mire for else thy washing will not be according to that proverb Aethiopem lavare the washing of a black Moor which is but lost labour and doth neither good nor harm but according to that laterem lavare the vvashing of a brick which turnes to the worse even to defile the washer himselfe and to make the washed fouler then before for it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness then after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandement 2 Pet. 2.21 And when the unclean spirit is gone out of a man and returneth again the end of that man is worse then the beginning Mat. 12.43 It is a kind of despite to the spirit of Grace and as much as in him lyeth he defileth his washer But let us come to the point Of his fulness All waters how divers soever in their rising and flowing have one common originall from whence they flow that is the sea Unto the place from whence the rivers come thither they return again Eccl. 1.7 And all Grace how different soever in gifts have one common originall that is God himself the unmeasurable sea of goodnesse God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost for opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa the works of the Trinity towards the creature are undivided Grace floweth from the Trinity And though Creation be appropriated to the Father Redemption to the Son and Sanctification to the Holy Ghost yet that is but to express the distinction of persons not to make any division of nature or separation of work in the Deity But the Holy God indeed most properly is the fountain of Grace as being not onely ex natura but ex officio if I may so speak with reverence the Paraclet the comforter the sanctifier the spirit of sanctification Rom. 1.4 And yet is Christs fulnesse here properly enough made the fountain of Grace unto us both because all fulnesse is his or in him and because onely by and through him it descendeth unto us First because all fulnesse is his or in him both as he is God and as he is Man 1. As he is God in his divine nature all fulnesse is his for so the holy Ghost himself is his not onely in respect of unity of nature for such as the Father is such is the Son and such is the Holy Ghost but also in respect of proceeding of person for the Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son neither made nor created nor begotten but proceeding Yea indeed as hee is God he rather is Fulnesse of Grace then hath it It is not so properly said to be his as to be himself For whatsoever is in God it is essentially so he therefore is Fulness it self 2. As he is Man in his humane nature all fulnesse of Grace is his So Gorran will have it taken here namely his fulnesse to belong to his humane nature united to his Godhead And so is it said Col. 1.19 It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwel All fulness Yes all Fulness of Prophesies that were concerning him fulness of Offices that were upon him fulness of Obedience that was in him 1. Fulnesse of Prophecies for he came in the fulnesse of time Galat. 4.4 when all that was to foregoe and foreshew him was fulfilled And in his time the fulfilling of the Scriptures is diligently noted in the discourse and passage of the Gospel but most plainly Acts 13.29 They fulfilled all things that were written of him and verse 32. The promise made unto the Fathers GOD hath fulfilled 2. Fulnesse of Offices joyntly and severally Joyntly for he had as never other man had those three great Offices together a King a Priest and a Prophet Severally for he was a Prophet full of knowledge Col. 3.2 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge He was a Priest full of favour compassion merit Of favour This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Mat. 3. Of compassion In all things it became him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be mercisull and a faithfull High Priest Heb. 2.17 Of merit for his blood was precious Yee are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb undefiled and without spot 1 Pet. 1.19 He was a King full of Authority of Power of Magnificence or Munificence Of Authority Thou hast made him to have dominion of the works of thy hands thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet Ps 8.6 Of Power All power is given to me in heaven and in earth Mat. 28.18 Of Magnificence or Munificence He ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men Eph. 4.6 3. Fulness of Obedience both Passive and Active Passive For he was a man full of sorrows Is 53.3 Active Thus it becometh us saith he to fulfill all righteousness Mat. 3.15 In a word his particular actions were so many Emblemes of his fulnesse there was an expressing of his fulnesse in them He bade fill the water pots with water that he might fill them with wine Joh. 2.7 Hee drew a full draught of fish