Ahaz was then in very great distresse he had lost in one day eighty thousand of his people and two hundred thousand of them more carried away captivès And now the two Kings were raising new power against him The times grew very much overcast And this you shall obserue The chiefest prophecies of Christ came ever in such times That 2. Pet 1.19 Saint Peter did well to resemble the word of prophecie to a candle in loco caliginoso a darke roome Iacobs Gen. 49.10 Dan 9.24.25 of Shilo in Egypt a darke place Daniel's of Messias in Babylon a place as darke as Egypt This of Esay when the ten Tribes were on the point of carrying away vnder Hoshea That of Ieremie A Woman shall enclose a man when Iuda in the same case Ier. 31.22 under Iechonias Ever in darke times who therefore needed most the light of comfort But what 's this to Ahaz case He looked for an other message from him How to escape his enemies A cold comfort might he thinke it to be preached to of Immanuel Indeed he so thought it and therefore he gave over Esay and betooke him to Shebna who wished him to seeke to the King of Ashur for helpe and let Immanuel goe Yet for all that even then to speake of Christ being looked into it is neither impertinent nor out of season With all the Prophets it is usuall in the calamities of this people to have recourse still to the fundamentall promise of the Messias For that till He were come they might be sure they could not be rooted out but must be preserved if it were but for this Childs sake till He were borne And yet if they could beleeve on Him otherwise it is no match Nisi credideritis Then thus the Prophets argue He will not denie you this favour Esa. 7. ◠for He will grant you a farr greater then this even his owne Sonne and by him a farr greater deliverance and if He can deliver you from the devouring fire of Hell much more from them and if give you peace with God much more with them So teaching those that will learne the onely right way to compasse their owne safetie is by making sure worke of Immanuel God with us To the true regard of whom God hath annexed the promises as well of this as of the other life All are as lines drawne from this center all in Him yea and Amen 1. Tim 4 8. 2. Cor. 1 20. Iohn 8 56. Which all serve to rayse Ahaz up and his people to receive this Childe and to reioyce in His day as their Father Abraham did Thus the Occasion you have heard The parts ad oculum evidently are two 1 a Child-birth and a 2 Baptisme 1 The Child-birth in these For unto you c. 2 The Baptisme The Division in these His name c. In the former 1 First of the maine points The Natures Person and Office 2 Natures in these Child and Sonne 2 Person in these His shoulders His Name 3 Office in these His Government 2. Then of the deriving of an interest to us in these To us two times And that is of two sorts 1 By being borne a right by His birth 2 By being given a right by a deed of guift In the latter of His Baptisme is set downe His stile consisting of fiue peeces conteining five vses for which He was thus given each to be considered in his order IT is ever our first care to begin with and to settle the maine point of the mysterie 1 Nature 2 Person and 3 Office and after to looke to our owne benefit by them The Childbirth 1. The Maine points 1 His Natures To beginne with the Natures of God and Man They be * Mat. 16.18 super hanc petram vpon them lyeth the weight of all the rest they are the two shoulders whereon this Government doth rest We have two words Child and Sonne neither wast But if no more in the second then in the first the first had been enough if the first enough the second superfluous But in this Book nothing is superfluous So then two diuers things they import Weigh the words Child is not said but in humanis among men Sonne may be As Man As God Mat. 17.5 in divinis from heauen God spake it This is my Sonne May and must be heer Weigh the other two 1 borne and 2 given That which is borne beginneth then first to haue his being That which is given presupposeth a former being for be it must that it may be given Againe when we say borne of whom of the Virgin His Mother when we say Given by whom by God His Father Esa. 7.11 Esay promised the signe we should have should be from the deep heer beneath and should be from the height above both a Child from beneath and a Sonne from above To conclude it is an exposition decreed by the Fathers assembled in the Councell of Sevill who upon these grounds expound this very place so The Child to import His Humane The Sonne Cant. 2.13 His Divine Nature All along His life you shall see these two At His birth A Cratch for the Child a Starre for the Sonne A companie of Shepheards viewing the Child A Quire of Angels celebrating the Son In His life Hungry Himselfe to shew the nature of the Child yet feeding five thousand to shew the power of the Sonne At His death dying on the Crosse as the Sonne of Adam at the same time disposing of Paradise as the Sonne of God If you ask why both these For that in vaine had been the one without the other Some-what there must be borne by this mention of Shoulders meet it is every one should beare his owne burden The nature that sinned beare his owne sinne not Ziba make the fault and Mephibosheth beare the punishment Our nature had sinned that therefore ought to suffer The reason why a Child But that which our nature should our nature could not beare not the weight of Gods wrath due to our sinne But the Sonne could The reason why a Son The one ought but could not the other could but ought not Therefore either alone would not serve they must ioyned Child and Son But that He was a Child He could not have suffered But that He was a Sonne He had sunck in His suffering and not gone through with it God had no Shoulders Man had but too weake to susteine such a weight Therefore that He might be lyable He was a Child that He might be able He was the Sonne that He might be both he was both 2. His Person Gen. 3.22 This why God But why this person the Sonne Behold Adam would have become one of us the fault Behold one of us will become Adam is the satisfaction Which of us would He have become Sicut Dij Scientes the person of knowledge He therefore shall become Adam Gen. 3.5 Colos. 2.3 A Sonne shall be
That He sent when He sent His Sonne a fuller then whom He could not send nor Time could not receive Therefore with the sending Him when that was Time was at the top that was the Quando venit then it was plenitudo temporis indeed And well might that time be called the fullnesse of time For when He was sent into the world in whom the fullnesse of the God-head dwelt bodily Col. 2.9 Ioh 3.34 Ioh. 1.14 Ioh. 1.16 In whom the Spirit was not by measure In whom was the fullnesse of grace and truth Of whose fullnesse we all receive When He was sent that was thus full then was time at the full And well also might it be called the fullnesse of time in another regard For till then all was but in promise in shadowes and figures and prophecies only which fill not God knowes But when the Performance of those promises the body of those shadowes the substance of those figures the fulfilling or filling full of all those prophecies came then came the fulnesse of time truly so called Till then it came not then it came And well might it be called the fullnesse of time in a third respect For then the Heire that is the World was come to his full age and so that the fittest time