of the Church which is in heaven is in patria in her country That part which is on earth is but in via upon the way when wee enter into heaven wee are comprehenseres whilst wee are on earth wee are but viatores they that are in heaven are called the triumphant Church they that are on earth the militant Now by both of these it is cleare that the Church here on earth hath much adoe for will you looke upon her as a pilgrim she hath enough to doe with all her wits to keepe the right way for though the way bee patent enough yet because it is thorny wee had need of a guide to lead us in it that when wee fall and stumble hee may lift us up againe For this Iacob confessed Few and evill have beene the dayes of my pilgrimage Again will we looke upon the Church here on earth as upon an army for so Iob confessed Iob 7. Mans life is a warfare on earth There we have need of a head and a leader too for unlesse there bee Captaines over hundreds and over thousands it is impossible that we can either fight in order or report a due victory and there shall nothing bee heard in our campe but confusion and the voice of him that is overcome so that howsoever the metaphor standeth it is cleare that wee are by nature weake and fraile creatures subject to many wandrings and many assaults under and against the which wee can neither stand nor prevaile unlesse our Leader and Captaine bee with us and in his power make us victorious The metaphor therefore serving equally to present unto us both our pilgrimage and our warfare I would rather lay hold on the last and shew you what are the references of our spirituall warfare in which wee stand seeing the matter is so clearly displayed and pointed out to us elsewhere for in the Epistle to the Ephesians the Apostle telleth us that wee must not onely fight against flesh and blood but also against principalities and powers and spirituall wickednesse and the Prince of darknesse and the god that ruleth powerfully in in the children of disobedience That wee may therefore hold still the allegory of our warfare and from thence attaine to the scope and meaning of these words let us now looke upon them both and see how the one keepeth correspondence with che other In a carnall and bodily warfare wee know that three things are chiefly remarkable 1. The fight 2. The enemies 3. The Captaines charge All of these wee shall finde here set downe unto us in these few words as in a mappe our spirituall warfare for never did any Generall on earth decipher better the severall periods of a pitched battell then our Redeemer Christ Jesus doth here wisely both set us in order of battell and providently tell us both how to fight and how to retire And that this may bee cleare looke to the words in which hee foundeth to us our alarum and commandeth us fight for as it is in the earthly combate so is it in the spirituall in it wee have five things considerable 1. The fight it selfe temptation 2. The enemies and these are all those who have a part in this temptation 3. The souldiers and these are wee who are the children and servants of God 4. The Captaine God our Father who is in heaven 5. And last of all what is his charge hee must bee our leader All of these packed up from their severall places make up to us this maine charge Lead us not into temptation Wee will returne now to the first thing considerable in the words and that is our fight proposed to us in the word Temptation For the better understanding whereof wee must know that as there is Multiplex pugnandi genus so there is Multiplex tentandigenus For Aliter pugnatur in schola aliter in praetio wee fight one way in the fencing schoole another way in the field Whilst wee are in the fencing schoole our master fighteth against us his strokes are soft and for our instruction But when wee come to the field our enemie fighteth against us his strokes are furious desperate and his end is to destroy us We have need then to watch over our selves guard our selves well lest by our negligence security we fall and cannot rise againe Yet to make the word more cleare wee must labour to distinguish tempters in their severall sorts and from thence know what temptation is truly and what is the nature thereof For understanding of which wee must know that there are three sorts of tempters God man sathan God tempteth man man tempteth man man tempteth God sathan tempteth man also God tempteth man and his temptations are but tryalls of man not that it is requisite for God to trie what is in man for he knoweth already what is in mans heart his mouth workes and wayes But when God tryeth and tempteth a man it is to make man knowne to himselfe to those with whom hee lives in the world Thus he tryed and tempted Abrahams faith Iobs patience Davids love Peters perseverance and Pauls sincerity Abrahams faith in offering up of Isaaek Iobs patience by his multiplyed afflictions Davids love in Absolous persecution Peters perseverance by a damosell and Pauls sincerity by a buffer of Sathan Now as God tempteth man not for that he is ignorant of what is in man but that he may make him know himselfe that his graces in man may be knowne to the world as the Apostle writing to the Corinthiās telleth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they who are approved may bee knowne so also in the second place man tempteth God and as God tempteth man and is free of sinne so man when hee tempteth God is never void of it for whilst man tempteth and tryeth God it is a faithlesse and distrustfull tryall hee maketh of Gods power So Israel tempted God sinfully in the wildernesse whilst by tenne severall tēptations they forced God to make knowne unto them his omnipotencie and all-sufficient power Can