so full that it brake the Net and filled both ships that they sunck again Luk. 5.6 Hee filled first five thousand bellies and then twelve baskets with five loaves and two fishes Mat. 14.19 He filled his Disciples with the Holy Ghost For first he promised I will send the promise of my Father upon you Luk. 24.49 and then he fulfilled it And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost Act. 2.4 From hence we may draw use both of Invitation and of Imitation 1. Of Invitation for besides that Christ by word inviteth making proclamation of his fulnesse Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Is 55.1 His very fulnesse it self sufficiently inviteth us The Proverb is Good wine needs no bush but this wine of Christ is both good in quality and much in quantity it inviteth therefore to it self Every man delighteth in fulnesse Dulciùs ex ipso fonte bibuntur aquae 'T is best drinking where we may drink our fill Suave est ex magno tollere acervo 'T is good taking where wee may take enough O then let us not mistake so much as to seek our fulnesse of content any where else but onely here in Christ where it is truly to be found The world hath a threefold supposed Deity Profit Honour Pleasure which make shew of fulness but cannot yeeld it For Solomon the wisest of men speaking not onely out of his judgement but out of his experience concludeth the world and all therein to bee so far from fulnesse of content as to be meer vanity and vexation of spirit But what good soever in the world we falsly intend or is falsly pretended to us that in Christ is truly and fully to be found Would we have wealth his riches are unsearchable Eph.
you the hope of glory Col. 1.27 Well then may we conclude that this is that Fountain that is opened for sin and for uncleannesse Zach. 13.1 and that there is not salvation in any other for among men there is given none other name under heaven whereby we must be saved Act. 4.12 Learn therefore here to shun all false means of Grace and Mercy and earnestly to seek Christ who onely is the truth 1. To shun all false means namely which are not subordinate him for he hath his subordinate meanes which must be sought that he also may be found As the Ministry and use of the Word and Sacraments He is the Fountain of Grace yet hath he his Ministers to draw out his waters and to sprinkle his garden therewith I have planted Apollo watered 1 Cor. 3.6 He is the foundation whereon that house of living stones is builded yet hath he his workmen to set it up As a wise Master builder I have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon 1 Cor. 3.10 He is the root and stock the true tree of life into which we must be graffed yet hath he his Gardners by whose industry we must be graffed that we may grow and pruned that we may bear In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel 1 Cor. 4.13 there is our graffing The whole Scripture is profitable to teach to improve to correct to instruct 2 Tim. 3.16 there 's our pruning Let us then apply our selves unto such helps as may help us unto yea even into Christ but let us take heed of such as are averse from him or adverse to him such Drawers as in stead of sprinkling the heavenly water of the Word doe sprinkle water made holy in name but unholy in truth by superstition and abhominable conjuration Such builders as build Babel the Tower of confusion Gen. 11. such as build with untempered mortar of their own inventions and traditions Ez. 13. Such Gardners whose Vine is the Vine of Sodom and of the Vines of Gomorrah their grapes are grapes of gall and their clusters be bitter their wine is the poyson of dragons and the cruel gall of asps Deut. 32. These be they that teach us to make many Mediators by their Doctrine of Invocation of Saints that teach us to make many Redeemers by their doctrine of Merit and satisfaction of Works that teach us to receive Christ visibly by the eye in the use of Crucifixes and Images and corporally in the Sacrament by materiall Transubstantiation But we know there is one Mediator between God and man which is the man Christ Iesus 1 Tim. 2.5 We know that there is one satisfier who his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree 1 Pet. 2.24 We know that God must be worshipped in spirit God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth Joh. 4.24 and that Christ must be received spiritually by Faith He that cometh to me shall not hunger and he that beleeveth in me shall never thirst Joh. 6.35 Therefore let us renounce all such false helps and helpers as doe wait upon lying vanities and forsake their own mercy Jonah 2.8 2 And let us seek Christ who onely is the truth I am the way the truth and the life saith he Ioh. 4.16 Seek him for our childrens sake seek him for our selves For our children in the speedy use of Baptism