filio Dei hominis the same title belongeth vnto him euen as hee was incarnate whereof the ground is the personall vnion the man-hood being assumed into one person with the God-head In regard of the first consideration is hee called vnigenitus the onely begotten of his Father in regard of the second he is called Primogenitus the first borne of many Brethren both wayes is CHRIST neere vnto GOD but our comfort standeth in the latter that Emanuel God with vs or in our Nature is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sonne of God for that is fons origo Adoptionis nostrae it is that which layeth the soundation of being the sonnes of GOD. As CHRIST was neere so was hee deere vnto GOD. And indeed the words that note the neerenesse containe the grounds of the deerenesâ—e also and they were vnigenitus the onely begotten and primogenitus the first borne vnigenitus ergo vnicè dilectus the onely begotten therefore onely beloued primegenitus ergo praecipuè dilectus the first begotten therefore the especially beloued of GOD for this is a principle Euery man loneth himselfe the more of himselfe hee findeth any where the more he affecteth if he bee not degenerate A father loueth his onely sonne intirely because he hath no more and his eldest chiefely because hee is Principium praecipuum roboris the first and chiefe of his strength But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or naturall affection of men is but a sparkle and that much allaied of that which is in GOD originally and but deriuatiuely in vs. Therefore we may easily conceiue that CHRIST that is so neere in nature and grace must needes bee most deere vnto GOD that indeed he is Vir desidertorum a man after Gods owne Heart and the true Dauid that is beloued as the Prophets call him Adde hereunto that setled loue where it is iudicious is more feruent Now Christus is dilectus not recenti impulsu sed inolito probato it is as ancient as GOD euen coeternall that CHRIST is the Sonne of GOD onely it is in time delated to the man-hood but the length of it is Aeternitie See then how GOD expresseth his loue to vs when he so describeth the person that hee bestoweth vpon vs. And haue we then any thing which we should thinke too good to render vnto GOD Abraham will teach vs better who spared not Vnicum and dilectum silium his onely beloued Sonne when GOD called for him and we see how his thank fulnesse prospered Certainely we would prosper much better if in this kindnesse we would striue to bee answerable vnto GOD. I. pray GOD we may sure I am wee haue good cause if there were no other motiue then is contained in filius and Dilectus if we doe consider onely what the second Person in Trinity is to the first How much more if wee consider what hee doeth for vs In him is the Father well pleased Wee will resolue this Note into two first wee will see in whom and then how the FATHER is pleased Hee is pleased in his beloued Sonne This opens a Mystery Thou shalt make a plate of pure gold Exod. 28. said GOD to Moses and graue vpon it like the ingrauing of a signet Holinesse to the Lord and thou shalt put it vpon a blew lace that it may bee vpon the Miter vpon the forefront of the Miter it shall be and it shall bee vpon Aarons fâ—rehead that Aaron may beare the iniquitie of the holy things which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their hory guifts and it shall be alwayes vpon his forehead that they may bee accepted before the Lord Euen so CHRIST being to bee consecrated now High Priest hath the Holy Ghost descending vpon him that so the Church may bee made acceptable in GODS beloued SONNE Neither was hee the Trueth onely of the High Priest but of the Sacrifices also St. Paul Hebr. 10. applieth to this purpose that place in the Psalme Psal 40. Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a body hast then prepared me in burnt offerings and Sacrifices for sinne thou hast no pleasure then said I loe I come In the volume of thy Booke it is written of me to ave thy will O God In this sense doth the Law vse the word Ratza when it is applied to Sacrifices â—enit 1. and saith that they shall be accepted for the offerer and make an attonement for him Vntill CHRIST came there was no remedy against the curse of the Law but Typicall within the Church and without fruitlesse Colos 1. but CHRIST incarnate brought a soueraigne remedy Ephes 2. when hee became the true Propitiatory in him it pleased God that all fulnesse should dwell and by him to reconcile all things both in Heauen and earth De Censensu Ruangelact lib. 2. cap. 4. St. Austin speaketh briefely but fully In te complacui is as much as Per te constitui gerere quod mihi placuit In thee am I well pleased not onely taking delight in that which thou art but also by thee accomplishing all the good that I meane to the sonnes of men But what did CHRIST Surely he did propitiate GODS wrath and giue man grace in GODS eyes these two workes are contained in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are the blessings that flow from GODS good will towards men Reconciliation is composed of both of GODS Indulgence and Beneficence Indulgence is not enough without Beneficence â— Sam. 14. Absalon shewed this to Ioab when hee was restored from his banishment but not admitted into the King his fathers presence A good patterne to bee imitated by men is GOD who dealeth so in his reconciliation with men whereas men vse some times to forgiue but seldome to forget also they thinke it too much to deserue well and enough that they doe not deserue ill I would it were no more But let vs touch at these points a sunder first at the propitiating of GODS wrath The latter Chronologers will haue this Sacring of IESVS to haue beene performed vpon the day of Expiation in September which if it bee true then the Holy Ghost doeth fairely insinuate that CHRIST came as the Lambe of God to take away the sinnes of the world How soeuer this is true that hee bare our sinnes in his body and by his stripes we are made whole that he cancelled our obligation and slew hatred when hee suffered â—pon the Crosse Neither did CHRIST onely propitiate GODS wrath but also gaue man grace in GODS eyes CHRIST teacheth it in three Parables of the lost Sheepe the lost Groat and the Prodigall Childe The Fathers obserue the Allegory that St. Peter maketh in comparing Noahs Arke vnto the Church and obserue moreouer that as the Doue brought the Oliue branch into the Arke in token that the deluge was ceased and the world was become habitable againe Euen so the Doue that lighted vpon CHRIST brought the glad tidings of the Gospel it
aduersitie therefore as wee must praise God for the one so must wee pray against the other at the same time wee must doe both But who are they that must doe it the text hath no more but Wee but if you looke vnto the beginning of the Psalme you shall find a Commentarie vpon that word you shall find that this must be done vniuersally Israel must doe it The House of Aaron must doe it all must doe it that feare the Lord if all be the better for the Day the dutie of solemnizing the Day belongeth vnto all to the Ecclesiasticall to the Ciuill State both must acknowledge what they receiue both must acknowledge the Day whereon they did receiue it The Day wherein the blessed Sunne did arise vnto vs all the fruits of whose Raigne are this great calme from stormes of warre and plentifull publication of Gods sauing truth wee must all acknowledge both these blessings As we must all acknowledge them so must we all take full comfort in them we must not defraud the Day of our ioy seeing the day brings comfort vnto vs it brings comfort to our bodie and comfort to our soules therefore our bodies and soules must reioyce in it In it but not forgetting him that made it that is God As for the Day wee are most beholding to him so in him must we ioy most But our comfort must not make vs forget our danger danger from without danger from within danger from our owne vntowardlinesse danger from the maliciousnesse of our enemies this double danger must make vs seeke to him that made our Day that he would make it a perpetuall Day that hee would hinder whatsoeuer impediment we may iustly feare from our enemies and not suffer vs to be an impediment of our owne blisse I shut vp all with the very words of my text Our times are such as that we haue good cause to vse the first words This is the Day which the Lord hath made and if we must say this this must draw from vs that which followeth the religious solemnizing of the day we must exhort each the other and be perswaded by our mutuall exhortation to vow the expressing of our comfort Wee will reioyce and bee glad in it and deprecate whatsoeuer imminent danger with Saue Now wee beseech thee O Lord O Lord we beseech thee send vs now Prosperitie AMEN A SERMON PREACHED AT SAINT MARIES IN OXFORD ON THE fift of Nouember 1614. LVKE 9. VERS 53 54 55 56. 53. But they would not receiue him because his face was as though he would goe to Ierusalem 54. And when his Disciples Iames and Iohn saw it they said Lord wilt thou that wee command that fire come downe from Heauen and consume them euen as Elias did 55. But Iesus turned about and rebuked them and said yee know not of what spirit you are 56. For the Sonne of man is not come to destroy mens liues but to saue them Then they went to another Towne FAthers and Brethren Reuerend and Beloued in the Lord We solemnize this Day in a religious acknowledgement of the King and his Kingdomes our Church and Common-weales vnspeakable deliuerance from an vnmatchable Treason In furtherance of this common Pietie to refresh our memorie and quicken our deuotion I haue chosen this storie which containes an vnpartiall censure of an inordinate Zeale inordinate Zeale in two Apostles who are therefore vnpartially censured by our Sauiour Christ And this storie haue I the rather chosen at this time to speake of in this place because here is the hope of Church and Common Weale the Seed aswell of the Gentrie as of the Clergie And it is for such that the Factors of Rome doe trade to make Aduocates of the one and of the other Actours of their holy Fathers most barbarous Designes Wherefore it is very behoofull that they aboue others bee not only inured to detest but informed also vpon what ground they should detest such sauage such hellish counsels and attempts Now better informed they cannot bee then if they be furnished with sound rules of a good conscience which they may oppose to all deceitfull Romish ones wherewith the vnlearned are insnared and they peruerted that are vnstable The Romanists boast of their manifold studies of Diuinitie and indeed they haue manifold I would they were as good as they are many But their Cases of Conscience are that vpon which they principally relie and wherewith their Kingdome is most supported And no maruell for they are euen for the Lay-mans studie and their Power of the Keyes is chiefly managed by these Cases It is most true that all parts of their Diuinitie are full fraught with sophistrie but when we come to this part ouer and aboue what impietie what iniquitie what impuritie doe we find Others occasionally may vnder take other points I wish they would prouided alwayes that they doe it soundly discreetly considering what a precious what a tender thing a good Conscience is It is not euery mans skill aright to handle it But I haue now to doe with a point of Iniquitie with an vnlawfull reuenge of persons afflicted for Religion We haue here a Reuenge proposed by such afflicted persons and we haue Christs doome passed therevpon that such reuenge is vnlawfull See it in the Text. First the Affliction The Samaritans would not receiue Christ And this Affliction was for Religion Christ was not receiued because his face was as if he would goe to Ierusalem It was great inhumanitie not to entertaine a stranger but the reason improues it as high as Impietie if we therefore fare the worse at the hands of men because wee are well disposed to serue God Being so farre vrged Zeale cannot hold surely Iames and Iohn could not as was their name so were they Sonnes of Thunder were they called and the Exhalations they breath are very hot And yet marke though they are bold to propose yet are they not so bold as to resolue They propose their Desire their Reason Their desire is Fire a cruell weapon and they would not haue it spare a iot it must consume their enemies make a finall and a fearefull spectacle of these vngodly Samaritans A sharpe desire And yet they sticke not at it and why it is not singular they haue though not a Rule yet an Example for it Elias did so that is the reason He dealt so with the old Samaritans when they wronged him and shall these new Samaritans escape better that thus wrong Christ This they propose But they doe not resolue as if they were conscious to themselues that they may erre they submit their desire to God and to Christ They desire Fire consuming Fire but it is from Heauen they would haue no other then God would send Nay they would not haue that except Christ be pleased Master wilt thou if thou say Nay we haue done Behold Nature and Grace and how Grace doth stop the furie of Nature Grace doth somewhat but the Fountaine
other Fathers tell vs that the particle vt noteth not Causam but Consecutionem not the end but the euent of sin I called it a supernaturall Euent An Euent is that which followeth vpon a former thing Accidentally though naturally it cannot flow from it Sinne is destructiue of good and therefore cannot aduance the Prayse of God wee see it in euery particular for what are they but breaches of that Law in the performance where of standeth Gods honour But what neede I vse any proofe I the last Sabaoth day shewed you that Impiety is one of the Natural properties of sinne It cannot be expected then that so great a good should naturally spring therfrom as is the the Praise of God Therefore though old impure Hereticks and the latter Familists that turne the grace of God into wantonnesse that vse Christian Liberty as a cloake of their Maliciousnesse that hold let vs doe ill that good may come thereof blaspheme Gods holy Truth Row 3.8 and their Condemnation is iust no man may pretend a good intent for his doing ill nor compasse a good end by ill meanes except he meane to goe for a Libertine But though Gods Prayse doe not naturally flow from sinne and so be the proper end thereof yet an Euent it may bee and follow thereupon But this Euent cannot be Naturall for the Creature that is mutable may ruine it selfe of it selfe and of it selfe dishonor God but hauing ruined it selfe and dishonored him it cannot of it selfe repaire either its owne state or His honour it is onely God can doe this this is a worke of diuine prouidence it doth exercise al the Branches therof Gods Wisdome to contriue it Gods Goodnes to affect it and finally it cannot be effected without his power The mixture of the Law and the Gospell is such a secret of Gods wisdome as could neuer haue entred into the heart of a creature that the fall of man should be foelix culpa produce a more glorious raising of him who could euer haue dreamd or to keepe my selfe to my text may not we all stand amazed when we read that such a son as Solomon should be born of Bathsheba with whom K. Dauid had committed so foule an offence But as we must admire Gods wisdome in such works so must we much more his goodnes that testifieth his loue to sinfull man in being willing that his wisdome shall yeeld such remedy to mans distresse But God is pleased to let the world see in the freedom of his loue quod dare non dignis res mage digna Deo such goodnes can be found no where out of God Finally the power of God shined herein which was to encounter with so many difficulties we hold God omnipotēt because he made heauen earth of nothing but the Fathers hold that the restitution is a greater worke then the creation if the former need an omnipotent power much more the later The reason is because as there was nothing to help so there was nothing to hinder in the creation but in the restitution God was encountred ab intra ab extra frō within and from without From within by his own Iustice he was faine to ouermaster it with his Mercy from without by the powers of darknes who stroue to keep possession of man yea by mans own peruersenes who is too willingly a slaue to sin Satan Gene. 50. but of Satans Temptation we may vse the words of Ioseph to his Brethren Vos cogitastis malè Deus autem bene Ye thought euill against vs but God meant it vnto good and concerning our owne peruersenes wee may vse the words of the Psalme As a Father pitieth his Children Psal 103. so the Lord pitieth vs marke the reason for he knoweth our frailty he remembreth that we are but dust It is God only God that can cause such Euents And miserable were the state of the world if he did not cause them for else the Church had long since come to nothing How quickly had Adam dissolued the Couenant and when God had restored it by such a supernaturall Euent the Sonnes of God dissolued it againe God was faine to redouble the Euentin Noah in his posterity it fayled the third time and a third time was God faine to renew the Euent in Abraham And thus hath it gon on in all ages of the world God hath bin faine to shew that the Infidelity of Man cannot euacuate the fidelity of God that hee will be true though all the world be liars Rom. 3.4 2. Cor. 4.6 that hee can draw light out of darkenesse when darkenesse hath extinguished Light Such is his Omniscient Wisedome and Omnipotent Goodnesse The ground of all which proceeding is the freedome of Gods loue that had no Cause without him when it first began it is continued by no Cause besides himselfe for those duties the performance whereof doe seeme to entertaine Gods Loue what are they but the influences of his free Grace Wherefore I conclude with Saint Bernard Maior est Dei pietas quam quaeuis iniquitas or rather with Gods own words Ego Deus et non mutor I am the Lord which change not Malac. 3.6 therefore you Sonnes of Iacob are not consumed it is of the Lords morcy that we are not consumed Iament 3 2◠because his Compassions faile not they are renewed euery morning great is thy faithfulnesse the same God that told Noah Gen. 8. I will not againe curse the ground for Mans sake and giueth this for a reason for the Imagination of Mans Heart is euill from his youth doth implie that we must seeke for the cause of this strange Euent not on Earth but in Heauen wee must hold it to bee not an Earthly but an Heauenly Euent and so to be not Naturall but Supernaturall as at first I told you And this refutes all Manichees who dreame of two Gods a Good and a Bad and will haue the Good only to intermeddle with things that are good and the Bad with the things that are bad but here we may learne that there is but one God and that one God is good though good yet intermedling with that which is bad intermedling with it out of bad to draw that which is good and so to make it matter of his Glory for Malum non quâ malum sed quâ ordinatum as Saint Austin teacheth cedit in Gloriam Dei In Enchyr. And so haue I opened vnto you the meaning of this Text so farre as I finde it in this Psalme that is in Hypothesi applied to King Dauids Case And there is no doubt but King Dauid in speaking of them had an Eye to himselfe and in reference to himselfe did penitentially vtter them But Saint Paul hath taught vs in the Epistle to the Romans to turne this Hypothesis into a Thesis Chap. 3. and apply this Text to the whole Church And indeed if you remember that I told you
our nature and so farre as it doth diminish it of something maketh it nothing for nothing can truly be sayd to be farther then it is partaker of God of the being which he giueth vnto it who only can say I am that I am Besides the Truth that is opposed to Vanity there is another which is opposed to Hypocrisie and that is the correspondency of our outward actions to our inward affections for as our outward affections must haue their stamp from God so must they endeauour to print their true stampe vpon our Actions for as the seede that is sowne in the ground beareth the like seede aboue ground and the fruit is not vnlike the Tree no more should it be in our moralities wee should not sustayne one person in our bosome and another in our countenance bee painted sepulchers full of dead mens bones we should be Iacobs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plaine men Nathaniels without all guile Mat. 23.17 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostome the character of an honest man is to be single minded Gen. 25.27 single tongued he that hath a heart and a heart a tongue and a tongue hath not truth in his inward parts This being the nature of Sincerity if wee will try the world by it I thinke we may iustly breake out in to King Dauids complaint in another Psalme Helpe Lord there is not a godly man left Veraces defecêrunt a filijs hominum truth is perished from among the sons of men the periuries which are frequent at Assizes and Sessions Psal 12.1 the deceit of Citizens which haue denominated deceit it selfe for from them is astutia deriued quia nihil lucrantur nisi admodùm mentiuntur whose thrift is fitly called craft because did they not circumueÌ„r they would come short of much of their wealth As for Statesmen all Chronicles do witnesse that they vse the Foxes case more frequently then the Lions skin and Policie is one of the words that is degenerated from a laudable to an infamous signification and is become a Synonymon for Machiauelisme This is the cause that Leagues and Contracts though confirmed with neuer so religious bonds are rather snares whereby one State seeketh to intrap another then pledges of their mutuall security But the quintessence of all falshood is the Popish Aequiuocation and Mentall Reseruation then which the Diuell neuer hatched a more pestilent fraud to bane Societies and desame Christian Religion The reason of all these obliquities and aberrations from Truth is for that euery man squareth vnto himselfe a measure of his owne but that measure of Sincerity which here God hath squared out is euery where neglected The Papist hee maketh the Catholique cause his measure the Politician his Greatnesse the Citizen his wealth the Iurour the preseruing of his Customes or pleasuring his friends these and some such like to these cautions and conditions doth the world patch vnto Truth without which they will not entertayne it The way to reforme all is to trie our Sincerity by the rule here set down by truth in the inward parts first that Truth that is opposed vnto Vanitie for hereby must wee correct our inward affections reduce them to the temper which God first gaue them and keepe them within the bounds which Gods Law doth set vnto them and when we haue done this then must we come on to the Truth that is opposed to Hypocrisâ—y let our conuersation be the looking glasse of our affections and let not any thing appeare in the Outward man that is not in the inward so shall wee be sincere wee shall haue truth in our inward parts And let this suffice for the nature of Sincerity Such Sincerity is of great regard that appeareth first in the Affection wherewith it is entertained The Affection is Desire and Desire is a compound affection of Louing and wishing for wee cannot desire that which we doe not loue and what wee loue if wee want it for that wee wish so that Sincerity is a louely thing And indeed how can it choose but be louelie that holdeth together all Societies Domesticall Politicke Ecclesiasticall without which iealousies must needs arise and so destruction follow euery man commits himselfe securely to him in whom he suspecteth no guile as where he doth suspect it hee thinketh himselfe safest when he hath least to doe Secondly as it is louely where it is so where it is not there it is longed for for man being by nature sociable cannot but wish for that qualitie in euery man without which there can be no society therefore those whom otherwise wee hate because wee cannot but haue to doe with them wee wish them all this Vertue Truth in the inward parts which should make all sorts of persons carefull to nurture those that are committed to their charge Parents their Children Masters their Seruants Pastors their People Magistrates their Subiects in this Vertue and sharpely to correct their pronenesse to the contrary the World groaneth vnder the mischiefes of falshood yet as if it yeelded no mischiefe euery where may you find a Schoole thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euery such master breedeth such a scholar as maketh him a proofe that he hath profited in his Art But the Affection only doth not shew the regard it is improued much by the Person in whom this Affection is found I shewed you that Sincerity is louely and longed for but it skilleth much who the Person is that loueth it and longeth for it for our nature is corrupt and with our nature our affections wee mistake euill for good and we misplace our affections often vpon euill rather then good It is not so with God as hee is so he affecteth he is most Holy and such are his Desires also what he loueth is louely indeed because he cannot loue amisse and what he longeth for that we want because if we did not want it he could not long for it And indeed he must needs loue Sincerity because it is the Image of himselfe for he is Truth and there is nothing counterfeit either in him or from him yea his Truth is the ground of all our Faith our Hope our Charity were it not for that these could haue no ground Faith could haue no ground without his Truth in promising Hope could haue no ground without his Truth in performing Charity could haue no ground without his Truth in louing Therefore there is Truth in him and who what is in Him he loueth in others for euery thing delights in his like when God had made all things and beheld that they were good he presently kept a Sabaoth which importeth nothing else but the sweet content that he tooke in the worke of his owne hands If in all things specially in those that did best resemble him and he is resembled in nothing more then in diuine vertue so that Sincerity must needs bee exceeding louely in his Holy Eyes As it is louely so it
