therefore the Jews called it a Sabbath of Sabbaths or Regina Sabbathorum the Queen of rests 4. Gods own distinction raining no Manna that day 5. Other holy dayes were memorative or figurative only but this was both memorative and figurative which Bellarmine marks 6. Other feasts might be transferred to it but it might be transferred to none 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. The whole Week takes denomination from it and is called a Sabbath Luk. 18.12 that is in the Week Now our Christian Sabbath or religious rest is called a sabbath-Sabbath-day by our Saviour Mat. 24.20 Called therefore also the Lords day Rev. 1.10 as one of our Sacraments is called the Lords Supper and the Table of the Lord because instituted by him Yet with grief be it spoken it is so observed by some that it may more fitly be stiled Dies Daemoniacus quà m Dominicus Alsted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. But let every one of us sanctifie it that is keep it spiritually rejoycing in the meditation of Christs law more than the rest of our bodies For external rest alone may be called the Sabbath of the Oxe or of the Ass but the internal or secret rest is true consecrating of a Sabbath It is observable that though upon all days Christ was operative and miraculous Dr. J. T. yet chose he to do many of his miracles upon the Jews Sabbath And many reasons doubtless did concur and determine him to a more frequent working upon those days of publick ceremony and convention amongst which these may be two 1. That he might draw off and separate Christianity from the yoke of Ceremonies by abolishing and taking off the strictest Mosaical Rites 2. And that he might do the work of abrogation and institution both at once So that he hath dissolved the bands of Moses in this and other instances principally in the sacred command for the Sabbath-day that now we are no more obliged to that rest which the Jews religiously observed by prescript of the Law Col. 2.16 For that which now remains moral in it is that we do honour to God for the Creation and to that and all other purposes of Religion separate and hallow a portion of our time Concerning the Lords day which now the Church observes it was set apart in honour of the Resurrection And he who keeps that day most strictly most religiously he keeps it best and most consonant to the designe of the Church from whence it had its positive institution the ends of Religion and the interest of his soul The works that may be done on the Sabbath are those of Piety Charity Necessity In Scripture he that gathered sticks was paid home with stones Num. 15. The first blow given the German Churches was upon the sabbath-Sabbath-day which they carelesly observed And Prague was lost upon that day Sanctifying the Lords day in the Primitive times was a badge of Christianity When the question was propounded Servâsti Dominicum Hast thou kept the Sabbath The answer was returned Christianus sum intermittere non possum I am a Christian and may not do otherwise That holy man Johanna Dâ—ùsius when the Sabbath-day approached put upon him his best apparel and welcomed the Sabbath going forth to meet and salute it with Veni Sponsa mea Come my sweet Spouse He was glad of it as the Bridegroom of the Bride Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy Exod. 20.8 Kingdom of God There is the Kingdom of God's 1. Power 2. Grace 3. Glory For the first His throne is lofty and dominion large It being his powerful government generally over the whole world and every particular in it even unto the sparrows on the house top and hairs on our head which he preserveth and disposeth of according to his own will and royal decree Of this Psal 103.19 Psal 145.13 Mat. 10.30 Hereunto Devils and all creatures whatsoever are subject The second signifies his special gracious government and rule over the Elect whose hearts he enlightneth and guideth by his Spirit effectually moving them to believe his promises and do his will Of this Luk 17.21 Rom. 14.17 And by the third understand his blessed and glorious estate wherein he reigneth with millions of Saints for ever and ever full of heavenly majesty and felicity Of this 1 Cor. 6.9 Luk. 22.16 Called heavenly 2 Tim. 4.18 Now of these two latter the one is the means the other the end for grace is the way to glory holiness to happiness Therefore Seek ye first the kingdom of God Mat. 6.33 and his righteousness Gods Presence There is a twofold presence of God in his people 1. Felt and perceived 2. Secret and unknown Sometime God is not only present with his people but also makes them sensibly perceive it as Simeon and therefore his mourning was turned to mirth and his sobs to songs Again sometime God is present but not felt and this secret presence sustains us in all temptations it ever leaveth life in our souls like the tree wherein life remains when the leaves are gone Fear thou not Isa 41.10 for I am with thee Church-Order and Discipline Order THe Church of God is not a Den of Confusion but an House of Order Ceremonies are of two sorts some are typical others are of order Those are abrogated not these saith Peter Martyr The Ceremonies of the Law were primò mortales postea mortuae Légalia faerunt ante passionem Domini viva statim post passionem mortuae hodie sepulta Augâ— postremò mortiferae So that to leave Christ for them or to join Christ with them is the plain way to destruction Yet such is the nature of misguided zeal that under colour of weeding out Superstition it will pluck up by the roots many plants of Paradise and acts of true Religion God is the God of order therefore it is good to have respect in the Church to things both real and ritual For Ordine servato mundus servatur at illo Neglecto pessùm totus orbis abit Order being kept the World is kept but when That is neglected all the World 's gone then Faith and Order that is saith one Doctrine and Discipline these two make the Church fair as the Moon cleer as the Sun and terrible as an Army with banners Our Saviour caused the people whom he fed to keep order in their sitting on the grass they sate down rank by rank as rows or borders of beds in a garden so the Greek imports whereupon an Expositor noteth Ordinatim res in Ecclesia faciendae Order must be observed in the Church Let all things be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 Reproof Wise men ever take a freedom of reproving especially when vice is bold and daring for when Modesty dies Vertue is then upon the vanish Seasonable speech falling upon a prepared heart hath oft a strong and sweet operation Friends as Bees are killed with the honey of Flattery but quickned with the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he burst out into an holy heat he wrought with a kind of anger against himself and others because the work went on no faster i. e. animum accendit Hic in bonum sumitur est studii ardentis non irae Buxt Chrysostome saith of Peter that he was like a man made all of fire And Basil was said to be a Pillar of fire such was their Zeal When Polycarpus had heard of any false doctrine broached by any he was wont to stop his cares saying Ah my Lord why hast thou reserved me to these times And would presently go his way Old father Latimer said we had good things in England onely deest ignis viz. Zelus Give God thine affections else thine actions are still-born and have no life in them The best way to keep fire alive is under ashes So Zeal which is the fire of the spirit is best preserved in an humble soul remembring it self to be dust and ashes Gen. 18.27 Job 42.6 Jesus Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity Tins 2.14 and purify unto himself a pecullar people zealous of good works Luke-Warmness A luke-warm Christian is one that standeth indifferently affected neither eager for the truth nor an open adversary thereunto Neither a Zealous professour nor a professed enemy to Religion but a neuter Such saith a Divine are our civil Justiciaries Quoties Judaeos foeliciter degere videant cognatos corum se appellant ut pote à Joseph oriundi Quando verò cos rebus adversis constictari intelligant adfirmare nihil eos ad se pertinere Politick professors neuter-passive Christians a fair day mends them not and a foul day pairs them not peremptory nover to be more precise resolved to keepe on the warm side of the hedge to sleep in a whole skin suffer nothing do nothing that may interfere with their hopes or prejudice their preferments Thinking they can at once keep correspondency both with God and the world And therefore Camelion-like turn themselves into any colour and accommodate themselves to any company Such of old were those Assyrian Colonies 2 King 17.41 that feared the Lord and withal served their graven images And such like were their successors the Samaritanes of whom Josophus recordeth the Jewes while they flourished should be their dear Cousins but if at any time under-hatches they would not once own them Such were the ancient Ebionites of whom Eusebius tells us that they would Keep the Sabbath with the Jewes and the Lords day with the Christians And still we have now a days more than a good many in utrunque parati unresolved and ready to be any thing with the time Such Profligate Professours and temporizing Gospellers the Lord holds in such special detestation that they are held worthy to be set in the front and to lead the ring-dance of such reprobates as shall be hurl'd into hell Yea the Lord will spew such parasites out of his mouth as too loathsome morsels for his stomack to brook or bear with I know thy works Rev. 3 15. Vers 16. that thou art neither cold nor hot I would thou wert cold or hot So then beause thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot I will spue thee out of my mouth Vigilancy True Christian watchfulnesse is an earnest care and bending of the mind to live every day as one would live upon his dying or upon his judgment day which may fall out to be every day for ought that we know 1. There is a watchfulness in reference to God We should watch 1. What God doth 2. What God saith 2. And we should watch in reference to our selves We should watch 1 What we do 2. What we speak 3. What we think Every thought word and work must be accounted for and brought to judgment And therefore it is as much our wisdom as it is our duty to watch over them VVhilst Ishbosheth slept upon his bed at none Baanah and Rechab took away his head Scilicèt ut paratum intentum momentis omnibus quò vellet subitò educeret Sueton. Whilst the Crocodile sleepeth with open mouth the Indian Rat gets into him and eateth his entrails Our enemy is alwayes ready to annoy us should we not therefore be vigilant It was a piece of Julius Caesars policy never to fore-acquaint his souldiers of any set time of removal or on-set that he might ever have them in readinesse to draw forth whithersoever he would Christ who is called the Captain of our salvation deales in like manner Meritâ— semper sonare auribus nostris debet haec vox vigilaete This word Watch should be ever sounding in our eares running in our minds Bucer in Mark cap. 13.37 It fareth with the best as with a drowsie person who though awakened and set to work is ready to fall asleep at it So Peter James and John those pillars as they are called Gal. 2. fell asleep at their very prayers Mat. 26.40 Such dull mettal are the best men made of and so weak is the flesh be the spirit never so willing so ill disposed is our most noble and immortal part the soul to supernal and supernatural employements Meditation and Prayer are the creatures of the Holy Ghost Jude 20. and that we may not run out into extravagancies or put up yawning petitions we must watch and pray yea watch while we are praying meditating c. against corruption within the sin that doth so easily beset us Heb. 12.1 and temptations without whether from the world the things whereof are so neer us and natural unto us Or from the Devil who is ever busiest with the best as flies with sweet-meates and with the best part of their best performances as in the end of their prayers when the heart should close up it self with most comfort Keep thy heart with all diligence Pro. 4.23 otherwise it will presently be a dunghill of all filthy and abominable lusts and the life a long châ—in of sinfull actions a very continued web of wickednesse Take heed where you set gun-powder sith fire is in your heart Austin thankes God that the heart and temptation did not meet together Beside Satan will be interrupting as the Pythoniss did Paul praying Act. 16.16 as the fowles did Abraham sacrificing Gen. 15.11 as the enemies did Nehemiah with his Jews building Who therefore praid and watcht and watcht and praid What I say unto you I say unto all Watch. Mark 13.37 Security There is a twofold security 1. Spiritual and good 2. Carnal and sinful The one ariseth from the actings of a vigorous faith grounded upon the promise and Word of God Hope in God is the security and settlement of the soul Spes illa solùm firmitatam hahet qua Deo nititur God is the Saints Anchor-hold they cannot be removed by any storm when once they have fastened upon him He is the hope of all the ends of the earth and hope in him
in our common speech we know when a promise is to any we use to say remember such a one Calv. And hence because the promise was made to David therefore as Calvin observes he is pleased in the midst of the verse in medio virtus here lyes the best part Gods promises But methinks I smell a Papist raising this doctrine out of these words That we are aided by the suffrages of the dead Saints Thedoret Remember David Dead Saints they are that raise it For we do not consider David here barely as Theodoret doth but as one to whom belong'd the promises as I said before I passe over this dead doctrine of the dead and turn back to the words of spirit and life Lord remember David The Kingly Prophet we see prayes to God he goes not to Angels or Saints for they are not as he well did know to be invocated Psal 73.25 Wherefore David saith whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee And again Ex profundis out of the deeps have I cried unto thee O Lord. I wonder that the Papists condemn him not of immodesty or presumption but albeit they are so full of modesty it is but Pythagorical that shameless modesty they rob God of his honour No wonder as Corvinus forgot his name they forget their manners But I say Give Caesar what is Caesars Angels are not to be invocated Mat. 4.10 but God alone The Papists distinction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is meer Sophistry Both services are due to God Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Moreover Rom. 10. how shall they call on them on whom they have not believed If they call on Saints they must believe in Saints and what is this but to make Christ and his sufferings not to be the compleat object of justifying faith I onely name this Solomon learned otherwise from his father to make God the chief defender of his faith to whom he should pray Lord. Here also I observe a secret confession of Gods love in promising to David of Solomons hope in obtaining God is faithful and ready to promise and as faithfull and ready to perform Solomon both faithful and ready to receive A Looking-glasse for Kings and all others hoc facite vivite do the like and live Four divinity Lectures or Lectures of divine morality for Kings spring from Solomons Petitioning to the Lord in this manner drawn together from the contents of his Petition First that Church and Kingdom are in the hand of God to be disposed of as pleaseth him The most High ruleth in the Kingdom of men and giveth it to whom soever he will He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords By me Ksngs reign saith Wisdom Kings are Gods Vicegerents here on earth Dan. 4.32 Revel 19.16 who beare the stamp of the divine Majesty they are in his stead his servants Populum gubernando saith Thomas notwithstanding his other paradox Pro. 8.15 Therefore advisedly he runs not to man he seeks not to get a Kingdome by violence or by the strength of flesh and blood for there is no King saved by the multitude of an host Rom. 13. he trusteth not to the broken reedes of Egypt cursed is he that trusteth in man he learn'd this lesson from his father that vain is the help of man vain also the help of Princes Jerem. 17.5 Put not your trust in Princes but the name of the Lord is a strong tower Thus he acknowledgeth Gods supremacie Lord. Secondly as the first establishing of Church and Policie is in Gods power so is it he that causeth a flourishing Church and Policie As he gives the being so also the welbeing Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it Psal 127. Arena sine culce indeed it may well be called Labour in vain except the Lord keep the City the watchmen wake but in vain This was Davids song for his son Solomon That King therefore that will have a flourishing Church and Common-weal must pray to God for it with all humility and submission This is via regia a Kings high-way Solomon hath chalk't it out Here observe his voluntary allegiance to God Lord. Thirdly Kings sons are to have a special care of the charge that their fathers leave behind with them as Solomon had here of Davids Therefore they must pray and do all that can be done for the welfare of their subjects so that they must not be slack in matters of Religion but very zealous it is that unicum necessarium David hath lead him the way the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up and Solomon was not far behind him he follows the tract And good reason The Crown can never be kept without good subjects the subjects can never be good without true Religion Solomon prayes for both and that is the next way to get both And David Peace be within thy walls Psal 122. and prosperity within thy Palaces the effect of both Both these Care and Zeal jump together in one peacefull King to root out Idolatry and plant true Religion What follows Peace and Prosperity Fourthly here is an Emblem of his hope joyn'd with innocency this made him pray to the Lord with heart of grace He knew the Articles If thy children will keep my Covenant and my testimony then their children shall sit upon the throne for evermore He found himself yet to have a good conscience for God will not hear the prayer of the wicked Therefore his innocence confirmed his hope Yet afterward he fell away whether wholly or no we conclude not uncharitably of him with the Papists whereby the bond was forfeited 1 King 11. the promise disanull'd and yet God was more merciful than he sinful for the Lord would not take all the Kingdom from Solomon nor his seed for Davids sake Mat. 1. Neither was Davids seed being in captivity quite cut off for Christ descened from the line of David according to the flesh and hence is called the Son of David and now reigns for evermore according to Gods promise and so is Davids Lord. This I touch by the way It is requisite then that Kings should have care to serve God continually in the integrity and innocencie of their heart If they fall from God God falls from them and then he will either rend their Kingdoms as he did Solomons or pull down both King and throne and lay their honour in the dust If not but that they will keep Gods Commandments and maintain Religion as David did as David shall they prosper all the dayes of their life This Solomon intended and in this intent cried he Lord remember David In these words again do but observe Solomons Sampson-like faith he presseth God with his promise his faith works upon that Since God was so gracious to promise Solomon