God prepare a table to us in the wildernesse or can hee give flesh to the thousands of Israel to eate Thirdly man tempteth man and that diversly for there is a temptation and a tryall whereby man tempteth man approved of in Scripture and there is a temptation whereby man tempteth man condemned and dis-allowed in Scripture Of the first sort of temptations and tryalls are those which man useth for clearing of controversies As Salomon tryed the harlot by her unnaturalnesse to the child which shee claimed Or then for trying or examining the knowledge and grace of God in man so ministers are bound in duty to try their flocks masters their servants parents their children in the progresse and growth of Christianity Lastly Sathan is a tempter and that a chiefe and maine one For as all his temptations are to evill so are they all sinfull and that in two respects both in respect of
meaning of the words to bee Let them that are not yet called bee brought within the compasse of thy covenant and the bosome of thy Church that as wee beleeve so they may beleeve also and as thy will is done by us so it may bee done by them Both of these opinions are not only tolerable but also laudable For we are bound by religion not only to subdue the lusts of our flesh and to live after the Spirit but also wee are bound in charity to begge of God that all such as appertaine to his election may be in due time called justified and glorified That so there may be but one shepheard and one sheepfold and God may bee over all and in all blessed for ever But if I may speak it without the prejudice of so great lights Howsoever both these Petitions be requisite for the Christian yet doe not I thinke that either of them be here meant But with Chrysostome I doe thinke that this Petition differs nothing from that precept of the Apostles Collos 3.1 If yee bee risen with Iesus Christ seeke those things that are above By earth then I understand men that are on earth and by heaven the Angels of God and the Spirits of good and just men departed So that the meaning of the petition is Since it hath pleased thee O Father who dwellest in Heaven to make thy name knowne to us and be called upon of us And seeing thou hast honored us by the making us members of thy true Church and thy Kingdome of grace here on earth O let thy Spirit of Grace dwel so powerfully and plentifully in us that as thy holy Angells and glorified Saints doe thy will in heaven So we that are but weake and sinfull men may captivate our wils to thy obedience here on earth Well then by Earth wee must understand not only earthly men but also the place where Even on earth and while we live in it But let us remarke the word for it is generall Our Saviour teaching us the person the time and the place of Gods obedience saith not Thy will be done in the field in the city in the sea or in the dry land but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per universum terrarum orbem Through all the whole world And as David sayes in his 97. Psalme Make thy way knowne on earth and thy saving health to all Nations The persons then by whom he will have Gods will done are men who are of the earth and to the earth returne again And the place where in the earth and whilst wee live in it For unlesse wee doe the will of God here wee shall not enter into our Masters joy hereafter In the second roome wee must looke to the patterne and it is called heaven by the which as I told you already Augustine and Chrysostome do understand the holy Angells of God and the glorified Spirits of men These are said to bee in heaven But by these alone the word is not only understood For as there are more heavens then one so are they more that do the will of God in heaven then those blessed Spirits alone I say there are more heavens then one and it is cleere For it is said in the preface of this prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plurall number and it is knowne and manifest in nature For this expansum or void wherein are the fowles is called a heaven and they the fowles of the heaven Againe these seaven subordinate spheares in the which the seaven Planets doe raigne are called heaven also Againe that place wherein are the fixed Starres is called a heaven also And finally that place of felicity which is above all of these is called heaven and the third heaven and the heaven of heavens and the Paradise of God Now as all of these are furnished with their severall host and inhabitants So is the will of God done in all of these by their severall host and inhabitants For in the lower heavens which we call our firmament the will of God is done by the fowles of the ayre and by the treasures of windes raine snow haile and the thunder In the second heaven the will of God is done by the Sunne the Moone and the Starres In the third heaven also the will of God is done by the holy Angells who have kept their originall integrity and by the congregation of the first born who rest from their labours and have entred into their Masters joy The words then are cleere By earth is meant man made of earth returning to the earth and living on the earth By heaven is meant all the host and inhabitants of the whole heavens of God whether they be the first second or third heaven But chiefly the third Now the resemblance and parallel of the obedience is remarkable As it is in Heaven For it may be enquired how doe the Angells and Saints departed obey the will of God in heaven I answere they obey it five manner of wayes Speedily Cheerfully Fully sincerely constantly and perfectly Speedily and without delay cheerfully and without murmuring fully and without omission sincerely without dissimulation constātly without wearying and perfectly