dung whose labour is only to make themselues euerlasting fuell for hell God regardeth them accordingly and they receiue as little of this ioy of saluation as they would seeme to want it But if wee meane to receiue wee must first feele that we doe want and our want must be declared as King Dauids was in this supplication restore For God then begins to take pittie when men are brought to the knowledge of their wants yea he giueth men a sense of their want before he vouchsafeth a supply thereof But redde doth not only imply a sense of want but a remembrance also of that which sometimes we had It is a good thing for a man to bee feeling of his want but there is no small accesse made vnto that gracious sense if we apprehend withall that our want proceeds from our owne vnthristinesse that what wee want wee had and that it is through our owne fault that we are brought vnto this want And indeed if euer wee be in want we want through our owne default for God made vs perfect and we became not naked but by eating the forbidden fruit and since that time men haue beene more or lesse vnthriftie and haue mispent the portion which God hath giuen them Therefore wee must not come to God with the simple Verbe da that imports only that we are in want we must vse the compound redde we must confesse our selues Prodigals that is the right voice of a Christian Penitent But whereto shall we apply this restore To the saluation Or to the ioy Distinguish Quod fieri debet quod fit our deseruing and Gods dealing and the answere is plaine no doubt wee forfeit our saluation God might strip vs of it if hee did reward vs according to our sinnes Gods Couenant is like a lease that hath a clause of re-entrie but leaueth a power in the Land-lord to vse extremitie or deale mercifully with his Tenant God is vnto his children as a kind Land-lord vnto bad Tenants he doth not take forfeits as often as we make them hee doth not re-enter vpon our Tenement nor strip vs of our saluation we are often damnable yet we are not damned Notwithstanding hee doth not suffer vs to scape scot-free when he doth not take the forfeiture hee taketh à nomine poenae he doth inflict some penaltie yea and that a sharpe one too for he taketh euen from his dearest children the ioy of their saluation hee casteth them into sad moodes hee afflicteth them with heauie hearts when they looke vpwards they see cloudes cast ouer Gods countenance and cannot but sorrow for it when they looke downe they see Hels mouth gaping for them they cannot but tremble at it such agonies ouertake them and make them smart for their sinnes wherewith they offend God agonies I say of sorrow and feare Take a similitude from the Sunne which may make a day or a Sunshine day while it is aboue our Horizon it is often day when the Sunne doth not shine but thicke clouds breathed from the earth make a sad skie as if it were night yet cannot we say the Sunne is gone downe euen so many times are we in the state of saluation the Sunne is with vs wee are children of the day yet haue wee no ioy of our saluation our Sunne doth not shine wee haue no cleere day But from King Dauid you may learne that to bee sure of saluation will not content a religious heart except hee may haue the ioy thereof also I conclude this point let vs take heed that pleasure strip vs not of pleasure worldly of heauenly let vs not grieue God lest he grieue vs grieue him with sinne lest he grieue vs with sorrow for we see in King Dauids example that God inflicts such penalties and if at any time we suffer so for our desert let vs not continue stupidly in this distressing want but importune him with King Dauids Restore Restore mee to the ioy of thy saluation And so much of the first part of the supplication I come now to the second from the Restitution to the Confirmation Stablish me with a free spirit Where first we must see what spirit is here meant There is a spirit in man and there is a spirit of God some vnderstand the one some vnderstand the other I wil ioyne both together For indeed the attribute belongs to both Gods spirit is free and so is mans but Gods by nature mans by grace couple Gods Spirit vnto mans and then you shal find the saying of the Apostle true Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie 2. Cor. 3. Rom. 8. Iohn 8. for it is the Spirit of adoption and if thereby the Sonne of God make vs free then are we free indeed Therefore I told you that here by the Spirit I vnderstand our disposition But this disposition of ours must bee considered as it is by nature so it is seruile as it becomes by grace so it is free I called it a generous disposition and indeed so the word signifieth But to open it a little more fully Iohn 8. ver 34 we learne of Christ that sinne maketh a slaue it appeareth plainly in that which we call free will and the attendants thereon Freewill is resolued into the iudgement wee passe vpon things and the choice wee make according to the iudgement now no man hath a more slauish iudgement then a wicked man for sin blindeth his eyes what he doth not desire he doth not beleeue and you shall seldome see a man possest with any enormous sinne in whom affected ignorance is not euident yea sinne maketh him put that out of all question which if he would vse his owne iudgement hee would find had no credibilitie Had it not beene for this seruilitie of iudgement Pharaoh could neuer so long haue held out against Moses Israel haue murmured so often against God Scribes and Pharisees haue so fearefully blasphemed our Sauiour Christ the Church of Rome so shamefully withstand the truth and Atheists so prophanely scoffe at the reproofe of their sinnes not one of these many leud ones which hath not a seruile iudgement Neither hath seruilitie taken possession only of our iudgement but of our will also wee can make no better choice then our iudgement will giue vs leaue if that be seruile this cannot be free Not free Nay it were well if it were no more seruile then our iudgement but indeed it is much more for how often doe we see what we should doe and yet to please sinne chuse to doe the contrarie Whether we be regenerate or whether we be vnregenerate for the text is vnderstood of both by seuerall Diuines we may say with the Apostle Rom. 7. I see a Law in my members rebelling against the Law of my mind and carrying me captiue vnto sinne we haue vncircumcised hearts and doe resist the Spirit of God Take an example or two the Pharisees could not denie the Resurrection of Christ the
God it is a phrase of Equipollencie Exod. 23. it is all one with God which is fairely insinuated vnto Moses wheÌ„ he desireth to see Gods face you shal find in the pursuit of that story that Gods glory Gods goodnes are aequipollent tearmes and it must be our endeauour as far as humaine frailtie will permit herein to resemble God to be nothing to doe nothing but that which may deserue praise And let this suffice concerning the first point the praise of God Let vs now see what King Dauid intends to doe about this praise his intent is to shew it forth I told you the word doth signifie Narrare and Enarrare to deliuer Gods praises by way of Historie and then vpon that he studieth to make a feeling Commentarie In King Dauids Psalmes you may find all kind of Histories you may well call them an abridgement of the Historicall Bookes yea and of the Propheticall too which are a kind of Historie there are few Narrations that tend to the praise of God whereat he hath not touched But his speciall commendations stands in the Enarration in the Commentarie that hee maketh vpon Diuine History he maketh vs see herein that which otherwise we would not heede he maketh vs sensible of that which otherwise wee would not regard Take a touch of it in some particulars Hee hath made many Psalmes of the Creation reade the 8. reade the 19. reade the 104. see how powerfully hee doth worke the obseruation thereof into the hearts of men in the 8. Psalme marke those words O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the Earth and againe What is man that thou art mindfull of him Or the sonne of man that thou visitest him And how powerfull are those words Psalme the 19. The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament sheweth his handie worke Day vnto day vttereth speech c. but beyond all goeth 104. Psalme Blesse the Lord O my soule O Lord my God thou art verie great thou art clothed with honour and maiestie c. the 107. Psalme is about Gods Prouidence but marke the Burden that is added to euerie branch Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare his wondrous workes that he doth for the children of men The same method doth he vse in opening the Redemption Psalme 103. the Law Psalme 19. and 119. the Deliuerance out of Aegypt in many Psalmes it were endlesse to goe ouer all particulars take it for a generall rule you shall find in him neuer a Historie whereupon he doth not make such a Commentarie wherein hee doth not point out some thing that is obseruable and endeauour to make vs sensible thereof and to entertaine it as matter of Gods Praise and this is that which he meaneth by shewing forth Wherby with all hee teacheth vs that the occurrents of Gods Prouidence which befall our persons fall out in our times or any way offer themselues vnto vs must be looked into with such a reflecting such an adoring eye that we must take notice of and giue honour vnto God for his power his wisedome his goodnesse his iustice his mercie that shineth herein and sheweth it selfe vnto the world Thus wee must learne to shew forth the praise of God Dauid addes moreouer wherwith he will shew it forth with his mouth with the Mouth that others might heare the Praises And indeede ore fit Confessio as fraudis so Laudis Luke 12.9 men therewith as they must confesse their sinnes so must they set forth Gods praises shew them forth vnto the world for he that will not confesse God before men God will not confesse him before his blessed Angels The Church is a Body and what befals any member may befall euerie one be it matter of hope or feare sorrow or ioy therefore ought euerie man to communicate to the other his case and his knowledge to worke in them by the same meanes the like affection which hee feeleth in himselfe yea though we doe not feele it yet should we haue a fellow-feeling each of the others affections wherof wee cannot ordinarily take notice except each be informed by the others Mouth The Mouth being the ordinarie meanes of communication the trumpe whereby wee doe mutually stirre vp our selues vnto the Prayses of God But when mention is made of the Mouth wee must not exclude the Heart for though the instrument be the Mouth yet the Musitian is the Heart he causeth the tune of the voice to sound and addeth the Dittie to the Tune and certainely the Musicke will neuer be wel-come to God should any part of man be wanting thereunto Psal 103. therefore Dauid thus cals vpon himselfe Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within me blesse his Holy name Gregorie the Great worketh this obseruation out of the word Meum my mouth there be many saith he that praise God but not with their owne mouth such as are the couetous the wantons c. They personate some other they seeme to take vnto themselues another mans tongue when they vtter that which they conceiue not in their own hearts But let such men know that their Praiers shall neuer haue accesse vnto Gods eares whose hearts are estrainged from Righteousnesse Wherefore let vs imitate Dauid in another place 〈…〉 who said that his Soule should be filled as it were with marrow and fatnesse when hee praiseth God with ioyfull Lippes Where withall we learne a good propertie of him that praiseth and that is hee performeth it with pleasure and indeede no man can sincerely praise 〈…〉 but he must delight in that which hee doth praise for praysing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nyssen speaketh a louing disposition And Saint Austin â—auâ—at Deum veraciter qui eum amat he praiseth God sincerely that loueth he loueth him vnfainedly and if our delight be not in him we must not thinke that we doe as we ought praise him In a word you heard before that Deus was totus Laudabilis wholy to be praised and we must be toti Laudantes haue no part of body or soule that must not be an instrument to sound forth Gods praise our whole life should be a Psalme thereof And let this suffice touching King Dauids Intent The Intent is good but men may intend more then they can doe good men haue beene ouer consident in their good meanings Saint Peter thought he would neuer forsake Christ and hee would die in his desence yet when he was put to it hee not onely cowardly shrunke from him but also fearefully denied him wherefore Dauid is well aduised hee presumeth not of his owne strength but hath recourse vnto Gods helpe O Lord open thou my lippes The Lippes are the doore of the mouth a doore that is shut vp therefore neede to be opened and it is worth the marking that the word which we translate open is not onely of the same originall with a doore in the Hebrew tongue
it hath is but as a beame in comparison of the Sunne and but as a drop vnto the Ocean You see what is the singularitie of Gods nature pointed out in the word Lord as it is vsed to note the Hebrew Iehoua Besides this Singularity it noteth also Gods Eternitie And indeed where there is such Singularitie there cannot choose but bee Eternitie the one doth necessarily inferre the other as I could shew you if the Time would permit The Cabalists find Eternitie in the Syllables whereof the Name Iehoua is made they finde a preterperfecttense in the last syllable a present tense in the middle syllable and a future tense in the first Chap. 4. vers 8. This might seeme idle subtilty but that S. Iohn in the Reuelation goeth before vs in so resoluing the name Iehoua telling vs that the Lord is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reuel Chap 3.6 1. Timoth. 6 16. Chap. 1.17 which was which is and which is io come But to to giue you more plaine proofe of this Eternitie In Malachy God speaketh thus I am the Lord I change not Saint Paul telleth Timothy God only hath immortality Saint Iames with God that is the Father of Lights there is no variablenesse nor shadow of change You see then that there is Singularitie and Eternity in the Nature of God and both are noted by the Name Iehoua or Lord. But as these things are noted when wee looke into the Nature of God so is there another thing noted which is Gods relation to his Creatures And indeed though the name Iehoua seeme not to bee yet is the name Lord apparantly a relatiue word so that what God is in himselfe of that he is a fountaine to his Creatures all things liue moue and haue their being in him and when he sendeth forth his Spirit hee renueth the face of the Earth Yea not onely the dependencie of the Creature vpon him but also the making good of his Word vnto his Creature is implyed in this Name God himselfe teacheth it Exod. 6. where hee telleth Moses that hee had before appeared vnto the Fathers by the name of Shaddai All-sufficient but hee would now appeare in his name Iehoua as a powerfull efficient hee would performe the promise which hee had made vnto the Patriarks To conclude this point Out of that which you haue heard you may gather that the name Lord doth note an euer-liuing and ouerflowing fountain of Blessednes and Perfection The second word is God in the Originall of the Law it is Elohim it it noteth the Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost and such a God doth the Church acknowledge and by her acknowledging God for such differeth from those that are without the Church Those without the Church though they haue not reached home yet haue they gone farre in the knowledge of Iehoua in the knowledge of the fountaine of Perfection but by strength of Reason they could neuer finde out the Trinitie some touches we read in Trismegist and the Platonists but it was traditionary Diuinity that brought them to the knowledge thereof and that too very imperfect and corrupt to say nothing that Trismegist is by the learned censured for a counterfeit But the true knowledge of one God in three Persons is a peculiar mystery of the Church the Infidels for want of faith cannot comprehend doe not acknowledge it But this Trinitie may bee considered either ad intra or ad extra as it is in God or as it doth manifest it selfe to man As it manifesteth it selfe vnto man so each Person purteth on another consideration the first of a Father to men the second of a Redeemer and the third of a Sanctifier Although it bee necessary for the truth of our Faith to acknowledge the Trinitie in the first manner yet the Comfort of our faith lieth in the second consideration thereof as will appeare in the third word of my Text whereunto I now come and that is thy the Lord thy God Wherein we must first marke that as there are three persons in God so euerie one of those persons is Ours he that is a Father is our Father he hath adopted Vs and hee that is the Sonne of God hath redeemed Vs to make Vs Gods sonnes and his owne spouse and he that is the Holy Ghost hath sanctified Vs that we may be his holy Temples Secondly we must draw the Name Lord throughout all these persons he that is our Father is the Lord and so is he the Lord that is the Sonne the Holy Ghost is Lord also that is they are all three the ouer flowing Fountaine of blessed prefection and what they are they are it to me for they are all three my God and so their good is mine They are mine by Creation I was made after the Image of God and so are they all three mine they were the sampler according to which I was framed For because God could not be like man man was made like God 1. Tim 2.16 Colos 2.9 that likenesse might be a ground of mutuall loue But much more mine in the Redemption for then God was manifest in the flesh the Godhead dwelt bodily in my nature God became mine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my nature hath possession of his person and is admitted into an association in his workes It is no small prerogatiue then that is intimated in this word thy God I vnderstand now what an honour is done to the Patriarchs when God saith I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob what honour is done to Dauids sonne when God saith I will bee his Father this appropriation of God is the greatest prerogatiue vouchsafed vnto the Church I haue opened the Name vnto you out of which you may presently gather Who are excluded from our Loue the Loue that is due to the first Person euen omnes fictitij and factitij dij as well corporall as mentall Idols all that are not capable of this title Iehoua Elohim with whom we are not or at least we should not be in couenant But because hereafter when I come to the Commandement I shall fall vpon this point I will now passe it ouer As such persons are excluded so there is included in the Name a reason of our Loue and we find therein a double reason Exemplum and Meritum Good examples are strong perswasions and men fashion themselues to nothing more willingly then to that wherof they haue a pattern in their betters Now the exactest patterne of Charitie is in the Lord God for there is Vnitie and Trinitie and Trinitie in Vnitie Austin de Triritat l 15. c. 17. alibi and what is that but the two parts of Charitie Vnion and Communion But this is too high a speculation for a vulgar eare The second reason is more popular and that is Meritum this merit is two fold dignitatis and dignationis Dignitatis the merit of Gods owne worth for causa diligendi
deum est ipse Deus Bernard Basilâ—n Psal 46. there is enough in God to make him louely and why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good and louely are reciprocall that which is louely is good and that which is good is louely whereupon is grounded that Maxime in Philosophie Bonum est quod omnia appetunt Reason hath no better marke to guesse at that which is good then the propension of all men for to attaine it Now looke vpon the Name the Lord God and see whether you doe not find that good in it which doth challenge Loue. Begin with Dominus ou heard that he was goodnesse it selfe if a man doe loue that which is good how can he but loue goodnesse Nay if wee loue the streames with what loue must we embrace the Fountaine If we Loue that good which is dependent how much more that which is independent Seeing there is a possibilitie for vs to bee defrauded of that which is dependent but of that which is independent we cannot be defrauded Yet see the common folly of men Iere. 2.13 they forsake the fountaine of liuing waters and digge vnto them Cisterns that can hold no water If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deserue Loue how much more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You heard before that what God is he is it to the full Creatures haue but drops or beames and who would leaue the Fountaine to rest contented with a drop And when he might enioy the whole body of the Sunne to solace himselfe in a single beame And yet such folly there is in the world and he that thinketh Gods gifts louely though they are but single in a Creature how little is hee affected with the louelinesse of his Creator Wee cannot denie that good is the obiect of our Loue therefore where there is the greatest good thither wee should bend the greatest of our Loue dost thou loue Wisedome Colos 2.3 All the treasures of wisdedome are hid in him dost thou loue Holinesse It is to him that the Angels sing Holy holy holy Esay 6.3 Psal 24.1 Psal 16.11 doest thou loue Wealth The earth is the Lords and all that therein is doest thou loue Pleasure In his presence is fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand are pleasures for euermore Finally doest thou loue Power and Honour He is the Lord of hosts he is the King of glorie euen a King of Kings and Lord of Lords Adde hereunto that what he is whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is it Onely he is it Eternally both which are strong Motiues vnto Loue for we vse to loue that which is not common as that which is common by reason of the familiarnesse of it groweth vile in our eyes now such good as is in God is no where else to be found As we loue those good things which are not common so we loue them the more the more they are lasting because our desire would neuer bee defrauded of that wherein it taketh content this good is more lasting then our desire the good of euerie Creature is as mutable as the Creature is yea more because it differeth from the nature of the Creature but this good being all one with the nature of God it is as lasting as is his nature It is no maruell then that euerie Creature eluding our desire which is carried vnto good doth as it were with a reall voice put vs off when we dote vpon it and by experience say to vs Non ego sum bonum tuum it is not I that am thy good which is to be sought after and after all our painefull enquirie wee are driuen to Saint Austins resolution Fecisti nos Domine propter te irrequietum est cor nostrum dones requiescat in te so great is the capacitie of mans desire that nothing can fill it but onely the Lord and his soule must needs remaine empire that doth not make the Lord the obiect of his Loue. You see that there is much worth in the Lord and great cause why hee should be beloued there wanteth not worth also in God in euery of the three persons in Trinity Had we eyes to looke vpon them ad intra as they are in the blessed Trinitie we might easily perceiue it but there is no proportion betweene our eyes and that light therefore we will forbeare to behold the dazeling brightnes Only of this we may be sure that euery person is most louely because euery of them loueth the other the Scripture speaketh it plainly the Father loueth the Sonne the Sonne loueth the Father and the holy Ghost is the loue of them both Now what they loue is lonely indeed because their iudgement is most vpright and their desire most Holy But wee will not sound that bottomlesse depth let vs looke vpon these persons as they manifest themselues ad extra and see how louely they are Hee that is a Father in the Trinitie doth manifest himselfe as a Father to the Sonnes of men the Scripture doth often remember his tender bowels he shutteth them not vp no not against them that are Prodigals a Father and a Mother on earth may forsake may forget their Children but our Father in Heauen cannot forget hee will not forsake his And is not such a Father louely God the Sonne doth manifest himselfe to the world as a Sonne hee vseth all his credit with his Father to worke not onely the remission of mans sins which he expiated with his bloud but also the aduancement of their Persons whom hee vouchsafeth to bee his Spouse by taking man so neere vnto himselfe hee bringeth him neere to God also and maketh them Children that were Seruants intitles them to Heauen that deserue to burne as firebrands in hell And is not such a Sonne louely The holy Ghost doth manifest himselfe as the holy Ghost quickning man and sanctifying him testifying by these effects that hee is a Spirit of life to him euen of such a life as maketh him a sacred Person hee maketh him a liuing Temple a fit habitation for himselfe that he may bee an Oracle of God within him and kindle the fire vpon the Altar of his Heart wherewith onely hee can offer acceptable Sacrifices vnto God And is not this holy Spirit louely All three Persons are most louely if the consideration goe no farther then that which I haue exprest But how great an accesse will bee made vnto their louelines if you draw through euery one of them that ground of louelines which before wee found in the name Lord for the Father is Lord the Sonne Lord and the holy Ghost Lord as we are truely taught in Athanasius his Creed euery one of them is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good of himselfe and all-good and by this accesse we must in our meditations improue their louelines But I haue dwelt long enough vpon meritum dignitatis the desert of loue that is included in their owne worth I told you that in
