you The worldlings fear disturbeth the souls quiet and putteth the conscience in a manner out of frame But Jacobs fear which is the fear of God is that to which with David we must be ever devoted Psal 119.38 For take it upon the word of a King Holy and reverend is his Name Psal 111.9 Last of all The setled Christian must fear the Highest Power but as a son a father from whom with Adam he must not flie and quiver 'T is for a godless heathen Emperor through the horror of a guilty conscience to run under a bed at the noise of thunder Gods voice 'T is for a proud Felix to tremble when the last Judgment is urged 'T is for a Simon Magus his heart to quake when rebuk'd for the desire of a Simoniacal purchase It did well enough become desperate Judas in an humour to hang himself out of the way for his treachery to his innocent Master fear and despair did drive him to his wits end But he that is confirm'd in Christianity is of a far better resolution and more gracious temper If he offend as who doth not he is not as are some ungodly high-minded but hath learn'd of the Apostle rather like a good child to fear Nor as others hopeless but is both an importunate suiter unto Heaven for mercy and withall zealously addicted to Pauls exercise Act. 24.16 which is to have a good conscience void of offence toward God and toward men In one word From Jacob's fear in coming unprovided into that place which he imagined to be the house of God Learn we when we come into the house of God Eccl. 5.1 as the Preacher warns us to keep our feet from rushing unadvisedly into it our ears from listning to what doth not become it our tongues from uttering any thing rashly in it our heart from hastily conceiting either superstitiously or prophanely of it the whole man from unreverently abusing it 't is the gate of Heaven And here I make a stand God in mercy grant us his Peace to settle our unquiet minds his Spirit to rule our untamed hearts his Joy to solace our afflicted souls his Grace to rectifie our disordered passions his Fear to restrain our unruly wills That by his Peace we may rest in quiet to his Spirit we may yield obedience with his Joy we may be ever cheered in his Fear we may live and die to live with him for ever To whom Father Son and Holy Spirit be ascribed all honour and glory by Angels by men in heaven in earth world without endâ— Amen ORDINE QVISQVE SVO OR THE Excellent Order 1 COR. 11.3 But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is the man and the bead of Christ is God GOD is the God of order and he will have not only some things but all things done in order he commands order commends order delights in order and will have order both in Substantials and Circumstantials in Reals and in Rituals 'T is the Devil who is the Author of disorder and confusion he knows if order go up his Kingdom must go down and therefore he doth his utmost to hinder it Omne ordinatum pulchrum Cant. 6.10 Order is the glory of all Societies A well-ordered Family Army City are comely sights It makes the Church fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an Army with banners Hence God hath set an Order in heaven an Order in Hell an Order amongst Angels an Order amongst the starres an Order amongst Rational creatures an Order amongst sensitive Creatures the very Bees have a King and ruler over them And as it is the glory so it is the safety Take away this and we shall be all in confusion if there were not an Order in the Sea it would over flow the land and drown all The air would poyson us the creatures destroy us and every man would destroy another It s good then or every man to be bound the best are but in part regenerate and being left to themselves may fall into dangerous sins and errors shall therefore insist upon that which is here by the blessed Apostle propounded viz. A pattern of the most excellent Order This Portion of Divine truth is divided into three heads 1. The head of every man which is Christ 2. The head of the woman which is the man 3. The head of Christ which is God For the First The head of every man which is Christ No man is excluded from subjection unto him in regard of his universal dominion and that imperial power by which he ruleth all creatures after which manner he is the head of every wicked man also and of the Devils themselves which thing they do beleeve and at which they tremble But yet in a more peculiar manner and crytical sence he is the head of every man that is elected to life in regard of his special dominion called Dominium officii the dominion of his office whereby he ruleth in the Church of God in which manner he is the head of every man only that is a lively and real member of his mystical body inseperably united unto him by the inviolable bond of the spirit of grace whether he be Jew or Gentile Barbarian or Scythian bond or free rich or poor Whereupon issues this consequence that Christ being the head of every true member of the Church He is also the head of the whole Church Concerning which these two points are to be handled 1. According to what nature 2. In what respect Christ is the head of the Church As for the first point Christ is the head of the Church according to both natures both his divine and humane both which are two springs whence do flow several Observations In that Christ as God is head I Observe 1. The perpetuity of the Church the gates of hell shall not prevail against it 2. That with all reverent respect obedience is to be rendred by us to Christ in all things 3. That albeit Christ be ascended to his Father and our Father to his God and our God yet is not the Church left destitute of an head on earth for heaven and earth is fil'd with the glorious Majesty of his Deity and the Church with the special presence of his Spirit In that Christ as man is head of the Church I Observe 1. That his affection to us is intimate the sence of our miseries in him accute and he most prompt and inclind to help us in all extremities 2. That we may solace our selves wipe away all teares from our eyes and banish all sorrow from our hearts for that nothing is left Satan to triumph for over us being that Christ in our nature hath overcome Satan As for the second point In what respects Christ is the head of the Church My meditations are grounded upon the relation which the head hath to the members and this consists 1. In a
discrepancy and distinction from the members 2. In a congruity or agreement with them The relation of a natural head to the members doth consist in a discrepancy which is four-fold 1. The natural head differs from the members in regard of eminence and dignity so Christ from the Church and every single member thereof for he is God over all blessed for ever 2. In regard of perfection so of Christs fulness do we all receive 3. Thirdly in regard of Government so Christ by his Spirit ruleth in the hearts of the faithful and they are at his service 4. In regard of influence so there are infused in the soules of the elect the divine and heavenly motions of grace from Christ through whom they are able to do all things It consisteth likewise in a congruity and agreement which is three-fold 1. The head hath a natural conformity with the members so Christ as man with every one of the Church we are of his body of his flesh and of his bones 2. The head and members do agree in ordination to the same end conspiring together for the preservation of the whole entire So Christ is now in glory and the Church presseth forward to that eternal blessedness which in the day of perfect redemption they shall with Christ be actual possessours of 3. The head and the members do agree in contiguity so there is a spiritual contiguity effected by the supernatural operation of Gods Spirit betwixt Christ and his mystical body whereby they are made one they that are joined unto Christ are one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 And hence those supernal graces whose original is God are with the more facility more copiously diffused and the life of grace with heavenly inspirations the more amply distributed to each part the power of which diffusive distribution principally resideth in Christ the head from whom the prime act of all transcendent information doth proceed For further illustration of this first Christ is the head of the Church 1. In all places 2. At all times 3. In every state and condition considered 4. In all Authority He is the head of the Church in all places for he is every where the Deity cannot be excluded neither yet included All places are full of him and yet all places do not comprehend him he is free from the limits of local circumscription and yet every where present Go from his Spirit we cannot Nocte latent mendae sed non Deum Dco o scura clarent muta respondent silenâ—um conâ—â—itâ—tur faith an Ancient we cannot fly from his all-filling presence if we ascend into heaven he is there if we descend into hell be is there if we take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea even there shall his hand lead us and his right hand shall hold us darkness shall not cover us darkness shall not hide us the night shall be light about us for to him the night shineth as the day Psal 139. An uncontroulable demonstration of this ubiquity and special presence of Christ in Spirit is the universality of the Church which is not comprehended as heretofore within the narrow bounds of Jury or the circumference of one Kingdom but the uttermost parts of the earth are his possession his call hath been heard in all Lands and all Nations The sound of the Apostles Doctrine concerning the Kingdom of Christ Rom. 10.18 went into all the Kingdomes of the earth and their words into the ends of the world Vitra Garamantas Indos protulet imperium all sorts of people are in subjection to his dominion This was intimated to Peter in a vision as is by some wittily observed Act. 10. Where he saw heaven opened and a certain vessel descending unto him as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and fowles of the aire The vessel knit at the four corners did denotate the universality of the Church the four corners of the vessel answering the four corners of the world East West North South The several kind of creatures in it call'd by Peter unclean but by God cleans'd signifies the Church of God collected out of all Nations and conditions of men purified with the blood of Christ and sanctified by his Spirit Wherefore pious was that conclusion which Peter hence deducted that in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness without respect of persons is accepted with him We read Mat. 24.31 that at the end of the world Christ will send forth his Angels to gather together his Elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other which infallibly is a significant expression of the dispersion of Gods Church through all the quarters of the world We may yet ascend higher Christ is not head on earth alone but in heaven also every sainted and glorified man is a triumphant member of this body of Christ Thus Christ is the head of the Church in all places He is also the head of the Church at all times 1. Before the law for then the Patriarchs our forefathers enjoyed the benefit of the same glorious promises made in Christ Jesus that we now do only the circumstance altered they believing that Christ should be incarnate we that he was 2. Under the Law for all the ceremonies services and sacrifices at that time had reference unto him without whom they could do nothing It were through Christ they were vigorous and for his sake acceptable to God and the persons for whom the sacrifices were offered were not respected so much for those sacrifices as for the Principal intended by them Christ Jesus So that his Spirit was in the faithful then elevating their souls to more sublime objects than there presented to the outward view and guiding their actions to an higher end than there appearing 3. He is the Churches Head after the Law under the Gospel For by the Gospel the power of God unto salvation and by his holy Spirit leading us into all truth and filling us with all eminent graces and Celestial benedictions he governeth the Church Gods flock conducting them to that Kingdom which for them he hath purchased with his precious blood And having since his manifestation in the flesh confer'd upon his people a more ample proportion of gifts the assurance of these dayes in Christ and happy communion with him is more apparent than ever before By him we have accesse unto the throne of grace by him we are made partakers of the divine nature In brief he is the head of the Church by an unrevokable constitution from all eternity and so unto eternity shall last No Pontifical competitour can put him by it no proud Prelate of Rome can partake of this honour proper to himself and which he will not give unto another Thus he is the head of the Church at all times And he is the Churches
