For good newes is good in that it represents the good it selfe to vs before it come It is but words true But such words made IACOB revive againe Gen. 45.17 when he was more then halfe dead even the good newes of IOSEPHS welfare If I might but heare good tidings saith David when his bones were broken it would make me well againe Psal. 51.8 Pro. 13 17. That SALOMON sayd well A good messenger is a good medicine Specially this heere which is so good as it carrieth away the name from the rest to be called The Gospel or The glad tydings as if none so glad nay none glad at all without it It is saith the Apostle odor suavitatis a comfortable sweet savour 2. Cor 2 1â— It is saith the Wise man dulcedo animae sanitas ossium the sweetnesse of the soule the very health of the bones It is such saith the Prophet as the lipps are precious and the feet beautifull Pro. 16.24 Esay 52.7 Col. 1.20 of them that bring it that a Saviour is borne as by vvhom things in heaven and things in earth men and Angells vvhich vvere in feare one of another are set at peace and love 1. Ioh. 14.18 and Love casteth out feare giveth the true Noli timere Good newes of Ioy For of good newes there are more sorts then one 3. Tydings of ioy Good newes it had been if it had been but Evangelizo vobis Spem Newes of good Hope that had been enough for Nolite timere This is more it is of Ioy. I wot well there is a Ioy in hope Rom. 12 13. Ioh. 16.24 Gal. 4 4. Spe gaudentes saith the Apostle But that ioy is not full till the fullnesse of time come Nor it is not perfect for it is allaied somewhat with an unpleasing mixture which is Spes differtur and that as the Wise man saith áffligit animam Hope deferred afflicteth the soule Pro. 13 12. Gaudium Spei is nothing to Gaudium Rei the hope de futuro of a thing to come heerafter nothing to the actuall fruition of a thing present And indeed till this dayes newes it was ever Evangelium Spei ever in the future tense before Even the very last before this to the blessed Virgin Ecce concipies Thou shalt conceive Luk. 1.31 Shalt So it was yet to come This is the first in the present tense Not is to be borne is to be sent is to come but Natus est Missus est Venit is borne is sent is come Hodiè even to day takes no time In the City of David not farre hence but even hard by This is Evangelizo gaudium This is ioy indeede 4. Of great Ioy. But even in Ioy there be diverse degrees All are not of one size Some there are lesser some as this heer Gaudium magnum The fire is as the fuell is and the Ioy is as the matter is There is not like ioy to a shepheard when his Ewe brings him a Lamb as when his Wife brings him a Sonne yet that of a Lamb is a Ioy such as it is But then if that Sonne should prove to be Princeps Pastorum the Cheefe Shepheard in all the land that were some-what more But then if he should prove to be a CYRVS or a DAVID a Prince then certainely it were another manner of ioy Gaudium magnum indeed As the matter is so is the Ioy. If great the Benefit great the Person then great the Ioy. And heere the Benefit is great none greater as much as the saving of us all as much as all our lives and soules are worth therefore great And the Person great none so great it is the LORD Himselfe therefore primae magnitudinis great even as He is Indeed so great it is that the Prophet bids us plainely remember no more former things nor regard matters of old Esa. 45.18 This passeth them all the Ioy of it puts them all downe so that none of them shall once be mentioned with it Therefore well sayd the Angell Evangelizo Gaudium magnum 5. Ioy to the people And great it may be intensivè in the parties themselves yet not great extensivè nor extend it selfe to many not be gaudium mâ—gnum Populo Yes even that way also it is great it is publique ioy it is ioy to the people And well fare that Ioy where it is merry with all It is added purposely this that they might not mistake when he sayd Evangelizo vobis he brought them good newes That though he brought it them yet not thâ—m onely it was not appropriate to them it was common to others They had their parts in it but so should others have no lesse then they And every good shepheard will like it the better for that will be pro grege and still preferre the ioy of the whole flocke In other ioyes it falles out as Esay tells Multiply the Nation and ye shall not encrease their ioy Esay 9.3 for that which one winnes another loses But this Ioy the Ioy of Puer natus est nobis in it they shall all reioice before Thee as men make merry in harvest and be ioyfull as men that divide the spoile In Harvest And a good Harvest all the Countrey is the better for At a spoyle wherein every one hath his share That is gaudium Populi And such is this Well figured in the place of His birth an Inne which is domus Populi open to all Passengers that will take it up Iuris publici wherein every one hath right Yea and the most common part of the Inne For though they sort themselves and have every one their severall Chambers Luk. 2.7 in the stable all have interest that is common And as the Place publique so is the Benefit and so is the Ioy Publique of His Birth Christmas ioy right All fare the better for this day Salus populi is the best and so is Gaudium populi too and every good minde 6. Ioy to all people will like it so much the better that All the people have their part in it And this were much toti populo to the whole people if it were but one But it is omni populo say Theophylact and Beda that is to All people which is a larger extent by farr And if ye speake of great ioy this is great indeed for it is vniversall it is as great as the world is great when not the Iew onely but the Gentile nor the Gentile but the Iew not one people but All keepe a feast And at this word omni populo Nec vox hominem sonat It is not man that speaketh now whose goodnesse commonly when it is at the greatest extendeth no further but to one Nation But with GOD it is never great till it come to omni populo It is but a small thing saith He by ESAY to raise the Tribes of Iacob or to restore the decayes of Israel Esay 49.6 I
men promiscuè good and badd elect and reprobate No but to such as perteine to His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 GODS Beneplacitum His good-will and purpose to the children of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nominative or Genitive let it not trouble you To men a good will or To men of good-will no great matter whither so long as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 referres to GOD and to His good pleasure Nor to Men or any will of theirs And that so it is to be referred I will use no other witnesse but Cardinall Tolet himselfe who in his Readings at Rome and in the Popes owne Chappel and upon this very place confesseth asmuch that so is the native signification of the word and so and no otherwise to be taken heer but in that sense And in that sense being taken it goes well Glory from us to Him Peace from Him to us From men on earth to God on high Glory From God on high to men on earth Peace Men I say toward whom He is now appeased and with whom now He is well pleased and both for this Childs sake heer in the cratch Mat. 3 â—7 17 ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom He is so absolutely well pleased as of the fullnesse of His favor we all receive GOD spake it once and twise 1 Once at His Baptisme 2 and againe in the Holy Mount And Hoc â—rit signum This may be a sure signe that He is well pleased with our Nature that He hath in this Child taken it and united it to His owne which if He had not been highly well pleased He would never have done What greater good will can there be then this If passeth the greatest even that of Marriage union of Nature unitie of Person Then riseth there another doubt what Verbe to put to heere For never a Verbe there is at all Whether some Indicative Glorie is or shall be and then it is an Hymne of Gratulation and agreeth well with laudantium a praise to GOD that these now are Now hath GOD glorie Now earth peace Men are now received to favour and grace Thus Or whether sit or esto in the Optative and then it is Votum benè ominatum a Vow or wish that Glorie may be to GOD and so to the rest I say againe heere as before I said it skill'd not then whether Nominative or Genitive it skills not now whether Indicative or Optaâ—ive Tehilla a Praise it is and Tephilla a Wish it may be do commence Either is well But both are best for both are most true By way of Gratulation Glorie now is or shall be to GOD for this Birth Before 1. By way of Graâ—ulation Glory is to God it was not at least not so as after Before it was Gloria in excelsis but DEO was left out All Nations in a manner worshipping the host of Heaven the superiour bodies deifying the creature passing by the CREATOR quite Excelsa they did but DEVM in excelsis they did not But by this Birth now downe should all Idolatrie goe as downe it went wheresoever Christian Religion tooke place From the creature there all to the CREATOR To none on high but GOD on high The point of Glorie much mended GOD more Glorie then before And the Earth more at peace if you take peace in things spirituall 2. Peace is in Earth matters concerning the soule One onely I will mention There was as out of Varro S. Augustine reckons them no lesse then two hundred sixty and odde severall Opinions and that of the wisest then on the earth touching mans Sovereigne Good or chiefe End The verie highest point and that did most concerne them and least peace most variance in it This mist also was scattered and that point well cleered by Him that was the Way and the Truth That this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heere is it the favour of GOD it is Ioh. 14.6 and the assurance of it and nothing but it that makes a man truly happy when all is done As for the point of GOD 's good will and favour that was never in kind 3. And Good will toward men till this Day Many favours much good will before Never so as when GOD and Man the God-head and Man-hood meet both in one GOD never so pleased as when He was pleased to assume it into one person with Himselfe uniting both with the streightest union that can be Never that till this day when for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good will toward men He forsooke gloriam in excelsis to come into the cratch for them So that for GOD 's favour the gratulation is most just more then both the rest Bishop Bradwardine did joine a good issue Let that be the Religion let that prevaile as best and most true of all other that is Deo honorabilior brings more honour to GOD Paci amicabiliâ—r bestfriend to the earths peace and Homini favorabilior most favourable to man as shewing GOD better affected to him and making men better affected to GOD better one to another That Religion is Christian Religion None sings this Hymne in time in true note but it all other are out So that we have a compendium of true Religion and three notes of it out of the three notes of the Song in this Antheme And this if it be the Indicative or by way of Gratulation II By way of wish But I confesse it is more usuall per modum voti by way of wish by sit then by est Sit doth better become the Church militant Est is more fitt for the Châ—rch triumphant Glorie be to GOD Peace be to the earth c. Exoptando that these may be so and so being continue still and be dayly more and more And so taking it to the triplicitie againe Glorie be to God on High First glorie we wish to GOD. On high stands in the midst you may either cast it to the first word Glorie Glorie on high and then the point that is high glorie Or with the point after glorie and cast on high to GOD. A third varietie but easily reconciled if we take in both Glorie on high to GOD on high One on high may serve for the reason why we wish glorie to GOD for GOD being Altissimus the most High as Melchisedek first stiled Him Gen. 14.18 and glorie being the altitude or highest pitch we can flie or performe by good reason we wish Him that is Highest the highest thing we have But not every glorie do we wish but wish it Him at the highest All glorie is high yet is there one glorie higher then another 1. Cor. 15.41 If any be so that they wish to GOD the very height of it even glory in altissimis as high as it can goe Now the more He is glorified the higher His glorie Higher if by Heaven and Earth on high and below by Men and Angells then by either alone Psal. 148. This
The reall part Then What peace Why Peace Is there nothing more worth the wishing Nothing more Why Peace of it selfe Nothing more fit for these persons this place and this time Of it selfe Votum pacis Summa votorum It is all wishes in one Nothing more to be wished For in brevi voce Breviarium this little word is a Breviarie of all that good is To shew how a little quà m bonum how good how worth the wishing it is 1 As good Psal. 133.1 Pro. 1â— 16.17 Pro. 17.1 It is tam bonum so good as without it nothing is good With it saith Salomon an hand-full of herbes without it an hous-full of sacrifices is not good With trouble and vexation nothing is good nothing is to be wished And as without it nothing is to be wished so all that is to be wished all good is within it Evangelizantium pacem evangelizantium bona quia Rom. 10 1â— in pace omnia bona To bring newes of peace is to bring newes of all good things for all good things are in peace Bona is the true glosse or exposition of peace * Psal. 133 1. Quà m bonum you know And quà m jucundum too Both good and pleasant 2. Pleasant and pleasant not onely as Aarons ointment which was onely pleasant but 3. Profitable Psal. 72.7 as Hermon dew which brings profit with it Abundantia pacis saith the Psalme Peace and Plentie goe togither And yet how much it is to be wished this sheweth Pacem te poscimus omnes 4. Wished by all All wish it Angells wish it Heaven to Earth Pax in terris And Men wish it Earth to Heaven Pax in coelis GOD wisheth it most kindly for Him Luc 2 14. Deus pacis pacem Dei the GOD of peace the peace of GOD. Yea 2 Cor. 13.11 Phil. 4 7. Luc 4.34 the enemie of all peace wisheth it for he complaines Venisti nos inquietare are ye come to trouble us So he would not be troubled that troubles all but sett all togither by the eares and sitt quiet himselfe But it is much for the honor of peace that cum bellum geritur pax quaeritur Even militar persons with sword in one hand and fire in the other give this for their Embleme Sic quaerimus pacem Thus with sword and fire seeke we peace As seeke it at last they must we must all Best primâ Sabbati but Serò sooner or later come to it we must If it be not the first it must be our last 2 And by Christ oâ—ten But if there were nothing els this onely were enough and though there be many this chiefly doth shew it That our SAVIOVR CHRIST so often so diverse waies Ioh. 14.27 so earnestly wisheth it Going He did it Pacem meam do vobis And now comming He doth it Sitting He did it Chap. 16. and now standing Living when He was borne Ioh 16.33 Luk 2.14 Chap. 14 28. Pax in terris Xenium Christi It was CHRIST 's New-yeares-gift Dying when He was to suffer Pacem meam relinquo vobis it was Legatum Christi CHRIST 's Legacie And now heere rising againe it is His wish still To shew not only the good of this life but of the next to be in peace Prayed for it Chap. 17. Chap. 17.21 â—uk 19.42 Payed for it Chap. 18. Wept for it O if thou hadst knowen the things that pertaine to thy peace Wept for it and bledd for it therefore immediately the very next words He sheweth them His hands and His side As much to say See what I have suffered to procure your peace Your peace cost me this Pax vobis cost Crux mihi See you hold it deere Now sure if there were any one thing better then other those hands would not have with-held it and that heart would wish it And Peace it doth wish therefore nothing more to be wished Complete it is Votum pacis Summa votorum Iâ—n 1.12 There need no other signe be given but that of the Prophet IONAS that CHRIST wished his wish So the tempest may cease and peace as a calme ensue spare me not take me cast me into the Sea make me a Peace-offering and kill me This is enough to shew it is to be wished to make it pretious in our eyes For we vnder-value it at too low a rate when that which cost so deere for every trifling ceremonie we are ready to lose it Our faint perswasion in this point is the cause we are faint in all the rest Well though this be thus good yet good it selfe is not good vnlesse it be in season come fitly Doth this so Every way fitly 1 For the Persons 2 For the Place 3 and for the Time 1. And now fitly for the Persons 1 By whom CHRIST Ephes. 