The fountain is opened let us not be slack to come to it Wee take care to preserve natural life in the birth shall wee not much more to recover spirituall life in Baptism Shall we grieve to see a child born dead in nature and shall it be no grief to see a child kept dead in sin And for our selves also let us seek Christ for what are we without him Branches of the wild olive tree children of wrath dead by sins aliens from the commonwealth of Israel strangers from the covenant of promise having no hope without God in the world Rom. 11. Eph. 2. Seek Christ therefore for he is our peace Eph. 2.14 How shall we seek and find him by Faith for wee walk by Faith not by sight 2 Cor. 5.7 And how shall Faith be obtained Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. And how shall it be proved By obedience Shew me thy Faith by thy works Jam. 2.18 Seek Faith then by all good means hearing praying communicating Ask and ye shall have seek and ye shall find And shew faith by all good fruits Shew forth the virtues of him that hath called you out of darkness into this marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.19 We have had our graffing already in the Sacrament of Baptism but let us not deceive our selves therein to rest satisfied it may be insufficient to us for growing doth not necessarily follow every graffing though never so orderly done some graffes starve and dye Every plant which my heavenly father hath not planted shall be rooted up Mat. 15.13 There is Baptisma fluminis and Baptisma flaminis the Baptism of water and the Baptism of the spirit God tyeth us to the one we cannot tye him neither doth he tye himself to the other for he hath mercy on whom he will Rom. 9.18 And the wind bloweth where it lusteth so is every one that is born of the Spirit Joh. 3.8 Let us then shew our graffing by our growing Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 And so much of the first part of the Text The Fountain of Grace His fulnesse The second generall part is the Stream have all we received Every fountain naturally and necessarily sendeth forth a stream It is so in nature it must needs be so in grace The proverb may be turned and stand true both waies Bonum quo communius eo me lius bonum quo melius eo communius Every good thing the commoner it is the better it is the better it is the commoner it is This fountain therefore of goodnesse or rather this sea of goodness or rather this essentiall substantiall goodness which is God himself ever had its streaming and never was contented restrained or limited in or to it self but alwaies flowed Alwaies flowed But how could it flow out of him when as yet nothing was without him To whom or where could it run when there was not a who or a where to receive it Where was this streaming before there was any creating Why besides that ineffable and unconceivable eternity of the Fathers begetting the holy Ghosts proceedings that communicating of nature that existing of personality and the issuing of the properties thereof that communion of love joy peace and all perfection of goodness which for ever flowed in the Trinity intensive and ad intra as immanent actions the sea flowing in it self there was also for ever
our spiritual confirmation and consolation 9. Q. And what is the summe of the severall parts or points of this Creed A. The confession of one God in three persons and of the Church with its prerogatives 10. Q. Why doe we speak particularly in the Creed I beleeve whereas in the Lords Prayer we speak plurally Our Father A. Because Charity doth require us to pray one for another but we cannot beleeve nor confess one for another 11. Q. Why not beleeve one for another A. Because spiritually as well as corporally each one must live by his own and not by anothers food and physick Hab. 2.4 12. Q. Why not confesse one for another A. Because no man knows what is in anothers heart 1 Cor. 2.11 13. Q. What may be gathered for practise out of this aforesaid of the Creed A. That every one ought to learn it and to labour and desire rightly to understand it and to make diligent and right use of it Sect. 10. Of the first Article 1. Q. HOw many Articles be there in the Creed A. Twelve in common accompt though not alike distinguished and expressed by all men in the totall number or the particular enumeration 2. Q. What is the first Article A. I beleeve in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth 3. Q. What is it to beleeve in God A. It is to beleeve the being of God that he is and the truth of God that he is true and the love of God to me that he is mine and I am his 4. Q. What makes you beleeve there is a God A. 1. His power both visible outwardly in the creation Rom. 1.20 and sensible inwardly in every conscience Rom. 2.14 2. The instinct of nature ever working in the heathen to