Mount Tabor where he shall be transfigured for ever Give thy possession on earth for expectation in Heaven Not as that French Cardinal who said He would not give his part in Paris for his part in Paradise Man is to be considered in a four-fold estate In statu 1. Confectionis as he was created 2. Corruptionis as he was corrupted 3. Refectionis as he was renewed 4. Perfectionis as he shall be glorified In the first estate we give to man a liberty of nature Adamus habuit pâ—sse si vellet sed non habuit velle quod posset In the third we grant a liberty of grace for if the Son make you free ye shall be free indeed And in the fourth estate we confess a liberty in glory All the doubt betwixt us and the Papists is of the second estate how man corrupted is renewed how he cometh into regeneration after degeneration And yet herein we consent that the will of man is turning unto God and in doing good is not a stock or stone in all and every respect passive for every man is willingly converted and by Gods grace at the very time of his conversion he willeth his own conversion And so the will of man is in some sort co-worker with grace for this cause Paul exhorteth us not to receive the grace of God in vain And to this purpose that saying of Austin is very remarkable Qui fecit te sine te nen justificabit te sine te Fecit nescientem justificat volentem The difference then is this they write that our will is a co-worker with grace by the force of nature we say that it works with grace by grace we will indeed but God worketh in us both to will and to work Man is called earth thrice by the Prophet Jeremiah Cap. 22.29 O earth earth earth hear the Word of the Lord that is as Bernard expounds Earth by 1. Procreation 2. Sustentation 3. Corruption Alas what is man Nothing I had almost said Somewhat less than nothing embarqued nine months in a living vessel at last he arives in the world Lord of the Land yet weeps at his possession in infancy and age fourfooted in youth scarce drest makes not his Will till he lie a dying and then dyes to think he must make his Will O quà m contempta res est homo nisi supra humana se erexerit Tantus quisque est quantus est apud Deum And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground Gen. 2.7 and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul After the man is the woman made Gatak as a yoke-fellow standing on even ground with him though drawing on the left side Mulier quasi mollior the weaker vessel therefore to bo born withal Origen speaks somewhat contemptibly of women When Christ came into the Coasts of Tyrus and Sidon In Mat. 15.22 Behold a Woman Mira res Evangelista A strange thing O Evangelist that is the Author of transgression the mother o sin the weapon of the Devil the cause of our expulsion out of Paradise But Christ honoured women in lying in the womb of a woman He appeared first to women after his Resurrection and made them Apostolas apostolorum Apostles to preach his Resurrection to the Apostles There have been women of special note Sarah the Mother of the Faithful Hester the Nurse and preserver of the Faithful Women that ministred to Christ of their own substance c. There have been learned women Theano Crotoniatis was a Philosopher and a Poor too Pythagoras learned his natural Philosophy of his sister Themistocleas Clem. Alex. Olympia Fulvia Morata an Italian of the City of Ferrara taught the Greek and Latine tongues at Heidelberg Anno 1554. Aratha read openly in the Schools at Athens Leoptia wrote against Theophrastus c. Neverthelesse neither is the man without the woman 1 Cor. 11.11 neither the woman without the the man in the Lord. Mans Body PVulchrum corpus infirmis anima Isocrat est tanquam bonum navis malus gubernator The Philosophers say in respect of the substance of the body it consists most of earth and water but in respect of the vertue and efficacie it consists more of fire and ayre and so the body is kept in an equal temperature in the operation of the elementary qualities Omnia operatus est Dominus in pondere numero mensurâ that the humours may keep a proportionable harmony amongst themselves if this harmony be broken it bringeth destruction to the body As if the heat prevail then it bringeth Feavers if the cold prevail then it bringeth Lethargies if the moist prevail then it bringeth Hydropsies So that the extreme qualities heat and cold must be temperate by the middle qualities moist and dry For the body of man is like a Clock if one wheele be a misse all the rest are disordered the whole fabrick suffers Bodine observeth that there are three regions within mans body besides all that is seen without answerable to those three regions of the world Elementary Etherial and Caelestial His entrails and whatsoever is under his heart resemble the elementary region wherein only there is generation and corruption The heart and vitals that are divided from those entrails by the Diaphragma resemble the etherial religion As the brain doth the heavenly which consisteth of intelligible creatures Austin complaineth that men much wonder at the high mountains of the earth Hugo waves the sea deep falls of rivers the vastnesse of the Ocean the motion of the Starres Et relinquunt seipsos nec mirantur but wonder not at all at their wonderful selves And truly the greatest miracle in the world is that little world or rather Isle of man in whose very body how much more in his soul are miracles enow betwixt head and feet to fill a volume The body is not one member but many 1 Cor. 24.44 Head The head is the most excellent part of the body therefore the chief part of any thing is called the head Christ is called the Head of the Church and the Husband the head of the Wife And Israel is promised upon obedience to be made the head and not the taile Hence we uncover our head when we do homage to any man to signifie that our most excellent part reverenceth and acknowledgeth him In the head our reason and understanding dwells and all the senses are placed in the head except the touch which is spread thorow the whole body Besides the head is supereminent above the rest of the body and giveth influence to it There is also a conformity betwixt the head and the rest of the body And thus it is betwixt Christ and his Church he hath graces above the rest of his members he giveth influence and grace to them and he is like them The hair of the head as also the nails is an excrement 1 Cor. 11.14 and not to be
bound giving life to others losing his own being crucified slew Satan on the Cross and through death destroyed the Devil the Authour of destruction There is but one only Saviour because the Gospel proclaims it One only way to salvation whereby Abraham became righteous and the Patriarchs Apostles and Prophets entred Heaven One Lord one Faith one Baptism In him alone was fulfilled all that was spoken of the Messiah He only satisfied Gods Justice by a punishment which could be infinite for so is God or equal to infinite for so was Christ though for time finite yet for value infinite which no other Creature ought not could ought not if it be not the soul that sinned could not because Gods wrath is unquenchable Angels could not do it they are incarnate and finite our selves could not we are carnal sold under sin He alone was God and Man 1. Man that sin might be punished in the nature offending yet man without sin to fulfill all righteousness 2. God 1. To bear the burden of Gods wrath 2. To vanquish sin death hell and Satan 3. To restore life and righteousness to Man He must be Man for Mans Redemption but not sinful Man for Mans salvation He alone could perform the Office of a Saviour internally and externally 1. Internally illuminating our minds with faith hope and charity 2. Externally in Doctrine and Works He alone took away the sins of the World His blood alone was paid to God the Father as the price of our Redemption God only was our Creditor ours the debt and Jesus the Pay-master who gave himself for us to God and blotted out the hand-writing that was against us The Devils ordinary way of driving to despair is by shewing a man his sin but not his Saviour Joseph of Arimathea first begged the body of Jesus and then laid it in a new Sepulchre so should we and then lay him in a new heart If a man will have his Beloved he must part with his Beloved if he will have his beloved Saviour he must part with his beloved sin Dulce nomen Jesus In Cant. Serm. 15. sayes Bernard Mel in ore melos in aure jubilus in corde Honey in the mouth melody in the ear joy and exultation in the heart Melius mihi non esse Medit. Cap. 39. sayes Austin quà m sine Jesu esse melius est non vivere quà m vivere sine vitâ I had rather be in Hell with Jesus than in Heaven without Jesus if it were possible Joshua which was a Type of Christ hath the same name with our Saviour Christ yet in a diverse manner Joshua was a Saviour for them in temporal things Christ in spiritual and eternal things He saved them from the Canaanites earthly enemies Christ from sin death hell and Satan spiritual enemies He gave them a Land flowing with milk and honey in this World Christ gives us an everlasting habitation a celestial Paradise in the World to come She shall bring forth a Son Matth. 1.21 and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins 1 Thes 1.10 Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come Neither is there salvation in any other Acts 4.12 for there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Let it be here noted that the very name Jesuite savoureth of blasphemous arrogancy One of their own gives the reason because our Saviour hath communicated unto us the thing signified by the name Christ but not by the name Jesus But we see also their nature in their 1. Craft and 2. Cruelty The Jesuites have a device at this day in handling Texts of Scripture by their nice distinctions to perplex and obscure the clearest places and for those that are doubtful not at all to distinguish or illustrate them Again in points of controversie they make a great puther about that which we deny not but say little or nothing to the main business Besides how have they formerly for a long time shut or rolled up the Book of the holy Scriptures yea and cast them under foot using in the mean time the Fathers Scholasticks In primâ regulâ tradunt Papae Romani vocem no◠aliter ac Christi Sermonem audiendam esse Sententiaries Canonists Legends c. And since this Book of God began again to be opened how have they laboured to roll it up again questioning the Authority thereof not accounting the same to be Divine but as it is confirmed by the judgment of the Church that is of the pope For thus they expresly write That in it there is so much of the Deity as the Popes Church attributes unto it neither ought God to be believed but because of the Church A Jesuite hath peace in his mouth war in his heart He courteth with the smooth tongue of an Harlot when either he hath poyson in his cup or Powder-plots in his head They say their weapons are prayers and tears but see the contrary The truth is they are the Popes Blood-hounds Simulata sanctitas duplex iniquitas trusting more to the prey than to their prayers They strive under pretence of long prayers and dissembled sanctity which is double iniquity to subdue all to the Pope and the Pope to themselves These shall receive the greater damnation Matth. 23.14 The name Christ signifieth Anointed the oyle wherewith he was anointed is called the oyle of gladness Kimchi Quia totus mundus in unctione Christi ejus missione laetabitur because the whole World should be cheared up by the Unction and Mission of Messiah He received the Spirit without measure that of his fulness we might all receive and grace for grace righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost That none of any Degree Calling Condition or Countrey are excluded from partaking of Christ it is well taken notice of that the place of Christs Birth was Domus publici juris not a private House but an Inne which is open for all Passengers and that not in a Chamber but the Stable which is the commonest place of the Inne Besides the Superscription upon his Cross was written in Hebrew Greek Cyril Theoph. and Latine the three languages that were best known and most used all the World over Moreover the Cross it self was erected not within the City but without the Gate to intimate saith Leo Vt Crux Christi non Templi effet Ara Leo. sed Mundi That it was not an Altar of the Temple but the World However this we are sure is Gods Truth That there is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female but all are one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.28 Christ is the Way the Truth and the Life 1. Via in Exemplo Bern. 2. Veritas in Promisso 3. Vita in Praemio Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Hebr. 13.8 Christ is idem