2.14 The Persons both 1 CHRIST by whom and 2 they to whom it is wished 1. CHRIST by whom Decet Largitorem pacis haec salutatio saith Cyrill It is meet for Him to give peace that made peace Nay Ipse est Pax nostra saith the Apostle and for Peace what fitter salutation then Peace â— To whom The Disciples 2. They to whom for they needed it with GOD they had no peace whom they had provoked Nor peace with men not with the Iewes about them Nor peace with themselves for they were in feare and night-feare which is the worst of all others Fit for them and they for it for together they were and so not vnfit to entertaine it 2. For the place And with the Place it suiteth well For they were shut up as men environed and beleaguered with their enemies Conclusi derelicti shut up and forsaken And to such Peace is ever welcome 3. For the Time And for the time seasonable For after a falling out Peace is so And after a victorie Peace is so Fitt therefore for this day the day of the Resurrection for till then it was not in kind The great battaile was not fought The last enemie death was not overcome 1. Cor. 15.26 Never till now but now the last enemie is conquered now it is in season 4. For the thing iâ— selfe pâ—aâ—e a resurrection And for the thing it selfe Peace is a kind of Resurrection When CHRIST was risen His Disciples were dead Those dead affections of sorrow and feare when they seise throughly upon men what are they but Mors ante mortem Vpon good newes of IOSEPH Gen 45.27 IACOB is said to revive as if before he had beene given for dead It was their case heere The house was to them as their grave and the doore as the grave-stone and they buried in feare when they saw Him in the next verse and were thus saluted by Him they gatt hope were glad that is revived againe For if those were the pangs of death peace after a sort is a resurrection and so a fit wish for the time And to say truth Peace
pronounced over them As if some great matter had lyen in the missing of it as if they had beene of Iacob's mind Non dimittam te nisi benedixeris mihi Gen. 32.26 they would neither let the Priest depart nor depart themselves till they had their blessing with them Such a vertue they held in it The blessing pronounced they had then leave to goe with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke Mâ—ssa â—st fidelibus in the Latine Church and none went away before An evill custome hath prevailed with our people Away they go without blesâ—ing without leave without care of eithâ—r Marke if they runne not out before eny blessing as if it were not worth the taking with them Verse 17. Matt. 25.34 I mervaile how they will be inheritors of the blessing that seeme to set so little by it If they meane to heare Come ye blessed they should me thinkes love it better then by their running from it they seeme to doe This would be amended We are heerein departed from the Primitive Christians with whom it was in more regard Sure there is more in the neglect of it then we are aware of This blessing could not be delivered in better termes then in those that came from the Apostles themselves which accordingly have beene sought up heere and there in their writings and by the Church sorted to severall dayes which they seemed best to agree with As â—his heere having Easter-day in it was made an Easter day-benediction For the speciall mention in it of CHRIST brought againe from the dead doth in a manner appropriate it to this Feast Vtter it but thus The GOD of peace who did now as upon this day bring againe CHRIST from the dead doe but utter it thus and it will appeare most plainely how well they suite the Time and the Text. 2. The Summe For the Summe It is no more in effect but shortly this That GOD would so blâ—sse them and us as to make us fit for and perfect in all good workes A good wish at any time But why at this time specially upon mention of CHRIST 's rising he should wish it is not seene at first Yet there is some matter in it that at CHRIST 's rising he doth not wish our faith increased or our hope strengthened or any other gracâ— or vertue revived but onely that good workes might be perfected in us and we in them Surely this sorting them thus together seemes to implie as if CHRIST 's râ—surrâ—ction had some more peculiar interest in good workes as indeed it hath And there hath ever beene and still are more of them done now at this time then at any other time of the yeare A generall reason may be given That what time CHRIST doth for us some principall great work as at all the Feasts He doth some and now at this time sensibly we to take occasion by it at that time to do somwhat more then ordinarie in memorie and honour of it More particularly some such as may in some sort suit with and resemble the act of Christ then done As it might be when Christ died sinne to die in us when CHRIST rose againe good workes to rise together with Him Christ's Passion to be Sinne 's passion Christ's Resurrection good worke 's resurrection Good-friday is for Sin Easter for good workes Good-friday to bring Sinne to death Easter to bring good workes from the dead And we that were dead before to good workes by occasion of this to revive againe to the doing of them And not as the manner is with us Sinne to have an Easter to rise and live againe and good workes to be crucified ly dead and have no resurrection For the Partition Two Verses there are and two Parts accordingly 3. The Division 1 The Praemisses and 2 the Sequele The Praemisses are GOD and the Sequele Good-workes The former verse is nothing but GOD with His style or addition The GOD of peace who hath brought againe c. The latter is all for good workes Make you perfect c We may consider them thus Of the two 1 One a thing done for us in the former verse 2 The other a thing to be done by us in the latter verse The bringing back Christ the benefit done vs by GOD The applying good workes our duety to be done to Him for it The thing done is an Act that is a bringing backe Which act is but one but implieth another precedent necessarily For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a bringing backe implieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a bringing thither To this Act there is a concurrence of two Agents 1 One the Partie that brought 2 The other the Partie that is brought The Party that brought is GOD vnder the name or title of the GOD of peace The Party that was brought is Christ set forth heere under the Metaphore of a Shepheard the great Shepheard of the Sheepe The GOD of peace did bring againe this Shepheard from whence and how 3 From whence From the dead Then among the dead He was first First brought thither 4 How from thence by what meanes By the blood of a Testament everlasting All which is nothing els but the Resurrection of Christ extended at large through all these points The thing to be done That GOD would so blesse them As to make them 1 First fitt to doe 2 and then to doe good workes 1 Fitt to doe in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To doe Wherein we consider two things 1 the doing To which doing there is a concurrence of two Agents ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what we to do â— And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what He to doe 2 And then the worke it selfe expressed in two words 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is His Will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is well pleasing in His sight These two be holden for two degrees and the later of the twaine to have the more in it And last of all the Sequele Where is to be shewed how these two hang together and follow one upon the other First the GOD of peace and the bringing of CHRIST from death Then how the bringing of Christ from death concernes our bringing forth good workes Which being shewed what this Feast of Easter hath to doe with good workes will fall in of it selfe That with Christ now rising they also should now rise They are thought as good as dead that there may be a Resurrection of them at Christ's Resurrection I. The thing done for us â— The Party by whom THe GOD of peace c Heere is a long processe What needs all this setting out His style at length Why goes he not to the point roundly And seeing good workes doing is his errand why saith he not shortly GOD make you given to good workes and no more adoe But tells us a long tale of Shepheards and Testaments and I wote not what one
He leaves not us to our selves for the rest but to that outward application of ours joines His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inward operation of His owne inspiring His grace which is nothing but the breath of the Holy Ghost Thereby enlightening our minds inclining our wills working on our affections making us homines bona voluntatis that when we have done well we may say with the Prophet Domine universa opera nostra operatus es in nobis Lord all our good workes thou hast wrought in us Esay 26.12 Our workes they be yet of thy working And with the Apostle We did them yet not we 1. Cor. â—5 10 but the grace of GOD that was with us Both wayes it is true what He workes by us He workes in us and what He workes in us He workes by us For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take not away one the other but stand well together This for the doing 2. The worke Now for the worke In every good worke we do His will yet it seemeth degrees there are For heer is mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His will and besides it of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His good pleasure and this latter sounds as if it did import more then a single will Ones good pleasure is more Chap 12.28 then his bare Will So in the Chapter before He wisheth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is we may serve and please that is may so serve as that we may please Acceptable service then is more then any such as it is There is no question but that as of evill workes some displease GOD more then other so of good workes there are some better pleasing and that He takes a more speciall delight in And if you would know what they be above at the XVI Verse it is said that to do good and to distribute that is distributive doing good It is more then an ordinarie service it is a sacrifice every such worke It is of the highest kind of service and that with that kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our word heer GOD is highly pleased So doth S. Paul call the bounteous supplying of his wants from the Philippians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sacrifice right acceptable and pleasing to GOD and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a most delightfull sweet savour And that you may still see he lookes to the Resurrection he saith the Philippians had lyen dead and drie a great while as in winter trees do use But when that worke of bounty came from them Phil. 4.12 they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is shoot forth waâ— fresh grow green againe as now at this season plants do That so the very vertue of CHRIST 's resurrection did shew forth it selfe in them So fitting Nature's reâ—urrection-time the time of bringing things as it were from the dead againe with this of CHRIST Which time is therefore the most pleasing time the time of the greatest pleasure of all the times of the yeare So we know how to do that is pleasing in His sight Yet even this pleasing and all els is to conclude as heer it doth with through IESVS CHRIST our LORD He is in heer too In at the doing In at the making them to please GOD Vt faciat quisque per CHRISTVM quod placeat per CHRISTVM that what by CHRIST is done by CHRIST may please when it is done In at the doing infundendo gratiam gratiam activam by infusing or dropping in His grace active making us hable and fitt to do and so to do them In at the pleasing affundendo gratiam gratiam passivam by powring on His good grace and favour passive as it might be some dropps of His blood whereby it pleaseth being done Gracing His worke as we use to say in GOD 's sight that so He of Ais grace may crowne it III. The sequele We have gone through with both points Now comes the hardest point of all the sequele to couple them and make them hang well together First then they be ascribed to the GOD of peace There are but three things to be done in the Text and Peace doth them all And if Peace then GOD by no other title then the GOD of peace 1 Peace bringeth from death For Warre I am sure bringeth to death many a worthy man There is little question to be made of this that the GOD of peace doth the one but the Devill of Discord doth the other Secondly Peace setts in joint Warre brings all out of joint Warre is not good for the joints as we see daily Peace doth them no hurt Thirdly Peace makes us fitt for good Warre for al manner of evill workes saith S. IAMES in the III. Chap. Ver. XVI Therefore the GOD of peace say we And if He take it from us for a time that He bring it quickly back to us againe For when He was first brought into the world among the living at His birth IANVS was shutt Luke 2.14 the Angeâ—s they soong Peace upon earth And when He was brought again from the dead this day He was no sooner risen but the first newes was the Souldiers ranne all away A signe of peace And indeed when He had slaine hatred it was most kindly then to bring peace As this evening with His owne mouth He spake it once and twise Pax vobis over and over againe Ioh. 20.19.21 Which is the Apostle's benediction heere So Resurrection and Peace they accord well Now for the sequele of good workes upon CHRIST 's bringing from the dead Being to inferr good works he would never put in all this of CHRIST 's bringing backe againe from the dead if there had not beene some speciall operative force to or toward them in CHRIST 's Resurrection If CHRIST 's rising made not for them had not some speciall reference to them some peculiar interest in them all this had not beene ad idem but idle and beside the point quite We must take heed of this error to thinke the Passion or Resurrection of CHRIST though it be actus transiens that with the doing passeth away that it hath not a vertue and force permanent that it left not behind it a vertue and force permanent to worke continually some grace in us as to thinke his Resurrection to be Actus suspensus an act to have his effect at the latter day and in the meane time to serve for nothing but to hang in nubibus as they say But that this day it hath an efficacie continuing that sheweth forth it selfe And as the rule is in the soule before it doth on the body We will leave the Heathen to their habits and habitualities But with us Christians this is sure Whatsoever in us or by us is wrought that is pleasing to GOD it is so wrought by the vertue of CHRIST 's resurrection We have not thought of it perhaps but most certaine it is it is so So GOD hath ordeined it Whatsoever evill is truly mortified
