of their Faith 1. An Intendment of Confirmation Before they confessed and believed And now again their faith is miraculously confirmed and ratified It is Gods gracious course thus to â—…port and strengthen the beginnings of a true faith Revelations Visions Miracles Signs from heaven all shall serve for further Confirmation Thus God to Ahaz Ask thee a Sâ—…n of the Lord thy God ask it either in the depth or in the heighâ—… above 〈◊〉 vii 11. If it be true faith he will make it stronger He is alwayes watering this grain of Mustard-seed Thus to Nathaneel Ioh. i. 50 51. Believest thou because I said unto thee I saw thee under the Fig-tree Thou shalt see greater things than these Ye shall see heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man 2. An Intendment of Remuneration This faithful Confession is honoured and rewarded with an evident Revelation a glorious Vision This is the method of Gods dealing with his children The ground of faith is not sight and reason and evidence but the reward of faith is evidence and clearness of full Representation Christians are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non Rationales Aug. That is the duty of faith but the issâ—… and end of it what is that It shall end in Vision Then we shall see him as he is First faith looks upon his back-parts and covers its face as Elias in the cave then it is advanced to see him face to face as Elias on the Mount To believe because we see it is the weakness of faith but to see because we believe it is the honour of faith Aliud est videndo credere aliud credendo videre After these sayings That 2. Is Post mortis praedictionem vers 22. The Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected of the Elders and Chief Priests and Scribes and be slain After that saying then he was Transfigured he shewed his Glory And so it carries with it these Intimations 1. Quod non ex infirmitate moriturus That he was not to dye out of Infirmity He who can thus at pleasure assume a state of Immortality hath no inward necessity to dye It was not necessity of nature but dispensation of grace that exposed him to death Non impotenter sed potenter mortuus est As Moses dyed not of weakness His eye was not dim nor his natural force abated Deut. xxxiv 7. but upon special order So dyed Christ. As Sampson it was his strength not his weakness that ended him So Christ he dyed Clamore magno non singultu He did not exspire with a sigh or a groan but when he had cried with a loud voyce he yielded up the ghost Matth. xxvii 50. 2. Quod non ex vi externa That he did not dye from any external violence He who hath the title of the Lord of life and can assume to himself Impassibility What violence can assault or annoy him No man taketh away my life from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again Ioh. x. 18. He who can Pertransire per medium eorum pass through the midst of them and go his way Luk. iv 30. sure his death is not enforced but assumed 3. Quod non ex odio paterno That he did not dye because his Father hated him It may be it shall be said God hath forsaken him His Fathers displeasure exposes him No that scandal is prevented by this glorious Manifestation of himself He is by an Oracle from heaven honour'd and acknowledg'd the Son of his Fathers love 4. After his Death is foretold his Glory is discovered That intimates the Order and Entrance and Passage into his Kingdom He did not pass à deliciis ad delicias No but first he must suffer and then be glorified Ought not Christ to have suffer'd these things and then to enter into his glory Luk. xxiv 26. First Mount Calvary must be ascended then Tabor and Olivet Post fel favum He must tast the gall of his Passion then after he shall tast the honey-comb of the sweetness of Exaltation 3. Is Post Resurrectionis Intimationem vers 22. He must be raised the third day After that saying then he was Transfigured And so it reflects upon that saying in a double notion 1. Ut ostenderet possibilitatem Resurrectionis He who can make his body thus radiant and resplendent transform it into such Glory Why should we judge it impossible or difficult to revive and raise it Why should we judge it impossible saith S. Paul for God to raise the dead Acts xxvi 8. He hath power to lay it down and power to take it up again Necesse est Spiritui restituatur Templum suum Look upon Mount Tabor and this Transfiguration and then go to Golgotha and doubt not of a Resurrection 2. Ut monstraret Modum The glory of this Transfiguration shews the glory of his Resurrection It was Praeludium Resurrectionis Dominicae It shall not onely be a bare recovery of life but an advancing of it S. Paul calls it His glorious Body The High Priest Iosedeck his vile garments are taken from him and precious garments are given unto him Consider the glory of this Transfiguration and then doubt not of the Immortality Impassibility Agility Clarity of the Resurrection 4. Is Post Crucis Impositionem vers 23 24. If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow me Taking up the Cross losing of their lives for him After these sayings then he was Transfigured So it imports a seasonable Consolation They must endure the Cross part with life sad tydings an hard saying Who can bear it These are things dreadful to flesh and bloud Ay but stay a while and see him and his servants in glory that will sweeten all He purposely gives them a glimpse and view and tast of that glory that shall attend their sufferings Look upon thy sufferings and thy spirit may droop but get up into this Mountain of glory see those Crowns and Scepters and White Robes and then you will be encouraged These light afflictions which are but for a moment work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. iv 17. Thus Christ sweetly enterchanges his dealings with his servants 1. Having put them into the sad meditation of his Death he shews them his Glory 2. Having rejoyced them with that then he allayes it with the remembrance of his Death again reminds them of his Passion 5. Is Post Gloriae Promisionem vers 24. He tells them hereafter they shall save their lives at his coming in Glory After that saying he is Transfigured So it is F 〈…〉 Glorie Representatio He puts them not off to future expectations and reversions Totum id quod Christiani sumus spes est sayes hard to some mens faith Ay but he gives them in present a glimpse of glory These first fruits and preludes of