3. q. 26. art 1. Simpliciter perfectivè yet the Angels and Saints also must be our Mediatours dispositive ministerialiter They are much beholden to this distinction of principal and ministerial Some unskilful Physicians give one drink or one medicine for all diseases so these men apply this distinction of Principal and Ministerial to salve up all soars among them Christ is the chief Head of the Church the Pope is a ministerial head under him So Christ is the Principal Mediatour Angels and Saints are Ministerial Yet if a woman should hear she had a chief husband and a ministerial husband she could hardly endure it They might as well say there is one principal God but many ministerial Gods under him as to say there is one chief Mediatour and many ministerial The Mediatour between God and man Confes l. 10. cap. saith Austin must be both God and man He must have Aliquid simile Deo aliquid simile hominibus that he may mediate between them both If he were only man he could not go to God if he were only God he could not go to man As for Angels they be neither God nor man therefore they cannot be our Mediatours As for the Saints in Heaven they be half-men they have souls but as yet they have no bodies and they are not God therefore they cannot be our Mediatours Nay properly to speak the Holy Ghost the third person in the glorious Trinity cannot be our Mediatour for though he be God yet he is not man much less can the Angels or Saints be our Mediatours Besides the Mediatour of the New Covenant hath established the Covenant with his blood It is Christ alone that by the blood of his cross hath set at peace all things in heaven and in earth And no Testament is of force without the death of the Testatour Let them prove that any died for us besides Christ and then we will acknowledge other Mediatours As he trode the Wine-press alone so he is Mediatour alone It is Sacriledge to adjoyn others to him Therefore as he took the pains alone so let him have the honour alone Moreover Christ is Mediatour not only of Redemption as the Papists grant but of Intercession also of which in due place He being so near us in the matter of his Incarnation will never be strange to us in the business of Intercession Christ then being the sole Mediatour Let us not cry with those Idolaters O Baal hear us But ask the Father in the Sons name and say O Christ hear us Who prevails more with the King than the Kings Son Let us not leave the Son and go to Servants For there is one God and one Mediatour between God and men 1 Tim. 2.5 the man Christ Jesus Of Christs Kingly Office THE name Christ doth belong to our Saviour by special excellency he being as none else ever was a King a Priest and a Prophet The works of Christs Mediation Dr. Reynolds were of two sorts 1. Opera Ministerij works of service and ministery for he took upon himself the form of a servant and was a Minister of the Circumcision 2. Opera potestatis works of Authority and Government in the world We must here again distinguish saith that reverend Author between Regnum naturale Christs natural Kingdom which belongs to him as God coessential and coeternal with the Father and Regnum Oecononicum his Dispensatory Kingdom as he is Christ the Mediatour which was his not by Nature but by Donation and Unction from his Father that he might be the Head of his Church a Prince of Peace and a King of Righteousness unto his People In which respect he had conferr'd upon him all such meet qualifications as might fit him for the dispensation of this Kingdom For God prepared him a Body Heb. 10 5. or a Humane nature Not an aëry or Phantastical body as some Hereticks dreamed but a body in all substantial things like to ours differing only in one accidental thing and that is sin And God ordained him a soul too The Deity did not supply that office as Apollinaris did imagine Col. 2.9 And besides by the grace of Personal Union caused the Godhead to dwell bodily in him He anointed him with a fulness of his Spirit Plenitudo vasis fontis Joh. 3.34 not with the fulness of a vessel such as the Saints had a fulness for themselves only But a fulness without measure which hath a sufficient sufficiency and redundancy for the whole Church He did by Solemn promulgation proclaim him King unto the Church This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him He hath given him a Scepter of righteousness Psa 45.6 Rev. 1.16 Psal 2.9 and hath put a sword in his mouth and a rod of Iron in his hand He hath honoured him with Embasladors to negotiate the affairs of the Kingdom 2 Cor. 5.20 Which shews that Ministers are Sacred persons not to be violated upon pain of Gods heavy displeasure Do my Prophets no harm He hath given him the souls and consciences of men Psal 2.8 Joh. 17.6 even to the uttermost parts of the earth for the territories of his Kingdom The Object of Christs Kingdom of Grace are all Nations He hath given him power concerning the Laws of his Church Rom. 3.27 A power to make Laws the law of faith To expound Laws as the Moral Law And to abrogate Laws as the Law of Ordinances He hath given him power of judging and condemning enemies Joh. 5.27 Luke 19. â—7 Lastly He hath given him a power of remitting sins and sealing pardons And all these royal Prerogatives belong unto him as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well Man as God Mat. 9 6. Joh. 20.23 Whence we may note That Christs Kingdom belongs to him not by usurpation intrusion or violence but legally by order decree and investiture from his Father And as he came rightly by it so also his government is not with rigour but righteousness Therefore let us submit to his government and though we be within the Walls of the Church yet let us not flatter our selves in our sins thinking for all this that Christ will be merciful unto us for his Scepter is a Scepter of righteousness he must punish sin wheresoever he finds it Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion Tell ye the daughter of Sion Psa 2.6 Mat. 21.4 Psal 2.12 Behold thy King cometh unto thee Kiss the Son Of Christs Priestly Office Sacerdos sacer dux docens orans offerens Q. habens sacram dotem Not a name of reproach and contempt but of exceeding great honour in the book of God There was a worthy and glorious Priest-hood in time of the Law there was an high-priest in goodly apparel clothed with a white linnen Ephod that had a Miter on his head a fair breast-plate on his breast on which was written the names of
where we shall be known and well entertained Paul pronounceth his afflictions light when he weighed them with that weight of Glory and looked on things not seen And let us use the means and hold the way to this blessed place 1. Promoting Gods glory 2. Seeking to please him in all things 3. Beginning heaven upon earth 4. Studying sanctification decking our selves with grace and getting the Wedding-garment for that Wedding-day for without Holiness none shall see God 1 King 8.27 2 Cor. 11.12 Isa 63.15 Luk. 16.22 Heb. 11.10 Joh. 14.2 2 Cor. 5.1 in that Presence-chamber of his Glory Scripture calls this place The Heaven of heavens The third heaven The habitation of Gods holiness and of his glory Abrahams bosâ—me A city which hath foundations whose maker and builder is God Christs Fathers house in which are many mansions A building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heaven The new Jerusalem The Paradise of God An holy place c. De Angelis ANgels were created it is conceived in the beginning Psal 33.6 when the Heavens were for saith the Psalmist By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth And it is likely before Man Job 38.4 7. by those words Where wast thou when the Morning-stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy Angels are Spirits of Heaven resembling their Creator as children do their father both in their substance which is incorporeal and in their excellent properties Life and immortality excellency blessedness and glory They are called 1. Spirits Nomen essentiae 2. Angels Nomen officii For their number they are said to be Thousands and Ten thousand thousands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 7.10 Myriads Heb. 12.22 which because of the vastness of the number we render innumerable They are innumerable to us so are our sins the hairs of our heads the sands of the sea-shore the stars in the firmament not to God The supposed Dionysius the Senator of Athens Niceph. 1.2 cap. 20. ordered the Celestial Hierarchy thus That the first degree is given to the Angels of Love termed Seraphim The second to the Angels of Light termed Cherubim The third and so the following degrees to Thrones Principalities and the rest which are all Angels of power and ministration So that upon this account the Angels of knowledge and illumination are placed before the Angels of office and domination I think such curious brains put all out of order Augustine is of a more modest spirit Quomodo se babeat beatissima illa ac superna Civitas quid inter se distent quatuor illa vocabula Col. 1.16 dicant qui possunt Enchyâ— ad Laurent c. 58. si tamen possunt probare quod dâ—cant Ego me isthaec ignorare consiteor Let the like humility be imitated of us all Let no man presume to understand above that which is written And there their several degrees and dignities are only hinted as well among themselves as in regard of the inferior world and the government thereof The wisdom and knowledge of these Spirits is admirable Aug. Cognitiâ— concâ—eata acquisita Schoolmen The Devils know much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much more do the good Angels They have matutinam vespertinam scientiam Their morning-knowledge they have by creation and a continual contemplation of God their evening-knowledge they have by observation from the creatures and a diligent inspection into the Church Their power also is as wonderful Their office is to minister perpetually to God in obeying his will unto Christ as the Head of the Church and are also sent out to minister for the good and salvation of the Saints for Christs sake Not that God needeth them as Princes need the counsel and aid of their subjects But he maketh use of their service about us 1. For the honour of his Majesty and comfort of our infirmity 2. To make out his love unto us by employing such noble creatures for our good 3. To make and maintain love and correspondency between us and Angels till we our selves come to be like unto them The truth is though they excell in strength yet do they Gods commandments Luk. 20.36 hearkening to the voice of his word which they perform chearfully faithfully diligently speedily and constantly ever standing before the face of our heavenly Father and rejoycing more in their names of service