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

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Inhabitation He dwells in ●…s A speech of great Emphasis importing the near and close and intimate conjunction and union 'twixt the Spirit and us And this Inhabitation is expressed in Scripture in a double Notion 1. It is Domestica familiaris habitatio 't is Habitatio ut in domo that is a near conjunction Thus the Church is called The house of the living God 1 Tim. iii. 15. And Heb. iii. 6. Whose house are we And again Ephes. ii 22. We are built for an habitation of God through the Spirit 2. It is Sacra Religiosa 't is Habitatio ut in Templo that 's more The first In Domo imports a near Conjunction The second In Templo inferrs a Sacred Presence Indeed Gods Presence makes us a Temple sanctifies and consecrates us to holy Uses 1 Cor. iii. 16. Know you not that you are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you Nay not onely our souls but our bodies are hallowed to be a Temple 1 Cor. vi 19. Know you not that your body is the Temple of the Holy-Ghost For the understanding of this sacred Inhabitation let us consider 1. How the Spirit dwells in us 2. What this dwelling implyes I. How doth the Spirit dwell in us 1. This dwelling of the Spirit in us 't is like the Spirit it self wholly spiritual all in a mystical and heavenly manner As is his Essence so is his Presence onely spiritual Papists enforce a bodily Presence of Christ we must corporally receive him into our bodies No saith S. Cyprian Nostra Christi conjunctio non miscet personas nec unit substantias sed affectus consociat confoederat voluntates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. vi 17. 2. This Inhabitation is performed in us by the production and infusion of those saving Graces which the Spirit works in us As Luther speaks of the Soul 't is Officina Dei mei 't is the Work-house where the Holy-Ghost frames and fashions the new Man in us And though he dwells in us by every Grace yet there are two special Graces to which the Scripture ascribes the Inhabiting 1. Is Faith that 's the Grace that lets in God into the soul and gives him possession Ephes. iii. 17. He dwells in our hearts by Faith Infidelity excludes him Faith receives and entertains him 2. Is Charity by it the Spirit dwells in us God is love and he that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him 1 Iohn iv 16. Love amongst men it is a cohabiting quality Amor congregat 't is an associating virtue t is the glew and cement of the world it makes men dwell together These two are the two uniting Graces Faith unites to God mystically Love morally 'T is the formal union of the soul with God 3. The Spirit dwells in us not onely by his gifts and graces but really The Holy-Ghost is present and applies and unites himself to a Christian. Our bodies are the Temples of the Holy-Ghost not of his Graces but of his own sacred Person The Fathers prove the Holy-Ghost to be true God in Substance because he hath a Temple None but God possesses a Temple And Habitatio 't is Actus Personae properly none but a person is said to Inhabit Indeed Substantially the Holy-Ghost is every where but yet Dwelling adds to his natural Presence a more special Habitude He is tanquam in suo where he doth Inhabit A stranger may be present in an house as well as the owner but to be there by special Interest as in his own Possession so the Holy-Ghost is present in a Christian. That 's the first Consideration How the Spirit dwells in us But II. What doth this Dwelling imply 1. Dwelling implies Propriety and special Right and Interest It is a Possessive word The soul and body of a Christian is Gods more immediate Possession he hath the reference of a lord and owner to it Thus S. Paul tells us 1 Cor. vi 19. Ye are the Temple of the Holy-Ghost and ye are not your own A Christian is Gods upon a fuller right and title then another man All are his as all wasts are the lord 's of the Soil but his lordship and mansion-house are more specially his Such a reference hath a Christian to God He is his not upon common tenure but by peculiar appropriation 2. Dwelling implies Residency and Continuance and Fixedness of abode A man is not said to dwell in an Inn or in the house of a friend though he sometimes be in them A stranger or a wayfaring-man saith the Prophet Ieremy turns aside to tarry for a night There a man dwells where he resides and abides constantly So then the Spirit dwells in a Christian that is he is constantly fixedly in him sets up his rest makes him his Mansion Here will I dwell for I have a delight in it Thus David expresses Gods residence in his Church Psal. cxxxii 13. The Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation vers 14. This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it Thus the Spirit fixes his abode inseparably to the soul of a sanctified man His Graces have 1. Firmitatem