mystery of his Person that both these Natures should be so strangely and admirably united into one Person that God and Man should be personally one Christ 1. Not by a concord of wills 2. Or by a transfusion of properties 3. Or by assistance of grace but 4. By an inward union and conjunction in Person It is a mysterie that Divines have laboured to express by any possible similitudes and could not do it 2. 'T is Magnum Mysterium This of Christ's Incarnation 't is the grand Mysterie because all other mysteries are subordinate and serviceable to this all sacred truths point at this Truth all like lines meet in this center 'T is the end and drift of all the sacred Prophesies To him give all the Prophets witness Acts x. 43. It was the summe and scope of all their Predictions All the Prophets from Samuel and those that follow after as many as have spoken have foretold his Coming Acts iii. 24. Of this Salvation all the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently He is Abraham's promised Seed Moses his great Prophet Samuel's anointed King Iacob's Shilo Esay's Immanuel Ieremy's Man compassed by a Woman Ezekiel's Shepherd Daniel's Holy One Zachary's Branch Solomon's Lilly David's Lord Malachy's Angel All that prophesied looked at him He is the end and body and substance of all their Rites and Ceremonies He was Abel's Sacrifice Abraham's First-fruits Isaac's Ram Iacob's Ladder Moses his Passover Aaron's Rod the Israelites Rock the Patriarchs Manna David's Tabernacle Solomon's Temple all types and representations of his Incarnation All their Kings were figures of this great King all their Deliverers and Judges types of this great Saviour all their Priests were Ushers to bring in this High-Priest of our profession All the mysteries in Scripture were serviceable to this mystery 3. 'T is Magnum Mysterium 't is a great mysterie far exceeding all mysteries in the world All secrets of nature are but elements and rudiments to this Oracle The learnedst men that can search into all natural knowledge stand gazing at this and cry out How can this thing be All mysteries of States they are but meer follies and dotages to this Wisdom The vanquishing of Satan What victory like this The birth of God What Prince's nativity so honourable The laws of the Church the heavenly Oracles What laws so righteous The priviledges of the Gospel What Prerogatives Charters Liberties so ample Other Kings saith S. Chrysostom they govern the bodies this King reigns in the souls of men Other Kings fight with bodily weapons this King with spiritual Other Kings fight against Barbarians Christ against Devils All subtilties of Art but meer daubings and botcheries to this great mysterie That Art can tame Lyons lead about Tygers How do we wonder at this This Mysterie here can change and alter brutish savage barbarous men reduce them to all sobriety and moderation Christs Incarnation shall make the Wolf dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard lye down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lyon and the Fatling together and a little Child shall lead them c. Esay xi 6. That Art is curious that can drive away diseases lengthen and strengthen life How far exceeding is this mysterie that can cure soul-sickness not onely cure sickness but recover from death regenerate and renew a man old and withered nay dead and give life to him Other Arts can alter nature but this doth change it That may polish brass but not turn it into a purer metal Evangelium ferreum vas reddidit aureum 4. 'T is Magnum Mysterium a great mysterie because 't is a mysterie even to all men of the largest capacity the most clear understanding In other truths that may be a mysterie to one man which is but an easie ordinary truth to the mind of another As in Nature some things seem very mysterious and obscure to a vulgar understanding which a learned judicious man can presently comprehend As the Eclipse of the Sun an unlearned man wonders at it as a great secret of nature but a Scholar counts the knowledge of it easie and obvious So in works of Art Aliter judicat peritus Artifex aliter imperitus inspector An unskilful man will account that a curious piece of work which an expert Artificer will judge but ordinary But this Oracle and mysterie with which we have to do it poseth the greatest wits far exceeds the largest understanding Solomon who knew the secrets of nature his large head was too narrow for it He confesses I have not the understanding of a man I have not learned this wisdom It is hid even from the wise and prudent Matt. xi Where is the wise Where is the Scribe Where is the disputer of the world 1 Cor. i. 20. All their wisdom falls short of this It fares with the greatest Understanding as it doth with the bodily eye The sharpest eye-sight that can behold all earthly things clearly yet if it look up to the body of the â—…un it dazles and trembles and cannot behold it The least appearance of this mysterie it overwhelmed and surcharged the most enlightned understanding When Christ appeared to Abraham which was but praeludium Incarnationis he falls on his face and trembles When Moses had but a glimpse of this glory I tremble exceedingly saith he When Elijah saw but the back-parts of Christ he hid his face he durst not look on When Daniel approaches near it it layes him for dead It casts Paul into a rapture Peter into a trance Iohn lay as a dead man Excellens objectum destruit sensum This knowledge it is too high I cannot attain to it All humane understandings tremble adore are astonish'd at it 5. 'T is Magnum Mysterium a great mysterie not onely to humane but even to the highest Angelical understanding 't is a great deep mysterie even unto the Angels Those Stars of the morning as Iob calls them are overwhelmed with the splendor of this Sun 'T is a mysterie to them This great Work it was conceal'd from them it lay hid in the womb of Eternity and they still wonder and admire at the greatness of it See this in two places one is Ephes. iii. 10. Unto Principalities and Powers in heavenly places is made known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God Not onely some inferior Angels as Lombard conceits were ignorant of it but the most illuminated Angels it was a mysterie to them and by the Church they learn it as some conceive that they see and behold in the Church and wonder at the secrets of the Gospel which are there unfolded At the preaching of the Gospel the Angels flock to see the fulfilling of those mysteries represented in the Tabernacle all the curtains being adorned with Cherubs Another place is 1 Pet. i. 12. Which things the Angels desire to look into They do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stoop down and pry and desire to look into these glorious Mysteries This was prefigured in the two Cherubs on
Christian and the first-fruits they must be offered they dedicate and consecrate the whole lump to God By this Faith Abel excelled his brother he sacrificed 1. In fide mandati in conscience of Gods Commandment Cain for custom and fashion-sake onely Worship upon conscience is one thing Worship upon custom onely is another Abel offered 2. Ex fide promissi Abels Faith look'd up to the Messias saw him by Faith that was the life of his Sacrifice Cain rested in the outward Ceremony Without this Faith Impossibile est placere Deo nay Necesse est displicere said Bernard By Faith Abel pleased God for want of Faith Cain displeased him Thirdly Let us consider the nature of this acceptance that is said here to be Respect and Disrespect He respected Abel and his offering but to Cain and his offering he had no respect 1. He respected Abels Offering Wherein consisted this respect 1. He respected it that is he allowed it it stood with his acceptation A great mercy no doubt for God to take our poor imperfect services in good part to give approbation of them to say to us Euge Well done good servant thy prayers and thy sacrifice are come up for a memorial before God a great favour for God to own our devotion Thy prayers shall come up with acceptance upon mine Altar Isai. lx 7. 2. He respected it that is he took a delight in it it was exceeding pleasing unto him The devout prayers of his servants are matter of delight unto him he takes pleasure in them As on the contrary when we are weary of serving him he is weary of our service When we come to say with them in Malachi O what a weariness is it God will answer us as he did those in Isaiah Your services are abominable unto me I am weary to bear them But the prayers of Gods people arising from faith and devotion they are like Noah's Sacrifice God smelt a favour of rest in it 't is an offering of a sweet smell unto God Their prayers are in Gods nostrils as sweet odours holy incense heavenly perfumes Who is this that comes like pillars of smoak perfumed with Myrrhe and Frankincense with all powders of the Merchant Cant. iii. 6. 3. He respected it that is he honoured it with a publick testimony of his favour he gave witness and attestation to it by a visible sign from heaven consuming the Sacrifice by heavenly fire So some translate it Inflammavit Deus sacrificium Abel Thus God honour'd Aarons first Sacrifice Lev. ix A fire came from before the Lord and consumed it Thus he did testifie his acceptance of Davids Sacrifice at Arauna's threshing-floor and Solomons Sacrifice in the Temple and Elias his on Carmel 'T is that which David prays for Remember all thy offerings and accept thy burnt-sacrifices Psal. xx 3. turn them into ashes and consume them 4. He respected it that is he graciously rewarded it granting his request pouring out a blessing upon him He shewed some good token of favour to him First he delighted in him and then in his Sacrifice and then in the prosperity of his servant Manoah's wife argues well If the Lord would destroy us he would not have accepted a burnt-offering at our hands Iudg. xiii But then with Cain all goes contrary no respect had to him his Sacrifice is rejected And 't is a requitall in kind He heeded not God when he sacrificed to him and God heeds him not Meer fashion and formality in Gods Service makes God to be respectless of our prayers Why should God hear him pray who hears not himself Excors sacrificium among the Heathens the Sacrifice which wanted a heart was counted prodigious and of ill abode And as it is a just requital so it is an heavie one The miss of his favour the turning away of his countenance the stopping of his ears against our prayers 't is the greatest Judgment when he shuts out our prayers that they cannot enter Lam. iii. 8. When he is angry with the prayers of his people Psal. lxxx 4. Oh! it was death to David O Lord make not as though thou hearest not lest I become like them that go down into the pit Psal. xxviii 1. It is an heavie doom that God passes upon sinners Though you make many prayers I will not hear you Isai. i. For Use of all Is this the great success of our prayers that God should respect them It must put us into a three-fold disposition in our addresses to him 1. We must be Cauti exceeding carefull and circumspect If there be such hazard in our service it may be accepted as it may be performed or it may be rejected it concerns us to look to the manner of performance so to tender up our service unto him that it may be accepted Naturally we are all Popish in this point we think that the Opus operatum is sufficient we rest in the outward deed done so we dispatch with God in a perfunctory way we think all 's well and that our Sacrifice shall fall on fire of it self though we put not one spark of devotion under it How foolish a thing is Formality in Gods Service to frequent his Worship and to make many Prayers and yet to have all spilt and lost for want of an holy manner in the performance 2. Is there such hazard in our prayers to God It must make us Attentos diligent and attentive to observe how our prayers speed with God what acceptance they find how God doth answer them Most men perform their service to God at all adventures hit or miss speed or speed not they heed it not Oh! a good Christian should see and observe how God respects his prayers waiting upon him till he gives us an answer of Peace Our eys should wait upon the Lord till he have mercy upon us Psal. cxxiii Well how shall that be how shall we discern that our prayers are accepted Besides the real grant of what we pray for which is a sensible evidence of the speeding of our prayers Observe 1. Whether doth God Inflammare sacrificium doth he enkindle thy devotion enflame thine heart with a holy fervency in prayer 't is like fire from heaven upon Abels Sacrifice 2. Doth God inspire comfort into thine heart when thou hast prayed unto him Feelest thou an inward cheerfulness in thy soul Art thou able to say with David I am well pleased my soul is filled as with marrow and fatness Like Hannah she was no more sorrowfull after she had prayed as David who in the begininng of his prayer mourn'd but then felt that comfort that made him shout for joy The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping he hath heard my supplication the Lord will receive my prayer Psal. vi 3. This gracious acceptance of our prayer it should make us alacres it should beget in us an alacrity and holy delight in the duty of prayer It was Davids resolution Psal. cxvi Because he hath inclined