than of honour of imployment than preferment to be called Angels that is messengers than Principalities Thrones c. accounting it better to do good than to be great to dispense Gods benefits than to enjoy them Let us imitate these good Spirits chiefly 1. In subjecting our selves to Christ as our Lord and King Phil. 2.9 This is their bowing of the knee and ours too 2. In doing the will of God alway chearfully as they do and therefore are said to have wings thus we pray Mat. 6.10 Laudant Deum Angeli adorant tremunt tremere dicuntur non metu formidinis l. 2. c. 50. de sacr Altar myster cum sint perfectè beati sed administrationis vel obedientiae affectu saith Innocent 3. Wise 2 Sam. 14.20 Psal 103.20 Heb. 1.14 according to the wisdom of an Angel of God Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that do his commandments hearkening unto the voice of his word Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation Of the Celestial Lights Of the Sun Sol quasi solus vâ—l quia solus ex omnibus sideribus est tantus vil quia quum est exortus obscuratis aliis solus appareat Martinius THe Sun is the Prince of Planets coursing about with incredible swiftness so sweet a creature that Eudoxus the Philosopher professed that he would be content to be burnt up with the heat of it so he might be admitted to come so near it as to learn the nature of it The Sun is as it were a vessel whereinto the Lord gathered the Light which till then was scattered in the whole body of the heavens This David beheld with admiration not adoration Psal 8. Jer. 44. as those Idolaters that worshipped the Queen of heaven For that was a witty speech of Cyril They were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atheists by night who worshipped the Sun and Atheists by day who worshiped the Moon and Stars And well he might for Chrysostom wondreth at this That whereas all fire naturally ascendeth God hath turned the beams of the Sun toward the earth making the light thereof to stream downwards This is the Lords own work and it ought to be wonderful in our eyes The Sun hath his name in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a servant as being the servant-general of mankind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while he shines indifferently upon the evil and the good imparting to both light
in terrâ Creator coeli creatus sub coelo being the Child of Mary sine quo pater nunquam fuit sine quo mater nunquam fuisset So that as David sang This is the day which the Lord hath made we may say This is the day wherein the Lord was made we will rejoyce and be glad in it This was that Holy that Stone cut out of the mountain without hands that Flower of the field growing without mans labour When the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman Gal. 4 4. Joh. 1.14 1 Tim. 3.16 And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us God was manifesi in the flesh Passion It was a great kindness which Abraham shewed unto Lot when he hazarded his own life and the lives of his family to recover him out of the hands of Chedarlaomer But not comparable to that kindness which our Kinsman the Lord Jesus shewed us when he gave his life to deliver us from the hand of our enemies Mortuum Caesarem quis metuat Sed morte Christi quid efficacius If Caesar he once dead who will â—ear Christ even when dead is terrible to his enemies Nothing more effectual than his death By suffering death he destroyed him who had the power of death When he was condemned of man he condemned sin that it should not condemn man Passus est ut infirmus operatus ut fortis Aug. He suffered as a weak man but wrought as a strong one As the Serpent without life erected in the wilderness overcame the living serpents that stung Israel So the Lord Jesus by suffering death slew that Serpent that living in us had stung us to death Sanguis ejus effunditur Patre ordinante filio volente Spiritu sancto dante Gorran Judâ tradente Judaea procurante Pilato judicante Gentili exequente The High Priest under the Law as he was a type of Christ in sundry respects so likewise in his death He who killed a man negligently fled to the City of refuge and stayed there until the death of the High Priest and then he was free Jesus Christ by his death frees us and sets us at liberty One saith Christ continued in his torment twenty hours at the least Others say Sedul Homâ— â— that he was so long on the Cross as Adam was in Paradise in pleasure Origen de morte magni Regis The Theeves fared better on their Crosses than Christ on his for they had no â—rrision no superscription no taunts no insultations they had nothing but pain to encounter but death to grapple with but he death and scorn Pro servis dominus moritur pro sontibus insons Pro aegroto medicus pro grege pastor obit Pro populo rex mactatur pro milite ductor Pro opere ipse opifex pro homine ipse Deus As Eve came out of Adams side sleeping so the Church is taken out of Christs side bleeding Vt effundatur sanguis Christi ne confundatur anima Christiani A flux of blood in the head is stanched by opening a vein in the foot But here to save all his members from bleeding to death blood must be drawn from the head Which of Christs senses was not a window to let in sorrow He sees the tears of his Mother hears the blasphemy of the multitude is put to death in a noisom place to his scent his touch felt the nails and his taste the gall a reed for reproach is put into his hand a diadem in scorn is set upon his head his head harrowed with thorns his face of whom it was said Thou art fairer than the children of men is all besmeared with the filthy spettle of the Jews those eyes clearer than the sun are darkned with the shadow of death those lips which spake as never man spake are now drenched in gall and vinegar Nam cum mortis aculcum non possit accipere natura deitatis noscendo tamen sâ—scepit de nobis quod pati posset pro nobis Leo. Serm. 8. de Pas Hoc primum tormentum magnum mysterium quod passibilis factus est Hillar de Trin. l. 10. Christi humilitas est nostra sublimitas Christi crux nostra victoria Christi patibulum noster triumphus Orig. Hom 8. L. 9. and those feet that trampled on the Powers of darkness are now nailed to the footstool of the Cross Though Christ were both God and Man yet he suffered not in his Divine but in his Humane nature which may be thus illustrated 1. A Man we know consisteth both of soul and body and yet when he is dead we do not understand it of his soul for that cannot die but his body only 2. Thus The Sun shines on a Tree the Carpenter cuts down the Tree but wounds not the Sun 3. Or as the two Goats mentioned Levit. 16. the one is slain but the other escapes so of Christ in his two natures God the Creator suffers in the flesh that the flesh of the creature should not suffer for ever God himself reconciled the world unto himself God himself became Mediator God himself redeemed Mankind with his own blood He who was offered assumes the flesh of the creature and becomes Reconciliator We may say of Christs bloody sweat what the Poet Lucan having his veins cut dying said Sanguis erant lachrymae quaecunque foramina novit Humor ab his largus manat cruor ora redundunt Et patulae nares sudor rubet omnia plenis Membra fluunt venis totum est pro vulnere corpus Englished by D.T. His blood were tears and what pores sweat did know Blood in great plenty did spring forth and flow Through 's mouth and nose his sweat was red each lim Swet with full veins all 's but one wound in him Read Isa 53. all along His own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree 1 Pet. 2.14 that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness by whose stripes ye were healed Is it nothing to you 1. am 1.12 all ye that pass by Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger Descensio Christi ad Inferos Sepultura Christi est requies Christiani Ambros Buried our Saviour was 1. That none might doubt of his death 2. That our sins might be buried with him 3. That our graves might be prepared and perfumed for us as so many beds of roses or delicious dormitories Isa 57.2 If Christ did descend personally into Hell he must either descend in body or in soul Now his body could not go into hell for that was laid in the grave that very night by Joseph of Arimathea And for his soul that could not be in hell for Christ said to the Thief upon the Cross This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise And how could that be if his soul did then go
c. Loe these are the inseperable markes of Popery and the brands of their Divellish religion And these do but hasten their incurable destruction rendring them odious to all Christian States Princes and people yea to Turks and Infidels How is the faithful City become an harlot Isaâ— 1. â—1 22. it was full of judgment righteousnesse lodged in it but now murderers Thy silver is become drosse thy wine mixt with water Come hither Rev. 17.1 and I will shew thee the judgment of the great where c. Babylon the great is fallen is fallen c. Cap. 18.2 Come out her my people Vers 4. that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Pope If the servant of servants be above the King of Kings and Lord of Lords then where is Christs Prerogative Ye take too much upon you O ye sons of Levi. St. Peter had a priority but not superiority or if a Primacy yet not a supremacy over the rest â—â—lv Inst l. 4. c. 6. he had as our Divines acknowledge a precedency in place named for the most part first as the foreman of the quest and aâ—preheminency in grace reputed for his excellent Knowledge and Zeal he was the first Confessour Mat. 16.16 The first preacher Act. 2. The first baptizer Act. 10. The first worker of miracles Act. 3. Austin saith Epist 28. Deus docuit Petrum per posteriorem Paulum yet another addes Etsi ille primus iste praecipuus It was Frederick the Emperor his saying In capite orbis Deus per imperium exaltavit Ecclesiam in capite orbis Ecclesia nunc demolitur imperium Cyprian speakes much against Pope Stephen Epist ad Pomp. assuring Pompeius upon the reading of the Epistle Pope Stephen sent to Cyprian he should Magis ac magis ejus errorem denctare qui causam hâ—reticorum contra Christianos contra Ecclesiam Dei asserâ—re conatâ—r He taxeth him also of impertinencies and contradictions to himself that he did imperitè improvidè scribere Liber erat Mant. Eccl. 2. servile jugum sibi condidit ipse Pondus idem legum vidi ipse volumina quas 〈◊〉 Antiqui potuere patres nec possumus ipsi Neâ— servare atas poterit ventura nepotum Thomas Holland of Exet. Col. Oxf. When he was to take his journey said to the fellowes Commendo vos dilectioni Dei odio papatus superstitionis The Pope imitates Peter to whom he pretends succession in the worst things he cuts off not onely the ear but head he denies Christ but weeps not for it Vzziah though a King must not meddle with the Priests office and Azariah the High-Priest must not intrude himself into the Kings office yet the High-Priest of Rome will have both swords he will be a Priest and a King too he will be for matters of the world as well as for matters of God Boniface the eight shewed himself one day in the attire of a Priest another day in the attyre of a Prince affirming that he was both Bellarmine of late hath somewhat minced the matter that the Pope hath no power in temporal matters directè yet indirectè quoad bonum spirituale he may play Rex Excellent So as a man get into an house it makes no great matter whether directly or indirectly And so as the Pope may depose Princes and dispose of their Kingdoms and butcher them at his pleasure what availeth it whether directly or indirectly I am sure this is indirect dealing by an indirect distinction to break down the wall of partition that God himself hath set up between the Priest and the Magistrate That the Pope exalts himself above all that is called God I prove 1. In that he is not onely in equipage with God in remitting of sins but is made more mighty for God in the creation made but creatures but he can make as many gods as he lust 2. More merciful than Christ which is concluded for this reason It is not read in all the Scripture that Jesus