Objectivè for he that was yesterday shadowed in the Law is to day shewed in the Gospel one Christ crucified being the center of the Bibles circumference Subjectivè the same in his Attributes Power and Authority being alwayes the Lord of his people and Shepherd of his Flock Effectivè the same in his goodness and grace for he who was yesterday the God of Salvation is to day and shall be for ever Jesus a Saviour Christ is our priviledged place where our souls cannot be arrested Themistocles being out of favour with Philip of Macedon took up in his arms his son Alexander beseeching him for his sake to accept him Let us take in the Arms of our faith the holy Child Jesus and beseech the Father for his sake to accept us Ignis crux bestiae confractio ossium membrorum divulsio Ignatius totius corporis contritio toto Tormenta Diaboli in me veniant dum Christo fruar John Lambert lifting up his hands and fingers flaming with fire Act. and Mon. cryed to the people None but Christ none but Christ Now am I drest like a true Souldier of Christ said Filmer Martyr by whose merits only I trust this day to enter into his joy I know that Messias cometh which is called Christ John 4.25 Isa 61.1 Psal 45.7 Acts 10.38 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek c. God thy God hath anointed thee with the oyle of gladness above thy fellows Him hath God anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power What things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ Phil. 3.7 That I may win him and be found in him And now let it be observed That although none may be called Jesuites of Jesus because there is no Saviour beside him yet we are called Christians of Christ because we are anointed as he was Christ hath a threefold Title to Christians souls 1. Jure Creationis by Right of Creation Gen. 2.7 2. Merito Redemptionis Bern. by Merit of Redemption 1 Cor. 6.20 3. Dono Patris by the Fathers Gift John 17.6 7 9. As the Needle of a Dyâ—l removed from his Point never leaveth his quivering motion till it settles it self in the just place it alwayes stands in so fares it with a Christian in this World nothing can so charm him but he will mind his Saviour all that put him out of the quest of Heaven are but disturbances though the profits pleasures c. of this life may shuffle him out of his usual course yet he wavers up and down in trouble like quick-silver and never is quiet till he return to his wonted life and motion towards happiness where he sets down his rest expecting the reality of a Crown of endless glory Quid qui Christo omnino non credit 1. Cypr. appellatur Christianus Pharisaei tibi magis congruit nomen A Christian commits no sin without horrible sacriledge sin committed by a Pagan is the Laws transgression to be punished by death but the same committed by a Christian is not only a sin but a sacrilegious sin of highest degree Belshazzars sins were fully heightned when he abused the holy vessels to have drunk intemporately for the honour of his Idols in any vessel was a fearful sin but to do it in vessels dedicated to the honour of the true God was a double sin But this sacriledge to thine who art a Christian is but small he abused but vessels of gold and silver but thou the Temple of God by thy sin and loose living That which by Baptism was marked and sealed to an holy use thou turnest to the service of Satan By Profession a Christian by Conversation a Satanist Judas-like thou kissest Christ with thy mouth and with thy hand betrayest him Christiani hominis est Agrippa operari charitatem loqui veritatem That good Christian Eusebius to all questions demanded of him answered He was a Christian to shew that in all places callings and things we ought to shew our selves Christians The Disciples were called Christians first in Antioch Acts 11.26 Phil. 2.5 1 John 2.6 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus We ought also to walk even as Christ walked Of the Personal Vnion AMong other Titles of our Blessed Saviour Unio importat conjunctionem aliquorum in aliquo uno Aquinas he is called Emmanuel well deserving that Name for he hath done what the same imports as being one by whom God would dwell with us united to our nature by Incarnation as well as to our persons by Reconciliation The Personal Union is wonderful and unsearchable the manner whereof is to be believed not discussed admired not pried into Personal it is yet not of persons Athanas of natures and yet not natural As a soul and body are one man so God and man are one person And as every Believer that is born of God remains the same entire person that he was before receiving nevertheless in him a Divine Nature which before he had not so Immanuel continuing the same perfect person which he had been from Eternity assumeth nevertheless a humane nature which before he had not to be born within his person for ever This is our Ladder of Ascension to God faith first layes hold upon Christ as a man and thereby as by a mean makes way to God and embraceth the Godhead which is of itself a consuming fire And whereas sin is a partition-wall of our own making denying us access God is now with us And in Christ we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him Christs humanity serves as a Skreen to save us from those everlasting burnings and as a Conduit to derive upon us from the Godhead all spiritual blessings in heavenly places Behold Matth. 1.23 a Virgin shall be with Child and shall bring forth a Son and they shall call his Name Emmanuel which being interpreted is God with us Of Christ the Mediatour THere is an old Covenant and a new the old Covenant was this Hoc sac vive Mediator est qai se medium interponit inter partes dissidentes alios aliis reconciliat Do this and live And cursed is he that continueth not in all things written in the book of the Law to do them This was a sour Covenant The new Covenant is Crede in me vive Believe in Christ and live This a sweet Covenant Moses was the Mediatour of the Law by his hands the two Tables of the Law were transmitted to the people But Christ is the Mediatour of the Gospel the which he hath established with his own blood The Hereticks called Melchisideciani made Melchizedec our Mediatour Epiphan contr haeret l. 2. Tom. 1. Some Papists will have all the Angels and Saints in heaven to be our Mediatours together with Christ Their Champion freely confesseth that Christ is our Mediatour Aquin. p.
and harmony shews they were guided by one and the same Spirit of God 5. The divine properties of the Scriptures viz. Antiquity admirable perfection Psal 19.2 Tim. 3.17 Certainty of the truth the strong and perpetual opposition of the Devil and the wicked world against them above all writings Jerem. 36.23 And Gods powerful and watchful preservation of them notwithstanding 2 Chron. 34.15 Jerem. 36.28 and in history at large in all which divine properties the Scriptures carry express foot-steps of God himself above all the writings in the world 6. The powerful effects of the Scriptures for by them men are led unto God Joh. 1.8 they do directly work upon the spirits and souls of men in all their faculties Act. 26.18 Heb. 4.12 2 Cor. 10.4 They carry a mighty power to convert and save Ps 19. Rom. 1.16 2 Tim. 1.10 And where it converteth not it is powerful to convince harden confound and secretly to slay not in it self but by accident 2 Cor. 2.15 16 c. Now whatsoever carrieth with it such a divine power and efficacy must needs be from God 7. The Scriptures have many strong Testimonies 1. The whole Church of God hath ever witnessed to them 2. Innumerable Martyrs have sealed the truth with their blood Rev. 12.11.3 Heathens and Gentiles have borrowed a number of Stories out of the Scriptures which argueth that they were in their consciences convinced of the truth and authority of them 4. The sensible experience of believers who have found the divine effects of the Word in themselves John 9.25 5. The testimony of Gods blessed Spirit without which all other perswasions are flat and fruitless confirming the truth which himself hath inspired in every believing heart Add unto all how every part of Scripture seâ—teth up and magnifieth the true God it is all from him and therefore it is all for him This serves therefore to the eviction of the Jew that asks for signs In sacrâ Scripturâ non solum bonitas est quod praecipitur faelicâ— tas quod promittitur sed etiam veritas est quod dicitur Hugo vanquishing of Dives that would send the dead condemning of Antichrist that requires miracles and quelling of the Anabaptist that expects revelations Dixit Julianus Apostata vidi legi contempsi cui Basilius vidisti legisti non intellexisti si intellexisses non contempsisses Authoritas oertitudo Scripturae consistit 1. In narrationis solius veracitatâ— ejusque enuntiatione de rebus praeteritis praesentibus futuris 2. In potestate mandatorum prohibitionum Hinc pendet a Deo Authore praecipuo tum quia verax citra falsitatis suspicionem quia potestatem habet irrefragabilem All the Scriptures teach nothing else saith Augustine but that we must love our Neighbour for God and God for himself Nihil praecipit nisi charitatem Aug. nec culpat nisi cupiditatem It forbids nothing but lust it enjoyns nothing but love for without love there is no faith and without faith all our righteousness is sin Scriptura nos obligat 1. Ad credendum 2. Ad obediendum Haec obligatio nullâ externâ authoritate auferri potest The Scriptures are verba vivenda purposely composed to promote piety in the world All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof 2 Tim 3.16 Rom. 15.9 Mat. 22.29 Joh. 5.39 Act. 18.24 for correction for instruction in righteousness For whatsoever things were Written aforetime Were Written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Ye do erre not knowing the Scriptures Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me Mighty in the Scriptures Of the old and new Testament Some Atheistical spirits would make the holy Bible a Bable but let such take heed it prove not to them a Babel their confusion Major fuit cura Caesari libellorum quà m Purpurae Julius Caesar being forced to swim for his life held his Commentaries in one hand above water and swam to land with the other How infinitely more are we to value this Book of books being the souls Promptuary The whole Bible is distributed into the old and new Testament In the old Testament we have the Gospel vailed under promises prophecies and Types But in the Books of the new Testament we have the Gospel revealed the Lord delineating to us the New Covenant of Grace in Christ unveiled and actually exhibited and performed Christ being the body and substance of all those ancient types and shadows Gods Covenant with man in Christ is represented to us in holy Scripture principally two ways As Promised fore-prophecied and typified in Christ to be manifested afterwards in the flesh Hence called the Covenant of promise Eph. 2.12 and covenants because of the several publications of the Covenant with more and more Augmentations in several points or Periods of time Thus the Covenant is made known in all the books of Scripture before Christs coming called the old Testament or Covenant Heb. 8.13.2 Cor. 3.14 As performed fulfilled and actually accomplished in Christ already come and manifested in our flesh in fulness of time And thus the Covenant is most clearly and fully unveiled to us in all the Books of Scripture written since Christs coming which are therefore stiled the new Covenant or the new Testament Heb. 8.8 Mat. 26.28 Heb. 9.15 The new Testament is better than the old not in regard of the substance the substance of both is one which is Christ Jesus but in respect of divers circumstances For 1. The Old Testament did but shadow out things to come the New Testament makes a gift and exhibition of them Col. 2.17 So that as the body is better than the shadow so is the New Testament than the Old 2. That was dark and obscure this plain and perspicuous 3. This hath sewer more lively and easie Sacraments 4. That was temporal and therefore not ratified with an Oath this is eternal and lasteth for ever for the which cause it was confirmed with an Oath 5. The Mediatour or Surety of that was Moses the Surety of this is Christ In comparison then with the state of the Old Testament how much more obliged are we to God who live in the times of the New in respect of the clear Revelation of Grace and Life untous The Prophets of the Old Testament they were as a sound John Baptist Christs immediate fore-runner was a voyce he is called so but it is Christ and he only who is the Word distinctly and fully signifying to us the Will of God concerning our salvation God spake with Moses at the door of the Tabernacle but now he leadeth his Spouse into the Presence-Chamber The Old Testament-Christians saw through a veil but now the Curtain is drawn with them it was the dawning of the day with us it is full Noon Oh that we would praise the Lord for his inestimable
in their places minister content to the mind of man In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth Gen. 1.1 Heb. 11.3 Psal 145.10 Through faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear All thy works shall praise thee O Lord. Of Light and Darkness Lux. ESt qualitas corporis lucidi quâ ipsum lucidum est alia illuminat agitque in ea non est substantia sed accidens seu affectio corporis Light was that bright quality immediately created by God Calv. and inherent in some meet subject Or the first day which God could make without means as Calvin well observeth This Light was the first ornament of the visible world and so is still of the hidden man of the heart the new creature The first thing in Pauls commission was to open mens eyes and to turn them from darkness to light To dart such a saving light into the soul as might illighten both organ and object So as that they who erst were darkness are now light in the Lord and do preach forth the praises of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light Light is not a body nor as some will have it a substance but an accident Non constar ex lumine 〈◊〉 qâ—id sit naturâ— laminis The truth is no man can tell what it is of any certainty An admirable creature it is surely a divine and heavenly thing than which nothing is more desirable nothing more profitable There are two excellent uses of Light 1. To refresh men by the sight of the earth and the things thereon Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing for the eyes to behold the Sun 2. To set us upon serious employments Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening It is called the wings of the morning because it diffuseth in an instant the whole Welkin over In a word The most noble among inanimate creatures is Light Tenebrae As Light is the most noble among inanimate creatures so the contrary to iâ— Darkness is a defect and deformity The darkness mentioned Gen. 1.2 which covered that confused heap God created not for it was but the want of light The darkness in Egypt was extraordinary Exod. 10. when God did so thicken the Air that they might take notice of it not only by the eye but by the hand when they could rather feel than see what was next unto them so that for three days space they stirred not from their places So was also that in Judea at Christs suffering Mat. 27.45 This darkness some think was universal not onely over all the land of Jury but over the whole earth and so the Text may be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tiberius say they was sensible of it at Rome Dionysius writes to Polycarpus that they had it in Egypt And it should seem that the great Astronomer Ptolomy was so amazed at it that he pronounced Either Nature now determineth or the God of Nature suffereth Sol non fert aspectum illum miserandum quem sine rubore fronte Judaei irnident saith Aretius Aret. The Sun hid his head in a mantle of black as ashamed to behold those base indignities done to the Sun of righteousness by the sons of men Darkness is either Natural or Metaphorical Darkness of Nature properly and literally so called is the absence of Light when the Sun taketh its leave of our horizon and all things are envelloped in the sable mantle of the night then we justly say it is dark Darkness used in a horrowed sense serveth in Scripture to represent a state 1. Of ignorance in divine matters 2. Luk. 1. â—â— Eph. 5â—â— when the mind is destitute of spiritual knowledge unacquainted with the mysteries of salvation 2. Of misery and that of all sorts Temporal Psal 107.10 Isa 50.10 Mat. 22.13 Spiritual Eternal 3. Of iniquity In this respect it is that the power of sin ruling in mens hearts is called The power of darkness Col. 1.12 Eph. 5 11. Rom. 13.12 13. The works of sin which they act in their lives are called The works of darkness And especially flagitious enormities such as rioting and drunkness c. To say that God dwelt in darkness till he had created light was a devilish sarcasme of the Manichees for God is light it self and the Father of lights and ever was a Heaven to himself ere ever the mountains were brought forth or ever he had formed the earth and the world even from everlasting to everlasting being God Hell is called utter darkness being an expulsion from the blessed presence of God who is mentium lumen And God said Gen. 1.3 4.2 Cor. 4.6 Let there be light and there was light And God divided the light from the darkness God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Of Night and Day Night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 NIght is so called in Hebrew Ps 104.20 21. from the yelling of wild beasts therein according to that of the Psalmist Thou makest darkness and it is night wherein all the beasts of the forrest do creep forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Varre the young lyons roar after their prey In Greek à pungendo quia ad somnum pungit Or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to strike to which the Latine answers Nox à nocendo Some say of an Hebrew word which signifies to rest because men take their ease and sleep then So the Psalmist Man goeth forth unto his work vers 23. and to his labour until the evening It is a time of silence and fit for designe so sings the Poet Statuunt sub nocte silenti Ovid. Met. 4. Fallere custodes foribúsque excedere tentant The Jewes divided the Night into four watches Mark 13.35 1. Even 2. Midnight 3. Cock-crowing 4. The Morning The Romans divided their Night into ten parts viz. 1. Crepusculum Godw Antiq. The dusk of the evening 2. Prima fax Candle-tinning 3. Vesper The night 4. Concubium Bed-time 5. Nox intempesta The first sleep 6. Admediam noctem Towards Midnight 7. Media nox Midnight 9. De média nocte A little after Midnight 9. Gallicinium Cock-crowing 10. Conticinium All the time from Cock-crowing to the Break of day The darkness God called Night Gen. 1.5 Psal 63.5 Psal 16.7 Psal 42.8 Psal 119.55 O God I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night-watches My reins instruct me in the night-seasons The Lord will command his loving kindness in the day-time and in the night his song shall be with me and my prayer unto the God of my life I have remembred thy name O Lord in the night and have kept thy law