without halting Now is it possible for man so to doe Gods will No certainly wee cannot doe it speedily for like Lot we linger to goe out of Sodome We cannot doe it cheerfully for like Israel wee grudge and murmur in the way to our rest We cannot doe it fully for the good that wee would doe we doe not c. We doe it not sincerely and without dissimulation for although wee honour him with our mouthes our hearts are farre from him We doe it not constantly and without wearying for to day we are fervent and to morrow wee are lukewarme neither hot nor cold Neither doe we it perfectly for we know but in a part and see but in a part and our perfection is laid up for us in the life to come But why doe we then pray for it since wee cannot attaine to it I answere though we cannot attaine to it yet wee should strive after it For there is a time comming wherein we shall obtaine and attaine to that perfection wee aime at And that is our last moment and day of our dissolution Like Israel compassing Jericho And Sampson groaning under his blindnesse Vse Now the use of all this When God made man he made him conforme to his patterne for he made him like to himselfe and to his owne Image When God commanded to build him a Tabernacle he gave a patterne to it in the mount and never a pinne was in the Tabernacle but what was commanded So it is here when Christ Jesus desireth us to doe Gods will he writeth to us a copy doe it in earth as it is done in heaven Not that we are able to attaine to it but that we must strive after it Let us looke but to a naturall Parent Hee calleth upon
it unto you The world and the children of men when they pardon their pardons are faulty three wayes they are not totall but partiall not free but constrained neither finall but for a time not totall for if they can forgive one fault another is impardonable not free and voluntary but forced and constrained either by reason of the importunity of friends or hope in expectation of gaine not finall for though they forgive for a time yet their wrath and desire of revenge is renued with any occasion whatsoever It is not so with our God for what he easeth of that he forgiveth when hee forgiveth hee forgiveth ingenuously that is freely fully finally freely without any merit or occasion on our part fully for hee forgiveth both the sinne and the punishment thereof And finally for hee forgiveth us both in this life and that which is to come What hath man then wherein hee can rejoyce nothing but in the mercy and free favour of God for as St Bernard duely and truly acknowledgeth Meritum meum est miseratio Domin so may all the sonnes of Adam cry out and say Not unto us O Lord not unto us and with the Apostle St Paul O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his wayes and his judgements past finding out LECTIO 16. And forgive us our trespasses HAving already handled of the word debt and the word forgive that which remaines of the text offereth it selse to our consideration for though the gleanings of Ephratus bee better then the vintage of Abiezer yet must the gleanings have their owne roome also and every one in their owne order must be considered which in number are three 1. for whom it is that wee put up this supplication of pardon the word is plurall not singular Vs 2. The reason why we poure out our supplications in this plurall signification and it is because it is wee not I that have sinned alone nor thou only nor any other alone but all of us and therefore in a communicative appropriation wee call them ours Thirdly it is to be considered of whom and from whose hands it is that we are bold to begge this our release and pardon If in any of these particulars wee can make any further point of instruction to result by the grace of God it shall be made knowne unto you The first thing then wee have to speake of this day is the persons for whom and in whose favour this petition and supplication is formed It is cleare and evident out of the words themselves that the petition is not made for mee alone nor for thee alone nor for any man or woman in the world alone but in common thou for mee and I thee and every one of us for our selves and each of us for our neighbours as for our selves for as Omnis orainata charitas incipit â seipso sic etiam omnis regulata charitas terminatur in socio wee have reason then to looke first on our selves with the eyes of pitty and from our selves with the eyes of cōmiseration on our neighbours knowing them to bee men of the like infirmity to which wee our selves are subject Remember brethren that God in his word hath taught us two severall sorts of communicative contemplation the one pointing at our selves from the consideration of our brethren the other pointing at our brethren from the consideration of our selves the pitty that wee owe to our selves from the consideration of our brethren is recommended to us in the fifth chapter of the Epistle to the Galathians Brethren if any man bee fallen amongst you of infirmity restore such a one in the spirit of meeknesse considering your selves lest you also be tempted The pitty that wee owe to our brethren from consideration of our selves is mentioned in many parts of the law wherein we are commanded not to hide our eyes from the necessities of any stranger because wee our selves were sometimes strangers in the land of Israel it is so here with us God will have us to remember and pray for our necessities not in our owne name alone but also in the name of our brethren and fellow members Vse In handling of the words the order is remarkable and next to the order the communion and fellowship that is couched up in the bosome of that order First I will looke upon the order which is