Servants GVIL LONDON IO. ELIENS A Table of the Contents Sermons of the Nativitie preached upon Christ-masse-day I. HEb 2.16 He in no wise tooke the Angels But the Seed of Abraham He took p. 1. II. Esai 9.6 Vnto us a Child is borne and unto us a Sonne is given c. pag. 10. III. 1. Tim. 3.16 Without controversie great is the Mysterie of Godlinesse which is God is manifested in the flesh c. p. 17. IV. Gal. 3. v. 4.5 When the fulnesse of time was come God sent His Sonne c. p. 23. V. Luk. 2. ver 10.11 The Angel said unto them Be not afraid for behold I bring you good tydings c. That there is borne unto you this day a Saviour c. p. 33. VI. Ioh. 1.14 And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us c. p. 44. VII Heb. 1. v. 1.2.3 At sundry times and in diverse manners God spake in the old time c. In these last daies He hath spoken by His Sonne c. p. 53. VIII Ioh. 8.56 Your father Abraham reioyced to see my day c. p. 62. IX Esai 8.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceive c. and she shall call His name Immanuel p. 72. X. Mic. 5.2 And thou Bethlehem Ephrata c. out of thee shall He come forth c. p. 83. XI Psal. 85. v. 10.11 Mercy and truth shall meet c. Truth shall budd out of the earth c. p. 96. XII Luk. 2. v. 12.13 And this shall be a signe unto you you shall find the Child swadled c. p. 108. XIII Luk. 2.14 Glorie be to God in the high heavens and peace upon earth c. p 119. XIV Matt. 2. v. 1.2 When Iesus was borne c. Behold there came Wise men c. p. 129. XV. Matt. 2.2 Saying Where is the King of the Iewes c For we have seen His Starr c. p. 139 XVI Ephes. 1.10 That in the dispensation of the fulnesse of the times He might gather together into one all things c. in Christ. p. 148. XVII Psal. 2.7 I will preach the Law whereof the Lord said to me Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee p. 159. Sermons of Repentance and Fasting preached upon Ashwednesday I. Psal. 78.34 When He slew them then they sought Him c. p. 173. II. Deut. 23.9 When thou goest out with the Host against thine enemies keepe thee then from all wickednesse p. 183. III. Ier. 8. v. 4.5.6.7 Thus saith the Lord shall they fall and not rise c. p. 193. IV. Ioel. 2. v. 12.13 Turne you unto me with all your heart and with fasting c. p. 203. V. Matt. 6.16 When you fast p. 214. VI. Ibid. Looke not sowre as the Hypocrites c. p. 227. VII Matt. 3.8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy repentance p. 238. VIII Ibid. p. 249. Sermons preached in Lent I. Psal. 75.3 The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved c. p. 263. II. Psal. 77.20 Thou didst lead thy people like sheepe c. p. 273. III. Mar. 14. v. 4.5.6 Therefore some disdeigned c. and said To what end is this wast of ointment c. p. 285. IV. Luk. 17.32 Remember Lot's Wife p. 299. V. Luk. 16.25 Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasures c. p. 309. VI. 2. Cor. 12.15 And I will gladly bestow and be bestowed for your soules c. p. 321. Sermons of the Passion preached upon Good friday I. Zach. 12.10 They shall looke upon Me whom they have pierced p. 333. II. Lam. 1.12 Have ye no regard c. p. 349. III. Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Iesus the Author and Finisher of our faith c. p. 365. Sermons of the Resurrection preached upon Easter day I. Rom. 6. v. 9.10.11 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more c. p. 383. II. 1. Cor. 15.20 But now is Christ risen from the dead and was made the first fruits of them that sleepe p. 394. III. Mar. 16. v. 1 to the 8. And when the Sabbath day was past Marie Magdalen and Marie the mother of Iames and Salome brought sweet ointments that they might come and embalme Him c. p. 403. IV. Ioh. 20.19 The same day then at night c. came Iesus and stood in the midst and said Peace be unto you p. 414. V. Iob. 19.23 to the 28. Oh that my words were now written c. For I am sure that my Redeemer liveth c. p. 423. VI. 1. Cor. 5. v. 7.8 Christ our Passe-over is sacrificed for us Therfore let us keep the Feast p. 44â— VII Psal. 118.22 The Stone which the builde refused c. p. 43â— VIII Col. 3. v. 1.2 If ye be risen with Christ seek the things which are above c. p. 459. IX Phil. 2. v. 8.9.10.11 He humbled himself c. For this cause God hath exalted him c. That at the name of IESVS every knee should bow c. p. 469 X. Ioh. 2.19 Dissolve this Temple and within three daies I will raise it p. 481. XI 1. Pet. 1. v. 3.4 Blessed be God c. which hath begotten us againe to a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ c. p. 493. XII Matt. 12. v. 39 40. As Ionas was three daies and three nights in the whales belly So shall the Sonne of man be c. p. 50â— XIII 1. Cor. 11.16 If any man seeme contentious we have no such custome c. p. 517. XIV Ioh. 20.11 to the 17. But Marie stood by the Sepulcher weeping c. p. 531. XV. Ioh. 20.17 Touch me not p. 543. XVI Ibid. Go to my brethren and say to them I ascend to my father and your Father c. p. 553. XVII Esai 63. v. 1.2.3 Who is this that commeth from Edom c. I have troden the winepresse alone c. p. 566. XVIII Heb. 13 v. 20.21 The God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus Christ c. Make you perfect c. p. 577. Sermons of the Sending of the Holy Ghost preached upon Whit-sunday I. Act. 2. v. 1.2.3 When the Day of Pentecost was come c. p. 595. II. Act. 2.4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speake c. p. 608. III. Ioh. 14. v. 15.16 I will pray the Father and He shall give you another Comforter c. p. 617. IV. Ioh. 16.7 It is expedient for you that I goe away For I go not away the Comforter will not come c. p. 628. V. Act. 19. v. 1.2.3 Paul came to Ephesus and found there certaine Disciples And he said c. Have you received the Holy Ghost c. p. 638. VI. Ephes. 4.30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God c. p. 650. VII Psal. 68.18 Thou art gone up on high Thou hast ledd captivitie captive c. p. 662. VIII Luk. 3. v. 21.22 Now it came to passe when all the people were baptized and that Iesus also
that was the Gentiles case before this orta est But when the partition wall was broken downe and the two met in one then also in a sense Mercie and Truth met togither So these two And so the other two likewise For Righteousnesse she was where the Law was for that the rule of righteousnesse where the Covenant of the Old Testament was doe this and live the very voice of Iustice But Peace was where CHRIST was in the Gospell Ipse est Pax nostra for He is our Peace Peace and Peace-maker both Qui fecit utrunque unum that hath made the Lawe and the Gospell the Old Testament and the New to be bound togither now both in one volume II. Of this meeting in Christianitie Thus we have done with CHRIST I would now apply this meeting to our selves another while For I aske did this hold did these meet only in CHRIST Doe they not in Christianity likewise Yes there too With CHRIST came Christianitie looke what in His birth now in the new birth of every one that shall be the better by it even the same meeting of the very same vertues all Mercie and Truth first to meet Truth of confession confession of our sinnes which if with figge-leaves we seeke to cover 1. Ioh. 1.8 and confesse not there is no truth in us And some truth there is to be at least this truth or no meeting with Mercie But when this truth commeth forth mercy meeteth it streight Will ye see the meeting Peccavi said DAVID there is truth 2. Sam. 12.13 Transtulit Dominus peccatum saith Nathan there is mercie Mercie and Truth met togither Homo in terris per veritatem stimulatus peccásse se confitebatur Deus in coelis per misericordiam flexus confitentis miserebatur Truth pricked man to confesse his sinnes and Mercy moved God to pitie him confessing and send Mercy to meet Truth Will ye goe on to the other Verse It holds there too this For where a true confession is by man made Veritas de terrâ orta est Truth is budded out of the earth And so it must yer Righteousnesse will give us a good looke from Heaven But will assoone as it is for when this truth springs freely from the earth to our owne condemnation immediatly upon it Righteousnesse shewes her selfe from Heaven to our justification Will ye see this too Luc. 18.14 Lord be mercifull to me a sinner there is Truth from the earth descendit domum suam justificatus there is Righteousnesse from Heaven But will ye marke Here are two truths and in either Verse one This later is the truth of Veritas orta est of CHRISTS Religion And in this treaty it was an article of Inprimis mercy not to meet any but them that professe the truth of CHRISTS birth from the earth Both these were borne togither By and by upon the birth of CHRIST the Truth the other birth also of Christian truth did flourish and spread it selfe all over the earth The whole world before given over and even growne over with Idolatry quite covered with the mist of error and ignorance began then to entertaine the Christian profession and by it to worship God in spirit and truth the true Religion which is never true if it have not this meeting And this meeting it cannot have if it have not the meanes of it ortus veritatis de terrâ The same say we likewise for the Righteousnesse which looked downe and shewed her selfe It was not that of the Lawe which never came past the top of Mount Sinai but a new righteousnesse cast in a new mould a heavenly one which never saw the earth nor the earth it before before this birth which is the righteousnesse of CHRIST reveiled in His Gospell when that Truth sprang this Righteousnesse looked downe upon it Now as this of Mercie and Truth enter us so truth not truth alone but truth with truth's paire with righteousnesse carrie us forward to God Truth is not enough not the truth of Religion never so knowne never so professed not without Righteousnesse Truth is but the light to guide us Righteousnesse is the way to bring us thither A light is to see by A way is to goe in So is righteousnesse It followes streight ponet gressus in viâ Verse 13. Righteoâ—snesse shall set us in the way of His steppes Steppes that is the course of life For scienti by knowledge of the truth and not facienti by the practise of righteousnesse peccatum est illi saith S. Iames Iam 4 17. Luc. 12.44 and plagaemultae saith S. Iames his Master Sinne in that man that severs these two is lesse pardonable and more punishable then in any other And then turne Righteousnesse to Peace and they will not meet barely but more then meet Kisse in signe there is betweene them more then ordinarie affection Fac justitiam habebis pacem Saint Augustine stands much on this Psal. 34.14 Eschew evill and doe good saith he there is Righteousnesse and then seeke Peace and ye shall not be long in seeking it She will come forth her selfe to meet Righteousnesse and kisse her And this he assâ—res us as a certeine signe to know on the one side true righteousnesse for that tends to peace not to questions and brabbles wherof there never will be end So on the other side true peace that kisses righteousnesse comes not togither like Samsons foxes by the tailes by indirect meanes but cleerly and fairly Such meanes Iud. 15.14 as all the world will confesse to be right and good Now marke the order how they stand Mercie leads to Truth and the knowledge of it and Truth to Righteousnesse and the practice of it and Righteousnesse to Peace and the waies of it Guides our feet first into the way of Peace And Luc. 1.79 such a way shall there alwaies be do all the Controversie Writers what they can a faire way agreed upon of all sides questioned by none in which who so orders his steppes aright may see the salvation of our God Even the way heer chalked out before us To shew mercy and speake truth do righteousnesse and follow peace And by this rule proceeding in the points whereto we are come already even those truthes wherein we are otherwise minded would in due time be reveiled unto us This is Zacharies peace and this of his well followed in the end will bring us Simeâ—ns peace Nunc dimittis in pace to be dismissed to depart hence in peace Luc. 2.29 and Pax in novissimo Peace at the latter end is worth all Peace in the end is a blessed end and the beginning of a Peace which never shall have end Mercy our beginning and Peace our end This for the meeting as in CHRIST so in Christianitie or the course of a Christian mans life Now a word for the continuance of this meeting For I aske againe Met they to part By no meanes but
hominibus in homines bona voluntas Glorie be to GOD in the high Heavens and peace upon earth and * Or in men towards men good will THE Antheme of the Queere of Heaven for this day For having heard the Angells Sermon at twise 1 Of the Nativitie 2 Of the Invention of CHRIST and seene the Queere of Angells set with their nature and condition there remains nothing but the Antheme to make up a full service for the Day This is it Saint Luke besides that he is an Evangelist hath the honour further that he is the Psalmist of the New Testament foure Hymnes more hath he added to those of the Old Of which foure this is so much the more excellent then the rest in that it is not of any mans setting though never so skilfull the Dittie and it are both Angelicall from the Angells both That we praise GOD with the tongue of Angells whensoever we praise Him with this with Gloria in excelsis The Summe of it is that though all dayes of the yeare and for all benefits The Summe yet this day and for this now above all GOD is highly to be glorified More highly then in others Nay most highly then for it is in altissimis the highest of all That Heaven and Earth and men are to joine in one consort Heaven and Earth first Heaven on high Earth beneath to take up one hymne both in honour of His birth both are better by it Heaven hath glorie Earth peace by meanes of it Heaven hath glorie laetentur coeli Earth peace exultet terra at thy Nativity O LORD Psal. 96.11 Warranted by this Song at thy Nativity O LORD let the heavens rejoice for the glorie let the Earth be glad for the peace that come to them by it And men hominibus though they rest and come in last after both yet they to do it as much Nay much more then both for Gods good will toward them which brought all this to passe in Heaven and Earth both restoring men to Gods favour and grace and all by meanes of this Child their Reconciler to GOD that hath beene their Pacifier on earth that is their Glorifier in Heaven that shall be They therefore if any nay more then any and now if eve r nay more then ever to beare their part in this glorious hymne at the cratch side Ita canunt in Nativitate quae per Nativitatem Thus sing they at His Nativitie of those things that came by His Nativitie Came to Heaven to Earth to Men Glorie to Heaven Peace to Earth Grace and favour to men The Division To take a Song right it behoveth to know the parts of it And they are easily knowne They divide themselves into the number blessed above all numbers because it is the number of the Blessed Trinitie and the mysterie of the TRINITIE do the Fathers finde in the parts of it Eph. 2 14. 