where we shall be known and well entertained Paul pronounceth his afflictions light when he weighed them with that weight of Glory and looked on things not seen And let us use the means and hold the way to this blessed place 1. Promoting Gods glory 2. Seeking to please him in all things 3. Beginning heaven upon earth 4. Studying sanctification decking our selves with grace and getting the Wedding-garment for that Wedding-day for without Holiness none shall see God 1 King 8.27 2 Cor. 11.12 Isa 63.15 Luk. 16.22 Heb. 11.10 Joh. 14.2 2 Cor. 5.1 in that Presence-chamber of his Glory Scripture calls this place The Heaven of heavens The third heaven The habitation of Gods holiness and of his glory Abrahams bosâ—me A city which hath foundations whose maker and builder is God Christs Fathers house in which are many mansions A building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heaven The new Jerusalem The Paradise of God An holy place c. De Angelis ANgels were created it is conceived in the beginning Psal 33.6 when the Heavens were for saith the Psalmist By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth And it is likely before Man Job 38.4 7. by those words Where wast thou when the Morning-stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy Angels are Spirits of Heaven resembling their Creator as children do their father both in their substance which is incorporeal and in their excellent properties Life and immortality excellency blessedness and glory They are called 1. Spirits Nomen essentiae 2. Angels Nomen officii For their number they are said to be Thousands and Ten thousand thousands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 7.10 Myriads Heb. 12.22 which because of the vastness of the number we render innumerable They are innumerable to us so are our sins the hairs of our heads the sands of the sea-shore the stars in the firmament not to God The supposed Dionysius the Senator of Athens Niceph. 1.2 cap. 20. ordered the Celestial Hierarchy thus That the first degree is given to the Angels of Love termed Seraphim The second to the Angels of Light termed Cherubim The third and so the following degrees to Thrones Principalities and the rest which are all Angels of power and ministration So that upon this account the Angels of knowledge and illumination are placed before the Angels of office and domination I think such curious brains put all out of order Augustine is of a more modest spirit Quomodo se babeat beatissima illa ac superna Civitas quid inter se distent quatuor illa vocabula Col. 1.16 dicant qui possunt Enchyâ— ad Laurent c. 58. si tamen possunt probare quod dâ—cant Ego me isthaec ignorare consiteor Let the like humility be imitated of us all Let no man presume to understand above that which is written And there their several degrees and dignities are only hinted as well among themselves as in regard of the inferior world and the government thereof The wisdom and knowledge of these Spirits is admirable Aug. Cognitiâ— concâ—eata acquisita Schoolmen The Devils know much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much more do the good Angels They have matutinam vespertinam scientiam Their morning-knowledge they have by creation and a continual contemplation of God their evening-knowledge they have by observation from the creatures and a diligent inspection into the Church Their power also is as wonderful Their office is to minister perpetually to God in obeying his will unto Christ as the Head of the Church and are also sent out to minister for the good and salvation of the Saints for Christs sake Not that God needeth them as Princes need the counsel and aid of their subjects But he maketh use of their service about us 1. For the honour of his Majesty and comfort of our infirmity 2. To make out his love unto us by employing such noble creatures for our good 3. To make and maintain love and correspondency between us and Angels till we our selves come to be like unto them The truth is though they excell in strength yet do they Gods commandments Luk. 20.36 hearkening to the voice of his word which they perform chearfully faithfully diligently speedily and constantly ever standing before the face of our heavenly Father and rejoycing more in their names of service than of honour of imployment than preferment to be called Angels that is messengers than Principalities Thrones c. accounting it better to do good than to be great to dispense Gods benefits than to enjoy them Let us imitate these good Spirits chiefly 1. In subjecting our selves to Christ as our Lord and King Phil. 2.9 This is their bowing of the knee and ours too 2. In doing the will of God alway chearfully as they do and therefore are said to have wings thus we pray Mat. 6.10 Laudant Deum Angeli adorant tremunt tremere dicuntur non metu formidinis l. 2. c. 50. de sacr Altar myster cum sint perfectè beati sed administrationis vel obedientiae affectu saith Innocent 3. Wise 2 Sam. 14.20 Psal 103.20 Heb. 1.14 according to the wisdom of an Angel of God Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that do his commandments hearkening unto the voice of his word Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation Of the Celestial Lights Of the Sun Sol quasi solus vâ—l quia solus ex omnibus sideribus est tantus vil quia quum est exortus obscuratis aliis solus appareat Martinius THe Sun is the Prince of Planets coursing about with incredible swiftness so sweet a creature that Eudoxus the Philosopher professed that he would be content to be burnt up with the heat of it so he might be admitted to come so near it as to learn the nature of it The Sun is as it were a vessel whereinto the Lord gathered the Light which till then was scattered in the whole body of the heavens This David beheld with admiration not adoration Psal 8. Jer. 44. as those Idolaters that worshipped the Queen of heaven For that was a witty speech of Cyril They were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atheists by night who worshipped the Sun and Atheists by day who worshiped the Moon and Stars And well he might for Chrysostom wondreth at this That whereas all fire naturally ascendeth God hath turned the beams of the Sun toward the earth making the light thereof to stream downwards This is the Lords own work and it ought to be wonderful in our eyes The Sun hath his name in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a servant as being the servant-general of mankind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while he shines indifferently upon the evil and the good imparting to both light
fountain near Monacris in Arcadia Nat. Hist l. 2. c. 103. of which whosoever drinks presently falls down dead the name of the fountain is Styx so called because it was of all men abhorred So should we be affected to the evil of sin as to a thing that brings present death Man drinks iniquity like water but every draught slayes the soul as the water of Styx the body As thou wouldest not drink poyson so beware of it The Poets have feigned a river to be in hell called by the same name Rom. 12.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sometime is taken for hell it self Art thou afraid of hell be also as much afraid of evil Pro peccato magno paululum supplicii satis est pati Thinks the sinner a small punishment may serve for a great offence But if God do punish the punishment shall have the same proportion with the offence God proportions the punishment of man with his sin and that two manner of wayes 1. In the quality and manner of it 2. In the quantity or degree of it The justice of God is visible in both Adonibezek was and so have many others been punished in the same manner that he had sinned But all shall be punished in the same degree that they have sinned 〈◊〉 abyssus 〈◊〉 a invocat When the iniquity of the Amorite is full he shall have his fill of wrath When God is pressed with sin as a cart with sheaves then he layes on load in judgment If sin be great so shall the punishment of it be Gods judgments against sinners are feathered from themselves as a fowl shot with an arrow feathered from her own body Which is according to Julians Motto Propriis pennis perire grave est No sooner had man sinned but the earth was cursed for his sake It was never beautiful nor chearful since and lookes to be burnt up shortly with her workes But yet the Punishment of sin may come long after the comitting of sin The one is a seed-time the other a reaping-time betwixt which there is a distance of time Job 4.8 The seeds of sin may lye many years under the furrowes A man may commit a sin in his youth and not find the harvest of it till old age The strongest sinner shall not escape punishment There are no sons of Zerviah too hard for God God desires in a special manner to be dealing with these for they in the pride of their spirits think themselves a match for God though indeed their strength is but weaknesse and their wisdom foolishness hence like Pharoah they send defiance to Heaven and say who is the Lord When God sees the hearts of men swoln to this height of insolent madnesse he delights to shew himself and grapple with them that the pride of man may be abased and every one that is exalted may be laid low that he onely may be exalted and his name set up in that day Behold Numb 32.23 ye have sinned against the Lord and be sure your sin will find you out Evill shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him Psal 140.11 Evil pursueth sinners Pro. 13.21 The wicked is driven away in his wickednesse Cap. 14.32 Thine owne wickednesse shall correct thee Jer. 2.19 and thy back-slidings shall reprove thee know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my fear is not in thee saith the Lord God of hosts Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee Cap. 4.18 this is thy wickednesse because it is bitter because it reacheth unto thine heart If thou doest not well Gen. 4.7 sin lieth at the door Supplicium imminet idâ— proximum et presentissinium saith Junius there Then when lust hath conceived Jam. 1.15 it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death What fruit had ye then in those things Rom. 6.21 Whereof ye are now ashamed For the end of those things is death For the wages of sin is death vâ—s 23. Free-will THere are a generation of men The Motto Mâ—hi solâ—d beo that will needs hammer out their own happiness like the Spider climbing by a thread of her owne weaving But Sub laudibus naturae latent inimicigratiae saith Aug. The friends of free-will are enemies to free-grace But whoever doth well weigh Auâ— observes our Saviour saith not pâ—rfâ—â—re but facere John 6.44 with cap. 15.5 and other places of Scripture must needs conclude that down goes the Dagon of free-will with all that vitreum acumen of all the Patrons thereof whether Pagans or Papagans Pelagians or Semipelagians c. Pareus in Revel 22.17 Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely glosseth thus He saith whosoever will he saith not that it is in the power of free-will but requires the will to receive it The will is ours but the will of receiving is not in us it is the gift of grace For what have we that are have not received 1 Cor. 4.7 Mind but the case of Paul Act. 9. and of Lydia cap. 16. and it will be clear that God comes into the heart while the doors of it are shut The Arminians and Papists as to that great and special truth which the Orthodox maintain against them will grant an irresistable work of light from God upon the understanding they will grant also a potent work upon the affections but this they will not yield that God makes the will to will that is so boweth and changeth the heart that it readily imbraceth what once it abhorred yet in all that are converted this power so efficacious must needs be acknowledged for will not experience witnesse that every mans will before converting grace came was as opposite to God and as averse to all holinesse as any natural mans in the world Simpliciter velle hominis est malè velle corruptae naturae Bern. bene velle supernaturalis gratiae Quem trahit Deus volentem trahit saith Chrysostom Vbi non est Spiritus Domini non est libertas arbitrii Aug. To which August Certum est nos velle cum volumus sed ille facit ut velimus qui operatur in nobis velle Therefore he addes Da Domine quod jubes jube quod vis Cyrus had this written upon his Tomb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I could do all things as Arrianus reports So could Paul too but it was through Christ strengthening him Phil. 4.13 To which the same Apostle addes elsewhere Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Joh. 6.44 For without me ye can do nothing Cap. 15.5 For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2.13
in terrâ Creator coeli creatus sub coelo being the Child of Mary sine quo pater nunquam fuit sine quo mater nunquam fuisset So that as David sang This is the day which the Lord hath made we may say This is the day wherein the Lord was made we will rejoyce and be glad in it This was that Holy that Stone cut out of the mountain without hands that Flower of the field growing without mans labour When the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman Gal. 4 4. Joh. 1.14 1 Tim. 3.16 And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us God was manifesi in the flesh Passion It was a great kindness which Abraham shewed unto Lot when he hazarded his own life and the lives of his family to recover him out of the hands of Chedarlaomer But not comparable to that kindness which our Kinsman the Lord Jesus shewed us when he gave his life to deliver us from the hand of our enemies Mortuum Caesarem quis metuat Sed morte Christi quid efficacius If Caesar he once dead who will â—ear Christ even when dead is terrible to his enemies Nothing more effectual than his death By suffering death he destroyed him who had the power of death When he was condemned of man he condemned sin that it should not condemn man Passus est ut infirmus operatus ut fortis Aug. He suffered as a weak man but wrought as a strong one As the Serpent without life erected in the wilderness overcame the living serpents that stung Israel So the Lord Jesus by suffering death slew that Serpent that living in us had stung us to death Sanguis ejus effunditur Patre ordinante filio volente Spiritu sancto dante Gorran Judâ tradente Judaea procurante Pilato judicante Gentili exequente The High Priest under the Law as he was a type of Christ in sundry respects so likewise in his death He who killed a man negligently fled to the City of refuge and stayed there until the death of the High Priest and then he was free Jesus Christ by his death frees us and sets us at liberty One saith Christ continued in his torment twenty hours at the least Others say Sedul Homâ— â— that he was so long on the Cross as Adam was in Paradise in pleasure Origen de morte magni Regis The Theeves fared better on their Crosses than Christ on his for they had no â—rrision no superscription no taunts no insultations they had nothing but pain to encounter but death to grapple with but he death and scorn Pro servis dominus moritur pro sontibus insons Pro aegroto medicus pro grege pastor obit Pro populo rex mactatur pro milite ductor Pro opere ipse opifex pro homine ipse Deus As Eve came out of Adams side sleeping so the Church is taken out of Christs side bleeding Vt effundatur sanguis Christi ne confundatur anima Christiani A flux of blood in the head is stanched by opening a vein in the foot But here to save all his members from bleeding to death blood must be drawn from the head Which of Christs senses was not a window to let in sorrow He sees the tears of his Mother hears the blasphemy of the multitude is put to death in a noisom place to his scent his touch felt the nails and his taste the gall a reed for reproach is put into his hand a diadem in scorn is set upon his head his head harrowed with thorns his face of whom it was said Thou art fairer than the children of men is all besmeared with the filthy spettle of the Jews those eyes clearer than the sun are darkned with the shadow of death those lips which spake as never man spake are now drenched in gall and vinegar Nam cum mortis aculcum non possit accipere natura deitatis noscendo tamen sâ—scepit de nobis quod pati posset pro nobis Leo. Serm. 8. de Pas Hoc primum tormentum magnum mysterium quod passibilis factus est Hillar de Trin. l. 10. Christi humilitas est nostra sublimitas Christi crux nostra victoria Christi patibulum noster triumphus Orig. Hom 8. L. 9. and those feet that trampled on the Powers of darkness are now nailed to the footstool of the Cross Though Christ were both God and Man yet he suffered not in his Divine but in his Humane nature which may be thus illustrated 1. A Man we know consisteth both of soul and body and yet when he is dead we do not understand it of his soul for that cannot die but his body only 2. Thus The Sun shines on a Tree the Carpenter cuts down the Tree but wounds not the Sun 3. Or as the two Goats mentioned Levit. 16. the one is slain but the other escapes so of Christ in his two natures God the Creator suffers in the flesh that the flesh of the creature should not suffer for ever God himself reconciled the world unto himself God himself became Mediator God himself redeemed Mankind with his own blood He who was offered assumes the flesh of the creature and becomes Reconciliator We may say of Christs bloody sweat what the Poet Lucan having his veins cut dying said Sanguis erant lachrymae quaecunque foramina novit Humor ab his largus manat cruor ora redundunt Et patulae nares sudor rubet omnia plenis Membra fluunt venis totum est pro vulnere corpus Englished by D.T. His blood were tears and what pores sweat did know Blood in great plenty did spring forth and flow Through 's mouth and nose his sweat was red each lim Swet with full veins all 's but one wound in him Read Isa 53. all along His own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree 1 Pet. 2.14 that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness by whose stripes ye were healed Is it nothing to you 1. am 1.12 all ye that pass by Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger Descensio Christi ad Inferos Sepultura Christi est requies Christiani Ambros Buried our Saviour was 1. That none might doubt of his death 2. That our sins might be buried with him 3. That our graves might be prepared and perfumed for us as so many beds of roses or delicious dormitories Isa 57.2 If Christ did descend personally into Hell he must either descend in body or in soul Now his body could not go into hell for that was laid in the grave that very night by Joseph of Arimathea And for his soul that could not be in hell for Christ said to the Thief upon the Cross This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise And how could that be if his soul did then go