radicis they take root in us 2. Perennitatem fontis they are always springing never decaying The Annointing which you have received of him abides in you 1 Ioh. ii 27. His Grace 't is laid in oyl no waterish colours that will wash off presently Indeed for his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some such endowments they are in a man Per modum actus transeuntis as Prophesie but Saving Gr●…ces are Per modum habitus permanentis According to some Graces the Spirit comes and goes saith S. Gregory Recessurus venit venturus recedit sed sine quibus ad vitam aeternam non pervenitur in elec●…orum cordibus semper permanet Saving Graces are never vanishing That is a second residency 3. Dwelling implies Command and Authority and right of Disposal of all things He who dwells and possesses as an owner doth like the Centurion he saith to this Do and he doth it to another Go and he goes It was the law of the Medes and Persians That every man should bear rule in his own house Esther i. 22. So then Doth the Spirit of God dwell in us He must bear sway in us with all authority he must rule and govern and order all in the soul of a Christian. His moti●…ns they must be commands 'T is a rule in Oeconomicks Voluntas Superioris quomodocunque innotescit vim praecepti obtinet The Master of the house the glance of his eye the beck of his hand must find obedience 'T is that which Paul practiseth Gal. ii 20. I live yet not I but Christ lives in me Christ and his Spirit bore all the sway in S. Paul s life Christians must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acted and managed all by the Spirit S. Paul expresses it Acts xx 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
we gain by Gods Presence is That it brings with it the Glory of a Nation It is the high dignity and renown and honour of a people that God abides with them as S. Paul speaks Rom. iii. 1. What advantage then hath the Iew What is the dignity of having God so near to them Much every way Thus Moses sets out the dignity of the Jews from this near reference 'twixt God and them Deut. xxvi 18. The Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people And vers 19. To make thee high above all Nations which he hath made in praise and in name and in honour This nearness of Gods Presence God compares in Ior. xiii 11. to a Girdle cleaving to his loyns As the girdl●… cleaves to the loyns of a man so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel that they might be unto me for a people and for a name and for a praise and for a glory So likewise Isa. xliii 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee When God reckons up the dignities of his people this is the main Psal. lxxxvii 5. Of Zion it shall be said that he was born in her Thus Moses re-minds the Israelites wherein their dignity consists Deut. x. 21. He is thy praise and he is thy God There are many titles of Honour amongst men but this above all is the truly honourable Title that we have God near unto us Deut. iv 7. What Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is to us While he vouchsafed his Presence to them how renowned were they When he withdrew himself and cast them off how became they a vile people the hatred and scorn and contempt of all Nations A 3 d. Advantage that Gods Presence brings 't is the Strength and Safety of a Nation I'sal xlvi 5. God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved He calls himself 1 Sam. xv 29. the Strength of Israel Balaam could not fasten a curse upon Israel while God was among them Num. xxiii 21. The Lord his God is with him and the shout of a King is among them It was this that encouraged the people of Israel against the Canaanites Numb xiv 9. Their defence is departed from them and the Lord is with us fear them not Though there were Giants and their Cities be walled up to heaven yet fear them not So again Moses encourages them Deut. vii 21. Thou shalt not be affrighted at them for the Lord thy God is among you a mighty God and terrible And so on the contrary when the people being in a great sin would needs go up to fight Moses dislwades them God had then withdrawn himself Go not up for the Lord is not amongst you Sampson wist not that God was departed from him and the Philistines prevail'd over him How did Moses lament when God said He would not go with them So doth the Psalmist Thou goest not forth with our Armies His Presence it is our Palladium our Shield and Fortress The Shields of the earth belong unto God Psal. xlvii 9. It was said to Constantine In hoc vinces Well then If so much good comes to us by Gods Presence amongst us it is worth the enquiry Wherein doth this Presence of God consist How is he said and known to dwell in a Nation I mean not now his substantiall Presence so he is present in all places that Presence fills heaven and earth Ier. xxiii Nor do we now speak of his glorious Presence where his Majesty