the Text wee sound another merit and that is meritum dignationis the interest therein vouchsafed vs. Were there none but meritum dignitatis there were ground enough of our loue but this meritum dignationis the interest that we haue doth quicken vs to take notice of the worth that is in the thing Euery man naturally loueth that which is his owne and if the thing bee good it doth him the more good to looke vpon it Let a man walke in a faire Meadow it pleaseth him but it will please him much more if it bee his owne his eye will be more curious in prying into euery part and euery thing will please him the better so it is in a Corne field in an Orchard in a House if they bee good the more they are ours the more contentedly doe they affect vs for this word meum is suauissima amor is illecebra it is as good as an amatorie potion Then marke put tuus to Dominus and if so bee the Lord be louely how much more louely should hee bee in our eyes if hee bee our Lord and doth appropriate that infinite good that hee hath vnto vs hee holdeth of none but of himselfe and who would not ioy to bee owner of that good which is independent Hee is whatsoeuer heart can desire and who can but reioyce in hauing him in hauing of whom wee can want nothing Put tuus to Deus and see how it doth improue the motiue of loue there also Had wee nothing to doe with so tender hearted a Father so sweet natured a Sonne so gracious a Comforter as is the holy Spirit we could not but loue them if we did know them But when wee doe heare that these bowels of the Father doe yearne vpon vs that wee are the Spouse whom the Sonne of God doth wooe and that the holy Ghost vouchsafeth to make his Temple of vs how can wee bee but loue-sicke how can our Hearts choose but melt and our Affections gaspe and bray like the Hart after those Persons which haue in them so strong so manifold persuasions to loue But alas wee that in regard of our carnall loue are easily transported by any seeming good are altogether senslesse when wee are sollicited by our spirituall good so senslesse that God is passionate in his Prophets when hee doth taxe our more then bruitishnesse herein Isay 1. Hearken O heauen heare O earth for the Lord hath spoken I haue nourished and brought vp children and they haue rebelled against mee the oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Ier. 3. Can a mayd forget her ornaments or a bride her attire yet hath my people forgotten me dayes without number Wee doe loue our corporall benefactors at least while they are doing vs good but our spirituall benefactor wee forget euen while hee is doing vs good for when is hee not doing it wee cannot looke vpon our soules our bodies our state but wee see the perpetuall influence of his goodnesse and yet Tuus worketh little here and though God vouchsafe vs a great interest yet are wee little moued therewith Wee can loue a man in whom there are so many defects to allay the regard of his goodnesse and from whom we may receiue as much wrong as fauour how much more should we loue God in whom there is no defect and from whom thou canst receiue nothing but good I haue shewed you the reason of loue which is included in the name it followeth that I now come on to the dutie that is required and that is Loue. Wherein we are first to obserue that God speaketh not vnto vs as vnto seruants but as vnto friends hee would not haue vs in his seruice expresse a spirit of seruitude in feare but of adoption in loue hee would not bee feared as a Lord but loued as a Father O derint dum metuant is a Tyrants voyce God will haue all his seruants ingenuous hee will haue our seruice as naturall as is our allegiance Wherein the King of Heauen giueth a good patterne to all Kings and Gouernours in earth Though God hath qualified vs many wayes to doe him seruice yet doth hee in this word diliges Loue shew what hee doth principally respect and his eyes are vpon nothing so much as our Loue not on our wit our wealth our honour c. yea all other things are valued according to our Loue and without Loue they are nothing worth And why Loue is that which setteth all a worke for he that loueth will keepe Gods commandements hee will doe no euill But wee may not forget that seeing this Loue hath for its obiect him that is so farre aboue vs wee must not seuer it from Reuerence which must qualisie the loue which we owe to our Superiors in expressing our affection wee must not forget our distance yea and our feare in regard of our flesh may bee seruile to awe it and keepe it downe though it must bee also filiall in regard of the spirit to keepe it in heart I should now if the time would giue leaue shew you how those things that are required in loue must be applyed vnto this obiect The first propertie of Loue is Vnion and we should endeauor to become one with the Lord to bee transformed into him and as neere as a Creature can partake of his Creator partake of the diuine nature Wee should desire Vnion also with God with God the Father by Adoption with God the Sonne by a spirituall Wedlocke with God the holy Ghost by entertaining him as his Temple wee should so grow one with all three persons From this Vnion our Loue should come on to a Communion Communion in that infinite good which you heard is in the Lord for though Vnion bee a great aduancement of our Nature yet doth our comfort stand in the Communion neither did God euer intend the Vnion but for the Communion As wee must haue Communion with the Lord so with God also as Children wee must communicate in the inheritance of our Father as a Spouse in the honour and state of a Bride-groome as the Temple in the ornaments and endowments thereof Yea in this Communion there must appeare Beneuolentia Benesicentia there must appeare an intercourse of good will and good deeds betweene the Lord God and vs otherwise wee doe not loue as wee should This is not all the seate of Loue must be exercised also the Heart for the loue of God must bee free God doth not respect forced Loue. The Minde God will bee knowne before hee is loued and hee will haue them that loue him to meditate vpon him hee will not regard an vndiscreete Loue. Thy Soule must bee exercised if thou dost not long after him earnestly and take sweet content in him thou dost not loue Finally thy Courage must bee employed thou must bee as resolute to compasse this spirituall Vnion and Communion as carnall wooers are
in pursuit of their Loue De vera virgiaitate it is Saint Basils Similie And why not seeing for the most part they are the worse for their louing and wee are sure for ours to bee the better But I must leaue the enlarging of these things to your owne priuate Meditations You may remember I told you that though the Person onely is here exprest yet things are also included so farre as they haue reference to this person we must respect euerie Creature as it is Gods and grieue at the abuse of the meanest of them But our speciall regard must be vnto those things that worke or witnesse this spirituall Loue. Worke it as Gods word and his Sacraments these things wee must haue in a singular regard by reason of the heauenly power which they haue to worke Loue the more we vse them the more it will appeare wee desire to Loue. As these things worke Loue so there are other things that testifie it our praysing of God our praying vnto God our readinesse to please God though we suffer for it the more wee are exercised in these things the more it will appeare we are in Loue. But though God kindle Loue in vs by his Creatures yet must we not loue him for them for that were Amor Concupiscentiae but wee must by them be led to loue him and that is Amor amicitiae Mea tibi oblata non prosunt saith Saint Bernard sine me nec tua mihi sine te though we come to know God by his Creatures yet must our Loue immediately fixe on him As those things which haue reference are included so are those things excluded which haue no reference and whatsoeuer things which doe not lead to him draw from him of all which this must bee kept as a a rule Pereant qui quae inter deum nos dissidium volunt wee must haue nothing to do with whatsoeuer will separate betweene God and vs. You haue heard what the Person is Confess l. 8. and what it is to Loue him When Saint Austin put these two together hee fell into that humble admiration O Lord who am I That thou shouldest command me to Loue thee And verily a man may well wonder Hath not God Angels Archangels Cherubins Seraphins to loue him And what grace is it then for him to stoope so low as man Yea and whereas the best abilitie of man is too base to bee employed in his seruice hee doth this honour as to stoope to the meanest of our abilities hee commands our Dust and Ashes this wormes meate our vilde selues to Loue him that is to be as it were consorts with him for amor nescit inaequalitatem therefore God doth as it were deifie that which hee doth so farre honour â—sal 8.4 When Dauid looked vpon the interest which God hath giuen vs in his Creatures when he put all things in subiection vnder our feete the beasts of the field the fishes of the sea c. he breaketh out into Quid est homo Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him Or the Sonne of man that thou so regardest him What an admiration then should arise in vs when we see what an interest God hath giuen vs in himselfe Especially seeing he hath no neede of vs and all the gaine is ours can wee forbeare with amazednesse and wonderment to vtter the same words O Lord what is man Nay out of the sense of euerie mans owne interest to say Lord what a man am I that thou shouldest be so mindfull of mee And what a Sonne of man am I that thou shouldest so regard me Dauid when he describeth the temporall blessednesse which he wisheth to Israel Psal 144. concludeth Happie is that people that is in such a case but he addeth to our purpose yea Happie are the people whose God is the Lord The prerogatiue that Man hath aboue other creatures yea that the Christian hath aboue all other Nations should make vs set it at a higher rate then commonly we doe A word of the day and so I end This is All Saints Day and it is Loue that doth characterize a Saint for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil in Psal 44 Nyssen de Anima Resurrect yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we haue in Earth a Communion of Saints in Faith Hope and Charitie but in Heauen there is no Communion but only in Charitie Faith and Hope are done away Nay in Earth our Communion with God standeth properly in Charitie for there can bee no mutualnesse betweene God and Vs but only in that and to bee mutuall is a propertie of Charitie as I told you at the entrance of this Sermon Wee beleeue in God but God doth not beleeue in vs wee hope in God God doth not hope in vs but if Man loue God God loueth him againe and therefore Loue is the proper vertue of Saints it is that which both in Earth and Heauen doth knit vs vnto God Psâ—l 18. What shall we say then to these thing seeing Charitie beginneth a Saint on Earth and consummateth him in Heauen I will vow with King Dauid I will loue thee my Lord my strength c. And that I may performe this Vow I will pray with Saint Austin Lord so inspire my heart that I may seeke thee seeking may find thee and finding may loue thee ANd grant O Lord thy Grace vnto vs all so to exercise our selues in this Loue that we may haue the honour to bee thy friends both in Earth and Heauen AMEN The fifth Sermon MATT. 22. VERSE 39. Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour THere are two Persons exprest in my Text on whom wee must bestow our Loue. First The Lord our God and Secondly our Neighbour I spake last of the former of these persons It followeth that I now speake of the later so farre as I am occasioned by these words Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour Wherein it will appeare that Loue is not only due to God but also to his seruants as many as can returne Loue for Loue that is all Rationall Creatures so farre as God hath conioyned vs we must not seuer our selues for euerie creature loues his like Amitie is inseperable from societie at least it should be For my fuller vnfolding and your better vnderstanding of these wordes I will therein distinctly consider first â—o whom then what is due The Person is called a Neighbour that which is due to him is Loue. But farther in the person we must see first that in him there is found the ground of that Loue I will discouer it when I haue opened the Name Secondly that euery man hath his interest in this ground the text pointeth out this when in a reference to euery man it calleth the person Thy Neighbour As this must be obserued in the person so in the Dutie we must obserue that we that haue the interest must performe the Dutie this interest belongeth to euery man and so doth the
Well done seruant faithfull and true enter into thy Masters Ioy. Πάντοτ◠δοξά Θηῶ. TEN SERMONS Deliuered on the nineteenth Chapter of Exodus contayning the Preface of GOD and the preparation of the people to the promulgation of the LAW BY The Right Reuerend Father in God ARTHVRE LAKE late Bishop of that See LONDON Printed by W. S. for Nathaniel Butter 1629. TEN SERMONS DELIVERED ON THE NINETEENTH CHAPTER OF EXODVS contayning the Preface of GOD and the preparation of the People to the promulgation of the LAW The first Sermon EXODVS 19. VERS 1 2. In the third moneth when the children of Israel were gone out of Egypt the same day came they into the Wildernesse of Sinai For they were departed from Rephidim and were come to the Desert of Sinai and had pitched in the Wildernesse and there Israel camped before the Mount YOu may remember that opening vnto you those words of our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell of Saint Matthew Chap 22. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy minde with all thy soule and with all thy strength and thy Neighbour as thy selfe I told you they were the generall contents of the Decalogue whereof I then promised you a speciall and distinct explication I haue not forgotten that promise although I haue beene interrupted by interuenient texts occasioned by the times wherefore my purpose is this day to begin my performance of that promise And I could not doe it on a fitter day for this is Ascension day and it was an Ascension day that is mentioned in my text Moses being a type of that whereof Christ was the truth began vpon the day here mentioned to ascend into the Mount thence to bring the Law as our Sauiour Christ vpon this day which wee solemnize ascended into Heauen thence to send the Holy Ghost which as the Apostle telleth vs giueth life to the Law Adde hereunto that as Christ ascended into his glorie so Moses in his Ascension had a kind of Transfiguration for comming neere vnto God his face so shined that he was faine to put a vaile vpon it because the children of Israel could not endure to behold it There is then a good correspondencie betweene this Feast and my text Neither doe I only thinke so but our Church also which commandeth the tenth of Deuteronomie to be read this morning wherein is a report of this Ascension of Moses So that the time which I haue chosen is fit and I meane God willing not to bee scant in my performance I will pay you the principall with interest for I meane to vnfold not only the twentieth Chapter but also the nineteenth of this Booke though that more fully yet this competently And there is good reason why for the nineteenth containeth a remarkable preparation to the twentieth neither will the twentieth bee so well vnderstood or regarded so well if the nineteenth doe not make vs more docill and attentiue then vulgarly men vse to bee Wherefore what God thought fit at the giuing of the Law will not amisse be remembred at the expounding thereof it will bee behoofefull for you that I quicken your capacitie and raise your attention with these powerfull obseruations wherewith the Holy Ghost doth preface the promulgation of the Law You must then take notice of the forerunning Circumstances and Solemnitie which are recorded in this Chapter The Circumstances whereof only I shall speake now are two First the Time Secondly the Place of both which we haue here the two termes A quo and In quo Whence they take there beginning and where they haue their ending Of the Time the reckoning beginneth after the children of Israels going forth out of Egypt and it endeth on the third moneth the verie same day that is the verie same day that the third Moneth began As for the place the text teaceheth vs first whence they came immedately from Rephidim Secondly where they tooke vp their rest in the wildernesse of Sinai thereon the cloud pitched and they encamped before it These be the particulars which I meane to obserue in these Circumstances That you may the better vnderstand them I will resume them againe God grant that as I open them more largely so you may heare them more profitably The first Terme then of the Time sheweth vs whence the reckoning doth begin it beginneth at the children of Israels comming out of Egypt which words doe not only note a motion from a Place but also an Alteration of their State for they did not only come out of the Land but also out of Bondage wherewith they were oppressed in that Land And such a going out giueth the name vnto this Booke this Booke is called Exodus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is nothing but a going out a going out of bondage into libertie There is a great mysterie in the word which concerneth Christ and his Church wee learne it in the Transfiguration of Christ therein Moses and Elias appeared vnto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 9.31 and spake of the Exodus or departure which he should performe at Hierusalem The Apostle maketh it plaine Heb. 2. By death which is an exodus Verse 14 15. for wee vsually say that a man is departed when wee meane hee is dead he ouercame him that had the power of death that is the Deuill that hee might set them free or giue them an Exodus which all their life time werein feare of bondage And who are they but the Church Let this be the first note A second is That God did not giue his Law to Israel when they were in Egypt but when they were come thence when they were a Societie by themselues then he gaue them a Policie whereby they might be Distinguished and Ordered Distinguished first from themselues for though before they were a Church yet was it but Domesticall each Family at least each Tribe was left vnto it selfe but now they were to become a Nationall Church to bee knit into one Bodie which could not bee but by one forme of gouernment And this forme being of Gods Ordinance must needs distinguish them Secondly from others also whose Policie was but of humane institution Moses telleth them that the very heathen should acknowledge the difference especially if as God did them the honour to distinguish them by the Law so they should answere the Distinction in the good order of their Liues whereat the Law did principally aime There is a mysterie in this point also which Saint Paul doth obserue out of the Prophets Esay and Ieremie Come out from amongst them 2. Cor. 6. v. 17 18. and separate your selues saith the Lord and touch no vncleane thing and I will receiue you I will bee your Father and yee shall bee my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almightie So long as we are mingled with the heathen and learne their workes God will not vouchsafe vs his Oracles nor incorporate vs for his people the branch
taught that as this people were to be a seed not only according to the flesh but also according to the promise so were they to enter into the Couenant as persons clothed with this double relation to their Ancestors We haue a double birth one from ours mothers wombe the other from the Churches wombe the latter we claime in right of our parents from whom wee haue the former and we should remember that God expects we should bee as well heires of their Faith as of their Lands and not looke otherwise to haue any interest in his Couenant except we be as well children of Israel as of the house of Iacob Well by this time you reasonably vnderstand who the parties are that enter into the Couenant Now I must shew you that Moses whom before I described was their common Minister It is plaine in the text that hee went vp from the people vnto God that is to the mountaine of God as the seuentie supply adde to the representation of God that was vpon the mountaine for that is meant by the name of God And God sent him downe with a message to the people that is plaine in the text God called him out of the mountaine saying thus shalt thou say to the house of Iacob c. It may be a question whether Moses went vp before God called as some thinke he did to relate the successe of his embassage to Pharaoh and to receiue instructions what manner of worship God would haue done vnto him in that place in performance of the signe which hee gaue to Moses of good successe or to bee farther directed what the people should now doe These may bee thought reasonable inducements to Moses to goe vp vncalled Others thinke that God called before Moses went vp The reason is because hee had before beene checkt for comming too neere when God first appeared there vnto him it is likely therefore say they hee would be more modest and not ascend before he was called therefore they render the text for God had called him But whatsoeuer is to be thought of this question the whole Chapter putteth it out of question that he went betweene them both that he was Gods mouth to the people and the peoples mouth to God and so was as the Apostle calleth him a Mediator Gal. 3. But least we mistake we must obserue that there is a principall and a Ministeriall Mediator S. Ambrose openeth the difference betweene them Tom. 2. p. 3â—â— the briefe of it is Moses was but a figure whereof Christ was the Truth or to speake in the Apostles words Christ was the sonne and Moses was but the seruant to signifie that there is such distance betwixt God and man that they cannot come together without some interuenient person God appointed properly his sonne to be the Mediator but in a type of him hee appointed Moses And there is a perpetuall succession of such mediating persons in the Clergie which doe administer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they informe vs of Gods mind and present the Churches dutie vnto God and though in a much lower degree then Moses yet we must repute them Mediators Ministeriall Mediators otherwise the word cannot bee vsurped without arrogancie by any meere creature I haue done with the common Minister and come now to the first branch of the solemnitie which is the mutuall stipulation mutuall I say this is worth the marking That God would bee pleased to Contract that may Command this is a great grace done to man for so though wee owe all our dutie to him yet for our performance of it he becommeth now a debtor vnto vs. Not only so but also our good deeds haue a double valuation one of Iustice another of Mercie Gods Iustice when it scanneth them findeth them very meane Mercie setteth a higher rate vpon them it esteemeth them not only as a dutie but as a meanes which by Gods ordinance may acquire a reward So is God pleased to grace our dutie for it hath not this estimate ex dignitate operis for any intrinsecall worth but ex dignatione gratiae out of Gods gracious acceptance The Fathers meant no more by the merit of workes and wee should not differ from the Church of Rome about the word merit if they did not racke it farther It is too much pride to challenge the reward of our workes at Gods Iustice which are happie if we may expect it from his Mercie the rather because the little which God requireth and would accept the best of vs doe not performe as wee should wee need a second that we may haue the benefit of his former grace Though the Stipulation be mutuall yet God maketh the first motion and indeed who should begin in such a worke who can thinke himselfe worthy of such a Contract if it were not offered of God especially being in the state of sinne Nay when it is offered we haue good reason to thinke our selues most vnworthy of it 8. Sam 25. Abigail when Dauids seruants told her that hee would take her to wife bowed her selfe on her face to the earth and said Behold let thy handmaid bee a seruant to wash the feet of the seruants of my Lord. And how then should wee abase our selues when an offer is made vs of marriage to the sonne of God Such hopes could neuer enter into our hearts therefore God must needs preuent vs therein we cannot presume that we shall come so neere him except he vouchsafe thus to fauour vs. But let vs come to the Motion and see whereof he doth remember them From the first time that Moses brought them the message that they should bee deliuered out of Egypt they had shewed themselues vntoward people murmuring vpon the least occasion and repenting that they had hearkened to Gods voice and come out of Egypt God doth not challenge them for this though well he might and the best of vs would haue done we would not haue endured so great vnthankfulnesse but God was more patient Before the contract hee did not so much as reproue them much lesse strike them for their murmuring And how often doth God passe in silence our sinnes and winne vs to our owne good with second fauours when he might iustly punish vs with neglect of the former In steed thereof he recounts those things wherein he had alreadie well deserued of them that the remembrance thereof might make them more willing to enter the couenant by vertue whereof God was pleased to deserue of them much better The workes of God whereof they are put in mind are two The first is that which he had done for them and it was a worke of Iustice he had reuenged the wrongs which they had receiued from the Egyptians The Egyptians were of the posteritie of Cham infamous for Idolatrie Quis nescit qualia demens Aegyptus portenta colat so that there was cause enough why God should destroy the Egyptians though they had nothing to doe with the Israelites but