eo complacentiam ad redimendum reconciliandum genus humanum As the salt waters of the Sea when they are straitned thorow the earth they are sweet in the rivers so saith one the waters of Majesty and justice in God though terrible yet being strained and derived through Christ they are sweet and delightful In many things we offend all who then can be saved Our sins for number exceed the sands of the sea and the least sin is sufficient to throw us into hell without Christ But by Christ we are reconciled to the father and have peace with him Hence we may have a blessed calme lodged in our consciences as when Jonah was cast over board there followed a tranquility Let the meditation of this Eph. 4.32 cause a reconciliation amongst Christians forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake forgave you Consider 1. God himself offers reconciliation to us Jer. 3.1 and shall we be so hard-hearted as not to be reconciled one to another Let us be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful 2. All we do is abominable in the sight of God without it Mat. 5.23 24. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother Thou shouldst have done it before yet better late than never First seek the Kingdome of God God should be first served yet he will have his own service to stay till thou beest reconciled to thy brother If I speake with the tongues of men and Augels if I come to Church and heare never so many sermons talk never so gloriously of Religion c. and dwel in hatred be not reconciled I am but a tinkling cymbal 1 Cor. 13.1 3. We can have no assurance of our reconciliation to God without it Mat. 18.35 As the King dealt with his servant so God will cast such into the Prison of hell for ever This should make us all to quake 4 We have no certainty of our lives This night may our souls be taken from us Jovinian the Emperour supped plentifully went to bed merrily yet was taken up dead in the morning And if death take us before we take one another by the hand as a token of hearty reconciliation what shall become of us We should not suffer the sun to go down upon our wrath Johannes Eleemosynarius Arch-Bishop of Alexandria Eph. 4.26 Soc est in occasu vir maximè honorande being angry in the day with Nicetus a Senator towards night sends this message to him My honourable brother the Sun is in setting let there be a setting of our anger too If we do it not within the compass of a day yet let us do it within the compass of our lives Aculeus apis not Ataleus serpentis Let not our anger be like the fire of the Temple that went not out day nor night Let us not say with Jonah I do well to be angry even unto death Cap. 3.9 Let our anger be the sting of a Bee that is soon gone not the sting of a Serpent that tarries long and it may be proves lethall Christ is a merciful and faithful High-Priest Hebr. 2.17 in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people He hath made peace through the blood of his Cross Colos 1.20 God hath reconciled us to himself by Jefus Christ 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. and hath given to us the ministery of reconciliation viz. that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation We pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God If when we were enemies Rom. 5.10 we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Glorie to God in the Highest Luke 2.14 and on earth peace good will towards men General Calling It is the estate and condition of Christianity For herein we are called to the service of God in all parts of holiness with promise of eternal reward through the merits of Christ So it is termed because the means by which God worketh upon us ordinarily is his Word or the voice of his servants calling upon us for amendment And because through the mighty working of the Spirit of Christ the voice of Gods servants speaking out of the Word is directed unto us in particular with such power and life and our dead hearts are so revived that the doctrine is as if God did speak to us in particular we receiving the word of the Minister as the very voice or word of Christ Thus the dead hear the voice of the Son of God and live As also because God would hereby note unto us the easiness of the work he can do it with a word As he made the world and calleth up the generations of men as the Prophet sheaketh so can he in an instant with a word convert a sinner He said Let there be light and there was light So if he say Let there be 〈◊〉 grace there is presently true grace There is a twofold calling 1. External that general invitation which by the preaching of the Gospel is made unto men to invite them to come in unto Jesus Christ most in the world are thus called both good and bad 2. Internal when the Spirit of God accompanies the outward administration of the Word to call a man from ignorance to knowledge and from a state of nature to a state of grace So that the first is alone by the outward sound of the Word But the other not by the trumpet of the Word alone ringing in the ear but by the voice of the Spirit also perswading the heart and moving us to go to Christ Of this calling spake our Saviour Christ No man cometh to me Inanis est sermâ— docentis nisi intus sit qui docet except the Father draw him namely by his Spirit as well as by his Word Judas was called He was not a Professor alone but a Preacher of the Gospel Simon Magus was called he believed and was baptized Herod wâ—s called He heard John Baptist sweetly and did many things that he willed him Sundry at this day come to Church hear Sermons talk of Religion that do not answer Gods call Therefore let us intreat the Lord to call us effectually by his blessed Spirit out of our sins to holiness and newness of life If we be thus called we shall receive the eternal inheritance which Christ hath purchased for us Let us be suiters to God that he would make us partakers of this calling that makes an alteration of us 1 Cor. 6.9 11. If we were Idolaters as Manasseh to call us out of our superstition and idolatry If persecutors as Paul to call us out of our persecuting If we are Adulterers as David to call us out of our uncleanness If Drunkards out of our dâ—unkenness If
suffered for me We are all as an unclean thing Isa 64.6 Luk. 17.10 and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants Rom. 3.20 We have done that which was our duty to do Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight The Church true and false Ecclesia WHen the Original world was overwhelmed with waters Ecclesia Coetus est hominum è turbâ reliquorum mortatium â—vocatus advitam aeternam none were saved but such as were in the Ark when Sodom was burnt with sire none were saved but those of the family of Lot when Jericho was destroyed none were preserved but those which were in the family of Rahab These are figures shadowing to us that when the Lord comes to cut down the wicked to cast them for ever into the wine-presse of his wrath Salvation shall belong to the houshold of faith even that family whereof God in Christ Jesus is the Father Ecclesia 1. Invisibilis 2. Visibilis But when we say Extra Ecclesiam non est salus it is not ment of a visible but of the invisible or universal Church which is the whole company of the elect in heaven in earth and not yet born for the visible Church or particular Congregations it may be said there are many Wolves within and Sheep without Therefore it is not satisfactory to us to be gathered out of the general masse of mankind into the fellowship of the Church visible but we must examine how we are in the Lords floor whether as Chaffe or Corne for a day of winnowing will assuredly come wherein the Lord shall gather his good Corne into his Garner and the cast Chaffe into unquenchable fire Many would deal with the Church as Amnon with his sister Tamar first ravish her then defile her and then turn her out of doors The Church of God in this world is like a man of war at sea whose Master is Christ whose Mast his Crosse whose Sails his Sanctimony whose tackle patience and perseverance whose cast-peeces the Prophets Apostles Preachers Premuntur justi ut pressi clament clamentes exaudiantur exauditi glorificent Deum Quint. Curâ— 1.8 whose Mariners the Angels whose Fraught is the souls of just men whose Rudder is Charity whose Anchor is hope whose Flag in the top of her is Faith and the word written in it is this Premimur non opprimimur we are cast down but we perish not 2 Cor. 4.8 The Church Militant is sometime fluctuant as the Ark of Noah sometime movable as the Ark in the Wildernesse sometime at rest as the Ark in the Temple In persecution in removes in peace What is the colour of the Church saith one but black her armes but the Crosse her song but the note the oppressed servant in Aristophanes sung I suffer affliction For the world is a Sea a threshing-floore a Presse a Furnace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Church the Ship the Wheat the Grape the Gold and afflictions the winds the waves the flaile the fire O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted Isa 54.11 Yet Built upon the rock that the gates of Hell shall not prevail aaginst Mat. 16.18 And Glorious things are spoken of thee dicta praedicta O City of God Psal 87.3 Saints The word signifies a thing or person separated or set a part from common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and dedicated to a special especially a holy use Holinesse in the general nature of it is nothing else but a seperation from common and dedication to a divine service such are the Saints persons separated from the world and set apart unto God The Church in general which is a company of Saints is taken out of and severed from the world The Church is a fountain sealed and a Garden inclosed so also every particular Saint is a person severed and inclosed from the common throng and multitude of the world 2 Cor. 6.17 Or thus A Saint is an holy one or a person called to holinesse having the perfect holinesse of Christ put upon him by imputation of faith and the quality of imperfect holinesse poured into his heart by the spirit of sanctification Unless even ancient professors saith a Divine look very well to themselves they may take a great deal of pâ—ins and when all comâ— to all after all their praying fasting hearing c. they may be found to be nothing in the world but men that walk after the flesh that is according to the refined and well educated Principles of old Adam Men may be Ishmaels brought up in Isaach's family and yet be built upon Mount Sinai when all is done Now the way that God judgeth of all men is as they are the Children either of the old or of the new Adam and not as men do according to such a proportion of strictness in their lives for the Pharisees went beyond many weak Professours in common righteousness Saints therefore are not to be judged according to some kind of holinesse they may come up to but according to the Principles they walk by either as they walk according to the flesh or according to the Spirit And thus Paul distinguisheth Saints and others 2 Cor. 5.16 Saints are called Eagles for their 1. Delight in high flying 2. Sharp-sightednes and stedfast looking into the sun of righttousness 3. Singular sagacity in smelling out Christ and resenting things above 4. Feeding upon the bloody sacrifice of Christ Mat. 24.28 Saints must walk in a divers way to a world of wicked people as Noah did really reproving their darkness by his light Solus ipse diversâ ambulavit viâ Chrys their pride by his lowliness their vain-glory by his modesty their ostentation by his secret devotion Not onely Planet-like keeping a constant counter-motion to the corrupt manners of the most but also shining forth fair with a singularity of heavenly light spiritual goodness and Gods sincere service in the darkest mid-night of damned impiety True Saints of God are earthly Angels So Chrysostom calleth Paul Angelum terrestrem And Dr. Taylor Martyr blessed God that ever he came in company with that Angel of God John Bradford Aâ—â— Mon. Saints may be called Heaven and that in a double respect 1. Because God is said to dwell in the Saints they are his habitation And wheresoever God dwells he makes a Heaven 2. Because the Saints not onely those of Heaven but they on earth have their conversation in heaven Phil. 3.20 So that as carnal and earthly minded men are called earth because their hearts and conversations are fixed to the earth so spiritual and heavenly-minded men may be called Heaven because their hearts and conversations are fixed in heaven Thus Saints are glorious wonderful magnificent Princes in all lands of an excellent spirit more excellent than their neighbours A Crown of glory a
Marterii sanguine ablui passion gâ—rgari non potest Discordiam neque si sanguinâ—m fundemus expiabiabimus Sâ—enâ—c than to break the peace of the Church It is an inexpiable blemish saith Cypr. lib. de unitat Eccles such as cannot be washt off with the blood of Martyrdom The errour of it may be pardoned saith Oecolampadius in Epist ad frat in svevia so there be faith in Christ Jesus but the discord we cannot expiate though we should lay down our lives and blood to do it De verbo controversia est de re quidem convenit This is very much verified amongst Christians in these dayes A Doctore glorioso Pastore contentioso inutilibus questionibus liberet Ecclesiam suam Dominus said Luther From a vain-glorious Doctor from a contentious Pastor and from endlesse and needlesse controversies the good Lord deliver his Church Quisquis ille est qualiscunque est christianus non est qui in Christi Ecclesia non est Cypr. Q. Are not all those Schismaticks who have dissented and seperated from the Church of Rome We indeed have seperated our selves A. but they of the Church of Rome are Schismaticks because the cause of our seperation is in them viz. their Idolatry and manifold Heresies The case is the like A man threatens death to his wife hereupon she seperates yet not she but he makes the reperation because the cause of the seperation and the fault is in him And therefore for the avoiding of Schisme remember this rule So long as a Church or people do not seperate from Christ we may not seperate from them Divisions are Sathans Powder-plots to blow up Religion All other sins destroy the Church consequentially but division and seperation demolish it directly The Church suffereth by dissentions whereof we ought to be as tender as of treading upon our parents that begat us Christi tunica est unica they that rent it by schismes are worse than the rude souldiers To break unity in the Church is to cut asunder the very veins and sinews of the mystical body of Christ Schismes for the most part do degenerate into Heresies as an old Serpent into a Dragon Now I beseech you Rom. 16.17 brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them Read Joh. 19.23 1 Cor. 1.13 Cap. 3.3 4. Gal. 5.20 c. Concord In primitivâ Ecclesiâ saith one Christiani animo animaque inter se miscebantur omnia praeter uxores indiscreta habebant Sed fraternitas omnis â—odie extincta est unanimitas Primitiva non tantum diminuta de quo Cyprianus suis temporibus quâ—ritur sed è medio penitus sublata esse videtur Presently after the Primitive times an Heathen could say Nullae infestae hominibus bestiae ut sunt sibi ferales plerique Christiani No beasts are so mischievous to men as Christians are one to another Sad And the Turk can say he shall sooner see his fingers all of a length than Christian Princes all of a mind Of the ancient Britanis Dum singuli pugnant universi vincunâ—â—â— Tacitus tels us that nothing was so destructive to them as their dissentions And Cyprian said of those persecutions in his dayes Non venissent fratribus haec mala si in unum fraternitas fuisset animata Alexander the great his men passing the river Tigris which for the swiftnesse is also called Arraw by clasping themselves together made so strong a body that the stream could not bear them down Methinks it is high time for us now to set aside all private emulations and exceptions As the creatures in the Ark laid by their Antipathies within because of the common danger of an inundation without The number of two hath by the Heathens been accounted accursed because it was the first that departed from unity Concordiâres parvae crescunt Yea Communion of Saints is the next happinesse upon earth to communion with God Keep the unity of the spirit Ephes 4.3 in the bond of peace Behold Psal 133.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Devincientiam Trem. how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity This staffe of binders ought to be kept unbroken See Zech. 11.7.14 Church-Ordinances Prophets THe word Propheta is diversly taken for the writings of the Prophets They have Moses and the Prophets or the Law and the Prophets For a Preacher a Divine an Interpreter a Watch-man a Pastor a man of God an Angel of God a fore-seer a fore-teller as Isaiah Jeremie c. They were called Seers because the eye is surer than the care and seeing more certain than report Tanta est profunditas Christianarum literarum saith Austin so great is the depth of Divine learning that there is no fathoming of it Prophets are pictured like a Matron with her eyes covered for the difficulty For which cause some learned men as Paulinus Nolanus Psellus in Theodoret any others would not be drawn to write Commentatries Yet difficulty doth but whet desire in gallant spirits The more harder the vision the more earnest was the Prophets inquisition Searching with greatest sagacity and industry as hunters seek for game 1 Pet. 1.10 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as men seek for gold in the very mines of the earth so much the word imports What or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify There are three sorts of false Prophets set down by Hierom 1. Qui nimium instahant somniis vanis 2. Qui ad dirimendum veros Prophâ—tas dixerunt se habere visiones Dei 3. Qui ut â— Populo nobiles haberensur dixerunt se Prophetas The first in a Phantastical humour imagined every dream to be a prophesie Thesecond like foxes to destroy Gods vineyard in envie of the Lords Prophets arrogated to themselves the spirit of Prophesie The third drunk with vain-glory for their better credit among the people assumed the name of Prophets The three marks in a word are Falsity Impiety Ignorance Both the old Church and new were ever pestered with publique deceivers boldly obtruding upon them erroneous opinions for Divine Oracles and seeking to drag disciples after them Such as of late times were Servetus Socinus Vâ—rstius Pelargus the first Anabaptist c. Compelling people by their perswasions to embrace those distorted Doctrines that produce convulsions of conscience The Manichees derived their name of Manna because they held that whatsoever they taught was to be received as food from heaven Monâ—anus said he was the Comforter c Novatus called himself Moses and a brother that he had Aaron The family of love set out their Evangelium râ—gni The Swenkfeldians Luther called them Stinkfeldians from the ill favour of their opinions entituled themselves with the glorious name The confessors of the Glory of Christ They have their Pithanology their good words and fair speeches Daemon mentitur ut
