crosse in suffering or under the axe yet still they must pray forgive us our sinnes And in another place saith he There was never any Saint in the world or shall be but must make this prayer forgive us our trespasses Only that Sanctum-sanctorum Jesus Christ he is excepted he gave the forme he needed it not Yet further and that is a sweet speech the whole Church of God saith it and he is a reprobate that saith it not that he is in that condition of all other there is no greater signe then this it is to be feared he is in a state of reprobation that will not say Lord forgive us our trespasses pardon our sins Therefore there was good reason why the Prophet made them make their prayer against this iniquity that is the transgression of the law iniquity that makes shipwrack of conscience and exposeth to judgment and deprives of all comfort and iniquity that condemneth to hell therefore there they must settle this first petition Take away iniquity Secondly The extent All iniquity there is some reason why he addes that All is a word of universality an indefinite word here is no iniquity mentioned no fin mentioned but all wound up in a clew all in a lump propounded Take away all It is not take away our iniquity that is meant It is not take away this or that pardon our Idolatry or our rebellion pardon our prophanesse or the adulterers that neigh after their neighbours wives there be drunkards of Ephraim pardon these sins no pardon all There is some reason why the Prophet would have it thus pardon all take away all I conceive these three reasons First he would draw them to a generall acknowledgment of sinne for however we are tyed to a particular mention and confession of those sins that our consciences are privy to upon due search and in our acknowledgment and humiliation to name them to God This I have done and this thou hast done deliver me from blood-guiltinesse O God So for those sins that are past our memorie as there are many those we wind up in a generall implicite confession as that Publican O God be mercifull to me a sinner as here the Prophet teacheth them to say Take away all He would have them thereby acknowledge their aggravation of sin All that is many exceeding many nay all that is all that can be said Take away all the iniquities that we can name and all that the Prophet can name or that thou canst lay to our charge Lord our sins are great as skarlet for die as sands for number but one wipe with the spunge of thy mercie wil take away all they are more then we can expresse and number there is an all of them It is warrantable by the example of the Saints in Scripture And that is one of the errors of auricular confession that the Church of Rome fastens on men because they tie men to reckon every sinne that is impossible so they lay burthens on the consciences of men It is true it is the glory of Christians to honour God by confession and he that studies his heart most knows his life most but those that we cannot reckon it is an honour to God to reckon them up in generall phrases that we may give God the glory of aggravation I confesse against my selfe whatsoever I know I have done and I confesse what I have forgotten There are sinnes of my sleepe that I cannot remember and of my dreames I confesse them There are sins of my cradle I confesse to thee There are sinnes that I took no notice of before I had knowledge pardon all my iniquities The Prophet would draw them to an acknowledgement of all Every man hath an All. And if hee knew them to have an all O what an all is that with which we are oppressed now He that goes to reckon up the particulars of our general the many species kinds in this age it is an all that fils the world that fils heaven that fils the eares of God our sins we confesse to thee of thought and word and deed of ignorance of knowledge of presumption of infirmitie our secret sins our open sinnes against thee against our neighbours against our selves Thus a Christian goes on to aggravate against himselfe all these and what ever else can bee said He that goes about to reckon our drunkennesse our adulterie our backeslidings the severall degrees of our prophanesse the shedding of innocent blood how it encreaseth there hath been more blood shedde since the sickenesse began more duels about the City then I have heard of in two or three yeares before As if we would aggravate sinne when God comes to reckon with us If a man should reckon the degrees of fraud that is continually practised in shops and trades the prophaning of the Sabbath sin is come to that that it is uncontrollable that all the Magistrates in this Citie are not able to controll a few boyes and disorderly men that wrestle in the fields So boyes give lawes to men and so sin runs on The sin that every man commits if that be so infinite the sin that the whole commits how infinite is it We have an all He would bring them to an acknowledgement that is the first reason Secondly he would bring them to a detestation and protestation against all They come not to distinguish when they make confession before God take away our mortall sins but let our veniall sins alone our greater sins wipe away for our lesse we will shift as well as we can True repentance knowes no such distinction Though there be a difference of sins yet in repentance repentance makes none not the distinction so as to exclude any It makes distinction to mourn more for shipwracking sinnes that burthen conscience and force and streine our teares it mourns most for them but it acknowledgeth all If it be but as a graine of sand that it acknowledgeth an idle word an exorbitant thought an irreligious gesture indiscretion folly they are fruits of the first sin and these and every of these are opposite to the law If it be a transgression of the law it provokes the Divine Majestie and is an obliquity from him and incurs his justice if God should be extreame Therefore when a Christian askes pardon he distinguisheth not here is the sinne that I will lay aside and this is the sin that I wil ask pardon of no he repents of none that repents not of all He distinguisheth not the profitable and the unprofitable sins here is a sinne I am crucified to saith the old man I will aske God pardon of that but covetousnesse sticks to my fingers ends I will not ask pardon of that So when nature is weake in a drunkard he will then acknowledge I have offended God and sinned against the creatures in the intemperate use of them now he dares not for his consumption or he must not for his dropsie It is not
them believe that their sins are unpardonable what should I beg for pardon of sinnes my time is past If not that then he labours to keepe them from enjoying the comfort of pardon he labours to blind their eyes if they have pardon that they may not see that comfort If not that he tempts them to presumption if he cannot hinder them of the comfort he labours to draw them to a presumptuous opinion of their righteousnesse that they have no sinne to beg pardon you are not such a sinner c. It were well if there were no sinne but is that a Cockatrice egg that they should thinke they need not to aske pardon of sinne at the hâ—nds of God It was one of the opinions in the primitive times but this time farre outstrips that because worse opinions attend upon it there were some that were gotten in unawares I wonder whence this opinion should grow that Christians should ever come to this height of impietie to thinke it unlawfull to beg pardon of sinne therefore it comes from another because God sees no sinne in his Children But whence comes this here is an ill bird and an ill egge yet it hath a dam that is older still that is as damnable as either that is that Christians are not tyed to any obedience of the morall law because they are brought under the obedience of Christ see how they hang like Samsons foxes that were tyed after a disorderly manner First the Devill possesseth their hearts that there is no obedience to the law of God and thereby he stops up the fountain of al pietie If there be no obedience to the Law it must needs follow that there can be no sin for there is no sinne without the transgression of the law and then there no sinne for God to see and then they need not after they are in the state of justification beg remission they need not use this prayer Take away iniquitie nor that of Christ forgive us our trespasses There is not any of all these opinions but they are as I conceive sprung from the misunderstanding of some orthodox point in divinitie that people not well understanding themselves doe wrest As the poynt of justification only by faith that point is only for our comfort we must exclude works in justification our works have no part in the justification of a sinner but it doth not follow because faith only justifies that thereupon they conclude what have we to do with works and obedience of the law That is a mistake for God though he justifie us without works he requires obedience as a fruit of justification and as a speciall pledge of that grace that he works in the heart There is the mistake of that The other and a second branch comes from the mistake of another point that is comfortable and hath its foundation in the book of God that he that is truly in the state of son-ship cannot fall finally that is a fundamentall point and of great consequence and that is cleare because else Gods promise should not be true if God were mutable and should bring us into a state of adoption one day and after cast us out This is a point of great prety But from wresting of this comes the other point that because they cannot fall totally that therefore they cannot fall at all that because a man cannot sinne finally that justification makes him totally gracious that he cannot sinne For though God keep them from finall sinning yet the