very remarkable for hee is teaching his disciples to pray for the pardon and remission of sinnes but hee will have them first to looke on themselves and their owne necessities and from themselves not onely to consider but also to commiserate the necessities of their brethren this is the path and the true straine in the which God walkes for our God is the God of order and not of confusion And for cleering hereof that order is first and originally established in God himselfe and then from him a shadow of that order which is in him is derived to his creatures I say first order is positively and cheefly established in God himselfe for hee who is one in essence is distinguished in three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost who being individually one in themselves by vertue of their individuall essence yet are distinguished by order of personall existence the Father being in respect of order distinguished and preferred to the Sonne and the Father and the Sonne both to the holy Ghost Now from this chiefe and prime distinction of order which is amongst the persons of the blessed Trinity there is made manifest amongst the creatures a shadow of this order also and that in five severall points of contemplation First in the frame of the heavens and earth Secondly in the civill societies of men on earth viz. Commonwealths Thirdly in the spirituall societies of men his Church Fourthly in the homebred and domesticke families of men And last of all in the private carriages of man in his life and conversation I say that God hath established order in the frame and combination of heaven and earth together for there hee hath placed light and darknesse that for the day this for the night there hee hath set the Sunne and the Moone that by the heat of his influence to exhale this by her moisture to water and refresh there hath hee placed the clouds the bottels of raine wherewith in due season hee watereth Gedions fleece there hath hee placed the wardrobe and storehouse of the tempests of snow haile and winde and all for the use of man and those other sublunary creatures that live and move on the face of the earth that in thē all of thē the footsteps of the order of the God of order may be seen acknowledged next to this celestiall order subordination of the Spheares and Celestiall bodies behold hee hath fixed an order and subordination also amongst the sonnes of men in their secular and civill conversation and commercement for there hee hath placed
on our travels all should bee in vaine For wee may eate and not be satisfied wee may cover our makednesse and not be warme wee may sow much and reape little we may earne wages and put them in a bottomlesse bagge except hee open his hand and fill us with his blessing for then and no otherwise are wee satisfied And thirdly whilst wee begged of God the meanes of our satisfaction so also wee begged them of him in a moderate manner and measure not to give us over-little lest wee should for want steale and Gods name should bee dishonoured by our practice Nor yet over-much lest by reason of our plenty wee should waxe wanton forget the rocke from whence wee were hewen and so in our presumptions perish say Who is the Lord Now having begged these things in that Petition this Petition is duely conjoyned unto it by this particle of conjunction And for since it is certaine that man is a weake and fraile creature in the day of his want ready to runne an ill course and in the day of his prosperity ready to grow proud and mis-know God there can nothing bee better said then Lead us not into temptation that is to say since Sathan is ready at all times in all places and by all occasions to tempt us to sinne Lord watch thou over us by thy grace and good spirit that in the day of our want wee sinne not against thee by despaire and in the day of our wealth and abundance wee sinne not against thee by presumption but learne in whatsoever state wee bee therewith to be content for naked wee came into the world and naked we shall returne againe Again by the same cōjunctive particle And this Petition is duly tyed to that wherein wee begged of God the remission and pardon of our sinnes and that for three severall causes or respects first to teach us to avoid security Secondly to teach us the truth of Gods covenant and thirdly to teach us to submit our selves to the condition of the covenant It teacheth us to beware of security for after the remission of sinne temptation followeth and hee is a great foole who having once gotten the victory over sinne cries to himselfe a perpetuall and permanent peace yes furely for the estate of the servant is not above his master Whilst Sathan dealt with our head Christ Jesus in tempting him though hee mightily declared himselfe to bee the Sonne of God by resisting and repelling his temptations yet in the end it is said that Sathan left him but for a season If then this hath beene the lot and portion of the head what shall become of us that are members If hee dealt so with the greene tree what shall become of us who are withered branches And finally if this hath beene the portion of him who was the cedar of Lebanon what shall become of us who are poore bushes of Isop at the foot of the wall No no O man deceive not thy selfe and after the foile of a sinne over which it may please God in his mercy to give thee victory and peace of conscience in the blood of Jesus dost thou thinke that Sathan can bee so cowardly that after one foile hee dare no more to assault thee No be sure of this so long as the strong man keepes the hold all things are in peace but if with Iacob thou shalt labour to returne to the land of thy nativity Laban shall pursue thee and unlesse the