worthily doth the Church honor the holy Trinity the whole Trinity of Persons together as else-where in severals Declaring the wonders that he doth for the children of men Blessing and praising that same sacred Triad with Saint Paul and other Churches out of him Rom. 11.36 Of him and through him and for him are all things unto him be glory for ever Amen Lib. Sent. distinct c. 36. Ex Augustin de Trinit l. 6. c. 10 Where Lombard out of Augustine for as one was the Master so the other was the Founder of the Schools saith ingeniously that these Prepopositions Of Through For are not to be confounded For Ex doth denote the Father of whom are all things Per the Sonne by Whom are all things And In the Holy Ghost in whom are all things God the Father is the Fountain of all goodnesse God the Son as the Conduit and God the Holy Ghost as t were the Cistern And therefore Remeent in Flumina Fontes Let all our streams comfortable Blessings return in Thankfulnesse unto our Fountain As all our Fresh Springs are in thee O GOD so we desire they should also flow back unto thee And therefore turning Contemplation to Devotion Let us with the four and twenty Elders here fall down before him that sits on the Throne saying Thou onely O blessed Trinity art worthy to receive Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast created all things for thy wills sake they are and were created Amen POEM 19. Mysterious Blest and Sacred Trinity Inspire thy Worm that it aspire to Thee AETernall Father whence all Beings spring Deservedly thy Power they doe all sing Thy Providence too ecchoing that power Supporting guiding all things made each hour How strong and sweet through all How bright do st shine That while all take their own wills none but Thine While All things else then keep their first due Station Let not Man fail the End of his Creation Since Essence Life and Motion flows from Thee Le ts ' gratefully Return back all the Three Blest Lamb that dumb before the Shearers wer't Give and Accept a vocall gratefull Heart And let the Golden Fleece of thy rich Merit Purchase us Heavens Kingdom to inherit And loyall to it make us own thy Power As Soveraigne Lord as well as Saviour And thou O sacred sanctifying Dove Descend into our Hearts with wings of love Hatching thy Graces there that once fleg'd wee May back again to Heaven mount with thee To nestle in that Rock those Clifts of Spice And ever chaunt with Birds of Paradice Mean time what gift so fits this Three in One As our Triangled Hearts Rendition The COLLECT PRAYER The Epistle Rev. 4. v. 1. to the end The Gospel John 3. v. 1. to 16. ALmighty and Everlasting God which hast given unto us thy Servants Grace by the confession of a true Faith to acknowledge the glory of the eternall Trinity and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Vnity we beseech thee that through the stedfastnesse of this Faith we may evermore be defended from all adversity which livest and reignest c. Vpon the LORDS DAY in generall DISQUISITION 17. ALmighty God as his mercies are not only private and particular but publick also and Vniversall so will he not be contented only with Family Devotions though those he seasonably expecteth and accepteth but also he will be honored in the visible Congregation of his Saints and Servants and that too not alone in those solemne Anniversaries which are as Constellations of our Gratitude for blessings of the first magnitude But also for his Continuall Mercies which are as the Multiplied Starres renewed every moment And therefore doth justly challenge although he need it not our weekly returns of publick Piety and Gratulation And albeit His Glory be capable of no Accession by us or Diminution according to that of Job Job 9.15 Psal 16.2 and David yet his Revealed will which is our Rule and Conduct and his outward Name and Honour claimeth our best publick Worship and Devotion and that with a speciall Memento in his fourth Commandement Remember thou keep holy c. Where I shall not enter the Lists with the Sabbatarians and their Antagonists which undiscreet Combatants have rather wounded one another then rescued the Sanctimony of the Day Indeed by their Polemicall Discourses making more knots then they have untied The Doctrine of the Christian Sabbath being like a Skein of curious Silk which with affected Hands they have so sullied and be-ruffled Athanas Homil 1. that many well-meaning people know