best Saints fall In many things wee sinne all And he that saith he is not a sinner is a lyar even of those that are converted Wee tread awry every day and there are many slips and sometimes foule grosse falls but it pleaseth God to raise us againe but it is by repentance and faith in Christ the same way that we rose at the first So for the third point that men need not beg pardon it is from a corrupt originall It is a good heavenly point that there is a certainty of salvation granted to many Saints that certainty may be had though it be not had by all every one comes not to the same degree of assurance From the mistake of this comes the third because we may be assured that we are in a state of salvation and grace and that sinne is pardoned we need not beg pardon So they run to popery another way Popery is a thing that they disclaim and while they would run from popery they fall into another extream and run to popery another way Compare them a little A Saint may come to perfection and keep all the morall law say the Papists a Christian may come to that perfection that he need not keep it say they Some sins are of so easie a weight they are not to be accounted God accounts them no sins the first motions God sees not these in his Children as sins say the Papists God sees no sin in his children say they here is their errour Say the Papists if assurance may be had why doe we beg for forgivenesse It is fond to beg pardon if wee have assurance So they because the child of God hath assurance he needs not beg pardon Thus they run by eschewing the contrary into the same errour in a worse manner then they For of all other these are most damnable There is never an opinion that the Devill hath stirred up that hath a worse savour and intendment in it then these It overthrows the foundation of the Gospel and of Christianity and piety It takes away Christ and take him away take away prayer and repentance and all at one blow O when there are such fundamentall errours as these shall we wonder if God send the plague to purge his floore when these shall start up and are not smothered And those that should smother them doe not awake authority No man cares which way Religion goes and how it thrives God will purge this leaven from the authors of these opinions and those that should suppresse it God will not have every man preach what he will and hold and do what he will And if humane Lawes be offended there is severity enough in correcting Gods law is broken daily and no man looks after it Of all others that one grosse point that Christians are come to think it unnecessary nay needlesse nay sinfull to beg remission of sins then farewell Gospel and Religion and all St. Austin had some in his time that were of that opinion therefore he hath diverse passages against it They had no sinne The forme that Christ gave it agrees to every Christian it is a forme that all Christians must use to the worlds end they must still pray forgive us our trespasses as long as they live and breath Not only all other Christians but the Apostles the masters of the Flock those that were the bell-weathers the greater sort of sheep that Christ committed the sheep to yet the Apostles when they were on the
out of the book of his remembrance that it never rise for accusing or condemning We see that distinction of theirs will not stand before this word Take away our iniquities So now the points hence are these two The reasons why the Prophet chooseth this word for he might have had great variety not pardon thou that is as much not pardon or forgive iniquity but here is a fuller in regard of the effect Take away It is for these two reasons First he would draw them to acknowledge that sin was burthensome that they did detest and loath it For no man will have that taken away that he delights in It is plain the Prophet would have them expresse such affections that it might appeare that their sins were odious and abhominable and they delighted not in them no men would have that removed that they take pleasure in While sin is but the pastime of the impenitent heart no man desires it should be taken away but the prayer of a wicked mans heart is contrary Lord that I may fulfill my lusts that my sinnes may thrive and goe on Where sin is sweet and delightfull that man cannot wish that it should be taken away these are repugnant But where a man wisheth it to be taken away and pardoned it is plain there it appeares a burthen and heavie Looke in any thing naturall and civill A servant a man desires not to put him away while he is profitable but if he be unserviceable You cast not away a garment while it is usefull but when you have done with it when they will serve for your wearing you will keepe them no man will cast a way that that he hath profit or pleasure by It is either somewhat that is hurtfull or unusefull that men cast away So is the nature of sinne sinne only is unprofitable what fruit have you in those things saith the Apostle Sinne is that which is only hurtfull it exposeth men to great danger therefore if a man would truly prepare and fit his heart that he may speak with enlarged affections for the pardon of sinne let him learn first to come to the sense of it to know that sinne in its nature is a burthen David calls it so my iniquities are gone over my head A heavy burthen greater then Aetna greater then all the mountaines pyled one upon another but while sin is pleasing to the soule so long it is not a burthen Water in its place doth not gravitare If a man be at the bottom of the Sea and all the waves be on him hee feels no weight If he be out of the sea a paile of water is heavie Why in the Sea it is in its place Sinne when men delight in it is in its place it hath no weight he that truly desires to have it taken away he must find it burthensom A man that is in danger of drowning hee will cry with fervency for help a man that sees the danger of sinne it will make him cry and roare The reason why we do not cry with such fervency for the removing of sin is because we feele not the sting and sharpnesse of it Therefore a good Christian makes this a part of his study that hee may bring himselfe to find sinne burthensome And that may be done by these meanes If he oft represent the purity of that law that sin transgresseth the law of God The glory of that Majestie that sin provokes the Lord of Hosts The blood of that Saviour that sin crucifies the Lord of life The honour of that profession that sinne disgraceth the profession of Christianity The losse of that happinesse that sinne endamageth the losse of heaven The bitternesse of that place to which sin exposeth eternall condemnation The comfort of that conscience that sin makes shipwrack of that is the conscience that is within a man that shall either be a vessel of comfort or woe He that layes all these together will begin to apprehend that sin is burthensome that sinne hath weight on it and that the Prophet provokes them to by this word The word signifies to take a burthen from a man that is over weary So the same word is that that John useth concerning Christ The Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world The weight of sinne lay on the world Christ comes and takes it away he takes it upon himselfe that he might take it from us That they might understand thus much therfore he chooseth this word of weight That is the first reason to bring them to this acknowledgment that their sin was distastfull and burthensome because they could desire God to take them away Secondly another thing it implies is hee would hereby bring them to the acknowledgment of the author of pardon of sin He would hereby let them understand who alone is both able and willing to take away sin That is not in the power of any creature or man himself or any Angell or Prophet or Apostle or Saint whatsoever Here is the second thing requisite in every true convert First he must find sin burthensome Secondly that he acknowledge God to be the author of the pardon of it It is in vaine to come before God and not to know this He that comes to God must believe that he is He that comes to God to remove his sin must believe that God must remove it Shall we come to God and believe and trust the merits of others to remove sinne It is to mock God Let our adversaries of Rome look to this though they pretend God to be the author of pardon yet let them see how it will stand with those poynts One concerning the doctrine of merit and the other concerning free-will For if the Saints by the merit of their intercession can procure pardon or if those to whom the power of the keyes is committed can properly virtually efficaciously and directly remove and take away sinne it is plaine they that hold these cannot acknowledg God to be the sole author of pardon But the Scripture runs in another phrase God expresseth it so and testifies of himselfe that none else can doe it Isa 43. I the Lord blot out your iniquities The Prophet acknowledgeth so much To thee O Lord belongeth mercie and forgivenesse As mercie and forgivenesse belong to God so the taking away of sinne that is to thee alone It hath the force of an exclusive because the depth of mercie belongs to him therefore forgivenesse And we are happy that it belongs to him God knows what successe we should have if it were trusted to men that are so unmercifull Nay if it were in the hands of Angels though they be charitably and well-affected to us that are their fellow-members yet there is a great deal of difference the bowels of Angels would be strait if they were the dispensers of it No it must be a fountaine that cannot be drawn dry it must bâ— an infinite hath that must wash the souâ—e and that