Christ drew any soul out of purgatory but the Pope of his great piety and mercy doth every day an infinite number nay Credat Judaeuâ— Appella Pope Gregory did bring Trajans soul out of hell 3. More wise then God for he can institute a sacrifice alsufficient to save those that Christs sacrifice cannot save 4. Of more authority than God whose word is not authentical without his allowance But what he saith though never so crosse to the Text is Ipsissimum Dei verbum Besides all the names and titles of Christ given him in the Scripture to shew him Lord of the Church are attributed to the Pope the head of Antichristian heresies Bellarmine saith that he is universal Pastour Rex Regum Dominus Dominantium De concâ—â— anâ—ho l. 2. c. 17. Admirabilis Leo de tribu Judae Radix David And those which Antichrist would onely rob him of are Head of the whole body of the Church Bridegroom of the Spouse Foundation of the Church as if one body might have two heads one spouse two husbands at once Moreover mind his horrible pride claiming authority above Kings Emperours Lawes Scriptures yea over men and Angels Their doctrine is that Papa babet imperium in Angelos Daemonas And their practise the like For Clement the sixt in his Bull upon the Jubile 1350. Prorsus mandamus Angelis Paradisi quatenuâ— animam in Purgatorio penitus absolutam in Paradisi gloriam introducant And is not this to make himself a god is not this that beast full of the names of Blasphemie I might adde much I will onely conclude with that saying of Pope Marcellus the second wherein he seemes to be prety ingenious Onâ—ph in vitâ for striking his hand upon the table he uttered these words Non video quo modo qui hunc locum altissimum tenant salvari possunt I see not how any Pope can be saved And that of Pius Quintus Cornel. à Lap. iâ— Num. 11.11 recited by A lapide When I was first in orders I had some good hopes of salvation when I was made a Cardinal I doubted but now that I am Pope I do almost despair 2 Thes 2.3 4. That man of sin The son of Perdition c. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as god sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is god Papists The Pope hath given liberty to some to have all their own rites onely acknowledging his Supremacy but the ground being laid for point of Doctrine it matters not there 's enough gained to make him that had sworn obedience to accept of all the rest They that bear witnesse to themselves as Papists do are not to be heard in their own cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unless they compass such a decree as Stratocles did for Demetrius Whatsoever Demetrius will command
like the saint pulse at the hour of death yet if they thereby by the Spirit make requests unto God it shall be heard of him and albeit those things which they sigh after be not alwayes manifestly and the Spirit moving thereunto distinctly seen of them yet God who is infinite in knowledge doth perceive their desires or rather the desires of the Spirit in them This mental crying is not common to all but proper to the children of the regeneration 1 Cor. 12.3 without which none can hardly call God Father as none can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost The next kind of crying is that which is only vocal consisting only of words Thus Hypocrites cry and pray for fashion not for conscience sake Vox praeteria nihil all voice no hearts they can cry loud enough in a Pharisaical pride Lord Lord and none shall stop their mouths but such heartlesse Christians shall not enter into the Kingdom of heaven These are they that draw near unto the Lord with their mouth and with their lips do honour him but have removed their heart far from him as he complains Isa 29.13 This is saith one Precationis inane simulachrum and in truth that prayer or cry which is only a lip-labour not proceeding from the heart is but as sounding brasse or a tinkling Cymbal it is like the Play called the Motions wherein though there is motion yet no life and although there be never so glorious and pompous observation of outward ceremonies and in that complemental manner only come before God and offer up their prayers unto him yet shall they have the repulse for their vain ostentation Thus Isaiah the first the Lord speaking of the hypocritial Jews that were curious in the external worship and service of God and would seem to pretermit nothing therefore professeth unto them because their services were not performed with the heart that when they made many prayers he would not hear them And the same Prophet Cap. 64.7 in effect calls such prayers no prayers when as be saith There is none that calleth upon the name of God he that cryes not to God with his whole heart cryes not at all to God for he that worships God must worship him in Spirit and in Truth not in bare formalities This kind of crying is but a vain beating of the aire is anothing available whereof the Spirit is no author and unless the Spirit cry in the heart there can be no true but a false crying Abba Father There remains yet a third kind of crying or praying viz. both mental and vocal wherein both the heart and the voice are directed to God the mind and the mouth both consonant both jump together here out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh And this is that pure language which the Lord speaking by the Prophet Zephany said that he would turn to the people that they might all call upon the name of the Lord. The Prophet Hosea advertiseth the Israelites Cap. 3.7 Cap. 14.2 Nec lecta neé neglecta Psal 77.1 to take to them words and to turn to the Lord that is such words as may make a true report unto God of their hearty conversion to him and lively saith in him Thus saith David I cryed unto God with my voice even unto God with my voice and he gave ear unto me Such a cry as is this is no false alarum but a true testimony of a sanctified soul of our confidence in him and is ever powerful with God The prayer of the faithful availeth much saith St. James for it is framed and composed by the admirable Art of the Spirit of God in their hearts ere it be uttered with the tongue The voice then reflecting on the heart the heart is made more zealous and then what is said of fame may be said of it Vires acquirit eundo it gathers strength in the uttering Let your voice therefore in prayer be conformed and correspond to the affections and wishes of your hearts that they may run together and let the affections and wishes of your hearts be guided by the Holy Ghost which if ye do it is without all contradiction a most certain Argument that God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father From the act of crying I passe to the object Abba Father The Spirit saith the Apostle beareth witnesse with our spirits Rom. 8. that we are the sont of God This testification of the Spirit in our hearts who is an infallible informer of the things that are given us of God makes to cry Abba Father For we can never call God Father except we be first informed and perswaded by the Spirit that we are the sons of God The Hebrew or Syriack word Abba and the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being in the Original here together gave occasion to some to observe that hereby is intimated the calling and union of Hebrews and Greeks of Jewes and Gentiles into one Church whereof Christ is the head But though this be true yet this Text is no sufficient warrant for this observation and therefore not to be insisted upon The gemination here Abba Father which is Father Father noteth the earnest affection and vehement zeal of Gods children in crying and praying unto the Father of Spirits their prayers are pressing and urgent cries and never satisfied until heard which ardency of theirs is grounded 1. Upon the sence of their wants necessity constrains them to use all earnestnesse in their own behalf they must knock hard they must seek hard they must cry hard Father Father ere they shall be heard or their suits obtained 2. Upon the knowledge of their own insufficiency and disability of furnishing themselves with corporal necessaries pertaining to the body or spiritual blessings and habiliments pertaining to the soul They know that the blessings of this life and the life to come must come from their Father which is in heaven 3. Upon Gods willingnesse and readinesse to do them all the good he can He is faithful in promising and as faithful in performing The word Abbah signifieth to be willing from whence God hath this Appellation a father is willing to protect his child from all dangers and to relieve him upon all occasions and although just cause of anger be offered him yet nature in time will work it out Even such is the tender affection of our heavenly Father known to his beloved sons that they are hereby the more emboldened to prosecute what they would have brought to passe They have his heart to be set upon them his eares alwayes to be open unto them his eyes continually watching over them his best wishes ever with them and all his blessings reserved for them These are encouragements for them to approach unto him who is more forward to give unto themall things than they themselves to demand any thing Hence it comes to passe that coming unto
head in every state and condition whether we consider his state or the state of the Church 1. If his he was head in the state of his humiliation whilest he was conversant among us here on earth so is he now in his state of exaltation unto glory sitting at the right hand of God the Father 2. In the state of the Church let it be in what state it may be Christ is the head thereof who will be with it even to the end of the world in prosperity in adversity in plenty in poverty in a wastful persecution in a flourishing peace Christ ruleth it Christ protecteth it And it being collected out of divers nations sects vocations and conditions of men Christ doth respect them all equally not for any sinister or worldly respect preferring one before another but receiving all in the bowels of mercy into one mystical body For of a truth he hath no respect of persons the outward or contingent conditions are not reflected upon but into whom the supernatural qualifications of the Spirit are infused be they Lazarusses or Vivesses be they Kings or Beggars be they Jews or Turks or Indian Christ Jesus is their head Last of all Christ Jesus is the head of the Church in all authority It is his own voice that said All power is given unto me both in heaven and in earth Undependent supremacy is proper unto him Hence is he stiled by St. John in the Revelation the King of Saints he exercising dominion over them and they promising professing performing all lawful obedience unto him In the 2. of Hebrewes 10. he is termed the Captain of our salvation which may have allusion unto that Josh 5.15 where he is called the Captain of the Lords host who as he beats down our enemies before us unweaponing them and dispossessing them of all forcible lability to lift up their heads against us so doth he environ and surround us about with his special grace and ever operative Providence as that we do obtain a most secure convoy to the land of the living which is the inheritance of the Saints in glory Life and death are at his most just diposing and none are exempted from awful subjection to his imperial Scepter His authority reacheth over all and the limits of his jurisdiction extend as far as his alsufficient and unresistible omnipotency Thus Christ is head of the Church in all places at all times in all states and conditions and in all authority I put a period to my discourse on this head passing over to the next the womans head And the head of the woman is the man The surpassing wisdom and power of the infinite Creator having made woman an help-meet for man whom he made ruler over all his creatures when he made him implyed by the subject-matter out of which she was made mans soveraignty over her So much also is intimated by the priority of time wherein Adam had being and existence before her upon which ground the Apostle frames this speech I suffer not a woman to usurp authority over the man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2.12 