not how to make a right use of it and it may well be feared that Charity hath lost more by them then Truth hath gained And therefore waving the fruitlesse Controversie I shall herein keep the Scope of my Whole Book and endeavour briefly to vindicate the Piety of the Christian Sabbath The Jewish Term is Sabboth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Saxon appellation Sunday and the Christian from Christs Resurrection the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. The LORD changed the Sabbath into his own day for a Seminary of the Gospel Lords Day nor need either Denomination inject a scruple to wise men so long as All retain agreement in the sanctification of it And indeed as Saint Austine well though in another case Desiderant auditorem potius quam expositorem The Commandements are so well known and so often expounded this especially that we rather want Hearts to practise them then heads to understand them And this you know designeth both the Time and Place of Gods holy publick Worship Levit. 19.30 Not as there were any inherent holinesse in either or any thing below but onely relative i. e. as chalenged by GOD Athanas Homil. and by Man devoted And so both are the Time and Place Holy Day and Holy Place Holy Sanctuary holy Ordinances both equally sacred Levit. 26.2 You shall keep my Sabboths and reverence my Sanctuary c. Now one that assisted the Reformation of Religion with as much Learning and Modesty as any defines this Commandement well to be Morale praeceptum de Ceremoniali A morall precept wrapped up in * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. The Lord changed the Sabboth into his own day for a Seminary of his Gospel Tract 50. in Johan Ceremonials For sure there was somewhat of both in it the Ceremoniall part not now in force is first the Precise seventh day from the Creation Which in cases of Travell and remote distances is impossible to be retained the same universally Secondly the strictness according to the rigid Letter Thirdly the Mode of hollowing it with Oblations and Ablutions c. The Morality of it chiefly consisteth in these First the fixing of a Time for Divine publick Worship Secondly That Time to be at least one day of Seven Thirdly that day to be hallowed by corporall rest and spirituall Devotion so that it is Morale quoad genus Ceremoniale quoad speciem
of God moved upon the face of the waters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by a cloud of witnesses the Holy Spirit and the first of John expoundding this same first of Genesis brings in the second person hither the Word and saith twice for failing in one verse All things were made by Him John 1.2 and without Him nothing But to make good my word in Gen. 32. the Angel wrastling there and blessing Jacob is universally interpreted of Christ to say nothing of those that came to Abraham and Lot Gen. 32. Gen. 19 And then you have all the three sacred Persons of the Godhead though not positively demonstrated for that would be a hard task yet emphatically intimated in the Book of Genesis And this is Effigiatio Ansarum as one calleth it as it were a framing or finding out of Handles which we dextrously lay hold of in so high a Mystery And others doe as much from that of Job 1.21 Job 1.21 Arguing the Trinity from his treble Benediction The Lord hath given The Lord hath taken away Job 1.21 Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Three Lords you see and yet but one disposer there 's Trinity Unity But this Germinatio Gemmarum This putting forth of Buds and Blossoms in the Old Testament proveth Protuberatio mammarum a fruitfull swelling of the Breasts in the New where there are frequent and pregnant attestations I shall need mention but some chiefe ones 1 John 5. 1 John 5. There are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One What can be more manifestly expressed For which Saint Paul is one of them that returneth gratulations 2 Cor. 1. 