the summe and upshot of all sacred Truth What 's the use and end of Scripture To make us wise to salvation 2 Tim. iii. To acquaint us with the mysterie of godliness 'T is the grand text of all Sermons 't is the argument and theme of all Theological discourses 't is the marrow and kernel of all discourses 't is the drift and center of all the meditations of Saints and Angels I. For the nature of it 't is Mysterium 'T is the title of the Gospel Mark iv 11. Unto you it is given to know the mysterie of the Kingdome of God that 's the Gospel 1 Cor. ii 7. We speak the wisdom of God in a mysterie a mysterie which was kept secret since the world began Rom. xvi 25. Now to understand the nature of it A mysterie is Sacrum Secretum occultam habens intelligentiam An holy Secret the understanding and knowledge of which is close and conceal'd And then is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the summe of Christianity a mysterie It carries with it these conditions 1. Is it a mysterie then it is in it self full of secrecy and obscurity naturally unknown vayl'd up in great reservedness It is called an hidden mysterie a mysterie hid from ages and generations Col. i. 26. A mysterie 1. Hidden in God Ephes. iii. 9. lock'd up in the closet of his breast in his secret purpose and counsel 2. Hidden in Christ Colos. ii 3. In him are hid all the treasures of wisdome 3. Hidden in the Scripture that 's vayl'd up with many mysteries a book in it self seal'd up with seven seals no man or Angel is able fully to open it Revel iii. 18. 4. Hidden in those types and shadows and ceremonies of the Law 5. Nay even the Gospel though that brings this mysterie to some light yet it is but imperfectly discovered still a great part is hidden there is no clear discovery We know but in part Faith sees not clearly Adhuc manifestat se nobis sicut vult non sicut est Bern. Adhuc Iosephus loquitur per Interpretem He doth not yet fully disclose himself to us In heaven adipe frumenti saginantur nudo satiantur grano We must be content Sacramenti cortice carnis furfure Preachings and Sacraments they are but the husk and the bark the bran and the chaff not the clean Corn winnowed and cleansed Still it is hidden 2. 'T is mysterium therefore the knowledge of it is a matter of Revelation not to be known by the light or benefit of nature but it is of supernatural discovery The eye of nature cannot see it nor the ear of nature hear it nor did it ever enter into the heart of a natural man but God hath reveal'd it to us by his Spirit 1 Cor. ii 9 10. All other knowledge hath some prints and foot-steps in nature but this is a meer novelty to nature Animae creationem intelligunt Daemones Animae redemptionem ignorant Angeli Herein it exceeds the perfection of the Law that 's written in our hearts by nature the light of reason discovers the truth of the Law but the Gospel is not inbred in us it must be reveal'd and discover'd by God himself Non potest doceri nisi à donante nec addisci nisi à suscipiente We cannot see the Sun but by the light of the Sun nor know Christ till himself discover himself S. Paul prayes that they may have the Spirit of Revelation 3. 'T is in it self a mysterie therefore the discovery of it is a matter of dispensation an arbitrary voluntary discovery to whom God pleases and as much as he pleases This Christ acknowledgeth Matth. xi 25 26. Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight This will answer all questions And that of his to Christ Ioh. xiv 22. Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us and not to the world For natural knowledge He enlightens every man that comes into the world Ioh. i. 9. But this knowledge he dispenseth at pleasure less to the Iews more to the Christians To the Prophets it was the light of a Candle to the Apostles the light of the Day-Star Hereafter we shall see the Sun in his shining beauty 4. 'T is a mysterie therefore the Revelation of it is a special favour To communicate his secret thoughts the mysteries of his Will 't is a fruit of greatest love You are my friends saith Christ for I tell you all things S. Iohn learnt it in the bosom of Christ and he was the beloved Disciple he lay in the bosom the seat of Affection and of Secrets too One dram of this Knowledge is better then the knowledge of all the secrets of nature Which if it be a Mysterie then 1. Reverenter adeundum we must not approach to the looking into these Mysteries but with much fear and reverence The Heathens exacted all reverence to their false counterfeit mysteries They commanded all prophane men to stand off not to come neer their sacred mysteries Carelesness and profanation 't is the greatest opposite to the mysteries of Religion How hath God exacted holiness and reverence in all that draw neer to be partakers of his sacred mysteries Put off thy shoos it is holy ground When God came down on the Mount they were all to wash and cleanse themselves 't was death to come irreverently Nadab and Abihu were destroyed by fire for an unhallowed approach Levit. x. The Lord will be sanctified in them that come nigh him vers 3. The men of Bethshemesh for an irreverent approach to the Ark the Type of our mysteries were slain even many thousands of them Of the two Superstition less offends God then Profanation 'T was the great Charge God laid upon the Iews and for which he threatned to remove his Worship from them to the Gentiles because they prophaned his Worship polluted the Table of the Lord and made the meat of it contemptible Mal. i. 12. All the appurtenances belonging to this mysterie are to be reverenced the Place the Time every Utensil Is it a mysterie then 2. Castè sobriè tractandum we must handle this mysterie chastly and soberly The mysteries of Religion are not sleightly or vainly or sportingly to be handled but heedfully soberly with all awful attention 1. The Minister who speaks of them how holily must he handle them 1 Pet. iv 11. Let him speak as the Oracles of God It was the charge of the Priests in the Old Law Be ye clean that bear the Vessels of the Lord Esai lii 11. All those legal Pollutions that caused an irregularity in the Priests made them uncapable of ministring and they are all enforcements of that purity and sobriety that are required in the Servitours and Dispensors of these sacred mysteries This made Moses refuse Send I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou wilt send Exod. iv 13. And Esay
led into heaven Angels are but Inmates in heaven in respect of us And heaven is said to be prepared for us not for Angels Mat. xxv Hell is prepared for the Devil and his Angels but not so Heaven this is not prepared for the Angels but for you The joyes of heaven are called A sitting down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob not with Angels in the kingdom of heaven They are but Pocillatores but Servitours and Attendants upon our Glory 3. It is more comfort to the Apostles to see Men in Glory with Christ rather then Angels Angels in heaven were ab origine there never excluded but to see Men assumed this shews that the virtue of our Mediatour hath opened Paradise again quenched the fiery Sword reconciled us and given entrance for our banished Nature into the state of Glory It was comfort for the captive-Jews to see Daniel and his fellows advanced by the king of Babel and made chief in the kingdom for to see Hester made Queen and Vashti neglected so to see flesh of our flesh Men in the same captivity and condemnation reconciled glorified it bids us hope well for a gracious admission That 's the second their kind Two Men. III. Their specialty their Persons Moses and Elias Why not some other Saints but these must be singled out What reasons are there for their appearance rather then for others Divers reasons may be given reduce them to these four heads 1. Some reasons of this choyce are in respect of Christ. 2. Some in respect of themselves 3. Some in respect of the Apostles 4. Some in respect of the people to whom it was to be published 1. Moses and Elias appear at this Transfiguration respectu Christi in respect of Christ 1. Famulantur ut Domino These chief eminent Saints must do homage to Christ as to their great Lord. It added to Mordecai's honour that Haman the chief Prince must attend his triumph See here the two grand Pillars of the Church the most renowned Prophets Saints high in heaven wait upon our Saviour He calls for Elias see if Elias will come said they scoffingly Behold Elias and Moses are present all their dignity must stoop to him Moses was faithful as a servant of the house but Christ was Lord of the house Kings and Prophets and eminent Saints fall down before him as Ioseph's brethren all honour him all Sheavs bow down to this Sheaf all the Stars worship this Sun of righteousness 2. Attestantur ut Messiae They come and give evidence and testimony that he is the anointed Messias that was promised to the Church He receives testimony and witness from Moses and the Prophets Thus Philip Ioh. i. 45. We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write Iesus of Nazareth Thus S. Peter brings Moses to witness For Moses truly said unto the Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you Act. iii. 22. To him give all the Prophets witness Act. x. 43. And Christ accounts that Moses wrote of him Search the Scriptures they are they which testifie of me Ioh. v. 39. This they foretold now being exhibited they set to their seals of this glorious performance 3. Sociantur ut Legis Prophetarum complementa Moses and Elias attend and behold him as the fulfilling and accomplishment of Law and Prophets to intimate that Law and Prophets all aym at him and all concurr and joyn in him all like lines run to this center All the Patriarchs were Types of him all the Priests and Prophets were representations of him all their Rites and Ceremonies prefigured him all their Saviours and Deliverers were his fore-runners They were but shadows He in coming gave truth and fulness to them It was sorrow to Ionas that his Prophesie was frustrate it was joy to the Prophets to see all their predictions made good in Him To prefigure thee saith Moses I instituted the Passeover and effusion of Blood all my Rites and Ceremonies look'd at thee To foretel thee saith Elias was my message and Ministry All the Prophets from Samuel and after pointed at him Till his coming all things were empty and imperfect now they all clasp and close about him as their drift and argument He is AMEN 4. Venerantur ut Servatorem They appear to adore him as their Saviour and Redeemer Though they are already in heaven and glory yet they know to whose bloud they owe it who gave them entrance and access Moses himself could not convey himself into Canaan the type of heaven much less into heaven it self All the Elders and Saints fling down their Crowns at his feet all worship and are tributary to his glory Elias his Chariot was of Christ's sending as Iacob's came from Ioseph 2. Moses and Elias appear in respect of Themselves for these reasons 1. Conceive them ut eminentes Sancti Moses and Elias were persons of admirable holiness yet they attend and adore our Saviour Not only wicked and prophane men stand in need of him and acknowledg him but the holiest men and most aboundant in righteousness own him for their Redeemer As S. Ambrose speaks For Publicans and Harlots to be justified by Faith is no such wonder but for Abraham so rich in good works yet to stand in need of Faith and Christ it highly advanceth the glory of Christ. The purest Robe must be washed in this bloud the choycest Saint must draw grace from Christ. Abraham the Father of the Faithful was a Son of this adoption of grace 2. Conceive them ut Sancti mortui translati They were Saints out of this life Moses is dead Elias translated yet they do homage to Christ. To teach us that he is Lord of quick and dead While he is upon earth yet is he Lord of the spirits in Heaven Now he is in heaven he is Lord of all on earth All live to him He is the God of Abraham and Isaac and Iacob No state of time or place or condition excludes his Soveraignty All Knees in heaven and earth and under the earth must bow and prostrate to him The Pope who enlargeth his power to the world of spirits yet claims not that authority He hath not jurisdictionem but per modum Suffragii Christ hath an homage of Saints that are dead and translated He is Lord of all quick and dead must do him service 3. Conceive them ut Sancti Veteris Testamenti They were not living under the Gospel but under the Old Testament yet they acknowledg they belong as dependants upon this Messias He had an influence backwards to those former Saints as well as forward to the times of Christians They who went before and they who came after all sing Hosanna to this Son of David The Church of the Patriarchs acknowledged him for their Head All of them were partakers of this common salvation Christ Iesus yesterday to day the same for ever It was a dangerous and blasphemous error of the Manichees and Marcionites
to distinguish the God of the Old Testament from the God of the New They counted them a Carnal people feeding only upon earthly promises No their estate was spiritual and the promise heavenly and all partakers of one glorious Messias 4. Conceive them ut Assessores Iudicii This Transfiguration is a representation of his last Comming in glory Then these Saints Moses and Elias shall assist his Judgment The Law and the Gospel shall then appear against their contemners and give in evidence against prophane sinners Oh! we think to see Christ only all in mercy No know Moses will appear and his Law shall be charged upon thee and the doctrine of the Prophets Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust Ioh. v. 45. That Law of holiness is not abolished but is in full strength yet till Christ shall forgive it thee Moses grew not weak or sickly but continued in full vigor till God buried him so the Law hath an eternal obligation and force upon thee and will accuse thee till Christ dischargeth it As many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law Rom. ii 12. 3. These two Moses and Elias appear respectively to the Apostles who were now present at this Transfiguration for three reasons 1. To correct an errour in them They dreamed of Christ's Kingdom to be earthly and temporal The appearance of these Citizens shews the nature of this Kingdom Heavenly Citizens must have an Heavenly King Should Christ raign here what would become of Moses and Elias the Saints departed They are banish'd from this Kingdom No sure they must sit down with Abraham in that Kingdom Ye are come unto the heavenly Ierusalem and to the spirits of just men Heb. xii 22. 23. The consideration of these Citizens must raise us to the acknowledgment of an heavenly Inheritance They sought a City to come 2. To confirm a truth They had made a noble Confession of Christ's Divinity See how Christ confirms them now by the acknowledgment here of two glorious Witnesses As Christ to Nathaniel Believest thou because I said unto thee I saw thee under the Fig-tree thou shalt see greater things then these Hereafter ye shall see Heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man Ioh. i. 50. 