make them rather take any thing for God then to have no God at all 5. Q. What is God A. I may rather tell what he is not because he is infinite and cannot be expressed 6. Q. But how hath he revealed himself in his Word A. That he is a Spirit Joh. 4.24 and that he is of himself Ex. 3.14 7. Q. If God be a spirit how is man said to be created in his image A. Not in regard of bodily shape but of spirituall faculties especially knowledge Col. 3.10 and holiness Eph. 4.24 8. Q. What mean you by God the Father A. I acknowledge the first person in Trinity 9. Q. Is God then more then one A. He is one in substance or essence yet three in person 1 Joh. 5.7 10. Q. How is God Almighty A. Because he can doe all works of power Dan. 4.35 and cannot doe any works of weaknesse Tit. 1.2 2 Tim. 2.13 and because all rule is his Rom. 13.1 and because all might is his Act. 17.28 11. Q. What mean you by Heaven and Earth A. All things that are visible and invisible 12. Q. How did God make them A. Immediately of and by himself without matter means or instrument Psal 33.6 Heb. 11.3 13. Q. What followeth out of this aforesaid of the first Article for instruction to our practise A. That as I know God by his Works so I must acknowledge him in all the use I make of them and abuse none of them Secondly I must depend and trust on him for my preservation and salvation in every kind of whom I had my creation Thirdly that I must fear him knowing that he who hath power to create hath also power to destroy Sect. 11. Of the second Article 1. Q. VVHat is the second Article A. And in Jesus Christ his onely Son our Lord. 2. Q. What word is wanting here A. I beleeve For I must beleeve in God the Father God the Son and in God the Holy Ghost 3. Q. What doth the name Jesus signifie A. A Saviour Mat. 1.21 4. Q. Whom doth he save A. As many as doe receive him by faith Joh. 1.12 5. Q. VVhat doth the name Christ signifie A. Anointed 6. Q. How doth this belong to our Saviour A. By speciall excellency he being as none else ever was a King Mat. 21.4 a Priest Heb. 5.6 and a Prophet Act. 3.22 7. Q. Doth the name Christian imply the like in us A. Yes that spiritually we are Kings to reign over our corruptions Rev. 5.10 and Priests to offer spiritual sacrifices 1 Pet. 2.5 and Prophets to provoke and to exhort one another Heb. 10.24 25. and to distribute our received graces 1 Pet. 4.10 8. Q. How is Christ the Son of God A. By an unspeakable manner of everlasting generation Is 53.8 9. Q. But how is he Gods onely Son when as we also are called Gods Sons Gal. 4 6 7. and the Angels likewise Job 1.6 38.7 A. We are Sons by Adoption the Angels by Creation but Christ is the onely natural Son of God Heb. 1.5 10. Q. And how is Christ our Lord A. As he is God because he hath created us and as he is God and Man because he hath redeemed us Act. 2.36 11. Q. VVhat learn you for practise out of all aforesaid of the second Article A. To be comforted and strengthned in Faith and in Prayer Heb. 4.15 16.2 Tim. 1.12 Secondly to obey Christ Mal. 1.6 Thirdly to imitate him Joh. 13.13 Sect. 12. Of the third Article 1. Q. WHat is the third Article A. Which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary 2. Q. VVhat meaneth this Conceived by the Holy Ghost A. His miraculous and supernaturall Creation in the womb of the Virgin Incarnate saith the Nicene Creed Secondly his sanctification Luk. 1.35 Thirdly his union with the divine nature Joh. 1.14 3. Q. VVhy was Christ conceived by the Holy Ghost A. That he might be without sin 2 Cor. 5.21 4. Q. VVhy must he be without sin A. Because he was to be united to the Godhead and because he was to redeem sinners 5. Q. VVas this conception and birth of Christ true and proper or was it onely a miraculous passing of a miraculous and heavenly body as some have thought A. It was true and proper though supernaturall as aforesaid for the words are plain in the Creed and Is 7.14 Luk. 2.6 6. Q. VVhen where and how was Christ born A. In the fulnesse of time Gal. 4.4 At Bethlehem the appointed place Mal. 2.5 In a stable and laid in a manger Luk. 2.7 7. Q. VVhy was Christ born of a Virgin A. That he might be without sin as aforesaid 8. Q. Is not Virginity hereby honoured above VVedlock A. No for this Virgin was a Wife Mat. 1.20 24. 9. Q. VVhat then is hereby honoured A. The sex of Womanhood because as mans fall so also his recovery was thorough a woman And a one woman was of a man alone so one man is of a woman alone 10. Q. Did Christs Mother continue still a Virgin A. It is a point of Piety though not of Faith so to think 11. Q. How cometh that Christs mother hath no other titles here but Virgin Mary A. Because the Scripture