for Adam was first formed then Eve who in the processe of time becoming a pernicious help unto him by the cunning sleight of the subtil serpent wrought both their own overthrowes Whence the Apostle by way of Argument maintains mans principality over the woman Vxor mea tota in fermento est Said he in Plantus proceeding thus vers 13. and Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression whereof the woman being convicted by the righteous Judge of all the world to whom the secrets of all hearts are open in express terms delivers this positive and resolute determination of the case to put it out of all question Genes 3.16 Thy desire shall be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee God the first Author of the sacred bond of Matrimony hath by a definitive sentence ordered that the man shall be the head of the woman the husband of the wife In token whereof it was the custome among the Hebrewes that the wife when first presented to her husband covered her head with a vaile Rebecca took a vaile and covered her self Genes 24.65 and for this cause namely in sign of subjection ought the woman to have power over her head 1 Cor. 11.10 where by power Over all Muscovie it is a custome observed that a maid id time of woing sends to that suiter whom she chooseth for her husband a whip curiously wrought by her self in token of subjection unto him Heyl p. 347 Numb 5 1◠the Apostle understandeth a vaile Should any ask the question why he doth denote this vaile by the name of power especially seeing it was in token of subjection I reply that the Apostle being an Hebrew of the Hebrews might have respect unto the Hebrew word Radid signifying a vail which is derived from the root Radad to bear rule and authority and so might use the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power in the same sence the Hebrews did And intruth what was this subjection to the husband but a kind of power and protection derived unto the wife in comparison of her former state of virginity Wherefore in case her husband were jealous of her among other tokens of sorrow she was commanded to stand at her trial with her head uncovered intimating thereby that if she could not then clear her-self she was from thence forward deprived of all power which before she enjoyed by her husband Now for further satisfactory information in this point my discourse shall be divided into two rarts 1. The one containing the respects wherein the man is the womans head 2. The other the mutuall good offices to be performed by both to each other For the former the man is the head of the woman 1. In respect of discrepancy flowing from the several properties of an head differencing it from all and every singular part of the body 2. In respect of congruity and agreement effected by a uniformity radicated and established in the very nature and essence of the head and members by the immutable law of the Omnipotent God As for the first the respect of discrepancy it is fourfold The head differs from the members in regard of eminency and dignity so man from the woman hence the government of the woman is committed to the man Equity pleads for it for from him she first received her nature her name her honour Her nature she was framed out of the rib of man and 't is a Maxime in the art of reason that Causa est potior effectu the cause doth exceed the effect in excellence Her name she shall be called woman saith Adam for she was taken out of man Her honour in that she is one flesh with man they both shall be one flesh from which unity doth issue a communication of honour For if one member be honoured all the rest rejoyce
with it faith St. Paul and good reason for the honour given to any member or the head is not so proper to it but that it is participated to the rest causing an effluction of joy in all So that what proportion of honour the woman is possessour of it is derived from the principal in man to whose superintendency the woman by divine institution is subject for the man was not created for the woman 1 Cor. 11.9 but the woman for the man The head differs from the body in regard of perfection There are more absolute endowments and perfections of greater excellency in the head than in the other subordinate parts None I presume but a brainsick man will impugne this assertion nor the consequence of it but a self-will'd woman Thus in man there is a confluence of more eminent qualities and rarer parts than are in the woman The temper and constitution of his body is generally and naturally more solid his ability in feates of activity more vigorous and substantial wherefore the more apt for industrious labour It is a Positive Principle in Aristotelical Philosophy Aristotâ—â— that faemina est mas tantum occasionatus seu imperfectus woman is an imperfect man whose generation or production is not intended by nature but contingent occasioned either by the debility of an impotent natural agent or the imperfection of an infirme Patient or the indisposition of the ill-affected matter or some transmutation thereof proceeding from eternal causes But let the naturalist yield me the like liberty of my thoughts as he for himself doth challenge to his own There is no great glory purchased to man by the undervaluing of woman questionless God having made woman as well as man intending thereby mans good nature the ordinance of God Aquinas doth really intend the generation of woman Aquinas moderates the matter thus That universal nature doth intend the production of woman because it looks to the main chance the preservation of the whole universe but theâ—e is no such intention in particular nature Durand but the contrary which Durand another Schoolman denies for the intention of particular nature is but subordinate not opposite to that of universal nature both aiming at tht same end For mine own part lest I be censured to be unnatural to my Mother I side with Durand for the woman howsoever the woman must yield to man that superiority generally in bodily perfection whereof she is not made capable Furthermore if you view mans soul you shall find sounder and more accurate intellectuals in him than in woman the vivacity both of his speculative and practical understanding is far more exquisite in comparison Those inorganical operations of mans spirit and abstract notions of his intellect that have no dependances upon material or corporal substances are more highly elevated and have most commonly a more noble object than woman can comprehend His invention is more various his judgment more fixt and setled than the invention than the judgment generally of woman is his resolutions are lesse subject to alteration and his will follows the undeceiveable direction of right reason more close at the heeles than hers doth Thus in regard of perfection man is the head of the woman who is term'd by the Apostle in this regard the weaker vessel The head differs from the body in respect of rule and authority Every part of the body is guided by the head in voluntary actions So is the man to govern his wife he shall rule over thee saith God to the woman of the man but neither making her his slave nor his servant but his bosome friend and close companion and she must be willing to submit her neck to the yoke of obedience in all matters of indifferency lest she deserve the infamous title of an unruly and disordered wife Head-strong fancies grounded but upon superficial appearances must not interpose themselves nor attempt to draw another way but at the appearing of sufficient reasons which proceeding from the man may be in a better interpretation term'd head-strong must vanish away Hence let the judicious man learn to rule his wife and the well-disposed woman learn to obey her husbands will that it may not be said what I oft heard men complaine of that the wife is the husbands master The head differs from the body in regard of influence From the head there is an influx of animal spirits into the parts of the body whereby they are capable of fence and motion So there is a power derived from the man to the woman for the dispatch of all domestick affairs and oeconomical employments towards the supportation of life and well-being Beside what powerful influence is derived unto her for the inlarging of their house with an off-spring generated out of their own loines And thus man is the head of the woman in respect of that sourfold discrepancy which is betwixt the head and the inferior parts As for the latter Man is the head of the woman in respect of congruity which is threefold The head hath a natural conformity with the members both have the same nature So man doth agree with woman in specie though he differ from her in sexu Adam said of Eve that he was flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and therefore saith Moses shall a man leave his Father and his Mother and shall cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh This is a great mystery saith Paul which is a resemblance of a greater the union of Christ and his Church The head and members do agree in ordination to the same end and joine their forces together for the attaining thereof So the husband and wife do mutually concurre in bending their endeavours to the same scope They are bound by a solemne promise and vow to uphold the Christian reputation and civil credit one of another The end in this Matrimonial contract where two are mystically contracted into one propounded and aimed at is threefold denoted in the form of Solemnization of Matrimony 1. The procreation of children to be educated in the fear and nature of the Lord and praise of God 2. The avoidance of fornication and preservation of chastity thereby to keep themselves undefiled members of Christs body for in this sacramental tye there is comprehended a firm restriction to curb in the insolent and violent extravagancies of our carnal appetites and lustful affections 3. The mutual succour and comfort that the one is to afford the other both in prosperity and adversity Vae soli saith the wise man there 's no comfort in being alone in which regard marriage is commended above a single life Woman was made for an help to man to ease him of part of his labours of his pain hence saith Solomon A good wife is the gift of God no earthly nor temporal blessing is like unto it Sweet is the harmony betwixt the united couple who admit no distractions for then will they aime at