God of thy fathers make his fall upon him hee will not onely kill thee but also the mother upon the young ones For though for a while hee seeme to leave his habitation yet if thou do not watch over the house of thy soule hee shall returne and bring with him seaven other spirits worse then himselfe and the last estate of thy soule shall be worse then the first Secondly it serves to teach us the truth of Gods covenant under which we have not onely cause of joy and spirituall rejoycing but also reason to serve the Lord in feare and walke before him in trembling For the covenant of mercy that God maketh with man in the blood of Christ hath two parts the first carryeth a promise of the remission of our sinnes the second a promise that hee will write his law in our hearts Now this is that new covenant which God promiseth to make with us under the Gospell of which the Apostle Paul writing to the Hebrews tells us that the tenor thereof is not formed according to the tenor of a carnall commandement but according to the power and law of an endlesse life For to what use I pray you shall the remission of our by-gone sinnes serve us if when we are once washed and cleansed wee shall straight with the dogge returne to our vomit or with the sowe to the puddle of our transgressions againe It is well added by the wisedome of God for mans instruction to say no sooner Forgive us our sinnes then straight way to subjoyne And lead us not into temptation for by this meanes wee get the covenant of God made sure and perfect to us whilst hee first sealeth in us the oblituration of the old hand writing of sinne that was against us and in the next roome writeth his law in our hearts and captivateth our affections to his obedience Lastly by the addition of this Petition to the immediately former we were taught to serve the Lord in feare for if this be our misery that our enemies are watchfull and malicious omitting no occasion of snares and temptations that can entrap and if this bee our infirmity and weaknesse that of our selves wee cannot stand one moment in the grace received why should wee not serve the Lord in feare and rejoyce before him in all trembling For as this is the comforr of comforts for a Christian to heare this said to him Sonne bee of good comfort thy sinnes bee forgiven thee So let this bee the square by which hee ruleth and squareth his future obedience Sinne no more lest a worse thing befall thee Thus having cleared to you the dependence of this Petition with that Give us this day our daily bread and with that also Forgive us our sinnes It resteth now that wee consider the words of the Petition it selfe and first those which are deprecatory and then those that are supplicatory First Lead us not into temptation and then But deliver us from evill Lead us not into temptation For the better understanding of the words wee must remember that they are metaphoricall and propounded unto us by way of a figurative translation for in them God teacheth his Church to put up her supplications to God Now wee must understand that although the Church bee but one in her selfe as her God head and husband is one yet is shee alwayes proposed to us under the shadow of two severall considerations For sometimes shee is considered as in heaven and sometimes as shee is on earth that part
many malicious powerfull and politick And like the sons of Zerviah too mighty for us unlesse that hee who commandeth us to fight fight in us and for us wee cannot be victorious Secondly when hee is called to battell let him not bee a coward for hee hath more then good company his God for a Captaine watching over him his Redeemer his elder brother fighting for him the holy Ghost his comforter fighting in him his fellow brethren standing on his one hand and all the Angels of heaven on the other and who would not fight with so good company No no my brethren let us lift up our faint hearts and strengthen our weake knees though the conflict be hard the conquest is honourable for God will shortly tread Sathan under our feet through Jesus Christ out Lord. Amen LECTIO 20. Lead us not into temptation c. ACcording to the tenor of of our first proposed method wee have already spoken unto you of the first three things that were remarkable in this Petition to wit of our calling temptation of our enemies the world the devill and the flesh And thirdly of our fellow souldiers Jesus Christ in the dayes of his flesh our fellow brethren now Saints in heaven and our fellow brethren here militant on earth It resteth now that wee consider and ponder aright the fourth and last thing remarkable in them to wit who is our Leader and it is God for to him and to him alone it is that we put up supplication and say Lead us not into temptation Now in handling of this point three things are chiefly remarkable First who it is that is our Leader and why it is that hee is so called Secondly how it is that hee leads us into temptation And thirdly whilst hee leads us into temptation whether hee be guilty of sinne or no The first thing observable is Who is our leader I answer God and that very God who being one in essence is three in persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost God the Father is our leader and therefore hee is called the Lord of Hosts God the Sonne is our leader and therefore tooke upon him our flesh that in it hee being first a souldier might thereafter become our leader Finally God the holy Ghost is now by deputation become our leader and therefore it is written That as many as are led by the Spirit are the Sonnes of God God the Father is our leader and for that cause is stiled the Lord of Hosts Dominus exercituum this is his name for ever and this is his