are willed by our Saviour Reve l. 4.1 and knock with violence So much as I have said the word imports and giveth us to understand that Doct. There is a Holy violence to be offered at the gate of Heaven Having found the door it is not enough to call or ask Ho who 's within there Nor to rap easily and gently there must be a bouncing as we use to