1 In GOD on high the Father 2 In peace Ipse est Pax nostra the SONNE 3 And in Good will the HOLY GHOST the Essentiall Love and Love-knott of the God-head and this day of the Man-hood and it Being Ode natalitia if we consider it as a Nativitie they that calculate or cast Nativities in their calculations stand much upon Triplicities and Trigons and Trine aspects And heer they be all A triplicitie of things 1 Glorie 2 Peace 3 and Good-will A Trigon of Parties 1 GOD 2 Earth and 3 Men. And a trine aspect râ—ferendo singula singulis 1 To GOD glorie 2 to Earth peace 3 to Men favor grace or goodwill But if as it is most proper we consider the parts as in a Song The three will well agree with the Scale in Musique 1 In excelsis on high Hypate 2 On earth Nete 3 And men howsoever they come in last they make Mese the Meane Most fittly for they as in the midst of both â—he other partake of both 1 Their soule from on high 2 Their body from the earth Not the heathen but did confesse the soule divinae particulam aurae And for the body there needs no pâ—oofe that earth it is Earth to earth we heare we see before our eyes every day Of these three parts then asunder And after as the nature of a Song requireth of their 1 Conjunction 2 Order and 3 Division 1 Coâ—junction Glorie on high and in earth Peace 2 Then the order or Sequence But first glorie then Peace 3 And last the division sorting them suum cuique each to his owne 1 To GOD glorie 2 Peace to the earth 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to men 4 Last of the singing of the Hymne 1 When the time 2 and by Whom I. The sâ—verall accâ—ption of the Text. There are in this Hymne as the Greekes read and we with them three Rests The ground of which three are three Parties 1 In excelsis Deo GOD on high 2 In terrâ earth 3 and Hominibus men To thâ—se three other three 1 Glorie 2 Peace 3 Good-will as it were three streames having their head or spring in CHRISTS cratch and spreading themselves thence By the Greâ—â—es three sundry wayes having their influence into the three former One of these into some one of them Glorie upward in excelsis Peace downward to the earth Good-will to men in the middest between both compound of both You will marke The Child heer is GOD and Man GOD from on high Man from the earth To heaven whence He is GOD thither goeth Glorie To earth whence man thither Peace Then as GOD and Man is one CHRIST and as the reasonable soule and flâ—sh is one man So CHRIST consisting of these two brings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fullnesse of GODS favour the true and â—eall cause of both yeilding them peace while heer on earth and assuring them of glorie when there on high as thither on high we trust to be delivered after our time heer spent in procuring Heaven glorie and â—arth peace Thus three Rests 2. By the Latines But let me not keepe from you that the Latine hath but two Rests and of the Greeke some likewise To two they reduce all and well The Places are but two 1 On high 2 and in earth The Persons but two 1 GOD â— and Men So the Parts to be but two 1 Glorie on high to GOD 2 Peace on earth to Men. But then what shall become of Good-will Good-will is a good word would not be lost or left out No more it shall And indeed the diverse reading of that one word makes the parts to be either two or three The Greeks read it in the Nominative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which referres to men then there must needs be three there are two besides The Latines seeme to have read it in the Genitive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but one letter more And so they make it of the nature of a limitation Peace on earth to men What to
willing to entitle her selfe to heavens part this brings all out of tune But in tune or out of tune to die for it have it we will What the Apostles rent their clothes to put from them we would rend our skinnes to pluck to us Acts 14 14· So greedy are we to be held for Gods upon earth Nay earth is content to thrust from her her owne part that is peace to invade GODS part that is glorie Et dum gloriam usurpant pacem turbant to vsurpe glorie they lose peace we can dispense with that Shift GODS glorie how it can rather then our owne should suffer the least disgrace away with peace moveatur terra let all the world be on a welter What comes of this Pacem contemnentes gloriam appetentes gloriam perdunt pacem Even this peace their owne part they set light by Glorie GODS part they gape after and lose glorie and peace both by the meanes and when they have brought all to confusion set downe by their losses For first by seeking glorie glorie is lost The heathen man well observed Glorie is one of those things that to seek them is the very next way to lose and to neglect them the way to gaine them Quaerendo amittitur No readier way to misse it then eagerly to seeke it And againe by seeking glorie Peace is lost cleere Yeelding glorie to GOD doth bring with it pacem in terris diverting it from Him doth take pacem de terris In very deede Peace upon earth as it stands after it so it hath a dependence vpon Gods glorie comes as it were in exchange for it Da gloriam accipe pacem saith God Let men on earth send glorie vp to God on high and God on high will send downe peace to men on earth and will not faile Heavens peace for earths glorie Whereby we see if we misse peace on earth at any time what it is long of It is that which makes the Angells here keepe on their armour still vpon glorie deteined from God or transferred whither it should not they are vp in armes streight haue power to take peace from the earth till the point of glorie be set right againe The setting right of which point is the way to recover it Let heaven let GOD be well served with their part peace will not long be away It is coupled to it you see it followeth close Et pax in terris So much for that division 3 Goodwill toward men To men a good will For besides Earths peace wherein they entercommon Men have a part by themselves which is their prerogative And first I would have you to note that here it is entered first into the Musique of heaven In the Angells Hymne in Esay Esay 6.3 in the Old Testament Men are out there No mention at all not a word of them in that Heaven is in and Earth but no Men there In the Angells Hymne heer in the New Testament heere men are in that all may know that for this Childs sake now made man Men are now come into the Angells song to be a part and a principall part there who before were left out A principall part I say for marke againe They have never an Et they stand by themselves For both those former resolve into this of Men They the Epitome of heaven and earth The parties from whom this glorie to whom this peace is principally intended to come Glorie to GOD Glorie and Peace Why both For GOD hath received men to grace Men are now in favour againe But heaven and earth and men and all resolve into the free grace and good will of GOD. How shall they performe either peace or glorie but if there be toward them first and secondly but if there be in them this third of good will Thence issues GODS glorie thence the Earths peace The fountaine of both that Nay of CHRIST and all For Him this glorie for CHRIST Through Him this peace through CHRIST But CHRIST himselfe whence Whence but from the goodwill of GOD toward men From whence also the good will in men to GOD and one to another if any be in them That if we goe higher yet even of this Birth GODS good will was the cause and because His will was men should be restored therefore His will was CHRIST should be incarnate borne Can we go any higher are we not in altissimis Verily as we said the humilitie of the Signe was so deepe we could not sound it so may we now that the sublimitie of this point is so high we cannot reach it There is a part of Divinitie that dazles if we look too long on it we may well lose our sight Toward men and in men Then to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 last It may be turned two waies it will beare both and for my part I wish no word ever narrowed by a translation but asmuch as might be left in the latitude of the Originall tongue 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will beare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in homines to or toward men So we turne it and we turne it well 2 But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is also in hominibus in or among men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and no lesse properly And no hurt if we turne it so in hominibus provided in or erga homines goe first be soong before it In hominibus so ever as comming from in homines For then Donum magnum bonae voluntatis Dei bona voluntas in hominibus it is Augustine Of the good will of GOD towards men a speciall gift it is this good will in men to GOD and man both The best way is where there are two to take in both So we shall be sure to leave out neither 1 But Toward men first Yet in their sequence To or toward men then first But to or toward them for this Childs sake In whom He is so well pleased as for His sake He is pleased first to receive men to pardon though grievous sinners and so vtterly vnworthy of it Secondly He is pleased to reward their works also otherwise but for this good will in GOD in accepting them that might justly be excepted to for their many imperfections to take them well in worth though they want worth and to vouchsafe them a reward and that a high reward for it is your heavenly Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdome Chap. 12.32 Thirdly beyond both these He is further pleased in some case to accept even of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at our hands and though skill and power both faile and be wanting yet a willing minde if there be if there be but that a man is accepted according to that he hath 2. Cor. 8.12 Mar. 14.8 Mar 12.44 not according to that he hath not MARIE MAGDALEN's quod potuit fecit the poor widowe's quod habuit dedit and GOD wot it was
is never kindly till then They define solicitie shortly Never kindly till then to be nothing els but Pax desiderij For give the desire perfect peace and no more needs to make us happy Desire hath no rest and will let us have none till it have what it would and till the Resurrection that will not be 1. Pax pressura our SAVIOVR opposeth Chap. 16. Chap 16.33 If we be pinched with any want Desire hath no peace 2. Let us want nothing if it were possible No peace yet Pax Scandalum the Psalmist opposeth Psal 119 16â— When we have what we would somewhat commeth to us we would not somewhat thwarts us Till non est eis scandalum till that be had away desire hath no peace 3. Let that be had away yet a new warre there commeth Peace and feare are heere opposed We are well neither pressura nor Scandalum but we feare tolletur a vobis that it will not hold or we shall not hold The last enemie will not let us be quiet Till he be overcome our desire hath no perfect peace That will not be till the Resurrection But then it is Pax plena pura perpetua full without want pure without mixture of offensive matter and perpetuall without all feare of forgoing of tolletur a vobis And that is pax desiderij and that is perfâ—ct fâ—licitie The state of the Resurrection and the wish of the Resurrection day Thus we see good it is and fit it is It remaines we see What it is What 2 What peace peace When we speake of Peace the nature of the word leadeth us to aske With whom And they be diverse But as diverse as they be it must be vnderstood of all though of someone more especially then the rest There is a peace aboue us in heaven with GOD that first 1 Peace witâ— GOD. They were wrong heere their feare ran all upon the Iewes It should have looked higher The Iewes they kept out with shutting their doores Against GOD no doore can be shut First peace with Him and with Him they have peace to whom CHRIST saith Pax vobis There is another peace within us in sinu with our heart For 2 With our ownâ— hâ—arts betweene our spirit and our flesh there is in manner of a Warre The lusts of the fâ—â—sh even Militant wage Warre saith Saint Peter against the soule And 1 Pet. 2.11 where there is a warre there is a peace too This is peace with feare heere Which warre is sometime so fearefull as men to riâ—d themselves of it ridd themselves of life and all Conclude a peace there This followeth of the first If all be well above all is well within There is a peace without us in earth with men with all men 3 With all men The Apostle warrants it peace with the Iewes heere and all I will never feare to make civill peace a part of CHRIST 's wish nor of his Beati Pacifici neither Matt. 5.9 He will be no worse at Easter then at Christ-masse He was at this His second then at that his first birth Then Ianus was shut and peace over all the world Tâ—rtullâ—an Apolâ—g Oâ—bem pacatum was ever a clause in the prayers of the Primitive Church that the World might be quiet Yet is not this the peace of CHRIST 's principall entendment but their peace 4 Among themsâ—lâ—es to whom CHRIST spake Pax Discipulorum Pax vobis intervos Peace among them or betweene themselves It was the ointment on AARON'S head AARON that had the care of the Chuâ—ch It was the dew that fell upon SION SION Pâ—â—l 133.2 the place where the Temple stood The peace of Ierusalem that it may be once Psal 122.3 as a citie at vnitie within it selfe The primitive peace that the multitude of Beleevers may be of one heart and one minde All the rest depend upon our peace with GOD and Act. 4 32. our peace with Him upon this a Marke 9.50 Phi. 4.9 Pacem habete inter vos and Deus pacis erit vobiscum The peace of Ierusalem b Psa 122.6 they shall prosper that love it saith David c Pro. 12.20 Ioy shall be to them that counscile it saith Salomon d Matt. 5.9 Blâ—ssed shall they be that make it saith CHRIST How great a reward should he finde in heaven how glorious a name should he leave on earth that could bring this to passe 1 Peace Christ 's wâ—sh This is CHRIST 's wish And what is become of it If we looke upon the Christian world we see it not it is gone as if CHRIST had never wished it Betweene Iehu and Ieroboam Salomon's feed went to wracke Iehu his proceedings like his chariot wheeles headlong and violent But Iehu is but a brunt too violent to last long Ieroboam is more dangerous who makes it his wisedome to keepe up a Schisme in Religion they shall sway both parts more easily GOD forbid we should ever thinke Ieroboam wiser then Salomon If peace were not a wise thing Matt. 12.42 Mat. 9.50 the Wisest man's name should not have beene Salomon A greater then Salomon would never have said Habete salem Pacem If you have any salt you will have peace Sure when the Disciples lost their peace they lost their wisedome Their wisedome and their strength both They were stronger by congregatis then by clausis foribus more safe by their being together then any door could make them It is as CHRIST told us Luk. 10. where He prescribes this forme of salutation it speeds or it misses thereafter as it meets with the Sonne of peace Speeds if it finde him Luk. 10·5 6 if not comes backe againe and takes no place Well though it doe not we must still hold us to CHRIST 's Wish and when all failes still there must be Votum pacis in corde though enmitie in the act yet peace in the heart still Still it must hold Amicus ut non alter Inimicus ut non idem friends as if never otherwise Enemies as if not ever so Quasi torrens bellum warre like a land-flood that will be drie againe Quasi fluvius pax Peace as a river never drie but to runne stil and ever But yet many times we aske and have not because we aske not aright saith Saint Iames Iam. 4â—3 We know not the things that belong to our Peace we erre in the order manner site place or time 1. The order of it first wished The Order which helpeth much first it is first Primum ante omnia Capuâ— fidei the prime of His wishes No sooner borne but Pax in terris No sooner risen but Pax vobis Apertio labiorum the very opening of his lipps was with these words The first words at the first meeting On the very first day It is a signe it is so in His heart That which most greeveth us we first complaine