for Him to be sent For to that compareth the Apostle their estate then that the former times under Moses and the Prophets were as the Nonage of the world sub Paedagogo in the III. Chapter Ver. XXIIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at their A. B. C. or rudiments as in the very last words before these Their estate then as of Children in their minority little differing from servants For all this while nondum venit the fullnesse of time was not yet come But a time ther was as for man so for mankind to come to his full yeeres That time came with Christs comming and Christs comming with it and never till then was the fulnesse of time but then it was And let this be enough for this point more there is not in the text But if any shall further aske why then at that age of the world the world was at his full age iust then and neither sooner nor later I know many heads have been full of devises to satisfie mens curiosity in that point But I hold it safest to rest with the Apostle in the second verse on GODS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let that content us Then was the time for that was Tempus praefinitum à Patre the time appointed of the Father For even among men though the Father being dead the Law setteth a time for the Sonne to come to his heritage yet the Father living no time can be prefixed but only when it liketh Him to appoynt and the Father heer liveth Acts 1.7 and therefore let his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stay us The times and seasons He hath put in His owne power it is not for us to know them This is for us to know that with His appoyntment we must come to a full point So doth the Apostle and so let us and not busie our selves much with it time is but the measure or caske that where-with it is filled doth more concerne us To that therefore let us come 2. GOD sent The degrees are seven as I sayd To take them as they rise Misit Deus God sent That standeth first and at it let our first stay be That will fall out to make the first degree For even this that GOD sent at all Ipsum mittere Dei this very sending it selfe is a degree It is so and so we would reckon of it if we knew the Sender and who He is the Maiestie of His presence how great it is and how glorious how farr surpassing all we can see on earth For Him for such an one as He to condescend but to send is sure a degree For enough it had beene and more then enough for Him to be sent to and not to send Himselfe To have sit still and been content that we might send to Him and have our message and petition admitted and not He send to us That had beene as much as we could looke for and well if we might have beene vouchsafed but that But it was He that sent not we to Him first nay not we to Him at all but He to us He to us And what were we that He to us Vs as else-where He termeth us meere Aliens from Him Ephes. 2.12 and His Houshold Not that only but Vs in case of men whom the Law had passed upon So is our estate described in the end of the Text. For Him to send to Vs so great as He to such as we to thinke vs tanti so much worth as to make any mission or motion or to disease any about vs This may well be the first Be it then so that to us or for us or concerning us GOD would trouble Himselfe to make any sending A fullnesse there is in this Full He was a fullnesse there was in Him even the fullnesse of compassion in His bowels over our estate els such a Sender would never once have sent 2. His Sonne GOD sent Sent and sent His SONNE That I make no question will beare a second Others He might have sent and whosoever it had beene He had sent it might well have served our turnes If sent by the hand of any His Servants any Patriarch Prophet any ordinary messenger it had beene enough So hitherto had beene His Sending So and no otherwise ever till now Then if to send by any may seeme sufficient to send His SONNE must needs seeme full For ever the more excellent the Person sent the more honourable the sending the greater He the fuller it Now greater there is not then His SONNE His first His only begotten SONNE Col. 2.9 in whom the fullnesse of the God-head dwelt In sending Him He sent the greatest the best the fullest thing He had To heape the measure up yet more with the cause of His sending in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was voluntarie He sent Him not for need but for meere love to us and nothing els There was no absolute necessitie that He should have sent Him He might have done what He intended by the meanes and ministery of some besides GOD could have enabled a Creature a Creature enabled by GOD and the power of His might could soone have trod downe Sathan under our feet But if it had beene any other He had sent His love and regard to us had not shewed so full It had beene Ostendit DEVS charitatem but not Ecce quantam charitatem ostendit DEVS 1. Ioh. 3.1 Whomsoever He had sent besides His love had not been full at least not so full as it should have been if He had sent His SONNE That therefore it might be full and so appeare to us for full Misit Deus Filium suum Enough it was in compassion
before and then that which is now life shall be then no life And then what is it the neerer What if Adam had lived till this morning what were he now the neerer Yet for all that as short and fraile as it is we do what possibly man can do to eeke it still and think our selves jolly wise men when we have done though we die next yeare after for all that If then with so great labour diligence earnestnesse endeavour care and cost we busy our selves sometimes to live for a while how ought we to desire to live for ever if for a time to put death away how to take death away cleane You desire life I am sure and long life and therefore a long life because it is long that is commeth somewhat neerer in some degree to aeternall life If you desire a long lasting life why doe you not desire an ever lasting life If a life of many yeares Psal. 101.28 which yet in the end shall faile why not that life whose yeares shall never faile If we say it is lack of witt or grace when any man runnes in danger of the law of man whereby haply he abridges himselfe of halfe a douzen yeares of his life what wit or grace is there wilfully to incurre the losse of aeternall life For indeed as in the beginning we sett downe it is a matter touching the losse of aeternall life we have in hand and withall touching the paine of aeternall death It is not a losse onely for we cannot lose life and become as a stone free from either if we leese our hold of this life aeternall death taketh hold upon us If we heape not up the treasure of immortalitie we heape up the treasure of wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 Act. 8.20 If your wealth be not with us to life pecunia vestra vobiscum est in perditionem We have not farre to seeke for this For if now we turne our deafe eare to this Charge Verse 9. you shall fall into tentations fear ye not that Into many foolish and noisome lusts nor feare ye that neither yet feare whither these lead which drowne men inperdition and destruction of body and soule Feare ye not these doth the Lord thunder thus and are ye not moved Quibus verbis te curabo I know not how to do you good But let aeternall life prevaile Sure if life come not death comes There is as much said now not as I have to say but as the time would suffer Onely let me in a few words deliver the