filled Chap. 2. ver 4. yea so abundantly filled that each one was able to fill multitudes For by Saint Peters preaching the same day there were added to the Church about 3000. soules ver 41. Thus this heavenly fire hid since the world began and from all ages Col. 1.26 now breaking forth sheweth most heat and light Thus our Zacheus for that name whether you expound it Just or Pure may well stand for him who is the fountain of all Justice and purity recompenseth his former hoording and sparing by giving fourfold Thus the holy and precious oile of gladnesse powred upon the head of the Church runneth down to the skirts of his clothing even to all his members and parts For saith Saint Peter here ver 16. This is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel And it shall be in the last daies saith God that I will powre out of my spirit upon all flesh And this is that which is cited Heb. 8.11 They shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know ye the Lord for all such know me from the least of them to the greatest Thirdly not to like end was the Holy Ghost before come or given For before he was given to foretell things to come and to be done now to tell and declare things done and finished Before to set forth the shadow of good things to come now to minister the substance of the things themselves Before to teach men but now we may say in some sort to teach Angells For now unto principalities and powers in heavenly places is made known by the Church the manifold wisdome of God Eph. 3.10 And in the ministry of the Gospell the things are now shewed which the Angells desire to behold 1. Pet. 1.12 Before it was to prepare the bride for the marriage of the Lamb Now it is to keep the keies of the bridechamber dore to bind and loose open and shut I will give thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth shal be loosed in Heaven saith Christ to Saint Peter Mat. 16.19 For which causes I doubt not it is that the least of the Kingdom of God that is as aforesaid after this third and full revelation of the Trinity is said to be greater then John the Baptist whose time was but a little before it Mat. 11.11 What followeth then for our instruction out of this inlargement of the holy Spirit to us but this that we also be inlarged in the holinesse of our spirits unto him that as he hath abounded unto us so we may abound unto him and that as he to us so we to him be renued In our manner Not with eye service as men-pleasers but heartily as to the Lord. Col. 3.23 In our measure Rich in faith rich in good works In our end Not minding earthly things but having our conversation in heaven Phil. 3.20 But how was this new and great coming of the Holy Ghost It was in or under signs and figures types and emblems For the Son came to take our nature because he was to stand in our room to act our cause therefore his coming must be hypostaticall he must be that he seems to be The Word was made flesh Joh. 1. But the Holy Ghost was to renew us into his nature that we might be partakers of the godly nature 2 Pet. 1.4 therefore it sufficeth that his coming be symbolicall not becoming or being what he shews but shewing what he is his properties and effects As excellently here hee doth in three notable symboles or signs Namely Wind Fire and Tongues And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing and a mighty wind c. To seek all the agreements between these shaddows and their substance were to attempt that impossibility 2 Esd 4.5 Weigh me the weight of the fire or measure me the blast of the wind Expect not all then but be content with some And first of the wind The Wind hath two especiall properties Secretness and Activeness First Secretness and that both in its arising and its working 1. Secretnesse in its arising It is so secret that it cannot be known for I will rather believe Christ who telleth me that I cannot tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth Joh. 3.8 then I would yeeld to the wisdom of man if all Philosophers could as indeed they cannot agree together to tell me from whence it cometh God bringeth them out of his treasures Ps 135.7 No doubt out of those treasures of light and and might knowledge and power the light which no man can attain unto 1 Tim. 6.16 And secondly it hath Secretness in its working too for it unsensibly pierceth the sensible joynts and bones Zephyrus quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vitam ferens and worketh sensible refreshing on the unsensible herbs and plants And to the Holy Ghost also is secretnesse proper both in his beginning or arising and in his working In his beginning for we say he hath a beginning of personality though not of nature A beginning from the Father and the Son not in time being coeternall but by proceeding Whereof the proceeding of the stream from the fountain of the heat from the fire and of the light from the sun is all too short and weak expressions and yet these in time we are