countenancer of his owne institution he was pleased himselfe to eat of it As he was the Son of God so he was not at all nor could not be subject and as he was the Son of man because he was a righteous man therefore he was free He could have freed himselfe from those afflictions the deliverance whereof the Passover signified and he could have made himselfe free from all that injury that was offered him by the Jews yet he was pleased to condiscend so far sayth St. Ambrose well it was thus far appointed he that instituted the Passover taking the similitude of flesh yet true flesh being incarnate that he himselfe should observe that rite that himselfe instituted St. Austin presseth it well that is the part of a good Pastor or Shepheard to goe before his Sheep in his owne example and himselfe to doe that that he would have them to doe That he might make us zealous in all those performances that he requires at our hands he himselfe was pleased to performe and to condiscend to the performance of that that concerned him not to eat the Passover That is the first reason Secondly another reason was the preparative of his owne Passion he saw that his owne sufferings drew nigh the Passover it selfe was a Type of that to shew that he was the true Passover he brings into the same Room the Passover that was the Type and the Passover that was the Truth As St. Chrysostome observes well at the same Table there was both the one Passover that was the figure and the other that was the substance and celebrates both The keeping of the Passover was nothing else to the Children of Israel but a remembrance of that grace that was past and a sealing of some other grace that was promised The grace that was past was the goodnesse of God in making the Angell to passe-over them when he smote the Aegyptians here then was the conformity Diem transitus c. Christ when he was to passe from death to life he keeps that Feast that was the solemnity of that great transcision that God wrought for them and being to tast of the bitternesse of death he would goe in the eating of the soure Herbs to the drinking of that sourer Cup of his Passion To shew thereby that he was the end of all the Ceremoniall Law the end of all the Types in the Old Testament that very Lamb which was the most eminent of the Types was now fulfilled in the appearance and presence of Christ as St. Chrysostome sayth Sanguis ille c. that Lamb signified Christ the Lamb of God and the blood of that Lamb that was then sprinkled upon the Posts of the Door signified that far more precious blood of Christ that was shed for the washing away of sin That is the second reason that he might Preach to them by this Action and shew who was the Messias the true Lamb the true Passover as the Apostle calls him Christ our Passover is Sacrificed for us Therefore Christ did eat the Passover Thirdly it was also for the abrogation of it to put an end to it He put an end to Circumcision virtually by taking it as he gave strength to Baptisme by assuming it by joyning these two Sacraments legall and Evangelicall the Passover and the Supper he put an end to the one and gave strength of beginning to the other Therefore it is that Euthimius observes that in the celebration of the Passover he keeps it not exactly as it was prescribed to the Jews It was set them the 14. day and he kept it the 13. day They were to eat it standing he eat the Passover lying and leaning One reason why he kept it the 13. day was because he would not be prevented in his Passion He knew the 14. day that it should be kept was the day of his deliverance and betraying therefore to make an end of that work that was one reason he kept it sooner and dispensed with his owne Law Another reason was to shew in the different keeping of it that the Passover was abolished all judaicall shaddowes began to vanish now they were dead though their death did not appeare till afterward The Passover it was an obscure Type as Nazianzen speaks well of a clearer Type the representation of the Lords Supper and therefore was to give way to the better and more honourable Sacrament that then Christ instituted by joyning it to the former sayth Theophilact there was blood that was taken away by blood ceremoniall blood by the blood of Christ There was a Sacrifice that was taken away by a Sacrifice the legall Sacrifice by the spirituall and the Passover it selfe even while it was fullfilled it was changed that was another reason The third reason therefore Christ eat the Passover that he might put an end to it and make it the last eating of it Last of all the reason why he eat iâ— and kept it was to shew his subjection to the Law to set us a patterne and example of obedience he was obedient in every point not onely to the Law morall but even the Law ceremoniall For two reasons One was he became obedient because we were disobedient that his obedience might satisfie for our neglect We were transgressors of the law Christ would be a keeper of it Sayth St. Chrysostome because thou wert a Transgressor of the Law therefore Christ was pleased to keep it he was made a curse to free us from the curse he was made sin to wash away our sins He was made under the Law Gal. 4. that he might free us that his perfection might satisfie for our infirmities And that here now the Christians soule might find true refuge for however I be assured that my sins and transgressions be washed away by the blood of Christ yet when it comes to my particular God requires perfect satisfaction to the whole Law that I can never doe in my owne person here is our refuge there is one in our nature that hath satisfied the Law and all that God could require the very extreamity and utmost letter and period that is Christ and in that he is my Mediator and Redeemer I have done that that he did I have done it in him though I could not in my selfe That he might perfectly satisfie and obey for us he was obedient to the Law Secondly to stop the mouths of all cavilling Pharisees they were ready to object to him that he was a raiser of new Sects that he was an Enemy to the Law of Moses and that therefore he came not from God No he shews in all the passages of his life that he was one that honoured the Law because he was conformable to it the Law of Circumcision he subscribed to it the Law of Dedication and Offering in the Temple he subscribed to that the Law of keeping the Passover he subscribed to that Let now prophane Wretches goe and think themselves eased of the yoak of the Law of God
Apostle That is doth he take such care for Oxen as he doth for men Sayth St. Bernard the provividence of God extends to all but his particular care extends to his Spouse to his chosen Out of those other Creatures it is that God drawes particular conclusions of good to them If a man should have come into this Roome he would have thought it had beene for other purposes Christ directs it to the glory of God that that very Roome that was so furnished should be imployed to eat the Passover with his Disciples So I have done with the first There are two points behind I shall be briefe in them We see concerning Christ here is a proofe of his divine knowledge of his power and of his providence The next thing is to consider the humanity of him that received him and that is more for our use A man would have thought that there had beene a contract betweene this Master of the house and Christ that he made ready the Roome when he sent so freely There was but one word spoken there was no deniall received there was no dispute made had it not beene that the great efficacious power of the spirit had wrought mightily and strongly upon his heart he could not have assented so presently Therefore I will refer it to 3 heads First it was the assent of a pious heart it makes not disputes and sayth Who is your Master The Master sends Who is he Upon what acquaintance What have I to doe with him How came he to know that I have a Roome furnished Must I find a Guest-Chamber for him It was the answer of Naball Who is David And who is the Son of Jesse Shall I take my Bread and my Water and my Flesh that I have killed for my Shearers and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be It is the answer of the obstinate heart to God when he comes to knock Who is he that would enter Is it the World or the flesh or sin here is a Chamber provided if it be God there is none at all This good man he raiseth no Scruples why I am to keep the Passover my selfe shall not I be obedient to the Law Must his obedience exclude mine Besides I cannot doe it without a great deale of hazzard and danger of the Scribes and Pharisees they will know that I give entertainment to him I shall bring my selfe in danger He is not ignorant how they waite for him and how they persecute this way to death and will he have a Roome in my House He must pardon me He hath none of these fears he makes none of these scruples That is the nature of true piety it raiseth no vaine feares if there had been fears entertain'd in the way we hâ—d had no Martyrs It never sayth There is a Lyon in the way but leaps over all obstacles If Heaven and Earth should all be crushed together it leaps over all impediments to come to God So it was the Assent of a pious heart Secondly it was the assent of a charitable heart it was a motion of charitie that was made as well as a motion of pietie therefore hee makes not any coveteous demands first here is a roome indeed that may serve your Master but what will you give at this time the whole Citie of Jerusalem is full of people and I can have great allowance for my lodgings will your Master pay for the hire of it he makes none of those demands nay he pretends not any excuse it is true I had a roome but it is taken up alreadie there are friends in it I am sorry you came so late if you had come sooner I should have beene willing to pleasure you but now it is past he layes in the way no discouragements here is a guest-Chamber here are diverse