aduise you shall sind in Meses 〈◊〉 â—â— The secret things belong vnto the Lord God but those things which are reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children for euer that we may doe all the words of this Law I haue hitherto told you onely in generall whom this Prohibition doth concerne but in the 24. verse wee find a distribution of these persons there we sind that the Law is laid not onely vpon the People but vpon the Priest also No body will make a a question of the people what modestie beseemeth them yet there was a time when the question was made of them also 〈◊〉 16. â— 3 for Korah Dathan and Abiram came vpon Moses and Aaron thus You take too much vpon you all the congregation is Holy and the Lord is amongst them God is as neere to euery man as he is to you and euerie man may come as neere God as you doe See you how they plead for confusion and animate the People to be bold with God But they were taught better manners I but if the people be what is that to the Priest Yea the Priest also is to learne modestie Not only the minor Cleargie as the Rhemists mince it but the maior too they that are likely most to presume were to haue a speciall Item For the pride of our heart will carrievs aboue our selues when wee see that others are placed below therefore they that are aduanced in any degree need to bee remembred that they keepe their station This did God excellently expresse in the fabricke of the Tabernacle and of the Temple wherein there was First Atrium prophanum thither might Infidels and vncleane persons come but no farther within that was Atrium populi thither might the Lay both women and men come that were circumcised and not vncleane but farther they might not come except it were to offer their speciall Sacrifices within that was Atrium Sacerdotum thereinto might the Leuites come to doe their seruice to the Priest but no farther within that was Sanctum thereinto might the Priest goe to offer Incense but no farther within that was Sanctum Sanctorum whereunto the High Priest only had accesse and that but once a yeare in reuerence of Gods maiestie sitting in the Cloud there vpon the Mercie Seate betweene the Cherubins You see that the neerest places to Gods presence were of rarest accesse and that by fewest persons Looke what state God kept in the Tabernacle and Temple the same he kept at this Hill appointing vnto the Israelites seuerall stations the multitude both of Priests and people haue their station allotted in this text Some might come nearer as Aaron Nadab and Abihu and the seuentie Elders but they are willed to worship afarre off and Moses alone was to come neare the Lord but they are expressely willed not to come nigh Verse 2â— In this Chapter Moses and Aaron are called vp alone and are excepted out of the prohibition they may passe beyond others whom God calleth and they only God was pleased to doe them this honour And wee must repute it a great honour done vnto them that they might come so neare vnto God Our Sauiour Christ in the dayes of his humiliation kept the like state so farre as might stand with his forme of a seruant For he did not conueâ—se so familiarly with the multitude as with the seuentie Disciples nor with the seuentie as with the twelue Apostles nor with the twelue Apostles as with the pillars of them Peter Iames and Iohn who only were admitted to bee priuie to the highest glorie that hee manifested on earth which was his Transfiguration and the deepest Passion which hee endured on earth which was his agonie Yea euen of these three he chose out one as the principall fauourite Iohn whose stile is the beloued Disciple who at supper leaned on his bosome whom Saint Peter himselfe vsed vnto Christ when he would be resolued Who it was that should betray him Finally him he made the high soring and sharpe sighted Eagle the beholder and penner of that Reuelation which hath as many mysteries as words God then who is an absolute Monarch will bee a free disposer of his fauours and we must not presume of more then hee vouchsafeth the People may not the Priest may not both must take heed vnto themselues that they doe not presume Take heed vnto themselues Then themselues haue a pronenesse to curiositie Iaâ—â—eâ— 1 And indeed so it is for euery man is baited and so ledaside by his owne lusts and there is no lust so ancient in man as pride is Yea the first sinne of Angels was the stepping ouer their bounds and though pride be not homebred in man as it was in Angels yet experience proued in Adam and Eue that mans nature is a soile very apt to conceiue the seed of pride if it be sowne in it by the Deuill neither will any seed of iniquitie proue sooner or faster Considering then the aptnesse of our nature to receiue and forwardnesse to bring forth this euill fruit God doth not without cause by Moses bid the Israelites take heed vnto themselues Neither to themselues only but to their cattell also they must bee watcht that they breake not the bounds And indeed if our peccare be quasi pecuare if wee shew our selues beasts when wee doe straggle then it is the propertie of beasts to straggle and seeing it is their propertie they must be looked vnto But you will say that they are vnreasonable creatures and so able to doe morally neither well nor ill True but yet the place which we must not prophane our selues we must much lesse suffer our beasts for to prophane Yea obserue it well and you shall find that whether wee keepe fasting dayes or feasting dayes God will haue euen beasts to communicate in some sort in the Ceremoniall part of our pietie In the solemne repentance of Niniue not only the men but the beasts also are commanded by the King to bee kept from meate to bee clothed with sackcloth In the Law of the Sabbath when man resteth the beast must rest also thinke you only in a cruill sense There is more in it then so as hereafter I shall shew you God would haue them also to obserue his Feasts And here we see that what prohibition God layeth vpon men he layeth vpon beasts neither may prophane holy ground And may ours doe that which theirs might not doe May dogges tread in Gods Sanctuarie during the New Testament which vnder the old Testament were not suffered to be so very dogges that is impudent creatures It should seeme wee thinke they may else would wee not bring them hither and indure them here not only to disturbe Gods seruice but also to disgrace Gods House I shame to speake what we blush not to see the markes of their vncleanlinesse in the most sacred places of this Church and I thinke other Churches are not vsed much better Well I would wee were more
carried in a Cart but vpon mens shoulders and for neglecting that was he stricken dead as you may gather by the correcting of that fault in the very same Chapter Neither would Dauid haue beene displeased with Vzaes death if he had sooner knowne this 1. Sam. 6. nor the Bethshemites would neuer haue asked this question Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God when that more then fiftie thousand were slaine for looking into the Arke For God had prouided Numb â— that the Leâ—ites that bare it should not come neere till the sonnes of Aaron had wrapt it in three or foure couerings if before that they touched it they were to die How much lesse might the promiscuous multitude behold it and not suffer for their presumption Two affections there are Loue and Feare which must order our respect towards God and the lesse we are apt to loue God the more doth God take order we should feare him And Seueritie is neuer more seasonable then when the first foundation of a State is laid as this of Israel now was for if Lawes be then slighted they will neuer be obeyed and awe well begun in the people is like to be the longer liued Therefore will God haue Iustice so quicke in this case But here is not only death denounced but such a death as belongeth to an execrable thing For first all men must abborre the person so I vnderstand the phrase No hand shall touch it Though some conceiue thereby that all rescuing of the malefactor is forbidden But that sense though it bee good yet is not so naturall to my text This rather is meant that no man must desile himselfe by touching him who by his presumption had made himselfe abominable For as hee that being himselfe impure touching holy things in the Law maketh them prophane and abominable so he that being otherwise pure intrudeth vpon holy ground or â—surpeth holy things makes his owne person abominable And none is reputed of God more abominable then he that is sacrilegiously presumptious Though no man must touch him yet euery mans hand must be against him they must stone him with stones or shoot him through If neare then must they stone him with stones if farther off from them then they must shoot him with darts euery hand must trie euery meanes rather then they must suffer the malefactors to scape And hee must needs be an execrable person against whom God doth arme the hands of all the people with iustice Finally note that this doome is vnpardonable the very phrase importeth as much Moriendo morietur non viuet these words note a peremptorinesse in the sentence You haue the like in Ezech. 18. as the contrarie thereunto in that place He shall liue hee shall not die noteth a certaintie of life We must take heed of corrupting the phrase as Eue did Gen. 3. who when God told Adam At what time thou shalt eate of the forbidden fruit moriendo morieris Thou shalt surely die she turned the phrase which was vndoubted into a peraduenture and told the Serpent lest yee die And see our weaknesse Commonly in doubtfull cases wee incline to the worst she did but doubt she might not doe it the Deuill putteth her out of all doubt and telleth her shee may doe it It is not good therefore for vs to play the wantons with Gods threatnings if we meane to hold in our vntoward nature from sinning we must vnderstand them in that rigour as God doth deliuer them Euery man must For here is Quicunque no respect of persons none of the people none of the Priests as many as are forbidden to sinne so many are threatned the doome Neither haue the great any priuiledge to doe ill and farewell all shall fare as they doe Neither only men but beasts also you haue heard before they were forbidden to transgresse so here you see if they doe transgresse they are doomed to die The master shall bee punished in the losse of his beast because hee looked not better to him and the beast shall bee punished because it had ventured to prophane holy ground for I told you before that euen beasts were tied to doe reuerence to the Sanctuarie Man and beast must die if they transgresse die by the hands of the Israelites But a malefactor may yet hope that the people will bee foolishly pitifull at least great ones may thinke they may find as much fauour as Agag did at the hands of Saul What then shall they escape shall Gods doome bee reuerst it shall not bee reuerst they shall not scape The Lord shall breake forth against the greatest of them Gods iustice is fenced with mercie and his mercie is as it were a bulwarke betweene vs and his iustice but if so bee our sinnes grow to this height it will not be held in And when it rusheth forth it is like an ouerbearing flash of lightning which flieth not abroad without a fearefull clap of thunder it terrifieth and destroyeth together But more of that hereafter There remaine two points more which I will touch in a word The first This prohibition is often repeated here we haue it in my text and we haue it once and againe towards the end of this Chapter you would thinke this superfluous Moses himselfe thought so he seemeth somewhat discontented with God for inculcating it so often But Moses was but a Nouice in gouernment therefore he thought once telling was enough Dan 7 9. God which is the ancient of dayes and throughly acquainted with mans infirmitie knowes that his forgetfulnesse his vntowardlinesse needeth be remembred he must be vrged more then once and often is not more then enough to worke our care and keepe vs in awe See then Gods clemencie that doth not hold his tongue in warning that hee may hold his hand in striking Wee are no better then the Israelites neither doe wee lesse neede reiterated warnings then the Israelites did the Minister therefore must not bee secure of his charge but suspect these defects in them and redouble his admonitions to them As Moses added a Deuteronomie to the former Bookes of the Law though he repeated but the same thing and the Euangelists added Gospel vpon Gospel of the same argument and the Apostles added Epistles to Epistles not much varying their doctrine So it must not grieue vs to write and speake the same things to the people and for them it is a sure thing as the Apostle teacheth Philip 3. v. 1. The last point sheweth how this prohibition is limited in time When the Trumpet soundeth long then shall they come vp to the Mount It is disputed whether these words point out the time wherein the Israelites must come out to meete God and then come vp the Hill is but to come to the foot of the hill whether Moses brought them Or whether it point the time when God would goe from the Mount and leaue it free to be resorted vnto by man and beast This
commeth from Edom and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Thankesgiuing in the Reuelation But I draw to an end The conclusion of all my Text is this If at any time wee bee distressed and not relieued the fault is not in God it is in vs for our Deuotion is tired ouer-soone wee are all modicae fidei men of little faith and though the spirit be willing yet the flesh is weake and the weaknesse of the flesh preuaileth more then the willingnesse of the Spirit Wherefore we must all pray vnto God to giue vs the Spirit of Grace and Prayer ANd Lord we beseech thee helpe our vnbeliefe and increase our faith yea Lord pray thou that our faith faile not and the more thou doest exercise our patience the more earnest let vs be for thy deliuerance deliuerance from our corporall deliuerance from our spirituall foes that well ouercomming our Militancie here on earth we may bee Triumphant with the Saints in Heauen where wee shall turne our Prayers into Prayses and sing day and night honour prayse strength and power bee vnto him that sitteth vpon the Throne and to the Lambe for euermore AMEN SVNDRIE SERMONS DE TEMPORE PREACHED VPON SEVErall Occasions by the Right Reuerend Father in God ARTHVR LAKE D. of Diuinitie Lord Bishop of Bathe and Welles LONDON Printed by R. Young for N. BVTTER 1629. יהוה EIGHT SERMONS ON THE NINTH CHAPTER Of the Prophecie of ISAIAH ISAIAH 9. VERS 6 7. For vnto vs a Childe is borne vnto vs a Sonne is giuen and the gouernment shall be vpon his shoulders and his Name shall bee called The wonderfull Counsellour The mighty God The euerlasting Father The Prince of Peace Of the increase of his Gouernment and Peace there shall bee no end vpon the Throne of Dauid and vpon his Kingdome to order it and to establish it with Iudgement and Iustice from henceforth euen for euer The zeale of the Lord of Hosts shall performe this THis is the first Lesson appointed for this Morning Prayer and appointed fitly For the Argument well fits the Time We are now met to praise God for the Morning of the Church Zacharie Luke 1. doth so call the Birth of Christ saying The day spring that is the Morning from on high hath visited vs Yea Christ himselfe Reuel the last vers 16 doth call himselfe The bright Morning starre And verily his Birth was the most blessed Morning that euer the Church saw whether you respect the Night that went before or the Day that followed after it was the blessedest Morning that euer the Church saw The Night was long and darke a Night of want of warre so wee reade in the last of the former and the first verse of this chapter But the Day that followed was a cleare and lasting Day a Day of haruest a triumph Day so we are taught in the foure verses that goe immediately before my Text. A great alteration Who could worke it who could turne that night into this day what Sunne shone forth in so great strength In such a case man was like to moue such a doubt therefore the holy Ghost hath resolued it and his resolution of that doubt is my Text. Loe here is one that can vndertake that work who he is How excellent he is we are taught here and that in regard of his Person and of his State For of his Person here are the Natures wherein it subsisteth here is the People to whom it belongs It subsists in two Natures 1. The Nature of Man Hee is a Childe 2. The Nature of God Hee is the Sonne The Person subsisting in these two Natures belongeth vnto whom To Vs was hee borne he was giuen to Vs saith the Prophet Esay and Esay was a Iew. Christ then belongeth to the Iewes though the Iewes must not bee vnderstood according to the flesh but the spirit To these Iewes was he vouchsafed by taking and giuing Natus he tooke his nature from them and Datus what he tooke he with aduantage bestowed vpon them But of what degree was he amongst them here commeth in his State He was a King The Gouernment shall be vpon his shoulders The Gouernement that was Royall for verse 7. it is called The Throne The Kingdome of Dauid He shall sit vpon that and that is the Gouernment that shall bee layd vpon his shoulders And happy are the People that haue such a King You will confesse it if you consider his Excellencie The Excellencie both of his Person and of his State Of his Person that appeares in his endowments Of his State that appeares in his managing thereof The Endowments of his Person are Royall Reade his Titles He shall bee called and what he is called that he certainely is Hee shall be called by those names that expresse such vertues as most beseeme a King our King For a King ouer and aboue the Vertues which are common to him with his Subiects must haue more than ordinary Wisedome and Power And see this King is called for his Wisedome The wonderfull Counsellour for his Power The mighty God But mistake not his Kingdome it is not of this World He that is our King is The Father of Eternity that is Of the World to come And as his Kingdome is not of this World so is not the condition of his People worldly it is Peace and Peace is not the portion of this world but of that which is to come Our King is the Prince of this Peace You see how the Person is endowed and thereby how excellent the Person is There is an Excellencie in his State also it appeares in the Effect in the Cause The Effect for of this Kingdome there are no bounds and the felicitie of the Subiects is also boundlesse so saith the Text Of the increase of his Gouernment and Peace there shall be no end Such an Effect must haue an answerable Cause it hath Iustice and Iudgement are the Pollicie of this State with these as a wonderfull Counsellour he doth order as a mighty God he doth support his State And he doth it vncessantly From henceforth and for euer As the Effect so the Cause this is eternall therefore that These Truthes concerning Christs Person and State are not onely affirmed in the body of the Text but also assured in the close thereof Much you haue heard and yet no more than shall bee He that hath promised can doe it such is his Power Hee is the Lord of Hosts Nay hee cannot but doe it such is his Loue for his Loue is Zeale So concludes the Prophet The zeale of the Lord of Hosts shall performe this You haue heard the summe of this whole Text and therein see a most exquisite picture of our Sauiour Christ certainely it is the fullest the liueliest that euer the holy Ghost in so few words exprest in any part of the Old Testament For here Christ is not only drawne from top to toe but drawn also with those varieties that befell him from eternity to eternitie
Father The name of Child is sweet then sweet in regard of the nature of man and yet more sweet in respect of the first beginning as it were and infancie of mans nature The name of Sonne also hath in it a sweetnesse and why The Sonne is in nature nearest and dearest in affection to his Parents especially if he be vnigenitus then is he vnicè dilectus the only begotten is the only beloued This word then shewes that Christ can bring vs most neare and make vs most deare vnto God Most neare for the Sonne is of the same nature most deare for hee would bee one with vs that hee might make vs one with God This word then lookes most cheerfully vpon the case of Man Wee had been Sonnes but by reason of the fall we were not and bee againe that which once we were we could not but by the Sonne The Recouery then of our state our former state but in a more excellent manner is promised in this word The Sonne by nature comes to make vs Sons by adoption this title of the Person putteth vs in hope of that recouerie When we heare this can we but exclaime Lord what is man that thou art so mindefull of him and the Sonne of man that thou so regardest him we cannot we must not No we must roote our Faith in this substantiall Mediation as the Diuines call it and comfort our selues therewith if euer we meane to haue comfort of the actuall Mediation Therefore was the Sacrament prouided as a looking glasse wherein wee might see and partake that Spirituall Manna that Bread of God that came down from Heauen to giue life vnto the world Theodoret in one of his Dialogues hath an excellent parallel betweene the Incarnation of Christ and the Condition of the Sacrament which withall shewes how vnsound the Doctrine of the Church of Rome is concerning Transubstantiation Neither indeed can there be a more liuely representation of the one than by the other As in Christ there are two Natures of God and Man so in the Sacrament are there two Substances the Heauenly and the Earthly As in Christ these two Natures are truly and intirely so are those substances in the Sacrament As after the Vnion the two Natures make but one Person so after the Consecration the two Substances make but one Sacrament Finally as the two Natures are vnited without Confusion or Abolition of eyther in Christ so in the Sacrament are the Substances heauenly and earthly knit so that each continueth what it was and worketh answerably on vs. These things we should obserue when wee come to the Sacrament and so shall wee reape the greater benefit thereby the rather if wee not only behold the one mysterie in the other but possesse our selues also of the one by the other as indeed we ought For if we feed vpon the Sacrament aright wee become thereby what Christ is Bone of his bone and flesh of hu flesh yea wee are made partakers of the diuine nature as St. Peter speaketh And what more can be wished of a mortall man But I must conclude LOrd cherish in vs this Faith Lord let vs as wee ought acknowledge the Child acknowledge the Sonne our own Nature in thy Sonne and thy Sonne in our Nature Let vs neuer seuer that which thou hast conioâ—ned Let vs neuer confound that which thou hast distinguished Let vs beleeue without disputing So shall our Faith bee free from errour and our soules be full of comfort comfort in hearing of comfort in receiuing that Child that Sonne which hath so made vs Children that wee are the beloued Sonnes of God Amen THE SECOND SERMON For vnto vs a Child is borne vnto vs a Sonne is giuen c. IN handling the Substance of Christs person we were to consider the Natures wherein it subsists and the People to whom it belongs I beganne the vnfolding of the Natures and shewed you that they are two and that betweene these two there is some odds The two Natures are the Nature of Man and the Nature of God noted by the Childe and the Sonne Solemne necessary strange sweet words Solemne because receiued amongst the Iewes to signifie their Messias Necessary because they import the aptnesse and ability which is requisite in a Sauiour Strange if they be throughly considered the foure Mysteries obseruable in Christs Incarnation appeare in them 1. The truth of his Godhead 2. The fulnesse of his Manhood 3. The vnion of two Natures in one person 4. and yet the distinction of these Natures in the Person Sweet because they giue contentment vnto God and Man That these things are so it is plaine by the Text. How it is so Faith must not enquire it must onely entertaine the Vnion as a great honour done to the meannesse of Man which is assumed by the Maiestie of God for which we must giue glory vnto him Thus far I came and farther the time would not suffer me to goe Let vs now see the People to whom hee is vouchsafed Hee belongeth to Vs saith the Prophet But who are Wee whom meaneth the Prophet by Vs of what Nation of what condition were We By Nation Iewes for it is Esay that speaketh and Esay was a Iew. When hee saith He is borne to Vs he is giuen to Vs it is as if he should say He was borne to the Iewes giuen to the Iewes And indeed so it is God conditioned to be their God and that they should be his people he entred into a Couenant with them and placed the seales of his Couenant in them they had the Tabernacle and the visible presence of God with them all the types of Christ personall reall were amongst them yea from them was Christ to take his Nature St. Paul Rom. 2.9 sheweth what Prerogatiues God vouchsafed them yea and in the 14. Chapter goeth so far as to call Christ The Minister of Circumcision Christ himselfe in the Gospell seemeth to appropriate himselfe to the Iewes when he saith to the Woman of Canaan I was not seâ—t but to the lost sheepe of Israel But this notwithstanding the Prophesies must hold true whereof a briefe is deliuered by old Simeon Christ was to be the light of the Gentiles not only the glory of Israel Christ was borne and giuen not only to the Iew but also to the Gentile The 87. Psalme is excellent to this purpose shewing vs the Christ was borne not only amongst the Iewes but among the Gentiles also But we must marke that the Gentiles haue no other interest in Christ than if they become Iewes The Law is to goe out from Sion Esay 2. and so to come to them the forecited Psalme imports as much Esay sheweth Cap. 49. 60. 44. Rom. 11. that they must become Sonnes and Daughters of Ierusalem that they must submit themselues to her they must all speake the language of Canaan as it is Esay 19. But St. Paul is most plaine who to the Romanes sheweth that the
which I enioyed with thee before the foundations of the world were lay◠Himselfe then receiued nothing which hee had not for euer but in him wee receiue the honour to be loyned in one person with God Christus esse voluit quod homo est vt homo esse poss it quod est Christus Cypr. de vanit Idol in that person to conquer sinne death and hell after the conquest to receiue all power both in heauen and earth and possessed of this power to sit vpon the Throne of God It is not the Godhead but the Manhood in Christ and so it is Wee that haue receiued these Blessings So that we must begin the obseruation of Gods fauour vnto vs at that dignitie which our nature hath attained in Christ These different words Natus and Datus Borne and Giuen imply that they were not both of one time The Manhood beganne when Christ was incarnate but the Godhead was long before It was though it were not manifested vntill the time of his birth So that being and being manifest make the difference for that the Manhood receiued then his beeing but the Godhead only his beeing manifest And yet wee must not make such a difference without taking heed of Nestorius his errour For if the words be soundly vnderstood if they bee vnderstood of the Person not of the Natures we may apply Natus and Datus to eyther of them the Godhead may be said to be borne and the Manhood may bee said to bee giuen That the Godhead or rather God may be said to be borne it is cleare Luke 1. The holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Sonne of God And the Virgine Mary by the Fathers is as you heard called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Bernards obseruation is true speaking to the Virgine Mary as it were in the person of the Angell Quod natum est ex ipso Deo erit tuus quod ex te nascetur erit eius vt tamen non sint duo Filij sed vnus licet aliud ex te aliud ex illo sit ita tamen non cuiusque suus sed vnus vtriusque Filius So that vnderstand it of the Person and Natus will agree with Filius vnderstand it also of the Person and Datus will agree with Puerulus for the Childe was giuen also and had a being before euen as ancient as the Sonne of God to whom he is inseparably vnited Whatsoeuer attribute of God may be verified of Man so long as we meane no more but the Person But if our meaning doe once point at the Natures then Natus is peculiar to the Childe which beganne in time and Datus to the Sonne which was before all time so the Diuines ancient and later doe vsually distinguish these words Thirdly note that Natus goeth before Datus Christ is before hee is bestowed And the Holy Ghost would haue vs to consider two distinct Acts of God 1. The Constitution of our Sauiours Person 2. And then the Donation thereof vnto Vs And it is requisite that our meditations confound not Gods Workes Wee must multiply our meditations as Gods works are multiplied The Constitution of the Person is as a means which God prouideth and prouideth for an end which was his Donation So that Christs Incarnation is not to be taken as a speculatiue but a practick thing God therein did not onely reueale his Wisedome and his Power which wee may speculate with our wits but thereby doth giue vs a taste of his Goodnesse also to affect our hearts So that wee may not separate Datus from Natus lest we proue ignorant how vsefull this Incarnation is and so depriue our selues of the comfort thereof Lastly if Datus be the end of Natus and he that is Borne is Giuen vnto Vs we must make St. Paules Conclusion God that spared not his onely Sonne but gaue him for vs what is there that he will not bestow vpon vs He hath nothing nearer and dearer he that is vouchsafed this may presume to speed of whatsoeuer else We cannot haue a better encouragement to pray nor anchor-hold of our prayer nay we cannot learne better how to demeane our selues towards God than by imitating Gods dealing herein with vs. Let Natus or rather Renatus goe before Datus in vs Let vs first bee new-borne before wee giue our selues to God Except we be prouided of this gift we are not fit to make a Present and if wee be prouided and vnfainedly make this Present vnto God what haue wee that shall not be deuoted vnto him our honour our wealth our friends Hee will neuer deny ought vnto God that first giueth himselfe to him And thus much for the odds betweene the two Natures implied in the words Borne and Giuen Moreouer we must obserue that the Childe borne and the Sonne giuen if they be separated from Vs they make an Article admirà ble but comfortable it is not except you adde vnto it Vs. When this Clause is put vnto that our Faith is Faith indeed and taketh place as well in our heart as in our head and we listen diligently vnto the Annunciation which the Angel made vnto the Shepheards Behold I bring you glad tidings of great ioy that shall be to all the People for vnto you is borne a Sauiour which is the Lord Christ In a word you haue the true Description of Immanuell God with vs which then proued true when this Childe was borne vnto Vs and to Vs this Sonne was giuen Finally marke the Tense of these words Natus Datus it is the Praeter-tense they speake of Christ as if hee were already borne Christ was not borne in sixe hundred yeares after The reason is the stile is Propheticall The Prophets speake of things to come as if they were present or past they speake of the Workes of God answerably to the Nature of God In the Nature of God there is no time because it is eternall When Moses asked after Gods name he receiued this answer I am that I am In the Reuelation that Name is resolued into all the parts of time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it imports that all parts of time are together in God they are all present in him As it is with his Nature so it is with his Workes Nothing falleth out in time that was not decreed before all time and whatsoeuer is in the decree is euer present to God And because present in the decree therefore as concluded God may speake of it as a thing past because the Conclusion is before his eyes he may speake of it as a thing present and as his hand shall produce it he may speake of it as a thing to come And the holy Ghost vseth libertie to speake of such things so diuersly But for their speaking of Christs birth as if it were passed when it was yet to come there are moreouer two speciall Reasons The one is for that the efficacie of his birth began immediately vpon the fall As in Paradise Adam
