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A29912 Twenty five sermons. The second volume by the Right Reverend Father in God, Ralph Brownrig, late Lord Bishop of Exeter ; published by William Martyn, M.A., sometimes preacher at the Rolls.; Sermons. Selections Brownrig, Ralph, 1592-1659.; Martyn, William.; Faithorne, William, 1616-1691. 1664 (1664) Wing B5212; ESTC R36389 357,894 454

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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 ●…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
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
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
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