Chambers any of these inferiour ones if any of these will please and content you you shall have them but I may not part with my best I must not have it soiled and wronged it cost much paines in trimming there are none of these objections Charitie casts no doubts it makes no scruples I shall want my self but with a free and large and chearefull heart he assents to the motion as soone as it is made they doe but speake Where is the guest-Chamber and he carries them to it here it is and shewes them the roome so furnished It is the propertie of charitie and pietie to give presently and to give the best to God true pietie will not set the Tith-cock at the end of the land and it may be the worst it will not bring the tith pig to cling together no but out of a large and bountifull heart it saith it is Gods portion he shall have it freely This roome is not mine so much as Gods here take it let your Master come and welcome my house shall be blest with him Thirdly it was the assent of an obedient heart that knew that his house should be honoured by the presence of Christ he knew where Christ came he brought a blessing with him he knew this roome should be recompenced that he should have a roome ten thousand times better in heaven that he should have one of the mansions that Christ had prepared he knew that he cannot want a lodging that gives Christ one therefore he provides a large roome the best that was most fit for the traine of Christ a great upper roome it was most safe for Christ to be in a loft because of the Pharisees that lay in waite for him a roome furnished was most answerable for so great a guest as Christ a roome prepared this was the roome Shall my house be honoured with such a guest thought he will he come and visit me will he tread on this floore O welcome welcome Saviour to my House Must the Temple remove out of its place to my House Shall my House be the first Christian Church Will Christ here keep his last Passover Will the Son of God come under this Roofe The very stones of the wall will leap for joy at his presence it is to be feared the House will fall with joy nay I am sure the House will stand because he will support it But I am unworthy he should come under my roofe I have no fit Lodging for so great a Guest but if he will needs come why doe you aske for a Chamber Take the whole not a Roome onely but the whole House and not upon loane but upon Gift It is mine no longer my Servants and Friends and Children and Wife and my felfe and all will goe out that Christ may come in Thus it is likely he spake he gave no churlish answer he gave even that answer that Christ set downe he that inclined him to give inclined him thus to answer How can the heart denie God when he comes to beg When he that gives all comes to ask He comes oft to us and goes away without his Errand
in such a caset and the path of Piety in comforts Spirituall Yea happy is that people which have the LORD for their God In the handling of the first without any further subdivision I will onely shew what it is the Psalmist treats of and that shall be by way of Gradation in these three particulars It is De FELICITATE De Felicitate POPULI De HAC felicitate populi Of happinesse Of the peoples happinesse Of the peoples happinesse as in such a case Happinesse is the generall and the first a noble argument and worthy of an inspired pen especially the Psalmists Of all other there can be none better to speak of popular happinesse then such a King nor of celestiall then such a Prophet Yet I mean not to discourse of it in the full latitude but only as it hath a peculiar positure in this Psalme very various and different from the order of other psalmes In this Psalme it is reserved to the end as the close of the foregoing meditations In other Psalmes it is set in the front or first place of all as in the 32 in the 112 in the 119 and in the 128. Again in this the Psalmist ends with our blessednesse and begins with God's BLESSED BE THE LORD MY STRENGTH In the 41 Psalme contrary he makes his exordium from mans BLESSED IS HE THAT CONSIDERETH THE POOR his conclusion with God's BLESSED BE THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL I therefore observe these variations because they are helpfull to the understanding both of the essence and splendour of true happinesse To the knowledge of the essence they help because they demonstrate how our own happinesse is enfolded in the glory of God and subordinate unto it As we cannot begin with Beatus unlesse we end with Benedictus so we must begin with Benedictus that we may end with Beatus The reason is this Because the glory of God it is as well the consummation as the introduction to a Christians happinesse Therefore as in the other Psalm he begins below and ends upwards so in this having begun from above with that which is principall Blessed be the Lord he fixeth his second thoughts upon the subordinate Blessed or happy are the people He could not proceed in a better order he first looks up to Gods kingdome then reflects upon his own as not meaning to take blessednesse before he had given it There is no man can think but this is the best method It is the method of Saints as we see 1. Sam. 25.32 33. and 2. Chron. 31.8 First Blessed be the God of Israel then Blessed be the people of Israel Nay it is the method of Angels Luke 2.14 they first sing Glorie to God then Good will towards men It must also be the method of every Christian whensoever we are about the wishing of blessednesse either to our selves or others to begin from heaven and ascribe it first to the LORD That we may receive we must give give what we have and give what we mean to have To give is the way to get both to get the thing and to get the greater degree It is an undeniable consequence If beatitude be the ultimate end of man and the glorie of God the ultimate end of our very beatification then it followes necessarily That by giving more glorie to God we gain more of beatitude to our selves because more of the supreme and beatificall end So that he who will attain to the Psalmist's comfort must observe also the Psalmist's order that he may end assuredly with BEATUS he must learn to begin with BENEDICTUS That 's the first considerable thing in the order as touching the essence of true happinesse The other is concerning the splendour which flowes from the other part of the variation in that the Psalmist doth end this psalme as he begins divers of the rest with Happy or Blessed to represent as it were unto us utramquesplendoris paginam the two great excellencies of blessednesse by the double situation of it Happinesse is both the bonum Primum and the bonum Vltimum of a Christian the spring of all good things and the crown the spire and the basis the first and the last of things to be desired the first for eminence the last for fruition In the descents of Christianitie the first because we move from it to inferiour ends happinesse giveth law to all our actions we move from it that we may in time come to the possession of it In the order of ascent it is the last for having climbed once thither we go no further but set up our rest It hath this resemblance with God himself who is the Donour of it That it is both the beginning and the end before which nothing should be loved and after which nothing can be desired Answerable to these two respects are the positures of happinesse in the Psalmes As in military affairs it is the custome of Emperours to promise the Donative to their souldiers when they go forth to warre that they may encourage them but not to give it till the warre be ended that they may reward them for their service In like manner saith S. Ambrose doth the Psalmist velut praeco magni Imperatoris he disposeth of beatitude both wayes he prefixeth it to the beginning of some Psalmes that thereby we might be invited to pietie he annexeth it to the end of others to teach us not to look for it before our work be done So even by this we may learn how to order and dispose of our selves to happinesse Since it hath the double reference it must have also the double honour and the double esteem yea and our double endeavours for the attaining of it Then we give it the double when we set it in both places make it both our first and our last the prime of our life and the perseverance We must look through all things upon happinesse and through happinesse upon all through all upon it as not resting in any thing else and through it upon all as seasoning every act of our life with the thought of happinesse Otherwise if we think to give it our last respects without our first pretend what we will there is no hope to overtake it Thus farre even worldly men will go they are willing enough to heare that they must make it their last work and they fulfill it in a sort to the letter but not to the meaning The love the hope the care of their own happinesse they put them off all to the last A very preposterous course for a man to begin where and when he should have ended and to defer his first of motion to his last of rest It is too late for the foolish Virgins to cry Matth. 25.10 11. Lord open when the doore is shut and a vain thing to expect happinesse as our end unlesse we make it our beginning and give it the same place in our hearts and actions which holy David affords it in his meditations the first