charge concerning this and so I will breake up the Court for this time And now Right Honourable beloved c albeit that according to the power that the Lord hath given us I might testifie and charge you in the presence of GOD the Father who quickeneth all things and of the Lord Iesus who shall shew himselfe from heaven with His mighty Angells in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them not onely that know not GOD but to them also that obey not the Gospell of our Lord IESVS CHRIST that ye thinke upon these things which you have heard to do them yet humanum dico for your infirmitie I will speake after the manner of men the nature of a man best loveth to be dealt withall and even beseech you by the mercies of GOD even of GOD the Father who hath loved you and given you an everlasting consolation and a good hope through grace and by the comming of our Lord IESVS CHRIST and our assembling unto Him that you receive not this Charge in vaine that ye account it His charge and not mine received of Him to deliver to you Looke not to me I beseech you in whom whatsoever you regard countenance or learning years or autoritie I do most willingly acknowledge my selfe farr unmeet to deliver any more meet a great deale to receive one my selfe save that I have obteined fellowship in this businesse in dispensing the Mysteries and delivering the Charges of the Lord. Looke not on me looke on your owne soules and have pitie on them Looke upon heaven and the Lord of heaven and earth from whom it commeth and of whom it will be one day called for againe Surely there is a heaven Surely there is a hell Surely there will be a day when enquirie shall be made how we have discharged that we have received of the Lord and how you have disâ—â—â—rged that you have received of us in the Lord's Name Against which day your consciences stand charged with many things at many times heard Wisd. 1.12 O seeke not death in the error of your life deceive not your selves think not that when my words shall be at an end both they shall vanish in the aire and you never heare of them againe Surely you shall the day is comming when it shall be required againe at your hands A fearefull day for all those that for a little riches thinke basely of others upon all those that repose in these vaine riches as they shall see then a vaine confidence upon all those that enjoy onely with the belly and the backe and doe either no good or miserable sparing good with their riches whose riches shall be with them to their destruction Beloved when your life shall have an end as an end it shall have when the terror of death shall be upon you when your soule shall be cited to appeare before GOD in novissimo I know and am perfectly assured all these things will come to mind againe you will perceive and feele that which possibly now you do not The devill 's charge commeth then who will presse these points in another manner then we can then it will be too late Prevent his charge I beseech you by regarding and remembring this now Now is the time while you may and have time wherein and abilitie wherewith thinke upon it and provide for aeternall life you shall never in your life stand in so great need of your riches as in that day provide for that day and provide for aeternall life It will not come yet it is true it will be long in comming but when it comes it will never have an end This end is so good that I will end with aeternall life which you see is Saint Paule's end It is his and the same shall be my end and I beseech GOD it may be all our ends To GOD immortall invisible and onely wise GOD who hath prepared this eternall life for us who hath taught us this day how to come unto it whose grace be ever with us and leave us not till it have thereto brought us the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost be all glorie power praise and thanksgiving now and for ever AMEN One of the Sermons upon the II. COMMANDEMENT PREACHED IN THE PARISH Church of S t. GILES Cripplegate Ian. IX AN. DOM. MDXCII ACTS CHAP. II. VER XLII And they continued in the APOSTLE'S Doctrine and Fellowship and Breaking of
from GOD the Holy Ghost their commission from GOD the Sonne that being thus sent from the Father by the power of the Holy Ghost in the person of Christ they may performe the Office 2. Cor. 5 1â— or as the Apostle calleth it the Embassage of reconciling sinners unto GOD to which they are appointed And so much for the Summe and dependence of this Scripture The points of speciall observation are three 1. First The Division the Power that is graunted 2. The Matter or Subiect whereon the power is to be exercised 3. The Promise of ratifying the exercise of that power The Power it self in which commeth first to be entreated 1. What is meant by remitting and reteining 2. After in generall that there is a power to remitt and reteine but first to remit and after to reteine 3. Then in particular of that power as it is set downe in both words Remiseritis and Remittuntur The Matter or subject which is also two waies to be considered either as it is sinne in it selfe which is the matter at large or as it is the sinne of some persons for it is not Quae peccata but Quorum which is the immediate or proper matter of this power The Ratifying or promise of concurrence to assure the conscience of the sinner of the certaintie and efficacie of the Churche's act that what the Apostles doe in the person of Christ by the instinct of the Holy Ghost he that sent them will certainly make good and effectuall from heaven And of these three in order I. The termes how to be understood THe termes of remitting and reteining may be taken many waies To the end then that we may the more cleerly conceive that which shal be said it will be expedient that first of all we understand in what sense especially and according to what resemblance those termes are to be taken The originall from Christ's Commission This may we best doe out of our Saviour Christ's owne Commission For this of the Apostle's is nothing els but a braunch out of his which he himselfe as man had heere upon earth For as man he himselfe was sent and was annointed with the Spirit and proceeded by Commission His Commission we finde Luc. 4. which he himselfe readd in the Synagogue at Nazareth at his first entring on it Luc. 4.18 Esai 61.1 Which is originally recorded Esai 61. Wherein among others this power is one to preach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Remission as it is turned heere or deliverance as it is turned there but the word is one in both places and that respectively to captives and as it followeth in that place of Esai to them that are bound the opening of the prison Which very terme of Captives or such as are in prison doth open unto us Sinne an imprâ—sonment with what reference or respect this terme of remitting or leting goe is to be conceived And as it was in his so must it be understood heere in this since this is but derived from that of CHRIST ' s. The minde of the Holy Ghost then as in other places by diverse other resemblances so in this heere is to compare the sinner's case to the estate of a person imprisoned And indeed whoso well weigheth the place it cannot well be taken otherwise For not onely heere but elswhere where this Power is expressed it seemeth ever to be with reference as â—t were to parties committed Mat. 16.19 The very terme of the Keyes wherein it was promised and â—herein