may be to Gods image before he can deserue to be glorious The last thing required vnto glory is that the solid and eminent Good be also resplendent A worthy man must be as a well-drawn Picture set in bono lâ—mine neyther will bee regarded except they bee placed there where their worth may be discerned For in regard of glorie Idem est non esse non apparere A hidden treasure and wisedoine concealed are both alike saith Salomon Ecclus 41.14 they lose their praise and glory the Kinsmen of Christ out of this principle set vpon him There is no man that doth any thing in secret and himselfe seeketh to be knowne openly The Greekes call honestie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it calleth all men to it The Hebrewes call it tab because it is beautifull and pleasant and maketh all in loue with it most languages call worthy personages Lights because the lustre of their vertue is the pleasing obiect of euery mans eye Wherefore our Sauiour biddeth vs Matth. 5. Let our light so shine before men that they may see our good workes and glorifie our Father which is in heauen I haue hitherto opened vnto you the nature of Glorie I haue shewed you what and how many things are requisite thereunto But where shall we finde it what is the first or rather proper subiect of it Surely God cap. 33. wee learne it in Exodus Moses desired to see Gods glory God made his goodnesse to passe before him as if his goodnesse and glory were synonyma's certainely they are inseparable His goodnesse is solid it is his very nature who is called Iohoua and is that which he is Secondly his goodnesse is eminent for whatsoeuer is good is predicated of him in abstracto wisedome truth righteousnesse holinesse Iames 1 Psal 8.19.104.45 c. and abstract names note absolute perfections Finally his goodnesse is most resplendent therefore St. Iames calleth him the father of lights Dauid hath made many Psalmes in acknowledgement hereof For this cause doth the Scripture often times vse the name of Glory when it meaneth God The Iewes in the Old Testament are blamed by the Prophets for neglecting for forsaking their glory that is God And St. Peter in the New Testament 2 Pet. 1.17 speaking of the testimonie which God the Father gaue vnto our Sauiour Christ in the Mount saith Hee heard a voyce from the magnificent Glory Glory then is originally in God but by deriuation it is communicated from him vnto others Angels Princes Luke 2. 2 Pet. 2. both are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture But to none doth this title so truely belong as vnto Christ St. Paul Heb. 1. cals him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The brightnesse of his fathers glory When he was to come into the world Esay saith cap. 40. The glory of the Lord should be reuealed and biddeth Ierusalem bee bright because her glory is risen and in the person of Eliakim speaking of Christ cap. 60. he shall bee a glorious Throne saith he vnto them and they shall hang vpon him all the glory of his fathers house Cap. 6. Behold saith Zacharie the man whose name is the Branch 1 Tim. 3.16 he shall come out of his place he shall build a temple and he shall beare the glory Finally seeing our Sauiour is God manifest in the flesh hee deserues well that praise which is giuen him in the Churches hymne Thou art the King of glory O Christ But whereas Gods glory doth shine vnto vs in the face of Christ we must enquire what manner of glory it is for in God there is a two-fold glory as you may gather out of the fore-cited place of Exod. cap. 33. compared with cap. 34. a glory of his iustice and a glory of his mercy the solemne and publicke manifesting of eyther of them I meane his iustice or his mercie is manifesting of his glory Touching his iustice we haue an excellent place in Esay in a vision God shewed himselfe in the Temple Esay 6.3 enuironed with the Saraphims who cryed Holy holy holy Lord God of hosts heauen and earth are full of thy glory this was the glory of his iustice for verse 9. he denounceth the sentence of induration against the Iewes the like manifestation wee finde in Moses Numb 14. As I liue saith the Lord all the earth shall bee filled with the glory of the Lord but it is the glory of his iustice for immediately hee doth doome all those Israelites that had not hearkned to his voyce saying Surely they shall not see that Land which I sware vnto their fathers to giue them There is another branch of Gods glory I called it the glory of his mercie it was figured partly by the Cloud and partly by the Arke The Cloud was a type of Gods milde appearance for it was seated not betweene Seraphims fiery Angels messengers and instruments of wrath but betweene the Cherubims which had the shape of men louely and meeke men Adde hereunto that it rested vpon the Arke the couering whereof was called the mercie seate Eyther of these was called the glory of the Lord The Cloud often in Moses the Arke in that known storie of the destruction of Elie's sonnes at what time the Arke being taken by the Philistines 1 Sam. 3. Heb. 9. Psal 27. Ier. 14. 17. Elie's daughter called her childe Ichabod the glory is gone For attending vpon these two were the Cherubims called Cherubims of glorie and for containing them the Temple was called the habitation and throne of Gods glory But all these were types the truth of them was Christ Hee was the truth of the Cloud in his flesh did God so appeare that he might be endured by the sight of men and he appeared for those vses whereunto the Cloud was designed for direction and protection you may gather it out of Esay cap. 4. and St. Paul speaketh plainely 1 Cer. 1.24 that Christ came into the world as the wisedome and the power of God As Christ was the truth of the Cloud so was hee of the Mercie-seate St. Paul Rom. 3.25 cals him by the very name of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God accepteth vs in him By him we come with boldnesse to the throne of grace and finde mercy in the time of neede Heb. 4.16 The Angels that attended him were not Seraphims but Cherubims they appeared in the shape of men and whensoeuer they appeared they came to bring comfort Christ then did in his person manifest Gods mercifull glory which is the glorie meant in this Text. Wherefore I will conclude this point with the words of the Euangelist Iohn 1. The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst vs and we saw his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God full of grace and â—â—ll of truth I haue sufficiently opened vnto you that which is conferred wee must now see whereon The text saith it was the house the Prophet meaneth the
Temple then building by Zorobabel Some haue thought that the Temple which was standing when Christ was incarnate was not the Temple built by Zorobabel but another which Herod built But we must take heede of that opinion for it hath two euils in it 1. Flauius Iosephus it giueth the holy Ghost the lye in this place 2. and it cherisheth the Iewes vaine expâ—ctation of their Messias It is true that Herod enlarged that Temple and added many buildings to it but he did not demolish the old neither indeed could he and this prophecie continue true for God promised that Christ should come euen into this Temple that now was building And seeing that Temple with all the additions of Herod hath many hundied yeares since according to Christs prophecie beene so destroyed that there remaineth not one stone vpon another the Iewes doe more than vainely yet looke for a Messias especially seeing God hath manifested to the world that it was not only totally but sinally also destroyed The Iewes had good proofe hereof in the daies of Iulian the Apostata when Euseb hist l. 4. Chrys orat 2. in Iudaeos notwithstanding that wicked Emperour encouraged and furthered them to re-edifie it fearefull tempests from heauen destroyed in the night what they did in the day God then making good against Iacob what in Malachie hee spake against Esau Thus saith the Lord of hosts Mal. 1. they shall build but I will cast downe they shall call them the border of wickednesse the people against whom the Lord hath indignation for euer But I will leaue them to God whom God hath left to the world as a spectacle of stupiditie and a bridle to hold vs in from like contempt It is plaine the place here meant was Zorobabels Temple vpon that place was the glory conferred Malachie cap. 3. said it should bee so hee said that the Lord should come into his Temple and he should sit downe there and refine the sonnes of Leui and rectifie the diuine worship The Gospel teacheth vs that it was so for hee was not onely presented in that Temple when he was a babe and when hee was twelue yeares old a disputant there with the doctors but also when he was solemnely inaugurated he first purged the Temple of buyers and sellers then he reformed the doctrine and the discipline at seuerall times when he resorted thither at solemne feasts there he made his sermons and wrought his miracles so that he might truly say to the high Priests when he was arraigned before them I sate daily with you teaching in the Temple Mat. 26. I will adde one text more which may serue in stead of all when his parents that had lost 〈◊〉 found him in the Temple they expostulated with him in these words Sonne why hast thou serued vs thus Luke 2. thy father and I haue sought wee sorrowing Christ replyes vnto them Why sought yee me did you not know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee render it Wist yee not that I must goe about my fathers businesse but the words may well beare another sense also Wist yee not that it was sit for mee to bee in my fathers house for so he calleth the Temple elsewhere and so speaketh St. Paul Heb. 13. Iohn 2. Christ as a sonne was ouer his owne house Some referre hither that speech of Christ touching the paying of tribute Mat. 17.26 The sonnes are free because that money is thought to haue beene originally a taxation for the Temple and by the Romanes conuerted to other vses when they collected it But enough of the place only take this note out of the coniunction of the place and the gift That Christs comming to be the glorie of the Temple giueth vs to vnderstand that his Kingdome was not temporall but spirituall he came not to raise an earthly Monarchie but to gather a people vnto God The next point that I obserued is the amplification both of the place and the gift of the place in regard of the meannes which is noted in the word this house The Iewes had two Temples one built by Salomon a glorious one this built by Zorobabel a poore one The Iewes wept when they saw the foundations of it and God testifieth that it was as nothing in their eyes and this nothing as it were moued Herod to make those additions before specified that it might become like something Marke Christ came not vnto Salomons Temple but vnto Zorobabels so that the Temple which had most of earthly cost had nothing in it but the type of Christ and that Temple that had least of earthly glory had most of heauenly it had the truth Christ came thither in person God regardeth not outward pompe neyther doth he tye his presence thereunto as if he would not be where there is no worldly state nay commonly where there is least of the world Heb. 11. God is there most and they haue greatest familiarity with him who haue worst entertainement in the world Did not our Sauiour Christ giue vs an excellent representation hereof in his own person Col. 2.9 Phil. 2.7 2 Cor 4.7 the Godhead dwelt bodily in him but that body bare the shape of a seruant the Apostles carried about the world heauenly treasures but they carried them in earthen vessels An ancient Father obserues wittily that when the Church was so poore that it had but wooden chalices it had golden Priests wee may adde People too and when the ornaments of the Church became golden then the Priests and People became wooden Gods Word was heard more reuerently hee was serued more deuoutly when the Church met in caues in woods in deserts than euer he was in townes and cities and these most stately fabricks This must be obserued in the question of the visibility of the Church or rather conspicuity The Aduocates of Rome seeme to triumph much against the reformed Churches as if the obscurity wherein sometimes they lay hidden Cont. Auxent did preiudice the truth which they profest they forget St. Hilaries admonition Male nos cepit parietum amor c. We are ill aduised to measure faith by multitude of professors Epist 48. or by goodly temples where the profession is made St. Austine will tell vs Ecclesia aliquando obscuratur aliquando obnubilatur multitudine scandalorum The glory of the Church is subiect to Eclypses it was so in the Old Testament as appeares by Elia's complaint 1 Reg. 19. They haue slaine all thy Prophets and throwne downe thine altars Cont. Lucifer and I am left alone It hath beene no better vnder the New Testament witnesse St. Hierome Ingemuit totus mundus se Arianum factum miratus est Arianisme so got the vpper hand that the Orthodoxe faith scarce durst be known in the whole Catholick Church In the Old Testament God promised by Zephanie cap. 3. I will leaue in the middest of thee an humble and poore people and they shall trust in
Zorobabels Temple But that place must be considered not in its meanenesse as it was built by the Iewes but as it was furnished with that glorie whereof heretofore you haue heard that house so adorned was to bee the place of peace Salomons Temple was a place of peace but his peace was but a type it was a worldly peace Zorobabels Temple is also a place of peace but his peace is the truth that answered the former type the peace thereof is heauenly that Temple which had but the type of the glorie had no more but the type of the peace and the truth of the peace rested there where the truth of the glorie was So that there is an emphasis in the words this place the holy Ghost giueth thereby the Iewes to vnderstand that it was not the former but the later Temple whereunto God intended the peace which he promised to Dauid 2 Sam. 7. 2 Chro. 22. Isay 25. 26. and all the promises of peace in the Prophets were to be referred thither this Ierusalem was to answer vnto her name and to be indeed the vision of peace But I told you heretofore that Zorobabels Temple was to be vnderstood not only literally but mystically and so it signifieth not onely that materiall house but also the Christian Church peace is annext vnto this peace Extra Ecclesiam non est salus No saluation without the Church and therefore no peace he shall neuer haue God for his Father that hath not the Church for his Mother In our Creed wee place the holy Catholicke Church and Communion of Saints before the remission of sinnes and life euerlasting As the soule doth not quicken other parts than those that are vnited to the body no more doth the spirit of God giue his blessing of peace to any that are distracted from the body of the Church This must be obserued against all Schismaticks that doe excommunicate them selues and disorderly persons that are iustly excommunicated by the censure of the Church all these while they continue in that state though they doe not lose ius ad pacem yet they doe lose ius in pace though they doe not lose their interest in yet they suspend the benefit of that peace and their state is vncomfortable though it be not irrecouerable And they which follow negligently the assemblies of the Church doe not a little defraud themselues of this peace for they must seeke it chiefly by prayer in Gods house and there doth God dispence it by the mouth of his Ministers I will giue you only two proofes the one our of the Old Testament when the sacrifices were ended which were typicall prayers Num 6.25 Aaron is willed to dismisse the people with these words The Lord blesse thee and keepe thee the Lord make his face shine vpon thee and be gracious vnto thee the Lord lift vp the light of his countenance vpon thee and giue thee peace A second proofe wee haue in the New Testament where the Church doth solemnely vse those words of the Apostle when after the Liturgie it dismisseth the people The peace of God which passeth all vnder standing keep your hearts and mindes c. And what better inuitation can wee haue to repaire often to the Church than this blessing of peaceâ— foure-fold peace which is there daily offered vnto vs and may bee receiued if we come and come prepared for it I say prepared Before you heard that the peace commeth to the house but as it is furnished with the glorie where there is none of the glorie there can be none of the peace therefore wee must prepare these Temples of our bodies and soules by entertainement of the glory that they may be made capable of the peace The Apostle speaketh plainely Rom. 5. Wee must bee iustified by faith before we can haue peace with God Esay 32. If iudgement dwell in the wildernesse and righteousnesse remaine in the fruitfull fielde the worke of righteousnesse shall bee peace 1 Cor. 2. and the effect of righteousnesse quietnesse and assurance for euer God doth annoint vs before he doth establish vs. St. Austin hath a witty conceit vpon the words of the 85. Psalme Righteousnesse and Peace haue kissed each other Duae sunt amicae Iustitia Pax c. Righteousnesse and Peace are two fast friends happely thou wouldest gladly enioy the one but thou wilt not bee perswaded to performe the other for there is no man that would not willingly haue peace but all are not willing to worke righteteousnesse yet be thou assured that if thou dost not loue peace's friend which is righteousnesse peace will neuer loue thee for righteousnesse and peace doe kisse each the other 2 King 9. You know what Iehu answered the King of Israel when he asked him Is it peace Iehu what peace can there bee so long as the whoredomes and witchcrafts of thy mother are so many So may we reply to euery soule vnquiet soule that enquireth after peace Looke for none where there is sinne Well may there bee the enemie assaulting and daily sounding alarums but this securing peace which is Gods garrison cannot bee there So long as the Iewes serued God their enemies could not inuade their borders Exod 34. but then the Temple was exposed to the enemie when the Prophets could not reclaime them from sin It is a good conscience that is a continuall feast You haue heard seuerally of the Peace and the Place you must now heare ioyntly of their knitting together who knits them and How He that knitteth them is God in Christ God is the God of peace so the Apostle calleth him Phil. 4.19 and the Prophet tels vs that he creates light as well as darkenesse and Elihu is so bold as to say Iob 34. that if God giue peace none can hinder it But as God giueth it so hee giueth it in Christ for it is his worke to make peace the Prophet Esay cap. 9. vers 6. calleth him the Prince of peace his true members are Sonnes of peace his Apostles Messengers of peace and his doctrine is the Gospell of peace all the foure specified degrees of peace were wrought by him First he tooke away the guilt of our sinne Esay 53. The chastisement of our peace was layd vpon him For he that knew no sinne was made sinne for vs that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. Secondly hee hath kild the worme for being iustified by faith in him our heart condemnes vs not and we haue confidence towards God so that we can come with boldnesse vnto the throne of grace Thirdly the Law of the spirit of life that is in Iesus Christ doth free vs from the Law of sinne and death Rom. 8. It mortifieth it subdueth the old man and maketh vs walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirit Finally he putteth an end to that discord that is betweene man and man The Prophets foretold that when hee
knocked at the doore he left the sent of his sweet odours as a remembrance Cant. 5.4 But blessed is the Virgin and in being blessed she is a Patient shee becommeth not such but by meanes of some Agent this Agent may be either God or Man and so the Benediction bee either Reall or Verball Some vnderstand the Reall the Benediction of God some the Verball the Benediction of man the vse of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reacheth the former but the signification thereof imports the latter both may stand together And indeede the Verball Benediction is but an attendant vpon the Reall you may learne it of Balaam Num. 23. vers 8. vers 20. How shall Ieurse saith he where God hath not cursed How shall I detest where the Lord hath not detested Behold I haue receiued a commandement to blesse where he hath blessed and I cannot alter it Two things there are which the Verball Benediction must take heed of and wherein it must guide it selfe by the Reall it must bee sure that the person whom it blesseth doth partake of the Reall and being sure thereof it must proportion the Verball vnto the Reall The Fathers did not without good cause pen many Panegyricks in honour of the Saints and they penned them with those two Cautions and therefore might they without danger be pronounced euen in the Church to the edification of the people But the Golden Legend is too palpable an euidence of the latter Churches neglect of suiting their Verball Benediction to the Reall Benediction of God for how many haue they blessed whom God hath cursed and calendred for Saints such as it may bee feared are firebrands in hell And as for those which are Saints indeede how lauish are they in reporting what God neuer did eyther for them or to them the whole Legend being become nothing else but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Epiphanius speaketh a fardell of forged dreames Not to goe from our present instance of the blessed Virgin in whom if euer in any they haue disproportioned the Verball and the Reall Benediction We forget not Epiphanius his good rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Virgin must from our mouths receiue no lesse nor no more than her due The Church of Rome challengeth vs for giuing her lesse but they charge vs falsly for we most willingly goe as farre in our Verball as we haue any faire euidence that God hath gone in his Reall farther we doe not goe neyther indeede should we Epist 174. St. Bernard hath taught vs well Virgoregia falso non eget honore veris cumulata honorum titulis infulis dignitatum he giues a good reason Nam non est hoc virginem honorare sed honori detrahere Atheists are incouraged to eleuate the credit of the whole if they can iustly challenge the truth of any part of such stories Iob saith well Wee may not lye for God much lesse may wee lye for a Saint and yet the Legends of this blessed Virgin how are they fraught with officious lyes But I will not trouble you with farther discouery thereof who cannot forget their excesse in the publique Doctrine of her grace and glory whereof I gaue you a taste on the second branch of my Text. I come then to the last point which I meane to touch The Angell doth not onely say that the Virgin is blessed but also blessed in comparison the phrase is comparatiue Amongst other words this is one wherewith the Hebrewes which haue no formall comparatiue words vse to express the superlatiue degree Blessed amongst women is as much as Amost blessed woman as if the Angell should say Many daughters haue been blest but thou surmountest them all And indeed it is no great prerogatiue to be blest aboue many wretches but aboue many blessed ones to be blest is a blessing indeed The Angell therefore biddeth her obserue not onely the nature but the measure also of her estate Sarah was blessed and so was Rebecca Rahel likewise with Deborah Iael and many others but their blessing was nothing vnto hers for this phrase alludes to former prophesies Moses speaketh of a woman Gen. 3. whose seed should bruise the Serpents head but it was Haisha a speciall woman that he pointed at and that woman was this Virgin Esay speaketh of a Virgin that shall conceiue and beare a sonne whose name shall be called Immanuel Esay 7.14 but it is Hagnalma a speciall Virgin and that Virgin was this blessed Mary Ieremie saith The Lord will create a new thing in the earth and a woman shall compasse a man Geber an heroicall man and no woman bare such a sonne but this blessed Virgin Adde hereunto that which the Fathers generally obserue and Sedulius hath comprehended in two Verses Gaudia matris habens cum virginit at is honore Nec primam similem visa est nec habere secundam Neuer was the like woman before her neither euer shall the like come after her so true is it that she is and is to be acknowledged superlatiuely Blessed Farther comparison than betweene her and women the Holy Ghost is not pleased to make Others haue gone farther and lifted her higher than all Angels how truly I will not dispute I list not to be inquisitiue where the Holy Ghost is silent these things shall better be knowne when we meete in heauen That which onely I obserue vpon this point is that a Comparison sheweth the Eminency of a grace and is a most feeling motiue vnto Ioy thereby we are not onely put in minde of our good but of the greatnesse thereof Were there no baser creatures whereunto a man might compare himselfe he should lose much of that Ioy which ariseth out of the knowledge which hee hath that hee is a man were there not many out of the Church which are men we should not know how much honour our being in the Church addeth vnto vs in that wee are Christian men King Dauid maketh the 8. Psalme out of his feeling of the first comparison and to put vs in minde of the second the 147. Psalme concludes thus He hath not dealt so with euery Nation neither haue the Heathen knowledge of his Lawes Finally in comparison of our selues let vs remember a good obseruation of St. Austins Beatior Maria percipiendo fidem Cap. 3. de sancta Maria. quà m concipiendo carnem Christi his assertion is grounded vpon Christs owne words Luke 12. who when a certaine woman cryed out Luke 11.27 28. Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the pappes that gaue thee sucke answered Nay blessed are they that heare the Word of God and keepe it And those else where hee calleth His mother his brethren and his kinred Matth. 12.49 where hee had both carnall and also spirituall cognation hee did value the spirituall more than the carnall The eminency of the blessed Virgin was this that shee did partake of both and therein she hath an eminency aboue vs but if we doe