justification in our hearts yet that grace of sanctification is imperfect and no man makes a perfect improvement of Gods gifts no man lives according to the measure of grace that God bestowes Therefore when we have done all we can we come short of what we ought Nay if we had done all we should all that God requires say you cannot merit you are unprofitable Servants you have done but your duty you have done but what God requires If the state of restitution cannot merit sin and impiety cannot merit There is in the best action that we performe in the work of Preaching and praying and alms and charity and deeds of piety so much Leaven so many infirmities that he that knowes the nature of sin and the latitude and small extent of piety in his heart when he Prayes he prayes not onely for the pardon of his sins but of his Prayers And when he preacheth he prayes not onely for pardon of his silence and neglect but of his performance if there be infirmities in the best there is no plea of merit Our work is onely this to flie to the Throne of grace in the name of grace that is it that is a prevaling forcible word with God to plead for mercy and beg for pardon because he is gracious It is a word that so prevailes that it carries alway mercy with it from Heaven it is that word that God delights in it is that word about which prayer clucks as the Wings of the Cherubims about the Mercy-Seate The Wings of Prayer must flutter about the Mercy-seate about mercy That is the second thing to shew what the foundation of the pardon of sin is none but mercy it is founded in grace therefore he adds it to the former Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously as an inducement to perswade God to take away all iniquity That is the second I will but touch the third The Third is he adds it as a clause of perfection that makes up the perfect enumeration of the graces Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously There is nothing that a Christian can beg in this World but it may be brought in the compasse of one of these two These two words are as the two Tables of Prayer like the two Tables of the Law in these two there are all kind of Petitions all the evill that is to be removed is in that Take away all iniquity and all good that is to be conveyed in that Receive us graciously So that he might make a Perfect Prayer for them yet very short and compendious and yet full Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously this is a Prayer that the Prophet studied this was the Prayer that the Spirit guided him to make for them Here are the two hands of Prayer Take away iniquity and receive us graciously If we divide Prayer as the Apostle doth into foure sorts that are rather parts then kinds of Prayer 1. Tim. 2. I beseech that Prayer and intercession and giving of thanks be made to God for all men they are all in this forme that the Prophet prescribes them Here is the deprecatory part for the removing of ill Take away all iniquity here is the supplicatory part for the pouring out of all good Receive us graciously Here is the gratulatory part We will give the Calves of our lips Take the division of Prayer according to that scantling that David makes Psal 34. For obedience gives the Law to Prayer he refers the duty of a Christian to two heads Eschew evill and doe good upon that hangs all the Law and the Prophets according to these two are the parts of Prayer one for the removall of evill another for the infusion of grace here are both the removall of the greatest evill take away iniquity and powre the choicest of thy mercies on us that is mercy Receive us graciously One part of the Prayer is for expelling of darknesse Take away iniquity the other for the shewing of the light of his Countenance Receive us graciously Lastly if we divide it as David divides prayer Psal 25. there he makes his Prayer Remember Lord and remember not these are the two heads an affirmative and a negative remember not my sins but remember me He desires God both to remember and yet to forget here are both these here is one part of the Prayer that God would be mindfull receive us graciously Another that he would not be mindfull Take away iniquity remove it out of thy sight forget our sins Here is one part that God would open his eyes and another that he would shut them shut them upon our sins open them upon our persons The one part of the Prayer fits the sin the other the sinner For sin they pray that God would put it from them and remove it for themselves they pray that God would take them to him and receive them to mercy Men when they punish sin they cut off the Sinner but they cannot take away the sin God is otherwise in his proceeding he takes away the sin and spares the Sinner To make up the perfect part of Prayer here is the evill to be removed and the grace to be bestowed Take away iniquity and receive us graciously here is that that concernes the time past Lord take away iniquity what we have done thou knowest here is that that concernes the time to come that we fall no more strengthen us by thy spirit receive us graciously As Cyprian speaks in another place it is the breviary of the whole Gospell as Tertullian saith it is the Compendium of all Heavenly Doctrine This text here is all the Gospell and all that is good in the Law it is the summe of the Gospell it is like the Lords Prayer here are six words in it answerable to the six Petitions Take away iniquity and receive us graciously as Christ divides that Prayer he refers all to two heads one for deprecation of ill Forgive us our Trespasses and lead us not into temptation deliver us from evill The other for the powring out of all good Hallowed be thy name thy Kingdome come thy will be done and give us dayly bread So here is for the removall of evill and the strengthning to grace take away iniquity and receive us graciously Here is a Patterne for us one halfe of his Prayer is spent for the pardon of sin the other halfe for the powring out of grace For a man to neglect to beg pardon that is to be unmindfull of the time past he that begs not grace is unmindfull of the time to come By pardon we returne and by grace we stand He that hath the consideration of Hell that will stir him up to beg pardon and he that sees the joyes of Heaven will beg grace for that is the path that leads thither to make a perfect prayer joine both The Prophet to give them a full forme he joynes these though briefly None of them could plead that they
word that he hath given Therfore it is a speciall meanes to keep men in the Pale of obedience when they hedge themselves in with holy resolutions I know Cardinall Bellarmine and he more remarkably then any other of the Romish Writers is very large and peremptory in declaring that that which is within the compasse of precept cannot fall within the compasse of a vow that no necessary duty can fall within the compasse of a vow But if there were not Testimony of the Saints in Scripture the Testimony of their owne Writers are sufficient evidence against it besides the truth it self Alphonsus Picus Cajetane Valencia these foure they are bold all of them to expresse themselves to be of another opinion that properly and directly that that we are tied to by the necessity of precept most properly falls within the compasse of a vow and it is most safe for one may safely vow that that he is tied to doe and the vowing and resolving of it adds a second obligation it is an awaking Therefore David took this course he bound himselfe by vow and promise and oath I have sworne that I will performe thy righteous judgements He excites himselfe by these Obligations to every duty of piety he set himselfe those Lessons of piety he tasked himselfe to such duties sometimes to repentance To thee will I confesse Sometimes to obedience I will walke in thy Commandements Sometimes to prayer At morning noone and evening I will call on thee Sometimes to thankfullnesse Seaven times in a day I will prayse thee He tasked himselfe to these duties thereby to keep and hidge in his obedience So will every Christian that he may keep himselfe in the path of Piety he will oft consider how he walks and consider his purposes and resolutions and strengthen himselfe in holy purposes it is a great meanes to arme our selves A heart will not easily be overcome with temptations that is armed with good purposes good purposes incite to Prayer and practise you take away perseverance you take away practise and performance you take away endeavour if you take away resolution Therefore if you will learne to keepe your selves in the wayes of Gods Commandements learne oft to resolve to purpose We shall tread awry when we have done the best but if there be a good purpose God takes that for performance if we arme our selves with good resolutions Let us not take this help from our selves since we come short of performance let us have endeavours and purposes This the Prophet teacheth them when they come to performe their thanks they must have purposes We will give thee Those are the two first things he minds them of in generall There are other things he minds them of in perticuler and they are these foure The first is this That Thankfullnesse is due to God for all his mercies It is due by right of Lordship because God is Lord and owner of all we have he is Lord of our life and being there is the Fountaine of all goodnesse Whither should the streames run but back to the Fountaine to the Sea sayth Bernard let the streames of thankfullnesse run back to the Head they are drawne from grace they come from God the grace of pardon and grace must returne to God the grace of thankfullnesse And it is by right of Debt his we owe it him it is a Debt to any man that doth us a courtesie no lesse requitall can be made for the least good turne then thankfullnesse yet those that they doe are small and they are tied by the bond of Charity and by the Law of God and they sin if they doe it not and those that they doe God doth by their hands he inclines them to it Then if we account it a misery if we be unthankfull to men we owe much more of this duty of thankfullnesse to God by another bond because from him we have all mercy and the choisest mercies What hand soever reacheth us a Blessing God is the Author God gives it And can we give him any thing