51. They shall have Moses and Elias two great Witnesses to confirm it to them Thus God honours and rewards and confirms the Faith of his servants 3. To enforce a duty Moses and Elias assist him in glory These were the most laborious and faithful servants of Christ and how are they now honoured It urgeth upon them that holy imitation Moses he was Faithful in the house of God Elias he was Zealous and Jealous for his glory Both ventured their lives in God's Cause Moses encountred Pharoah Elias Ahab Both Zealous in God's Worship now they appear in rest and glory These great Zelotes were most eminent Favourites It chalks out to the Apostles the way of getting high into Heaven Those who labour and toyl in his work burn in Zeal for his Glory pledg their lives in his Cause give up the fullest account and improvement of their pains these are his choyse ones these follow the Lamb where ever he goes As David's Worthies they were alwayes about him placed in greatest command stand upon Record so here these who encountred Gyants Pharaoh Ahab Iezabel these are they who are highly honoured 4. These two appear respectively to the people and their judgment of Christ. There were three opinions common among the Jews of Christ 1. A blasphemous opinion 2. A more moderate opinion but yet unworthy of him 3. A partial and superstitious opinion All these are corrected by this Apparition 1. They had a blasphemous opinion of him that he was an Impostor a transgressor of the Law a blasphemer This man blasphemeth Matth. ix 3. See here Moses and Elias justifie him bear witness to him associate and protest their Communion with him Had he been a transgressor a profaner of the Sabbath Moses would not have owned him much less honoured him Had he been a blasphemer as they charged him Elias who burnt in Zeal for God's glory would he have a-dored him Now then that these Saints of such authority among the people do they acknowledg him Surely he is no transgressor no blasphemer 2. The people more moderately yet most unworthily judged him to be but some Prophet Whom do men say that I the Son of man am Some say that thou art Iohn the Baptist some Elias and others Ieremias or one of the Prophets Matth. xvi 13 14. That was the best they thought of him A great Prophet is risen up among us Luc. 7. 16. This was well but yet too low for Christ. The Devil can be content we should yield him thus much if we stay there The Turk's attribute so much to him No here we see the main Prophet Elias he adores him as Lord of the Prophets to whom all Prophets ministred ushered in foretold All the Prophets were enlightned by him all were sent by him Elias and Samuel and all stoop to him 3. The Jews had a superstitious opinion of Moses that none could exceed him They would not allow Christ to be Moses his equal Thou art his Disciple but we are Moses Disciples We know that God spake unto Moses as for this fellow we know not whence he is Ioh. ix 28 29. See here Moses whom they dote upon he gives precedency to Christ he vails and bowes and prostrates to him Thus the Jews superstitiously advance some Saints to prejudice Christ. Abraham Art thou greater then our father Abraham which is dead and the Prophets are dead whom makest thou thy self Ioh. viii 53. Whereas Abraham desired to see one day of Christ so did Moses Many Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things which ye see Luk. x. 24. that is Christ in the flesh As S. Paul of himself What is Paul what is Apollos So what is Moses in compare with Christ So much of the Persons 1. Duo Two 2. Duo homines Two men 3. Hi duo These two Moses and Elias Next is Secondly The Manner of their Presence They appeared in Glory In it two things 1. It is a real Appearance 2. It is a glorious Appearance I. It is a real Appearance not an apparition of fancie or some Vision to the mind but a true real personal Appearance of these two Saints 1. It is propounded and sealed up with a word of certainty and assurance Behold importing not onely admiration but evidence and assurance 2. The eyes of the Apostles give evidence of this Appearance It is said When they were awake they saw his Glory and the two men that stood with him And S. Peter and S. Iohn affirm they were eye-witnesses of all this Glory 3. The Actions ascribed to these men are real and bodily talking speaking all bodily
performances 4. It is not suitable to the Glory and Truth of Christ to delude men with shadows and empty Appearances He was most real as of himself handle me feel me All these are evidences for a real Appearance Now this reality of Appearance assures us of two Truths 1. Is Veritas Immortalitatis the truth of the Immortality of souls and spirits The spirits of these two holy men are living and immortal It is a wicked opinion of the Sadduces now raigning among the Jews that the souls are extinguished with the bodies Here is not onely Elias whom they rejected but Moses whom they believed is here really exhibited This is the assurance of our Faith Ye are come to the spirits of just men made perfect This is a foundation of Religion If no Immortality hereafter no Piety here How carnally drunk do many live as if there were no soul or no Immortality 2. Is Veritas the truth nay more facilitas Resurrectionis the easiness of the Resurrection Elias indeed in body was translated but Moses was dead and buried in the plain of Moab yet here his body is united to his soul and appears in Glory How easily can the Lord of our bodies and souls raise and place our bodies in Glory See he beckens Elias out of heaven Moses out of his grave Moses his body was not as Lazarus's four days but two thousand years in the grave yet at the nutus of Christ is it raised and united Our bodies and souls shall be in his hands not onely for safety and custody but for guidance and disposal Speak but the word Lord and thy servants shall revive That 's the first a real Appearance II. It is a glorious Appearance Appear'd in Glory Moses and Elias being attendants upon Christ appear in Glory as Noblemen appear in greatest Magnificence to attend the King 1. Here is the glory of the Saints to attend Christ in Glory The Jews thought if Christ were advanced Moses must down Whosoever preached Christ spake against Moses No Moses was never so glorious as in this Attendance It is otherwise with this Sun of righteousness and the Saints then with the body of the Sun and the Stars These do occidere heliace not appear when they come nearer to the Sun But our Sun of Glory makes these Stars the nearer they be to be the more glorious As in Ioseph's dream the Sun Moon and Stars were all shining together 2. Moses and Elias appear gloriously in Christ's presence Moses is then made manifest and clear when Christ comes Take Moses asunder and without Christ 1. He is obscure there is no luster no clearness he is under a vail but Christ he with his Coming if he appear with Moses he makes all gloriously clear and evident to us 2. He is imperfect nothing but emptiness and shadows Christ gives a fulness to Moses He is not so much the abolition as the consummation of the Law Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ. Paul calls them beggerly rudiments void of Christ. 3. Moses apart from Christ he is fearful and terrible The Law causeth wrath Ay but look upon Moses standing with Christ then he is comfortable Make Moses a servant to Christ the Law to Faith and never look upon Moses but see Christ with him and above him and that will rejoyce thee That 's the second the manner of their appearance in Glory Thirdly see their Action and Employment They talked with him In it three things 1. The Action Collocuti 2. The Person Cum Christo. 3. The Matter de Exitu I. The Action Collocuti They talked It was no dumb shew and representation to gaze upon but an holy and heavenly communication Moses and Elias if they appear they appear as Prophets speaking and conferring either speaking of God or to God It is the life of a Prophet in heaven day and night without ceasing there is nothing but speaking We have here too Moses and the Prophets let us conferr with them and Christ it is a glimpse of Glory In the Scriptures we find Moses and the Prophets conferring with Christ which S. Peter preferrs before this Vision and calls 2 Pet. i. 19. A more sure word of Prophecy Now this Colloquium this Speaking implyes two things 1. Consensum 2. Familiaritatem 1. Consensum It teaches us That there is a sweet agreement betwixt Moses and Elias with our Saviour Christ that there is no repugnancy or contradiction 'twixt the Old and New Testament but a sweet harmony and agreement Here the Law and the Prophets like the two Cherubs are both compassing and looking upon the Mercy-Seat This Christ taught his Disciples All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes concerning me Luk. xxiv 44. There were certain Hereticks in S. Aug. time who professed themselves enemies to the Law and the Prophets But Non potes segregare Legem ab Evangelio ut nec umbram à corpore The Lord thy God will raise unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy brethren like unto me saith Moses Deut. xviii 15. Like unto me not contrary to me The same Religion the same substantial Truth the same Grace and Salvation is in both Testaments There is a variety of Ceremonies but the same Truth and Substance there is the same Authour of both Thus S. Iames answers this doubt Known to the Lord are all his works from the beginning it is no change in God As the prescripts of the Physician are some of one kind to day to morrow of another both ayming at the health of the Patient Aug. The Gospel was comprehended in the Law the Law is explained and cleared in the Gospel The Law shews Moses vailed the Gospel unvails him 2. Denotat familiaritatem Their talk and conference betokeneth a sweet and holy familiarity and communion with God on earth As of Moses it was said The Lord spake unto Moses face to face as a man speaketh unto his friend Exod. xxxiii 11. Observe Moses and Elias were men of much communion with God upon earth many heavenly entercourses passed between them and now they are admitted into a near and sweet and familiar communication Men of communion with God here shall be received with more free access and familiar conversation with Christ in heaven They who never maintain speech with God here how can they look to have access in heaven They who love to come into his presence delight in hearing him speak to them and they to him by Prayer and Meditation they shall have nearest and freest and sweetest communion hereafter That 's the first the Action Collocuti sunt They talked II. The Person Cum Christo With Christ Not with the Apostles nor the Apostles with them Here was a miraculous Apparition but no parley nor entercourse Observe Here is no shew or appearance of any entercourse 'twixt Christians on earth and the Saints in heaven no invocation or salutation on the Apostles part
no revelation or instruction on these Prophets part The Lord hath purposely estranged us from all entercourse 'twixt us and the Spirits departed There is no need of Moses and Elias to speak from heaven we have Moses and Elias and all that they can say behoofeful for us in their Books and Writings Ye are come to the Spirits of just men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediatour of the New Testament Heb. xii 23 24. He is the onely Mediatour III. The Matter of this Conference His decease which he should accomplish at Ierusalem Had some the reporting of this Conference it should have been of some other matters May be of the Succession of Times and Kingdoms of the rising and falling of Monarchies These the Prophets were acquainted with but these they talk not of Others would have reported some Seraphical discourse of the nine Orders of Angels and those Hierarchies or some great discourse of Limbus Patrum or of the souls in Purgatory No such matter it is here De morte Christi Of Christ's decease But 1. Why do they conferr about this 2. How do they talk of it 3. Why do they conferr about the death of Christ 1. This is the grand necessary fundamental Work of Christ for his Church If such a Synod as this meet it is not for trifles but they talk of the Common Salvation of the Church That is the Capital Truth the ground-work of all our Faith and Salvation This takes up their discourse Nay it is the Meditation of God His ancient thought from Eternity was busied about this That Christ should dye for our Redemption 2. This they talked of as a thing that was a great grief and offence to the Apostles A little before Peter abhorred to hear of Christ's death It bred in them 1. Scandalum tristitiae They were very sad 2. Scandalum dubitationis It troubled their Faith how the Messiah should suffer We trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel Luk. xxiv 21. but he is dead Purposely Christ and these Saints conferr about this To acquaint the Apostles with this Mysterie that so it must be and that our salvation depended upon it 3. This they talked of as the thing that both Law and Prophets prefigured and foretold All their Sacrifices were Representations of his Death all their Prophesies Predictions of it Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer Luk. xxiv 46. In this sense He was the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world 4. This they talked of as the matter of Christ's greatest Glory and Renown They being to Adore Christ and to put Honour upon him they invest him with his Garments dipp'd in Blood Isa. lxiii 1. Who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed Garments from Bozrah This that is glorious in his Apparel travelling in the greatness of his strength mighty to save What Honour like this to dye for his Church to be the Sacrifice of the World the Ransom of Mankind the Conquerour of Hell the Purchaser of his Chosen Quapropter Wherefore God also hath given him a Name which is far above every name Philip. ii 9. Absit therefore saith S. Paul ut gloriarer nisi in Cruce Christi God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of Christ Galat. vi 14. 5. This they talked of as the main matter of heavenly discourse What do Moses and the Prophets Angels and Archangels talk and discourse of They wonder at and Adore the death of Christ and Redemption of the Church 6. This they talked of in care and solicitude for the Church on earth They themselves are in Glory Ay but their brethren yet as the two Tribes fight for their brethren Securi de se Soliciti pro nobis But 2. How do they talk of it Reduce all to these three heads 1. Praedicentes Foretelling him of it Not but that Christ foresaw it himself but this Dispensation he used to know it by Scriptures and these Revelations 2. Gratias agentes Adoring him for it magnifying his goodness as the twenty four Elders Thou art worthy to receive Honour and Blessing for thou hast Redeemed us 3. Orantes ut acceleret Begging the accomplishment Peter solicits him not to dye Moses and Elias they solicit him to finish that glorious work upon which their Salvation and the Salvation of the whole Church depended Use. 1. Christus in gloria meditatur de morte His Glory makes him not forget his Death How should we season all our thoughts of joy with thoughts of our departure 2. Do these glorious Saints talk of Death Oh! let it take up our thoughts let it be much in our meditations THE FOURTH SERMON ON S. LUKE ix 31 32. Who appeared in Glory and spake of his Decease which he should accomplish at Ierusalem But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep and when they were awake they saw his Glory and the two Men that stood with him WE have seen in general the summ of this Conference about Christ's Decease Now look upon it more particularly and with accommodation to our selves So we discover four Particulars 1. Here is Colloquium de Morte They talk and conferr of his Death and Passion 2. Here is Natura Conditio Mortis T is exodus a deceasing or departure 3. Here is Susceptio hujus conditionis It is a fulfilling 4. Here is Circumstantia susceptionis It must be at Ierusalem First Here is Colloquium de Morte Christ puts himself into this premeditation of Death for two purposes 1. As a moderation of his present Glory and Majesty into which he is advanced Being thus magnified by his Father and raised to an high pitch of Glory he seasons it with this deep and serious meditation of his Death and Passion The thoughts of our end and dissolution are never unseasonable but yet they are most sutable and seasonable in our greatest advancements and prosperity When you abound with all outward comforts then allay and moderate thy joy with this mortifying Meditation I must lye down in the grave Thus Christ interchangeably In his Humiliation he refresheth himself with the expectation of Glory When he stands at the Bar Ye shall see saith he the Son of man sitting on the right hand of Power and coming in the clouds of heaven Matth. xxvi 64. And so before his Passion O Father glorifie me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was Ioh. xvii 5. Contrarily being in the state of Glory he puts himself into the cogitations of Death When the Graecians came to visit and do honour to him he discourseth of his Passion Except a corn of Wheat fall into the ground and dye it abideth alone Ioh. xii 24. Naturally Abundance and worldly prosperity raises our thoughts too high makes us forgetful nay to abhor the mention of death Greatness like Ahashuerus will have no mourning nor sackcloth Esther iv 2. to appear before him As