still together And in his working also he is secret Entring in to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit and the joynts and the marrow Heb. 4.12 And as the true Zephyrus breathing breath of lives upon all the plants which the heavenly father hath planted and that unsensibly as the wind blowing when and where and how he listeth The former secresie is for our admiration the greater it is the farther we must stand from it For qui scrutatur majestatem opprimetur à gloria He that searcheth Gods majesty shall be oppressed of his glory It is enough to cry out O the deepness of this secret The latter is for our examination for we must prove our selves whether we are in the faith or no 2 Cor. 13.5 If we live in the spirit we must walk in the spirit Gal. 5.25 And as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God Rom 8.14 Again Activenesse also is another property of the wind It is active constantly strongly subtilly variously 1. Constantly for it is alwaies in motion its being consisteth in action for it is not wind if it do not blow And though it be not in all places alwaies alike perceived yet never can it be said to be in no place at all 2. Strongly for it bendeth the pliant plants but breaketh or overturneth the stiffe and sturdy oaks 3. Subtilly for it findeth the chaffe in the middest of the wheat and purgeth and scattereth it quite away 4. Variously for it bringeth sometimes lightning sometimes rain
sometimes from the East sometimes from the West sometimes from the North sometimes from the South It alwaies cooleth and for the most part cleareth the air And this activenesse is also proper to the Holy Ghost in all these kinds He worketh first Constantly for what is true of the Son is also true of the Holy Ghost My Father worketh hitherto and I work Joh. 5.17 For in all works ad extra the Trinity is undivided He was active in the Creation The spirit of God moved upon the waters Gen. 1.2 He is active also in the Regeneration Joh 3.5 Except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of heaven 2. Strongly for he plyeth the humble to the bent of his will and breaketh the stubborn from the strength of their own will Is 42.1 I have put my spirit upon him What then A bruised reed shall he not break He shall but bend the humble yet he shall bring forth judgement unto victory he shall overthrow the stubborn This wind breaketh the Cedars even the Cedars of Lebanon Ps 29.5 3. Subtilly for he purgeth both the companies and the consciences of men evill persons outwardly evill desires inwardly are the chaffe which this wind scattereth away His fan is in his hand and he will throughly purge his floor Mat. 3.12 4. Variously for he bringeth sometimes flashes of elevation Elijahs Chariot sometimes showers of humiliation Peters tears He bringeth forth the lightning with the rain Ps 135.7 He bloweth with his wind and the waters flow Psal 147.8 Sometimes from the East by opening the bloody rising of originall sin sometimes from the West by reflecting the bloody setting of the Sun of righteousness sometimes from the South through the warm and calm gale of peace and prosperity sometimes from the North thorough the blustering blasts of persecution and tryall It cooleth and refresheth the conscience by quenching the scalding heat of concupiscence and cleareth it from clouds mists and fogs of sin and from ignorance the cause from fear the effect thereof by bringing in true light the Sun of Faith the Moon of Hope the Stars of Charitie O hearken then for the motion of this active wind It is not idle in it self let it not be idle unto thee Receive not the grace of God in vain but rather cry and call Arise O North and come O South and blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow forth Can. 4. that so awaiting and desiring it thou mayst not onely hear the sound of it but be carried away in the force of it yea be turned into it for that which is born of the spirit is spirit That thou mayst be made active as it is active Constantly that thou bee not weary of well doing Gal. 6. Strongly that in all things thou be more then conqueror Rom. 8. Subtilly that thou try all things and choose that which is best Phil. 1. Variously that thy love may abound yet more and more that thou mayst sowe liberally and reap also liberally 2 Cor. 9. And so much of the first signe or symbole The wind the second is the Fire As in the wind so in the fire also I observe two properties well agreeing to the Holy Ghost namely light and heat First Light is a naturall property of the fire of our common fire For indeed the elementary fire in its own sphere shineth not because of its subtilnesse and the infernal fire of hell shineth not because of its grossnesse yet our fire being of a mixt nature hath light as well as heat Light to shew it self