lesse then thanks We can give him nothing else He gives it us when we give him thanks and prayse we pay him with his owne we give not his mercy back in the kind but vertually in the strength He that gives glory to God he gives the mercy back in strength But we can give nothing to God that he hath not before in a more eminent manner whether it be praise or glory or blessing or reverence or worship His name is glorious though we give it not his name is admirable he will make his glory appeare though we dishonour him But he so interprets it in mercy we are sayd to give it when we acknowledge it He is not capable of our gift but when we testifie that he hath it we are said to give it The Knee when it bowes before him worships him and the heart when it is ravished with admiration gives him reverence and the tongue when it speakes of his prayse gives him thankfullnesse if God take these as gifts at our hands that we owe and can add no addition by it we can doe no lesse then acknowledge that thankfullnesse is due to God for all his mercies That is the first thing A second thing he would teach them to acknowledge that thankfullnesse is especially due for the pardon of sin when sin is pardoned the first bud of new righteousnesse in the heart O it is thankfullnesse to God Bless the Lord O my soule and all that is within me and then followes That forgiveth all thine iniquities We owe God praise and glory for all his mercy and goodnesse but for none more then the pardon of sin for here is the Stock upon which other graces are grafted when once sin is pardoned all temporall things prove comfortable Therefore when they beg for the Pardon of sin say they We will give thee the Calves of our lips There is thankfullnesse due to God especially for spirituall mercies and of them for the grace of reconciliation the forgivenesse of sins A Christian will be methodicall in his thankfullnesse as well as in his Prayer I shewed before that devotion keeps good order it prayes for spiritualls before temporalls and against spiritualls before temporalls And thankfullnesse keeps a good order it gives thanks for the best mercies first and most Though all the mercies of God be good yet there is a difference there is a difference betweene spirituall mercies and temporall For temporall mercies Liberty is better then Wealth and life then liberty and grace then all As God hath set an order in mercies so thankfullnesse observes an order he doth not thanke God so much for temporall mercies as for pardon of sin that swallowes up the heart and takes up the whole latitude of the affections There is thankfullnesse due for establishing us in our civill Callings but more for calling us to the acknowledgement of the truth There is blessing due for keeping us
Sacrifice and the Sacrifice and the Altar all God would have from themselves That is the first reason why the Prophet sayth not the Calves of the Stalls David sayth in one place Then will we offer young Bullocks upon thine Altar no sayth the Prophet the young Bullocks of our lips That is one thing Secondly Another thing why it is not said the Calves of our stalls but the Calves of our lips it was for their incouragement that they might not be backward in returning and making retaliation to God It is not a costly sumptuous Sacrifice that God expects There is nothing more cheap then words and words of praise that come from a sincere heart these God calls for Every man hath words ready it is a Sacrifice as easie as the moving of the lips he would not burthen them I require it not out of thy House or out of thy Fold they need not goe to Arabia for Spices they need not goe as Abrahams Servant to the Field for a Calfe no they had it in themselves there was the fruit of the lips the fruit of obedience and praise within themselves Had it beene propounded so it is likely that Worldly men would have beene ready to have kept back As many of us we are readier to give God the Calves of our lips then of our Stalls we love not to Sacrifice to God of that that costs us somewhat it should be the least and the worst if we were to make choyce of it The Prophet would prevent them here in their Worldly mindednesse that no man should have excuse the Poore man could not plead I have not wherewith to offer he shews that God accepts any thing that comes from a good heart the Widdowes myte the cup of cold water the words the Sacrifice of praise As Lycurgus sometimes when he set Lawes to the People of Sparta whereby they should Worship their false Gods and they were poore cheape Sacrifices and one asking him the reason why Sayth he that there may never be a Cessation If I should charge them with costly Sacrifices they would not continue to Sacrifice So God because he would not overcharge them with Sacrifices he seeing the Worldlinesse of their minds he sayth not the Calves of your Folds but the Calves of your lips That is the second thing Thirdly the Prophet would shew hereby that God expects the choyse Sacrifice of praise the most pure and innocent Sacrifice as Ambrose sayth well Vitulus was the Calfe that was reputed an unspotted Sacrifice To shew that he that comes to praise God must bring pure cleane and undefiled lips He that regards iniquity in his heart or brings it in his lips he offers the Calves of his lips but God will not be pleased with a Sacrifice from that mans mouth whose mouth is polluted with Blasphemy and prophanenesse and obscene Language A prophane man cannot please God with the Calves of his lips he hath blasphemous lips The lips that are given to filthinesse cannot give God a Sacrifice they are polluted The lips that are given to lying and fraud they cannot give God a Sacrifice they are deceitfull lips They are pure and chast lips that must be Sacrificed to God Our lips must be of the same die and temper with our hearts sincere hearts and sincere lips holy affections God looks for and holy words and holy breathings That is the third thing he calls them the Calves of the lips that is choyce extraordinary lips He would have such lips as he would have Calves upon the Altar he would not have Calves that were lame defiled so bring such lips as are acquainted with the praise of God these are the lips that God expects Againe there is somewhat further why not the Calves of our hearts which is the cheife thing in all Sacrifices but the Calves of our lips The lips if the heart be absent are not acceptable to God he abhors the Prayer and praise that is given with the lips when the heart blasphemes him and the life prophanes him A man would thinke it were better we will give thee the Calves of our lives then of our lips or at least of our spirits and hearts For David sets out the Sacrifice of God so to be a humble broken heart It is the heart that God looks to in all these it is neither the eyes lift up in prayer or the hands spread or the Knee bowing that is accepted to God if the heart be wanting the heart is the life of all these Out of the abundance of the mouth the heart speaketh and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and the eyes are lifted up and the Knees bow and if there be an Absence of that nothing is pleasing but the lips themselves are abhominable yet he saith the Calves of our lips There are two reasons of that One is this though he mention not the heart yet the heart is supposed he need not mention it it was taken in The Calves of our lips that is of such lips as proceed from a cleane pure honest heart because it is taken in it is therefore not exprest That was a thing to be supposed that if they gave the outward man they would give the inward but the Prophet calls them here because of their negligence in the expression of their thankfullnesse in the Outwaod man To shew them That though mentall praise be the chiefe thing that God looks to when the heart is there yet it is not the onely thing God will not onely be glorified in the soule but in the body he will not onely have the praise of the heart but of the lips We think to put off God if we send up an Ejaculation and give God a spirituall Sacrifice it is all within The Hypocrite is all for without and the timerous Christian is all within though he bow in the Temple of Baal yet if he give God his heart he thinks it is a good Sacrifice But God will have praise both of the inward man and of the outward man because he made both he sanctifies both and will save both he calls them therefore to vocall praise with the Calves of their lips they were growne so that they knew not how to doe this therefore sayth David I will praise thee with a song and magnifie thy name with unfeigned lips God looks for vocall praise as well as mentall we must as well Praise him with our Lips as with our Heart Secondly the heart is included for the Calves of our lips is the Sacrifice of our selves he that gives God a gift must give the whole the lips are put for the whole because they expresse the whole therefore he instanceth in this part that is put for the whole man It is that the Apostle sets downe Rom. 12. I beseech you by the mercies of God that you offer your selves a living Sacrifice to God which is your reasonable serving of him Then a man gives himselfe when he gives the