a force to appropriate and make Christ our own Without this a general remote belief would have been cold comfort He loved Me and gave himself for Me saith S. Paul What saith S. Chrysostom Did Christ dye onely for S. Paul No Non excludit sed appropriat He excludes not others but he will secure himself This word Meus doth facere Deum possessionem nostram saith S. Augustine in Psal. xxxii make God our own It is the ligature and joynt of Faith that incorporates us into Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it glues us to the Lord and makes us one Spirit with him Iob in his Scio did not glance but fix upon him here in Meus He uses no light touchings but close embracings My Well-beloved is mine and I am his And again My Well-beloved is as a bundle of Myrrh that lyes betwixt my Breasts A general notional catholick Faith walks in a garden of Myrrh that 's pleasant and delightful but this special Faith that Iob stayes by gathers this Myrrh binds it in a bundle layes it 'twixt his Breasts that 's fragrant and comfortable This application 't is always useful especially when we are in Iob's case Temptations and Afflictions they will make us run to God clasp fast about him Deus Meus Deus Meus in the closest application We have done with the first particular of the Text Iob's Faith of Christs Resurrection Come we now to the Second the faithful Profession he makes of his own That although death had already seiz'd upon him yet he was assur'd he should rise again and be made partaker of a joyful Resurrection That we may take a more full view of this holy Profession and observe the many Excellencies that shew forth themselves in this Faith of his we will reduce all to three observable Particulars 1. Veritas Fidei There we shall see those Truths that are couch'd here in Iob's holy Profession and thence we shall learn the dogmatical part of this sacred mysterie of our Resurrection 2. Pietas Fidei The many Evidences of Piety and Devotion which appears in this Profession of Faith of his Resurrection 3. Beneficium Fidei The many seasonable and useful advantages of his Faith which this holy man found in this Meditation and Profession First observe the several Truths included in this Faith of Iob concerning his own resurrection Reduce them all to these three heads 1. Here is Certitudo resurrectionis propriae He apprehends the truth of his own resurrection with fullest assurance I know it that word of certainty belongs not onely to his Faith of Christs Resurrection but it sets out the confidence he had of his own Christs Resurrection and ours are made two several Articles of our Creed First we believe Christ rose the third day then again we believe the Resurrection of the body that we shall rise also Now Divines observe that which makes several Articles of our Faith are the several difficulties that are in those Articles which we profess to believe Now our resurrection carries with it the shew of some difficulty and improbability that appear not in Christs Resurrection so that a man may yield to the truth of Christs Resurrection and yet stick at ours and doubt and question that 1. Christ was God it was easie for him to raise up himself He had power to lay down his life and power to take it up again at pleasure But Iob and all we are frail and weak creatures when the pit hath shut her mouth upon us how shall we rise again 2. Though Christ were dead and so his soul sever'd from his body yet his God-head and Divinity were still united to it His dead body was the body of the Son of God still supported and sustained by the Deity and so being united to the fountain of life 't is more conceivable that he should revive and live again 3. Christs body in the grave saw no corruption or putrefaction no incineration turn'd not into dust and ashes lay but three dayes in the grave and revived Iob's body and ours shall be eaten with worms turn'd to corruption rotted in the grave many hundred years It is easier then to conceive Christs Resurrection then to believe ours Yet Iob ye see sets his Scio to both I know Christ is risen and notwithstanding all these improbabilities I am sure he speaks it as knowingly I know I shall arise Both Articles must be believed with the same assurance We are told by some that those Truths that concern Christ and the Church in general you may believe firmly and certainly say I know them but for those Truths that concern our selves in particular That Christ hath Redeemed me Sanctified me will Raise me to Life and Glory there is no Scio for them we cannot be sure of them hope well we may but with contrary doubtings and suspitions No in all Gods Promises Faith must labour to work out assurance Quod propter Deum creditur aequalitèr creditur If God saith Faith assures it self of it It is the infirmity of Faith to doubt not the duty of Faith Then Faith works kindly when to every Truth reveal'd it sets to its Scio. That 's the first Certitudo Fidei 2. Here in this Profession of Iob is Fundatio Resurrectionis the ground and foundation that he layes to his Faith of his own resurrection Why is Iob sure he shall rise again Because he is sure that Christ is risen First he knows Christ is alive then he inferrs I shall live again Our resurrection is founded and built upon Christs Resurrection 'T is that that gives footing and fastning to our Faith Still the Apostle inferrs our resurrection from that of Christs He that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies Rom. viii And this Inference 't is good upon three grounds 1. Christs Resurrection 't is Argumentum possibilitatis We may strongly argue from Christs Resurrection to the possibility of ours If God rais'd him the same power can raise us also Tota ratio facti it is Potentia facientis Omnipotency sticks at no difficulty Nay Christs Resurrection argues the possibility of our resurrection and that with advantage Christ underwent a cursed death death was in its full strength when it seized upon him If Christ brake through the Iron-gate clave the Rocks sure then it is possible for us to rise now the gate of Life is set open to us the Rock and Grave-stone roll'd away and removed for us Indeed Christs was a full death so is not ours 1 Thes. iv 14. If we believe that Iesus dyed and rose again them which sleep in Iesus will God bring with him For whether is it easier to say Awake thou that sleepest or Rise from the dead Dost thou doubt of thy resurrection Remember that Iesus was rais'd from the dead and be not faithless but faithful 2. Christs Resurrection 't is a good ground of ours 't is Exeâ—…plum Resurrectionis the exemplary cause of our resurrection He shall
water springs the Son to the River and Stream that floweth from this Fountain the Holy Ghost to the Pool or Sea into which both Fountain and River doth run and flow All one in the substance yet distinctly apprehended by these resemblances 2. Saint Paul here names the Holy Ghost under this expression The Spirit of the Father as delighting to shew the consent and concurrence of the whole Trinity in the work and carriage of our salvation The Father Son Spirit all joyned in this great Work As in our creation Let us make so in our repair and recovery the power of the Father the wisdom of the Son the grace of the Holy Ghost all concurred in this work Thus Ephes. ii 18. Through the Son we have access by one Spirit to the Father The Son recommends us the Spirit conducts us and the Father receives us The gods of the Heathen when one favoured another opposed Mulciber in Trojam pro Troja stabat Apollo One was against Troy the other stood for it Our God Father Son and Holy Ghost all set themselves to atchieve our salvation 3. By this expression the Apostle would send us to the Well-head of all grace and teach us to whom to seek for the gift of the Spirit the original donor of it is God the Father Hence He is called The promise of the Father Acts i. 4. We had need be set right in this point S. Iames tells us we are subject to mistake Err not my dear children Every good and perfect gift comes from above from the Father of lights Iames i. 16. Lux à primo lucido Our Saviour appropriates it to the Father Luk. xi 11. Your heavenly Father shall give the Holy Ghost to them that ask him He hath abundance of spirit as Malachi speaks In all those diversities of endowments and operations that are in the Church 't is the same God that works all in all It must teach us to whom to have recourse even to this Fountain of holiness from whom it is communicated and conveyed to all that receive it That 's the first Reference 't is the Spirit of the Father 2 d. Then here is a second Reference to Christ in a miraculous operation The Spirit of him that raised Iesus from the dead God the Father he raised Christ by the Spirit from the dead The point is observable that the resurrection of Christ is in a specimanner attributed to the Father Acts ii 32. This Iesus hath God raised up and is by the right hand of God exalted and Acts iii. 26. God hath raised up his Son Iesus Indeed we find the Resurrection ascribed to all the three Persons 1. The Father he raised him up Him God raised up the third day Acts x. 40. 