it is most usually delivered the termes of opening and shutting seeme to have relation as it were to the prison gate Mat 18.18 The termes of binding and loosing as it were to the fetters or bâ—nds And these heere of letting forth or still deteining all and every of them seeme to have an evident relation to a prisoner's estate as if sinne were a prison and the case of sinners like theirs that are shutt up Verily as sinne at the first in committing seemeth sweete that men cannot be gott to spitt it out saith Iob but hold it close under their tongues Iob. 20.12 till they have swallowed it downe but after it is committed â—he sinner findeth then Ier. 2 19. that it is Malum amarum dereliquisse Dominum saith the Prophet that it turneth to a bitter and cholerique matter of which there breedeth a worme which never leaveth gnawing Esai 66. ult Even so doth sinne at the first also seeme a matter of libertie For a libertie it is not to be restreigned not to be as the Apostle speaketh committed to Moses to be kept shut up under the Law Gal. 3.23 Gen. 3.2 Not to be forbidden any fruict under which very terme the serpent did perswade it But when it was done and past then shall a man feel a pinching or streightnesse in his soule termed by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2.9 which properly signifieth the paine which they suffer that are shutt up in a narrow roome or some place of litle ease So speaketh Salomon of sinne His own wickednesse shall attach the sinner he shall be holden or pinioned with the cords of his own sinn Pro. 5.22 Act. 8.13 So S. Peter to Simon Magus I perceive thou art to expresse the former resemblance in the gall of bitternesse to expresse the later in the bond of iniquitie And S. Paul that sinners instead of having Moses to their keeper 2. Tim. 2. ult become the Devill 's captives are of him holden and taken at his will pleasure Truly some have felt as much as I speake of and have in pregnant termes complained of it I am so fast in prison saith David that I cannot get out And bring my soule out of prison I will praise thee Psalm 88.8 142 ult 119 3â— And I wil runne the way of thy commandements when thou shalt set my heart at libertie Peradventure all feel not this presently as soone as they have sinned nor it may be a good while after So GOD told Cain at the beginning his sinne should lye at the doore that is while he kept within Gen. 4 7. he should not be troubled with it perhaps but at his comming forth it should certainly attach him But saith Moses let every one that sinneth be sure that his sinn at last will find him out Numb 32.23 For he shall no sooner be under arrest of any trouble sicknesse crosse or calamitie but he shal be shut into this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and feele it presently As the brethren of Ioseph Gene. 42.21 for very many yeares after they had of envie and without all pitie sold him to be a bond-servant seemed at libertie No sooner fell they into danger and displeasure in a strange country but it came to mind and they were served with it straightway Even as in Iob it is sayd Iob. 20.11 The sinnes of our
them Cleane we are from the first as washed from the originall vncleannesse of our Nature and that by the Laver of regeneration And whole we are as purged within T it 3 5. from the actuall sinnes of our persons and that by the cup of the New Testament 1. Cor. 10.16 which we blesse in His Name And the blood of IESVS CHRIST purgeth us from our sinnes 1. Ioh 1.7 By both He purgeth us from both And this for His purging And is set downe Of which we are not to conceive 3 And sitteth at the right hand c. as of a thing meerely touching Him that His labour being done He took his rest and there is all But that this His sitting downe is a taking possession of that His deare made purchase And that not in His owne name He had it before He was in glorie and in the selfe same glorie with His Father before ever the world was This Haeres factus pertaineth to us as done for us not for Himselfe who needed it not nor could have any vse of it These two between them comprehend all even all we can wish 1 to be purged of the one 2 and to be seised of the other They follow well For to what end purged He us To leave us there No but for some further matter which though it be last in execution was first in intention Having so cleansed us not content with that it was His purpose further to bring us to glorie that is to no lesse matter then to fit on His throne with Him purchased by Him for no other end And these two Purging and Sitting downe in the throne as the Alpha and Omega the first and the last of that He doth for us And so in them is all well represented Purging our sinnes the first Sitting in the throne the last To purge our sinnes He began this day the first day the day of His Birth wherein He purified and sanctified by His holy Nativitie the originall vncleannesse of ours And Sit in the throne was His last work on the last day of His Ascension Then tooke He possession in our names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle as forerunner for us C. 6. Ver. ult The degrees of this Exaltation be these 1 First A throne it is and that is not every seate but a speciall and cheife and honorable seate 2 And secondly of thrones there be some inferiour as the thrones of Iustice This is the highest for it is a throne of Maiestie 3 Thirdly It is in excelsis and that maketh up all For the thrones heer below even of Maiestie sooner or later they that sitt in them must come downe from them But the throne on high Thy seat ô GOD is for ever and ever Not fading and transitory Psal. 45.7 as ours heer 4 Fourthly in this throne Set He is And Sitting is the site or position of rest that is rest in glory Heer where most glorie least rest 5 And fiftly on the right hand which is on the throne the best and next place to GOD Himselfe And by this Verse 13. are we above the Angells for to which of them as the Apostle after deduceth said He at any time Sitt on my right hand No but stand before me as ministring spiritts all Verse 14. Or when they rest it is on the other hand the right hand is kept for us and possessed already by one in our Nature who in this seat will not sit alone Sed consedere nos secum fecit in coelestibus Eph. 2.6 Even now we sit there in Him and shall there sit with Him in the end So He promiseth in expresse terms Apoc 3.21 that we shall sit with Him in His throne as He doth in His Fathers And so not in the throne will He be above us but onely that He in the middest and we on His right hand III. Our duty to Christ. Our duety then is for His excellencie to honor Him for His Power to feare Him for His love shewed reciprocally to love Him againe for His hope promised truly to serve Him GOD for His part would have His servants the Prophetts will used but how ever they in times past were regarded by them this He makes full accompt of if He send His Sonne we will not faile but reverence Him Specially such a SONNE of such glorie Mat. 21.37 such power and above all of such love towards us to provoke ours againe And againe of such ability to reward with eternall glorie as He will even buy our service at Who gives more and pay us for it to the full with no lesse wages then a throne of glorie 1. As a Prophet speaking This in generall More particular In three termes He is sett out to us heer in the text 1 Speaking 2 Purging and 3 Sitting