before God wee thinke wee should haue lesse sense of our sinne because we haue in worldly things outstript our neighbours And yet if you obserue you shall finde that none are more ambitious after caps and knees and more moody if they bee disregarded than they that regard God least and are least respectiue of his Maiestie What shall I say then to you imitemur Ducem nostrum let vs thinke Christs practice worth the imitation let not seruants sticke at that which is done by the Sonne let vs not bee ashamed to doe for our selues that which Christ hath done not onely before vs but for vs also when we pray let vs pray most humbly The second part of Reuerence is Loue and that appeareth in the compellation My Father Abba Father But I told you that we were therin distinctly to obserue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my Father so St. Matthew deliuereth Christs words and they are a sweete insinuation they serue stealingly to melt the affection of a Father As a Father pitieth his childe saith the Psalmist Psal 103. seuen so doth the Lord pity them that feare him Esay goeth farther cap. 59. Can a woman forget her sucking childe that shee should not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe yea she may forget yet will not I forget thee Our Sauiour Christ enlargeth this comparison If you being euill know how to giue good gifts vnto your children how much more shall your heauenly Father giue good gifts to them that aske him Mat. 7. So then where there is a Father there are bowels on earth commonly in heauen vndoubtedly Lib. 1. de Abraham◠cap. 8. What then St. Ambrose spake of the like words vttered by Isaac to his father Abraham when Abraham went about to sacrifice Isaac a liuely type of this entercourse betweene God and Christ in the matter of the Crosse may I well apply to this compellation of God Pulsatur pietatis vocabulis these bee words that will try his bowels whether they be tender or no he giueth a good reason Nomina vita solent operari gratiam non ministerium necis what stronger motiue to obtaine grace than for a childe by mentioning the word Father to put him in minde that he was the author of his life for can he be so hard hearted as to further the abolishing thereof by death St. Chrysostome weighing the very same words as they were vttered by Isaac pronounceth of them Sufficiebat hoc verbum ad lancinanda iusti viscera Abraham could not digest the words but hee must offer violence vnto his owne bowels How powerfull then must Christs words be with God if nature required that Abraham should be so moued with them when they were spoken by Isaac Certainly if My Father preuaile not I know not what compellation will worke in the bowels of God And yet here you must obserue that as Isaacs My Father remoued not Abraham from his faithfull obedience no more did Christs My Father alter Gods determinate course for the redemption of man his Loue vnto vs made him seem to be bowellesse towards his owne Sonne at so much the higher rate therefore are wee to value our Redemption As there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the compellation so there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also besides the sweete insinuation Christ expresseth a feruent importunity Abba Pater as the Greeke as the Syriac Father Father The Greeke expresseth the language of the Iew and the language of the Gentile to signifie that God by Christs Crosse was to become the Father as well of the Gentile as of the Iew. But the Syriac doubleth the same word while Christ was in his Agonie saith St. Luke he prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more earnestly Cap. 22. St. Paul Hebr. 5. tels vs that Christ offered vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death And the passion Psalmes how full of this zeale are they Psal 22. 69. c. and how do they as it were force a way by Gods eares vnto his heart Certainly God doth not loue cold prayers that biddeth vs aske seeke knocke in the Parable of the vniust Iudge Christ teacheth vs this duty and the Canaanitish woman is a good example of such acceptable importunity but beyond all this practice of our Sauiour Christ for what can bee added vnto his compellation surely nothing and yet it is little that so much religious Rhetoricke doth worke And what doe wee learne herehence euen this that though in praying we doe our best yet we must not looke to speede alwayes neither must it grieue vs seeing Christ was contented to take a repulse God will haue vs entreate him with the best of our deuotion but the successe thereof he will haue vs leaue to his disposition wherein I commend no more vnto you than I find done by Christ as now you are to heare in the following part of my Text. Hauing shewed you sufficiently to whom Christ directeth his prayer I will now shew vnto you what he expresseth therein hee expresseth the wish of Nature and the will of Grace The wish of Nature is against the Crosse the Crosse is exprest by two words haec Hora and hic Calix this Houre this Cup the Houre noteth the time prefixed for Christs suffering as that which Christ was to suffer is vnderstood by the Cup yet so that the Cup includeth the Houre and the Houre the Cup. But to handle them distinctly Haec hora is an Ellipticall phrase you may supply it out of the third of the Reuelation where it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Houre of temptation And indeede the Crosse put Christ to it it tryed him to the vttermost therefore well may it bee called Haec hora more than an ordinary houre for it was a most wofull time But this word hath two additions elsewhere for sometimes wee reade Hora mea my Houre Luke 22.53 sometimes Hora vestra your Houre Iohn 12.27 It was a time wherein Christ was to be a patient in that respect doth he call it His houre and the wicked were to be agents in that respect hee calleth it their houre each of them were to act their parts and for that they had this time assigned them But we must ascend aboue them both euen vnto God who as he is Gouernour of the world keepeth times and seasons in his owne power so that nothing is either suffered or done but in the time which he hath prefixed And if it be true of all times then specially of most remarkable times such as was the time of Christs Passion which being fixed neither himselfe did preuent neither could it be preuented by others Christ doth more than once alledge for a reason why the malice and craft of his enemies tooke not place but that maugre all their endeauours he went on in his Ministry Hora mea nondum venit
is wanting to both in him The conscience of sinne doth deiect vs and the want of grace slack that zeale that should bee in vs repaire of cheerefulnesse in both cases is to bee sought in Christ Thus much wee are taught by the resemblance A third reason why wee hold the Sacrament to bee the body and blood of Christ is because the heauenly thing is conueyed vnto vs by the earthly the bread which wee breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ and the cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the the blood of Christ In a word the sacramentall vnion made by consecration serueth to make the sacrament fit for our participation t was so it is so in euery Sacrament of th◠old of the new Testament The addition of My to the body and bloud must not be neglected for it doth insinitely improue them when it tels vs whose they are For there is not an eminencie in the person that doth not reflect vpon this body and blood be it eminencie of dignitie or of efficacie The person is Iesus then it is the body and blood of the Sauiour of the world He is Christ then it is the body and blood of the Anointed of the Lord of the Prophet of the Priest of the King of the Church he is the Sonne of God the only begotten the dearely beloued Son how heauenly how precious must that body and blood bee which are his For our better valuation and greater consolation wee may carry My through all the attributes of this sacred person But let vs goe on The Elements of bread and wine were consecrated that they might be the body and blood of Christ But how are this body and blood to bee considered Surely not as Christ is glorified but as he was crucified for it is that body that was giuen as St. Paul speaketh was broken and the blood is that blood which was shed And so doth it best answer the sacrifices of the old Law and the Sacrament of the Passeouer And no maruell for the glory of Christ can little comfort vs except the crosse of Christ doe first proue that he hath merited it for vs. Christs merit is the pillar of Christian faith whereunto his birth is but an antecedent that hee might be able to merit and his glory a consequent witnessing that hee did merit We must therefore in the Sacrament haue an especiall eye to this And this will not onely secure our soules but settle our iudgements against the Sophistry of the Church of Rome who not distinguishing betweene Christ crucified and glorified or rather not building their conclusions answerable to this vndeniable Principle The Sacraments represent Christ crucified not glorified are driuen to coine so many new Articles 1 of reall presence corporall 2 of a metaphysicall Transubstantiation 3 of an ill applyed concomitancie All which easily vanish if we consider Christs purpose to represent himselfe in the Sacrament not as hee now is at the right hand of God but as he was vpon the Crosse Not but it is the same body and blood which is in glory but it must not be so considered as it is in glory Which will necessarily inforce vs to acknowledge that theynion betweene the thing earthly and heauenly can be no more than sacramentall and that respectiue also to what was done on earth not what is in heauen Was I say done formaliter on the Crosse but is effectiuè working in Heauen For that body which Christ sacrificed for vs he presents in Heauen to propitiate God towards vs not continuing the Act of sacrificing for that was actiua Passio or passiua Actio many others concurred thereunto besides himselfe as it is cleare in the Euangelists but perpetuating the effect of the sacrifice the Act was but once done and that only vpon the Crosse but the efficacie thereof continueth for euer though Christ sit at the right hand of God in Heauen as St. Paul proueth at large in the Epistle to the Hebrewes And this cutteth vp the very rootes from whence springeth the Masse and all Attendants thereupon The last thing which I noted in the consecration is Whereunto the Elements consecrated and by consecration made the body and blood of Christ the body as it was broken the blood as it was shed doe serue and What is intended by them Here are two excellent ends we must behold therein first the establishment of a new Couenant betweene God and vs. We need a new one that haue broken the old by our mutabilitie before the fall and since the fall through our great imbecilitie so that finding our selues vnfit for Hoc fac viues we must rest vpon Iustus fide suâ viuet It is our comfort that wee which cannot stand of our selues may subsist in Christ and though the Law be too hard for vs without the Gospel yet by the Gospel we haue a double good first it giueth strength to performe the Law and secondly because that will not reach home it assureth vs that our iudge is our father and contracts with vs in no other person Of this Couenant God speaketh in Ieremy cap. 31. and St. Paul openeth it in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Marke that the Couenant is annext to the blood and so it was in the Type the Attonement was ascribed thereunto because the burning of the Sacrifice did rather signifie a dedication of the person to God but the shedding of the blood did note the death and it was Christs death in vertue whereof God was pleased to bee attoned and to enter into a new Couenant The second end is the remission of sinnes the Sacrament is not onely vnto vs a pledge of a new Couenant and warrants Beleeue and thou shalt be saued But lest looking backe wee should be afflicted with the conscience of our sinne the Sacrament assureth vs that all shall be pardoned that is not that hath not been performed according to the Law Wee come then to the Lords Table not onely for meate but also for medicine not onely for gold but also for eye-salue this water of the Sanctuarie runneth into vs as into mare mortuum it maketh vs no lesse whole than fruitfull this is the true poole of Bethesda no sooner hath the Angell descended into it but whosoeuer entereth it may bee cured by it And so haue I opened the first Act of Iesus he consecrated the elements The second Act followeth What hee consecrated that hee distributeth In this Act there are two things the first is the diuiding of the elements the second is the bestowing of them The breaking may represent eyther the vsage of Christs body when it was sacrificing as in the old typicall Sacrifices the like also must be conceiued of the pouring out of the wine or else it may fit the Sacrifice for distribution as is vsed in a Sacrament Christ hath the fulnesse of grace but wee haue euery one but his proportion according to our capacity Euen
as from the Sunne euery man receiues a beame of the same kinde though not the same beame or from a Tree euery man gathereth an apple though not the same apple or out of a Riuer euery man drinketh a draught of the same water but not the same draught of water euen so all doe partake of the same Christ but not in the same measure and no man whole Christ Whole I meane totum Christi though euery man doth receiue him whole that is totum Christum euery man hath Christ alike intensiuè though extensiuè wee haue him not all alike And yet extensiuè euery man hath his full measure As it was in Manna Hee that gathered more had not too much and he that gathered lesse had enough The breaking then of the bread doth not onely represent Christs passion but also his proportioning of himselfe fit for our participation For so it followeth breaking was for giuing It is a question Whether Christ himselfe did communicate in the Eucharist it may well be presumed that he did It is euident that he did in his owne person sanctifie and honour both Sacraments of the Old Testament Circumcision and the Passeouer And touching Baptisme the first Sacrament of the New Testament there can be no question why should there then bee any question of this If any obiect the silence of the Holy Ghost in the words of Institution that may receiue an answer that it was not necessarily to be exprest because it might well bee supplyed out of the correspondency of this Sacrament to that of the Passeouer But the next words to my Text seeme to mee to put it out of all doubt I will not henceforth drink any more of this fruit of the Vine vntill that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdome Although St. Luke seem to place those words betweene the Passeouer and the Eucharist which St. Matthew and St. Marke place after the words of the Institution But to let that point passe Though Christ did partake yet it was not for any need that he had of it but for that by his owne participation hee would giue vertue vnto this as he hath done to other Sacraments Hee needed not to dye for himselfe he dyed for vs therefore as he gaue himselfe for vs so did he giue himselfe to vs for vs on the Crosse to vs in the Sacrament Here appeareth the truth of the Apostles saying He that was rich became poore that wee by his pouerty might be made rich 2. Cor. 8.9 He that knew no sinne was made sinne for vs that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in him And let this suffice for Christs worke Let vs come now to the Disciples worke And here first we must obserue that they that must meddle with these elements must be Disciples that is profest Christians For as none might eate of the Paschall Lambe but they that were circumcised no more might any receiue the Eucharist that was not baptized The reason is plaine No man can be nourished except he liue and liue to God no man can but he that is incorporated into Christ and incorporated he is by Baptisme But euery one that is baptized is not fit to receiue the Eucharist hee must be of age to examine himselfe as St. Paul aduiseth and to discerne the Lords body It is true that about St. Austins time they did put the Eucharist into childrens mouthes before they could vnderstand what it meant And this was done vpon the mistake of those words of St. Iohn Except you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man Cap. 6. and dâ—inke his bloud you haue no life in you But that errour was long since deprehended and the custome discontinued and none receiue but those which are come to years of discretion and moreouer are able to giue an accompt of their faith Yea by the laudable orders of our Church none should receiue vntill they are confirmed and great pity it is that so laudable a custome is not obserued Were it many aged ones would not liue yea and dye too so ignorant of that which they receiue as now they doe to the dishonour of our Church and discomfort of their soules Pastors Parents Masters Churchwardens yea and Godfathers and Godmothers also should make more conscience of their dueties their oathes their vowes wherein they stand bound to God his Church and their Charge and take more care to remedy this than for ought I see they doe It is a question Whether vnder the name of Disciples more are vnderstood than the twelue Apostles Some thinke yea but not one of the Euangelists doth fauour their conceit It should seeme by them that onely the twelue Apostles did now represent the whole Church And happely they onely were present because Christ was pleased to teach them the forme and giue them the charge of administring the Sacrament Surely that is more likely although if wee doe conceit that other were present there is no Heresie in it But I leaue the persons and come to their worke Their worke is double as was the worke of Iesus The first is they must take Take what Christ gaue for he therefore gaue it that they should take it And indeed it were a great contempt to bee present and not to take part Certainly the Primitiue Church thought so whose Councels require scuere censures to be inflicted vpon idle gazers on And there is great reason for it for they abase themselues and excommunicate themselues at least range themselues in the order of Penitents or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were not thought meete or worthy for their simplenesse or their wickednesse to be guests at the Lords Table Yea and what a wretchednesse is it for them that know what neede they haue of the New Couenant to be carelesse of confirming their assurance thereof and for them that are loaden with sinnes and iniquities not to vnburthen their consciences of the guilt and purge them from the corruption by taking the pledge of remission of sins and meanes which should further the amendment of their liues He deserues to perish for want of grace that hath it offered and doth refuse it Besides this worke of taking the Disciples had another work and that is eating and drinking what they take that they must eate and drinke also These are corporall acts but they must be vnderstood according to the food And seeing the food consisteth of an earthly and a heauenly part we must eate and drinke both And God hath prouided vs wherewith we may doe it for wee our selues consist of an earthly and an heauenly part We must bring both parts vnto this feast and there vse them both our bodies must take eate and drinke the elements our soules must take eate and drinke the body and bloud of Christ Yea our bodies must in these acts onely attend our soules for the Feast is not Ventris but Mentis neither is our corporall feeding vsed otherwise than to helpe
and so doe King Dauids Penitentialls God commands wicked seruants to bee beaten Deut. 28. I will conclude thi◠point with two short admonitions one out of the Prophet Heare the rod and who sends it Micah 6. the other is out of the Psalme As the eye of a seruant looketh to the hand of his master and the eye of a mayden to the hand of her mistresse euen so our eyes looke vnto the Lord our God vntill he haue mercie vpon vs Psal 123. Other ceremonies were vsed by Penitents in the Old Testament and in the New especially who were wont to humble themselues vsque ad inuidiam coeli as ancient Writers doe Hyperbolize but with no ill meaning they did so farre afflict themselues for sinne that the very Saints in Heauen might enuie their deepe Humiliation But tantae seneritati non sumus pares those patternes are too austere for these dissolute times onely let mee obserue this vnto you that Repentance must be an Holocaust all our inward our outward senses should concurre to testifie our godly sorrow for sinne wee should suffer not one of them to take rest themselues or giue rest to God By this you may perceiue that Penitentiall Deuotion is an excellent Vertue but not so common as the world thinketh The last thing that I noted vpon this Deuotion is that it must be performed by euery one in particular and by the whole Congregation in generall for the same remedy serueth both the publike must take the same course which euery priuate man doth and euery priuate man must take the same course that the publicke doth The reason is because the Church is corpus Homogeneum and therfore eadem est ratio partis totius in the peformance of those religious dueties no man must thinke himselfe too good to humble himselfe neyther must any man thinke himselfe vnworthy to appeare before the Throne of grace In our priuate occasions wee must come by our selues and wee must ioyne with the publicke when the publicke wounds call vs thereunto as now we do and we haue comfortable Precedents for that which we doe in the Prophet Ioel and Ionas Behold how good and ioyfull a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie can neuer be more comfortably sung than at these religious meetings when as one man with one voyce and heart we present our deuotions before God I doubt not but as hopefully as humbly It is true that God in Ezechiel cap. 14. threatneth that if Noah Daniel and Iob were in Ierusalem as I liue saith the Lord God they shall deliuer neyther sonne nor daughter they shall but deliuer their owne soules by their righteousnesse when I send but a pestilence into the land how much more when I send my foure plagues The like is threatned in Ieremy cap. 15. But we must obserue that then God was risen from the Mercy Seat and in punishment of their many contempts had giuen the Iewes ouer to their owne hearts Iust But God be thanked this Assembly sheweth that we haue not so far forsaken God neyther hath God who hath put these things into the mind of the King and State so forsaken vs but wee may hope for Acceptance Which is the next part of my text What Israel performeth that will God accept for hee is as mercifull as iust Blessed are they that mourne saith Christ for they shall bee comforted Matth. 5. for Christ came to heale those that were broken in heart Luke 4. You aske saith St. Iames cap. 4. and haue not hee addeth a reason because yee aske amisse but if you aske aright then Christs rule is true Aske and ye shall haue seeke and ye shall find knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Mat. 7. He that shall confesse to Gods name and turne from his sins shall finde Acceptance with God for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the teares of repentance are not only not displeasing but pleasing to God as incense But Gods acceptance consisteth of two Acts the first is God will giue accesse vnto their Prayers Heare in heauen his dwelling place The prayers were to be made towards the Arke but God heareth in Heauen And what is the cause of this change why God should not heare there whither we direct our prayers Surely we must ascend from the Type to the Truth that is but a manduction to this It was a maine errour of the Iewes to diuorce them and haue in most esteeme the least part rest in the Type passing ouer the Truth Heauen is the place of Gods habitation only because the place of his manifestation The Septuagint render the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a place fitted for God to distinguish it from the Church below which is but a place a fitting The Chaldee rendreth it domum Maiestatis a maiesticall house And surely the place of Gods dwelling is locus amplus et angustus a large a stately Palace adorned with holines glory And when wee thinke vpon God wee must not conceiue of his state by things below but by things aboue the earth is but as a point vnto the visible heauens much more in comparison of the Heauen of Heauens and they though they are the goodliest place created yet are they not a worthy habitation for the infinite maiestie of God onely he vouchsafeth there most to manifest himselfe The Church that is resembled to heauen and called Gods dwelling place must be remembred hereby that God must not dwell therein or in any member thereof angustè or sordidè We must inlarge our hearts to receiue God and purifie them that they may somewhat beseeme the Residentiary therein which is God Finally it is no small fauour that God doth vouchsafe to heare that beeing in heauen hee doth vouchsafe to heare vs that are on earth for sometimes hee hideth himselfe as it were with a Cloud Lam. 3. so that our prayers cannot haue accesse vnto him and our sinnes separate between him and vs and he is as if he heard not not that the eare of iealousie heareth not all things but he is not pleased to giue a gracious signification that hee doth heare But the spirituall clamor of the contrite expressed from the secret closet of the inward man hath the power of a loud voyce and piercing which can enter the heauens and approach acceptably vnto God God will not onely heare and giue accesse to the Prayers of the penitent but redresse their sufferings also Quando non geniculationibus nostris jeiunationibus etiam siccitates sunt depulsae saith Tertullian what calamitie was there euer which wee haue not diuerted by our penitent deuotion The Prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent Iames 5. But God doth redresse the sufferings of Israel orderly first he redresseth the cause which is sinne and then the effect which is woe He will forgiue and then He will doe and giue neyther may a sinner looke for peace except he first speede of mercie