God are called Statutes because they are immoveable they cannot be altered and changed thereupon it is that you have this Epithite anexed oft in Scripture they are sure and stedfast and faithfull The statutes of the Lord are sure Psal 19. A more sure word of prophecie saith Peter Stedfast promises Rom. 4. Sure and stedfast commandements Heb. 2. It is an epithite still given to shew the surenesse they are called Statutes the Latine word signifies stability the Hebrew signifies visitation that God visits for breaking them yet this is proper they are called Statutes because they are ratified they are firm the things that God hath established Every thing is said to be ratified that stands My counsell shall stand saith God in Isa and out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established therefore we stand to it it is the rule and summe of our faith that cannot be abolished it is a thing ratified thy Statutes Statutes is more then precepts they are unabrogable precepts they are Statutes Sanctions Decrees Constitutions If I would enlarge my selfe from this particular I could shew that hence there is an obligation laid to observe Gods lawes because they are Statutes that that God by his decree hath established we cannot nullifie them by our transgressions wee nullifie Gods commandements as much as lies in us as oft as we break them to transgresse the commandements is as much as in us is to cancell that that God hath confirmed and to nullifie that that God hath ratified it is not only to break it by sinne but to break it in the validity There is no man that transgresseth but he wisheth there were no commandements no rule of obedience and piety It is not so with other creatures all other creatures have a law and it is a statute-law because it is a law that they have not broken they all keepe those Statutes that God hath given them and they have nothing but the instinct of nature not only animate but inanimate creatures the Stars keep their courses and the Earth and the Sea keeps it's course and motion of ebbing and flowing as the impression was first made in them when they were created it is a firmer law that is given to man not only that law but the law of Gods commandements He hath given him that law that shall stand more firme for that law of nature shall be abrogated when there shall be a dissolution of all Heaven and earth shall passe the law of nature the law of the creatures shall cease then there shal be a cessation of that but though heaven and earth passe not one jot or tittle not one jot of Christs word shall passe it is Austins observation jod is the least of all letters and the affix is the little dash of it Our blessed Saviour saith there shall not an iota not an affix passe but the least part of Gods commandements shall be kept Then if other creatures keep their law shall not wee much more labour to observe that that God hath given us If wee labour not to keep them as statutes we shal as judgments if they be not done a nobis they shall be executed de nobis if they be not done by us they shall be executed upon us but I will not prosecute the word that that he calls before commandements he calls here statutes A stationary exercise he useth a stationary object I will dwell or stand upon the exercise of thy Statutes The first was for the exercise this for the meditation he contents not himselfe with one resolution or with the second this whole Psalm is nothing but a multitude of holy resolutions and ejaculations take but this one part of the Psalm this one division that my Text is out of see how resolutions come one on the necke of another In vers 46. there is one I will speake of thy testimonies before Kings In the 47th there is another I will delight my self in thy commandements After that he is not content he gives a third I will lift up my hands to thy commandements which I have loved And in the latter part he closeth with a fourth I will meditate in thy Statutes He arms himselfe with resolutions and these two resolutions are subservient one to another the preparatorie act to meditation in Gods statutes I will lift up my hands to thy commandements He first prepares before he falls to meditate he doth not rush upon the sudden as we do in prayer uncivily when we come into the house of God hee fits and tunes his heart he sets the parts in order before he goes to meditate he composeth himselfe his eyes his hands his heart all the whole man before he goes to meditate I will first lift up my hands to thy commandements and then meditate on thy statutes as it is in Psal 51. Before he will sing he will tune Awake my Lute Harp awake my glory and my selfe will awake right early David would not sing before he was prepared he tunes before he sings Psal 45. My heart is enditing of a good matter I speake of the things which I have made touching the King He prepares his heart that hee may get Gods approbation so here before he sets seriously to meditation he puts every affection in a right key and tune and then when he had set all right after he had composed his very gesture his eyes fixed to heaven his hands lifted to Gods throne then I will meditate in thy statutes He sets the most heavenly act on an heavenly object there is no object fitter for meditation then the Commandements there is no act fitter for the commandements then meditation Meditation is the improving of all other exercises spirituall whatsoever meditation is an Angelicall exercise the only exercise or the chiefe that we know of that the Angels exercise in heaven is the meditating of Gods will and wayes and works If we would conform our selves nay if we would attain to the height of Angels it must be by meditation yet we generally the most of us are very negligent and backward in this duty few men know what belongs to meditation or what is the comfort of it those that professe they love God and delight in his commandements though they read sometime and heare sometime they labour not to improve that that they read hear by meditation meditation is come to be the scorn of the world I account meditation is scorned because conference about holy things repetition is a thing in reproach in the world It is true I know those things may be done sometimes as they are out of faction and under pretence of repetition oft times conventicles are made but a modest humble soule will not do things for applause or offence but if we look to benefit our selves by the word of God we will take all helps to remember what we hear and apply it to our selves and we cannot do it without meditation and repetition
this is a great extent this is the pole of Persons Further it reacheth not onely to the Visible Earth and the visible Heavens but to the invisible Heavens not onely to men but to Angells there are no poles of that Heaven there is no extent It is Salvation common to men with men and common to men with Angells being the common worke they make it their common beatificall or salvificall object these things of redemption of Salvation these things that are so delectable and salvificall that concerne our good as well as Angells it is into these things that they desire to looke Now I have done with the second thing I have shewed you who the persons are and what the good things are There is onely one behind that is the maine what kind of desire it is and what is the root of this desire and the cause of this inspection But thus much for this time SERMON II. 1 PETER 1.12 Which things the Angells desire to looke into HOWSOEVER the method of nature and the method of Art be justly in themselves distinguishable yet it falls out oft times that there is the same Proceedings in both and as nature goes before so Doctrine follows after such is the method that I have set to my selfe in picking out scriptures for you during the time of this solemnitie which is still continued to me though it be ended in it selfe if wee looke to the method of nature we shall find that the Creatures they are so ordered that man he is the horizon of all things visible and Angells they are the horizon simply of all Creatures Angells are the top and man is next to them therefore if we ascend in this order where man ends there it is that the Angelicall nature begins so man is in the confines of Angells above and other Creatures below In his body he partakes of Earthly things in his soule he hath affinity with the Angelicall nature man being the next Creature under Angells and Angells the onely Creature above man therefore I say where it is the humane nature ends there the Angelicall nature begins in order of ascending so in those Scriptures that I have propounded to you all the other Texts that I have chosen have beene for you that I might shew to you in what manner you are to entertaine the Declaration of these great benefits that this solemne time hath presented to us but now where man ends there the Angells begin and as I shewed you what your inspection should be so now I will shew you what entertainment the Angells give these tidings and great blessings and what their inspection is that as they desire to looke upon us when we are seemly conversant in the worship of God so now we may goe forward to look on them in this Text as the Scripture presents them to us and see how they are conversant in the admiring and entertaining of these Mysteries of Salvation they sayth Nazianzen keepe Christmasse with us I am verily perswaded sayth he the Angells keep this Feast this very day speaking of the Nativity of Christ I will goe a little further for I am not onely perswaded but I am sure that they keep not onely one day but every day for this their inspection is the keeping of the Angells Christmass the inspection into the incarnation of our blessed Saviour which because it is a great Mystery in it selfe and because the Text of Scripture that I handle wants not its difficulties therefore I am resolved to goe on in the course that the Lord set Ezekiel Ezek. 20. Son of man drop thy words Abstruse things are not to be cast downe by whole Buckets but by drops so there are three drops three things in it two I have gone over in the forenoone First who these Angells are I shewed at large Negatively not the evill Spirits Affirmatively that it must of necessity be understood of the good Angells the other Angells have no delight to look into the Mysteries of Salvation except it be for their wicked advantage they look to Mysteries but they are