another end the supream which will be acquired Gods glory and their salvation The head and the members agree in continuity So man and wife single themselves out from all the world and by an indissoluble conjunction until death according to the Divine Ordinance of God the first instituter of this Order are made one one in body one in affection by a loving consent on both sides Ephes 5.3 They two shall be one flesh saith Saint Paul and he that hateth his wife hateth his own soul which in nature is most monstrous No earthly unity is comparable to this Where whom God doth thus joyn together let none attempt to put asunder it was never the intention of the prime efficient of this sacred Ordinance that who were lawfully knit together hand-fasted and heart-fasted should be ever parted or really dis-joyned but should continue one and the same unto their dying day Ephes 5.23 Sic equidem ab initio so I am sure it was from the beginning Thus the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church And thus much for the first point in what respects the man is the head of the woman The second part of my discourse shall be concerning the Offices mutually to be performed by man and wife I will begin with the wife it is the Apostles exhortation unto them Wives submit your selves to your own husbands as it is fit in the Lord. Colos 3.18 Ephes 5.24 And in another place as the Church is subject unto Christ so let wives be to their own husbands in every thing This submission this subjection doth import three things 1. An internal act of the heart conceiving and acknowledging their inferiority to their husbands albeit for nobility of birth and honourable descent for riches or vertue or prudence they may perhaps excel Hence doth proceed as from its proper fountain outward subjection which cannot be without the former but either forced or feigned This disposition of the heart discovered by outward expressions the Apostles speech seems to reflect upon And the wife see that she reverence her husband For wives to be in subjection to their own husbands Ephes 5. last was the fashion in the old world thus Sara obeyed Abraham calling him Lord 1 Pet. 3.6 Let it O let it ye that are the daughters of pious Sara as long as ye do well be the fashion now So shall not the resolute combination of your faithful hearts admit an interruption nor your hearty harmony the least jarring 2. This subjection of wives imports an endeavour of conforming themselves to their husbands humours in all lawful and different matters It is indeed a difficult task but so much the more laudable when the work consummated An ingenuous nature will quickly effect it Hence saith the Apostle She that is married careth for the things of the world how she may please her husband The principal way to attain present felicity and undisturb'd contentation in this life for a woman is 1 Cor. 7.34 to be industrious in framing her disposition and composing her affections in that manner as that her actions may be correspondent to her good mans desires When the rib whereof Eve was made was taken out of Adam Adam was in a deep sleep free from perturbation or pain intimating as one wittily observes that women must be neither troublesome nor painful unto their husbands but ever good and pleasing 3. This subjection hath this importance that the love wives ought to bare their husbands ought to be entire The care of their estates and children perpetual their bearing with their infirmities patient their application of comfort in every condition Sicut in ligno vermis ita perdit virwn suum uâ—or malefica Hierom. constant And if any husband be of dissolute behaviour it is the part of a pious Matron by prayer and sweet conversation to endeavour a reformation A woman thus vertuous is a crown unto her husband Prov. 12.4 Contrariwise she that maketh ashamed is as rottennesse in his bones Wherein the wise man expresseth the mischief of an evil wife by an apt similitude And that of Hierom is not much behind it As the worm eats into the heart of the tree and destroys it so doth a naughty wife her husband Now secondly ye men whom God hath blest with the happinesse of a wife and ye that intend this holy estate observe your duties also It is an Apostolical Edict dictated by the Spirit of Truth husbands love your wives and be not bitter against them A twofold Precept the one commanding love the other prohibiting bitternesse Your love must be pure and upright according to the example of our Saviour urged by the Apostle Ephes 5.25 Husbands love your wives as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lov'd the Church there 's the affection of the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and gave himself for it there 's the effect of that affection First then you must love and bestow your hearts upon them and because that the demonstration of your love doth consist in the exhibition of effects there must be secondly an expression of the inward affection in outward acts which may be reduced to these three A joyful and contented cohabitation with your Consorts your presence unlesse necessity force your absence is much desired Christ promised that He would be with his Church unto the end of the world Inter utrunque ardor amoris summus ut Opianus de cervis agens scribit Prov. 5.18 19. So be ye with your espoused wives until death shall work a seperation Rejoyce saith Solomon with the wife of thy youth let her be as the loving Hind and pleasant Roe let her breasts satisfie thee at all times and be thou ravisht with her love Velut extra sis rerum aliarum obliviscare saith Mercer An instruction of them in all things that tend either to the procuring of temporal felicity in this life or the compassing of eternal glory in the suture If they learn any thing let them ask their husbands at home 1 Cor. 14.35 You are their Tutors and Supervisors whose directions are not limitted to secular affairs wherein they are your co-partners but extend also to religious employments and the divine matters of a more glorious and everlasting Kingdom Vxoris vitium aut tollendo aut tollerando Varro whereof with you they are co-heirs Dwell with them saith Saint Peter according to knowledge giving honour unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as being heirs together of the grace of life 1 Pet. 3.7 There is for further expression of love in man required a careful and sollicitous provision of all things necessary for their wives He that provides not for those of his houshold is worse than an infidel Our Saviour supplies his Church which is his Spouse with what conduceth to the happinesse thereof So do
some sort rest satisfied Had that Apostate Julian disburdened his soul of all praejudicate opinions had he pondered divine truths as was requisite had he look't into it as into the word of God he never had blasphemed it in saying Vidi legi contempsi I saw it read it contemned it to whom learned Basil modestly replied as Chamier that famous French-man reports out of history Vidisti legisti non intellexisti si intellexisses non contempsisses sawedst thou it readst thou it thou never understoodst it hadst thou understood it thou hadst never contemn'd it Of so great authority and so full of divine majesty are the Oracles of God as that in an understanding man they beget an awful reverence and mightily prevail for an obedient subscription with those that studiously look into it never man spake as Christ never man as God Now who those are that should diligently enquire after the will of God and look into the perfect Law of liberty is a point worthy our enquiring after None but such as exempt themselves from God exempt themselves from this task All are bound to it but who will observe it Minister and People as they combine to honour God so to know him and whom he hath sent Jesus Christ The Knowledge of whose will glides not into the soul of man by natural instinct or moral infusion but by the Spirit and the Word of truth the Spirit illuminating the Word informing our understanding In which word we that are Pastours of the flock of Christ above others must use assiduous scrutiny 't is our profession to know more than ordinary Act. 20.28 as appointed in an higher sphear to be Overseers of the Church of God Hence the Spirit terms the Prophets Seers because they saw the will of God which others also saw by them 1 Cor. 4.1 and the Apostles with their successours stewards of the mysteries of God and Embassadors for Christ to pray men in Christs stead to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.20 En flexanimam suadae medullam whose knowledge by preaching must be diffused others must reap the benefit of our paines God makes us knowing men to make knowing men which many have taken on them to do but some neglect it some can but will not some will not because they cannot some cannot and yet presume As for them that can and will not I pity them they shall be beaten with many stripes as for them that will not because they cannot I slight them though richer than my selfe they are but dumb dogs as for them that cannot yet presume the world may jeere them they make the Pulpit undervalued But for Gods sake my brethren let us that can will and endeavor when we speak from the father of languages to deliver our embassage not in an ill one lest we expose our selves to a scornful censure nor in a too obscure and affected one labouring more for fine words than fit ones lest affecting the praise of humane eloquence we feed the people as Heliogabalus did his Parasites with painted dishes as those fed the eye not the body so the other tickle the eare but profit not the soul 'T is truth that one speakes there is a Magick in the tongue can charm the wild mans motions and though God hath chosen by weak things to confound the wise 1 Cor. 1.27 yet experience shews that in all times a washed language hath much prevailed The Scriptures are pen'd in a tongue of a deep expression in every word almost a Metaphor illustrating by some allusion How political is Moses how Philosophycal and Mathematical is Job how massy and sententious Solomon in his Proverbs how quaint and amorously affected in his Canticles how grave and solemn in his Ecclesiastes and how poetical and full of heavenly raptures is his father in his Psalmes Christs doctrine astonished the Jewes Paul pleaded at the barr in a transcendent straine of eloquence and in dispute was subtile In a word it suites not with the Majesty of so divine an Art as is that of winning soules to be presented in sordid rags but in a graceful trimme yet plain Confections that are cordial are not the worse but the better for being guilded Divinity as it must not lasciviate so being well ordered by significant words placed in a native decency angles the soul and lifts it up to heaven As Herod therefore bade the wise men diligently to search for the young child Jesus and when they had found him to bring him word that he might go and worship him also so I advise my brethren accurately to look into this perfect law of liberty and when they have found what there is hidden by constant preaching to divulge it By this means the perverse transgressor is called and converted and Gods pleasure before neglected is observed I repeat St Peters exhortation feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tantâ—m ut nos pascat vâ—stiat not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind 1 Pet. 5.2 that every one of you may say with the Apostle of the Gentiles As much as in me lieth I am ready to preach the Gospel unto you Rom. 1.15 Quicquid in me situm est Promptum est Which done in sincerity not having an eye to the airy applause of men nor wordly commodity but to the glory of God immortal in the salvation of the souls of the hearers when the chief shepheard shall appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye shall receive a Crown of glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5.4 As for silent Ministers not silent by authority but through insufficiency I should wish them well did I wish they never had that calling unto which I dare say they were never truly called but compel'd by necessity on whom avarice laid on the supposedly holy hands By which disorder of ordering broken tradesmen and such of the giddy-headed multitude untuter'd in the Word of God who never knew other Art than how to deceive this holy function is prophaned the Church scandalized the well-deserving kept in penury ignorance gets head impiety propagates and the sheep of Christ with these Wolves in sheep-skins are pitifully worried This tends to verifying Winifrids Apothegme changing one word In old time there were golden Pastors and wooden Chalices but now golden Chalices and wooden Pastors as of old the Jewes had a royal Temple but a rascal Priesthood To redress this abuse the remedy lies in the Imposers hands would the reverend Fathers of the Church hold in their hands from imposition and Patrons theirs from Donation until merit claimed it Clerus Angliae stupor mundi these unworthy vermine would never appear and Churchmen would gain their ancient reputation I make bold therefore to report what an honourable person once writ to his most excellent Majesty of famous memory learned King James They must rather leave the Ark to shake as it