ever The Ministery of the Law by Moses and the Prophets it was but till The time of Reformation Heb. ix 10. but when Christ is manifested and he assumes the regiment of his Church then he is the only Governour and Master The servant abides not in the house for ever but the Son abideth for ever Ioh. viii 35. They served to usher in Christ into the world and he being present they vail and give place The Law was dated and limited but the Gospel 't is An everlasting Gospel Rev. xiv 6. Divers ways he spake unto the Fathers in times past by the Prophets but now by his Son Heb. i. 1 2. And there are none to come after him These gave light as A candle shining in a dark place 2 Pet. i. 19. Lucerna accendi debet extingui potest Christ is as the bright Day-star nay as the glorious Sun Floruit hoc semen in figuris prodeunte fructu flos decidit S. Iohn's acknowledgement suits Moses and all the Prophets He must increase but I must decrease Ioh. iii. 30. Old things are passed away all things become new III. This departure of them is respectively to the Apostles 1. To teach them that this Revelation and Vision of Glory is not to be perpetual The Apostles are loth to leave heaven and to relinquish this happiness Yes but though they have a ravishing enterview yet they must be parted Ioseph's brethren were invited to dine with Ioseph but yet they must back again into Canaan to their charge and families and not abide there till all come with them So the Saints have some ravishing apprehensions and are lift up many times in the sweetness of Gods favour even to the heavens they are among the Angels but it is not lasting Secundum hanc gratiam recessurus accedit recedit accessurus These joys are transient we cannot sit by them S. Aug. on those words Let the hearts of those rejoyce that seek the Lord tells us We must onely have Gaudium quaerentium non comprehendentium Thus Christ appear'd and soon after vanished They depart 2. Quia ad Scripturas remittendi These Saints leave them to the ordinary set course of the holy 〈◊〉 For extraordinary Assurance they hear Moses and â—…lias but for the ordinary standing course of Religion To the Law and to the Testimony We have a more sure word of the Prophets saith S. Peter comparatively to this Vision God may visit us with miraculous Revelations but that which we must stick to is the life of Faith and food of the Scriptures For a while the Israelites were fed with Manna but in Canaan they must feed upon the fruits of the land Lazarus must not go to Dives his brethren They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Luke xvi 29. We have S. Paul S. Peter Christ all in the Scripture They depart 3. That the Apostles Uno Christo contenti sint The presence of these Saints is refreshing but yet though they vanish Christ's presence is sufficient As Christ said All ye shall leave me alone and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me Ioh. xvi 32. So if all other sweet societies break yet it is enough if Christ abide with us Rather be with Christ in a dungeon then in heaven without him We never prize Christ sufficiently till he be to us instead of all comforts Let us be sequestred from all the Saints Abraham knows us not Israel acknowledgeth us not Esa. lxiii 16 but thou art our Father our Redeemer Christ must be so 1. For Faith and Doctrine onely Christ. Papists have their Saints and sue to them we have no such services they are out of our sight onely Christ is with us 2. For matter of Comfort How often do we lose the society of Saints and those refreshing fellowships Yet if Christ abide with us if we enjoy his company it is enough Whom have I in heaven but thee And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee Psal. lxxiii 25. The Sun alone is more cheering and refreshing then all the Stars in the firmament so is Christ then all the Saints So much for the Occasion Come we Secondly to the summ and substance of their Request specified 1. In the Person who makes it Peter No doubt the two other were much affected with this Glory but Peter is most fervent and forward and breaks out into this Passion We finde not any act of forwardness in Peter but it is made by the Papists an Argument of Precedeny Bellarmine reckons up twenty Arguments of his Prerogative If Christ do but enter into Peter's Boat it is to invest him in a Supremacie Whereas not Supremacy but Fervency and sometimes Infirmity often makes him outstrip his fellow-Apostles 1. A little before this Transfiguration Matth. xvi he was Primus in Infidelitate Christ must not dye vers 22. 2. In this Transfiguration he was Primus in Infirmitate Peter he was asleep Signantèr Primus in Temeritate he breaks out first in this hasty motion But as S. Peter's personal Infirmities are not imputable so neither are his personal Graces communicable nor his personal Prerogatives hereditary This Motion is specified 2. In the Person to whom it is made Iesus Master and conceive it in two expressions 1. It is directed to Christ not to Moses or Elias they make no Prayer Motion Suit to them there is no entercourse or speech 'twixt the Apostles and these Saints purposely all parley or conference much more Prayer and Invocation is omitted and restrained You are come to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediatour Heb. xii 23 24. Prayers to Saints departed are unlawful They are not to be made 1. Not to Saints absent Quia Oratio est actus Rationis and it is a vain thing to Invocate those who are absent Nay 2. Not to present Saints Quia Oratio est actus Religionis All our Supplications must be thus directed Iesus Master None is our Master-Iesus but he 2. It is directed to Christ even concerning Moses and Elias Peter being desirous of their stay he begs it of Christ accounting these Saints at his pleasure for stay or departure He is Commander and Governour of all in heaven and in earth His Command cited them his Pleasure dismisses them his Word can stay them in all things he must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Angels are his Attendants Legions of Devils are at his Command the highest Saints are at his beck As Pharaoh to Ioseph Without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt Gen. xli 44. So God hath authorised Christ no Saint or Angel but must attend his Pleasure Worship him all ye Saints Thirdly Come we to the Request it self And in it I. Of the Motion for Continuance Bonum est nobis esse hic It is good for us to be here This is a mix'd Motion And let us consider in it Quae vera
flings down these Tabernacles sets up Christs onely In the new Ierusalem there is no Temple but the Lamb is the Temple Rev. xxi 22. Who is Moses and who is Elias but servants of this Tabernacle of which Christ is Lord We must not have not only Altare contra Altare but not Altare cum Altari Christ alone is the Lord all the rest are but servants 2. A second Error Moses and Elias must needs have Tabernacles and abide with Christ to make up this Glory Why Christ alone and his Tabernacle cannot that suffice us It is an Error so to affect the presence of the Saints as to account Christ an imperfect Saviour if they be wanting or our happiness insufficient if Saints be not joyned with him 'T is comfortable to have the society of the Saints but in point of salvation hereafter or comfort here we must know he is alone All-sufficient for us Whom have I in heaven but thee Nihil Domine praeter teipsum In this case though Abraham know us not and Iacob be ignorant of us and Moses and Elias they abide not Yet thou art the same Lord thou never failest The Court is where the King is though none of his followers attend upon him If Christ be not thine and vouchsafes his presence all the Saints and Angels in heaven cannot comfort thee If thou hast him were they all strangers to thee thou hast fulness of bliss in him onely The Sun alone is more refreshing then all the Stars in the Firmament 3. A third Error Peter will set up three Tabernacles One for Christ then for Moses then for Elias Christ indeed is first named but here is too much equalizing the servants with the Master Nimis perversum quod Mosen Eliam Collegas Christo facit cum omnes in ordinem cogendi ut ille solus emineat It is too fellow-like a provision to sort Christ and Saints in such Tabernacles of equality All Sheaves must fall down and worship this Sheaf All Saints must do homage and stoop and not state it in several Courts and quarters as petty Christs No Christ's footstool is a glorious Throne for the highest Saints Maldonate the Jesuit upbraids Calvin with making this construction of Peters good meaning But Calvin is not the first His own Cardinal Turrecremate conceits it before him How hath that Church pitch'd Tabernacles check-mate with Christ's The Virgin Maries Tabernacle is more frequented There must be a writ of Command from this to Christ's What Peter did in an astonishment and incogitancy these do wilfully and wickedly paralelling Saints with Christ the Law with the Gospel servants of the house with the Lord of it Three Churches there are built on Tabor and a Monastery 4. A fourth Error Christ and Moses and Elias in Glory must have three Tabernacles A strange weakness of this holy man What use have glorified bodies of these Tabernacles made with hands Indeed the Feast of Tabernacles was a Type of our heavenly joy but a poor shadow onely A Tabernacle it was a Travellers habitation their journey being past that was a refreshing their toyls over that was a shelter It was a Military habitation their warfare past that was their covert But there is no Tabernacle in heaven As Moses himself confesses Psal. xc Lord thou art our dwelling place The carnal thoughts of men think these earthly comforts to have place in heaven As the Sadduces thought If there be a Resurrection then there is Marrying and giving in Marriage So the Iews thought That if the Messias be then there must be carnal victory worldly pomp So the Turks promise themselves sensual delights In this sense it is true The kingdome of heaven is not meat nor drink nor any such comfort but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost We look for a Tabernacle and Building made without hands Those Eternal Mansions whose Foundations are Eternity and whose Walls are Salvation need not our poor Cottages THE SIXTH SERMON ON S. MATTH xvii v. While he yet spake behold a bright cloud overshadowed them and behold a voyce out of the cloud which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him WE have seen the Progress of this glorious Appearance of Christ hitherto First In his holy Preparation He prayed Secondly In his glorious Transfiguration of his body Thirdly In his honourable Attendance of Moses and Elias Fourthly In the ravishing and ecstatical Contemplation of his Apostles Now Fifthly We come to the highest pitch and rise of Glory put upon him by God and unto which all the rest were subordinate and purposed the great Glory and Honour put upon him from heaven by God the Father in this magnificent and renowned Testimony This is my beloved Son As when Nathan and Zadock had attended Solomon to Gihon and there invested him in the Title of the kingdome with Applause and Shouting then David his father gives him the solemn Consummation in placing him upon his own Royal Throne and establishing his Succession by his own Approbation So here Moses and Elias having adored him on Mount Tabor now God the Father seals up his Glory Go forth O ye daughters of Zion and behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith his mother Crowned him Cant. iii. 11. This David spake of Psal. ii 6. I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Zion Vers. 7. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Three times we see this glorious voyce came from heaven to magnifie Christ 1. In his entrance and initiation of his Mediatourship when he was baptized by Iohn then lo a voice from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. iii. 17. 2. Here in the course and progress of his Mediatourship 3. At the end and closure of it before his Passion Then came there a voice from heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorifie it again Now in this glorious Testimony given to our Saviour here in the Text there are two things 1. Is a fitting and significant accommodation and preparation for it A bright cloud overshadowed them 2. Is the publication and declaration of this glorious Testimony This is my beloved Son First is the preparation A bright cloud overshadowed them I. A cloud overshadowed them The overspreading of this cloud upon our Saviour and the Apostles was purposed of God for divers reasons 1. To correct the Error of Peter He would prepare Tabernacles to shelter Christ and those glorified bodies as supposing that those glorified bodies had need of shelter coverture God confutes this Error Here is an overshadowing and shelter from heaven not a Booth or a Tent pitch'd by man but framed by God an heavenly Cloathing miraculously framed As David speaks He layes the beams of his chambers in the waters and makes the clouds his charret Psal. civ 3. He cloaths himself with this aëry or rather heavenly Mansion Thus Solomon The heaven of heavens cannot contain him