and Glory shines that is in the heavens Heaven is his Throne No nor yet do we mean his miraculous Presence where he manifests himself in some extraordinary work of his Power thus the Israelites when they were in want question'd his Presence Is the Lord amongst us yea or no No besides all these he hath a gracious Presence by which he dwells amongst us Yes that gracious and merciful and beneficial Presence is that we speak of How shall that appear to us 1. God dwells in a Nation which he chuses to be his Peculiar people the people of his Covenant amongst whom he fixes his Sanctuary and establishes his Worship As David speaks The Lord hath chosen Iacob to be his Inheritance Thus Hosea calls the Nation and Countrey of the Jews The Lords Land Hos. ix 3. All the world is his dominion but by special purchase and possession so the Church is his That is like the Lords Demeans which himself holds in his own hand 2. The place of Gods delight that is the residence of his special Presence Delight fixes a man to his abode When we are such a people that God takes pleasure in us then he saith Here will I dwell for I have a delight in it The Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation here will I dwell and rest in it Psal. cxxxii 3. There are we to reckon of Gods special Presence where he sets his Family that is the usual place of presence and abode Where we see God gathers to himself a Church is daily collecting to himself a people to know him and worship him there we may conclude God vouchsafes his Presence Thus Christ is described to walk among the Churches Rev. i. When it may be said of a place as God saith of Corinth Acts xviii 10. I have much people in this City there resolve that God is present When they grow thinner and thinner it is to be feared God is then removing 4. There we conclude is a place of Presence and abode where a man bestows most cost A Land-lord will keep up all his possessions so doth God the World but his chiefest care is for his Mansion-house Do we see a people enriched with his choysest blessings His eyes are over them continually no favour is too dear for them Surely God dwells among such a people 5. A man is said to dwell where his abode is most constantly Sometimes God makes his Progress and Excursions into other places as he did to Niniveh by the preaching of Ionah He may be sometimes as a way-faring man that lodges for a night Ier. xiv 8. He may shew some rare tokens of his being amongst them But when he pitches his Tabernacle where his Ordinances are constantly and he fixes them there that is the place of his Presence We have done with the first God's presence it is the happiness of a Nation II. The second Consideration is T is the bitter fruit of sin that causeth God to withdraw his presence and to turn away from us 1. This is the malignant effect of sin that it parts God and us makes a separation moves him to withdraw and turn away from us He rejoyces in the habitable parts of the world and his delights are with the sons of men Prov. viii 31. But sin and wickedness causes an alienation in him and estrangeth him from
flings down these Tabernacles sets up Christs onely In the new Ierusalem there is no Temple but the Lamb is the Temple Rev. xxi 22. Who is Moses and who is Elias but servants of this Tabernacle of which Christ is Lord We must not have not only Altare contra Altare but not Altare cum Altari Christ alone is the Lord all the rest are but servants 2. A second Error Moses and Elias must needs have Tabernacles and abide with Christ to make up this Glory Why Christ alone and his Tabernacle cannot that suffice us It is an Error so to affect the presence of the Saints as to account Christ an imperfect Saviour if they be wanting or our happiness insufficient if Saints be not joyned with him 'T is comfortable to have the society of the Saints but in point of salvation hereafter or comfort here we must know he is alone All-sufficient for us Whom have I in heaven but thee Nihil Domine praeter teipsum In this case though Abraham know us not and Iacob be ignorant of us and Moses and Elias they abide not Yet thou art the same Lord thou never failest The Court is where the King is though none of his followers attend upon him If Christ be not thine and vouchsafes his presence all the Saints and Angels in heaven cannot comfort thee If thou hast him were they all strangers to thee thou hast fulness of bliss in him onely The Sun alone is more refreshing then all the Stars in the Firmament 3. A third Error Peter will set up three Tabernacles One for Christ then for Moses then for Elias Christ indeed is first named but here is too much equalizing the servants with the Master Nimis perversum quod Mosen Eliam Collegas Christo facit cum omnes in ordinem cogendi ut ille solus emineat It is too fellow-like a provision to sort Christ and Saints in such Tabernacles of equality All Sheaves must