2 Cor. 1.3 at once witnessing the Trinity and praising it Blessed be God saith he even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Mercy and the God of all comfort In which alone we discern the whole Trinity Here is the Father and Mercy which is his Sonne and the effect of this mercy the Spirit of Adoption and then all three comprised in the God of all Comfort But alas What is all this to your Rationall men as they call them the handsome Complement for our Modern Atheists who like Thomas live not by Faith but by Sense and Reason if they mistake not which is a way in some things quite to destroy the Faith That being an evidence of things not seen And therefore Saint Austin saith Rationem quaero Fidem abnego He that will admit of no Master but Reason sometime presents a Fool to be her Scholar though I know rectified Reason is the work of God and in it selfe not contrariant to Piety but being ordered and sanctified is very advantagious to it Yet not to be Relyed upon as any fit measure of the Principles of Religion Natural Reason how far usefull especially in such Mysteries and sublimer parts of it That too being so lapsed and depraved Yet even those Minions of Nature that is of second causes may find some paralels of this sacred Riddle even among the Creatures here below the Snow the Ice and Water and so above the Light and Heat and motion of the Sun have each of them a severality of existence and yet as 't were an Identity of Essence And if ought can be found such in Natures Inventory why should we so stagger at the like in our Creator Well saith holy Austine Tu ratiocinare Ego mirer Tu disputa Ego credam Criticall Naturalist that leavest the master and denominatest from the servant Doe thou argue on I will admire this Mystery Doe thou dispute I will believe it by his own help I doe both believe this Trinity and admire it St. August Confess l. Mira profunditas Deus meus mira profunditas To goe on with that sweet Fathers warble These Waters are of infinite depth O God unfathomable is their bottom The bottom is to professe and to feel the distinct working of the three distinct persons of the Trinity Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Rara Anima Quae sciat quid loquatur Not one man not one Christian of a thousand speaking of these mysteries knowes well what himselfe means and those that know the most saith he Contendunt dimicant dispute and wrangle assisting the common Enemies of Christianity by their uncharitablenesse while without love and mildnesse none ever come to know the Unity of this blessed Trinity or to see the visions of Peace in the presence of this God of mercy peace and love And therefore as we receive benefits by apprehending God under these distinct notions of power as a Father to protect us of wisdom as the Sonne to instruct us of goodnesse as the Holy Spirit to comfort us So now must we on the other side take the more care that we make answerable returns of Love Obedience Gratitude and sin not against these Persons in their severall Notions either by neglect of any of them in such as God sets over us or by abuse thereof imparted to our selves As David in that Complicated sinne Psalm 51. where he offended against all the Three First against the Father by abusing that powwer which he had given him Against the Sonne by depraving true Wisdom into Craft and Treachery Against the Holy Ghost by contemning the Goodnesse and Piety of Vriah's refusall But let us rather imitate both for their Contemplation and Devotion those Crowned four and twenty Elders Revel 4. that incessantly sung that sacred Treble Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty c. For first their Speculation proves the Trinity and then their Devotion worships and adoreth it Holy Holy Holy which Was and Is and is to Come Tenses and Persons both you see here speak the sacred Mystery of Trinity in Unity Hieron in Isa c. 6. and Unity in Trinity Per hoc quod ter sanctus Trinitatem significat per hoc quod subdit Dominus Deus Vnitatem In that they sing thrice Holy notes the Trinity in that they add the singular Lord God notes the Unity Respons ad object Arrian Or as Fulgentius Quid est quod ter Sanctus dicitur Cur semel Dominus Deus What is the meaning of this Hymne so trebled so singularized but three distinct persons and yet one onely Lord God according to the Athanasian Creed Athanasius contra totum mundum è contra composed against Arrius and appointed ever to be read This Day which Was without beginning which Art of thy selfe without means and shall be for ever without end Saint John in his Vision beheld one sitting on a Throne which is God the Father and at his right hand the Lamb which is God the Sonne Bullinger in locum and the seven-fold Spirit proceeding from both which is God the Holy Ghost Vnus potentialiter Trinus personaliter One in power and efficacy Three in personality c. Therefore after all Gods goodnesse celebrated in other Festivals now most