of and that which most affecteth us ever soonest speake of This is the first error That which was first with CHRIST is last with Christians and I would it were so last for then it were some Now scarce any at all as it seemeth 2. The Mâ—nner thâ—â—se wished In the Manner for first is but first that is but once This is first and second Heere He saith it and with in a verse He is at it againe Nay first sâ—cond and third 1 in this 2 the XXI and 3 XXVI verses As if like Actio in Rhetorique all in all All CHRIST 's vowes are to be esteemed specially His solemne vowes And His speeches chiefly those He goeth over and over againe That which by Him is double and treble said would not by us be singly regarded He would have it better marked therefore He speaketh it the second time He would have it yet sinke deeper therefore the third also We fault in the manner Once we doe it it may be but upon any repulse we give over if it come not at first we go not to it Secundo tâ—rtiò repetitis vicibus We must not leave at once that CHRIST did so oft 1 His â—ite in wishing it Sâ—eâ—â—t The second error is we aske it sitting I feare and CHRIST stood His standing imports something Standing is the site of them that are ready to goe about a matter as they to take their journey in the XII of Exodus That Site is the Site of them Exâ—d 12.11 that wish for peace Oportet slantem optare A Sedentarie desire it may be we have but loth to leave our cushion We would it were well but not willing to disease our selves Vtinam hoc esset laborare said he that lay along and stretched himselfe So say we Peace we would but standing is painfull Our wish hath lipps but no leggs Esay 5â— 7 Rom. 10.15 But it could not be said Beautifull are the feete of them that bring Peace if the feet had nothing to do in this businesse With sitting and wishing it will not be had * Psal. 34.14 Peace will hide it selfe it must be sought out It will fly away it must be pursued This then is a point wherein we are to conforme our selves to CHRIST as well to use our leggs as to open our lipps for it To stand is Situs voventis To hold up the hands Habitus orantis The meaning of which ceremonie of lifting up the hands with prayer is Vt pro quo quis oret pro eo laboret what we pray for we should labour for what we wish for stand for We see CHRIST sheweth His hands and His feet to shew what must be done with both for it If we should be put to doe the like I doubt our wish hath never a good legg to stand on To stand then But to stand in a certain place Every where to stand 3. His Place In medio Luc. 1.79 will not serve the turne Stetit in medio that standing place is assigned for it thus guiding our feet into the way of Peace And the Place is materiall for peace All bodies naturall never leave moving are never quiet till they recover their proper places and there they find peace The midst is CHRIST 's place by Nature He is the second person in divinis and so the middle-most of the other two And By nature on earth follow Him if you will you shall not lightly find Him out of it Not according to the letter speaking of the materiall place At His birth Luc. 2.7.46 In medio animalium in the Stable After a child In medio Doctorum in the Temple After a man Medius vestrûm stetit saith Iohn Baptist in the midst of the people Ioh. 1.26 saith He of Himselfe Ecce Ego in medio vestri in the midst of His Apostles At His death Luc. 22.27.23 35. it fell to His turne likewise that place even then He was in the midst And now rising there He is we see They in the midst of the Iewes and He in the midst of them After this in Paâ—mos Saint Iohn saw Him in heaven Apoc. 7.17 in the middst of the throne in earth walking in the middst of the Candlesticks 1.13 And at the last day He shal be in the midst too of the sheepe on His right hand and the goates on His left All which shew the place and He sort very well Matth. 25.33 But were it not naturall for Him as the case standeth there He is to stand By office as a Mediator being to give peace No place so fitt for that purpose None so kindly as it His Office being to be a Mediator Medius between GOD and man where should a Mediator stand but in Medio 1. Tim. 2.5 Besides the two qualities of good being to be Diffusivum and Vnitivum that is the fittest place for both To distribute best done from the center To unite The reason of it likewise soonest meet there The place it selfe hath a vertue specially to unite which is never done but by some middle thing If we will conclude we must have a Mediâ—s terminus Els we shall never gett Majus and Minus extremum to come togither Nor in things naturall either combine two elements disagreeing in both qualities without a middle symbolizing with both Nor flesh and bone without a cartilage between both As for things morall there the middle is all in all No vertue without it In Iustice encline the ballance one way or other the even peize is lost Et opus Iustitiae pax Peace is the very worke of Iustice. And the way to peace is the mid way neither to the right hand too much nor to the left hand too little In a word all analogie symmetrie harmonie in the world goeth by it It commeth all to this The manner of the Place doth teach us what manner of Affection is to be in them that wish for or stand for peace The place is indifferent aequally distant alike neer to all There pitch the Arke that is the place for it Indifferencie in carriage preserveth peace By forgoing that and leaning to extremities it is lost Thither we must get againe and there stand if ever we shall recover it Discessit a medio lost it Setit in medio must restore it Therefore when you heare men talke of peace marke whither they stand where they should If with the Pharisee to the corners either by partialitie one way or prejudice another no good will be done When GOD will have it brought to passe such minds He will give unto men and make them meet to wish it seeke it and find it A little now of the time This was Christ's wish at this time And Christ never speakes out of season 4. The Time in illo die Therefore a speciall interest hath this Feast in it It is Votum Paschale and this is Festum pacis And sure Habemus talem
sinners from seeking death in the error of their life But though there be in the Word a saving power yet is not all saving power in that nor in that onely there is a presse beside For this presse is going continually among us but there is another that goes but at times But in that it goes at such times as it falls in fitt with the wine-presse heer Nay falls in most fitt of all the rest For of it comes very wine indeed the blood of the grapes of the true Vine which in the blessed Sacrament is reached to us and with it is given us that for which it was given even remission of sinnes Not onely represented therein but even exhibited to us Both which when we partake then have we a full and perfect communion with CHRIST this day of His speaking righteousnesse in the Word preached of His power to save in the holy Eucharist ministred Both presses runn for us and we to partake them both I may not end till I tell you there remaineth yet another a third Wine-presse that you may take heed of it I will but point you to it it may serve as soure herbs to eat our Paschall Lambe with Mat. 28.2 The Sun they say danced this morning at CHRIST 's resurrection the earth trembled then I am sure there was an earthquake at CHRIST 's rising Psal. 2.11 So there is trembling to our joy Exultate in tremore as the Psalmist wills us The vintage of the earth when the time of that is come and when the grapes be ripe and ready for it Apoc. 41.18.19 20. One there is that crieth to him with the sharpe sickle in his hand Apoc. XIIII to thrust it in cutt off the clusters and cast them into the great Wine-presse of the Wrath of GOD. A dismall day that a pitifull slaughter then It is there said the blood shall come up to the hors ebridles by the space of a thousand six hundred furlongs Keep you out take heed of comming in that presse We have a kind Item given us of this heer in the text in the last verse There be two acts of CHRIST Ver 4. one of being troden the other of treading downe The first is for his chosen the other against his enemies One is called the Yeare of Redemption The other the Day of Vengeance The Yeare of Redemption is already come and is now we are in it during which time the two former wine-presses runne 1 of the Word 2 and Sacrament The Day of vengeance is not yet come It is but in his heart so the text is that is but in his purpose and intent yet But certainely come it will that day and with the day comes the last wine-presse with the blood to the bridles yer it come and during our yeare of redemption that year's allowance we are to endeavour to keep our selues out of it for that is the day of vengeance of ira ventura GOD 's wrath for ever So as all we have to studie is how we may be in at the first two out at the last presse and the due christian use of the first will keep us from the last Psal. 95.7 While then it is with us the year of Redemption and before that day come while it is yet time of speaking righteousnesse that is to day if ye will hear His voice while the cup of blessing is held out if we will take it lay hold on both That so we may be accounted worthy to escape in that day from that day and the vengeance of it and may feele the fulnesse of His saving power in the word engrafted which is hable to save our soules and in the cup of salvation which is joyned with it and that to our endlesse joy The yeare of redemption is last in the verse with that the Prophet ends With that let us end also and to that end may all that hath been spoken arrive and bring us A SERMON PREPARED to be Preached on EASTER day A. D. MDCXXIV HEBR. CHAP. XIII DEVS autem pacis c. VER 20. The GOD of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus Christ the great Shepheard of the Sheepe through the blood of the everlasting Testament 21. Make you perfect in all good workes to do His will working in you that which is pleasant in His sight through Iesus Christ to whom be praise for ever and ever Amen THESE words who hath brought CHRIST againe from the dead make this a Text proper for this Day For as this day was CHRIST brought againe from thence And these words the blood of the everlasting Testament make it as proper every way for a Communion For there at a Communion we are made to drinke of that blood Put these together The 1 bringing of CHRIST from the dead 2 and the blood of the Testament and they will serve well for a Text at a Communion on Easter-day I will touch in a word 1 the Nature of the Text 2 the Summe and 3 the partition of it For the Nature It is a Benediction The use 1. The Nature of the Text. the Church doth make of it and such other like is to pronounce them over the Congregation by way of a blessing For not onely the power to pray to preach to make and to give the Sacrament but the power also to blesse you that are GOD 's people is annexed and is a branch of our of the Priest's Office You may plainely read the power committed the act enjoyned and the very forme of words prescribed all in the VI. of Numbers Num. 6.23 There GOD saith Thus shall you blesse the people that is doe it you shall and thus you shall doe it in haec verba Neither was this act Leviticall or then first taken up It was long before Chap 7.10 While Levi was yet in the loynes of Abraham even then it was a part of Melchisedek's Priesthood and if the bread and wine were no more but a refreshing the onely part that we read of to say Benedictus over Abraham as great a Patriarch as he was There is nothing els mentioned to shew he was as a Priest but that This blessing they used first and last but rather last For lightly then the people were all togither They be not so at first but onely a few then And heere you see the Aposâ—le makes it his farewell With this he shutts up his Epistle and with some other such all the rest And that by CHRIST 's example The last thing that CHRIST did in this world Luk. 24 50. was He lift up his hands blest his Disciples and so went away to heaven And so you shall find it was the manner in the Primitive Church at the end of the Liturgie ever to dismisse the assembly with a blessing Which blessing they were then so conceited of they would not offer to stirr not a man of them till bowing downe their heads they had the blessing
would thinke to small purpose But sure to purpose it is The HOLY GHOST vseth no wast words nor ever speakes but to the point we may be sure His title The GOD of peace Let us see and beginne with his first title the GOD of peace GOD 's titles be diverse as be His Acts and His acts are as His properties be they proceed from And lightly the title is taken from the propertie which best fits the Act it produceth As Exod. 9.27 2. Cor. 1.3 Psal. 89 8. when GOD proceedeth to punish He is called the righteous GOD When to shew favour the GOD of mercie When to doe some great worke the GOD of power Now then this seemes not so proper Should it not rather have beene the GOD of Power which brought againe c To bring againe from death seemes rather an act of power then of peace One would thinke so But being well lookt into it will be found to belong rather to peace No power of His will be set on working will ever bring againe from death unlesse He be first pacified and made the LORD of peace Of His power there is no question Of His peace there may be some I shall tell you why For all the Old Testament thorough you shall observe GOD 's great Title is the LORD of HOSTS which in the New you shall never read but ever since He rose from the dead Rom. 15.13 Phil. 4.9 1. Thess. 5 23. 2. Thess. 