I will giue them Luke 4.6 notwithstanding he is but an Vsurper Neither is Antichrist any better who sitteth in the Temple of God and carrieth himselfe as God 2. Thos 2. taking vpon him that power ouer the consciences of the people which Christ neuer gaue him the particulars are many you may meete with them in the Casuists and in the Controuersie Writers I will not trouble you with them Our Sauiour Christs power is iust For it was giuen vnto him But when First in his Incarnation for no sooner did he become man but he was annointed with the Holy Ghost and with Power therefore the Angels that brought the newes of his Birth to the Shepheards said that to them was borne a Sauiour which was the Lord Christ No sooner did the Sonne of God become man but hee was inuested with this power the eternall purpose of God and Prophesies of him began to be fulfilled the Godhead communicated to the manhood this power not changing the manhood into God but honouring it with an Association in his workes the manhood is of counsell with the Godhead in his gouernment and Christ from the time of his Conception wrought as God and man who before wrought onely as God Of this gift speaketh the Psalmist Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee aske of mee and I will giue thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance c. Psal 2. and in Daniel chapt 7. one like the sonne of man is brought vnto the Ancient of dayes and to him was giuen a kingdome c. But though this gift were bestowed at Christs Conception yet was the execution thereof for the most part suspended vntill his Resurrection some glympses he gaue of it and shewed his glory in his Miracles but for the most part he appeared in the forme of a seruant and his Humiliation was requisite that he might goe through with his Passion his power though it were not idle before yet was the carriage of it veiled and therefore acknowledged but by a few But after his Resurrection God gaue him this power manifestly and the world was made to see it clearly for Christ did then not onely cloath his person with Maiestie but shewed himselfe wonderfull in the gouernement of his people Therefore the time of the gift is by the Holy Ghost limited to the Resurrection and declared to be a reward of his Passion so saith the Psalme Thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels that thou mightst crowne him with glory and honour Psal 8. St. Paul applyeth it vnto Christ Heb. 2. Rom. 14 and tells elsewhere that Christ dyed and rose againe that hee might be Lord both of quicke and dead The same he teacheth the Ephesians and the Colossians Cap. 1. Cap. 2. but especially the Philippians Christ being in the forme of God took vpon him the forme of a seruant and did exinanite himselfe and became subiect to death euen the death of the Crosse therefore God exalted him and gaue him a Name aboue all Names c. This gift or manner of giuing is properly meant in this place the gift of power in reward of Christs merit for by this merit did he enter into his Glory and into his Kingdome And from this must Ministers deriue their power which Christ hath right to conferre vpon them not onely by the gift of his Conception but also by the reward of his Passion As Christs power is lawfull so is it full also for hee hath all power a plenary power The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth note sometimes a passiue power sometimes an actiue a passiue power as in those words of the Gospell to them that receiued Christ hee gaue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power to bee the sonnes of God Iohn 1.12 actiue when Christ sent his Disciples hee gaue them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power ouer vncleane spirits Matth. 10.1 that is to cast them out According to this double acception of the word is the fulnesse of Christs power diuersly expounded Some say it is full passiuely before Christs Resurrection Christ was obeyed but per nolentes by those that serued him against their will and so hee was serued but to halfes but afterward hee gathered Populum spontaneum an ingenuous willing people Psal 110. a people that should serue him readily not with a mixt will halting between two or between willing and nilling but with all their heart and cheerfully not like luke warme Laodiceans for the Kingdome of Heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it Matth. 11. This is the Interpretation of some true in it selfe though not so proper to my Text. Therefore we must vnderstand it of an actiue power that power which by allusion out of the Prophets words is specified in the Reuelation Cap. 3. He hath the Key of Dauid that shutteth and no man openeth openeth and no man shutteth he hath both Keyes of the Church Clauem Scientiae and Clauem Potestatis the Key of Doctrine and the Key of Discipline hee giueth all men their Talents and calleth them to an account for the vse of them It is he that separateth the Sheepe from the Goates and from his mouth proceedeth as well Goe ye cursed as Come ye blessed But if you will haue it to the full it is comprehended in those three offices whereunto Christ was annointed he was annointed to be a Prophet a Priest and a King all by an Excellency all Heauenly and what power is there belonging vnto spirituall gouernment which is not reduced vnto these three And they were all three in him without exception without restriction and so he had all power or as I told you a power vnlimited in it selfe And yet marke the phrase it is omnis Potestas not Omnipotentia though in Christ as he is God there is Omnipotency yet that power which hee hath as Mediatour is of a middle size it is greater than any Creature hath Angell or Man but yet not so great as is the infinite Power of God that extends ad omnia possibilia to all that possible may bee But the power which God hath giuen to the Mediatour is proportioned not to scientiae simplicis intelligentiae but visionis it extends as farre as the Decree which God made before all times of all that shall be done in due time especially concerning the Church it hath an hand in mannaging all that Prouidence and mannaging it in an heauenly manner As the power is vnlimited in it selfe so it extends to all places Hee hath all power in Heauen and in Earth Heauen and Earth are the extreame parts of the world and in the Creed are vsually put for the whole but in the Argument we haue in hand we must restraine it to the Church which consisteth of two parts one Triumphant in Heauen the other Militant on Earth Christ hath power in both for both make vp his body and he hath reconciled both vnto God In Earth he giueth men Grace in Heauen he giueth
in Baptisme which is a conformitie to Christ dying and rising from the dead In a word all Christs commandements are eyther affirmatiue or negatiue In regard of the affirmatiue wee must imitate Dauid a man after Gods owne heart Acts 13. who did facere omnes voluntates Dei doe all that which God would haue him doe And touching the negatiue wee must imitate the same Dauid who saith of himselfe that All wicked wayes he did vtterly abhorre Psal 119. If thus we liue we shall doe as we pray Gods will in earth as it is done in heauen But who can doe so it is more than is possible for this fraile life wherefore we may vnderstand All two manner of wayes secundum partes and secundum gradus According to the parts of our duety wee must omit no part but must exercise our selues in euery thing which Christ requires As for the degrees though we must striue to attaine the highest yet if we reach not so farre we must not despaire Austin Quisquis non potest implere quod iubet Christus amet eum qui impleuit in illo implet that which was impossible for the Law by reason of the weaknesse of our flesh Rom. 8. God sending his sonne in the similitude of our flesh for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might bee fulfilled in vs Cap. 19. which walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirit Hitherto you haue seene how the Minister must praeire praecepto lead the people by good Instruction now see in a word how hee must lead them by good Example The commandements that Christ gaue he gaue to the Apostles meaning that they should make vse of them themselues as well as perswade the people to it St. Paul vnderstood it so who saith of himselfe 1 Cor. 9. I beate downe my body and bring it vnder lest when I preach vnto others my selfe become a Reprobate and biddeth Timothie bee an example to his flocke we must not be like Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23. that bound heauie burdens and layd them vpon the peoples shoulders whereat they would not lift with one of their fingers It is too foule a reproach for a Minister so by his liuing to contradict his preaching as to deserue to be replyed vnto in that Prouerbe Medice cura teipsum and so destroy more than he can build This dishonour I wish you to auoyd And so at length I haue done with the Charge come we now to the Comfort That I told you standeth in the powerfull and perpetuall presence and assistance of Christ Christs presence is noted by Ego vobiscum I am with you which doth shew vs the truth of Christs name Immanuel God with vs Mat. 1. Esay 8. the Holy Land was called Terra Immanuel the Land of God is with vs and because that was but a Type look into the place where God put his name Ezekiel in the vision of the new Hierusalem telleth vs that the name of that Citie is Iehoua shamma Cap. 48. Dominus ibi the Lord is there both in the new Testament and in the old that saying of Wisedome in the Prouerbs cap. 8. is receiued My delight is to be with the sonnes of men But how can Christ which is ascended into heauen be with them vpon earth the name of Christ containeth the Manhood as well as the Godhead now the Manhood is finite therfore cannot be both in Heauen Earth True the Manhood cannot but the Man may No man saith Christ Iohn 3. ascendeth vnto heauen but hee that descended from heauen the sonne of man which is in heauen this Christ spake when he was vpon the earth If the sonne of man could bee in heauen while Christ was on the earth surely the sonne of man may bee on the earth while Christ is in heauen We must vnderstand it of the Person which is but one though two Natures subsist therein and both natures concurre in the production of the seuerall workes of the Mediator in a manner which wee cannot conceiue But we must take heede of the Lutherans racking of this conceipt who would make the Humanitie of Christ to haue a double existence one finite which they call Physicall the other infinite which they call Hyperphysicall which distinction is such as I thinke themselues doe not vnderstand I am sure they doe not expresse it so that it may bee conceiued no more doe Papists that to beare out Transubstantiation haue coined the like But to leaue them Christ that is man is present euery where though not in his Manhood yet in his Godhead If this bee too obscure take a plainer manner his Presence by his Holy Spirit Misit Vicarium spiritum sanctum as Tertullian speaketh If I go not away saith Christ the Comforter will not come Iohn 14. but if I goe I will send him to you from my Father and where the Spirit is there is Christ St. Iohn teacheth vs so By this wee know that he abideth in vs by the Spirit that he hath giuen vnto vs. 1 Epist 3. But it is not a bare presence that we haue to doe withall I told you it is a powerfull presence the word Ego I must bee vnderstood with an Emphasis I that haue all power giuen mee both in heauen and earth that haue ouercome the world in my owne person and in my own person cast out the Prince of this world that haue all iudgement giuen vnto me from the Father whom all the Angels doe worship And indeede the Presence of such a person was behoofefull whether you respect those to whom they were sent or that which they were to doe the Apostles though they carried heauenly treasures it was but in earthen vessels themselues were but plain men of no great parts nor parentage in outward shew likely not only to be scorned but also to be persecuted when they had deliuered their message the Dragon and all his Angels were like fiercely to oppose them ea Christ told them that he sent them as sheepe amongst wolues And how vnlikely might they thinke themselues to preuaile with all sorts of men and perswade them to forsake their Idolatry and turne to God to beleeue in Christ crucified take vp their crosse and follow him The vndergoing of such a danger the compassing of such a designe require a powerfull Presence without which the Apostles would neuer haue ventared to vndertake their charge When God bid Moses goe to Pharaoh and command him to let Israel goe out of Captiuitie how doth he excase himselfe dis-inable himselfe what adoe hath God with him nothing could put him in heart but Ero tecum I will be with thee Exod. 3.12 that so emboldned him that being but a single and a silly man at least the companie that hee tooke with him were of no great regard yet they ventured into Pharaohs Court into his presence and without feare of him or his greatnesse deliuered
First Gods Worke Deus fecit God made the time a Day Secondly Mans Acknowledgement Haec est dies the Church doth Kalender it for a high day As we must learne thus discreetly to distinguish times so we must also learne to solemnize them Religiously In performance whereof the text will teach vs What we must doe and How That which wee must doe is reduced to two Heads wee must take full comfort in such a Day we must reioyce and be glad in it Reioyce with our bodies Bee glad in our soules both bodie and soule must expresse a comfortable sense Neither must wee only take comfort in it but pray also for the happie continuance of it for the continuance Saue Lord we may be depriued of it for the happie continuance of it Prosper Lord it may be in vaine bestowed on vs. These be the things that must bee done But How that is When and by whom When Now at the verie same time that Wee haue ioyed in the Day must Wee also bee praying for the continuance thereof And whom doth the Psalmist meane by We Looke vnto the beginning of the Psalme and you shall find the parties thus specified Israel the House of Aaron all that feare the Lord the Common-weale the Church the Cleargie the Laitie all whom the Day concernes must take notice thereof and expresse this dutie thereon You see the summe of this Scripture which I will now God willing enlarge farther and apply vnto our present occasion But before I enter vpon the particulars I may not forget to let you vnderstand that this Psalme hath a double sense an Historicall and a Mysticall the Historicall concernes King Dauid and the Kingdome of Israel the Mysticall toucheth Christ and his Church The Mysticall hath warrant from the Gospell wherein Christ doth apply some branches of this Psalme vnto himselfe the the Historicall is cleare in the Bookes of Samuel which intreat of the aduancement of King Dauid If we follow the Mysticall then the Day here remembred is Easter day or the Day of Christs Resurrection and that was a Day indeed the Sunne of Righteousnesse then shone forth in great strength and brought life and immortalitie to life But if we follow the Historicall sense then was the Day here remembred the Day of K. Dauids succession vnto Saul a verie Festiuall Day to Israel though not so high a Feast as is our Easter day The Fathers Commentaries runne most vpon the first sense our occasion is better fitted with the latter wherefore without preiudice to the former we will insist thereon leauing the Mysticall we will insist only vpon the Historicall sense of these words The first point therein is the discreet distinguishing of Times All times are not alike there are nights and there are dayes the time here specified is a Day Saint Basils Rule must guide vs in vnderstanding this word he tels vs that when the Holy Ghost speaketh of a Day in this and many other places wee must not plod vpon the course of the Sunne but looke vnto the occurrents of the time the occurents are of two sorts prosperous or aduerse the former is vsually called Day and the later Night We haue not then to doe with a Naturall but a Metaphoricall Day But Metaphors haue their reasonable grounds and because they are Implicitae Similitudines close couched resemblances we must vnwrap them that wee may see the resonablenesse that is in the vse of them If we doe this in our present Metaphor the reason will be apparent why a prosperous state is tearmed a Day For a Day is caused by the Sunne rising who by his beames sendeth to the earth Light and Heate Light by which all things are discerned and may bee distinguished and Heate by which they are quickened and cherished Euen so in a prosperous State there is something that answereth to the Sunne and that is a good King and well may the King bee tearmed a Sunne in the Common-Weâ—le as the Sunne is tearmed a King in the midst of the Planets A good King then like the Sunne ouer-spreads the Common-Weale with Light and Heate Light all things doe appeare in their right hue flatterâ—e or tyrannie doth not blanch or beare out falshood as truth and good as euill euery one beareth his proper name and is reputed no better then he is which is no small Blessing of a State if we take notice of that which is occurrent in euerie Historie That the best men haue beene branded as the vilest and the vilest haue beene commended for Worthies so farre hath darknesse ouercast the iudgement of the World seeke no farther then the storie of Christ and his Apostles the Scribes and the Pharisees As a good King doth remedie this perueâ—snesse of iudgement by a truer light so doth hee by a vegetable heate put heart into those that deserue well and further their well fare it is no small blessing you may gather it out of the 72. Psalme where the cheareful face as it were of the State doth speake the comfortable influence of a good King you may amplifie this point by that difference which in the 104. Psalme you finde betweene a day and a night The night is a time wherein the sauage beasts doe range abroad men retire and appeare not but in the day men goe freely abroad to their labour and the sauage beasts retire euen so in the time of an ill gouerned Common-Weale all sorts of beastly men as filthy as Swine as greedie as Wolues as cruell as Tigres as deceitfull as the Crocodile these and such like riot and controule and without shame satisfie their lust and then it is dangerous to be iust to be mercifull But the countenance of a good King chaseth such vermine away and none vnlike vnto him find Grace with him or appeare before him the 101. Psalme hath no other argument but this very point and Solomon hath exprest it in seuerall Prouerbs This blessing of Light and Heat of distinguishing and cherishing the good from and aboue the bad springs from a good King if hee bee only a Head of the Common-Weale many Heathen Kingdomes enioyed such Dayes vnder their Augustus Traians Adrians and the like But if the King be also a member of the Church a King of Israel as King Dauid was then doth he yeild vnto his State another Day vnto the Ciuill hee addes a Spirituall Day for as Constantine said well A good King is Episcopus ad extra Ecclesiam as the Pastors are ad intra though he may not administer sacred things yet must hee command them to be administred to bee administred sincerely that no Errours or Heresies dimme the heauenly Light and to be entertained reuerently that the people may feele the sweet inflaence of Grace Epistola ad Bonifacium hee maketh Lawes for the promulgation of the sauing truth of God as Saint Austine teacheth and by wholsome Discipline brings the people to be aswell religious as loyall no lesse dutifull children of God
of Grace doth it much more They put the Question to Christ and Christ giueth them an answere a cooling answere for he reproues their Zeale and disproues their Reason and he doth both in Word and Deed. He reproues in Deed for He turned about his gesture was angrie not only in Deed but also in Word and his Word commented vpon his Deed he checked them But to reproue and shew no cause is to hold the Hands but not to rectifie the Heart Christ doth not so hee will not only haue them forbeare but also to be perswaded that they ought so to doe Therefore he confuteth their Reason Their Reason was Elias his Example Christ telleth them that Example is misapplied you know not of what spirit yee are Euery mans temper must be according to his Calling you are called to bee my Apostles therefore must you take your temper from me and my temper is answerable to the ends of my Incarnation well might Elias answere his Name it signifieth the Power of God and he shewed Gods Power in taking vengeance he came to destroy mens liues but Iesus must answere his owne Name and his Name signifieth The Saluation of the Lord therefore is he become the Sonne of Man that he may Saue the liues of men So Christ refuteth their Reason in Words But not only in Words He doth it in Deeds also he that gaue them a good Rule giueth them a good Example He went vnto another Towne yea partly the Rule and partly the Example put these hot Disciples into a better moode for not Christ only but they also left that and went into another Towne You see the contents of this Scripture and withall that they may bee reduced vnto two Heads The Reuenge and the Censure Of the Reuenge there are two parts The Preuocation of the Samaritans and the Passion of the Apostles And in the Censure Christ first reproues and then disproues not only in Words but also in Deeds The particulars are many therefore you may not expect that I speake much of any one so much may suffice as will serue this present Occasion thereon to ground a sound Case of Conscience and thereby to stirre vp due thankes for our wonderfull Deliuerance To this end will I resume the points and touch at them briefly and in ther order And first at the Affliction The Samaritanes would not receiue him The persons that afflicted were Samaritans and the Samaritans were ancient enemies of the Iewes from the dayes of Rehoboam whose Kingdome was rent into two that of Israel whose Metropolis was Samaria and the other of Inda these Kingdomes were at oddes and in the Israelites did the first quarrell begin against the Iewes After the Israelites were carried away captiues by the Kings of Assyria and a Colonie mixt of many Nations succeeded in their roome the quarrell was inherited together with the Countrie It appeares immediately vpon the Iewes returne from the Babylonian captiuitie for then the Iewes would not admit the Samaritans to build the Temple with them because they held them for Gentiles and the Samaritans in reuenge did their worst to interrupt the building of the Temple and although to partake of the Iewes prosperitie they were contented to be reputed of their kindred yet in time of their aduersitie they disclaymed them and were Suiters vnto the Kings of Syria and Egypt that they might goe for Gentiles though indeed they were neither Iewes nor Gentiles but Mungrels mixt no lesse in Religion then in Nation taking somewhat of the Gentile and somewhat of the Iew as appeares in the Samaritanismus described by Epiphanius as impious a Chaos as is the Turkes Alcoran These were the men that offered the indignitie vnto Christ Being so bad men they make the indignitie the worse though of it selfe it is bad enough Let vs see what it is It is a sinne compounded of Inhumanitie and Impietie there is inhumanitie in the fact but the reason doth improue it vnto Impietie The fact was they would not receiue Christ great inhumanitie not to receiue strangers especially for Samaritans who as Epiphanius reports receiued the fiue Bookes of Moses wherein Hospitalitie is taught both by Rule and by Example The example of Abraham and Lot are remarkable in Genesis who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Paul willeth Christians to be Rom. 12. giuen to Hospitalitie Origen first and out of him Chrysostome obserue the significancie of the phrase which importeth that we should be so hospitable as not to stay till strangers seeke to vs but preuent them by our inuitation And indeed so did Abraham and so did Lot Neither had they only these Examples but the Law also Leuit. 19. Thou shalt not wrong a stranger but loue him as thy selfe Eumaenes in Homer presseth the reason of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all strangers are of Gods Family the whole World is his House vnder whom euery man holdeth but a small Territorie and although in regard of our owne Tenure they that haue another are strangers vnto vs yet are we all Tenants of the same Land-lord yea of the Houshold of the same great Master and therefore no man should esteeme another a stranger Surely our Sauiour Christ shewes Matth. 25. that this reason which Nature it selfe taught the Heathen is true also in Diuinitie in that Come yee blessed for when I was a stranger yee lodged me and Solomon to the same purpose He that giueth to the poore lendeth to the Lord. In Iambic But if this Reason goe too high Nazianzene hath another more plaine to reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No man can denie harbour to others that thinketh vpon this that himselfe is a stranger hee hath his ground from Gods Law who therefore bids the Israelites bee good to strangers because themselues were strangers in Egypt Chap. 31. It was no small comfort vnto Iob that hee could say The stranger did not lodge in the street but I opened my house to him that went by the way â—il 5. de Heres I end this point with Saint Austines exhortation Disce Christiane sine discretione exhibere hospitalitatem ne fortè cui domum clauseris cui humanitatem negaueris ipse sit Deus Certainly he against whom the Samaritans shut their gates was Christ They were so farre from inuiting him that they would not be intreated by him If they had beene but as daintie as the Egyptians who held it an abomination to eat with the Hebrewes it had beene too much but not to receiue them vnder their roose was plainly against the Law of Nations It was so But haply they had some reason for their fact They alledge one And see Quomodo cum ratione insaniunt Christs face was as if he would goe to Ierusalem The fact was bad this reason maketh it worse Some doe thinke that the Samaritans did alwayes denie entertainment to the Iewes but it is most certaine that they did it when they