as a Prophet He speakes as a Priest purges as a King sits Speaking our duty is to heare Him to lay up His sayings in our heart Two markes His word hath heer 1 fecit and 2 sustinet made and makes continue Let it have the same in us In the Sermon time something is begunn to be made in us but it continueth not which sheweth it is not verbum virtutis to us Againe let it not be as a Brightnesse only to be seen by us but as a Character too to leave a marke behinde it to be seen on us and then it is right Now hodie si vocem To day if yee will heare His voice yee can heare none but vagitum infantis Psal. 95.8 such a voice as useth to come from a new borne babe And even so He speaks to us if we can understand For even this Verbum to be infans and Tonans to be vagiens He to send forth such a voice it speaketh humilitie I am sure and great love that so would humble it self it we have eares to heare it When He that was the brightnesse of His Fathers glorie should be so eclipsed He that sitts on the throne thus be throwen in a manger 2. As a Priest purging Prophetts spake but purged not Purging was ever the Priests office It is true the word He speakes hath a mundifying vertue Iam mundi estis Now are ye cleane It clenseth then But not that only nor principally For the medicine which purgeth ex proprietate His flesh and bloud goe to it By which will we are sanctified even by the offering of the bodie of IESVS C. 10.10 That blood of IESVS CHRIST cleanseth us from all Sinne 1. Ioh. 1.7 These the true ingredients into this medicine But better yet if both goe togither And this day they first came togither the Word and Flesh therefore of all daies this day they would not be parted For will you sever the flesh from the Word that day on which GOD joyned them GOD forbid There is a correspondencie between the Word and His brightnesse and between the Sacrament and His Character
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
leave it all naked and bare nor fruits at all and for feare of teaching a proud teach a fruit-lesse repentance Well though not so compared not this way yet must we have fructus dignos How worthy thee referred whither As worthy as the possibilitie of our Nature will reach to as 〈◊〉 soile will bear or hath ever yeilded as the Saints and Servants of GOD are reported to have brought forth in former ages what say you to that 〈◊〉 Thâ—â— indeed were somewhat worth if it might be had They they have beâ—ome a Psal. 119.83 like 〈◊〉 in the smoake b 109.14 their knees have growen weake through fasting they have c 6.7 all to wâ—â—◠〈◊〉 pillâ—â—es with their teares they have d Luk. 19.8 restored bâ—ibes and that four-fold given in almes at once halfe of all that ever they had This were indeed somewhat worth But of this I doubt our worthinesse wil be found short Or rather I doubt not I dare not put it upon this dignos neither And yet were there in us any portion of that heroïcall free spirit of that Christian magnanimitie that was in the Fathers of our faith The Apostle beares them witnesse that to their powers 2. Cor. 8.3 nay and beyond their powers they shewed themselves willing any never so poore fruite would not content us But we neither to our power nor a great deale short of iâ— endevour our selves any never so sleight and slender will serve us well enough I wonder what we thinke Doe we thinke to post GOD of with any it skills not what fruite with wind-falls with woorm-eaten stuffe Esai's sowre grapes Esa. 5.2 Ierem. 24. â— Ieremie's rotten figgs Nothing comes amisse Hold we Him in so vile accompt as any is good enough for Him it is well with Him if he gett any Malachi tells us otherwise Mal. 1.8 That He holds it in great scorne bidds us Goe offer such fruict to our Prince and see if he will take it well Zacharie tells us so likewise Zac. 11.13 A goodly price saith he they value me at Goodly fruict is it not they present me with Nay sure we must have dignos too Some worth there would be Is there any other way to take our dignos by Compared with the Iustice of GOD Not so Nor with the great Heroës of our nature Not so neither Nor indeed are they said worthy of either of these but how Only fruits worthy of repentance that is such as may well beseeme persons as be truly penitent Referred not to ought but to repentance it selfe Laying by sinne as it is an aversion from an infinite good For so it is infinite admitts no measure or degree but considering it as it is a conversion to the creature and that more or lesse so it falls within compasse of more or lesse worthy Say I this of my selfe Levit 5 1â— Saith not GOD's Law the same secundùm mensuram aestimationemque delicti and pro mensurâ peccati Is it not a clause there Deut. 25.2 Rom. 12.6 repeated more then once If there be a measure of the one so is there of the other If an analogie of faith of repentance too why not And to that we to apply our selves in the magis or minus dignos of our fruits This is once Repentance may be too much one may goe too farr in it That wil be graunted I know And if too much then too little and we may fall too short the other way that I am sure of Which part we should offend on to choose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will soone teach us that it would be home rather with the more then with the lesse In the Corinthâ—an's case there it was too much 2. Cor. 2.7 he was in danger to be swallowed up with sorrow In Miriam's case againe Num. 12.15 it was too little For though she were right paenitent for her folly committed yet because the qualitie of her offense required a larger and more worthy repentance she was shutt out of the host yet seven daies longer and then and not before received to pardon If there be an ultra and a citra then is there a tenus If too much and too little then is there a sufficit enough And that is the dignos we seeke for But who shall tell us this tenus what it is Who shall say Sufficit I thinke it is not best to say it to our selves It is not safe that We are like enough to give eare to propitius esto tibi to spare and favour our selves and to thinke that worthy Matt. 16.23 that is not to dismisse the matter with a doe no more so never to follow it to sentence Or if we doe to reprive our selves and stay the execution It hath been held no way safe for us to make our owne assessment and as safe a way as could be would ever be taken for the soule Better some other body doe it and who shall that other body be In the Law every man was not left to himselfe The offering for sinne which was to them a fruict of repentance it was rated ever ever taxed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Priest Levit 5.18 According to his ordering so it went he made the estimate how much was enough what would serve And heer now in Saint Iohn's time which was the intervall or passage as it were between the Law and the Gospell at the baptisme of Iohn they knew not what to do they were not so well skilled to Saint Iohn they come Luc. 3.10.12.14 with their quid faciemus What shall we do And what shall we do All three one after another the Publicans the Souldiers the Commoâ— sort and they had all their answers severally One answere served not all Severall kindes of sinne require severall sorts of fruite And under the Gospell there we see for the Corinthian Saint Paul said sâ—fficit viro huic 2. Cor. 2.6 This 〈◊〉 be though this shall serve his conscience mâ—y be quiet I restore him to the Churches peace And the Canons poenitentiall which were made in the times under persecution the very best times of the Church lay forth plainly what is to be followed and observed in this kinde And sure I take it to be an error to be added to the former to thinke the fruits of repentance and the worth of them to be a matter any common man can skill of well enough needs never aske Saint Iohn or Saint Paule what he should doe knowes what he should do as well as Saint Paul or Saint Iohn either And that it is not rather a matter wherein we need the counseile and direction of such as are professed that way Truely it is neither the least nor the last part of our learning to be hable to give answere and direction in this point But therefore laid aside and neglected by us because not sought after by you Therefore not studied
