it seem'd to implie a divine excellency as is noted of the frantique ambition of Domitian the Roman Emperour who when he would be counted a God caused himselfe to be call'd Dominus Lord. But as the Name is due to our saviour so much more the power and as the power so our acknowledgement of his power And if Sozomen's Ecclesiasticall story be in no part Legend we may heare him relate that when Ioseph and the Blessed Virgin who fled into Aegypt with our Infant Saviour were ready to enter the gate of Hermopolis or Thebais a tree of singular size and beauty sudainly bended it self to the ground as in Adoration at the presence of the true Lord. This tree was before worshipped by the Heathen Aegyptians the name of which kind of tree was Persis as the historian says adding that this was the constant report of the Christian Inhabitants in his time as also that the fruit or Leaf or any part of the Bark of it heal'd the sick We may farther take notice that Plutarch long before said that this kind of tree was consecrated unto Isis that also the fruite of it was like a Heart and the Leaf like a Tongue which may to us Christians by a devout Embleme Aptly though not Articulately expresse that the Lord our Saviour should be worshipped and Acknowledged with heart and Tongue But with a certainty of Truth and Wounder declared he was to be the Lord by miracle and prophecie the prophet Micha saying ch 5.2 that he was to be Ruler in Israel the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implying Dominion a Proverbe this having then Dominion in speech Sometimes also it signifies a By-word as Ps 44.14 And thus also was our Blessed-Saviour a Lord and a Proverbe yea he was for a signe that should be spoken against Luke 2.34 Yet still he was the Lord. Our Saviour before his Incarnation was called God says Anastasius sometimes Bishop of Antiochia but since his Incarnation he is call'd Lord He is call'd Lord says he since he has come in the flesh wounded our enemies overcome death by death freed us from the power of the Devil taught the ungodly to acknowledge God receiv'd of his Father the Gentiles for an Inheritance possessed the utmost ends of the earth reigning from Sea to Sea and from the rivers to the bounds of the earth Since these victorys we may with truth and triumph call him the Lord Indeed he prov'd himselfe the Lord by Power and Mercy by destroying Sinne Death and Hell which were our enemies and by saving us who were his enemies and therefore he is not only the Lord but also Iesus this is his new name Apoc. 3.12 as Iehovah was his old name a name not known to Abraham Isaac and Iacob as God tells Moses Exod. 6.3 though it was know unto them as appeares Gen. 15.7 and in diverse other places as Gen. 26. 24 25.28.13 the meaning therefore was not that they knew it not at all but that they knew it not in the same respect that Moses knew it Iehovah expresses God's essence which is truth it selfe and therefore his truth in the fulfilling of his promises which were truth in Hope to the Patriarchs but truth in possession unto Moses Thus may we say that his new name Iesus was not known unto them of old not that they were ignorant either of the Name or the Promise but whereas They look'd Foreward to the Promise we doe look Back to the Joy and wounder of the performance That which was Faith in them is succeeded by sense in us and we may say in the words of Simeon Mine eys have seen thy Salvation Luk. 2.30 the Salvation of our Iesus the true Joshua Yet the first Ioshua was a type of Jesus in Name and Actions says S. Jerome Ioshua succeeded Moses our Saviour succeeded the Law Ioshua defended the Gibeonites our Saviour the weake in Temptations Ioshua brought the Israelites from the Wildernesse through Iordan into the Land of Promise our Joshua the elect Gentiles from Ignorance and Idolatrie through Baptisme into the Heavenly Canaan Lastly their Ioshua expell'd the Canaanites into the utmost parts of the West even to the Pillars of Hercules as they are call'd where they set up in their Phoenitian charracters an Inscription expressing this sense we are they who fled before the Robber Joshua the sonne of Nun as Procopius and before him Epiphanius relate But our Ioshua in victorious Mercy has not expelled the Gentiles but Gentilisme and we are this day the Inscription and Confession of his bountifull Triumph and to discover the Extent of his Mercy he has discovered a new West from whence no doubt many shall come that shall feast with Abraham in the Kingdome of Heaven An other Jesus also there was of good renown the Son Josedech the first High Priest after the captivity but our Iesus was much more our high priest after our greater Captivitie in sinne The name Iesus signifies a Saviour the shaddow of which sense was in others but in our Iesus the truth Yet the obstinate Iews formerly malicious against the person of our Saviour are now as malicious against his Name in the writing whereof they would leave out the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without which it cannot signifie a Saviour when as for this cause it was given him by the Angel Mat. 1.21 So that it is neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some would have it nor as the later Iewes would have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in the Hebrew Gospell of S. Mathew cap. 1. from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is written Isa 45. 