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lott fell upon Matthias it was the Gift of God to Him as his Name signifyeth and signifying his Apostleship as St Paul speaketh of his to be not of Man or by the will of Man but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ Gal. 1.12 The Lott here fell not on the Sonne of Rest as Barsabas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intimates but on the Sonne of Labour St Matthias who spread the Gospel through the scorching Africa endeavouring to water those Sandy Desarts of their parched Hearts with the Heavenly Dewes of Christ and his most saving Truth Alstaed Chron. c. 27. all whose pains are at length recompenced there with the Prophets usuall Reward here below that is He is first stoned almost to Death and then Beheaded Anno Christi 51. POEM 26. THe God of holy Order did Ordaine Succession should his sacred Tribe maintaine When therefore Iudas by Transgression fell And the Worlds Ransome for few Pence did sell With Himself in the Bargaine then his Place Did St Matthias by Strict Choice embrace 'Bout which the Apostles meet and Fast and Pray Such Duties best suit an Election Day And having pitch'd on Twins of Piety They leave the Singling to that Deity Who searcheth Hearts and so can best dispence All to his own and their Convenience He by a Sacred Lottery permits Them to discerne which of the Twaine best fits His unrevealed Will and on this Fashion Hath his own Choice prevents their Emulation A Meanes not rashly now to be requir'd Though warrantable then when so inspir'd Deigne Lord Each of our Hearts so to dispose As fitted Instruments to serve Thee Chose And Let the same Love thy Church ours so plant That Faithfull Successours it never want The COLLECT The Epistle Acts 1. v. 15. to the end The Gospel Matth. 11.25 to the end ALmighty God which in the place of the Traytor Iudas diddest cause thy Faithfull Servant Matthias to be of the Number of the twelve Apostles grant that thy Church being alway preserved from false Apostles may be Ordered and Guided by Faithfull and True Pastors through Iesus Christ our Lord. Lu. 1 The Salutation 28. And the Angel came in vnto her and said Haile thou that art Highly fauoured the LORD is with thee Blessed art thou Among women Here the Plate Vpon the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin MARY DISQUISITION 24. THe Pascall Lamb was to be Eaten totally Exod. Exod. 12. 12. Not only his Head and Feet but also his Purtenance And Christ being the same to us 1 Cor. 1 Cor. 5.7 5. And we having already with Mary anointed his Head and Feet id est Meditated his Birth and Death are now Falling to the Appurtenance thereof viz. The Angelicall and Evangelicall Annunciation of his Admirable Conception which the Church acquaints us with exactly in her Gospell for the Day Lnk. 1.26 Luke 1. In whose Story are mentioned three Parties most remarkable as being indeed three severall Natures the Party sending God the Party sent Gabriel an Angel the Party to whom sent viz. the Virgin Mary James 1.17 This happy Message as every other good and perfect Gift cometh down from above c. The Father sends the Sonne descends the Holy Ghost condescends missus à Deo involves them all sent from God Dei fortitudo the Power of God The Messenger here is Mercurius Coelicus an Angel and that Angel Gabriel and that Gabriel signifyeth the strength of God a fit Ambassadour for such an Errand to carry newes of the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah's Conception whose Redemption of the World is expresly called the Srength of Gods Arme v. 51. Of this Daies Gospel Chapter here briefly let us take notice of the Person and his Message The Person was an Angel that our Humane Nature might be repaired after the manner it was Ruined Ad Evam Angelus malus ad Mariam bonus accessit Fulgent de Nat Christi as an evill Angel under the shape of a Serpent was sent to Eve to worke our Woe So here a good Angel is sent to the blessed Virgin Mary with glad Tidings of our Weal Our restitution herein happily proportioning our Fall an Angel to a Virgin and most fitly Why an Angel Here. for Angelis Cognata Virginitas saith one Angels and Virgins are of some Affinity though a great way off Et Coelibatus quasi Coelo beatus was at least a witty Etymology but of this more anon An Angel to shew them Ministring Spirits sent forth for their sakes that shall be Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 And therefore we having such a Guard attending us should doe whatsoever we doe in such a Reverend and seemely Fashion as alwaies remembring we are made a Spectacle to Men and Angels 1 Cor. 4. 