fall down and worship this Sheaf All Saints must do homage and stoop and not state it in several Courts and quarters as petty Christs No Christ's footstool is a glorious Throne for the highest Saints Maldonate the Jesuit upbraids Calvin with making this construction of Peters good meaning But Calvin is not the first His own Cardinal Turrecremate conceits it before him How hath that Church pitch'd Tabernacles check-mate with Christ's The Virgin Maries Tabernacle is more frequented There must be a writ of Command from this to Christ's What Peter did in an astonishment and incogitancy these do wilfully and wickedly paralelling Saints with Christ the Law with the Gospel servants of the house with the Lord of it Three Churches there are built on Tabor and a Monastery 4. A fourth Error Christ and Moses and Elias in Glory must have three Tabernacles A strange weakness of this holy man What use have glorified bodies of these Tabernacles made with hands Indeed the Feast of Tabernacles was a Type of our heavenly joy but a poor shadow onely A Tabernacle it was a Travellers habitation their journey being past that was a refreshing their toyls over that was a shelter It was a Military habitation their warfare past that was their covert But there is no Tabernacle in heaven As Moses himself confesses Psal. xc Lord thou art our dwelling place The carnal thoughts of men think these earthly comforts to have place in heaven As the Sadduces thought If there be a Resurrection then there is Marrying and giving in Marriage So the Iews thought That if the Messias be then there must be carnal victory worldly pomp So the Turks promise themselves sensual delights In this sense it is true The kingdome of heaven is not meat nor drink nor any such comfort but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost We look for a Tabernacle and Building made without hands Those Eternal Mansions whose Foundations are Eternity and whose Walls are Salvation need not our poor Cottages THE SIXTH SERMON ON S. MATTH xvii v. While he yet spake behold a bright cloud overshadowed them and behold a voyce out of the cloud which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him WE have seen the Progress of this glorious Appearance of Christ hitherto First In his holy Preparation He prayed Secondly In his glorious Transfiguration of his body Thirdly In his honourable Attendance of Moses and Elias Fourthly In the ravishing and ecstatical Contemplation of his Apostles Now Fifthly We come to the highest pitch and rise of Glory put upon him by God and unto which all the rest were subordinate and purposed the great Glory and Honour put upon him from heaven by God the Father in this magnificent and renowned Testimony This is my beloved Son As when Nathan and Zadock had attended Solomon to Gihon and there invested him in the Title of the kingdome with Applause and Shouting then David his father gives him the solemn Consummation in placing him upon his own Royal Throne and establishing his Succession by his own Approbation So here Moses and Elias having adored him on Mount Tabor now God the Father seals up his Glory Go forth O ye daughters of Zion and behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith his mother Crowned him Cant. iii. 11. This David spake of Psal. ii 6. I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Zion Vers. 7. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Three times we see this glorious voyce came from heaven to magnifie Christ 1. In his entrance and initiation of his Mediatourship when he was baptized by Iohn then lo a voice from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. iii. 17. 2. Here in the course and progress of his Mediatourship 3. At the end and closure of it before his Passion Then came there a voice from heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorifie it again Now in this glorious Testimony given to our Saviour here in the Text there are two things 1. Is a fitting and significant accommodation and preparation for it A bright cloud overshadowed them 2. Is the publication and declaration of this glorious Testimony This is my beloved Son First is the preparation A bright cloud overshadowed them I. A cloud overshadowed them The overspreading of this cloud upon our Saviour and the Apostles was purposed of God for divers reasons 1. To correct the Error of Peter He would prepare Tabernacles to shelter Christ and those glorified bodies as supposing that those glorified bodies had need of shelter coverture God confutes this Error Here is an overshadowing and shelter from heaven not a Booth or a Tent pitch'd by man but framed by God an heavenly Cloathing miraculously framed As David speaks He layes the beams of his chambers in the waters and makes the clouds his charret Psal. civ 3. He cloaths himself with this aëry or rather heavenly Mansion Thus Solomon The heaven of heavens cannot contain him