3.16 it is instead of it the GOD of peace To the Romanes Philippians Thessalonians c and now heere to the Hebrewes and still the God of peace It is not amisse for us this change For if the Lord of Hosts come to be at peace with us His hosts shall be all for us which were against us while it was no peace So as make but God the God of peace and more needs not For His peace will command His power streight When His hosts were so about Him it seemed hostilitie How came He then to lay away that title of the Lord of Hosts to become Deus pacis That did He by thus doing He brought againe one from the dead and that bringing brought peace and made this change Stylo novo the God of peace â— The second Party Our LORD IESVS Pastorem The Shepheard This brings us to the other the second Party He is not named till all be done then He is in the end of the verse our Lord and SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST But at first He is brought in as a Shepheard Thinke never the meaner of Him for that Moses and David the Founders of the Monarchie of the Iewes Cyrus and Romulus the Founders one of the Persian the other of the Romane Monarchie were taken al from the Sheepfolds The heathen Poet calls the great Ruler of the Graecian Monarchie but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Shepheard of the people CHRIST gives it to himselfe and GOD doth not disdeigne it in the LXXX Psalme Psal. 80.1 And the name howsoever it falls to us of the Clergie now ab initio non fuit sic Secular men Ioseph Iosua and David were first so termed and are more often so termed in the Bible then we The terme of Shepheard is well chosen as referring to the God of peace Peace is best for Shepheards and for sheepe They love peace then they are safe then they feed quietly Yet not so but that Shepheards have ventured farre to rescue the Sheepe from the Beare and from the Lion as did King David and as the Sonne of David heere that ventured further then any who is brought in heere in Sanguine bleeding howsoever it comes But this Title was not so much for GOD as for us Pastorem ovium and in Ovium are we 1. Sam. 17.36 there come we in we hold by that word For so there is a mutuall and reciprocall relation betweene him and us that we thereby may be assured by this very terme relative whither and whensoever he was brought all he did or suffered it was not for himselfe For then an absolute name of his owne would have beene put All was for his Correlative for Ovium that is for us He is no waies considered in all this as absolutely put or severed from us His flock but still with reference and relation unto us But because others enter common in this and other his names with him Pastorem magnum the gâ—eat Shepheard he bears it with a difference Pastor Magnus the great Shepheard Not as Diphilus said to Pompeius Magnus nostrâ miseriâ Magnus es Great by making others little but Misericordiâ suâ Magnus by making Himselfe little to make us great The graduall points of his greatnesse in respect of others are these Great first For Totum is parte majus Greater is he that feeds the whole then they that but certain parcells of the flock All els feed but peeces So they be but petie shepheards to Him But he the whole maine entire flock He and none but he So He the great Shepheard of the great Flock Againe Greater is he that owes the sheepe he feeds then they that feed the sheep they owe not All others feed his sheepe None can say Pasce oves meas His they be Iob 21 16. Psal. 94.2.100.3 and reason For He made them they be the sheep of His hands He feeds them so the sheep of His hands and of his pasture both But this is not the greatnesse heer meant But Ecce quantam charitatem see the great love to his sheepe Others sell and kill theirs He is so farr from selling 1. Ioh. 3 1. or killing as he this Shepheard was sold and slaiâ—e for them though they were his owne Paid for them bought them againe and then he brought them againe It may be there were others had ventred thir lives but not lost them and so lost them as he did Which makes him not onely Great but Primae magnitudinis that is simply the Greatest that ever was Of which Greatnesse two great Proofes there are in the two words 1 Sanguis and 2 Testamentum Sanguis a great Price Testamentum a great Legacie Sanguis what He suffered Testamentum what He did for them The next word is in sanguine a Shepheard in His blood So In sanguine through the blood this Shepheard sweatt blood yer He could bring them back It was no easie matter iâ— cost blood and not any blood such as He could well spare but it cost Him His life-blood It could not be the blood of the Testament but there must be a Testament and a Testament there cannot be but the Testator must dye So He died He was brought to the dead for it This blood brought Him to His Testament which is further then blood We said there were two Acts 1 One exprest brought Him thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The two Acts. 2 The other implied brought Him thether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But first
brought thither before brought thence We vvill touch them both 1 Why brought thither and how 2 and why brought thence and how If when He was brought thence it was peace when He was brought thither Bought thither it was none How came it there was none What made this separation That did sinne Sinne brake the peace Why sinne touched not Him He knew no sinne True it was not for Himselfe 2. Cor. 5.22 nor for any sinne of His. Whole then heere are but two 1 Pastor 2 and Ovium Pastor He Ovium we If not the Shepheard's then the Sheep's sinne if not His ours Esa. 59.2 And so it was peccata vestra saith God in Esay and speakes it to us No quarrell He had to the Shepheard nothing to say to CHRIST as CHRIST But He would needs be dealing with Sheepe and His Sheepe fell to straying and light into the Wolve's denne◠and thither He must goe to fetch them if He will have them For Ovium then is all this adoe and that is for us For all we as Sheepe had gone astray I may say further all we as sheepe were appointed to the slaughter So it was we should have beene carried thither Esa. 53.6 and the Lord layd upon Him the transgressions of us all and so He was carried for us This Pastor became tanquam ovis as a sheepe for His sheep and was brought thither and the wolves did to Him whatsoever they would As if God had said away with these sheepe Incidant in lupos quia nolunt regià pastore to the wolves with them seeing they will be kept in no fold But that the Shepheard endured not but rather then they should He would When it came to this who shall goe thither Pastor or Ovium the Sheepe or the Shepheard Sinite hos abire they be His owne words Let them goe their way let the Sheepe goe and smite the Shepheard Ioh. 18.8 Sentence Him to be caried thither The Sheepe were to be they should have beene but the Shepheard was In sanguine nostro it should have beene In sanguine suo His Blood it was So to spare ours He spilt His owne 2. Brought 〈◊〉 thence Thither now He is brought Brought thither by His owne bloodshedding We can understand that well but not how He should be brought thence by His blood Yet the Text is plaine how He was brought againe in sanguine by His blood First then let us make God the GOD of peace and when He is so you shall so one see Him bring Him back againe That which broke the peace as we sayd the very thing that carried Him to the Crosse tooke Him downe thence dead carried Him to His grave and there lodged Him among the dead was sinne Away with sinne then that so there may be peace But there is no taking away sinne but by shedding of blood Chap 9.22 the blood either of Pastor or of Ovium one of them 3. In Sanguine By the blood Why then heer is blood even the Shepeheard's blood and shedd it is and by the shedding of it sinne is taken away and with sinne God's displeasure It is the Apostle's owne word Ephes. XI XVI Hatred was slaine and so hatred being slaine Ephes. 2.14 Col. 1.20 peace followed of her owne accord He was our peace saith the Apostle in one place He made our peace or pacified all by his blood in another Now then upon this peace He that was before carried away was brought backe againe And so well might be For all being discharged He was then to be inter mortuos liber Psal. 88.5 no longer bound but free from the dead not to be kept in prison any longer but to come forth againe And by his very blood to come forth againe For it was of the nature of a Ransome which being layd downe the Prisoner that was brought thither is to goe thence whither He will For a Ransome hath potestatem eductivam or reductivam a power to bring forth or bring back againe from any captivitie 1. Sam. 2.6 In both these bringings God had His hand God bringeth to death and bringeth back againe True if ever in this Shepheard Brought him to the dead as the Lord of hosts brought him from the dead as being now pacified and the God of peace Out of His justice God smitt the Shepheard out of His love to His sheepe the Shepheard was smitten But quem deduxit iratus reduxit placatus whom of His iust wrath against sin He brought thither now having fulfilled all righteousnesse He was to bring thence againe And so brought back He was and the same way that He was carried thither Carried the way of justice to satisfie for them He had undertaken for And having fully satisfied for them was in very Iustice to be brought back againe And so He was GOD accepted his passion in full satisfaction gave present order for His raising againe And let not this phrase of God's bringing back or of CHRIST 's comming back of GOD 's raising Him or of CHRIST 's rising any thing trouble you The Resurrection is one entire Act of two joint Agents that both had their hands in it Ascribed one while to CHRIST Himselfe that He rose that he came back to shew that he had power to lay downe his life and power to take it againe Another while to God Ioh. 10.18 that he raised him that he brought him back to shew that God was fully satisfied and well pleased with it reacht him his hand as it were to bring him thence againe To shew you the Benefit that riseth to us by this his rising Brought thither he was to the dead so it lay us upon if he had not we should We were even carrying thither and that we might not he was Brought thence he was from the dead So it stood us in hand if he had not beene brought thence we should never have come thence but beene left to have lien there world without end Brought thither he would be he and not we he without us So carefull he was not to spare himselfe that we might be spared Brought thence he would not be not without his sheepe we may be sure he would bring us thence too or he would not be brought thence without us You may see him in the Parable comming with his lost sheepe on his shoulders That one sheepe is the image of us all So carefull he was Luc. 15.5 as he layd him on his owne neck to be sure which is the true pourtraiture or representation of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That if the God of peace bring him back he must bring them also For he will not come back without them Vpon his bringing back from death is ours founded in him all his were brought back In his person our Nature in our Nature we all Thinke you after the payment of such a Price He will come back himselfe alone He will let the sheepe
be carried thither and not see them brought backe againe He did not suffer all this we may be sure to come away thence and leave them behinde Him It was never seene that any that paid after so high a rate for any be it what it will that when he had done would not see it brought away but lose all his labour and cost No as sure as Himselfe was brought so sure He will bring them whom He would not part from He will dye first Nothing shall part them now Pastor and Ovium sheepe and Shepheard now or no bargaine He with his flock and His flocke with Him it with him and He with it He and they or not he himselfe both togither or not at all Will you heare himselfe say as much Father my will is that whither I goe whence I come where I am thither thence and there these be also But when he had brought us thence 4. Sanguine Testamenti the blood of the Testament what shall become of us trow Will he leave us at randome to wander in the mountaines No but Vbi desinit Pastor ibi incipit Testator where the Shepheard goes out the Testator comes in Which we finde plainely in the word Testament For though peace be a faire blessing in it selfe if no more but it and bringing back be worth the while yet heere is now a greater matter then so There is more in the blood then we are aware of This is also meant that there is the blood of a Testament which bodeth some further matter There should need no Testament if it were for nothing but to make peace A Covenant would serve for that My Covenant of peace would I make with thee saith GOD. Ezek. 37.26 Sanguis foederis would have done that if there had beene no more but so But heer it is the blood of a Testament It is Sanguis cum Testamento annexo Blood with a Testament annexed Beside the pacification and back-bringing this Scripture offereth more grace even a Testamentarie matter to be administered for our farther behoof For I aske Every drop of this blood is more worth then many worlds Shall this blood then so precious of so great a Person as the Sonne of GOD be spent to bring forth nothing but pardon and peace Being of so great a value shall it produce but so poor an effect Pitie it should be shed to bring forth nothing but a few sheep from death There is enough in it to serve further to make a purchase which he may dispose of to them he will vouchsafe to bring againe from the dead For when he hath brought them thence how he will dispose them that would be thought on too I finde then ascribed to his blood a Price not onely of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a Redemtion or Ransome but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of Perquisition or Purchase And I finde them both in one verse Ephes. 1.14 So that this blood availed as to pay our debt so over and above to make a purchase Served not only to procure our peace but to state us in a condition better then ever we were before Not onely brought us but bought us Nay not onely bought us and brought us backe but bought for us further an everlasting inheritance and brought us to it Two powers were in it 1 as Sanguis faederis the Blood of the Covenant the Covenant of Peace for in blood were the Covenants made that with Abraham in Gen. XV. that with Moses Gen. 15.9 Exod. 24.8 in Exod. XXIV in blood both And among the Heathen men never any Covenant of peace but in blood 2 Now for peace this were enough But it is Sanguis Testamenti too the blood of a Testament Which is founded upon better promises bequeathes legacies disposeth estates Matter farre of a higher nature then bare peace As the blood of the Covenant so it pacifieth and appeaseth As the blood of the Testament so it passeth over and conveigheth besides But say it did not it were for nothing els but our peace Yet it is much better for us that our peace goe by Testament rather then by a Covenant Leagues Covenants Edicts of Pacification have oft beene and are wee see daily broken Small hold of them A stronger hold then so behooved us A stronger hold there is not then that of a Testament That is holden inviolable never to be reversed Nothing in rebus humanis is held more sacred So as peace by a Testament is farre the surer of the twaine Testamenti at erni Of the everlasting Testamēt Mic. 5.2 Of which Testament and the greatnesse of it there is much to be said For it is not as other Testaments to be fully administred This shall never be so it is everlasting Everlasting For so is He that made it His goings out are from everlasting Everlasting For so is the Testament it selfe Though it be executed in time it was made ab aeterno and lay by Him all the while Everlasting For so is the blood where with it is sealed the vertue and vigor whereof doth still continue as a fountaine in exhaust never dry but flowing still as fresh as the very first day His side was first opened We that now live come to it of even hand with the Apostles themselves that were then at the opening And they that come after us shall not come too late but to full as good a match as either they or we Everlasting For the legacies of it are so Not as with us of things temporall Nor as of the former Testament of the land of Canaan now growen a barren wildernesse but of aeternall life and joy and blisse of aeternitie it selfe And lastly everlasting That we may looke for no more Our Gospell is Evangelium aeternum Revel XIV None to come after it This is the last and so to last for ever Revel 14.6 Now lay these together and tell me Was He not the Great Shepheard indeed that indured this carying thither whence this day He came that paid this great Ransome purchased this great estate made this great will disposed these great Legacies even His heavenly kingdome to His little flock was He not every way as good as Great which is the true Greatnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heere with us Men be good because they be great with GOD they be great because they be good For this His great Love His great Price His great Testament was He not worthy to weare His title of Pastor magnus of Pastor and of Testator both For so both He was And we not onely His sheepe but His Legataries both in His Pastor-ship and in His Testator-ship in His bringing forward and in His bringing backward No wayes to be severed from us He procured no peace shedd no blood made no Testament was neither brought to the dead nor from the dead for himselfe but for His flock for us still All He did all He suffered all He bequeathed