1 Cor. 4.9 And this was summus Angelus saith Gregory Quia Summum Omnium Annunciabat supposed to be an Angel of the Highest Order as declaring the Conception of the Highest But this Ministration of Angelick Natures both as to the Messages and Protection Degrees and Orders I shall referve as more peculiar to the Feast of St Michael For the Message it selfe the substance of it is out Redemption The salutation it consisting here of a Salutation And the matter Christs Conception The first ver 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haile Thou that art highly Favoured c. Salutandi formula words that speake only a Forme of Salvation here seasonably used and not to be wiredrawn into a Prayer there being in them nothing either Petitory or gratulatory so that the ignorant and Customary mistake of Them for such made Luther say ingeniously that the words of this Salutation Diez Giron Ave Maria were made very great Martyrs As even ingenuous Adversaries cannot but acknowledge that consider how profoundly some Friers have derived Ave viz. from A. primitively taken and vae that is as without woe and what strange Extracts some make from the three Letters of Ave soil A. to signifie Altitudo Patris the height of the Father V. veritas Filii the Truth of the Son And E. Eternitas Spiritus Sancti the Eternity of the Holy Ghost and so for the Name of Mary making it more fruitfull than het wombe Maria say they involving the five most illustrious holy womē in the Scripture Mary the Sea of Grace and Vertue Michol Abigal Rachel Iudith Abishag Each in a Letter of her Name Maria quasi Maria the Sea of Grace and Virtue And Ave being inverted Eva as she the woman Occasioned the worlds woe so This as opposite saluted as the worlds joy with Ave Fine airie Speculations which who so is taken with may see Plenty of Them Recited in Dr Boys his Postils In Festo Annuntiationisop 662. c. the matter is serious as the Salutation is Exemplarly courteous The Lord is with thee Tecum in utero Qui Tecum in Animo Tecum in Corpore Qui Tecum in Corde
He who is with Thee in thy mind will be with Thee in thy womb He who is with Thee in Thy Soul will be with Thee in thy Body v. 31. And 't is worthy of an Ecce Behold Luk. 1. v. 31. c Thou shalt Conceive in thy wombe and bring forth a Son and shalt Call his Name Iesus He shall be great c. As if Gabriel should have said I am sent from God and so the Lord is with Thee much more per supereminentem quandam operationem by some more Eminent Operation God the Father is with Thee highly Favouring Thee making His thy Son God the Son is with Thee for Thou shalt Conceive him in Thy wombe and God the Holy Ghost is with Thee for He shall come upon Thee Bern. in Festo and the Power of the most High shall over shadow Thee And This brings the Message home unto the Party sent to and that is the Virgin Mary The third part end Party V.M. And though sweetned with the Gentlest Address that could be by the Angel yet the unwonted Apparition and the strangeness of the News both startle the Tender Virgin Modesty and Feare were already the struggling Twins of her Soule Filiall Feare is Ianitor Actionum a good Porter to give Entrance unto all our Actions and Modesty is the Mother of all female Virtues which makes the wise man say Ecclus 16 15 that a modest woman is a Ladder of Graces Eccl. 26.15 Eccl. 26. Yet the Angel soone dissipateth her Feares ver 30. saying unto her Feare not Mary for thou hast found favour with God Et Qui apud Deum Invenit Gratiam not habet quod Timeat and he or she that hath so found favour with God hath not indeed whereof to be afraid Nor therefore was hers such as to exclude Beliefe that being Confirmed by the Example of her Cosin Elizabeth ver 36. Being the sixth moneth of her Conception in old Age and Barrennesse And therefore Blessed art thou among women That is first free from their Curses as wives by bringing forth in sorrow The Virgin Mother and as Virgins by sterility Blessed art thou among women that Remainest both a Mother and a Virgin a Virgin for Purity as Gideons Fleece and Aarons Rod prefigured her Virga Aaronis fructum