8. which our English Interpreters render Salvation but the Latin has Salvatorem by the Person insteed of the Thing as also Genes 49 18. where the Latin has Salutare following the Greeks who have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that so as it was in the concrete they may understand our Saviour which word is used also by S. Luke 2.30 in the song of Simeon Yet we may observe that the name of our Saviour is sometimes written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the Hebrew Ep. of S. Paul to the Hebrews ch 1. which was the name of Ioshua the sonne of Nun ho being added by an epenthesis as Munster notes on the first of S. Mathew and thus our Saviour's right name imports a Saviour But the Iews themselves acknowledged him a Saviour even on the Crosse when they cryed out he that saves others let him save himselfe It was the fittest time to acknowledge him a Saviour he being then performing the great work his great work of our Salvation The benefit of which worke the worke of Iesus is most accurately expressed in those words of the Lord Exod. 34.7 He keeps mercy for thousands forgiving Iniquity and Transgression and Sinne. God spake then of Himselfe and so aptly of our Blessed Saviour Nor are the words emptie or confus'd but each has his
just distinction weight He forgives Iniquitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sinne of man against his Neighbour his unjust dealing He forgives Transgression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Man's Rebellion against God his receding from the power of the Lord that layd a command upon him and so aptly expresses the old offenee of our first parents their Disobedience as the Apostle calls it and our own offences against the Lord. He forgives Sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Sepiuagint renders it which though it be of a large signification yet here by way of difference may fitly be taken for that sin of sinnes which is too nerely against Our selves that sinne whence others flow that law in our members as the Apostle speakes Rom. 7.23 the sinne that dwells in us v. 17. originall sinne And thus does the Lord Iesus deliver his people at the last from all kind of sinne Iniquitie against our Neighbour Transgression against God Sinne against our selves And as the Lord did visibly shew himselfe passing by before Moses so did the Lord Iesus who was represented in that vision exhibite himselfe in the flesh visibly to the world as it were a passing by the World At which wonderfull sight yea at the remembrance of it may not we likewise take up with a little change those words of almighty God The Lord the Lord God the Lord the Lord Iesus Mercifull and Gracious long suffering and Abundant in Goodnesse and Truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving Iniquity and Transgression and Sinne Now as this work of our Saviour was the Restoring of the world so was it also the ordering of it and accordingly the Greek Fathers frequently call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ordering of a house hould as Iustin and Nazianzene expresse it God in his mercy having by this provided for the world as for his familie Which word they might borrow from the Apostle Ep. 1.10 where he says God did worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the dispensation of the fullnesse of times which might have been rendred in his house-hold-goverment or in the governing of his family the world in the fullnesse of times Nor has he only order'd the world but also Honoured it whiles Man in Iesus is united unto God Here did God gather together in one all things in Christ Eph. 1.10 all things that is Man as Irenaeus and S. Gregory expound it He did it that he might gather all things together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might Recapitulate or bring to a Head all things in Christ Indeed we are but the Members he is the Head the Annointed head he is God's Christ or his Annointed The eminency of Annointing you may see in the excellency of the persons anciently annointed among the Iews the Priest the Prophet and the King Of which last Lactantius observ'd that Annointing was the signe of Royalty among the Iews as the purple roabe was among the Romans All which respects concurr'd in the Annointing of our Saviour he being a Priest that offer'd Sacrifice for the sinnes of the World he being a Prophet that declared the secret Counsaile of his Father concerning the redemption of mankind he being a King in delivering Laws and affording protection to his Church And being thus mystically annointed with the Holy Ghost he may more truely than Zerubbabel and Ioshua the high Priest after the Captivity in the phrase of the prophet Zacharie 4.14 be call'd the Sonne of oile Nor was it without an embleme that he ascended into Heaven from the Mount of Olives which then was also the mount of the Annointed Oile is by the Hebrews called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the purity and shining of it When therefore it is said Psal 104.15 that God gives man Oile to make his face shine the originall imports to make his face shine more than oile as the English Interpreters observe Indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word drawn from the same originall with the former signifies the Light at noon day or the most full light and thus is our Saviour Christ brighter than oile and the Meridian Light that inlightens the world No marvaile then if the Gentiles whiles they were out of the Govenant of Grace so much envied at the glory of Christ the annointed so much that they indeavoured to burne all bookes that had the name of Christ in them especially the Sacred writings compelling all that in the Dioclesian persecution had such bookes to deliver them up whence such faint Christians as delivered them were call'd Traditores as S. Austin in part implies against the Donatists and as appeares by the first Councill of Arles Can. 13. and by Arnobius with others But as those Gentiles were not able to blot out the Sacred and Glorious name of Christ so neither was Domitian with all the power of his Malice and Crueltie before that able to disgrace the name of Christian though because it was in honour of our Saviour and so signified a servant of Christ the Annointed he imposed that scorne and intended torment upon the blessed Evangelist S. Iohn by causing him to be cast into a vessell of scalding oile Domitian's oile having no more power agaist the Christian than against Christ And that we may know how to be true Christians we may partly learne it from the names by which at the beginning of their profession they call'd themselves their usuall name being Disciples implying an obedience and willingnesse to learne Truth and so was an Instruction as well as a Title They were called the Beleivers not that they did disclaime holy workes which are all good mens Duty but that comparatively they disesteemed them nothing being meritorious but Christ and by Christ the Foundation of their Faith They were called Breathren they were call'd Saints intimating their Unity and Holinesse not in Pretence but Practice But the most usuall name of Humilitie and Zeale was Disciples which yet was chang'd at Antiochia by the consent of the Apostles into the name of Christians upon occasion as Athanasius shews of the divisions of those that pretended to be Disciples Thus did their name declare and Remember them to be the worshippers of the Lord 's Annointed The Heathens in disgrace fequently called them the Sibylists as Origen tells us the Christians so frequently alleadging against the Gentiles the Sibylls verses So Clemens the Alexandrian mentions S. Paul alleadging a Sibyl which memorialls it seems were in those times known among the Christians which is the name by Apostolicall institution and never was the name of any Sectaries but among the Christians the Apostoliques was the name of a Sect of Heretiques And by as easy reason might the Catholiques have been so too A Christian then being glorious in his Title should remember that as the Ancient wrestlers among the Heathen were annointed with oile to make them the more Active so should we to a better expedition be annointed with a spirituall Oile which is Gods Grace The Romanists annoint â—he Christian when
Speech of S. Gregory In natura humanitatis novit Christus diem judicii sed non ex natura humanitatis He knows it being man not as he is man But this day was a secret which he reveal'd not to his Disciples but to stay their curiosity told them It was not for them to know the times and seasons which the father had kept in his own power Upon which words saies S. Austin In vain is all search to know the end of the world since Truth it self had made known unto us thus much for truth that this truth is not to be known Dreadfull also is this judgment for the Sodainesse The former dreadfullnesse which was from the secrecy was in respect of our Knowledge but this from the Sodainesse shall be in respect of Preparation A man may be prepar'd against many things that shall come secretly but this shall also come sodainly the world shall not be prepar'd In such an houre as you thinke not the Sonne of man comes Matt. 24.44 The day of the Lord so comes as a theefe in the night for when they shall say Peace and safty then sadaine destruction comes upon them as travaile upon a woman with child and they shall not escape 1 Thess 5.2 3. As in the dayes of Noah and of Lot there was water and fire though not to purifie but confound so shall it be by fire in the day of the Lord. Indeed when he comes what should stay his Judgment for when he comes shall he find faith on the earth As in the dayes of Noah but eight righteous persons were found and as in the dayes of Lot but halfe so many in the Cities which were then destroy'd so shall it be in the day of the Lord though not strictly so few yet but very few shall then escape the wicked becomming fuell in that fire and their number increasing it when therfore the signes of that day come the world shall be surpriz'd with fear and horrour with such feare and horrour as shall be their first Hell Dreadfull is this Judgment for the Preparation also there shall be preparation for it in the Heavens in the Aire in the Seas in the Earth Preparation in the heavens in the Sunne and Moone They shall now be signes not of comfort but of Judgment The Sunne shall be turn'd into darknesse and the moone into blood before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come Joel 2.31 Which gastly darknesse in the Sunne and Moone the wicked shall not be able to neglect And though they did in this life neglect the signes of Gods Mercy yet shall they not be able to neglect these signes of his Justice They shall not escape this darknesse