would be layd up well That which is sowen riseth up in the spring that which sleepeth in the morning So conceive of the change wrought in our nature that feast of first fruits by CHRIST our first fruits Neither perish neither that which is sowen though it rott nor they that sleepe though they lye as dead for the time Both that shall spring and these wake well againe Therefore as men sowe not grudgingly nor lye downe at night unwillingly no more must we seeing by vertue of this Feast we are now Dormientes not mortui now not as stones but as fruits of the earth whereof one hath an annuall the other a diurnall resurrection This for the first fruits and the change by them wrought There is a good analogie or correspondence betweene these III. The ground of our hope it cannot be denied To this question Can one man's resurrection worke upon all the rest it is a good answer Why not as well as one sheafe upon the whole harvest This Simile serves well to shew it To shew but not prove Symbolicall Divinitie is good but might we see it in the rationall too We may see it in the cause no lesse in the substance and let the ceremonie goe This I called the Ground of our hope Why saith the Apostle should this of the first fruits seeme strange to you that by one mans resurrection we should rise all seeing by one mans death we die all By one man saith he Rom. 5.12 sinne entred into the world and by sinne death to which sinne we were no parties and yet we all die because we are of the same nature whereof he the first person Death came so certainely and it is good reason life should doe so likewise To this question Can the resurrection of one a thousand sixe hundred yeares agoe be the cause of our rising it is a good answer Why not as well as the death of one five thousand sixe hundred yeares ago be the cause of our dying The ground and reason is that there is like ground and reason of both The wisest way it is if Wisedome can contrive it that a person be cured by Mithridate made of the very flesh of the viper bruised whence the poison came that so that which brought the mischiefe might minister also the remedie The most powerfull way it is if Power can effect it to make strength appeare in weakenesse and that He that overcame should by the nature which He overcame be swallowed up in victorie The best way it is if Goodnesse will admit of it that as next to Sathan man to man oweth his destruction so next to GOD man to man might be debtor of his recoverie So agreeable it is to the Power Wisedome and Goodnesse of GOD this the three Attributes of the Blessed and Glorious Trinitie And let Iustice weigh it in her ballance no iust exception can be taken to it no not by Iustice it selfe that as death came so should life too the same way at least More favour for life if it may be but in very rigour the same at the least According then to the very exact rule of Iustice both are to be alike If by man one by man the other We dwell too long in generalities Let us draw neerer to the persons themselves in whom we shall see this better In them all answer exactly word for word Adam is fallen and become the first fruits of them that die CHRIST is risen and became the first fruits of them that live for they that sleepe live Or you may if you please keepe the same terme in both thus Adam is risen as we vse to call rebellions risings He did rise against GOD by Eritis sicut Dij Gen 3.6 He had never fallen if he had not thus risen His rising was his fall We are now come to the two great Persons that are the two great Authors of the two great matters in this world life and death Not either to themselves and none els but as two Heads two Roots two first fruits either of them in reference to his companie whom they stand for And of these two hold the two great Corpâ—rations 1 Of them that die they are Adam's 2 Of them that sleepe and shall rise that is CHRIST ' s. To come then to the particular No reason in the world that Adam's transgression should draw us all downe to death onely for that we were of the same lump and that CHRIST 's righteousnesse should not be availeable to raise us up againe to life being of the same sheaves whereof He the first fruits no lesse then before of Adam Looke to the things Death and Life Weakenesse is the cause of death Raising to life commeth of Power 2. Cor. 13.4 Shall there be in Weakenesse more strength to hurt then in Power to do us good Looke to the Persons Adam and CHRIST shall Adam being but a living soule Ver. 45.47 infect us more strongly then Christ a quickning spirit can heale us againe Nay then Adam was but from the earth earthly CHRIST the LORD from heaven Shall earth doe that which heaven cannot vndoe Never it cannot be Sicut Sic As and So so runne the termes But the Apostle in Rom. 5. where he handleth this very point tells us plainly Non sicut delictum Rom. 5.15 ita donum Not as the fault so the Grace Nor as the fall so the Rising but the Grace and the Rising much more abundant It seemeth to be A pari it is not indeed It is under value Great odds between the Persons the Things the powers and the meanes of them Thus then meet it should be Let us see how it was Heer againe the very termes give us great light We are saith he restored Restoring doth alwaies presuppose an attainder going before and so the terme significant For the nature of attainder is One person maketh the fault but it taints his blood and all his posteritie The a Heb. 9.27 Apostle saith that a Statute there is All men should dye But when we go to search for it we can finde none but b Gen. 3.19 Pulvis es wherin onely Adam is mentioned and so none die but he But even by that Statute death goeth over all men even those saith Saint Paul that have not sinned after the like manner of transgression of Adam By what law By the law of Attainders The Restoring then likewise was to come and did come after the same manner as did the attainders That by the first this by the second Adam so He is called Ver. 45. Lev. 18.5 There was a Statute concerning GOD 's commaundements qui fecerit ea vivet in eis He that observed the commaundements should live by that his obedience Death should not seise on him CHRIST did observe them exactly therefore should not have beene seised on by death should not but was and that seisure of his was deathe's forfeiture The laying of the former Statute on