no Agent can worke Not GOD himselfe but by miracle Fitt then we must be Now of ourselves as of ourselves we are not fit so much as to thinke a good thought It is II. Corinth III.V. Not so much as to will For it is GOD that worketh in us to will Phil. II. XIII If not these two ◠Neither thinke ◠nor will then not to worke No more we are Neither to beginne Phil. I.VI. nor having begoon to goe forward and bring it to an end Fitt to none of these Then made fitt we must be And who to reduce us to fitnesse but this GOD of peace heere that brought againe Christ from the dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To set in joint Now if I shall tell you what manner of fittnesse it is the Apostle's word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heere doth import It is properly the fittnesse which is in setting that in which was out of joint in doing the part of a good Bone-setter This is the very true and native sense of the word Set you in joint to doe good workes For the Apostle Ephes. IV. and Colos. II. tells us Ephes 4.16 Col. 2.19 that the Church and things Spirituall goe by joints and sinnewes whereof they are compact and by which they have their action and motion And where there are joints there may be and otherwhiles there is a dis-jointing or dis-location no lesse in things Spirituall then in the naturall body And that is when things are mis-sorted or put out of their right places Now that our Nature is not right in joint is so evident that the very Heathen men have seene and confessed it And by a fall things come out of joint and indeed so they did Adam's fall we call it and we call it right Sinne which before broke the peace which made the going from or departure which needed the bringing backe the same sinne heere now againe put all out of joint And things out of joint are never quiet never at peace and rest till they be set right againe But when all is in frame all is in peace And so it referrs well to the GOD of peace who is to doe it And marke againe The putting in joint is nothing but a bringing backe againe to the right place whence it slipt That still there is good cohaerence with that which went before The peace-maker the bringer-backe the bone-setter are all one The force or fullnesse of the Apostle's Simile of out of joint you shall never fully conceive till you take in hand some good worke of some moment and then you shall for certaine For doe but marke me then how many rubbs letts impediments there will be as it were so many puttings out of joynt yer it can be brought to passe This wants or that wants one thing or other frames not A sinnew shrinkes a bone is out somewhat is awry and what a doe there is yer we can get it right Either the will is averse and we have no mind to it or the power is shrunke and the meanes faile us or the time serves not or the place is not meet or the parties to be dealt with we finde them undisposed And the miserie is when one is got in the other is out againe That the wit of man could not have devised a fitter terme to have expressed it in This for the disease What way doth GOD take to set us right First by our Ministerie and meanes For it is a part of our profession under GOD this same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to set the Church in and every member that is out of joint You may reade it in this very terme Ephes. IV. XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that we do by applying outwardly this Testament the blood of it Two speciall Splints as it were to keep all streight Out of the Testament by the word of exhortation as in the next Verse he calls it Ver. 22. praying us to suffer the Splinting For it may sometimes pinch them and put them to some paine that are not well in joint by pressing it and putting it home But both by denouncing one while the threats of the Old Testament another while by laying forth the promises of the New if by any meanes we may get them right againe This by the Testament which is one outward meanes The Blood is another inward meanes By it we are made fit and perfect choose you whither and that so as at no time of all our life we are so well in joint or come so neere the state of perfectnesse as when we come new from the drinking of that blood And thus are we made fit Provided that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do end as heere it doth in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first Agent all this fit making do end in doing and in a worke that some worke be done For in doing it is to end if it end aright if it end as the Apostle heere would have it For this fitting is not to heare learne or know but to doe His will We have beene long at Teach me thy will at that lesson There is another in Psalme CXLIII Psal. 143.10 Teach me to doe thy will we must take out that also Teach me thy will and Teach me to doe thy will are two distinct lessons We are all our life long about the first and never come to the second to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is required we should now come to the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are not made fit when we are so to doe never a whit the more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to end in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is doing and in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in a worke In worke and in every good worke We must not slip the collar there neither For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In all good workes if we be hable to stirre our hand but one way and not another it is a signe it is not well set in His that is well set he can move it to and fro up and downe forward and backward every way and to every worke There be that are all for some one worke that single some one peece of GOD 's service wholy addicted to that but cannot skill of the rest That is no good signe To be for every one for all sorts of good workes for every part of GOD 's worship alike for no one more then another that sure is the right So choose your Religion so practice your worship of God It is not safe to do otherwise nor to serve GOD by Synecdoche but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take all before us But in the doing of all or any beside our part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heere is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second Agent a Worker besides For when GOD hath fitted us by the outward meanes there is not all
in us it is so by the power of CHRIST 's death and thither to be referred properly And whatsoever good is revived or brought againe anew from us it is all from the vertue of CHRIST 's rising againe All do rise all are raised thence The same power that did create at first the same it is that makes a new creature The same power that raised Lazarus the brother from his grave of stone the same raised Marie Magdalene the sister from her grave of Sinne. From one and the same power both Which keepeth this methode Worketh first to the raising of the soule from the death of sinne and after in the due time to the raising of the body from the dust of death Els what hath the Apostle said all this while Now this power is inhaerent in the Spirit as the proper subject of it even the aeternall Spirit whereby CHRIST offered himselfe first unto GOD and after raised himselfe from the dead Now as in the texture of the naturall body ever there goes the Spirit with the blood ever with a veine the vessell of the one there runnes along an arterie the vessell of the other So is it in CHRIST His blood and his Spirit alwaies goe together In the Spirit is the power in the power virtually every good work it produceth which it was ordeined for If we get the Spirit we cannot faile of the power And the Spirit that ever goes with the blood which never is without it This carries us now to the blood The very shedding whereof upon the Crosse primùm ante omnia was the nature of a price A price first of our ransome from death due to our sinne through that His satisfaction A price againe of the purchase He made for us through the value of His merit which by His Testament is by Him passed over to us Now then His blood after it had by the very powring it out wrought these two effects it ranne not wast but divided into two streames T it 3.5 1. One into the Laver of the new birth our Baptisme applied to us outwardly to take away the spotts of our sinne Luk. 22.20 2. The other into the Cup of the New Testament in His blood which inwardly administred serveth as to purge and cleanse the conscience from dead workes Chap. 9.14 that so live works may grow up in the place So to endue us with the Spirit that shall enhable us with the power to bring them forth Haec sunt Ecclesiae gemina Sacramenta these are not two of the Sacraments but the two twin-Sacraments of the Church saith S. Augustine And with us there are two Rules 1. One Quicquid sacrificio offertur Sacramento confertur what the Sacrifice offereth that the Sacrament obteineth 2. The other Quicquid Testamento legatur Sacramento dispensatur What the Testament bequeatheth that is dispensed in the holy Mysteries To draw to an end If this power be in the Spirit and the blood be the vehiculum of the Spirit How may we partake this blood It shall be offered you streight in the Cup of blessing which we blesse in His name For is not the Cup of blessing which we blesse the Communion of the blood of CHRIST saith S. Paul 1. Cor. 10.16 Is there any doubt of that In which blood of CHRIST is the Spirit of Christ. In which Spirit is all Spirituall power and namely this power that frameth us fit to the workes of the Spirit Which Spirit we are all made there to drinke of And what time shall we doe this What time is best What time better then that day in which it first shewed forth the force and power it had in making peace in bringing back CHRIST that brought peace back with Him that made the Testament that sealed it with his blood that died upon it that it might stand firme for ever All which were as upon this day This day then somewhat would be done somewhat more then ordinarie more then every day Let every day befor every good worke to doe His will But this day to doe something more then so something that may be well pleasing in His sight So it will be kindly So we shall keepe the degrees in the Text So we shall give proofe that we have our part and fellowship in CHRIST in CHRIST 's resurrection in the vertue of CHRIST 's resurrection Grace rising in us workes of grace rising from it That so there may be a resurrection of vertue and good workes at CHRIST 's resurrection That as there is a reviving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the earth when all and every herbs and flowers and brought againe from the dead So among men good workes may come up too that we be not found fruitlesse at our bringing backe from the dead in the great Resurrection But have our parts as heere now in the blood so there then in the Testament and the Legacies thereof which are glorie joy and blisse for ever and ever Printed for RICHARD BADGER SERMONS OF THE SENDING OF the Holy Ghost PREACHED VPON VVhit-Sunday A SERMON Preached before the KING'S MAIESTIE AT GREENVVICH on the VIII of June A. D. MDCVI being WHIT-SVNDAY Acts CHAP. II. VER I. II. III. IV. And when the Day of Pentecost was come or when the fifty daies were fulfilled they were all with one accord in one place And there came sodeinly from heaven the sound of a mighty Winde and it filled the place where they sate And there appeared tongues cloven as they had beene of fire and sate upon each of them And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost they began to speake with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance WE are this day beside our weekly due of the Sabboth to renew and to celebrate the yearely memorie of the sending downe the Holy Ghost One of the Magnalia Dei as they be termed after in the XI Verse One of the great and wonderfull Benefitts of GOD Indeed Ver 11. a Benefit so great and so wonderfull as there were not tongues enough upon earth to celebrate it withall but there were faine to be more sent from heaven to help to sound it out throughly Even a new supply of tongues from heaven For all the tongues in earth were not sufficient to magnifye GOD for his goodnesse in sending downe to men the gift of the HOLY GHOST This we may make a severall benefit by it selfe from those of CHRIST 's And so the Apostle seemeth to doe Gal. 4.4.4.6 Gal. 4. First GOD sent His Sonne in one verse and then after GOD sent the Spirit of His Sonne in another Or we may hold our continuation still and make this the last of CHRIST 's Benefitts For Ascendit in altum is not the last there is one still remaining which is Dona dedit hominibus Psal. 68.18 And that is this daye 's peculiar wherein were given to men many and manyfold both graces and gifts and all in one gift
what he lists It calleth to minde the crye of the Beasts in the fable when they were inconsultation to submit themselves to the Lion as to their King For when it was alleged it was like enough he would doe they knew not wel what what he listed which they had cause to feare they all cried Praestat unum timere quà m multos Better one Lion doe so then all the Beares and VVolfes and wild bâ—asts of the forest as before they did First then for this that there is a King Secondly for this That a King not many For to have many is a plague for the people's sinnes Not many Nay not two as of late But now Rex indeed one King over all Israel We know when there were two Kings one in Iuda and the other in the Ten Tribes two in one territorie it was a maime and a blemish both That there was not Rex one entire King but two diverse Kings as it were over two halves of a Country The like imperfection was it even the dividing of this one Island under two Sovereignes The reducing of both those under one was promised Israël as an high favour The same to us performed can be no lesse Ezek. 37.22 even that now there is a King indeed REX one KING One and no more absolute entire King over all the Tribes over all Israel Let this be the Second And this our third That not only over Israel but as the words are In Israel These are two different things To speake as the Prophet doth that this King is not Assur For this cause Assur shall be your King is a fearfull threat GOD useth to his people Hos. 11.5 for their unkindnesse To have a meere Alien one from beyond the water as Nebuchodonozor was out of a people whose speech they did not understand One not in but extra Israëlem that is over Israel but neither in it nor of it That this is not our case as it is well knowen some would have had it Therein then must we also acknowledge GOD hath dealt gratiously with us sending us such an one as by more then one or two before this very last of all is come of the Race Royall and is by due and undoubted right a King not only over but in and of Israel Is not this a third And sure this fourth That as He sent us not Assur a stranger so neither sent He a Ieroboam No stranger in birth he but one addicted to a strange worship a stranger in Religion And it was even Mica's religion just As Mica's Countriman he was for both were of Ephraim Who did that which was evill in GOD 's eyes by doing that which was good in his owne and so made Israel to sinne 1. King 15 2â— Such an one He hath not sent us but one that knoweth GOD doth neither favour Mica nor Mica's worship since that was a principall cause why there is a King in Israel that Mica's Idolls might not be set up And then fiftly As not a Ieroboam favouring Mica not a Rehoboam neither who was indeed well for his Religion but