to us us to our selves others to us us to others and to discover and manifest all And this also is proper to this Heavenly fire even Light The holy Spirit though in his own sphere he is so subtile in his own nature so pure that he cannot be visible for No man hath seen God at any time yet is he come down to us in light and hath brought us Lumen superius Interius Exterius Upper Inner Outward light 1. Lumen superius light to see God that is Faith The naturall light can shew to the eye but colours or superficies not substances But this light sheweth to the Soul him that is the substance of all things In whom we live and move and have our being Act. 27.28 In whom all things consist Col. 1.17 For by this light Moses saw him who is invisible Heb. 11.27 and by this light all the godly doe walk We walk by faith not by sight 2 Cor 5.7 2. Lumen interius Inner light that is Conscience Ye were once darknesse but now are light in the Lord. Eph. 5.8 Why The reason goes before there ver 5. for this ye know that no whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man who is an idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God Ye were darknesse when ye knew not that now are yee light now yee do know it This is that light which God sent by Saint Paul To open their eyes that they might turn from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God Act. 26.18 This is that rejoycing light 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience This is that humbling light that sheweth the vileness of our condition naturall Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return Gen. 3. And the miserablenesse of our condition spirituall I was shapen in wickednesse and in sin hath my mother conceived me Ps 51. 3. Lumen exterius Outer light that is charity He that saith he is in the light and yet hateth his brother is in darknesse untill this time he that loveth his brother abideth in the light 1. Joh. 2.9 This light maketh us see all men alike so that we have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in respect of persons Jam. 2.1 that we be ready to honor all men and to despise none This light helpeth us to see the necessities of our brethren that we may relieve them Charity is bountifull 1 Cor 13.4 To take notice of the infirmities of our brethren that wee may bear them Restore such a one in the spirit of meeknesse bear yee one anothers burthen Gal. 6.1 To observe the faults of our brethren that we may reprove them Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darknsse but even reprove them rather Eph. 5.11 Yea this light will guide us so to look on and to follow the foremost that wee our selves shall become lights and leaders of the hindmost Phil. 3.17 Shining as lights in the world and holding forth the word of life Phil. 2.13 Yea this light will keep us from glosing and colouring and make us shine clearly and truly even to be indeed what we seem in shew For all things when they are reproved of this light are manifest for it is this light that maketh all things manifest Eph. 5.13 What then Seeing that this light is come into the world let
us not love darknesse more then light Joh. 3.19 Ye are all the children of the light and of the day wee are not of the night neither of the darknesse 1 Thes 5.5 Where then is our Lumen superius our knowledge of God Are we not either like owles hiding us from this light or like flies playing with it or presuming too near it Where is our Lumen interius our knowledge of our self Are we not like the blind Sodomites groping in our own streets Gen. 19. like the blind Aramites that went they knew not whither notwithstanding the Lords Prophet did lead them 2 King 6. Where is our Lumen exterius our knowledge of our neighbour May not St. Paul's words be inverted Henceforth know we no man after the flesh 2 Cor. 5.16 May we not invert it and say Hitherto have we known no man but after the flesh with fleshly affections to carnall ends and temporall turnes O beloved let us not make so much abuse of light but walk while we have light lest darknesse come upon us Joh. 12.30 For the night commeth when no man can work Joh. 9.4 the night of persecution the night of losse of outward senses the night of losse of inward senses the night of age the night of death the night of judgement Divers kinds of night do hang over our head wee know not how soon our light may be put out in obscure darknesse Pro. 20.20 Onely this wee know that no darknesse can hide us from God for the darknesse and the light with him are both alike Ps 139.12 Yea wee niay well fear that if we turn his light into darknesse now he will again turn our darknesse into light hee will lighten things hid in darkness and make the counsells of the heart manifest 1. Cor. 4.5 And that 's enough to our shame before men by the present light