take heed ye despise not him that speaks from heaven 4. Respectively to my Successour to whom Christ should give place look for no more Hear Him This is the last time There is no other means of salvation The Law was imperfect insufficient therefore it is abolish'd but surely they wil reverence my Son His Gospel it is Evangelium aeternum Nobis non opus est curiositate post Christum nec inquisitione post Evangelium 5. Respectively to all that he shall teach His Patent it is general no man was ever so authorized but his Commission was limited Christ hath an universal Charter We must question nothing not doubt of any point of his Doctrine not in some cases but to all purposes 1. Quamvis supra rationem in mysteriis 2. Quamvis contra carnem in officiis 3. Quamvis ultra spem possibilitatem in promissionibus 4. Quamvis contra Mosen Elian in lege abroganda That 's for the Designation of the Person Him Next is Secondly the Act or Duty prescribed Hear Him 1. Hear Him Not think of gazing upon him and erecting up Tabernacles He honours Christ most not who imagines some voluntary service of his own but who hears him believes him obeys him The obedient Ear honours him Acknowledge him as my Son listen to him and believe in him this is the truest honour we can do to Christ. Peter like Martha was troubled to entertain him we must like Mary sit at his feet and Hear Him 2. Hear Him Adore him not onely as my Son believe in him not onely as your Saviour In quo complacitus sum but Hear Him as your Law-giver Christ comes with Commandments and Duties and expects our attention to them as well as to his Promises Set him up as thy Lord and Ruler and resolve to serve Iesus thy Lord. THE SEVENTH SERMON ON S. MATTH xvii 6 7 8 9. Vers. 6. And when the Disciples heard it they fell on their face and were sore afraid Vers. 7. And Iesus came and touched them and said unto them Arise be not afraid Vers. 8. And when they had lift up their eyes they saw no man save Iesus onely Vers. 9. And as they came down from the Mountain Iesus charged them saying c. Vers. 6. And when the Disciples heard it they fell on their face and were sore afraid THis sixth Verse sets out the Effect that this Voyce from heaven wrought in the Apostles It casts them into a Passion of Horror and Amazement In it two things 1. The Impression of this Passion They were sore afraid 2. The Irruption of it into the body They fell on their face First The Impression of this Passion They were sore afraid Of this we will take a double consideration 1. Ex parte Dei Why God stirs up in them this great amazement 2. Ex parte eorum What occasioned it in them I. Consider it in respect of God Purposely God affects them with this rather then with any other Passion for divers reasons 1. Ut altiùs imprimeret in memoriam Those lessons that are fastned into us with extraordinary fear take deepest apprehension in us stick fastest in us Those Truths are dearest to us that cost us dearest Fear and horror and temptation are the most profitable Schools to learn in As a mother loves that child most that she brought forth with the greatest pain and sorrow 2. To teach them the fittest and best way to make use of Christ. He hath now propounded him to them and to drive them to this refuge and sanctuary to make them see their great weakness and insufficiency out of him and need to shelter themselves in him he purposely affrights and terrifies them While we are at ease no fears or terrors seise on us we sit loose from Christ but if Gods Glory once fears us then we run to the horns of this Altar When men are prick'd in their consciences then they cry out What shall we do to be saved So the Jaylor Before conversion Love is too weak an attractive to our servile nature Fear works more powerfully Lot must be affrighted out of Sodom and constrained to fly for his life The pursuing of the avenger of bloud must make the man-slayer to fly to the city of Refuge Some save with fear pulling them out of the fire Iude vers 23. 3. This fear at the voyce of God was sent upon them to enforce them to this particular duty to hear Christ. The voyce of God out of Christ is terrible but Christs voyce it is a comforting voyce It is the gracious goodness of God and a merciful respect to our infirmity not to speak to us from heaven by his own glorious voyce that would amaze us but to speak to us more humano Christ Incarnate and so men of our quality and condition are the most fit means to speak to us Deut. v. 26. the people desire that Moses may speak unto them in Gods name Go thou near and hear all that the Lord our God shall say and speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee and we will hear it and do it So the Apostle Heb. xii 19. They that heard the voyce of God intreated that the Word should not be spoken to them any more vers 20. For they could not endure it Nay Moses himself did exceedingly fear and quake vers 21. Yet how perverse are we Oh we think if God from heaven would speak unto us we would believe Alas How unable are we to bear it If men speak we fleight it Is not Iesus one of us His brethren and sisters are they not all with us Matth. xiii 56. If he speak himself then he is too terrible if by men then too contemptible They are offended at him 4. They are cast into this great dejection and fear to humble them lest the glory of these heavenly Visions should too much puff them up Naturally we wax proud upon any extraordinary favour As Haman being alone called to the Banquet with the King how proud was he upon it The Lord to keep down our spiritual pride after high favours usually exercises us with low abasements Thus Paul lest he should be lifted up with those Revelations he was buffetted by Satan To this purpose 1. Sometimes God humbles us before he pleases to reveal himself to us Thus Abraham was cast into a great horror before God appeared to him So Esay Ezekiel Daniel So Paul before he was called to be an Apostle he was cast down to the earth Humility is the fittest preparation to receive any favour or Revelation from God It makes us sensible 1. Of our weakness that it is not our strength that attains to these Revelations 2. Of our unworthiness To me who am less then the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes. iii. 8. 2. Sometimes after God hath vouchsafed us some extraordinary favour then he abases us and casts
us down Thus Iacob after his wrestling with God was lamed We must have this Treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the Power may be seen to be of God and not of us 2 Cor. iv 7. II. Consider it in respect of Themselves what occasion'd this terror in them It is strange the Apostles should be thus affrighted 1. They were Sancti If they had been wicked and profane men it had been no marvel For Balaam and such as he to tremble that 's no wonder but for these holy men to be thus dismayed is much 2. They were in a warrantable and holy action yet are they affrighted For men to be surprised with horror in an unwarrantable profane action that 's no marvel as Balthazar in his Cups to be struck with astonishment and Cain at the murthering of his brother But these were in a lawful action and yet affrighted 3. They were in Praesentia Christi Indeed to be left to ourselves and to see nothing but terrors on Gods part there is some cause of fear but to be so near a Sanctuary and yet to tremble 4. They had Visiones laetas exhilarantes were made partakers of Visions full of comfort and joy To see Christ in Glory and to enjoy a sweet society with the Saints and yet to be in fear No marvel if the presence of an angry God and some dreadful Visions should terrifie 5. They heard Vocem Pacificam that God in Christ was well pleased with them yet they tremble Indeed to hear the thundrings of the Law that 's terrible but here was Vox Evangelii here were Harpers harping with their Harps Rev. xiv 2. What should be the reason that notwithstanding all these hints of comfort and assurance that yet they fear See the grounds of this in these three Observations 1. These holy men though Saints yet they carry about them the conscience of sin a secret guiltiness and that now awakens and troubles them The best of us carry about us the remainders of our father Adam his guiltiness his fears I heard thy voyce in the garden and I was afraid and I hid my self Gen. iii. 10. Adam in his Innocency was voyd of this fear be enjoyed a sweet Communion with God but since the best of us have many secret accusations and niblings of conscience that will perplex and annoy us 2. The Voyce and Presence and Approach of God will awaken this guiltiness of our conscience His Presence darts in a light unto us that makes sin appear that discovers to us our secret and concealed sins Indeed the Saints conversing with men seem to themselves and others unreprovable So S. Paul is not conscious to himself of any thing But he that judges me is the Lord 1 Cor. iv 4. He knew not Concupiscence to be sin till the Law passed upon him The light of a Candle doth not discover that which the light of the Sun doth 3. This conscience thus awaken'd strikes us with fear and astonishment Oh if the Lyon roar the beasts tremble Then Iob abhorrs himself in dust and ashes as a bad servant trembles when he sees his Master So Esay Wo is me I am undone for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts Isa. vi 5. Thus S. Peter Lord depart from me for I am a sinful man Luk. v. 8. To strengthen us against these fears 1. Get strength of Faith Weak Faith will shrink Why did ye fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O ye of little faith Matth. viii 26. It must be strength of Faith that can overcome terrors of conscience agonies amazements 2. Love that casts out fear 1 Ioh. iv 18. Get the love of God shed into your hearts and then argue as Manoah's wife did If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have shewed us all these things Iudg. xiii 23. 3. Maintain thy peace with God take heed of making a breach with him Live not in any known sin This will make him fall heavy upon his dearest servants As Moses God met him in the Inn and sought to kill him because his child was not circumcised Exod. iv 24. If a man be at peace with God he fears no ill tydings his heart is fixed 4. Acquaint thy self much with the thoughts of God often present him to thy soul set up his glory in thine heart If he be strange to thee any appearance will be fearful but if thou beest acquainted with him then mayst thou be confident 5. Disburthen thy conscience of all guiltiness of sin Let no sin lye there unrepented of Sin betrayes thee to this feat It is not outward terrors that so much disquiet as do inward terrors from sense of sin The least inward pain is more troublesome then any outward A vapour in the earth makes an earthquake 6. Always keep Christ in thine eye O Master save us we perish Make him thy Sanctuary as children run to their father if any thing affrights them I will fear none evil for thou art with me Psal. xxiii 4. 7. Nourish a voluntary religious fear of God it will prevent these violent and enforced fears All knees must bow to him he will be feared A devout fear will prevent a slavish fear An humble spirit that bows of it self shall not be broken A reed that bends with the wind stands when an oak is rent up by the roots Nourish a reverence of him in all places especially on Mount Tabor at his Word Serve him with reverence and fear So much for the sixth Verse Now follows Vers. 7. And Iesus came and touched them and said Arise be not afraid This Verse sets out the comfortable and gracious recovery of these Disciples out of those amazing fears into which they were cast The summ and substance of it may be resolved into these considerable Observations First Observe from the Agent in this recovery As by the power of God they were cast into these fears so it is God alone who must raise and recover them The terrors of the Almighty are removable onely by the power of the Almighty 'T is not any creature but God onely who can raise and refresh them He hath torn and he must heal us he hath smitten and he must bind us up Hos. vi 1. He maketh sore and he must bind up he woundeth and his hands must make whole Iob v. 18. Divers reasons may be given 1. From the Subject of these terrors These fears are setled in the soul and conscience clogg'd with secret guiltiness awakened by the voyce of God struck with horror and amazement Now the soul and conscience it is obnoxious onely to the power of God He onely can set these terrors upon it and so take them off again No created power can strike fear into the conscience or convey comfort into it He hath appropriated this to himself onely Our outward man is lyable to the wrath of man but the conscience is Gods peculiar Fear not them who can destroy the body but him