2. Christ he is the author of his own resurrection his Divinity was inseparably joyned to his Humanity united not onely to his living but also to his dead body and by virtue of that Union he raised himself He had power to lay down his life and power to take it up again Ioh. x. 18. As the Sun sets and rises by his own motion 3. The Holy Ghost raised up Christ 1 Pet. iii. 18. He was put to death in the flesh but was quickned by the Spirit So then all concurr yet here it is especially attributed to the Father for divers reasons 1. In general all actions of the Deity originally flow from the Father As in being so in all acting and working he is the first in order Hence it is that Christ ascribes all that he doth to his Father Iohn v. 19. The Son can do nothing of himself but what he sees the Father do for whatsoever things he doth these also doth the Son likewise The Father saith Christ gave him those works to do 2. The Father is said to raise Christ from the dead because the Father in a special manner is the fountain of Life As the Son is made known by the attribute of Wisdom the Holy Ghost by the attribute of Love so the Father is represented by the attribute of Life Christ calls him The living Father Iohn vi 57. 'T is his glorious Title The living God It was S. Peters confession Thou art the Son of the living God And this life the Father communicates to the Son Iohn v. 26. As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself This Paul makes an act of Gods Paternity to raise Christ. His resurrection was a second generation Acts xiii 33. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee If thou be the Son of God come down from the cross Why it is as good If thou be the Son of God rise up from the Grave 3. The Father is here said to raise up Christ His resurrection being the first step of his glorious exaltation it is ascribed to the Father rather then to himself desirous rather his Father should put the Garland of triumph upon his head then he himself assume it Thus the Scripture ascribes his Humiliation to himself his Exaltation to his Father Phil. ii 7. He made himself of no reputation he took upon him the form of a servant he humbled himself and became obedient wherefore God highly exalted him Usurping Adonijah steps of himself into his fathers Throne This is our ambition Shun the work but snatch the reward Solomon will be placed by his father anointed and advanced to the Throne by Davids appointment He that humbles himself shall be exalted active in his humiliation passive in his exaltation Thus Christ though he had power and authority to exalt himself it had been no robbery S. Paul tells us yet he observes this gracious Oeconomy makes his Father the approver of his obedience the accepter of his merits the rewarder of his passion the author of his exaltation 4. The Father is said to raise up Christ purposely as a ground of hope and assurance to us of our resurrection For us to hear that Christ is risen by his own immediate power weakness of Faith will object Christ was God too his Deity was united to his dead body it was easie for him to take up his life but we are nothing in our graves but weakness and corruption True but this Scripture ministers more comfort it tells us That Christs resurrection was perform'd by the Power and Spirit of the Father God reached out his hand to him and rais'd him up Here then is our comfort The same Spirit of God is communicable to us the same arm of Power may be reached out to us Look not upon thy weakness but look upon Gods strength He will employ the same Power for us which he did for Christ Ephes. i. 19. He will use the same exceeding great Power to us-ward that believe which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead That 's the second Reference 3 d. Now follows the third gracious Relation and that is of the Spirit to us that is a Reference of
Particulars 1. The dwelling of Gods Spirit in us is a ground of our resurrection because it is Vinculum Unionis the Spirit is the bond of our union and conjunction with Christ. By it we are incorporated into his holy Body and made members of it Now then if our head â—…ise all the members must rise with it If the Head be in Heaven the members shall not for ever perish in the Grave Not a bone of his was broken This union by the Spirit 't is like the touch of a Load-stone it will attract and draw us to him that where he is we shall be also It is spoken of his hypostatical but it is true also of his mystical union Quod semel assâ—…mpsit 〈◊〉 depâ—…suit Christ will part with none of his members Father I will that where I am they shall be also Because I live ye shall live also Iohn xiv 19. 2. This inhabitation of the Spirit grounds our resurrection ratione proprietatis Our bodies by this inhabitation are consecrated to be a possession of the Holy Ghost and the Temple of God must not be destroyed What Christ said of his own body it is true of ours Destroy this Temple and I will raise it up again Necesse est Spiritui reddatur Templum suum saith Tertul. Gods Spirit takes pleasure not onely in these living Temples but owns them when they are dead takes pleasure in the dead bones and favours the dust of them Psal. cii As Philosophers say of the Soul it is Artifex sui domiâ—…ilii it frames its own house of the body so the Spirit of God repairs re-edifies rears up this Fabrick after it is taken down 3. This Inhabitation of the Spirit works our resurrection as being the Auhor of both that initial grace that entitles us and gives us claim to the state of a resurrection Regeneration makes us Children of the Resurrection as also because it is the author of that final grace which plucks up the root eats out the core of our mortality Till then as there be Primitiae gratiae so there are Reliquiae peccati Those remainders of sin dispose us to death but our final and finishing grace roots up those Fibrae peccati and sin being abolish'd death hath no dominion over us So then for use of all 1. Is the Habitation of the Spirit the ground of our Resurrection doth that give us interest into the resurrection of Christ Sure then 1. The benefit of this resurrection belongs onely to them who have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them The wicked and reprobate they have no share in Christs resurrection Not but that Christ raises the wicked at the last day but this he doth officio Iudicis not beneficio Mediatoris by the authority of his supreme Judicature All shall hear his voice his summons shall raise them out of their Grave but the fruit and benefit of his mediation or resurrection extends not to them 1. Not by way of Merit he communicates no merit in the world to come to those who have no interest in his merits in this present world 2. Not by way of any actual efficacie there 's no influence of Christ but into his own members all influence of grace and virtue either tends to union or flows from it 3. Not by way of Example Christs resurrection is not so much as the Pattern and Samplar of theirs there 's no assimilation 'twixt Christ and the wicked They do not bear the Image of the second Adam they are not planted into the Similitude of his death or resurrection He is the resurrection and the life to them that believe Iohn xi 2. Besides the Resurrection that Christ merited and communicates is a beneficial and beatifical Resurrection Meritum sonat in bonum the resurrection of the wicked tends to damnation Better not rise then rise to perdition Better stay in prison then to be brought to execution This rising destroys not death but increases and redoubles it In short 3. The Resurrection of the wicked 't is no fruit of the Gospel but a sequel of the Law not flowing from the second Adam but is consequent upon the first no part of the Promise The seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head but a part of the Threatning Thou shalt die the death soul and body both to be destroyed 2. Shall we be raised because his Spirit dwells in us See the sweet fruit and benefit of giving place to Christ and his Spirit and devoting our selves to be an habitation to him he richly requites us for his habitation See how Satan uses the bodies he possesses Luke ix 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He rent and tore them Oh! the Spirit of God keeps and preserves them As men say of their houses Better Lett them Rent-free to some that will use them well and keep them in repair then for Rent to others that will havock and spoil them If Satan possess thy body besides the base usage he will put it to he will make it a sink of sin a dung-hill of corruption a rendevous of unclean Spirits all the Rent he pays thee will be ruine and destruction But if Christs Spirit possess thee besides the honour which his presence puts upon thee if the King be in a Cottage he makes it a Court he will secure it and maintain it and make it good to thee Use thy body and devote it to sensuality it will end in corruption devote it to God and his Spirit it will rise to immortality S. Paul speaks 1 Cor. vi 13. Meats for the belly and the belly for meats and what will become of it God shall destroy both it and them But the body is for the Lord and the Lord for the body and then what follows Vers. 14. God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power Dos immortalitatis Immortality 't is the Dowrie that God assures to the body The body is not for Fornication but for the Lord and he assures this Dowrie even a blessed Resurrection Which God grant for his sake who is the Resurrection and the Life To whom c. A SERMON PREACHED UPON WHIT-SUNDAY ON VVHIT-SUNDAY The First Sermon 2 KINGS ii 9. And it came to pass when they were gone over that Elijah said unto Elisha Ask what I shall do for thee before I be taken away from thee And Elisha said I pray thee let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me THe two Testaments have a mutual relation and reciprocal aspect and interview one with another Not any mysterie of the New but was shadowed out in the Old not any type of the Old but is represented and exhibited and fulfilled in the New They are placed about Christ as the two Cherubs upon the Mercy-seat looking each on other and both on Christ. The Faith of the Old Testament look'd forward expecting to behold the fulness of those types the Faith of the New Testament looks backward to see the sweet prefigurations
was some curiously enquire and accordingly resolve it to be beyond all others even beyond Adams in Paradice But as Moses vayled his Face so the Scripture hath put a Vaile of silence and concealment upon this of Christ. It is best to resolve the habit of his Body as it was utterly free from the least blemish and deformity so was it also fitted and tempered to his state of humiliation and infirmity 3. It was vestitus his Garments that 's the other subject of this alteration And then follows III. The manner 1. His Countenance that was shining as the Sun Not but that Christ's glorified Body doth now surpass all created Glory all excellencies cannot equalize his Majesty But 1. This is the most glorious Creature to which we may resemble it 2. This Transfiguration was not a full representation of his Heavenly Glory but only a glimpse of it Non erat plenitudo gloriae sed similitudo Had this Sun of righteousness shined in his full glory the eyes of the Apostles could not have beheld it He dwells in that light that no eye can approach unto Now from this resemblance of Christ's glory as the Sun deduce it into these particulars 1. Sol it is origo lucis all light flows from the Sun and is derived from it The Starres shine by a borrowed light So Christ he is the original and Fons gloriae the Fountain of glory All his Saints and Angels are opace dark in themselves their light it is from him He is Fons gratiae gloriae as the King is Fons honoris From his fullness they receive all he cloaths them with light if he hide his face they are eclipsed 2. Solis splendor it is purissimus the light of the Sun it is most refulgent The Moon is waterish the Starres glimmering but the Sun is most pure So Christ he is not onely pure but purity it self No mixture or shadow of darkness or corruption is in him There are maculae in Luna sic in Ecclesia spots in the Moon and so there are in the Church The Starres are impure in his sight Cujus participatione sumus justi ejus comparatione sumus injusti 3. Solis splendor 't is vegetans the light of the Sun it enlivens and quickens and gives vivacity to all creatures Philosophers say without the influence of the Sun no creature can live This being eclipsed all things languish In its departure there is nothing but fading and dying in its return it gives vivacity So Christ he is the Fountain of spiritual and glorious life A gracious aspect from him enlivens us as it did S. Peter Malach. iv 2. The Sun of righteousness comes with healing in his wings and ye shall go forth and grow as the Calves of the stall 4. Solis splendor it is laetificans the light of the Sun it is cheering and comforting It is a good thing to see the Sun darkness is sad and irksome So Christ refreshes and glads the Soul Ps. iv 7. the light of his countenance puts gladness in my heart more then in the time that their Corn and their Wine encreased The Church in persecution therefore prayes Ps. lxxx 7. Cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved We have seen his Countenance shining as the Sun See 2. His Garments these are shining and glorious And it is express'd three waies 1. White as the Light Matth. xvii 2. 2. Exceeding white as Snow Mark ix 3. 