and fiery tryall of the spirit and of the word Every mark shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire 1 Cor. 3.13 but especially to our confusion before men and Angels When the Lord Jesus shall shew himself from heaven with his mighty Angells in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that know not God 2. Thes 1.7 Again Heat also is another property of the fire and that of divers kinds and uses 1. Heat reviving 2. Heat consuming 3. Heat hardning 4. Heat softning 5. Heat drying 6. Heat moistning 7. Heat increasing and decreasing by the wind All these are kindes of heat and proper to the fire and are well agreeing also to this our Heavenly fire the Holy Ghost 1. He yeilds heat reviving Doth not the fire revive frozen creatures and what cold so strong as the death of sin And yet from that by this heat of the spirit men are revived You hath he quickned which were dead in trespasses and sin Eph. 2.1 Gehazi with his masters staffe could not revive the Shunamites Son 2 King 4. For the staffe was dead it self and cold and had no warmth in it But the Prophet himself coming and his warmth applyed the child revived which is allegorized thus that Moses by the Law could not but Christ by the spirit doth revive sin dead mankind Yea indeed Moses made but the smoke of this fire The smoke must go before the fire The smoke smothereth the fire quickneth So the Law must go before the Gospel that stroke us dead but this reviveth us again The letter killeth but the spirit giveth life 2 Cor. 3.6 2. Heat consuming The fire consumeth and turneth all into ashes and by ashes it is preserved and out of ashes again revived And the heat of this heavenly fire consumes all worldlinesse and fleshlinesse and makes all as ashes by the memory of death For this was Abrahams confession I am dust and ashes Gen. 18. Yea this was Davids meditation I have eaten ashes as it were bread Ps 102.9 And by this ashes is this fire preserved and out of it again revived even as the Phoenix out of her own ashes The fires heat consumeth drossy and dry things yet so as it refineth and purifieth the pretious metall And this our God the Holy Ghost is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 How To purge the corruptions of nature I will purely purge thy dross and take away thy tinne Is 1.25 and to refine the perfections of nature that they may shine as Gold in the furnace Wis 3.6 and as silver seven times tryed in the fire Ps 12.6 This is that fire that burneth onely the bonds of Gods Children and makes them like those three in the fiery furnace Dan. 3. of bound become free and to walk at liberty even in the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God And this Divine fire purgeth that hellish fire of the tongue Jam. 3.6 As Phaetons inflammation was said to be quenched by lighting Et saevis compescuit ignibus ignes one fire was striken out with another 3. Heat hardning Doth not the fires heat harden the potters ware and make it of weak and limber clay to become stiffe and strong to serve the uses of the house And we are Gods clay and he is our Potter Is 64.8 and through the fervent heat of this Heayenly fire wee of weak are made strong Heb. 11.34 Even vessells of honor sanctifyed and meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every good work 2 Tim. 2.21 even serviceable to the most honorable use of the house even to hold in martyrdome For so Saint Peter before the sending down of this fire was weak clay easily moulded unmoulded rather from his profession by the objection of a silly maid But he and his fellowes after this fire had past upon them and throughly seasoned them became so strong that they rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christs name Act. 5.41 4. Heat-softning Doth not the fire soften the hardest mettall iron and steel and make it yield to the hammer and to be plyable to the workmans purpose yea to become liquid to melt and run like wax or water And the heat of this Heavenly fire mollifyeth the hardest hearts that they may be wrought by the hammer of the word yea makes them even like wax that melteth in the fire I am powred out like water saith David my heart is like wax it is even molten in the midst of my bowells Ps 22.14 5. Heat drying Doth not the Suns heat dry the fields and make them choppe and cleave and gape for rain And this Heavenly descending from above maketh our soules dry to thirst after righteousness to be athirst for God Even like a barren and dry land where no water is untill we receive the former and latter rain My soul gaspeth after thee saith David even as a thirsty land Ps 143.6 6. Heat moistning Doth not the heat of the Sun exhale moist clouds from the Earth and Waters and dissolve the same again into showers and dewes And doth not the heat of the limbeck make water