sine Plantatione Maria Filium protulit sine Commixtione That flourished without Plantation she brought forth without Commixtion blessed among Wives being espoused for the Comfort of both Conditions as well as for the freeing of all Parties from Scandall among women blessed for the fruitfulnesse of the wombe above all women bearing the Messiah the old Ambition of all women O virgo ex Te Author tuus ex Te origo Oritur O blessed Virgin Thou art Mother of thy Father and from Thee ariseth the Originall And what here the Angell Annunciateth Isa 7.14 Isaiah long fore-Prophesied Ecce virgo Concipiet Isa 7. Behold a Virgin shall Conceive c. Partus Integritas discordes Tempore longo Virginis in Gremio foedera Pacis habent Virginity and Childbirth Long asunder In Mary's wombe made a full Truce of wonder Behold a Virgin shall bring forth a Son and his Design is wrapt up in his Saving Name Iesus in Aure melos in Corde Iubilus which is Honey in the Mouth Musick in the Eare and Ioyes Elixer in the Heart And now her Faith having got the Hand of her modest Passions she glows into her Part of the Dialogue and though she doubt not of the matter yet desires to be informed of the meanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How can this be since I know not a man c Which the Angel answers with a Spiritus obumbrabit The Holy Ghost shall over shaddow Thee which to her was so satisfactory though still a Cloud to us that she disputes no further but at once Testifieth her Faith and humblest Gratulation ver 38. Behold the Handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy word Quae est haec sublimis Humilitas admires St Bernard what manner of high Humility is This Bernard in Festo That the Mother of Christ cals her selfe an Handmaid Foelix est Qui mittitur foelix à Quo mittitur foelix ad Quam mittitur ut fiat foelix pro Quo mittitur Happy the Messenger that here was sent happy infinitely He that sent him Blessed among women the Party to whom sent That poore Man might be happy for whom all This for which all Generations shall Call her Blessed though not Invocate her for Blessings making her Garlands of due Eulogies though not Rosaries of filattery superstition such as more suit her Virgin Modesty acknowledging Her the Golden Pipe through which the Fountaine of Living waters streamed to us the Cisterne full of Grace the Top of all her Sex A star of the first Magnitude in Glory Dei-para Virgo with that famous Councell we Confesse Contilium Chaltedon and Call her the Mother of God from that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Figure of Communication of Properties but to Call her Regina Coeli mater Gratiae misericordiae Imperatrix Filii Queen of Heaven Mother of Grace and mercy Commandresse of her Son Exam. Trident. p. 3. p. 147. with more and Higher Attributions to her examined in Chemnitius I dare say that if those blessed Spirits above had but Leisure from their Glory to take notice of these Courtships to say no worse of Them The blessed Virgin would equall that same Angels modesty Rev. 19.10 Rev. 19. that Refused St Iohns Adoration See thou do it not for I am thy Fellow-servant and They that confesse not this of her and all the other Saints in Glory Commend them not so much as we do yet above the rest blessed art thou Perpetuall Virgin and yet againe that was not the Ground of her Magnificat not her Virginity but Her Humility was the ground of that My soule doth magnifie the Lord c. the Respexit Exaltavit both looked on This Thou hast Regarded and exalted the Low Estate of thine Handmaiden Despised Humility is above magnified Virginity to Virginity saith Bernard you are Invited Mat. 10. He that can Let him Receive it But to Humility you are Compelled unlesse you become as a little Child you cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Matth. 18. St. Bern. in Feslo Without Virginity you may be saved saith he but without Humility you cannot Concluding with an Audeo dicere I may peremptorily affirme that the Virginity of the Virgin Mary her selfe had never been acceptable without Humility Matth. 25. Chiding the Proud Virgins of his Time for Glorying in Virginity and forgetting of Humility while the blessed Virgin did here the Contrary Recording to Them that Parable Mat. 26. where of the Ten there were as many Foolish ones as wise but as St Hierom at one side said Non Damno Nuptias I condemne not Marriage so I at other Non