by a figure taking the Sunne and Moone for the Church which in the time of Antichrist shall be Obscur'd or phantastically making the Sunne to signifie the Devill and the Moone the Reprobate as Origen implies though this last would be no comfort to them They shall not escape this darknesse by saying the Sunne and Moone shall Seeme to be dark'ned because they shall be Out-shind by the Glory of Christ at his comming no this darknesse shall be a signe before the glorious comming of Christ They shall not escape this darknesse by making it only a kind of speech to signify the Calamity of that time for this were to make the signes rather in the earth than in the heaven But our Saviour sayes expressely There shall be signes in the Sunne and Moone Now what signes were in them if there were no Change in them Nor shall they escape it by quarrelling with the manner of effecting it which shall not be as some have ridiculously phansied by the vast clouds of smoake that ascend from the burning of the world this darknesse shall be before that fire or els there would be no body left to see that darknesse but it is said that at that dreadfull sight mens hearts shall faile them Nor shall this darknesse be effected by an eclipse the Astronomers can tell us that by an eclipse the Sunne and Moone cannot both at once be darkned the Sunne being eclips'd by the interposition of the Moone between his light and our eie the Moone being eclips'd by the interposition of the earth between the Sunne and Moone Nor need we suppose the interposition of some cloudes or the like darke bodies in that day to hinder their light He is able to deprive those glorious bodies of their light nay which is a greater wonder he is able leaving them their light to take from them their power of sending-forth their light as he tooke away the power of burning from the fiery furnace into which the three children were cast But shall we define the wayes of the Allmighty and appoint him his Counsailes No more may we appoint the Continuance of this darknesse which whether it shall be longer then the darknesse in Aegypt which lasted three dayes or shorter then the darknesse at our Saviour's Passion which lasted but three houres we have no more use of such knowledge then knowledge of the Continuance But this we know that it shall be long enough to prove the instant approach of the Lord 's comming and to drive the wicked not into repentance but into desperation But yet there must be more preparation in the heaven whiles preparation in the Starres For the Starres shall fall from heaven Matt. 24.29 though Reason and the Astronomer will undertake to demonstrate that a starre is of that bignesse that the whole earth is not able to intertaine a starre or two Besides that the heaven is incorruptible and the starres fix'd in that incorruptible body Indeed there is no absolute necessity to understand this Literally but yet S. Austin thought it not improbable and S. Chrysostome not only thought it probable but alleadges also that of the Prophet Isaiah 34.4 All the host of heaven shall be dissolved and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll and all their host shall fall downe as the leafe falls off from the vine and as a falling fig from the figtree What is this sayes that Father the Starres shall fall from heaven as the leaves fall from the vine whiles the vine has fruite so long it requires the use of leaves to protect it but afterwards the leaves fall away so whiles there are inhabitants on the earth the Starres in heaven will be needfull for the earth but when night it selfe shall cease to be then likewise the Starres shall be no more Which interpretation does no way disagree either with the wonder of that day which shall be a day of wonder or with the omnipotency of God who can easily make them lesse and make them fall who of nothing made them into this bignesse Irreverent it were for us to examine whether he will doe it by a miraculous compression of the substance of a starre or otherwise who can performe it so many wayes beyond the feeble and ridiculous guesse of Reason
Ioseph's brethren Can any consider how our blessed Saviour was used that is abused how revil'd struck on the face spit upon derided crucifyed by sinners though for sinners and be angry with his brother happily a lesse sinner happily a lesse sinner if more happily but because a lesse angry sinner Will any man then as Tertullian speaks come unto Prayer a Peace with God without peace will he hope for a remission of his sinnes yet without a remission of others sinnes how shall he pacifie God his Father if he be not pacified towards man his brother Will any man then dare to hate his brother when as God connot love two enemies for if God loves the one he loves him perfectly and therefore he must perfectly hate the other as his enemy Will any man then be so angry with himself as to be angry with his brother will any man so hate himselfe as not to love his brother when as love covers both our brother's sinnes and our own shall we loose Our brother and our selves nay and our Saviour too for a reviling word Oh let us rather pray with good S. Ierome Lord deliver me from deceitfull lips and a lying tongue Not from anothers tongue saies he but from mine own Another's tongue hurts me not 't is mine own is my enemy that is the sword that kills my soule I think to hurt mine enemy and never take