3. By a transcendency so as no Fuller upon earth can white them exceeding Art which is inferiour to Nature nay surpassing Nature Here are two Queries that may be put 1. Why are his garments glorious A gloryfied body shall have no other garments then the robes of immortality and glory True but Christ was 1. Not instatu gloriae but only in actu in a transeunt passage of glory 2. Not in the fullness of glory but in some resemblance In Heaven he cloaths himself with light as with a garment now he cloaths himself with garments as with light 3. Not inter glorificatos and so habituates his body to the decencie of humane conversation How irreligious are some of those disputes which the Jesuits have concerning the body of Christ 2. Whence arose this glory of his Garments From the glory and resplendency that was in his Body His Divinity that conveyed glory into his Soul and that transfused it into his Body and that transmits it into his Garments As his power of miracles was originally in his God-Head then in his Soul then in his Body then in his Garment The hemm of his Garment had virtue in it being instrumentum conjunctum Now from the glory of his Garments as Snow as Light 1. Gather what modell we must gather of Christ's glory and our glory with him Look upon all the Beauties that are in the world the most glorious and resplendent creatures and unite all their excellencies and raise up thy thoughts by them and from them to the contemplation of that glory which is in Heaven View the curious rarities of Art and Nature Is the Snow a vanishing Meteor so white The material Heavens so pure The Lilly so beautiful Oh! Our Solomon in his glory is cloath'd more richly then any of these Eye hath not seen Ear hath not heard the Heart cannot conceive the Greatness of his glory 2. Consider Qualis sanctitas Christi Sanctorum How great is that glorious purity which is in Christ and which can stand before him It must be exact and pure without all stain and blemish Glory is nothing but Excellens Sanctitas Our white robes are the righteousness of the Saints David prayes to be whiter then Snow How should we buy of him fine Linnen and pure and wash our Robes in the bloud of the Lamb The Papist's they have their Fulling-Mills Purgatory Pennance No those are all polluted It must be Christ who must come with Fullers Sope Malach. 3. Consider are his Garments thus glorious How holy and glorious shall his Members be It is he that puts his own comeliness upon them See how he commends the several lineaments of his Church in the Canticles her Eyes her Lips her Nose c. If these outward applications of garments derive such beauty and glory from him how then shall not those neer intimate spiritual Unions As S. Paul speaks Upon our less honourable members we put more honour So much of the Nature and Condition of his Transfiguration See now Secondly the ground and reason why he was transfigured before them 1. Christ puts himself into this appearance of glory to testify and demonstrate the truth of his Divinity His Humanity did appear unto them now his glory gives evidence of his divine Nature Q. But how can this glory of his Face prove his Divinity seeing Moses his Face did shine A. Christ's glory came not from a gracious dispensation but from a substantial bodily inhabitation of the God-Head but Moses his shining was far inferiour 1. He had it
merciful and gracious recovering them out of this amazement It is fourfold He did it 1. By a comfortable Appearance His Transfiguration and Glory affrighted them now that he might more familiarly and comfortably refresh them he layes aside his Majesty and Glory and re-assumes his habit of Humiliation and so offers himself to their weakness and infirmity As Moses put a vail upon his face that the people might endure his sight and presence How gracious is this Condescending of Christ to dispense with his own Glory for our comfort Like Ioseph who discovered himself to his brethren fell upon their necks and received them with mutual embracings The truest sign of greatness is to stoop to others weakness 't is Signum roboris not infirmitatis saith Gregory Till that time when he will make our bodies like his glorious body he makes his glorious body like our weak bodies He did it 2. By his comfortable approach He came to them 1. Strength of Faith would have carried them to him as Peter Matth. xiv 20. Master bid me come unto thee 2. Moderate fear would have driven them to him Or 3. It would have made them call to him for help Oh! but they are in a weaker and lower condition their Faith is in a swoun their fear hath overwhelmed them there is no power left to seek for succour therefore they not being able to seek out for help see he offers himself graciously to them Here is the comfort of Christians 't is possible we may be so low brought as not to be able to call or look up to Christ yet then he leaves us not When we cannot comprehend him then he will comprehend us Our Faith may be so weak as not to be able to lay hold upon him yet then his Spirit apprehends us In sickness when speech and sense and all fail yet a child of God hath this comfort He will come to me when I lye unable to come to him This case David was in Psal. lxxiii 22 23. So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee Nevertheless I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by my right hand He did it 3. By his comfortable touching of them He puts his hand upon them Now this gesture and action of Christ was very usual in his miraculous works Matth. viii 3. He touched the Leper and cleansed him Vers. 15. He touched Peters wives mother and cured her of a fever Matth. ix 29. He touched the two blind men and they received their sight Matth. xiv 36. They besought him that they might onely touch the hem of his garment and as many as touched were made perfectly whole Christ uses this gesture of touching for divers reasons 1. It is Signum facilitatis He works wonders with his touch that is with the greatest ease and facility This was eminently seen in Christs wonders Nature must use stronger means to work any work Nay Elias when he was to recover the womans child stretch'd his body upon it often begged of God before he could effect it Christ he effects it by the least means The smallest means in appearance are by him made powerful to work effectually Purposely he makes choyce of such seemingly improbable means the more to magnifie the glory of his Power the means themselves having no force at all to effect such wonders Thus Ioshua chap. vi 3. The compassing of Iericho seven dayes blowing with Rams-horns Magis videntur mysteria consummare quam bella What force were there in this to batter down a City Thus it was in Naaman's washing seven times in Jordan 2 Kings i. 5. In the blind man's cure by Clay and Spettle and washing in Siloam Iohn ix 6. Thus the looking upon the Brazen Serpent cured the people He fed five thousand with five loaves and two fishes To teach us 1. Not to rest in the most effectual means though never so hopeful but to look up to him who works by them 2. Not to despair in the weakest means if of his appointment If they be Siloam which is by interpretation Sent he can make them effectual 2. It is Signum Applicationis By this touch he shews that he helps by a real and close application of himself to us Omnis actio per contactum So there