outward ears so do the Sacraments by the eyes and other senses The essential parts of a Sacrament are either 1. Outward which hath the signe with the ceremony ordained and the word Or 2. Inward which is the matter or thing signified viz. the saving benefits of Christ Jesus and the priviledges of the Covenant of Grace that is remission of sins imputation of Christs righteousnesse regeneration adoption c. Hence we must esteem Sacraments not according to their outward value but according to the blessing annexed in their lawful use For in as much as they are significations and seals of such excellent things they are with all reverence to be handled and esteemed even as means which exhibit to us and confirm the best blessings of God Yet neither the Word not Sacraments profit any thing without the Spirit this grace proceedeth from the holy Ghost who is unto our faith as marrow unto the bones as moisture unto the tree and as a comfortable rain unto the fruits of the earth If this inward Master and Teacher be wanting the Sacraments can work no more in our mindes than if the bright Sun should shine to the blind eyes or a loud voice sound in deaf ears or fruitful corn fall into the barren wildernesse or a shower of rain fall upon the hard-stones Hence whensoever we come unto these aright the Spirit worketh in us mollifying the hardnesse of our hearts framing us unto new obedience and assuring us that God offereth to us his own Sonne for our justification and salvation Therefore learn whensoever we come to the Word and Sacraments to crave the gracious assistance of the blessed Spirit to guide direct and regenerate us to eternal life to sanctifie us and to assure us of Gods endlesse favour in Christ Jesus It is the Spirit that quickneth the flesh prefiteth nothing John 6.63 Baptisme It is either 1. Proper as bare cleansing and washing Heb. 9.10 Or 2. Figurative And then it is 1. Metaphorical as affliction Mat. 20.22 2. Synecdochical put for the whole doctrine of John Mat. 21.25 3. Allegorical as repentant tears Luke 7.38 4. Catexochen for baptizing of Infants or adults converted The School teacheth of three sorts of Baptism 1. Fluminis per aquam 2. Flaminis per spiritum Ephes 4.5 3. Sanguinis per Martyriuns But of all these three sorts there is but one only Sacrament of Baptism the which is one in three regards Vnum quia 1. Ad unum 2. In unum 3. Per unum 1. Once truly received it is never to be reiterated again Against the Marcionites Hemerobaptists and others 2. For that all of us are baptized into one Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ For John's and Christ's baptisme differ not in substance but in circumstance 3. In regard of the water and words wherewith we baptize We may not use any other element but water nor any other words but I baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born of water John 3.5 and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God The Lords Supper There are four kindes of Suppers The 1. Sinners Supper 2. Devils Supper 3. Good mans Supper 4. Lords Supper The sinner makes a supper to the Devil Foenus pecuniae funus animae when in gaining the world he loseth his soul The Devil prepares a black banquet for sinners in Hell upon these two dishes weeping and gnashing of teeth The good man provides a Supper unto God when he opens the door of his heart and suffers the words of exhortation to come in Rev. 3.20 But here of the last Against the Papists that say the bread is really turned into flesh Zwinglius saith well Hi tentant Deum qui dicunt miraculum ist hic Dei virtute fieri ubi nemo sentit miraculum Epist. ad Amic quend Durandus saith verbum audimus motum sentimus modum nescimus presentiam credimus Of the likeness that is betwixt Christs Incarnation and the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and how the one explaines the true nature of the other Theodoret hath an excellent parallel Dialog For 1. As in Christ there are two natures of God and man so in the Sacrament are two substances the heavenly and the earthly 2. As in Christ these two natures are truely and entirely so are those substances in the Sacrament 3. As after the union those two natures make but one person so after the consecration the two substances make but one Sacrament 4. As the two natures are united without confusion or abolition of either in Christ so in the Sacrament are the substances heavenly and earthly knit so that each continueth what it was and worketh answerably on us None but holy ought to approach this Table Procul hinc procul ite profani all others are strangers who ought to be dealt withal as Exod. 29.33 Rather saith Calvin following Chrysostom will I suffer my self to be slain than this hand of mine shall reach the holy elements to those that have been judged contemners of God In all that come to the Lords Supper there is required a fitness 1. Fundamental and 2. Actual Even of those that know God savingly saith one and are truly godly in the main it may truly be said that they also serve the Devil and not God when and as far as they fulfil the Devils pleasure and are led by that learning which he hath taught the world in and about the worship of God as when men joyn with polluted and mixt assemblies mixt I mean with openly prophane and scandalous persons and such of whose interests in Christ they have no ground or proof at all in the service of the Lords Table Give not that which is holy unto the dogs Mat. 7.6 1 Cor. 11.26 But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. Catechising Dr. Hall calls it a preaching conference in his Epistle Dedicatory to the book called The old Religion Erasmus Munus arduum planè senile It hath been of antient use in the Christian Church And in the Reformation it was one great means of propagating the Gospel Clemens Alexandrinus Origen and Cyril were Catechists If this were diligently used both young and old should be better acquainted with the Principles of Religion and being wisely done would be more profitable than Preaching without Catechising for want whereof many that run to Sermons have been found to be very ignorant of the main Principles of Religion Come ye children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Psal 34 1◠The Sabbath God sepapated it from all other days of the week for his worship The Sabbath of old had many priviledges which no other day had 1. The antiquity thereof 2. It was written with Gods own finger 3. There was a more exact rest observed in it
Decor corporis It hath parts civil and parts effeminate For Neither gold nor precious stone so glistereth saith Plato as the prudent mind of a pious person Nothing so beautifieth as grace doth cleanness of body was ever esteemed to proceed from a due reverence to God to society and to our selves As for artificial decoration it is well worthy of deficiency being neither fine enough to deceive nor handsom to use nor wholsom to please Behaviour seemeth to me as a garment of the mind and to have the conditions of a garment It ought to be made in fashion it ought not to be too curious It ought to be shaped so as to set forth any good making of the mind and hide any deformity and above all it ought not to be too strait or restrained for exercise or motion Too much outward neatness saith one is a signe of inward nastiness The Kings daughter is all glorious within Psal 45 13. Food Animantis cujusque vita est in fuga Were it not for the repair of nutrition the natural life would be extinguished The Latines call Bread Panis of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is the chief nourishment In pane conclusus est quasi baculus qui nos sustineat therefore called the staff of bread yet without Gods blessing it can no more nourish us than a clod of clay God can out of stones raise up children unto Abraham yea God out of Christ Jesus the Corner-stone hath raised up the children of Abraham And whereas Sathan said to Christ Command these stones to be made bread He himself the chief Corner-stone of his Church is the bread of life that came down from heaven Meat doth not nourish by its own power but by Gods appointment Else it would be more likely to choak than to feed But his word of command is able to soften stones Fides famem non formidat and make poyson to be both meat and medicine Therefore if bread fail feed on faith Daniel and his fellows their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the Kings meat Mat. 4.4 God hath given us the creature Beza not only for necessity but for delight Deus multa plura condidit quibus facilè carere possemus quà m quibus necessariò nobis opus est Our Saviour Christ himself was at a feast in Cana of Galilee where when wine failed he supplied it by miracle But have a care we turn not this liberty into wantonness being the most wicked when we should be most thankful and grieving God most when he gives us both occasion and means of rejoycing And let us mind our selves ab ovo ad mala that our hearts be not drowned in the creature and that we make not our belly our God It is said Aves propter viles escas gratias agunt tâ— preciosissimis opulis pasceris ingraâ—us es Tettul the Elephant turns up the first sprig towards heaven when he comes to feed God is the great House-keeper of the world providing sustenance for all from the greatest to the least from the Elephant to the Mouse from the Eagle to the Sparrow from the Whale to the Shrimp He carves them out their meet measures of meat and at sit seasons Of him they have it per causarum concatiuationem The eyes of all wait upon thee Psal 145.15 16. and thou givest them their meat in due season Thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing Sleep A certain Commander finding the Centinel asleep slew him saying Mortuum inveni mortuum reliqui The Night and Sleep are well called Malorum domitrices the conquerors of evil and victors over sorrow Hence Christ Mat. 6.34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow for the morrow shall take thought for the things of it self sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof Sleep is the sweet Parenthesis of nature a medicine for all diseases They are likeliest to sleep who together with their clothes can put off their cares And say as Lord Burleigh did when he threw off his gown Lie there Lord Treasurer Sweet sleep is not from a soft bed or an easie couch but from the especial blessing of God therefore let us bless God for it and not our beds A good nights rest is the good gift of God and deserves daily acknowledgments by man So he giveth his beloved sleep Psal 127.2 Dream When men are plunged in sleep and are as it were neither in the number of the living nor the dead Then many times the Reasonable soul cometh into the shop of Phantasie and there doth strange works which are vented in our Dreams A Dream is an imagination which the mind of man conceiveth in sleep For the causes and kinds of Dreams they are either 1. Natural from the temper or distemper of the body Or 2. Moral as a man works in the day his fancy works in the night Or 3. Divine The Scripture is full of instances Or 4. Diabolical permitted the Devil causeth sometimes filthy and sinful Dreams Aug. confes l. 10. c. 30. It is conceived by some that the Dream of Pilat's wife Mat. 27.19 was from the Devil because thereby he would have hindered the work of mans Redemption Richard the Third after the murther of his two innocent Nephews and Charls the Ninth of France after the Parasian Massacre had such dreadful Dreams that they became a terror to themselves and to all about them But to instance in better men Calvin being sick of the Gout dreamed Bez. in vit that he heard a great noise of Drums beaten up most vehemently as they use to be in warlike marches Pareus that he saw all Heidelbergh on a thick smoke but the Prince's Palace all on a light fire Phil. Paâ— in vit David Par. operib ejus praefixd The Antients funcied that a Dream had wings like a bird of the air Antiqui somnium Deum fingebant volatilem c. it is so speadily gone Hence a wicked mans joy is but the joy of a Dreamer which quickly vanisheth A beggar dreameth of gold but he awaketh and his purse is empty The prisoner dreameth of liberty but he awaketh and findeth himself in irons Such is the wicked man in his prosperity As a dream when one awaketh so O Lord when thou awakest thou shult Psal 73.20 despise their image Eccl. 5.7 Isa 29.8 Life present Our life is Davids span seventy years half spent in sleep so thirty five remain Abate then days of youth and childhood which Solomon calls vanity in some old age in which we take no pleasure with our dayes of grief which we wish had never been Deduct these the time of sleep youth age sorrow and only a span remains Prosper said to them that wept about him The life I have enjoyed was but given me upon condition to render it up again not grudgingly but gladly Gods child
watcheth stands sits upon thorns while he is here O mihi â—am longè mantâ—at pars ultima vitae because he panteth and desireth to be dissolved and to be with Christ We may desire life upon a threefold account To 1. Bring more glory to God 2. Get more grace 3. Do more good to others Epaminondas saith aptly We may salute Young men with Good morrow or welcom into the world Old men with Good night because they be leaving the world Only those of middle age with Good day Our pilgrimage on earth is called a Day for 1. The shortness of this life 2. That after this our day is spent we shall no longer work Magna vitae pars elabitur malè Senec. Epist. 1. agentibus maxima nihil agentibus tota aliud agentibus Similis an ancient man who lived seven years well caused this to be written on his tomb-stone Hîc jacet Similis cujus aetas Multorum annorum fuit Diu vixi diu peccavi ipse Septem duntaxat annos vixit Many and great are the miseries of this life Cogita unde veneris et crubesce ubi sis et ingemisce quò vadis et contremisce A mans life when it declines casts of the lees Qui bene latuit bene vixit Vivere est bene valere Non anto â—illam fortunam rudeâ—â—viâ—â— aptam Aurum sitisti aurum bibe Bernard speaking unto man saith Think from whence thou camest and be ashamed where thou art and sign for sorrow whither thou goest and themble with anguish Like unto him saith Austin Intelligas ergo in quantum sit ingressus tuâ—â— flebilis progressin tune debilis egress◠〈◊〉 horribilis The meer natural mans life is comforted in three things especially 1. Quiet rest 2. Liberal diet 3. Good apparel When one brag'd unto Lacon of the multitude of his ships and shipping he answered he little esteemed that felicity that hanged upon ropes and depended on cables But such is all mundane prosperity Crassus that so greedily hunted after the Paâ—â—â—â—ans gold perishing miserably had his head cast into a vessel of gold with this inscription or Motto Thou that hast thirsted after gold now drink thy fill Tertullian reports of the Indians and Ethiopians that they made no more account of gold than dirt Wise Solomon saith there is a time to be born and a time to die you do not hear him say a time to live Death borders upon our birth and our cradle stands in our grave We lament the losse of our Parents how soone shall our 〈◊〉 bewaâ—le ours Out of those words of Job c. 1.21 Nâ—ked came I out of my mothers womb and naked shall I return thither It plainly appears the life of man is nothing else but a coming and a returning here is nothing said of staying or â—â—â—ding We have here no continuing City while we are here we can hardly be said to continue here and after a few dayes we shall not be here at all It is but a coming and going Natura hic nobis diversorium commorandi dedit But this riddle passeth the worlding as the fisher mans did Homer Quae cepimuâ— reliquâ—mus quae non cepimus nobiscum portamus Mat. 10.39 Conâ—es â— Vita isâ—a in corpore umbra est vitae et imagâ— non veritas Ambr. in Psal 118. Jam. 4.14 it is but a â—â—oud and an ebbe and then we are carried into the Ocean of eternity It were well if the world were as our Tent yea as our Inne if not to lodge yet to bait in What shall a wicked man say when death comes fiercely and pulls him by the throat and summons him to hell Who can but tremble the messenger being terrible but the message worse Then the raging despairs of an evil conscience finding no peace within lesse without Contrariwise the gracious soul hath no leisure to care for sufferings that beholds her crown which if she were enjoyned to fetch it thorow the flames of hell her faith would not stick at the condition Austin doubted whether to call it a dying life or a living death Nescio an â—icenda sit vita morâ—alis an vitalis mors The whole course of life is but a flying shadow a little spot of time between two eternities So that it is improper to ask when we shall die but rather when we shall make an end of dying for first the infancy dieth then the childhood then the youth then age and then we make an end of dying This life in the body is a shadow and an image of life not the truth of it What is your life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Age of Man De dinturnitaâ—e vitae humanae bifariam loquiâ— possumus Viz. 1. Ante Diluviam Zanard de gen et corrup cap. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disceptabis â—rem 2. Post Diluvium Loquendo de eâ ante diluvium notum est multos per multa secula vixisse ut sacra nos docent historia At loquendo de vita humana post diluvium jam audivimus dominum dicentem non permaâ—abit spiritus meus in homine quicaâ—o est suntque dies hominis centum viginti annorum But since then Scripture makes mention of seventy years So Solon in Lacresus and to the same sense speaketh Macrobius also saying Septiâ—s dein Anni 〈◊〉 Physicis creditur meta vivendi hoc vitae humanae perfectuâ—â— spaoium termiâ— natur c. The Fathers lived longer but as mans wickednesse increased so their dayes decreased and now their lives are daily shortned the generations dispatcht away that the world may sooner come to an end Lord make me to know mine end and the measure of my dayes what it is Psal 39 4. that I may know how fraile I am Old age This once come saith the Philosopher youth is no more to be expected as when once winter is come no more of the past summer As in an house Stillicidiâ— praecedunt râ—inam so in a man gray haires sore-signify deaâ—lâ— Therefore when the Palm-tree is full of blomes the map of age is figured in the forehead and the Calenders of death appear in the furrowes of the face then it is high time for a man to be think himself of death Annus octogessimus me admonor ut sarcenas colligam said Varre It is high time for me to pack up and to be gone out of this life Cleanthes was wont sometimes to chide himself Ariston wondering â—hereat Qui canos quiâ—â—â— habet sed mentem non habet asked him whom chidest thou Cleanthes laughed and answered I chide an old fellow who hath gray haires in deed but wants understanding and prudence worthy of them Such are sick of Ephraims disease Hos 7.9 Quò magis senâ—scunt cò maâ—is stultâ—sâ—unt Or of our neer neighbours disease if that of Erasmus who conversed among them be true The elder they are the foolisher they are