memoriall unto all ages Of all the titles that God hath in scripture there is not one so often used by God himselfe as this For shall wee looke but upon two Prophets Isayah and Ieremiah and in them alone this title is attributed to God above an hundred thirty times It is not a title then likely to bee looked upon but with deepe and due consideration let us then looke upon it Our leader God is called the Lord of hostes in these respects first in respect of the generall frame of all his creatures who being viewed and considered in a masse together are nothing else but a pitched field and a battell set in aray fighting for the honour of God and the obedience that is due unto him For in the heaven of heavens there is an host of blessed Angels covering their faces and bowing their knees before his Throne singing a deepe Halleluiah and casting their crownes downe at his feet And this company is called an host for Luke 2. whilst they appeared to the sheepheards at the birth of Christ it is written of them There was a multitude of Angels and an heavenly host praising God and saying Glory be to God on high and to men on earth peace and goodwill Let us from that place looke a little lower and behold the starry firmament that is above our heads and there wee shall finde that hee is the Lord of hosts also for there the Sunne moone and Starres are his souldiers they fight for him and against his enemies as it is cleare out of the history of Ioshuah and Iudges and of these the Prophet Isayah saith 45.12 speaking of God I even I have stretched out the heavens and their host I have commanded but let us come a little lower and looke to the cattle that walke and the creeping things that move on the face of the earth and all of these are both the host and army of God fighting for his obedience and treading under foot those that rise up against him as is cleare from the dust and ashes of Egypt fighting against Pharo Againe if wee shall withdraw our eyes from the unreasonable creature to man who is indued with reason What I pray you are all the battells armies conflicts and skirmishes of nation against nation of kingdome against kingdome of country against country of people against people but the armies and battells of the Lord the rods of his indignation and the staffe of his wrath punishing the land because of the sinnes of them that dwell therein and man by the sword of man for his iniquity for the sword of a stranger is the revenger of the quarrell of Gods covenant Thirdly will wee looke on these our native and domesticke armies of flesh that are in these our mortall bodies I meane the ague the webbe in the eye the paine in the tooth the consumption of the lungs the shortnesse of the breath the stone in the reines the tympany of the belly and the gout in the feet what are all these but the armies of God and host of the Almighty fighting in man against man because man hath fought against God who was his leader Last of all hee is Lord of hosts also in a spirituall sense for he is our Captaine and leader in our spirituall warfare against the devill the world and the lusts of our owne flesh For it is by him and by his grace alone that wee have either courage to encounter strength to stand fast or patience to persevere unto the end And as in this hee is our leader and Captaine so doth he also hold the reines of our enemies chariots it was hee that made the wheeles of Pharoes chariots to fall off It was he that threw the stone at the fore-head of Goliah It was hee that smote the Philistines with the jawbone of an Asse It was hee that thrust the dart through Achabs brigandine and it was he alone that put a bridle in the lips of Zenacharih and a hooke in his nostrels and finally it is hee and hee alone who for our sakes by death hath destroyed him who hath the power of death that is the devill and hath put into our mouth that tryumphant song of victory O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Blessed be God the Father through Iesus Christ our Lord in all these things we are more then Conquerers because our leader hath
in Essence although distinguished in Persons in the world nothing but union the heavens giving light the clouds giving raine the fire giving heate the windes giving breath and refreshment after the world what shall bee but union Gather my Saints together from the foure Corners of the world that there may bee but one shepheard and one sheepfold and that may be over all and in all yet because this doth not satisfie the question let us see where in our union with Christ doth consist I answere our union with him standeth manifest in foure things 1. We have an union with him which giveth us love 2. By his union wee have Sympathie 3. By his union we have influence 4. By his union wee have a share and fellowship in riches I have said that by his union we have love as the husband hath with the wife wee have sympathie as the members have with the head we have influence and sappe as the Branches have from the root finally and we have a share in riches three wayes an union in his Essence an union in his Office and an union in his vertues In his essence for he that was God became man that man might become the sonne of God In his office for in him wee are made to the Father Kings Priests and Prophets In his vertues for hee of God was made to us wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption But that the words may be a little more cleare let me tell you that the word Our looks with a threefold aspect for our eyes are sometimes exercised per visionem reflexam sometimes per visionem collateralem and sometimes per visionem transcendentem Our reflected looke beholdeth our selves and therefore wee say Ours