must be a close application of Christ to us if we mean to receive any virtue from him And to this purpose we meet with a double touch 1. Christ toucheth us as here he did the Apostles that is he immediately unites and applies himself his grace power Spirit to us when he conveys any good to us 2. We must touch Christ that 's contactus Fidei Faith must draw near to him as the woman in Matth. ix 21. If I may but touch the hem of his garment I shall be whole Hence saith Christ Thy Faith hath made thee whole 3. It is Signum mirae Efficaciae The least if true and real union with Christ conveys grace and good to us Nature must have Vim Moram nihil tam efficax ut in transitu prosit but the Word the touch of Christ is effectual So Faith if it be not able to lay hold upon him strongly yet if it can but touch him as the woman Si tetigero minimus actus and fimbriam minimum objectum 4. It is Signum virtutis Humanitatis Christi The Humanity and Body of Christ was Omnium instrumentum miraculorum As sanctified and quickned with the Deity it served as a powerful instrument to convey spiritual and supernatural power 'T is Caro vivifica There dwelt virtue in it The leaves of the tree of Life saves the Nations The Humanity of Christ had not a transfusion of Divine properties but it was enrich'd by the Deity with miraculous virtue which being drawn forth by Faith works wonders He did it 4. Voce Consolante He comforts them by a gracious word of heartning and encouragement Arise and be not afraid He will speak peace to his people and to his servants Psal. lxxxv 8. Arise 1. It is a word of Assurance as making known to them that there is no cause of fear 'T is Christ and his Word and Warrant that can secure us Master at thy word I will let down the net Luke v. 5. Let all terrors compass us yet if Christ encourage us it is enough Fear not Go forward made Moses enter the Sea 2. It is a word promising Assistance If he bid us Arise we may hope for his help Have not I commanded thee As Iacob in his fear The Lord that said unto me or bade me return unto my countrey that encouraged him 3. 'T is Verbum Operatorium It breaths life and strength and courage into them But what can a word do to a fainting man Yes 1. 'T is Verbum Dei that is effectual He speaks life and health That Word made us of nothing 2. 'T is Verbum Spiritu corroboratum there goes with it a sweet and powerful concurrence of his Spirit As
of Scripture the Apostle discourses the state and condition of a Christian. And having in the former part of this Epistle settled the truth of our Justification by the death of Christ now he layes down grounds of comfort against those infirmities and imperfections that Christians find and feel themselves to be subject to 1. He discovers these infirmities chap. vii I know that in me that is in my flesh there dwells no good thing Odi quod sum non sum quod amo Aug. Epist. 106. The good that I would I do not the evil which I would not do that do I. 'T is that which S. Augustine calls Rixa jurgium inter carnem spiritum Hannah and Peninnah under the same roof vexing each other the one provoking the other weeping both disquieting the peace of the soul. And he who is Spiritual like S. Paul will heed and observe them have his eye upon his thoughts and inward inclinations The Naturalists say that man hath two muscles in his eyes more then other creatures that make him look upward A Christian hath two more to make him look inward to search and descry the stirrings of his heart 2. As he discovers them so he bewayls and mourns for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death See the spirit of S. Paul he rejoyces in afflictions but he mourns for corruptions Vers. 35. Quis separabit He defies afflictions the greatest of them But chap. vii 24. he hath another exclamation Quis liberabit He groans under infirmities and corruptions the least of them Ey here is the true mark of a Spiritual man he chooseth affliction rather then iniquity Affliction sits light but sin sits heavy on him Tu nôsti gemitus cordis mei de hacre flumina oculorum meorum saith S. Augustine bewailing but one of his infirmities 3. He finds and layes hold upon help against them Faith represents Christ and his power ready to succour and deliver him I thank God through Iesus Christ my Lord. These infirmities fetch'd tears from S. Paul but yet he doth not weep out the eye of Faith looks up to Christ as to his soveraign Antidote to cure and recover him And then 4. He comforts himself against those many evils that are consequent fruits arising from these infirmities There are three main evils that arise from them 1. These sinful infirmities in themselves have a condemning power in them they deserve in justice no less then the curse of God and eternal damnation Papists and others may sleight these first motions and count them no sins S. Paul judges them damnable Sin is so strong a poyson that the least grain is deadly and the Gospel doth not make them no sins but makes them pardonable As God destroyed not the fiery Serpents but provided a cure and remedy against them in themselves damnable Against this evil consequent S. Paul finds a Consolation vers 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus that State and Condition brings with it Pardon and Absolution 2. A second evil consequent from these infirmities is that Thraldome and Captivity and Vexation which these remainders of sin bring upon the soul of a Christian. Though he hath his pardon yet his shackles and his bolts are still upon him Though he be freed from the condemning power of these infirmities yet still he suffers encumbrance and vexation from them It is matter of great heaviness to the Saints that they are thus hindred and encumbred that they find such strivings and rebellions in themselves against the law of God that the flesh should resist and oppress the spirit that Hagar should insult over Sarah the bond-woman over the free that Ishmael should over-top Isaac that Esau in the womb of grace should struggle with Iacob that the house of Saul should still be quarrelling with the house of David But against this he comforts himself and others The law of the Spirit hath made us free from the law of sin ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit vers 9. 