flesh yet without sin to take away sin Heb. 2.17 18. Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco In all things it behoved him to be mâde like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people who being tempted might be able to succour them that are tempted Now to participate of the nature of Mankind by propagation he was as was requisite born of a Woman an unspotted Maid whose womb was the seminary of our happiness according to the prediction Gen. 3. The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head And not to participate of Mans sin but to be Holiness to the Lord Armin. He was conceived by the Holy Ghost Quo nativitas saith one qua erat supra naturam sed pro naturâ mirabili excellentiâ naturam superans eandem virtute mysterii repararet Whereby the Birth which was above the sphere of Natures activity yet for nature surmounting Nature through the excellence of a miracle might repair the same by the unparallel'd virtue of an admired Mystery Thus the Word was made flesh by whose powerful word Flesh and all things visible and invisible in Heaven and Earth were made To him the Father of Heaven gave the order of Priesthood determining to have no other consideration or price for the ransom of transgressors but his flesh His righteous soul poured out for them should save theirs This was the reason why the Angel named him by command from Heaven JESVS At which reverend and holy Name carrying in it an intimation of our Redemption we the redeemed of the Lord in remembrance of the benefit purchased for as by him 1 Cor. 6.20 with a religious lowliness ought to bow to him the soul the body for the Lord Jesus hath bought both So that I may justifie with a forein Doctor Quòd faelix videri culpa possit quae talem meruit habere Redemptorem That sin may seem somwhat happy that stood in need of and obtained so prevalent so worthy a Redeemer To make good what hitherto hath been said of the Lords Messias I must pitch my thoughts upon two points 1. Upon the manner of ordering Christ Jesus our High-Priest 2. Upon his efficacious execution of this office He was ordered our High-Priest by covenant by oath The first was usual in the ordination of the Levitical Priests Cap. 2.5 My covenant saith the Lord by the Prophet Malachy was with Levi of life and peace This other is peculiar to the Priesthood of the Son of God after the similitude of Melchisedeck's For those Priestwere made without swearing of an oath but this by an oath by him that said unto him The Lord sware and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck In the covenant on Gods side with Christ Jesus our High-Priest there are two things The demand of an act to be performed and the promise of a liberal remuneration The thing demanded of him was the laying down of life for the life of the world a voluntary submission to the death of the Cross to free us from the cross of the second death The thing promised upon performance was He should see his seed Isa 53.10 he should prolong his dayes the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand He should remain a Priest time out of mind and that according to the order of Melchisedeck that is by the punctual exercise whereof he should be advanced to the Regal dignity The covenant again on our Saviours side with God consisted also in other two things answerable to the former A free promise of yieldance to the demand of his Father and the acceptation of the promised reward See his reply Heb. 10.9 Lo I come to do thy will O God Which done being the shedding of his blood for the remission of sins to the lowest step of humiliation and exact obedience God did highly exalt him unto glory to be King of righteousness and Prince of peace Mutus fit oportet qui non laudarit Herculem giving him a name which is above every name that at the name of JESVS every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth c. Such was his heroick spirit anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows that He endured the cross and despised the shame for the joy that was set before him Of this joy we with others that believe in him shall one day have an exuberant fruition For to this very end such an High-Priest became us To this Covenant of grace and peace God addeth an Oath which hath its use in this blessed Contract It tends 1. To the ratification of this Priesthood to make it sure 2. To the demonstration of the immutability and dignity of it For the first Albeit no word of God coming from his mouth can be taxt of the least inconstancy yet is he pleased to imitate men in their manner of contracting in matters of moment 1. To raise up our weak hopes to a sublime pitch of assurance in him 2. That our High-Priest trusting to a double Anchor that cannot be removed the one of Promise the other of an Oath might with an undaunted confidence sleight the reproach and undergo the pain that was to befall him For the second Gods oath exempts both this Priesthood and the second Covenant from all immutability containing in it a peremptory implicit decree for their eternity Quicquid juramento confirmat Deus id aeternum est immutabile Whatever God confirms with an oath is perpetual and unchangeable The reason why the Lord did not establish Levi's Priesthood and the first Covenant of Works with the sacred religion of a solemn oath was because he intended it an alteration in time to make the Lord Jesus a Surety of a better Testament not after the Law of a tarnal Commandement but after the power of an endless life By my self have I sworne said Abrahams God to him in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed This Seed is Christ proceeding from him after many successions of ages and generations this Blessing is the Redemption of Man-kind by that seed term'd the Son of Man in the execution of his Priestly Office which is irrecoverable A Saviour in solidum by which he is able to save them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the uttermost that come unto God by him Faelices nos quorum causà Deus jurare voluit miseros si ne juranti quidem credimus Happy are we for whose sakes God would swear Most unhappy we if when he swears we believe him not but be disobedient It makes also for the dignity and honour of this Priesthood 't is of an higher estimation than that of Levi for unto that were sinners called to this onely the most Holy the Son of God The sacrifices of that though many
Our creation our preservation do both plead for and challenge it at our hands a regular conformity to his will for we are his people and the sheep of his pasture but much more our redemption the end whereof is that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear Luke 1.74 75. in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life This obedience is 1. Internal wrought and seated in the heart 2. External profest and made conspicuous by outward expressions For the former it is internal wrought in the heart for the outward motions of our service and observance to God have their proper dependance upon the good operations of the heart as it is affected moved and ruled by the Spirit of grace In nature the heart is primum vivens the first part in man that lives and communicates natural life and motion to the rest So in grace the heart is the very first that receives new life from above according unto which all the other parts become instruments of righteousness and Gods glory from being instruments of sin and Gods dishonour The heart then once subdued to the obedience of God the rebellion of our nature being suppressed and the love of God shed abroad in them by the holy Ghost which is given unto us there is by the effectual working of the power of the most High begotten in us an ardent love of God which is that spiritual flame of pure heavenly fire that makes us zealous of good works that actuates the whole man in piety putting us awork in the serious disquisition of the affairs of heaven and making us fiery hot in the Christian pursuit of Gods glory and our eternal quiet The Apostle defines it to be the fulfilling of the Law so that upon it depends our obedience there being no obedience without it Wherefore to conclude this with S. Bernard on the Canticles Dilexit nos Deus dulciter sapienter fortiter dulciter quia carnem induit sapienter Bern. quia culpam cavit fortiter quia mortem sustinuit Sic nos diligamus Deum dulciter ne illecti sapienter ne decepti fortiter ne compressi deficiamus God loved us sweetly wisely sirmly Sweetly because he assumed our nature wisely because he eschewed and declined our sin firmly because he sustained death for us In like manner let us love God sweetly lest allured wisely left intrapped and firmly lest constrained and fore urged we revolt and apostatize from him Let our affections then be once heartily endeared unto him as they ought to be and the whole world shall not remove our standing nor make us forsake our obedience due to God For the latter This honour consisting in obedience as it is internal wrought in the heart and seated there by love so it is external profest by outward expressions It must not be lockt up in perpetual silence nor buried in endless obscurity but our lips must be open to shew forth his praises and our light must so shine before men that they seeing our good works may glorifie our Father which is in Heaven This honorable obedience is exprest two ways 1. By good language 2. By good actions First it is exprest by good language The heavenly host of Angels be assembled together to give the good time of the early day to the Son of God now made the Son of Man Sing and rejoice not only because the vacant places of Apostate Angels were to be filled up and supplied with the redeemed Israel of God but also because we are by his most happy Incarnation made most happily the sons of God of the sons of wrath and partakers of their happiness of being partakers of great misery Wherefore joy was proclaimed from Heaven in the sweetest dialects by the Divine Heralds of Honor because the Author and Giver of Joy was come then into the world which was the best day that eâ—er than beheld made more glorious by the glorious rising of the Sun of Righteousness Joy again is commanded because enmity betwixt God and man the just cause of sorrow is removed Questionless Glory in the highest degree and largest extent is to be rendred unto God which our first Parents by their unlawful transgression would have taken away And if the Angels thus sing and rejoice how much more are we engaged in the performance of the like since he took not upon him the nature of Angels but the nature of Man since unto us that Child was born and for us that Son was given Sing and fear not then as the Angels said because he was born who hath taken away all cause of fear The Israelites did lift up their voices with Jubile 2 Sam. 〈◊〉 when the Ark of the Covenant was brought unto them which was but a shadow or figure of the Lords Incarnation how much more ought we to rejoice unto whom the Lord himself is come and hath honored us with the assumption of our flesh unto him Abraham rejoiced when he saw by faith the day of the Lord afar off how much greater ought our rejoicing to be now that he was Immanuel God with us He rejoiced when he saw the Lord in an humane shape assumed for a time appearing unto him what should we do now that Christ hath coupied unto himself our nature by an everlasting covenant and inviolable union Our souls ought to magnifie the Lord our God and our spirits to rejoice in God our Saviour A new song is expected of us being the old things are passed and all things become new With the Heavens ought we in a more special manner to declare the glory of the God of Heaven and sound forth in the choifest language and with most chearful heart from generation to generation the everlasting praises of our God for the wondrous work of our Redemption God commands us Good Angels invite us all things prompt us to make our tongues as pens of ready writers to set forth that good matter is indited in and by our hearts concerning the King of Kings Psal 45. whereby we may make his name to be remembred in all ages and the people to praise him for ever and ever Secondly This honorable obedience is exprest by good actions To speak well and do ill is simulata sanctitas counterfeit sanctity deliverâ—d by some to be duplex iniquitas a double iniquity Being that the true Light is gone into the world from the Father of Lights who dwelleth in that Light which is unaccessible We who are the Children of Light by profession ought not to be imployed in the works of Darkness by dissimulation Our behaviour and conversation must be candid and unstain'd if our souls have received the true stamp and character of goodness For this purpose God gave Christ and Christ gave himself that he might redeem us from all iniquity Tit. 2.14 and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Enoch walked with God and Abraham pleased
gather stones together a time to embrace and a time to refraine from embracing a time to get and a time to lose a time to keep and a time to cast away a time to rent and a time to sow a time to keep silence and a time to speak a time to love and a time to hate a time of warre and a time of peace here time is not lost but all these times well used in their time the Devil hath no time to tempt us sin hath no time to over-power us Now then we must make account of our time By 1. Numbring our days 2. Redeeming the time For the first Lord saith David teach me so to number my dayes that I may apply mine heart unto wisdom God gives a number of dayes but few number them or make account of them but I fear it is because few know how to number them this therefore I shew briefly To number our dayes is to consider the misery which we purchased to our selves by the evil of sin the evil of guilt the evil of punishment It is to make a recapitulation or take a just account or summe of all the ungodly acts we have committed as neere as we can in thought word and deed It is to look narrowly into the crooked passages of our lives to see what we have omitted in Gods service and what we have committed against him that we may mend what is amisse We must come to our tryal every day which is called Examen Pythagoricum thus we become more wise every day than other Hence we must take a note of all our impious acts and summom them up in the Court in our hearts to appear before conscience as Judge which if it play the honest Judge condemnes us racks us This done we are pincht with a sense of our misery causing us to run with all speed to God for his mercy Hard and stony are their consciences that make no conscience no reckoning of numbring their years or days they cast up one grosse sin on another in grosse they adde they multiply never subduct never divide But he that learns Davids Arithmetick which is Ars bene numerandi the Art of numbring well all his ill is a good Artist divides subducts and casts away all sin reserves nothing in his mind but adds vertue to vertue multiplies one good deed on the head of another he remembers Gods Ordinance Crescite multiplicamini increase and multiply as well in grace as in other businesses Make we but a due computation of our daily actions we shall find a tincture of sin that cannot be separated Prie we into our thoughts the imaginations and purposes of mans heart are only evil continually Gen. 6. Examine we our words we shall find that our tongues ost over-run our wits our wits wisdom Observe we our habitual sins whereby we get a kind of dexterity in Rhetorical repetition of the same sins we shall smell out in our hearts a den of theeves Habits are acquired by continual actions so that sinful actions make rank sinners Those that continue this custome of sinning without numbring their dayes that they may apply their hearts unto wisdom are like to make a fair reckoning at the years end the end of their dayes but he that would prevent all mischief must make a profession of making a daily inquisition and casting up all those fractions of the Law of God that God may make him whole upon confession This should be our daily work thus to number our dayes neither is it to any end except it be continued to the end of our dayes Secondly We must redeem the time for the dayes are evil saith the Apostle A forcible reason Eph. 5. I promise you We are to make the best we can of our time because the dayes are evil In evil dayes we must do good dâ—y-deeds and out of evil draw good as God out of darkness drew light If we redeem not the time we cast away our selves like Cast-aways without redemption Now would we know what it is to redeem the time It is only to take time while time serves to serve our turn Austin was a Manichee nine years he took his time to turn bias another way for the good of Gods Church Luther was a Monk a long time but he shortned the time by redeeming it he found after that he had done nothing when he thought he had done something worth the doing Paul was a blasphemous Persecutor of the Christian Church but he in time redeemed the time and proved a faithful Minister of the Gospel of grace Titus the Vespasian never thought the day well spent wherein he had not done some work of charity Theodosius the Younger conferr'd daily with the learned Bishops of his time whereof his Court was full Sigismund the Emperor did delight always to do good works of piety and religion Idle creatures think the time tedious but those that are taken up in serious affairs especially of Salvation think the time to pass away too soon No time too soon to do good for to do good is always high time Therefore to pretermit no occasion which once past there is no looking for it after no time of performing what God requires and avoiding what God disallows is to redeem the time and to make evil days good days for us our best days Those then may justly be reproved who neither number their days nor redeem the time They run on the score till the day of payment come then they impoverished through sin and found unable to satisfie or pay God God pays them home with a witness And these are such as betake themselves to no lawful Calling but calling for alms they live rambling up and down like catholick or universal men upon every mans devotion or at every mans elbow who scarce ever call upon God but for Gods sake on man These are Common Beggars But I pass by these without any more adoe Again They are worthy to be reproved who neglect the affairs of their general or particular Calling or both to follow their Pleasures altogether God gave Adam a Garden as well for action as for contemplation as well to busie himself about the dressing of it as to recreate himself in it Praestat otiosum esse quà m nihil agere 't is true it is better indeed to do something though it be nothing to the purpose than to do nothing at all What needs either Nero will cage himself up in a Closet to catch Flies rather than do nothing but hoc aliquid nihil est this doing is as good as do nothing for haply they are acting that which the Devil would tempt them unto had they been with Solomons sluggard altogether wrapt up in idleness This cannot excuse them The fellow that we read of in the Gospel that married newly he was busie at home with his wife he could not come to do what he should have done I am married I cannot come but that excused him not