by application for it is but a cold and miserable comfort to say ours when we have no private application like Thomas The collaterall looke lookes on our brethren either à dextris in the sonnes of Gods love dealing with them in faith hope and charity or à sinistris in the children of disobedience pulling them out of the fire or heaping coales of fire on their heads The transcendent look lookes on God himselfe who in Christ Iesus is become our father and wee his sonnes Whilst wee looke to the words with a reflected contemplation we are taught humility for we make great reckoning of our parentage if it hath pleased God to distinguish us in any degree from beyond our brethren Oh but how foolish is our rejoycing for there is nothing in nature that respecteth greatnesse but man not our bitth not our sife not our sicknesse not our death not our grave nothing in grace respects greatnesse but man not the preaching of the Word for wee all doe heare not our effectuall calling for there are the things that are not preferred to the things that are not our administration of the Sacraments for by water we are baptized and by a sacramentall bread wee are fed nothing in glory for if this be a true position that we must reape according to that which wee have sowne then he who soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly and hee who soweth in plenty shall reape in joy 2. Whilst we looke on our brethren visione collaterali if they bee of the houshold of faith I meane the Church and the members therof see that thou rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weepe with them that mourne and remember thē that are in bonds as if we our selves were afflicted in the body but especially and above al to mourne for the divisions of Ioseph If they bee from without brethren I meane by nature and not by grace let us pity their misery with patience waite for their returne and in sincerity pray for their cōversion for howsoever it be not as yet seene to the world that God is become their father in Christ Iesus yet how soon it may be we know not for the time is at hand wherin all Israel must be Israel Whilst we thinke therefore that wee stand let us take heed that we fall not and let us pray for their restitution for we know not when wee our selves shall also be tempted 3 Lastly whilst we look on the words with a transcendent speculation let us know aright from whom by whom we have the liberty of this prerogative viz. in Christ Jesus And let us labour to become his fellow brethren that God may be our father in him for having him wee have all things and without him wee have nothing for all things are ours whilst wee are Christs for Christ is Gods I have heard talking of fraternity the rejoycing of the begging Friers is vaine they are fratres mendicantes the rejoycing of the Jesuites is vaine they are Fratres societatis Iesu an arrogant fraternity the rejoycing of the Chymeck or judiciall Astrologues is vaine they are Fratres roseae-crucis a foolish fraternity for they evanish in the vanity of their imaginations No no there is no fraternity in the world answerable to a Christian fraternity wherein God doth become our father for so wee have hope against all the feares of the naturall man such as want sicknesse death judgement hell and Sathan Which art in Heaven Having spoke of our familiarity and assured welcome that God is a father and of our interest in him and by him to the world to the Church and to our selves Let us now see what dwelling places hee hath Heaven For understanding hereof learne to know that man may be described by many things and God but by a few Forma figura tocus stirps nomen patria tempus are incident to the description of man but not to the description of God hee hath no form nor figure for he is invisible place cannot circūscribe him for hee is infinite progenie he hath not for he is not begotten nor time cannot measure him for hee is eternall onely by two things is he knowne to us by his name and by his habitation by his name he is our father by his habitation he is in heaven But let us remarke yet further I pray you Our Redeemer pointing out unto us his father in termes of familiarity and appropriation before that hee tell us where his habitation is he telleth us his essence and what he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee was hee is and hee is to come before time in time after time yesterday to day and for ever he was to Abraham before Abraham was I was he is to Moses I am that I am hee is to come Iohn in the Revelation Behold I come quickly Vse Is hee the selfe same without alteration or shadow of change yea and that three manner of wayes Objectively subjectively and effectively Objectively in his word for heaven and earth shall passe away but one jot of his word shall not fall to the ground Subjectively in his operation making governing and judging the world Effectively in his mercie yesterday to the fathers to day to our selves