His part His resurrection by His owne And first to Excitabo Hitherto we are not come but now we come to the Signe for the Signe is in Excitabo Et Excitabo And I will raise it up Which is spoken as it were by way of triumph over all they could or should doe to Him Goe to dissolve it destroy it downe with it when you have done your worst it shall be in vaine Excitabo illud my power shall triumph ouer your malice I will raise it I will up with it againe Excitabo how opposed to Solvite But to loose and to raise these two are not opposite Rather to loose and to set together againe Raysing is opposed to falling and resurrection to ruine properly But it comes all to one Vpon the dissolving of any frame streight downe it dropps This goodly Temple of our bodie on the decking and trimming whereof so much is daily wasted loose the soule from it but a moment and downe it falls and there it lies like a log we all know In opposition to this fall it is said He will raise But He will doe both as it was loosed yet it fell so will He set it together yet He raise it againe Excitabo illud Three points there are in it 1 The Act â— And the Person in Excitabo and â— the Thing it selfe in illud 1. The act The word He useth for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in proprietie is a raising from sleepe Excitabo the act As from sleepe And sâ—eepe we know is farr from destruction It is to shew us first what a strange metamorphosis He would make in Death turne it but into a requiescet a requiescet in spe and there is all So made He His owne so will He make ours Psal. 16.9 This day CHRIST is risen again the first fruits of them that sleepe 1. Cor. 15.20 Dan. 12.2 and the rest that sleepe in the dust when their time comes shall doe the like 2. To shew secondly they should misse of their purpose quite They reckoned indeed to destroy Him they were deceived they made him but ready for a night's rest or two They made full account Death had devoured and digested him too they were deceived it was not so Ion. 2.10 Death had but swallowed Him downe as the Whale did Ionas upon the third day to cast him up againe 3. To shew thirdly not onely that this He would doe but wit what ease He would doe it With no more difficulty then one is waked up after a nights rest with no more adoe then a knot that is but loose and untyed is tyed againe But besides the Act Excitabo the person He himselfe we are to looke to the Person in Excitabo It is not destroy you and some other shall raise it but I even I my selfe and none but my selfe will doe it Nec alienâ virtute sed propriá and by none others beside but by mine owne proper vertue and power An argument of His Divine nature For none ever did none ever could doe that Raised some were but not any by himselfe or by his owne power but by a power imparted to some Prophet by GOD for that time and turne CHRIST by none imparted from any other but by His owne from Himselfe And let it not stumble any that elswhere the Father is said to raise and exalt Him That is all one Both will stand well The same power the Father doth it by by the same doth it He. There is but one power of both Of both or of either of them it is alike truly verified This for the Person Now for the thing Illud Templum hoc before and illud heer Illud The same Temple In substance Hoc and Illud are not two but one and the same Not Solvite hoc suscitabo aliud downe with this and I will up with another in the stead No but idem illud the very same again The very same you destroy that and no other will I reare up againe With us with the world it is not so when we fall to dissolve a frame of Governement suppose of the Church it is not Solvite hoc excitabo illud no but excitabo aliud We raise not the same but another quite another nothing like it a new one never heard of before But let them keepe their aliud and give us illud againe Illud we love It is CHRIST'S excitabo that and if we follow CHRIST in His raising the same againe or not at all But though illud be the same againe in substance Not the same In qualitie yet not in qualitie the same for all that but so farr different as in that respect it may seeme aliud another quite At least well may it be now called illud as it were with an Emphasis as qualified far beyond that it was before when it was but Templum hoc And to say truth if it be but the same just and no whit better as good save His labour and let the first stand For it is but His labour for His traveyle if nothing woone by it But if though the same yet not in the same but in a farr better estate then before Cedar for Mulberry marble for bricke as the Prophet speakes then Esai 9.10 ye say somwhat and then we will be content to have it taken downe And such was the estate of this Temple after the raising And such was it to be For the glorie of the second House was much greater then of the first Agge 2.10 Which encrease or bettering is implied in the word excitabo It is I told you a Rising up after sleepe Now in the morning after sleepe the bodie riseth more fresh and full of vigour then it was over night when it lay downe The Apostle speakes it more plainly Templum hoc saith he at the loosing it was in weakenesse dishonour mortalitie 1. Cor. 15.42.43 Templum illud at the raising it is in power and honour to immortalitie And sure one speciall reason of the dissolving this Temple was that as then it was Solvite might be said of it It was dissoluble But being now raised againe it is fâ—ster wrought indissoluble now No Solvite to be said not to be loosed ever any more This for Excitabo illud Now the last point of the Time The Signe is in that too IV. The Time Three daies And when this Within what time Within three daies Which words seemed to affect them most All their exception lay to them He looked not like one that would build Churches But let that passe were He never so likely He takes too small a time for sâ— great a worke as they thought But if we agree once of His power to raise from death the time will slide we shall never sticke at it much but agree of that quickly He that can raise from the dead ten thousand Churches will be built one after another before one be
els we forfeit our estate in the promise If we be to be releeved it is by the word Mea that they be His. And some alteration there is plainely in them by Him and His comming It is not said for nought and that by way of opposition that the Law came by Moses but grace came by Him and grace for grace that is not onely grace active which we receive Ioh. 1.17.16 which releeveth us in the keeping them but grace passive too which we finde with Him which releeves in abating the rigor when we are called to accompt about them You shall finde an alteration in this very point The Apostles would not presse the Gentiles to be circumcised being circumcised Saint Paul testifieth they become debters Gal. 5.3 Act. 15.10 to keepe the whole Law A yoke saith Saint Peter that neither they the Apostles nor their fathers were hable to beare it was so heavy This as they came by Moses But after CHRIST with His grace came and His grace with Him when they came to be His Mandata Ejus saith Saint Iohn gravia non sunt they are not heavy And himselfe that best knew the peize of it saith plainely of His yoke that it is easy 1. Ioh. 5.3 and it were hard to gaine say Him This qualifying then groweth two waies 1. One that the Law at the very giving it by Angels was saith Saint Paul ordinata in manu Mediatoris Gal. 3.19 ordeined to be in the Mediator's hand that is CHRIST whose hands are not so heavy as Mose's were 2. The other that Pater omne judicium dedit Filio saith himselfe His Father hath made Him Iudge of the keeping or not keeping