Divine the Trinity that Paul should be an Apostle of Jesus Christ Three such whose same for the eminency of their spiritual endowments spread far and wide Three such whose wisdom by reason they were more familiar with Christ than the rest was haply of an higher straine These were the three disciples which he cul'd from the rest to go with him up into the mountain where he was transfigured Q. Elizabeths Motto was Video Tacco Cambd. Eliz. to whom at his coming down he said see ye tell to no man the vision until the Son of man rise from the dead Mat. 17. These are the three that attended on him when he restored the dead maid to life Luk. 8.51 And two of these Cephas and John were with him in the extremity of his agony when he said my soul is sorrowful even unto death Mat. 26.38 Now severally of each name a little more than naming them First James James of Jacob which imports a supplanter of him I may say Judg. 8. as Zeba and Zalmunnah said of Gideou as is the man so is his strength Strong in faith vindicating the truth from the blowes of the adversary Hence rightly named Justus doing justice a work of righteousness towards God towards the man of God Towards God while like a good King he seconds a defender of the faith towards the man of God Paul whilst he acknowledging Paul's gifts to be the gifts of God protects him as himself from the rage of false brethren and giving the definitive sentence on his side like a Patron of truth A true testimony of his love to Christ This was he that was called the Lords brother tyed unto him with a true-loves-knot indissoluble by force of either man or Angel good or bad And here you find him maintaining his brothers right against these white devils hypocrites false brethren Let me exhort you then to be followers of him as he was of Christ Jesus Supplant sin Satan the wicked enemies of God of man and ye shall be Israels prevalent with God Cephas followes this was Simon Peter Joh. 1.42 thou art Simon the son of Jonah Difference between Cephas and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt be called Cephas by interpretation a stone And Mat. 16. blessed are thou Simon Barjonah I say also unto thee thou art Peter and hence proceeds the Papists paradox that Peter is the head of the Church but there is no such matter Christ is the onely head Christ is the onely foundation Christ is the onely head Quantum inter stellas â—una minores Ephes 5.23 for God hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church Eph. 1.22 Hence he is compared to an husband as the husband is the head of the wife so Christ is the head of the Church Christ is the onely foundation for no other foundation can any man lay than that is laid which is Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 3.11 This subtle invention of the Papists was thrust in among the other false heads of their Religion to make that stumbling-block unto us I mean the Pope head of the Church without sense without reason but since he is a stumbling-block unto the true professors of Christ the Captain of our salvation Heb. 2. and a dead head I will grace him onely with the title of a block-head being spel'd and put together Here all the nimble chop Jesuites more in words than in substance labour in vain to prove Peter prince of the Apostles let them put on their considering caps and weigh these things in the balance of the Sanctuary the Word of God I would send them no farther than to the two verses before the text together with the text where we find Paul for gifts of the Spirit to be equal with Peter and the rest where James is prefer'd before Peter where James Cephas and John are called Pillars equally where Paul's territory doth extend farther than Peters as the Gentiles the Jewes And thus I give them a Mittimus to the Pope with a flea in their eare Thus much by the way I will prosecute it no farther leaving it to those more parts who as Jael did by Sisera can hit the naile in the head down to the ground Judg. 4. This name must have his note Cephas or Peter it signifies a rock or a stone as rocks or hard stones are wont to be laid in the foundation of any building so the faith of Peter and of the whole Church doth stay upon Christ the firm and unmoveable rock upon whom the whole Church is bullded As he is Cephas a stone so Simon one that is attentive one that is obedient both fruits of faith by it he walked on the sea and sunk not like a stone by it he confessed Christ to be the Son of the living God after the resurrection he was demanded of Christ thrice to feed his sheep to feed them with the Word and Sacraments thrice bidden because haply to be done in the name of three the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost he fed Christs flock for at one Sermon he converted three thousand hearers he healed the man that was lame from his mothers womb be killed by the power of the Word two scab'd sheep Ananias and Saphira his wise for lying unto the holy Ghost he healed Aeneas sick of the palsie he raiseà Tabitha from death to life he convinc't Simon Magus of his Sorcery And as the best were and are not without their faults no more was he without his Three times together denied he Christ wherein rather than in any thing else the Pope succeeds him and therefore Antichrist But Peter wept bitterly for his lapsus linguae 2 Sam. 25. Antichrist is not touched with grief but rejoyceth in what he doth therefore as Abigail said of Nabal so Lof him As his name is so is he These things being known because as Paul speaks of other things they were not done in a corner made him wonderful in the eyes and eares of all and therefore counted a grand Pillar of the Church Here we find him receiving Paul into his fellowship with heart and hand with the rest of the Apostles Now give me leave to exhort you to be followers of him as he was of Christ Jesus Herein shall you shew your selves to be attentive and obedient to the heavenly voice and hereby you are made precious stones knit to the rock Christ Jesus in the new Hierusalem now here and above hereafter in glory Now I come to John Luke 1. which is as much as gracious to whom I may apply that salutation of the Angel to the Virgin Mary haile thou that art highly favoured the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women So haile thou that art highly favoured or graciously accepted or much graced the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among the sons of men for thou hast found favour with God thou
hast found favour with thy Saviour the Son of God This is that disciple commonly called the disciple whom the Lord loved into whose hands as a sure pledge of his love as Potipher did to Joseph finding favour in his sight he made him overseer over his house and all that he had he put into his hands Gen. 39. he committed I say unto his charge as with the rest of the Apostles the oversight of his house his Church so especially to him alone upon the cross making himself ready to appease the wrath of his Father the protection of his mother as if he had said love me love my mother for behold thy mother John 19. Now the same exhortation that I used before I use again this third time be ye followers of him also as he was of Christ Jesus and ye shall be gracious and graciously accepted in the sight of God Set these three before you for example and ye shall be supplanters of sin and able to trip up the devils heeles and prevall with God for a blessing ye shall be stones like Davids pebble slung at Goliath able to dash Satan that he shall not have a word to speak against you or power to hurt you you shall be the gracious children of the most high in a word ye shall be as they were Pillars in the Temple of God And thus I come to the description of these three Apostles James Cephas and John who seemed to be pillars It was Christ's question whereunto shall we liken the Kingdom of God Mark 4. or with what comparison shall we compare it According unto which frame another whereunto shall we liken the Apostles of Christ or with what comparison shall we compare them I omit many that of Shepheards that of Overseers or that of faithfull Stewards in Gods house and such like onely I insist on this in the text Pillars who seemed to be Pillars The Apostles then whom I may rightly terme Gen. 32.2 as Jacob did the Angels that met him Gods hoast are like unto pillars in this first viz. Pillars are not the foundation but laid on the foundation Here then observe that neither Peter nor any of the Apostles nor altogether can be truly called fundamentum Ecclesiae Dei the foundation of Gods Church it is Christ's own prerogative royal to be the foundation the head of his people Psal 18.2 hence saith the Anointed of the God of Jacob the Lord is my rock my fortresse and my deliverer 2 Sam. 22.1 Cor. 3.11 for who is God save the Lord and who is a rock save our God Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ so that we need not go to Rome to seek a foundation for we are built upon the foundation that is the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner-stone Eph. 2.21 22. agreeing with that Isa 28.16 Behold I lay in Zion a chief corner-stone elect precious in whom saith the Apostle farther all the building fitly framed together consisting of Jew and Gentile whom Christ the corner-stone knits together groweth into an holy temple in the Lord. This Temple is made of stones 1 Pet. 2.4 5. and stones like Christ living stones not like Nabal whose heart is said to have died within him and to become a stone stone-dead but they are living-stones full of life and spirit to whom coming as unto a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Thus the Church of God is all stone-work therefore strong and firme as appeareth verse 6. but by faith he that believeth in him shall not be confounded True it is Rev. 21. Immota manet According to the Ven tian Motto Nec fluctu nec flatu movetur that the wall of the New Hierusalem is said to have twelve foundations and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb but the meaning is mystical One foundation and twelve names written thereon one Christ preached by the twelve Apostles therefore called twelve foundations not twelve distinctly and severally but one with twelve names As Paul saith like a wise master-builder I have laid the foundation so might the rest of the Apostles say and thus in number twelve indeed but one If this satisfie not put a distinction between the first and principal foundation and second and lesse principal these are Pillars fixt on the first improperly called foundation The Apostles again are like unto Pillars sustinendo aedificium Domini in supporting the Church of God that spiritual edifice Wisdom saith the wise man in the Proverbs hath hewen her out seven pillars Prov. 9.1 according to the sevenfold operation of the Spirit which Saint Bernard reduceth unto these Fear Piety Knowlege Counsel Fortitude Understanding Wisdom Christ the Wisdom of the Father so termed hath hewen him out twelve Pillars twelve Apostles for the strengthning for the supporting of his Church by the sevenfold operation of his Spirit Dagon the god of the Philistines cannot stand 1 Sam. 5. troubled with the falling-sicknesse while the Ark of God is present So these false brethren Paul's accusers down they must with a vengeance in the presence of these three pillars wherein was written the Law of the Lord as Gods ten Commands in the two tables of stone 2 Sam 7.12 And here they shew themselves to be Eben-ezers stones of help such as Samuel set between Mispeh and Shen Therefore be strong in the Lord. Strong Pillars they were Veritatem confirmando errores refutando these were the Apostles acts as ye may find in the Acts of the Apostles I name one place for all and for all one man Paul Acts 9.22 But Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Jewes that dwelt in Damascus and hence they are called Saviours Saviours shall come upon Mount Sion Obadiah 21. This is it that Paul saith of a Bishop that he must be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince the gainsayers Tit. 1.9 't is not sufficient to resist Satan and his complices stedfast in the faith as the Apostle Peter exhorts 1 Pet. 5.9 but there must be a conquest Rev. 3.12 there must be a conqueror Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God That this be done persiste vinces stand stedfast and thou shalt overcome Resist the Devil and he will shew you a paire of heeles he will flie Be ye stedfast and unmovable Many Pillars susteined the Tabernacle whose Chapiters and Bases were of gold the middle part were done about with silver The golden Chapiters and Bases set forth Christ the silver part the Apostles and the faithful Columnaes si fueris in firma fide argentea si divini fueris usu instructus Sermonis faith