God to leave that man to himselfe to doe the things that are not convenient Secondly shall wee looke to the progresse of sinne God hath a reference with it also and that either by impeaching and hindring it or by over-ruling it By impeachment he dryed up Ieraboams hand and hedged Israels way with Thornes Or by over-ruling it as to Iob All that he hath is in thy hand only on himselfe see thou lay not thy hand And the Jewes sought to lay hands on Christ but they could not for his houre was not yet come Thirdly shall we looke on it in the end God hath an over-ruling reference with it also For he either punisheth it or pardoneth it with the want of grace in this life or of glory in the life to come or then pardoneth it fully freely and finally Fully all our sinnes Freely in respect of us Finally in this life and that also which is to come And all this without sinne or the least blemish of sinne For in the beginning of sinne he sheweth his wisedome In the progresse hee sheweth his power In the end he maketh manifest both his Justice and his Mercy Vse In all of these let us learne to tremble and stand in awe and to take heed to our wayes For whilst wee sinne though God hath some sort of reference with our actions yet it is such as shall neither staine him nor excuse us For as in the betraying and death of Jesus Christ God had not onely ordained it before time but also all the wayes leading to it yet did not this save Iudas or the Jewes from going to hell For although the action was of God and the moderation thereof both in the beginning progresse and end thereof yet the sinne and viciosity of the action was of Sathan and man Therefore have they both their just reward Hee by the seede of the woman hath his head trodden downe They because of their sinne have gone to their place where their worm dyeth not and their fire goeth not out againe David was afraid at Perez Vzzah Wee should bee much more at Baal Peratsim 1. Chronicles 14. LECTIO 8. Be done HAving spoken in our last sermon cōcerning Gods secret will It resteth now that we speak concerning his revealed will which two are not in theselves two severall different or contrary wills in God but are two severall and different manners of consideration of one and the selfe same thing in God for as the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost being one in essence do not differ in their essence but in their existence so doe not the hidden and revealed will of God differ one from another really but by diversitie of our consideration for that very same will of God which being hidden from us is called the secret will of God and being manifested to us is called the revealed will of God In handling hereof these things are considerable First what is his revealed will or where it is to be found Secondly what are the points of his will which hee revealeth to us Thirdly whether wee may joyne our will to Gods will and say My will bee done as thy will be done The first thing remarkable is what Gods revealed will is and I answer It is all that which hee hath revealed to us and desireth to be obeyed of us either in the Law or in the Gospell And in a word whilst wee desire of him that we may do his will we begge of him that since hee gave us first a law of nature inabled sufficiently to do what was required of us Secondly seeing he gave us a law of works as a touchstone to make knowne to us the weaknesse of our corrupt nature Thirdly seeing he hath given us the law of faith or of the gospell repairing in us the losse of the law of nature hee would bee pleased to pity our first defection to repaire in us our second weaknesse and to accept of our weake endeavours under the gospell as perfect in him who was perfect in himselfe And that hee would sanctifie us by his grace to the endeavour of that which as yet is imperfect and accept at our hands of the will as the deed In this Petition then I see three things are set before our eyes Our naturall integrity by creation Our naturall corruption in our apostacie and our dignity in our adoption The first wee confesse the second wee do bewaile the third wee hunger and thirst for Vse These two then the testimony of the law and the word of faith received in the gospell do clearly teach us two things first a refutation of the Church of Rome in the matter of mans merit for they are bold to claime right to the Kingdome of heaven not only by the works of absolute satisfaction done to the law but also by reliques of supererogation left to others for their support But for refelling hereof let mee enquire of thee O man who art thus bold blasphemously to barke against heaven Why dost thou annihilate the crosse of Jesus Christ Thou canst not goe out at the doore without a crosse about thy necke and yet behold thou art the enemie of the Crosse of Jesus for it is written If righteousnesse come by law Jesus Christ dyed in vaine And againe If life come by workes then grace is no more grace And if it bee of grace then workes are no more workes Secondly why dost thou spend thy prayers and supplications in vaine I may say to thee out of due consideration what David spoke out of precipitation and rashnesse when hee saw the wicked florish and the evill man prosper in all his wayes hee pleadeth thus with God although amisse Why have I purged my heart in vaine and washed my hands in innocencie for nought So would I say to thee If thou hast as much in thee as may obey the desire of the Law what needest thou to pray to God for it or in the morning to say Let thy will bee done by mee when thou hast as much strength in thy selfe by nature as to doe that and more Thirdly why annihilates thou the nature of a true merit for to establish a true merit thou must give God something that is thy owne something that thou owest not and something that is proportionable to the reward thou feekest I say thou must give God something that is thy owne now sure thou hast nothing but that which is given thee for of thy selfe thou canst neither will or performe Secondly thou must give him something that thou owest him not But what is that I pray thee that comes not under the compasse of his law since in it there is a yoke laid on the thoughts of thy heart the words of thy mouth and all the actions of thy conversation Thirdly I say thou must doe something to God that must be proportionable to the reward that thou seekest Now what proportion I pray you can bee betwixt that which is finite temporall and corrupt