him that the Supreme Majesty would hold him in such reputation as so friendly to reveal himself to him or to make such large promises of grace as he did which his best endeavours could never compass to merit I think Jacob thought not the news to be too good to be true God told him but too great for a sinful creature to receive from a spotless Creator However beside the glory and largeness of the Promise the rarity of the Apparition did put him into a religious extasie being unacquainted with the Lords designs or with his manner of working But soft a while Should not Jacob the Almighty thus freely opening his heart unto him rather rejoyce than be afraid Is it fit he should be muffled up in a pitchy cloud of dejecting fear who ought to be clothed with the bright garment of refreshing joy Surely did the dead ashes of this grave Father revive his reply I believe would be to no other purpose Paraeus in lot than that of that famous German Divine whom the best learned honour in the dust Sancti quidem laetantur patefactionibus Dei sed cum timore tremore The Saints indeed rejoyce at the gracious presence of the Lord of glory but 't is with fear with trembling When the Majesty of God who is a consuming fire approacheth neer although his mercy raise up their spirits to an height of joy yet the experience of their unworthiness and the exquisite sense of their manifold infirmities beget in them a shivering fear and that fear humility Cicero Cicero Pagan Rome's chiefest Orator averred as much of that fear Nature did possess him of And by the best Divine France ever bred the fear bred by Religion Calv. in loc is entituled Piae submissionis magister the master of a pious lowliness Neither is it without reason God makes his servants to rejoice as the Prophet speaks with trembling but that in an obedient subjection and denial of themselves Psal 63.3 they might embrace and depend upon his favour better as King David saith than life it self Thus having vindicated good Jacobs credit from the unjust taxe or hard censure of the severest Criticks I may make this Application To the Perverse Malefactor Penitent Delinquent Setled Christian Perverse Malefactors must efther fear or perish Necessity is laid upon them to perform the one or undergo the other If through a careless security they shake off all fear of God I see not how they can decline Divine vengeance Wherefore as the Spirit of God terms them children of disobedience because of their obstinate rebellion so because thereby they make themselves liable to his eternal indignation Ephes 2.3 are they called by the same Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 children of wrath whereupon the Lord challengeth vengeance unto himself Nemo crimen gerit in pectore qui non idem Nemesin in tergo Nemesis dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quòd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vengeance â—elongeth unto me and I will recompence As sure as he is in heaven if sinners will not filially fear him for his mercies he will for his justice make them slavishly fear him with a vengeance Look then to your tacklings ye that without fear or wit hurry into manifold impieties Ye heap up wrath against the day of wrath when not a glimpse of comfort shall be vouchsafed you Let the loose Epicure glory in his joyous voluptuousness let the licentious Libertine exult in his ungodly courses let the miserable Wordling rejoyce in his Idol-god of Gold let the luxurious Adulterer whose wandring eye sparkles at the sight of a fond Beauty prostrate himself at the shrine of his bewitching goddess let the revelling Drunkard beset his soul with continual exhausting of intemperate Cups let the light-finger'd Pilferer and deceitful Tradesman with sleight of hand in false weights of measures inrich himself to the impoverishing of others let the debaucht Blasphemer who with execrable oaths tears God and the Son of God in a thousand pieces triumph in his unrighteous dealing let the sacrilegious Sabbath-breaker who makes that day the onely day of his repast and unlawful dalliances cheer up his heart the best he may let the irreligious Prophaner of the sacred Temple of the Lord who buyes and fells within the holy limits cheer up himself with his ungodly gain let the griping Officers whose unjust exactions had wont to creep in under the modest cloke of voluntary courtesie or fair consideration of a befriended expedition now come like Eli's sons Nay but thou shalt give it me now and if not I will take it by force Hall in conscion in Act. 2.37 1 Sam. 2.16 In a word I should be infinite should I insist upon particulars Let the legal Thefts of professed Usurers the crafty Compacts of slie Oppressors the conniv'd at Idolatry of superstitious Papists dare throw down the gantlet to Justice and insolent disobediences do so to Authority without the fear of God yet for all this shall these come to judgment when base fear shall so seise upon their confounded souls that they shall in vain cry to the hills to hide them to the mountains to cover them from the presence of the Lord. Jeer not at this ye obdurate sinners Ask not in derision the Disciples question in a worse sense Domine quando fient haec Master when shall these things be Believe Christians the time 's at hand when all impenitent offenders and flie fellows void of Jacob's fear shall receive their doom to be sent as into utter darkness so into unquenchable fire Next Penitent sinners must fear the Almighty hence a token of their conversion but not despair Whose fear albeit it be somewhat servile at first the nature of it is changed into a better condition or abolished They are led saith one by the Spirit from the fear of Slaves through the fear of Penitents Chrysoft to the fear of Sons Hence faith Chrysostom doubtless upon this gradation Geheunae timor Regni nobis adfert coronam The fear of Hell which is servile brings us at length a Diadem of glory Be not ye therefore in a melancholy mood dismaid ye afflicted souls humbled in the sight of God for sin The true fear of God it advanceth you to perfection Doubt not to be encountred by a strong opposition yet fear none but that God that can cast both soul and body into hell A truly Noble spirit reported That who feareth the most High feareth neither flesh nor blood principalities nor powers the rulers of the darkness of this world nor spiritual wickedness in high places Origen gives the reason Origen Non corporis robore sed fidei virtute pugnatur non jaculis ferreis sed orationum telis victoria quaeritur We fight not by the strength of body but of faith we conquer not with darts of steel but of prayer Let not your heart be troubled neither let is be afraid said Christ to his Disciples say I to
because as Lyra saith that the Levites sung them on the steps or degrees whereby they went up to the Temple for indeed we read that there were such steps whereof if we beleeve Lyra there were fifteen which opinion as unlikely with Luther I passe over But it is probable that they were sung in an high place where they that were appointed to sing might be both better heard and seen As for the time when they were sung it is thought they were sung at the departure of the people out of the temple for an up-shot to their divine service therefore called songs of degrees or ascensions for songs of conclusions because short However Sine periculo bÃc erratur and therefore more fit to conclude with all If it be thus we see the antiquity of this custom of concluding with a Psalme I return to the Author as he was in office in that therefore he was a King that was the inditer of this Psalme we learn this That Rex pâ—us est reipublicae opnamento Kings and Magistrates should be godly They are to have the practice of piety Many I think have it lying by them or in their hands few indeed have it in their hearts Many would have it if they did know how this is the way yet godly wisdom the practice will follow and this is gotten by going to God Mat. 7.7 God doth give the Spirit of wisdom to such as earnestly desire it Ask and it shall be given you Solomons request to God was for wisdom and he gave it him and more than that None was than more wise then Solomon the Queen of Sheba came from the farthest bounds of the earth to hear him discourse And none was then more wealthy or in so great prosperity Prov. 3.16 Bona throni and bona scabelli because none more wise The way then to prosper is to obtain wisdom of God Length of dayes is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour Again I gather from hence That Kings and Governours should not dispose the wisdom which God bestows on them to their own private ends but they must make others of the same rank their sons their subjects partakers of it as here David and Solomon did ut Regis ad exemplum that they might conforme themselves to the like godly courses Which may be a counterblast to all those bastards of the whore of Babylon that have snapped at the credit of some Princes witnesse K. James of blessed memory saying that he was more fit to be a Divine than a King Blind leaders of the blind why not both I mean not my profession In that they are filled with so great a measure of divine knowledge above others they are fitter to be Kings David was a King and a Prophet so was Solomon why should the like then be accounted a fault in others Furthermore he that is the Principal Member of Gods Church within his own dominions should be soundly grounded in Gods word and able to render an account of his faith How were it possible that he and his house with Joshuah should serve the Lord truly if he were ignorant of the points of Religion or of those things wherein he is to serve him Kings must serve God as well as others Reges ut reges saith Austin Worship him all ye gods Psal 97.7 Aug. It was Gods own command Deut. 17.18 where he setteth down what a King must do And it shall be when he sitteth upon the throne of his Kingdom that he shall write him a Copy of this Law in a book out of that which is before the Priests the Levites And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God to keep all the words of this law and these statutes to do them c. Lastly from this ariseth another observation That Kings and Governours ought to pray for divine Knowledge and Wisdom For in their Kingdoms they are Judges of Ecclesiastical and Civil matters except they wilfully give up their titles of right How can they judge righteously if they be ignorant of the matters whereof they are Judges They must scan matters over and over and sift them for it is the honour of Kings to search out a matter Be wise now therefore O ye Kings Prov. 25.2 Psal 2.10 Psal 119.104 be instructed ye Judges of the earth But how is this gotten Through thy precepts I get understanding saith David Here I limit not my self to Kings but what I say of their duty I say of all Christians for they are Kings through Christ The use then is this Revel 1.6 How far from pleasing God are such as neglect this so great a duty and so great a good that whereas they may have wisdom for the asking or whereas if by asking they obtain it they should use it to the edification of others all is neglected hence instead of pious songs such as Davids Solomons the world is filled with swarms of Pamphlets Let us therefore pray that God would teach all of us so to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdome And this for Preface to what ensues The words are short and sweet being a breviary of the whole Psalm which is partly petitional non voz sed votum from this first verse to the eleventh and partly repetitional of Gods promises non votum sed vox from the eleventh verse to the end all which is sweetly compiled in these words Lord remember David and all his afflictions Two things are here recommended to Gods remembrance viz. David and his afflictions Luth. But what David Not bare David without either welt or gard not David materialiter but David formaliter saith Luther as he was godly David as unto whom God passed his word and promise that when thy dayes shall be fulfilled speaking to David by the Prophet Nathan and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers I will set up thy seed after thee which shall proceed out of thy bowels and I will est ablish his Kingdom 2 Sam. 7. he shall build an house for my name and I will stablish the throne of his Kingdome for ever And this is it that is comprised in this verse and enlarg'd in the rest Therefore saith he remember David that is the promises made to David We can have no better exposition of Scripture than scripture 1 Kings 8.28 Solomon in another place prayes for the same Therefore now Lord God of Israel keep with thy servant David my father that thou promised'st him saying there shall not be cut off unto thee a man from my sight as the originall is to sit on the throne of Israel but on condition so that thy children take heed to their way that they walk before me as thou bast walked before me And now O God of Israel let thy word I pray thee â—e verified c. Again
would not stick to exact the thing promised therefore whensoever God makes a promise either to King or people they must not be so coy as not to take hold of it and to challenge God of his promise For he promiseth to the end they should remember him and thereby he them Fear not then it is his delight Again Gods promise is the strongest argument a man can use it is a sign of an invincible faith to apply it the remembrance whereof should drive us to God And is the best comfort to a Christian man in this life It was here Solomons chiefest joy which made him come thus to God Lord remember David It should seeme by this speech that God was asleep or forgetful of his promise But the speech is not proper for he that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleep Psal 121.4 God cannot be said to remember or forget properly but by a metaphor not Theologicè but Oeconomicè as the Fathers speak or per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Logicians call ambignum ex analogiâ conceptus because we cannot otherwise conceive by reason of our natural imbecillity God is said then to remember when he shews himself to have a respect unto us for his promise sake So Tremelius expounds it Tremel demonstra te meminisse Lord declare by a plain demonstration that thou forget'st not thy promise made to thy servant David by performing it or being as good as thy word in me I will not enter into any Philosophical speculation concerning this And what should he remember Aâ—â— Vt impleatur quod promisit saith Austin To whom promised To David Lord remember David That is that he would fulfil in him what he promised to David his father that his seed should sit in his throne for ever that he should plant his Church and true worship there and dwell among them that the ministery should be pure and powerful the arme of God to salvation that he would give them food sufficient that the glory of his Kingdom should never come to decay This is the Summa totalis In these words we may perceive as in a Perspective-Glasse who it is that is the first raiser of a State and who the puller down States are not guided by blind fortune as the Poets feign nor by Angels appointed thereto in every Kingdom as the Platonists imagine nor by the Starres as some Star-gazers affirm but God alone guides all by his Providence The heavens doth rule saith Daniel by a Metommy of the subject for the adjunct Dan. 4. None can stay his hands or say unto him What doest thou saith Nebuchadnezzar A lesson for Kings and Magistrates that they sollicite none but God for the welfare of Church and Common-weale as here Solomon did But what is this all No they must do it of necessity therein to acknowledge his Supremacie and their Allegiance but this I toucht already They must also have as great care of Religion as of the Commonweale and more for that was the end why Commonweales were ordained without the Commonweale will but be a common poverty it is the soul of the Politick State it gives life unto it Whereupon it being without Religion is compared to a dead body without a soul but both being joyned together the one may say of the other Parsque tui latitat corpore clausa meo Both must be minded as in promise here meant by David So in Prayer Solomon is our example And as their care for the planting of Religion must be great so must they have a watchful eye for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee Lastly they must commit all to God Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding Prov. 3.5 Victo iâ— mihi crede non hominum disciplinis aut industriá comparatur sed Dei O.M. benignitate arbitrio c. Ferdinand K. of Arragon He is the Watchman of Israel he it is that in the night and in the day discovers all plots and conspiracies that bringeth the rebellious to confusion It is he that giveth salvation unto Kings Psal 144.10 Thus they may assure themselves that if God be on their side they need not fear what man can do unto them If they cast their care upon the Lord he will care for them This was Solomons way to the throne when as he said Lord remember David Now let us come to know what David was in himself without any respect to the promises He was as his name imports beloved amiable or a friend true indeed for he was the beloved of the Lord for God was with him he was the son of Jesse Ruth 4.22 by profession a Shepherd but chang'd from a Shepherd to be King of Judah 2 Sam. 1.4 King of Israel cap. 5.3 God we see hath not respect of persons outwardly he chooseth poor David before any in Israel to be King for thus saith the Lord to Samuel Arise anoint him this is he 1 Sam. 16. David provided Ministers to serve the Lord 1 Chron. 16.4 He provided matter for the building of a Temple he appointed Solomon to build because God did for bid himself 1 Chron. 22.3 He gave Solomon the pattern and sound out the place 2 Sam. 5. He followed the Lord with all his heart 1 Kings 14. save in the matter of Vriah cap. 15. These are parts of the Acts and Monuments of David Thus we see Gods love to David and Davids zeal to Godward he did as much as he could more if he could do he would have done God denied David would not resist A doctrine for Kings and Governours not to counter-check Gods commands And when he heard he should not do it he sate not idle as many would have done but prepared materials for the building Let all of all degrees learn hence to provide all things for the setting forward of a good work What work better than the building of a house for God wherein to call on his name But in this age men scarce vouchsafe to repair nay some rather have pulled down and instead thereof erected stables Which indeed hath proved the way to bring an old house on their heads Contrary to this was Davids practice therefore saith Solomon Remember David or thy promise made to David my Father It follows and all his afflictions Some translate these words cum totâ or cum omni afflictione ejus some adâ— and and then we read it thus as in our Bibles And all his afflictions The reason of this diversity lies in the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sometimes beareth the force of the Article of the Accusative case and then they adde and to make up a perfect sentence it is called by the Grammarians Asyndeton when a conjunction is wanting Sometime the force of the Proposition cum then Remember David with all his afflictions the matter is indifferent the sense is the same There is a greater difference