which Saint Iames condemnes yet Christ blameth their vnderstanding because it did not guide their heart aright wherein hee implyes that they are ill aduised and that they would not haue done it i◠they had better considered of it by which it appeares that Estis is taken for Esse debetis you are is put for you ought to be for they were not what they should be That will appeare better in Christs more distinct Reproofe The Sonne of man is not come to destroy but to saue mens liues which words may haue a threefold sense The first is to distinguish Iesus from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 each answereth his name The one destroyeth the other saueth The Apostles must not turne the Sauiour into a destroyer that is to parallel Christ and the the Deuill And this sense is implyed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are Coniugates with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A second sense there is wherein this phrase distinguisheth betweene Christs first and second Comming and sheweth that though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ shall come for to destroy when he commeth to iudgement yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee was not alreadie come but to saue Therefore they were not to confound these two Commings and to doe Acts of the later at his first Comming when he commeth not only to giue himselfe for men but expects their repentance also The last sense is an opposition of Christ to Elias each is to answere his Name Elias his name signifieth The power of God and indeed all the time of his Ministerie what was it but a manifestation of Gods wrathfull power in executing vengeance vpon sinners his words his deeds runne all that way But Christs Name was Iesus and Iesus is a Sauiour God hath not sent his Sonne to condemne but to saue the world and it is a true saying That he came into the world to saue sinners Therefore as King Dauid answered the sonnes of Zeruia when they would haue had him slay Shimei 2. Sam. 19. because he cursed the Lords Anointed What haue I to doe with you yee sonnes of Zeruia that yee should this day bee vnto me as Satan Shall there any man die this day in Israel So doth Christ coole his Apostles and shew that their desire must be correspondent to the end of his Incarnation Yea the very phrase Filius Hominis imports a tendernesse in Christ Chap. 2. Saint Paul obserues it in the Hebrewes He became man that he might be a mercifull High Priest And this sweetnesse of his nature and mildnesse of his spirit was signified both by the title of a Lambe which was giuen him at his death and the shape of a Doue which lighted on him at his Baptisme And indeed what likelihood that hee would burne a Towne of the Samaritans for not receiuing him that prayed for Hierusalem euen when the Iewes were readie to crucifie him yea Father forgiue them was his reuenge when they scoffed him hanging on the Crosse Christ that came to saue all sorts of people was pleased to suffer wrong of them all that so none should thinke they deserued better then other There were then but three sorts of people in the world two extremes Iewes and Gentiles and one composed of them both Samaritans The Iewes and Gentiles euill intreated him at Hierusalem the Samaritans vpon his way thither Christ was bitter to none of them but let them all haue proofe of the meeknesse of his spirit though his Disciples were not so Peter was busie with his sword at Hierusalem and Iames and Iohn are desirous to haue fire at Samaria But as at Hierusalem hee shewed Peter so here at Samaria hee sheweth Iames and Iohn the errour of their zeale and learneth them this lesson which Nazianzene hath in his Tetrasticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Most sweet is this assertion of Christ and it is the chiefest comfort of our soules for if thou Lord marke what is done amisse O Lord who shall abide it Surely if our Master were as apt to smite as his seruants Chrysost de Anathemate our Lord as his Ambassadours if Christs Anathemaes were as quicke as mens what would become of the world what combustions what destruction should we see But God bethanked it is not so And wee shall doe well to learne of him especially Pastors must learne to be like the great shepheard of our soules Christ doth not only disproue in Words but in Deeds also They went vnto another Village Hee taught his Disciples before so to doe If they persecute you in one Citie flie to another The Precept wrought not In Tetrast he giueth them a Patterne Facile est verbis philosophari doce me vitae tuae exemplo for as Nazianzene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And indeed whereas Christ was not ignorant before hee sent how the Samaritans would vse him yet was hee pleased to haue a repulse that he might teach his Disciples how to beare it for Christs life no lesse then his doctrine was a Gospel and hee instructed no lesse by his Deeds then he did by his Words and he taught no lesson more then he did Patience But I haue stood long enough in opening the meaning of this text Let me come now to the principall vse which I intend to make of it which is twofold The first is to ground thereon a good resolution of conscience The second to stirre vs vp vnto thankfulnesse for our wonderfull deliue rance For the Case of Conscience we must obserue That generous minds vndertake not detestable facts except their Conscience first be poysoned Secondly that the Diuell is not contented that we sinne in Passion for so in cold bloud wee might retract and take a better course hee desireth therefore that we may be wicked habitually so he shall be sure to haue vs his at all times and that wee will neuer sticke at the most hellish attempts For if the conscience be once so seasoned that it will take euill for good and good for euill the Angell of darknesse rule therein transformed into an Angell of light this false light will so possesse our vnderstanding that the most hellish darknesse of our affections shall neuer be discerned by vs yea the worse wee are the better wee shall please our selues for euery man resteth secure in the testimonie of his owne conscience and he questioneth no farther then to resolue that The Gunpowder Traitors before they were deliuerered of that Monster had scruples whether it were lawfull They consult their Ghostly Fathers for it is a common rule Histiaeus vestem consuit quam induit Aristagoras as the Persian in Herodotus speaketh of the Samianes reuolt no treacherie without a Priests head who worketh notwithstanding by other mens hands they are put out of all doubt that such attempts are so farre from being sinfull that they are meritorious If any man doubt that this is their doctrine let him
the present occasion for we haue to doe with a sinne and a censure euen such a sinne and such a censure as is contained in this Text. The sinne is first exprest then it is amplyfied It is exprest first in regard of the kind it is fornication secondly in regard of the degree that fornication is Incest yea it is Incest of the worst sort that a man should haue his fathers wife The Incest being so bad it is not onely exprest but also amply fied in respect first of the haynousnesse it was such as was not so much as named amongst the Gentiles secondly in respect of the notoriousnesse the fame thereof spread farre and neare it is commonly reported Now sinnes call for censures great sinnes for seuere censures they doe but the Corinthians were deafe they heard not they were not moued with the cry of this sinne though it were verie loud they sinne in not reforming sinne St PAVL therefore telleth them whence their sinne sprang and wherein it stood It sprang from too much selfe-conceit they were puffed vp and too little fellow-feeling for they sorrowed not from these roots sprang their senslesse carelesnesse they put not away from them the man that had done the sinne But St PAVL had a more quicke eare and a more tender heart as a lawfull superiour he supplieth their negligence and censureth the incestuous person whom they spared as it appeares in the rest of the Text wherein we see what the censure was and whereunto it serueth The censure was Excommunication but it is set out in very high termes for it is called a deliuerie vnto Satan the words imply more then they expresse Excommunication consists of two parts a priuatiue and a positiue an excommunicate person is excluded from the Communion of Saints and subiected to the Prince of Darknesse the latter part is here exprest but the former is presupposed and is therefore omitted because it was mentioned before in the Corinthians fault this is the censure which St PAVL inflicted And the inflicting of it is performed by two acts the first is St PAVLS he doth iudicially pronounce it in his owne person But here is some thing markable in his person which is said to be absent and present wheresoeuer he was as an Apostle he was neuer out of his Dioces neither was any of his Dioces any where out of his reach for though he was absent in his body yet was he with them in his spirit Vpon these prerogatiues of his person though he were as farre off as Ephesus is from Corinth yet did he giue sentence against the incestuous Corinthian so saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue already iudged What he pronounceth iudicially that doth he require the Corinthians to denounce solemnly this act is implyed when as St PAVL would haue the man excommunicated at Corinth he would haue it there denounced that himselfe had excommunicated him And he would haue it denounced solemnly First In regard of the place for he would haue it done in the face of the Church the Corinthians being gathered together and his spirit with them Secondly He would haue it done solemnly in regard of the proceeding for he would haue it done with the authoritie and by the efficacie of our Lord Iesus Christ with his authoritie in his Name by his efficacie by his Power So that although St PAVL haue a hand in this censure and the Corinthians also yet would he haue neither of them reputed other then Delegates from and Instruments of Christ he giueth the warrant and he maketh good the censure Lay all these parts of the doome together and you will find that it is tremendum iudicium a very dreadfull sentence for how dreadfull a thing is it for a man to be cast out of the Church To haue him that hateth him made Lord ouer him I meane Satan To haue this done by an Apostle In the assembly of the whole Church Authorized by Christ and by Christ inabled to inflict this censure Certainly this must needs be a most dreadfull Iudgment you would thinke him that is vnder it to be a most forlorne wretch But yet despaire not of him the last clause of my Text will tell you that the sentence is not mortall but medicinall Now you know that a medicine hath two properties first it doth paine then it doth ease and if you will beleeue the Prouerbe Nulla medicinat'am est salutaris quà m quae facit dolorem the more it doth paine the more it will ease Certainly it fareth so with a ghostly medicine it doth paine it serueth for the destruction of the flesh but it will ease thereby the spirit shall be saued And this saluation you shall then feele when it is most behoofefull in the day of the Lord Iesus Christ We beleeue that he shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead and thrice happy may an enormous sinner thinke himselfe if he can haue boldnesse then to stand before the Sonne of Man And herein standeth his hope that this Iudgment will preserue him from that this lesser from that greater this temporall from that eternall if an enormous sinner make that vse of it which Christ intendeth So that these last words must be marked as a mitigation of that sharpnesse which was in the sentence and a consolation of the true Penitent And so haue you the briefe of my Text. That we may all be fore-warned and this Penitent recouered let vs in the feare of GOD listen to that which shall now be farther but briefly obserued and applyed out of this both sinne and censure I begin with the sinne the kind of it is fornication Fornication though it be often vsed to note the vnlawfull coniunction of single persons which otherwise may lawfully marrie yet doth the word import properly the generall nature of all incontinencie or vnlawfull coniunction the sinfulnesse whereof that I may the better set before you I must first acquaint you with certaine vndeniable principles The first is That though it be common to man and beast to couple male and female in their seuerall kinds for procreation yet because the body of a man is inhabited by a reasonable soule euen these sensuall acts should be reasonable by participation reason should haue such power ouer the body that a man should not come vnto this coniunction out of a disorderly lust but a regular couenant not aduenturing vpon it but admitted thereunto by Marriage he must testifie that he is a man and not a beast The second principle is The same reason of state that preseribeth proprietie in all other things doth require it especially in the choyce of mates in those which are to come together so neere as to become one flesh for proprietie is the whetstone of loue and care neither of which would be so great as they should be except they were grounded in wedlock in which is a mutual appropriating of the wedded bodyes each to the other whence it is that
was the Embleme of the acceptable yeere Luke 4. it testified that GOD was now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that men had now communion with him againe But here are two rules that must bee obserued first that these wordes in whom I am well pleased must bee vnderstood exclusiuely Act. 3. CHRIST is the onely Mediatour neither is there any other Name vnder Heauen giuen by which we may be saued but onely the Name of IESVS so that he which hath the Sonne hath life 1 Iohn 3. and hee which hath not the Sonne hath not life CHRIST will yeeld this glory to none other Secondly that GOD is immediatly well pleased with CHRIST but mediatly with vs If we doe not so vnderstand the words wee haue but little comfort in them wherefore we must bee assured that we are made accepted in Gods beloued that the Church is now called Hephzibah My delight is in her saith the LORD By the Sonne Esay 62.4 wee haue all accesse vnto the Father through the Holy Ghost Finally all this is to be vnderstood of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hic this Person which seemeth so meane appeares in the forme of a Seruant yet hee is Filius meus my Sonne my beloued in whom I am well pleased GOD is not ashamed of his SONNE humbling himselfe in our nature neither doth he loue him the lesse And why his obedience was voluntary it was to doe his FATHERS will it was to doe vs good much lesse should we be ashamed for whose sake he became so humble yea God forbid that we should reioyce but in the Crosse of Christ if Hic and Meus sort so well in GODS iudgment they must agree much more in ours But to draw to an end In this Text there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a true Epiphanie And indeed the Church reades my Text but out of St. Luke vpon the Epiphanie day on which the Tradition holds that he was Baptized and this great manifestation of GOD was made vnto the world wherein all things are Augusta maiestati Christi congrua very solemne very heauenly no where is the Mystery of the Trinitie which is the first foundation of true Religion nor the comfortable actions thereof which is the foundation of Christian Religion so ioyntly so vndeniably reuealed The Mystery of the Trinitie is incomprehensible vnutterable Ego nescio saith St. Hilarie I professe my ignorance of it yet will I comfort my selfe the Angels know it not the world cannot comprehend it the Apostles neuer reuealed it cesset ergo dolor querelarum let not men murmurre or complaine that this secret is hidden from them let it suffice them to know that there is a Trinitie in Vnitie let them neuer inquire how it is for they will inquire in vaine Naztanzene giueth the reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 While I would contemplate the Vnitie my thoughts are daâ—led by the Trinitie and while I goe about to distinguish the Trinitie I am presently cast vpon the Vnitie the one doeth call my thoughts vpon the other And what wonder that a man should bee so puzled For Quo intellectu Deum capiat homo 3. Austin qui intellectum suum quo vult capere nondum capit How should he bee able to comprehend the Trinitie that comprehends not yet his reasonable Soule the onely helpe which hee hath wherewith to comprehend it and is indeede the best resemblance of it That which I haue said concerning the Trinitie is a good rule of sobrietie to hold in curious wits that will prie too farre into these diuine Mysteries And yet Epiphanius doeth well checke the incredulitie of Sabellius Non credis tres personas diuinae Essentiae doest thou not beleeue the Trinitie in Vnitie Comitare Iohanem ad Iordanem attend Iohn Baptist to the riuer Iordan there thou shalt finde them all three And indeed here the Trinitie is brought in some sort within the compasse of our conceipt for it is not set foorth as it is In se but ad Nos not simply as the foundation of true Religion but as the foundation of Christian Religion as euery Person contributes towardes our Saluation When such an Obiect is presented the word of attention is pressed seasonably and reasonably it is prest to the eye and prest to the eare these reasonable senses are summoned with reuerence and confidence to behold to attend these sacred Mysteries To behold them as they are deliuered in the Historie for euen the Historie it selfe being rare is able to allure our reasonable senses Did it nothing otherwise concerne him who would not willingly yea greedily heare the voyce of GOD the FATHER see the Holy Ghost in the shape of a Doue and see the SONNE of GOD so humbling himselfe in the nature of man How much more should we desire it when there is not onely Miraculum but Mysterium in it euen one of the greatest Mysteries of godlinesse The Heauens are opened that is a Miracle but they are opened for Vs the Holy Ghost descends in a Doue but the Doue is but an Embleme of the holinesse that must be in Vs that is the Mysterie the SONNE of GOD here appeares to bee the Sonne of Man that is a Miracle but he appeares to Sanctifie the waters for the regeneration of man that is a Mysterie when the Miracles present these Mysteries doe they not deserue a Loe deserue that the eye the eare both should be taken vp by which thou mayest be made partaker of them O but thou wilt say I would trauell farther then Iordan to see such a sight might my eye see the Heauens opened might my eare heare GOD speake from Heauen might I bee so happy as to come to such an Inauguration of my Sauiour my eye should not be satisfied with seeing nor my eare with hearing Heare what S. Ambrose answereth to such an obiection EisdeÌ„ sacramentis res iam agitur quibus tunc gesta est nisi quod gratia pleniore the life of that Mysterie continueth stil though it be not cloathed with the same Miracle then was the Trinitie seene with carnall eyes whom now we contemplate with the eyes of Faith Dominicâ— 6. post Pentecost Yea St. Ambrose is bold to say that greater grace is offered vnto vs then to them that were present at the Baptisme of CHRIST for vnto them as being incredulous GOD perswaded Faith by corporall signes but in vs that are the faithfull hee worketh grace spiritually And it is greater grace so to behold GOD as the faithfull doe then as doe those that are vnfaithfull so that the Loe doeth no lesse concerne vs then it did them Yea it concernes vs much more our eyes should dayly be lifted vp Heauen and behold how the grace of Sanctification descends from thence into vs and to behold how the benefit of Adoption is dayly offered vs our eares should be opened vnto Heauen The Holy Ghost commeth to vs but who seeth him GOD professeth that he accepteth
madest me something vouchsafe to make me somthing that haue brought my selfe to nothing Yea worse then nothing for sinne is so it doth not onely abolish that good which thou hast giuen me but it filleth me with euill that is opposite to good yea to God And how much better is it at all not to be then to be a sinner To bee nothing then to be a feind of hell Neuer to haue seene the Sunne then to bee at enmitie with God This is the state where into I haue cast my selfe and thus farre haue I estranged my selfe from thee And how restlesse am I vntill I returne to thee O Lord Sinne forfeits many things besides God but let a man recouer all all besides will yeeld no content except a man recouer God And why Lord Thou art the soueraigne good and without thee nothing is good If I doe not partake the creature in reference to my Creator well may I haue it I shall haue no true comfort in it Take then all from me and leaue me God though I haue nothing yet shall I enioy all things for God is all in all Wherefore though I am sicke I doe not desire health I desire God and it is God that I desire when I am poore I doe not desire wealth I am senslesse of all other wants I hunger and thirst onely after God Seeing then thou Lord onely canst quiet canst satisfie my Soule if thou vouchsafe to turne me turne me vnto thee let me not make a stand before I come so far neither let me thinke my selfe recouered vntill I haue recouered thee Let others rest contented with the drosse of the earth or with the pompe of this world my originall is from heauen and I can find no rest vntill my affections rest there Therefore returne me vnto him from whom sinne hath estranged mee euen to thy selfe O God I beg this of thee because I can expect it from none but thee and from thee I am sure I shal not expect it in vaine For be I neuer so farre gone I cannot goe out of thy reach I can bee no more out of the reach of thy Grace then of thy Power as thou canst smite me so canst thou heale me and thou canst bring mee home as well as thou canst cast me out Lord I make no doubt of the successe if thou vouchsafe thy will for Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me whole onely thy power is equall to thy will and thou canst doe whatsoeuer pleaseth thee Be pleased then good Lord to put to thy helping hand that thy prodigall Child that by the first step of thy grace is come home to himselfe by a second step may come home to thee I desire no new blessing no such blessing as thou hast not vouchsafed to the sonnes of Adam yea to mee Thou madest Adam after thine owne Image and me in him holy and happie diddest thou make vs such sun-shine dayes were our former dayes cleare and warme without corruption without mortalitie though now we are both sinfull and wofull all our dayes are such euill dayes But thou O Lord that commandest at first light to shine out of darkenesse and dost continually exchange the night for day shine vpon mee let the Sunne of righteousnesse arise vnto me become my father make mee thy child giue me grace to serue thee and vouchsafe thou to blesse me create a new heauen and a new earth in this little world of mine wherein let righteousnesse dwell Yea and happinesse also let them rest on my bodie let them rest on my soule let them rest on both all the daies of this life vntill thou bee pleased to remoue both hence and consummate this thy fauour in the life to come Wherein my daies shall be though like yet much better then my dayes of old by so much better as glorification shall exceed the creation Thou seest O Lord the vpshot of my desire Now let my desire be a comfortable Prophesie of thy fauour disappoint me not of that for which thou hast made mee long so change me by grace here on earth that I may be what I hope to be by glorie in heauen where all things are made so new that they neuer can waxe oâ—d AMEN Meditation vpon Ecclesiast 41. VERSE 1. O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liueth at rest in his possessions vnto the man that hath nothing to vexe him and that hath prosperitie in all things and is yet able to receiue meate WEe haue no abiding place on earth none haue but of those that would haue there are many Many there are O Lord that though they must die cannot indure to mind death nothing more vnsauorie to some then that their memorie should be exercised with the memorie thereof And who are they Surely they whom the earth most fauoreth are they that are best affected thereto where their goods are there they thinke it is good being And how should any bee willing to part from that wherein he findeth content and whereupon hee hath set his rest He it is that is not onely in but of the world not onely vseth but enioyeth the same and from that which is our ioy if we be seuered we cannot be seuered without paine Heauen is a blessed place and blessed is the state which all are promised that shall come thither But this truth we belieue we doe not see it surely the worldly happie man doth hardly credit it because he hath no sense thereof Sense that hath immediately to doe with the world as it is pleasured so doth it iudge thereof it iudgeth it the onely place of happinesse If it may be so happie as to be fed to the full with that which it desires if we haue goods and haue the vse of them what saith flesh and bloud should I wish for more And indeed what fuller definition can an earthly mind make of a blessed life then secure store and a comfortable vse of such goods which are the goods of this naturall life Although in themselues they are fleeting vanities yet sensuall reason honoureth them with the glorious title of substance it thinketh they are and are what they seeme because it iudgeth according as it wisheth and what it would haue them to be it holds them to be such And if man bee so vnhappily happie as to hold them without the opposition of enuie or malice and their wings are clipt from flying away the more proprietie we thinke we haue in them the more are we confirmed in our erroneous iudgement of them Nothing doth more roote a mans heart in the world then an ouer great calme wherin he sayles and rides at Anchor in the world worldly peace doth much helpe forward a worldly mind Especially if we bee lulled a sleepe by both charmes of this peace Securitie and Plentie if no bodie disturbe vs no bodie impaire what we haue gathered no casualtie no calamitie cloud the Sun shine of our day or sowre the