otherwise not hable to advise himself and so ready to be advised to the worse One 2. Chro. 10.14 that was ful of great words but so faint-hearted as not able to resist ought that under him every one did what he would for all the King It was as in another case the Prophet speaketh Rex Rex non est Rex It is otherwise 2. Chro 13.17 where Princes are intelligent learned and as David was both religious and wise wise as an Angel of God to discerne good evill Such a King as David a special blessing not omnibus data not given to every people Nay 2. Sam. 19.27 many times not to Israel it selfe May we not report this for a fifth And for a sixth this That not as David neither though he were both gentle and wise which Rehoboam was not For though he were both yet was he so entangled wiâ—h wâ—â—res all his time and forced still by continuall â—â—â—usion of bloud fâ—â—st to recovâ—r and then to maintaine his right as that he vvas rather Dux then Rex in Israël a Generall of an armie raâ—her then a King No but that which addeth stil to the heap of our blessings like Salomon more happy then his father as one that procured to his people peace with all the Nationâ— round about Of him of such an one as hâ— saith the Queene of Saba Because the Lord thy GOD loved Israel â—o â—sâ—ablish it for ever therefore hath he set thee King over them to bring â—hem to and to preserve them in the happy dayes of peace That is indeed the right King to be as Melchisedech King of Salem that is King of peace Heb. 7.2 Esai 9.6 To be as the great King of Israel whose Style is Princeps pacis And last of all which is the complete perfection of all that in and by Him GOD hath not onely sent us a King but a Race and Succession of Kings A blessing yet further a greater hope by blessing him and in him us all with an issue of such hope and with hope still of more Who shall we trust and pray they may stretch their line to the world's end and ever keepe this Land from this plague heer mentioned from dayes whereof it may be said Non erat Rex in Israel Even so Lord Iesus so be it And thus seven times this day praise we GOD for this his sevenfold goodnesse 1 For a King 2 an absolute entire King 3 a King both in and of Israel 4 a King neither favouring nor favoured by Mica 5 a King too wise to endure Feeit quisque quod rectum 6 a King of peace 7 a King who hath already by himselfe and shall for ever by his seed preserve this Land from the evill daies wherein Israël was without a King There is not any one of these Seven but we owe our speciall thankes for it But for them all all that ever we have or can make And these now we offer and present to the Divine Majestie all and togither with our thankes a commixtion of prayers that this blessing of a king in Israel and of this King in Israel may to us and our posteritie long and many yeers yea many times many be continued and we or they often see the renewing of this blessed day Which Almightie GOD graunt c. A SERMON Preached before the KING'S MAIESTIE AT GREENVVICH Anno D. MDCVII IAMES CHAP. I. VER XXII Estote autem factores Verbi non auditores tantum fallentes vosmetipsos And be yee doers of the Word and not hearers onely deceiving your owne selves AN advise or Caution of S. Iames to those that receive the word ingrafted And that so necessary an advise as without which all our receiving the word or hearing Sermons is nothing els saith he but a very coosening or deceiving our selves Which I therefore thought
the Angell concluded so doe I With GOD is nothing impossible And that of CHRISTS Mat. 9.23 To faith all things are possible And heer are both and where they meet they make no lesse a miracle then Mater and Virgo or Deus and Homo Even Fides and Ratio And this for Virgo concipiet Now to the three particulars and first concipiet To make Him man II. 1. Christâ—an Embryo Et Concipiet it is wells knowen there wanted not other wayes From the mold as Adam from a rib of flesh as Eve No need then of concipiet Yes for He was not to be man only but to be the SONNE of man the name in the text Filius and the name that for the most part He giveth Himselfe and seems most to delight in But Adam was not sonne to the mold nor Eve daughter to Adam And a Sonne no way but by concipiet And howsoever of the body of man there may engender that which is not of the same kinde yet by way of conception there commeth of man nothing but man nothing but of the same nature and substance with that he was conceived of This we are to hold To conceive is more then to receive It is so to receive as we yeeld somewhat of our owne also A vessell is not sayd to conceive the liquor that is put into it why because it yeeldeth nothing from it selfe The Blessed Virgin is and therefore is because she did She did both give and take Give of her owne substance whereof His body was framed and take or receive power from the HOLY GHOST whereby was supplyed the office and the efficacie of the masculine seede This is concipiet And this word is the bane of diverse haeresies That of the Manichee that held He had no true body That had been virgo decipiet not concipiet Not conceive Him but deceive us And that of the Valentinian revived lately in the Anabaptist that held He had a true body but made in heaven and sent into her That had been recipiet but not concipiet Received Him she had conceived she had not From which His conceiving we may conceive His great love to us-ward Love His lovâ— in so being not only condescending to take our Nature upon Him but to take it by the same way and after the same manner that we doe by being conceived That and no other better beseeming way The wombe of the Virgin is surely no such place but He might well have abhorred it He did not pudorem exordij nostri non recusavit saith Hilarie He refused not that our selves are ashamed of Sed naturae nostrae contumelias transcurrit but the very contumelies of our Nature transcurrit is to quick a word He ran through them Nay He stayed in them in this first nine monethes I say the contumelies of our Nature not to be named they are so meane So meane indeed as it is verily thought they made those old Haeretiques I named and others mo who yet yeelded Him to be man to runn into such phansies as they did only to decline those soule indignities as they tooke them for the great GOD of heaven to undergoe This therefore even this would He have set downe in termes terminant of concipiet and pariet Trusting we would wisely judge of them and love Him never the lesse but the more even for these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianz. Honour Him never the lesse because He layed downe His honor for thy sake No but Gregor quantò ille minus debita tantò ego magis debitor the lesse due He tooke on Him the more due from me to Him In a word quanto pro me vilior tantò mihi charior The lower for me Bernard the dearer to me It brings to minde King David's vilior adhuc fiam and how GOD even for that regarded him the more Concipiet et pariet to conceive and bring forth in us 2. Sam. 6.22 love honor and due regard even for them It reaches both This sure is matter of love But came there any good to us by it There did Our benefit thereby For our conception being the roote as it were the very groundsill of our nature that He might goe to the roote and repaire our Nature from the very foundation thither He went that what had been there defiled and decayed by the first Adam might by the second be cleansed and set right againe That had our conception been steined by Him Therefore primum ante omnia to be restored againe He was not idle all the time He was an Embryo all the nine monethes He was in the wombe but then and there He even eat out the coare of corruption that cleft to our Nature and us and made both us and it an unpleasing obiect in the sight of GOD. And what came of this We that were abhorred by GOD Eph. 2.3 Filij irae was our title were by this meanes made beloved in Him He cannot we may be sure accompt evill of that Nature that is now become the Nature of His owne SONNE His now no lesse then ours Nay further given this priviledge to the children of such as are in Him though but of one parent beleeving that they are not as the seede of two infidells but Tit. 3.5 are in a degree holy eo ipso and have a farther right to the Laver of regeneration to sanctifie them throughout by the renewing of the HOLY GHOST This honor is to us by the dishonor of Him This the good by CHRIST an Embryo 2 Christ a new-borne Babe Et pariet Et pariet And this no more then needs There may be concipiet and no pariet follow Venerunt filij ad partum c. saith the Prophet * Esa. 37.3 The children came to the birth and no strength to deliver Pariet makes all sure And pariet makes all appeare We could not tell it was Filium knew not what it was or what it would be Till He came into the world He was as thesaurus absconditus though we had it we had it not But when He was borne when come into the world we see Him and handle Him then He was with us indeed With us not as conceived of the same nature with us but as borne and now a person among us That which was potentiall in concipiet made actuall by pariet So that this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when He came forth as a bridegroom out of His chamber Psal. 19.6 or as the Sunne from His tabernacle to runne His race And it was with a Visitavit ab alto Luc. 1.78 Thence an Angell cried Ecce and sounded it on earth and a starr cried Ecce and proclaimed it from heaven Poets in the West write of it and Wise men in the East saw it and came a long iourney upon it to see Him And what did this Pariet bring forth Luc. 2.13 No sooner borne but a multitude of
heavenly Souldiers sung Peace to the earth belike there had been warr before but Peace now Nay more then peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That GOD had conceived a good liking was well pleased with men The same terme to men that He useth to CHRIST Himselfe In whom I am well pleased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to both Mat. 3.17 And what would we more What lack we now His name 3. Christ christened vocabitur nomen And now He is borne might we not leave heer and goe no further Rem tenemus what care we for the name Yes we must For CHRISTVS anonynus will not serve Therefore Esay therefore the Angell are carefull to beare Him to His baptisme to add His name The Prophet to intimate it Saint Matthew to interpret it For though we have sayd much of CHRIST an Embryo and CHRIST a new-borne namelesse babe yet nothing to that that followeth to the Ecce of His Name 1. His Name given by God This Name if it had been of mans giving I wote well litle heed had beene to be taken of it Men sett great titles upon empty boxes Nay many times the Names given by wise men fall out quite contrary Salomon called his sonne Rehoboam the Enlarger of People Mat. 1.22 He enlarged them from ten to two But His name Saint Matthew tells us the Prophet but brought It was GOD that sent iâ— And the Names of His imposing there is no surer place in Logique then from them His Nominalls be Realls As His dicere facere so His dici fieri what is said in them comes surely to passe 2. That name Immanuel Gen. 49.10 Now there were diverse names given Him at diverse times To expresse all His perfections no one name was enough There was Iacob's Name SILO That was in respect of His Father by whom and from whom He was sent There was Paul's name MESSIAS Heb. 1.9 CHRIST That was regard had to the HOLY GHOST by or wherwith He was anointed But what were these quid ad nos We have no part in them In this we have And till this came all was in nubibus as they say But in this Immanuel Nob scum Deus heer come we in first For in Immanu is Anu and in Nobiscum Nos And this is the first Nobis and the first Cum we find in any Name of His and therefore of all other we are to make much of it A Virgin to beare GOD to be borne matter of wonder but no benefit at all But when we heare It is with us and for us that Ecce makes us looke up to it 1 Two Doubts abouâ— it 1. How Immanuel and not IESVS Before I come to it I would cleare a doubt or two of it 1 One of the Name it selfe 2 The other of the interpretation or meaning of the Name 1. It will be sayd This was not His Name in the end for all this but IESVS True 1 How Immanuel and not IESVS and Saint Matthew knew that well enough for he setts it down so Yet even in that place He setts it so downe presently he vouches this of ESAY of Immanuel as if Immanuel and IESVS both came to one as indeed they doe One inferres the other Immanuel GOD with us Why to what end To save us from our sinnes and from perishing by them If there be any odds it is in Immanuel which is of larger compasse GOD with us to save us though that be worth all yet not that way onely but with us other waies besides And all in Immanuel 2. GOD with Vs Why was He not also with the Patriarchs and Prophets 2. How with us more then the Patriarks and Esay himselfe as well as with Vs He was but not as well Some Prerogative we must allow this Name if be but foâ— the Ecce No Ecce belongs to these Somewhat more to Saint Matthewes Gospell then to Esay's Prophesie This name must needs implie a secret antithesis to His former being with us We say nothing in saying He is now with us if He be not so with us now as never before With them in types and figures of Himselfe His shadow was with them but now He himselfe With them He was even thus in this very Immanu but how in the future tense concipiet pariet as things to come are made present to hope But now conceptus est partus est Re not in spe all is past and done So that now Ita nobiscum ut de nobis Nay ut ipsi nos So with us as even of us now of the same substance Nature flesh and bone that we With us in concipiet conceived as we With us in pariet borne as we Now true as never till now Now so as never so before And now to look into the Name It is compounded and to be taken in peeces First The parts of that Name 1 El Deus into Immanu and El Of which El the latter is the more principall by farr for El is GOD. Now for any thing yet said in concipiet and pariet all is but man with us Not GOD with us till now By the name we take our first notice that this child is GOD And this is a great addition And heer lo is the wonder For as for any child of a woman to eat butter and honey the words that next follow where is the Ecce Verse 15. But for El for GOD to do it that is worth an Ecce indeed El is GOD And not GOD every way but as the force of the word is GOD in His full strength and vertue GOD cumplenitudine potestatis as we say with all that ever He can do And that is enough I am sure For the other Immanu though El be the more principall yet I cannot tell 2 Immanu Nobisâ—um wherein 1 Anu Nobis whether it or Immanu do more concerne us For as in El is might So in Immanu is oâ—r right to His might and to all He hath or is worth By that word we hold therefore we to lay hold of it The very standing of it thus before thus in the first place toucheth us somewhat The first thing ever that we to look for is Nos Nobis and Noster the Possessives For they do mittere in possesâ—ionem put us in possession We looke for it first and lo it stands heer first Nobiscum first and then Deus after I shall not need to tell you that in nobiscum there is mecum In nobiscum for us all a mecum for every one of us Out of this generalitie of with us in grosse may every one deduce his owne particular with me and me and me For all put together make but nobiscum The wise man Prov. 30. out of Immanuel that is Pro. 30.1 nobiscum Deus doth deduce Ittiel that is Mecum Deus GOD with me his owne private interest And Saint Paul when he had said to the Ephesians of CHRIST Who