yet over-powers him not Wrestling is where there is a mutual strength of resistance Had he layd his whole strength upon him he could not have subsisted 2. Suitable to the measure of their corruption that must be eaten out and as soon as they are humbled and brought to a right temper then he relieves them David had an heavy message dispatch'd to him Thou art the man 2 Sam. 12. 7. I will raise up evil against thee vers 11. As soon as he was throughly wrought upon then presently comes a message of comfort vers 13. The Lord hath put away thy sin thou shalt not dye So Hezekiah Isaiah told him from God he must dye Isa. xxxviii 1. but as soon as he was humbled e're the Prophet gat out of the Court he was remanded back with tidings of recovery Iosiah as soon as his heart melted Hâ—…ldah must comfort him Saul when he was sufficiently wrought upon by these fears Ananias was dispatch'd to him Brother Saul receive thy sight Acts ix It is otherwise with the wicked fears and anguishes come upon them in extremity As it was with King Saul God forsook him he had fightings within and terrors without he had no answer by Prophets or Ephod but he must sink under these fears So Balthazar so Iudas finds no relief but is swallowed up of these horrors The reason is 1. God deals with them as with an enemy in hatred but with his own in love 2. Their sorrows are as poyson to destroy them No matter how much they have of them The Saints fears are as a soveraign medicine temper'd by Gods own hand order'd to work health in them When the Cure is wrought the Plaister falls off 4. He brings them seasonably out of these distresses because in them they are unfit and unable for any service Moderate fears and sorrows often whet our devotion but excessive anguish dulls our spirits As the Israelites heeded not what Moses said for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage Exod. vi 9. Metus hand diuturni officii Magister He would have us Serve him without fear all the dayes of our lives Luke i. 74 75. Application 1. It must teach us to become such to whom God uses to moderate and mitigate these fears Wouldst thou not have them come upon thee as an armed man Then be of the number of those whom he thus compassionately cares for It is his promise to his Church They shall dwell safely and none shall make them afraid Ezek. xxxiv 28. To a wicked man God saith What hast thou to do with comfort I will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh Prov. i. 26. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil Rom. ii 9. Fear and the pit and the snare shall be upon them Isa. xxiv 17. But they that trust in the Lord shall not fear any evil tidings Behold my servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howl for vexation of spirit Isa. lxv 15 16. Being so 2. It should refresh us in all perplexities We should say with David At what time I am afraid I will trust in thee Sorrow may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning See the divers carriage of God to wicked men and to his own children Matth. xxviii At the glory of Christs Resurrection and the Angels Appearance the Souldiers were afraid and the holy Women were afraid But the fear of the Souldiers overwhelmed them and so the Angel left them to shift as they could there was not any word of comfort spoken to them But the good women though much perplexed yet had a word of comfort Be not ye afraid vers 45. I know whom ye seek S. Paul was in distresses but not forsaken Daniel when he was struck with fears then was it said to him O man greatly beloved fear not peace be unto thee be strong yea be strong Dan. x. 19. That 's the second observable Consideration Thirdly Here is observable the Person who relieves and comforts them it is Iesus The glorious voyce of the Father affrights them the gracious voyce of Christ that refreshes them Observe It is Christ alone who can raise and comfort those whom the terrors of the Almighty hath cast down and dejected 'T is Christs peculiar work and function to release us from the horrors of conscience and amazements of soul. 1. He hath merited it at Gods hand to have this office to succour and relieve us Purposely he was made acquainted with fears that so he might merit comfort for us in our fears His Spirit wrestled with the terrors of God His soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto death Matth. xxvi 38. I am afflicted and ready to dye from my youth while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted saith the Psalmist in the Person of Christ Psal. lxxxviii 15. Those horrors and that dread into which his soul was brought merited for us a merciful supply of comfort in our distresses 2. He was sent of God the Father to preach and bring comfort against our fears Isa. lxi 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaim liberty to the Captives He came preaching peace Moses he preach'd terror Christ he preaches comfort Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God Isa. xl 1. 3. God hath fitted him with tenderness of compassion he hath put into him bowels of pity towards all in perplexity He is touched with a feeling of our infirmities He never look'd upon any that were in sorrow or need or misery but his compassion was stirr'd in him He had compassion on the multitude Matth. xv 32. He had compassion on the two blind men and touched their eyes Matth. xx 34. He was moved with compassion towards the poor Leper and cleansed him Mark i. 41. 4. He hath founded the new Covenant and Gospel which is a state of freedome and comfort The Old Testament was carried with more manifestations of fear A spirit of bondage was upon them But saith the Apostle 2 Tim. i. 7. God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind 5. He gives and bequeaths to us the Spirit of comfort and hath given him this office to be a Comforter to us He is call'd The Comforter not the enlightner or sanctifier though these be his works but the Comforter It should teach us to have recourse to Christ in all our fears and perplexities as the Apostles Master carest thou not that we perish In all distresses make known thy sorrows to him His peace shall rule your hearts He is like the wood that sweetned the bitter waters of Marah That 's a third observable Consideration Fourthly Here is yet one more and that is the manner of Christs
must have Instructions and limited Commissions 'T is high presumption to treat of any thing that is not given them in charge 3. They are Stewards not Lords and Masters in the house but must feed the family with food appointed them 4. They are called Interpreters not Authours of Truth but Expositors 5. They are Depositaries Truth is committed to their trust That good thing committed to thee 2 Tim. i. 14. 2. Christ alone knows Quae utilia what Truths are profitable and useful and saving Truths Humane curiosity would search into many things and ask as he did Master How many shall be saved As Peter What shall become of Iohn As the Apostles Master Wilt thou now restore the kingdome to Israel But Christ best knows all vital saving Truths 3. He alone knows the Capacity of his Church and Children what Truths are fit for them what they can bear Thus having given Solomon a large capacious heart he imparted to him all kind of Wisdome For others he distills-in those necessary Truths which are of a full proportion for their judgements and understandings Thus S. Paul being guided by Christs direction preached onely easie Truths to the Corinthians gave them Milk as unto Babes But to those who have exercised judgements for them stronger Truths Thus as the High-Priest was to divide the Sacrifice to God his part to the Priests their part to the people their part So some Truths there are we must leave to God some there are for Ministers some for the common people That 's the Injunction Secondly The Nature and Purpose of it The Vision must be concealed 'T is observable in the Works and Doctrine of Christ sometimes he commands secrecie and concealment Matth. ix 30. Having cured two blind men he charges that none should know it So Mark v. having raised Iairus his daughter charged none should know it And so for Truths he hath been pleased to reserve some Truths from publick and common notice and to reserve them till afterwards 1. Thus in the Old Law 1. The mysterie of the Trinity it was exceeding dainty and reservedly revealed 2. The Divinity of the Messias That he was to be Man was more evident but it was secret that he was God The Scribes could not conceive how David's Son should be David's Lord. 3. The Calling of the Gentiles was a Secret hid from generations The Jewish Church wondred at it Who hath begotten me these They counted it blasphemy in Stephen whenhe said The Ordinances of Moses should be changed 2. So now to us 1. The Conversion of the Jews 2. The Overthrow of Antichrist 3. The second Coming of Christ they are all concealed from us Thirdly This Vision of Christs Divinity and Glory that must be concealed till after his Resurrection 1. Till then Christ is Instatu Humiliationis and so he will have his Majesty and Glory to be covered Now he terms himself The Son of Man He was declared to be the Son of God by the Resurrection from the dead Rom. i. Thus he was pleased to vail his Glory and to become vile and of no reputation 2. It is Documentum Modestiae His Glory he is not ambitious to publish it As S. Paul fourteen years concealed his Revelations He glories in his Infirmities and weaknesses but till he was constrain'd he kept his Rapture conceal'd 3. Till his Resurrection these Apostles were Inepti weak and carnal not sufficiently grounded in this Doctrine of Christs Divinity After his Resurrection then they were endued with strength from above and then those mysteries that they could not bear the Comforter reveal'd to them 4. Quia Incredibile The Infidelity of the world was not yet to be removed it would not believe there had been such a Vision Infidelity deprives us of many Truths that God would otherwise reveal to us 5. Ne impediret Passionem It troubled Pilat to hear it mentioned That Christ was the Son of God And S. Paul saith Had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Life and Glory He purposely concealed his Deity to give way to his Passion And hence it is that he spake of his Divinity very reservedly He charged They should tell no man who he was Mark viii 20. but vers 32. He spake plainly of his Passion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word A SERMON ON JOEL ii 13. Rent your heart and not your garments and turn unto the Lord your God for He is gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil THis Chapter if we cast back our eyes to the former verses it is a fearful Prophesie from Almighty God of Judgement and Destruction And yet not so much a peremptory Prediction what he absolutely intends as a Commination onely what conditionally he threatneth And this Commination denounced against them not in Ionas's spirit with purpose and desire to have it fulfilled but in much compassion and commiseration with offers of peace and reconcilement that it might be revers'd Minantur homines ut feriant Deus ne feriat Man in his anger threatens when he means to strike God threatens that he might not strike but that we may be forewarn'd and ward off his blow It is S. Augustins observation of Christs foretelling the last Judgement and it is true in this and his other menaces Ideò multò ante praedicitur ut à nobis totis viribus caveatur And again Invitus vindicat qui quo modo evadere possinius multò ante demonstrat non te vult percutere qui tibi clamat Observe God forewarns us that he might fore-arm us to avoyd his threatnings The condition he offers it is Repentance Lex Innocentiam Evangelium poenitentiam The Gospel that offers all Mercy and Love it strictly exacts and requires Repentance The Text then it is a vehement Exhortation to Sorrow and Repentance And not an Exhortation onely what we should do but a Direction also how and in what manner Tertullian complain'd of the Heathen in his time Per poenitentiam faciliùs delinquunt quà m per eandem rectè faciunt And it is as true of the Jews They did so misplace the acts of Repentance in outward Superstition that their Repentance was no less sinful then the very sins for which they repented For the words themselves they naturally fall asunder into these two parts 1. Here is Praeceptum Poenitentiae 2. Motivum Poenitentiae 1. The Precept of Repentance in these words Rent your heart and not your garments and turn unto the Lord your God 2. The Motive to Repentance in the words following For He is gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repeuteth him of the evil The Precept of Repentance divides it self into a double Exhortation answerable to the two parts of Repentance The first is an Exhortation to Contrition Rent your heart and not your garments The second is an Exhortation to Conversion And return to the Lord your God 1. In the former duty
Sin That 's the second degree Frequentia actionis Nay 3. Omnipotentia actionis No less then an omnipotency is necessary to contrition So great an agency required to the mollifying of an hard heart that our own strength is too weak Consider how our hearts are not onely dead in trespasses and sins but are buried in a Sepulchre hewn out of a rock and the grave-stone of habitual hardness sealed upon them and we may well cry out Who shall remove this grave-stone from us Who shall mollifie and intenerate this hard rock The Word of the Lord must be that hammer that can break this stone The Spirit of the Lord must enable Bezaleel to work upon this brass Moses that had faith enough for performance of all other miracles yet had scarce faith enough to melt the rock And the Devil required no greater argument of Christ's Divinity then softning of stones And the barbarous Centurion observing the stones to cleave in sunder concluded certainly that Christ was no less then the Son of God No 't is Digitus Dei and Spiritus Dei no less then the stroke of the powerfull Spirit can soften thy heart That 's the third particular Repentance 't is a vehement frequent omnipotent action That 's the first observation I gather from my Text the nature of repentance it is violent renting And from it Let us briefly deduce a double Use Is repentance so vehement so laborious so tormenting an action 1. Then consider Si talis medicina qualis morbus If the medicine and cure of Repentance be so bitter Oh! what a dangerous disease is the sickness of Sin Wilt thou swallow down that for a little pleasure and delight of thy palat which if it prove not thy bane thou must vomit it up again with the reâ—…ting of thy bowels Would David have adventured upon the pleasure of adultery if he had foreseen those pangs and tortures of his after-repentance Would he ever have suffered himself to fall had he ever considered that that one slip would cost him no less then the breaking of his bones That the bones thou hast broken may rejoyce It is strange most men make that a temptation to sin which truly considered would be a powerfull disswasion from the least offence The hope of repentance 1. Presumption in the wicked that objects I may repent and therefore I will sin So it is possible thou mayest be healed wilt thou therefore stab thy self Nay rather argue thus Thou must repent thou must be lanced racked and tortured with repentance therefore do not dare to sin Nay 2. Infirmity in Gods children may sometimes conceit I shall repent I may sin True thou shalt repent Bonum consilium sed non nunc said Hushai the Archite 'T is true doctrine but not seasonably applied Cordials before Purges increase the peccant humour Hope of repentance before thou sinnest makes thee more sinfull Thou shalt repent so did David and Peter and Saul who went through those anguishes those pangs and tortures of repenting sorrow which