3. A third evil is that these infirmities and remainders of sin have a malignant power to make us subject to the law of death Their very being in a Christian is the seed and original of mortality 1. Though sin be pardon'd by the death of Christ 2. Though the dominion and power of it be broken and subdued by the Spirit of Christ yet 3. As long as it remains in us in the least and lowest degree it makes us subject to the power of death Yet against this S. Paul finds a double comfort 1. This subjection to death is not total 't is but half a death the death of the body onely That indeed we are obnoxious to but the soul hath escaped free from the snares of death The body indeed is dead that is subject to death because of sin but the Spirit that is life because of righteousness vers 10. Our chiefest and best part the proper seat of misery or happiness that 's put into a state of spiritual and glorious immortality Fear not that that kills the body and can do no more It is not a total death 2. Even this bodily death to be undergone 't is not perpetual that 's a second comfort It hath a limit of time set to it Death shall not alwayes gnaw upon us in the grave The righteous shall have dominion over Death in the morning Our bodies in the holds of Death are Prisoners of Hope there will be an enlargement Death shall be swallowed up and abolish'd the Power and Spirit of God shall free these mortal bodies bring us like Peter asleep out of the dungeon If the Spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you The Text then 't is the blessed Assurance and Evidence of a Christians happy Resurrection In it observe these four particulars 1. Is the Condition upon which it is promised and we may expect it If the Spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you 2. Is the main Cause and Efficient of this our Resurrection 'T is he who raised up Christ from the dead 3. Is the Acting and Performing of it He shall quicken your mortal bodies 4. Is the Ground and Reason of it Because his Spirit dwells in you First for the Condition If. I call it a Condition and yet it carries a threefold force in it I. It hath the force of a Connexion it makes a Connexion with the former priviledges and comforts of a Christian. 1. No condemnation for sin vers 1. that 's one comfort 2. No dominion nor power nor absolute sway of sin that 's a second comfort 3. No total nor final nor utter destruction by sin Death is abolish'd that 's a third comfort It shews us a blessed concatenation and linck of a Christians priviledges Mercy it begins in Pardon and growes and diffuses it self in Grace and never
is of greatest excellency 'T is both a fundamental and a finishing grace It lies low in the foundation there is the necessity of it and then it is chief in the head of the building that 's the excellency 'T is both a vital grace and then it is a beautifying and adorning grace It warms the heart and it makes the face to shine The Saints saith David They are the excellent of the earth Psal. xvi S. Augustine saith it of Charity which is one part of holiness Sure that 's a rare grace without which all other graces are nothing and by which all other graces are made of some value This grace 't is the assimilating grace which makes us like unto Christ. In this S. Peter places our conformity to Christ 1 Pet. i. 15. As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation This S. Iohn calls a walking as Christ walked 1 Iohn ii 16. Walk as he walked How is that not as he walked on the waters in a miraculous operation but as he walked in the ways of piety in all holy conversation So to assimilate him 3. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Onely carries another Emphasis with it it shews the thing he exhorts to is Summè desideratum the main thing which he desires of them 'T is a form of expressing our chief desires and requests we make it shews what above all is most acceptable to us As David One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will also require Unicus is put in Scripture for Summè dilectus the onely One for the dearly beloved Prov. iv 3. I was my fathers Son tender and onely beloved in the sight of my mother So Cant. vi 9. My Dove she is the onely one of her mother Here then is the main return that S. Paul requires of all his love to them his care for them his labours amongst them that their life be answerable to their holy Calling and Profession S. Paul's pains were great amongst them teaching exhorting warning every man What is the fruit of his labours that he expects from them That they should express the power of his preaching in the piety of their conversation What 's the fruit of the Husband-mans labours his ploughing his tilling manuring sowing but to see a fruitfull harvest the fields crown'd with plenty and the barns full with all manner of store How doth the Prophet Isaiah bewail the loss of this fruit Esai xlix 4. I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought And the Prophet Micah mourns for this want of fruit Chap. vii 1. Wo is me there is no cluster to cat my soul desired the first ripe fruit We have done with the first Particular the weight of this Charge Onely Now follows Secondly the Extent of this Charge the compass that it takes it reaches to all seasons and occasions Whether I come to see you or be absent 't is in his Presence and in his Absence It gives a scantling and dimension to a double Duty 1. Here is the dimension and scantling of S. Pauls care for them He is not onely studious of their good while he is among them but the necessary occasions of his absence are here supplied with an earnest desire to hear well of them Love and the spirit of doing good is full of care and forecast Those whom God hath committed to our charge should alwayes be in our thoughts As S. Paul speaks 2 Cor. vii 3. You are in our hearts to live and to dye with you The High-Priest was to have all the names of the children of Israel engraven on his shoulders and on his brest-plate Exod. xxviii Aaron must bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial and upon his brest-plate 1. Upon his shoulders never to cast off that burthen and 2. Upon his brest-plate that 's the seat of love and affection Thus S. Paul expresses his continual watchfulness over the Colossians chap. ii 5. Though I be absent in the flesh yet am I with you in the spirit joying and beholding your order and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. He had not onely a spirit of Revelation by which he was acquainted with all their affairs but he was present in spirit by his continual thoughts of them and care for them Thus was he alwayes deeply affected with the Care of all the Churches Is he present He labours amongst them Is he absent He prays for them thinks of them writes to them As S. Ambrose saith of Zachary Zacharias cum non potuit loqui scripsit when he could not speak he wrote So doth S. Paul to the Churches His care expressed it self in this way of putting them in remembrance by writing He wrote more Epistles then all the Apostles He seems to satisfie for what he had done against the Churches Before his Conversion he procured and carried letters against them for their Persecution Acts ix 2. Now he is Spiritui Sancto ab Epistolis The great Secretary of heaven the great conveyer of heavenly Epistles to them And as it is in the Ministerial Function so it should be in all our other imployments Love will be thus solicitous both present and absent As Iacob was for his sons being absent he sends to visit them Go I pray see whether it be well with thy brethren and bring me word again See he had a privy Monitor among them that should inform him of all their miscarriages Gen. xxxvii See this care of Iob over his children It may be my sons have sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts he presently Sacrifices for them Thus did Iob every day That 's the first dimension of S. Pauls care of them both present and absent 2. Here is the dimension and scantling of the Philippians duty and piety S. Paul puts them in mind of it that not onely in his presence when he is amongst them then they should walk piously and religiously but also when he is absent and remote from them then also he expects to hear of their holy and orderly conversation Gods Church must be like a well-order'd family every one in his proper station and doing his duty though the eye of government be not always upon them How doth God upbraid the failing in this point in the people of Israel Exod. xxxii 7. Moses was out of their sight but forty dayes and presently they fall away 1. How respectlessly do they speak of him As for Moses the man that brought us out of Egypt we wot not what is become of him That 's all they care for him gone he is and fare him well A poor requital for all his pains with them 2. How foulely do they revolt from that Truth which he had taught them Make us new gods to go before us A new Religion presently O what saith God to Moses Go get thee down thy people have turned aside quickly out of the way It was the