notice that I kill my selfe Wherefore O Holy Spirit of Love unite us as much by Love as thou hast done by Faith and touch our tongues with a Coale from thy Altar that they never be imploy'd by us to the reviling of one another but to the praising of thy holy name O Father Sonne and Holy Spirit to whom be ascribed all Praise for ever more FINIS OF The Serpent and the Dove A SERMON BY BARTEN HOLYDAY Doctor of Divinity OXFORD Printed by Leonard Lichfield 1657. Mat. 10.16 Be yee therefore wise as Serpents and harmelesse as Doves THE Beames of Light flow not so naturally from the Sunne as the Exhortations to Wisedome flow from the God of Wisedome And such is here this exhortation of our Saviour to his Disciples Yet unto such a wisedome here he prompts them as seemes to respect as much their safety as their Duty and Wisedome that consists not in Contemplation but in Action and though it lookes upon God yet also upon man Which diversity of Wisedome was anciently observed by Heathens and Christians That was their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisedome This their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prudence Thus could Plato and Cicero teach thus could the Alexandrian Clement and S. Ierome Learne Which last our prudence towards men is that which here our Saviour intends it being in the Originall not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be ye prudent or with lesse ambiguity and more safety as it is rendred Be yee wise And that this is intended is manifest from our Saviours purpose who sending his Disciples to worke Miracles and Teach teaches them first how they should behave themselves clearely implying that more than man's wisedom is needfull for Man in his conversation with man and that we need more than a Gardian Angel even God's assistance by his Grace He tels them that he sends them as Sheep among Wolves a thin Clergy to a numerous Layty that sometimes teares the fleece and devoures the flesh He bids them beware of men these are the Wolves these are the worst Wolves because Wolves and Men they have the wit of the man and the Cruelty of the Wolfe He foretels them they shall be delivered up to the Councells now where there is the greatest Judg there is the greatest cause where the greatest cause the greatest Danger Nor only shall they be brought where many are to Judge and so where the variety may afford some hope of Mercy but also occasionally before Governours Kings and so where if the single judge be cruel of Proud he is sometimes a sentence without Appeal And that they may be prepar'd for such sufferings in Pody and Mind he does foretell them of being scourged in the Synagogues he does foretell them of stripes and shame and therefore exhorts them to such wisedome as may be requisite in such Distresse And surely such wisedome must be excellent which must imploy the memory to advantage us by what we have learn'd and make our Experience our Own Schoole which must imploy the Understanding to apprehend the present particulars in every action making it the Eie and the Glasse for an exact view which must imploy our Providence in the Foresight and use of what things may happen If you will behold the traine of this wisedome you shall find it attended with Docility being apt to learne by the Eie and Eare. You shall find it attended with subtility whereby it will guesse with speed happinesse You shall find it attended with Judgment which will so argue out a third truth You shall see it attended with Warinesse which will prevent such Hindrances as would prevent our End Lastly you shall see it attended with circūspection which wil accurately consider every circūstance See that ye walk circūspectly not as fools but as wise Eph. 5.15 If you will behold the Actions of it you shall see it admirable for Counsaile both in the Choise of worhy purposes in moving the understanding to find meanes for the attaining of them You shall see it admirable for Judgement in the distinction choise of means oportunity You shall find it admirable for cōmand whereby the Reason sets on worke the will for the speedy execution of the designe These are the excellencies of wisedome the price whereof is more than of Gold and fine Rubies Prov. 3.14 15. yet the one is admirably solid the other admirably transparent The subtilty whereof is such that it is able to discerne the Diversity of Spirits 1 Cor. 12.10 and so does not only exceed the abilities of the Body but also the naturall abilities of the soule The swetnesse whereof is such that 't is as sweet as life nay as Peace the Life of Life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the minding of the Spirit or the wisedome of the Spirit is Life and peace Rom. 8 6. Forsake not wisedome and shee shall preserve thee Prov. 4.6 see a preservation rewarded with a Preservation see a labour that is its own reward This is that vertue without which all vertue is vice as S. Bernard says this being the guide of all other Vertues Affections Manners This is that vertue without which as S. Basil says a man is like a Ship without a Master driven uncertainly with every wind unlesse we shall say he is rather the wind than the Shippe Passion that is Man being so impetuous without wisedome This is that vertue with which they that are indued think nothing Evill as Prosper says but that which makes man evill so that they can smile at the Mistake that miscalls