Mysteries of iniquity not to the Mysteries of redemption they find no sweetnesse in them it must be the good Angells those that were attendant and imployed and their service required and their ministration used to the Law in the publication of it and to the Saints of God in the making knowne and declaring those Mysteries they have benefite in them as well as we it is the good Angells Because these Mysteries of redemption are Angelicall speculations we need not to be ashamed to be conversant in the study of them it is an honourable study Because it is fit for Angelicall study we must look on them with sobriety the Angells set them bounds we must not goe too far That was the first-drop The second thing was what these things are in particular that the Angells desire to looke into I shewed in what Coppies the Singular number is used into whome the Greeke into which the same good things that are set downe in the foregoing words the good things testified by the Holy Ghost from Heaven certified by the Prophets before and reported by Christ that is in one word summarily the Mysteries of the Gospell those are the things they desire to looke into In particular they are high speculations that the Angells looke into They are delightfull and plausible arguments there are no sad thoughts come into the Angells hearts they study no sorrowfull subject whatsoever Thirdly they are all things that concerne Salvation the Angells thoughts run upon nothing else though they enjoy Salvation either in the glorifying of God for their owne or in striving to be serviceable to God in the furthering of others their thoughts are upon Salvation Lastly they are brotherly speculations The Angells have the good things they looke to with us they are theirs and ours nay more properly ours then theirs they are not drawne by these meanes they were confirmed in an instant we are drawne by degrees This is the sum of the two first parts in the forenoone There is but one behind which is the maine and will prove the longest that is to see Quae radix desiderij what is the Originall and ground of this holy desire that the Angells have to looke into these sublime and glorious Mysteries to make them the object of their speculation except we find out this we find out nothing Because there are many things questionable seeing oft times inquisition comes from curiosity or from want of desire or from ignorance and the Angelicall nature is not subject to these defects they are not curious to enquire into that that is concealed from them and they are not defective in the knowledge of any thing that is necessary for them to know therefore upon this Wheele the whole frame will turne to find out the ground and Originall of the desire of the Angells why they are carried with so holy and impetuous motion to looke to those Mysteries
those Mysteries of our redemption of Salvation revealed by Christ that we preach to you though we cannot looke into them as the Angells looke yet they are the same for substance that the Apostles Preached to you That is the last ground you have seene what the Angells are what the things are and the inspection and the desire Thus much for this Text and this time An exact Alphabeticall Table directing to the principall Truths handled in the fore-going Work A Abounding ABounding a metaphor whence taken page 339 Abrogate Christ kept the Passover to abrogate it page 461 Account Good Angells not called to Account page 518 Act Habits must be brought to Act page 359 Adam see Covenant Admiration Angells behold the Mysteries of the â—ospell with admiration page 526 To look on Gods goodnesse with admiration page 528 Advances see Piety Affections Affections in Prayer how kindled page 54 Afflictions Why good men suffer afflictions when others escape page 472 see endure Alike In spirituall things all are alike to God page 465 All All sins to be prayed against and why page 72 All duties to have thankfullnesse page 172 see Commands Detestation Goodnesse Love Alliance Aliance of Gods mercy page 113 Anchor Hope the anchor of the soule page 423 Angells Evill angells studie not the Mysteries of the Gospell page 491 Evill angells how called in Scripture ibid. The name of angel what page 492 Angells have benefit by the mysteries of Salvation page 496 Angells what things they desire to looke into page 501 See Incarnation knowledge Apparrell Against vaine apparrell page 413 Appearing Appearing before God double page 373 Arguments Arguments peculiar to each Apostle page 196 Art see nature Assent Assent of a pious heart page 475 Assurance Assurance to be prayed for page 134 see Heaven Atheist see Epicure Attributes Mercy hath the prerogative above all other Attributes page 113 B Body Parts of the body interpreters of the duties of piety page 52 Eyes of the body how placed page 385 God to be worshipped with the body page 387 Beg see mercy Behold Behold what it signifies page 383 Benefits Benefits by Christ how expressed page 159 Beleive The word of God to be beleived page 287 The lifting up the eyes a testimony of beleiving page 388 Blessednesse Blessednesse the highest good page 222 Blessednes how propounded page 225 Blessednesse every mans comfort page 226 Blessednesse where placed by worldly men page 227 Blessednesse where placed by the Apostles page 228 Blessednesse where placed by Christ page 229 Blessednesse the way to it ibid. Blessednesse not to be severed from tribulation page 230 Blessednesse why set out by variety of names page 236 Blessednesse essentiall of Saints and Angells the same page 503 see Temptation enduring comprehensive suffering Bonds Bonds of turning to God page 22 Barâ—hen Sin 〈…〉 page 105 Sin 〈…〉 a burthen page â—â—6 C Calâ—e Praise set out by a calf why page 160 Carnall Carnall love hinders love to God Carnall mens joy what Certainty Certainty of Salvation abused page 69 The Crowne of life certaine how page 242 Chamber Christ had not a Chamber of his owne page 449 The House of God the Guest-Chamber page 453 What Chamber Christ will be received in page 479 see Heart Conscience Church Charity The disposition of charity page 476 Chastisements Afflictions of Gods Children chastisements page 103 Not to be out of love with Gods chastisements page 252 Cheap God requires cheap Sacrifice and why page 162 Chearfully Tentations to be endured chearfully page 210 Christ Pardon to be begged in the name of Christ page 118 Why the Disciples were forbid to say he was the Christ page 443 Ministration of Angells used about Christ page 496 see Satisfaction Christians Admonition to Christians page 171 see morall Church The church Christs Chamber page 479 Circumstances Not to spend much time about circumstances page 440 Commands The word of God called his commands why page 286 Saints love Gods word when it commands page 312 All Gods commands to be loved page 33 Love enables to keep the commands page 314 Commands of God what page 414 see Prayer Duty Promise Obedience Sublime Ever Common Misteries of â—â—lvation common to men and Angells page 511 Comprehensive Blessednesse the most comprehensive good page 222 The Crowne of life comprehensive page 232 Condition True obedience makes no condition page 174 Confession Confession of sin necessary to repentance page 36 No pardon without confession page 37 Confession an easie way to pardon page 38 Backwardnesse to confession of sin page 40 Exhortation to confession page 41 Examples of pardon to confession ibid. Confession necessary in doing good or evill page 44 Confession of all sins page 72 see words humble mournefull Congruity Bond of congruity to turne to God page 23 Conquerours The Crowne of life the reward of conquerours page 256 Contentation Contentation of Angells page 531 Continuall Spirituall Sacrifices continuall page 168 Constancy Temptations to be endured with constancy page 211 Constancy what ibid. Conscience Conscience Christs Chamber page 480 Covenant Different conditions of the two covenants page 39 Courage Temptations to be endured with courage page 209 Creation Pardon above works of creation page 112 Crowne The crowne of life the reward of suffering page 226 What crownes Christians have in this World page 227 see victory gold conquerours love Curiosity Curiosity not in good Angells page 519 D Damnable Going on in sin damnable page 24 Daily Thanksgiving a daily Sacrifice page 172 David David his divine temper page 284 Dead Legat Sacrifice dead page 170 Debt Thanksgiving a debt page 138 Declare Ministers onely declare pardon page 109 Declining Where there is not growth there is declining page 343 Degrees Degrees of grace to be sought after page 361 Degrees of grace numberless page 362 Encouragement to attain the highest degrees ibid. Delightfull Mysteries of Salvation delightfull speculations page 508 Depositum The Scripture a depositum page 294 Desire True ground of the desire of Angells page 526 Heavenly things should be the matter of our desire page 538 Detestation Detestation of all sin necessary page 73 Devil see ignorance Devout Lifting up the eyes a signe of a devout heart page 389 Divinity Argument of Christs divinity page 467 Donation The Crowne of life of free donation page 239 Duration Duration of Gods mercy page 115 E Easie The most easie way to remove judgements page 14 15 see confesse Eminent see place Enablement A Saint depends on God for enablement page 179 Ends God works good ends out of the least things page 473 Endure What vertues required to endure affliction page 204 What enduring hath the promise of blessednesse page 209 Enemies Christ obeyed the Law to stop the months of his enemies page 462 Envie No envie in good Angells page 520 Epicures Atheist and Epicures objections answered page 471 esteem see word Evening Evening what meant by it page 257 Ever The Scriptures an Heritage for ever page 294 Gods Commands