he seems to part with his own right in it and sets it over to his Church If God so loved us What then The inference we should think were more natural Then we must love him again But God parts with his interest bestows it on his children Then ought we to love one another 1 Ioh. iv 11. He requires us to exhibit it to his Church 1. In signum amoris then 't is best tryed Every man will love God it is best discovered in our love to his Church 2. In fructum amoris the fruit of our charity cannot reach to him As David desiring to shew love to Ionathan even after his death inquires out Mephibosheth or any of his children that they might enjoy what Ionathan could not Quod homini proficit Deo servit saith Tertullian Then charity is most serviceable to God when it is profitable to his Church The Church that is commended especially to our love and charity As S. Bernard observes of Christs provision for his Mother at his death he commended her to S. Iohn his loving disciple and in terms of love Behold thy Mother and Behold thy Son so in the disposition that 's the principal affection to which Christ commits it Art thou a Minister conceive Christs voice from his Cross to thee Behold thy Mother behold thy Son This was the Preface to S. Peter's charge Peter lovest thou me then feed my flock Of both which Speeches to S. Peter and S. Iohn Aquinas conceits that answerable to their affection so was their commission Saint Peter loved Christum mysticum in membris Christ in his members to him therefore the Church was by name commended Saint Iohn loved Christum personalem Christ in his person to him therefore he committed the care of his Mother Love is the affection that 's principally required This we see typified in Aarons brest-plate the names of the Israelites they were ingraven and set upon the holy Pectoral not upon his shoulders onely for care and burden but upon his breast the seat of love they must be dear and tender to him It is a sin in any man to be void of Charity but it is an hainous impiety in a Priest It had been cruelty in any Jew not to regard his brother's wounded and bleeding body but for a Levite and a Priest to pass by and neglect the body nay the soul of their brother without charity and compassion what sin more abominable Without this gift all other graces they are fruitless and unprofitable sine hac nihil sum saith the Apostle not minor or parvus but nihil sum Had I all Languages even to the tongues of Angles had I all Miracles to remove Mountains had I all Patience even to the enduring of Martyrdom Quale crimen saith Cyprian quod nè Mariyrio quidem potest expiari sine hac nihil sum And cum hac omnia sum Charity bears all believes all hopes all Strange The act of Charity is onely to love Elicit suum actum imperat omnem As a spring in a clock sets all the wheeles going or the Primum mobile in Heaven carries all the Spheres with it Art thou to Prophesy Charitâ—… cogit saith the Apostle The love of Christ constrains Hast thou Languages they are unprofitable in themselves divided from Charity Charity directs and unites them together Ex una lingua factae sunt multae hoc superbia fecit ex multis facta est una hoc charitas facit Aug. Saint Iames speaking of malicious tongues saith They are set on fire of Hell and they set on fire the whole course of nature in strife and confusion so these gifts of tongues being set on fire by charity as by fire from Heaven they set on fire the whole course of nature in grace and conversion Not as if Charity were absolutely necessary as if none but a Convert could convert others Tongues and Miracles as we see in Iudas they may do good but not so kindly as when love imployes them As S. Augustine observes of Christ's Miracles they prevailed the more with his Auditours because they were not onely signa potentiae but fructus amoris They were miracula salutaria helpful and beneficial Had they been nociva as Moses his were in Egypt they would have bred hatred and terrour driven men farther from him or had they been innocua to remove Mountains to fly in the air they would have wrought wonder and astonishment but they were salutaria healing and feeding and raising from the dead these were beneficial and provoked love and affection As the Prophet when he laid his staff upon the child which was signum potentiae it never fetch'd life but the embracing of his arms that was fructus amoris that warm'd and enliven'd him Miracles and languages they may do good but not so kindly Much more Prophesying though divided from Charity hath its use and profit for the conversion of others To this purpose S. Augustine alluding to that of S. Paul Some preach Christ of good will others on by-respects Quidam saith he non castè praedicant Christum tamen his auditis fideles nascuntur As in natural generation so likewise in spiritual Quidam ad concubitum ingrediuntur non voluntate generandi sed luxuriandi libidiâ—…e in lust not in love and desire of posterity and yet they beget children ex fâ—…cunditate seminum non ex turpitudine vitiorum The seed of the word it hath vim plasticam prolificam a power of regenerating though dispensed and applied by one not-converted Let the seed be good that is sown in the furrows it skils not what the hand be that scatters it abroad Pastores mali saith S. Augustine against the Donatists bad Shepherds may feed the flock in good Pastures Prophecy without Charity hath a power of converting but not so kindly As a Chirurgeon or Physician is more affectionately careful of his own body then of a stranger's life The one he doth Ex Arte to shew his skill the other In Affectu in Sympathy of affection The one preaches Ut lucretur famam for credit and ostentation the other Ut lucretur fratrem Thou hast gained thy brother saith our Saviour accounting every Christian as S. Paul did Onesiâ—…us his own bowels and esteeming S. Iames his reward the best encouragement Hast thou converted a sinner Know thou hast saved a soul from death and hast hid a multitude of sins That 's a second Inforcement Ut Ecclesiae habeat Charity improves all his gifts for the benefit of the Church 3. Ut Sibi habeat Charity makes them comfortable and profitable to his own soul. That 's the excellency of Charity above these other Graces Tongues without Prophecy edifie no man Prophecie without Charity edifies others helps not himself Charitas alios seipsum He saves himself and those that hear him Tongues without Prophecie like Nimrod they build a Babel they confound themselves and bring confusion to others Prophecie without Charity like Noah's workmen they