of the Spirit and of power that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God 1 Cor. 2.4 5. Thirdly What we teach we must press home to the Conscience as an arrow to the mark It is not the pleasing volubility of a superficial tongue olt-times exorbitant that doth the work of the Lord or makes a good Preacher or found Christian it must be toucht with a coal from the Altar that it may infuse into the cold hearts oâ— men the true zeal of perfect godliness The Word of God well prest well applied is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword Heb 4.11 piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart It swims not in the brain as the Prophets axe did upon the water but enters into the conscience and the very bowels as I may so say of the soul What humane Eloquence hath such effectual operation Surely it tickles the ear but toucheth not the heart Men may be never the wiser I am sure never the better where tickling words are preferr'd before solid matter and where men endeavour to please the ear more than to edifie the soul or to comfort a distempered or distracted Conscience or to inform a misled one God never condemns but he first indicts and arraighs He never punisheth but he first forewarns He never rejects but he first respects He never sends misery but he first offers mercy He puts the way of life and the way of death before all take which they will for better or worse Such is Gods good will to man that seeing man cannot or will not come to him he vouchsaseth to come to man such is his goodness either in his Divine person as he did to Adam or in his Messengers bidding them turn to him that he might turn to them that they might have experience of Gods mercy not of his judgments that He wills not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live Herein he useth not the extremity of the Law against man neither deals he as an unjust Judge first hang then examine the cause But he opens the case shews the cause sets their sins in order before their eyes and makes known the dangers they lie in by a Proclamation Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet Isa 58.1 and shew my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins Such therefore are only fit for Gods people who can cry aloud and spare not Spare not For 1. Love Or 2. Fear Spare not for love Not for love of any Open rebuke is better than secret love Pro. 27.5 Not for love of money or reward lest it be said to thee as Simon Peter said to Simon Magus Thy money perish with thee For he that hath my Word saith the Lord let him speak my Word faithfully Not adde not diminish not put false glosses thereon Cursed be such Revel ult Jer. 23.28 Spare not Spare not sin spare no sin cry against all When the Lord brought the Israelites into the land of Canaan he gave them charge not to leave a mothers son of them alive They did not so they spared them but God spared not them when they fell into their Idolatry So God will not spare to plague those Messengers of his that spare to cry against sin and to cut it from off the earth Woe be to them saith the Prophet that sow pillows under all elbows Ezek. 13.18 Who say peace peace when there is no peace Jer. 16.14 for there is no peace saith my God to the wicked These like Hananiah make the people to trust in a lye Jer. 28.15 causing them to erre But Gods true Prophets and Messengers are against all sin and sinners without sparing or excepting any For Gods Word is in them as it was in Jeremy His Word was in my heart as burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary of forbearing I could not stay cap. 20.9 It was Christs speech to the Pharisees concerning his Apostles If these should hold their peace or spare speaking the stones would cry out Therefore beloved Brethren cry aloud spare not cap. 62.1 Imitate that Angelical Doctor and Evangelical Prophet Isaiah For Zion's Jake I will not hold my peace and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth And again I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Jerusalem which shall never hold their peace day nor night Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence Spare not for fear Fear not little flock Be not afraid of their faces for I am with thee to deliver thee Jer. 1.8 Do they contend with thee do they condemn thee fear not spare not He is near that justifieth thee who will contend with thee Tua causa erit mea causa as the Emperor said to one so saith Christ to all his servants Causa ut sit magna magnus est actor author ejus neque enim nostra est saith Luther to Meloncthon Isa 50.8 Do they reproath thee do they revile thee Fear not spare not Be not dismaid at their reproachings or revilings Isa 51. Do they despise thee Fear not spare not He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me saith our Saviour Luk. 10.16 Do they forbid thee beat thee do they seek to stone thee as they did Christ as they did Paul and the rest of the Apostles Fear not spare not but be like blind Bartis meus who the more the people charged him to hold his peace the more he cryed a great deal Mar. 10.48 Do they say they 'll kill thee Fear not spare not they may kill the body but cannot the soul Remember The righteous are bold as a Lion that turns not away at any Ministers as Luther said of Historians must have the hearts of Lions Thou shalt have thy reward Vincenti corona To him that overcometh will I give a crown Rev. 3. And they their punishment for Qui vos tangit pupillam oculi mei tangit He that toucheth you or any of mine toucheth the apple of mine eye Zach. 2.8 Touch not mine Anointed and do my Prophets no harm Psal 105.15 Do they provoke me to anger saith the Lord Do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces They do they do Witness the Primitive times wherein such as envied or hindred the prosperity of Gods Church never prospered Pharaoh sunk in the Red sea like a stone Ahab Elias enemy was shot with an arrow and died Nebuchadnezzar grievously punished Antiochus Epiphanes died in most miserable torments Herod the Great Christ's enemy perished with a lousie disease Herod Antipas that put John Baptist to death overcome by
Bernard Bern. But the Spouse in the Canticles saith that the Pillars of the Church are made of Marble standing on Bases of gold made of Marble therefore strong made of Marble standing on Bases of gold therefore glorious to behold Such the Apostles glorious for their good life for their constancy in faith thus many glorious things are spoken of thee O City O Church of God I may say Helcath-â—azzurim O thou field of strong men many glorious things are spoken of thee Solomon erected two Pillars in the Porch of the Temple that on the right hand he called Jachin that is he shall establish that on the left hand he called Boaz in it is strength by the first is meant if you believe Hugo Peter by the last Paul but give me leave to say all Christ's Apostles were like these two Pillars against the assaults of Satan for the gates of hell did not could not prevail against them shall not cannot against Gods faithful messengers Therefore Elias was called the Charets and horsemen of Israel that is Israels strength So God said unto Jeremy Jerem. 1. Behold I have made thee this day a walled City and a Pillar of iron And besides Pillars I may call the Apostles Lions like those two that stood besides Solomons throne for strength and beauty As strong so high like Kings high and mighty 1 King 10. high like Saul higher by head and shoulders than any other people by head for the understanding the mysteries of Religion by the shoulders to support them near heaven the higher the Pillar the nearer heaven Mighty like Sampson that they may pull down the rotten pillars of the adversaries on their head High to see over being overseers of Gods heritage Mighty because ordained to pull down the strong holds of Satan casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God Nemo sibi de suo palpet quâ—sque sibi Satan est and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. High belonging to the most High they must reach to heaven over Nations over Kingdoms Jer. 1.10 Mighty not in Word only but in power and much assurance 1 Thes 1.5 Hence they are called able Ministers 2 Cor. 3.6 Thus they were and Gods Ministers are as the people of Canaan in respect of the Israelites Deut. 1.28 greater and taller than they who is able to stand before them But let not this make them high-minded for the greater a man is the more he ought to bow down under mercies and humble himself The authority of the Gospel must not be defended with high looks they must not look big about them on the businesse lest the pestilence of Ambition creep in among the Evangelical vertues saith Erasmus on John 6. Erasmus in Joh. 6. Therefore though great and high yet humble like unto Piramids seeming smallest where highest Thus Paul in nothing I am behind the chiefest Apostles 2 Cor. 12.11 here 's his greatnesse here 's his height though I be nothing here 's his humility here 's his lowlinesse He is something he is nothing riddle me this Of this after The Pillars of the Tabernacle were upright so as also the Pillars of Solomons Temple So were the Apostles so must Ministers Paul said unto the lame man stand upright on thy feet the Lord said unto the Levites thou shalt be upright and sincere with the Lord thy God upright fide conscientiâ holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience Hence proceed purity of doctrine 1 Tim. 3.9 good endeavour conscionable diligence good example not to be carried away with diverse strange doctrines Heb. 10.23 but holding fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea Jam. 1.6 driven with the wind and tossed Upright in faith without bending either to the right hand or to the left left they fall and great be the fall of them for by faith ye stand 2 Cor. 1.24 From my former speech I deduce this consequence we may make these Pillars our pillows as Jacob made the stone his Gen. 28. where we may lie down secure sleep quietly without disturbance rest comfortably without annoyance Malè cubans suaviter dormit faeliciter dormiat Here we may find what Jacob found where he lay the gate of heaven I mean Christ I am the door saith he Now let us make this use that we maintain and not budge from the doctrine of the Apostles Take heed faith the Lord Adpenuitatem benefitiorum necessariò sequitur ignorantia sacerdotum Panormkan that thou forsake not the Levites as long as thou livest on the earth Deut. 12.19 Would therefore Papists know our Religion Would they know the Judge of all controversies We produce all the Apostles as witnesses of our Religion every Apostle as a several Pillar and all of them together as an heap on whose doctrine we rely This again is our confession this our profession as Jacob said unto Laban concerning the Pillars that they erected Gen. 31.51 So say we of all and every one of these Pillars behold this heap and behold this Pillar which I have cast betwixt us this heap be witnesse and this Pillar be witnesse that I will not passe over this heap to thee and that thou shalt not passe over this heap unto me for harme If you would know the reason take it their words are Gods words Gods Oracles No buckram * Of Rome Bishop of them all no Jesuites Knights of the Post can passe currant without Gods warrant Thus saith the Lord. In a word let me use a word of exhortation I direct it to such as be Ministers indeed be strong and beautiful in life and doctrine for how beautiful are the feet of those that bring the glad tidings of salvation be upright in faith and a pure conscience awake awake put on thy strength O Zion Isa 52.1 put on thy beautiful garments O Jerusalem and as they so shall we be Such honour have all his Saints Psal 149.9 I cannot passe over these Pillars yet yet I will not stay long on them We read that the Lord went before the Israelites in a pillar of cloud by day Exod. 13.21 So doth he now this blessed day this Sunshine of the Gospel go before us in a cloud of Witnesses Prophets Patriarchs Apostles we are compassed about with a great cloud of witnesses Heb. 12.1 We read also the Lord went before them in a Pillar of fire he goes before us in the Apostles as in Pillars of fire that give light unto us in this night of sin this vale of misery this shadow of death John Baptist was a burning lamp and the Apostles were the light of the world faith Christ Suâ fide sua doctrinà suis operibus luminaria facts sunt By their faith by their doctrine by their works they were made stars
bound giving life to others losing his own being crucified slew Satan on the Cross and through death destroyed the Devil the Authour of destruction There is but one only Saviour because the Gospel proclaims it One only way to salvation whereby Abraham became righteous and the Patriarchs Apostles and Prophets entred Heaven One Lord one Faith one Baptism In him alone was fulfilled all that was spoken of the Messiah He only satisfied Gods Justice by a punishment which could be infinite for so is God or equal to infinite for so was Christ though for time finite yet for value infinite which no other Creature ought not could ought not if it be not the soul that sinned could not because Gods wrath is unquenchable Angels could not do it they are incarnate and finite our selves could not we are carnal sold under sin He alone was God and Man 1. Man that sin might be punished in the nature offending yet man without sin to fulfill all righteousness 2. God 1. To bear the burden of Gods wrath 2. To vanquish sin death hell and Satan 3. To restore life and righteousness to Man He must be Man for Mans Redemption but not sinful Man for Mans salvation He alone could perform the Office of a Saviour internally and externally 1. Internally illuminating our minds with faith hope and charity 2. Externally in Doctrine and Works He alone took away the sins of the World His blood alone was paid to God the Father as the price of our Redemption God only was our Creditor ours the debt and Jesus the Pay-master who gave himself for us to God and blotted out the hand-writing that was against us The Devils ordinary way of driving to despair is by shewing a man his sin but not his Saviour Joseph of Arimathea first begged the body of Jesus and then laid it in a new Sepulchre so should we and then lay him in a new heart If a man will have his Beloved he must part with his Beloved if he will have his beloved Saviour he must part with his beloved sin Dulce nomen Jesus In Cant. Serm. 15. sayes Bernard Mel in ore melos in aure jubilus in corde Honey in the mouth melody in the ear joy and exultation in the heart Melius mihi non esse Medit. Cap. 39. sayes Austin quà m sine Jesu esse melius est non vivere quà m vivere sine vitâ I had rather be in Hell with Jesus than in Heaven without Jesus if it were possible Joshua which was a Type of Christ hath the same name with our Saviour Christ yet in a diverse manner Joshua was a Saviour for them in temporal things Christ in spiritual and eternal things He saved them from the Canaanites earthly enemies Christ from sin death hell and Satan spiritual enemies He gave them a Land flowing with milk and honey in this World Christ gives us an everlasting habitation a celestial Paradise in the World to come She shall bring forth a Son Matth. 1.21 and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins 1 Thes 1.10 Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come Neither is there salvation in any other Acts 4.12 for there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Let it be here noted that the very name Jesuite savoureth of blasphemous arrogancy One of their own gives the reason because our Saviour hath communicated unto us the thing signified by the name Christ but not by the name Jesus But we see also their nature in their 1. Craft and 2. Cruelty The Jesuites have a device at this day in handling Texts of Scripture by their nice distinctions to perplex and obscure the clearest places and for those that are doubtful not at all to distinguish or illustrate them Again in points of controversie they make a great puther about that which we deny not but say little or nothing to the main business Besides how have they formerly for a long time shut or rolled up the Book of the holy Scriptures yea and cast them under foot using in the mean time the Fathers Scholasticks In primâ regulâ tradunt Papae Romani vocem no◠aliter ac Christi Sermonem audiendam esse Sententiaries Canonists Legends c. And since this Book of God began again to be opened how have they laboured to roll it up again questioning the Authority thereof not accounting the same to be Divine but as it is confirmed by the judgment of the Church that is of the pope For thus they expresly write That in it there is so much of the Deity as the Popes Church attributes unto it neither ought God to be believed but because of the Church A Jesuite hath peace in his mouth war in his heart He courteth with the smooth tongue of an Harlot when either he hath poyson in his cup or Powder-plots in his head They say their weapons are prayers and tears but see the contrary The truth is they are the Popes Blood-hounds Simulata sanctitas duplex iniquitas trusting more to the prey than to their prayers They strive under pretence of long prayers and dissembled sanctity which is double iniquity to subdue all to the Pope and the Pope to themselves These shall receive the greater damnation Matth. 23.14 The name Christ signifieth Anointed the oyle wherewith he was anointed is called the oyle of gladness Kimchi Quia totus mundus in unctione Christi ejus missione laetabitur because the whole World should be cheared up by the Unction and Mission of Messiah He received the Spirit without measure that of his fulness we might all receive and grace for grace righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost That none of any Degree Calling Condition or Countrey are excluded from partaking of Christ it is well taken notice of that the place of Christs Birth was Domus publici juris not a private House but an Inne which is open for all Passengers and that not in a Chamber but the Stable which is the commonest place of the Inne Besides the Superscription upon his Cross was written in Hebrew Greek Cyril Theoph. and Latine the three languages that were best known and most used all the World over Moreover the Cross it self was erected not within the City but without the Gate to intimate saith Leo Vt Crux Christi non Templi effet Ara Leo. sed Mundi That it was not an Altar of the Temple but the World However this we are sure is Gods Truth That there is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female but all are one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.28 Christ is the Way the Truth and the Life 1. Via in Exemplo Bern. 2. Veritas in Promisso 3. Vita in Praemio Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Hebr. 13.8 Christ is idem