they would not endure again for a world of pleasure That 's the first Use Si talis medicina qualis morbus 2. Si talis medicina qualis mors If the physick of repentance be so sowre Oh! how bitter is the death of despair If Peter wept bitterly what an hell do you think was in Iudas his conscience If the soveraign medicine be so unpleasant how shall we relish that gall that wormwood that deadly poison If God when he takes out the fire and burning out of thy flesh with the cool tears of repentance and oyl of mercy if that breeds such anguish Oh! how intolerable will it be to be plunged into the flames of fire and brimstone If when he heals us and binds up our wounds he puts us to such smart and torture what torments shal we feel when his arrows stick fast in our flesh and the venom of them shall drink up our bloud Repentance it is a gift Acts xi 18. If the gift and blessing of Repentance be so heavie how insupportable is the curse of Despair To avoid that Hell who would not undergo this Purgatory Whose heart would not crave and beg of God with that devout Father Hic ure hic seca Domine ut in aeternum parcas Lord burn me and lance and wound me in this life so that despair may not torment me in the world to come That 's the second Use Si talis medicina qualis mors I pass on 2. To the Object that upon which repentance must work and exercise it self specified unto us First in the affirmative sense it must be the Heart Rent your heart The Observation from whence is thus much that contrition and penitential sorrow and grief for sin must be deep settled and grounded in the heart Repentance it must be inward and hearty and that especially for these Reasons 1. Ratione veritatis poenitentiae If thy heart be not contrite and sorrowfull it is not true repentance 2. Ratione usus Except thy sorrow work upon thy heart there is no use or profit in thy repentance 3. Ratione acceptationis Except thy heart be humbled and cast down for sin it is no pleasing or acceptable repentance 1. Ratione veritatis If it be not inward and hearty 't is no true repentance Non est converti in toto integro corde nisi in scisso saith St. Bernard Thine heart is not whole and sound except by sorrow it be rent and broken Non est integrum nisi sit scissum How then shall we discern and know this truth and integrity of a broken heart By what signs shall it appear that our repentance is hearty and true 1. True and hearty repentance is Voluntaria poenitentia 't is a willing voluntary sorrow and repentance This is a main difference 'twixt that ingenuous Christian sorrow in a true Penitent and those hellish torments in the afflicted conscience of a despairing Reprobate The Christian Penitent he is activus in poenitentia provokes and stirs up himself to sorrow a damned Reprobate he is passivus in poenitentia sorrow eats and gnaws upon him against his will Christians in their sorrow imitate Christ Iohn xi Tâ—…bavit 〈◊〉 he fretted and vex'd within himself as Lot in Sodoâ—… they vex their own spirits for their abominations they need no Devils as the Penitents in Purgatory to affright and torture them With Ieremie they wish for a fountain of tears and if they grow drie they provoke and enforce themselves by all means possible As 〈◊〉 often read over the Lamentations of Ieremie that by conceiving of other mens sorrows he might sorrow himself As Polus on the contrary bearing in his hands his own Son conceited more deeply another mans sorrow by representing his own As Aug. on his death-bed painting on the wall the pâ—…itential Psalms and by them enflaming his own repentance always praying that they might sorrow grieving that they cannot grieve never repenting that they have repented That 's
we gain by Gods Presence is That it brings with it the Glory of a Nation It is the high dignity and renown and honour of a people that God abides with them as S. Paul speaks Rom. iii. 1. What advantage then hath the Iew What is the dignity of having God so near to them Much every way Thus Moses sets out the dignity of the Jews from this near reference 'twixt God and them Deut. xxvi 18. The Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people And vers 19. To make thee high above all Nations which he hath made in praise and in name and in honour This nearness of Gods Presence God compares in Ior. xiii 11. to a Girdle cleaving to his loyns As the girdlâ—… cleaves to the loyns of a man so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel that they might be unto me for a people and for a name and for a praise and for a glory So likewise Isa. xliii 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee When God reckons up the dignities of his people this is the main Psal. lxxxvii 5. Of Zion it shall be said that he was born in her Thus Moses re-minds the Israelites wherein their dignity consists Deut. x. 21. He is thy praise and he is thy God There are many titles of Honour amongst men but this above all is the truly honourable Title that we have God near unto us Deut. iv 7. What Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is to us While he vouchsafed his Presence to them how renowned were they When he withdrew himself and cast them off how became they a vile people the hatred and scorn and contempt of all Nations A 3 d. Advantage that Gods Presence brings 't is the Strength and Safety of a Nation I'sal xlvi 5. God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved He calls himself 1 Sam. xv 29. the Strength of Israel Balaam could not fasten a curse upon Israel while God was among them Num. xxiii 21. The Lord his God is with him and the shout of a King is among them It was this that encouraged the people of Israel against the Canaanites Numb xiv 9. Their defence is departed from them and the Lord is with us fear them not Though there were Giants and their Cities be walled up to heaven yet fear them not So again Moses encourages them Deut. vii 21. Thou shalt not be affrighted at them for the Lord thy God is among you a mighty God and terrible And so on the contrary when the people being in a great sin would needs go up to fight Moses dislwades them God had then withdrawn himself Go not up for the Lord is not amongst you Sampson wist not that God was departed from him and the Philistines prevail'd over him How did Moses lament when God said He would not go with them So doth the Psalmist Thou goest not forth with our Armies His Presence it is our Palladium our Shield and Fortress The Shields of the earth belong unto God Psal. xlvii 9. It was said to Constantine In hoc vinces Well then If so much good comes to us by Gods Presence amongst us it is worth the enquiry Wherein doth this Presence of God consist How is he said and known to dwell in a Nation I mean not now his substantiall Presence so he is present in all places that Presence fills heaven and earth Ier. xxiii Nor do we now speak of his glorious Presence where his Majesty and Glory shines that is in the heavens Heaven is his Throne No nor yet do we mean his miraculous Presence where he manifests himself in some extraordinary work of his Power thus the Israelites when they were in want question'd his Presence Is the Lord amongst us yea or no No besides all these he hath a gracious Presence by which he dwells amongst us Yes that gracious and merciful and beneficial Presence is that we speak of How shall that appear to us 1. God dwells in a Nation which he chuses to be his Peculiar people the people of his Covenant amongst whom he fixes his Sanctuary and establishes his Worship As David speaks The Lord hath chosen Iacob to be his Inheritance Thus Hosea calls the Nation and Countrey of the Jews The Lords Land Hos. ix 3. All the world is his dominion but by special purchase and possession so the Church is his That is like the Lords Demeans which himself holds in his own hand 2. The place of Gods delight that is the residence of his special Presence Delight fixes a man to his abode When we are such a people that God takes pleasure in us then he saith Here will I dwell for I have a delight in it The Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation here will I dwell and rest in it Psal. cxxxii 3. There are we to reckon of Gods special Presence where he sets his Family that is the usual place of presence and abode Where we see God gathers to himself a Church is daily collecting to himself a people to know him and worship him there we may conclude God vouchsafes his Presence Thus Christ is described to walk among the Churches Rev. i. When it may be said of a place as God saith of Corinth Acts xviii 10. I have much people in this City there resolve that God is present When they grow thinner and thinner it is to be feared God is then removing 4. There we conclude is a place of Presence and abode where a man bestows most cost A Land-lord will keep up all his possessions so doth God the World but his chiefest care is for his Mansion-house Do we see a people enriched with his choysest blessings His eyes are over them continually no favour is too dear for them Surely God dwells among such a people 5. A man is said to dwell where his abode is most constantly Sometimes God makes his Progress and Excursions into other places as he did to Niniveh by the preaching of Ionah He may be sometimes as a way-faring man that lodges for a night Ier. xiv 8. He may shew some rare tokens of his being amongst them But when he pitches his Tabernacle where his Ordinances are constantly and he fixes them there that is the place of his Presence We have done with the first God's presence it is the happiness of a Nation II. The second Consideration is T is the bitter fruit of sin that causeth God to withdraw his presence and to turn away from us 1. This is the malignant effect of sin that it parts God and us makes a separation moves him to withdraw and turn away from us He rejoyces in the habitable parts of the world and his delights are with the sons of men Prov. viii 31. But sin and wickedness causes an alienation in him and estrangeth him from
the Scripture then this of Iob's He speaks like an Apostle rather then a Prophet O virum ante Evangelium 〈◊〉 With Thomas he puts his hand into Christs side he holds and embraces him and then his Faith worships and adores his Redeemer My Lord and my God 2. And then there is another Excellency that commends it the date of Antiquity They all agree that Moses was the Pen-man of this Book Iob lived in Moses his time or before him St. Chrysostome reckons him the fourth from Esau. So timely a Prophesie of our Saviours Death and Resurrection 't is a rare Monument S. Peter tells us that Christs Resurrection was the Purchase of our Inheritance Now in matters of Inheritance the ancientest Deeds and Conveyances are alwayes the best Here is a Court-roll written by Moses the first Pen-man that God ever imployed and here is a Copy taken up by Iob one of the Primitive Saints and by him conveyed to the Church for ever It was a matter of debasement to S. Paul that he had Posthumam fidem Resurrectionis Last of all he was seen of me as born out of due time 1 Cor. xv Contrary 't is a great Dignity to Iob that he is Primogenitus Fidei First of all he was seen by him His Faith hath the Birth-right of all the Saints in the Old Scripture It was the high praise of those good women in the Gospel that they rose early to go to the Sepulchre Iob's Faith out-strips them all carries him betimes to the grave of Christ he believes and confesses his Resurrection The words then they set out unto us a lively Profession of Iob's Faith Iob indeed is propounded to us as a pattern of patience Iam. v. Ye have heard of the patience of Iob And it was most remarkable But yet patience it is not an original virtue but springs and arises from some other Grace 'T is Filia Fidel the Daughter of Faith Rom. v. It flowes from Faith Would you know what made Iob so patient in all his affâ—…ictions Here is the Mother and Breeder and Supporter of his Patience his Faith of a Redemption and a Resurrection made him endure all I should utterly have fainted but that I believe to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the Living saith David Psal. cxvi So should Iob his Faith kept him from fainting Nay not onely so saith S. Paul Rom. v. but by virtue of true Faith We glory in Tribulations It makes Iob endure them chearfully comfortably and even to glory in them So then let us a little vary the Apostle's Expression and say We have heard of the Faith of Iob. He makes a double Profession of it in the Text 1. Here is his Belief concerning Christ. Then 2. Here is his Belief and Confidence concerning himself First his Profession concerning Christ. Wherein three things are observable all of them requisite in a right Believer 1. Here is Salvificum Objectum the 〈◊〉 Object of his Faith that 's Christ in three main Articles of Faith to be believed 1. Quod Redemptor that he was his Redeemer 2. Quod Vivit that his Redeemer was dead and is alive again that 's Christs Resurrection 3. Quod Iâ—…dicabit he believes that he shall appear again at the last day to judge the quick and the dead He hath redeemed me He rose again for me He shall judge and absolve and give sentence for me That 's the first thing considerable the Matter and Object of his Faith 2. In his Profession here is the Act of his Faith and that is strong and lively full of 〈◊〉 He staggers not through unbelief but is fully perswaded of it It is Scio I know it and I am well assured of it And then 3. Here is Appropriatio Fidei his Personal Interest that he claims in Christ and in all his benefits in Meus he is Mine died and rose again and will come at the latter day for my good and benefit He contents not himself with a Catholique Profession of these Truths in general but possesses himself of them makes them his own by a close application I. See the Object of Iob's Faith that is 1. Christ a Redeemer 2. Christ alive from the dead 3. Christs appearing again at the last day These three are the stayes and props of his hope the supporters of his comfort And briefly take a double view of them 1. In reference to Iob who makes this holy Profession 2. View them in themselves 1. Iob's Faith acknowledges Christ his Redeemer Raiser Judge It was the Faith which he lived by And the Excellency of this Profession will appear if we take notice of Iob in three Considerations 1. Iob a Patriarch one long before the Gospel was revealed In the first and primitive times of the Church he speaks of Christ fastens upon him and comforts himself in him 1. It is the great Efficacie of our Saviours Mediation the virtue of it was operative in all differences of time It was effectual and soveraign at the greatest distance It comforted Iob it rejoyced Abraham nay it recovered Adam The Arrians blasphemy of his Deity 't is as false also of his Mediatorious Efficacie Tempus fuit quando non fuit No he was yesterday and to day and the same for ever Chrysostome puts this difference 'twixt the Sacrifices of Christ and of those under the Law They were renew'd and oftentimes offer'd Christ died but once and found Eternal Redemption They were like weak plaisters shifted and changed every day Christs Bloud was Efficax pharmacum quod semel impositum semper sanat By one offering of himself he hath perfected for ever all them that are sanctified Heb. x. 2. It is the great Excellency of our Christian Faith that the Church before Christ received and embraced it The Prophets as well as the Apostles they all saw his Glory and spake of him They who went before as well as they who came after all sung Hosanna to this Son of David The Gospel it is of greatest Antiquity The Law saith S. Paul came in afterwards The Gospel hath the Birth-right it put forth the hand first The skarlet thred dip'd in Christs bloud testifies for it though the Law took place for a time and seem'd to be elder 'T is a great support for our Faith that we believe in him whom all the Saints and Patriarchs rested on Thus S. Paul takes off the scandal of novelty which the Jews cast on the Gospel Acts xxvi I am judg'd for the hope of the Promise made by God to our Fathers Why should it be thought a thing incredible to you that God should raise the dead It was this day that Abraham desired to see and he saw it and was glad That day say some was the day of the Resurrection Then when he offerr'd up Isaac Accounting that God was able to raise him up from the dead from whence he received him in a figure The mysterie of this day Abraham rejoyced in That 's the
makes him look Death in the face undauntedly Alass we how doth any appearance of death affright us If we see but another man die the cold sweat and the pale face and the pangs of death upon him how doth it dismay us Iob finds all these in himself and speaks comfortably of them 'T is S. Augustin's pious counsel Si times mortem ama resurrectionem If thou beest afraid of death acquaint thy self with the hope of the resurrection If a man go to prison and be able to say I know I shall be bayled I have one who will quit my debt and enlarge me such an one fears not the Prison Let death arrest us Christ shall enlarge us We are prisoners of hope Zech. ix How cheerfully did Iacob take his journey when God spake to him Gen. xlvi Fear not to go down into Egypt I will go down with thee and I will surely bring thee up again This hope made Iob not onely not to fear death but even to desire it Chap. xiv Oh that thou wouldst hide me in the Grave then he asks this question If a man die shall he live again Yes saith he Thou shalt call and I will answer thee thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands That 's the second Alacritas fidei 3. There is yet another print of Piety Sancta expectatio Fidei What is the thing his Faith longs for at the resurrection It is the seeing of his Saviour the beholding of God the enjoying of his Redeemer In my flesh shall I see God and mine eyes shall behold him 'T is that that makes the resurrection comfortable not that we shall live ever but be ever with the Lord. It was small joy for Absalom to dwell at Ierusalem and not be admitted to see the Kings face 2 Sam. xiv Heaven is not Heaven but a place of confinement without this glorious and blessed Vision Though Moses and Elias vanish on Mount Tabor yet to see Christ in glory is abundant happiness Do occidere heliace the glory of the Sun swallows up the glory of the lesser Stars Whom have I in heaven but thee and whom do I desire in comparison of thee Psal. lxxiii The good women at the Sepulchre this Day saw a Vision of Angels but that contented them not till Christ himself appeared Iob knew he should enjoy the society of Saints and Angels sit down and feast it with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of Heaven but here is the height of his happiness I shall see my Saviour Heaven as it is Coenaculum sponsi the Guest-chamber for the supper of the Lamb 't is a place of comfort but as it is Thaelamus sponsi the Bride-chamber of the Lamb where the Spouse enjoys him whom her soul loves it is the place of blessedness Thirdly the last thing remains that 's Beneficium fidei the use and benefit Iob makes to himself of this Meditation And the benefit is threefold suitable and seasonable to a threefold condition in which Iob now was 1. Iob was overlaid and opprest with affliction Suitable to this condition this Meditation affords Vim sustentaetivam it supports his spirits amidst all his afflictions Here is the patience of the Saints mockings and scourgings and bonds and imprisonments they endured them all because they expected a better resurrection Heb. xi That blessed day will make amends for all It was this hope that sustained S. Paul kept him from fainting 2 Cor. iv Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Iesus shall raise us up also with Iesus and for this cause we faint not Thus also he comforts and cheers up other Christians If in this life onely we had hope in Christ we were of all men most miserable But there is a Resurrection after this life we have hope in Christ and therefore of all men most happy This assurance will stand by us when all things else fail It was Esau's confession Behold I am at the point to die and what profit shall this birth-right do to me But to be Filius resurrectionis that Birth-right will relieve us at our last agony and support us comfortably Iob felt the good of this Meditation and he insists upon it Here is Masticatio fidei he chews it in his mouth and sucks out the sweetness of it 2. You may see Iob in another condition transported with passion and suitable to that this Meditation it had Vim quietativam a great virtue he found in it to settle and compose him In the Verses going before his spirit is stirred within him he is full of complainings and murmurings and quarrellings with God and expostulations See how he rebukes and allays these storms and tempests with this Meditation O my soul keep silence unto God for of him comes my salvation Thus David stills discontents Why art thou so troubled O my soul Why art thou so disquieted within me I shall yet praise him The day shall come that I shall see his countenance and for ever enjoy him Mortale mori is one ground of settlement against these perplexities and Iob makes use of it Chap. xiv but Mortuum reviviscere is satisfaction with advantage that will calm and quiet all his complainings 3. Lastly behold Iob in another condition he is charged by his friends with the sin of hypocrisie and then this Meditation it hath Vim apologeticam 't is his defence and apologie against that accusation Against all their surmises and suspicions of his integrity this he opposes for his justification It is God that justifies me who are ye that condemn me 'T is Christ that is dead and now risen again he shall judge and acquit me O! hypocrisie shrinks at the thought of death trembles to hear of a resurrection These painted Sepulchres till then make a goodly shew they are the beautifullest parts that are in the Church but when the Vault shall be open'd and all secrets disclosed nothing will appear then but horrour and confusion rottenness and corruption But truth and integrity appeals unto that great Trial knows that the Name that 's written in Heaven shall one day be cleared from slanders on earth My witness is in Heaven and my record is on high That 's the great avowment of Iobs truth and integrity till then it matters not much what the world says of us Lingua Petiliani non est ventilabrum Christi there lies an appeal of all mens censures to that days trial before the great Tribunal A joyfull appearance before which He grant unto us who as this Day overcame death for us and opened unto us the Gate of eternal life even Jesus that hath delivered us from the wrath to come To whom with the Father c. ON EASTER-DAY The Second Sermon ROM viii 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you IN this Context and passage
is of greatest excellency 'T is both a fundamental and a finishing grace It lies low in the foundation there is the necessity of it and then it is chief in the head of the building that 's the excellency 'T is both a vital grace and then it is a beautifying and adorning grace It warms the heart and it makes the face to shine The Saints saith David They are the excellent of the earth Psal. xvi S. Augustine saith it of Charity which is one part of holiness Sure that 's a rare grace without which all other graces are nothing and by which all other graces are made of some value This grace 't is the assimilating grace which makes us like unto Christ. In this S. Peter places our conformity to Christ 1 Pet. i. 15. As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation This S. Iohn calls a walking as Christ walked 1 Iohn ii 16. Walk as he walked How is that not as he walked on the waters in a miraculous operation but as he walked in the ways of piety in all holy conversation So to assimilate him 3. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Onely carries another Emphasis with it it shews the thing he exhorts to is Summè desideratum the main thing which he desires of them 'T is a form of expressing our chief desires and requests we make it shews what above all is most acceptable to us As David One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will also require Unicus is put in Scripture for Summè dilectus the onely One for the dearly beloved Prov. iv 3. I was my fathers Son tender and onely beloved in the sight of my mother So Cant. vi 9. My Dove she is the onely one of her mother Here then is the main return that S. Paul requires of all his love to them his care for them his labours amongst them that their life be answerable to their holy Calling and Profession S. Paul's pains were great amongst them teaching exhorting warning every man What is the fruit of his labours that he expects from them That they should express the power of his preaching in the piety of their conversation What 's the fruit of the Husband-mans labours his ploughing his tilling manuring sowing but to see a fruitfull harvest the fields crown'd with plenty and the barns full with all manner of store How doth the Prophet Isaiah bewail the loss of this fruit Esai xlix 4. I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought And the Prophet Micah mourns for this want of fruit Chap. vii 1. Wo is me there is no cluster to cat my soul desired the first ripe fruit We have done with the first Particular the weight of this Charge Onely Now follows Secondly the Extent of this Charge the compass that it takes it reaches to all seasons and occasions Whether I come to see you or be absent 't is in his Presence and in his Absence It gives a scantling and dimension to a double Duty 1. Here is the dimension and scantling of S. Pauls care for them He is not onely studious of their good while he is among them but the necessary occasions of his absence are here supplied with an earnest desire to hear well of them Love and the spirit of doing good is full of care and forecast Those whom God hath committed to our charge should alwayes be in our thoughts As S. Paul speaks 2 Cor. vii 3. You are in our hearts to live and to dye with you The High-Priest was to have all the names of the children of Israel engraven on his shoulders and on his brest-plate Exod. xxviii Aaron must bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial and upon his brest-plate 1. Upon his shoulders never to cast off that burthen and 2. Upon his brest-plate that 's the seat of love and affection Thus S. Paul expresses his continual watchfulness over the Colossians chap. ii 5. Though I be absent in the flesh yet am I with you in the spirit joying and beholding your order and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. He had not onely a spirit of Revelation by which he was acquainted with all their affairs but he was present in spirit by his continual thoughts of them and care for them Thus was he alwayes deeply affected with the Care of all the Churches Is he present He labours amongst them Is he absent He prays for them thinks of them writes to them As S. Ambrose saith of Zachary Zacharias cum non potuit loqui scripsit when he could not speak he wrote So doth S. Paul to the Churches His care expressed it self in this way of putting them in remembrance by writing He wrote more Epistles then all the Apostles He seems to satisfie for what he had done against the Churches Before his Conversion he procured and carried letters against them for their Persecution Acts ix 2. Now he is Spiritui Sancto ab Epistolis The great Secretary of heaven the great conveyer of heavenly Epistles to them And as it is in the Ministerial Function so it should be in all our other imployments Love will be thus solicitous both present and absent As Iacob was for his sons being absent he sends to visit them Go I pray see whether it be well with thy brethren and bring me word again See he had a privy Monitor among them that should inform him of all their miscarriages Gen. xxxvii See this care of Iob over his children It may be my sons have sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts he presently Sacrifices for them Thus did Iob every day That 's the first dimension of S. Pauls care of them both present and absent 2. Here is the dimension and scantling of the Philippians duty and piety S. Paul puts them in mind of it that not onely in his presence when he is amongst them then they should walk piously and religiously but also when he is absent and remote from them then also he expects to hear of their holy and orderly conversation Gods Church must be like a well-order'd family every one in his proper station and doing his duty though the eye of government be not always upon them How doth God upbraid the failing in this point in the people of Israel Exod. xxxii 7. Moses was out of their sight but forty dayes and presently they fall away 1. How respectlessly do they speak of him As for Moses the man that brought us out of Egypt we wot not what is become of him That 's all they care for him gone he is and fare him well A poor requital for all his pains with them 2. How foulely do they revolt from that Truth which he had taught them Make us new gods to go before us A new Religion presently O what saith God to Moses Go get thee down thy people have turned aside quickly out of the way It was the