them All judiciall power and proceeding concerning them is committed over to Him By the first that they are ordained to be in His hand He may take them into His hands when He will and having them in His hands order them and ease them as pleaseth Him Lex in manu Mediatoris is it we must hold by If a bruise in the reed Moses would breake it quite If the flex smoake â—nd flame not out he would quench it streight So will not He His hand will not breake the one nor his foot tread on the other To Marie Magdalen He ordained that fecit quod potuit should serve and He would require no more Credo Domine adjuva incredulitatem meam I beleeve LORD helpe my unbeliefe a beliefe mixed with unbeliefe would never have endured Mose's assay In manu Mediatoris it did well enough Thus He ordeineth He that neither doth them nor prepareth himselfe Non fecit neque praeparavit Luk. 12. he shall be punished But if he prepare stirr up himselfe have a care a respect unto them that it seemeth in manu Mediatoris will be taken 2. Cor. 8.12 That if there be saith the Apostle prompta voluntas a ready will a man shall be accepted according to that he hath and not according to that he hath not For the Mediator is man Heb. 4.15 5.2 and hath had experience of man's infirmities He knoweth our metall and our mold and what our condition will beare He knoweth there is that conflict in us we cannot doe what we would And indeed why should concupiscence to evill be reputed sinne on the worse part and a like desire concupivi desiderare mandata tua not be as well reckoned Psal. 119 4â— for as much on the better part though it be not full out according to the purification of the Sanctuarie Thus as in His hands ordained Then againe as in His Court to be judged For the Court may alter the matter much as with us heere it doth Sedens in felio justitiae as to some in His tribunall seat and strict justice there sitting sentence will proceed otherwise then Si adeamus â—bronum gratiae if we have accesse to Him in his throne of grace Heb. 4. vlt. Iam. 2.13 where we may obteine mercie and finde grace And S. Iames brings us good tydings that Super-exaltat c the throne of grace is the Higher Couâ—t and so an Appeale lieth thither to whom he will admit To cruell men saith He there shall be judgement without mercie which sheweth judgement with mercie shall be to some other to whom He will vouchsafe it And thus it must stand upon Mea and manu Mediatoris and the throne of grace or els even those heere the Apostles it will go wrong with them they will hardly be releeved in their claime of a Comforter For within twentie foure houres and lesse it came indeed to an If their love They loved Him not so well but they loved their owne safety better fell away and fledd away and denied Him even he that said he loved Him best Matt. 26.33.69 And what kept they His Commandements Sinned they not In multis omnes faith Saint Iames in many things Iam. 3.2 all and if they should say otherwise saith Saint Iohn that they had no sinne not they were somwhat proud and there were no humilitie 1. Ioh. 1.8 but they were very liers and there were no truth in them So that keeping the Commandements and having of sinne must stand together or els they kept them not But this they kept and so may we too they were troubled their hearts were troubled for not keeping them and at the throne of grace that was accepted and the not keeping not reckoned a breach of the Commandement if we be troubled for it Againe as well saith Saint Augustine Amongst His Commandements this is one which we must not faile duely to keepe and that is the Commandement of daily praying Dimitte nobis forgive us our not keeping which helpes all the rest We keepe Lord helpe our not keeping Mar. 9.24 as well as I beleeve Lord helpe my unbeliefe A true endeavour with an humble repentance for so he resolves and then Omnia mandata facta deputantur quando quod non fit ignoscitur All are accounted as kept when what is not is pardoned out of His mercie and so the rest rewarded out of His bounty that alloweth a daye 's wages for an houre 's worke Matt. 20.6 as to them that came at the eleventh houre to the vineyard that is at five of the clocke after noon This will it be with us in hope Thus was it with them For the Covenant held and the Prayer went forward and the Comforter came notwithstanding II. The Covenant Now to CHRIST 's part Rogabo Patrâ—m dabit that CHRIST will pray and His Father give And there is nothing more effectually sheweth they were short in their Condition then these two words 1 Rogabo and 2 Dabit The Father shall give It is his free gift not due debt upon desert of the former And Dabit Roganti give it to Christ's prayer rather for Rogation weeke's sake with Him then for any worke of Supererogation with them But it commeth from GOD 's bounty and Christ's
Cornelius heere was and I would we so were 2 The other that when all is done all is but accepting though Except He could to our feare and workes both and so is not bound but accept He will though of his grace and goodnesse and as it followes immediately the next verse for His word's sake which he sent preaching peace by Iesus who is Lord over all The last Whereunto accepted and that as appeareth in the XLVII verse was to the Sacrament and by it to the remission of sinnes and to the receiving the Holy Ghost in a more ample measure Opus dici the proper of this Day OF a truth I perceive He that saith Of a truth I perceive now in effect as it were saith before he did not so For I perceive now I. A Point newly perceived Comperi Matt 16.18 Luk. 22.32 Ioh. 21.16 is the speech of one that is come to perceiving of that which before he perceived not On this we pitch first That so great an Apostle for all Tu es Petrus and Rogavi 〈◊〉 and Pasce oves meas doth ingenuously confesse that now he had found that 〈…〉 now he had not For since the beginning of the Chapter he had not So that all 〈◊〉 comperi's were not yet come in By like his chaire was not yet made or he had not yet taken handsell of it But how it comes to passe after at Rome I know not at Caesarea Chap. 11.2 we see it was not so And they that in the next Chapter called him corâm to answer this Sermon sure they seeme as then not to have beene fully perswaded that Saint Peter could perceive all things and not misse in any IOB though in miserie yet in scorne saith to some in his time Indeed you you are the onely men Iob. 12.2 you perceive all Moses did not so There was a case wherein he was nesciens quid de eo facere deberet Num. 15 34. Moses knew not what he should doe Num. 15. There was a case whereof Elisha was feigne to say Et Dominus non nunciavit mihi GOD had not shewed it him 2. Reg. 4. But 2. King 4.27 when GOD did might not Moses and he both have said as Peter doth heere Of a truth before I did not but now I do perceive Yea but this is Old Testament Ioh. 11.49 And was it not so in the New There Caiphas he saith Tush you perceive nothing He perceived all But Cephas he saith he perceived not all For heere he now saith he perceiveth something and all his comperi's came not at once So saith Peter and so Paul 1. Cor. 13.9 All our knowledge is in part and so is all our prophesying too and putts himselfe in the number Of a truth then we perceive Saint Peter comes nothing neere his Successor that would be He perceives all that is to be perceived at once can have nothing added to his knowledge from the first instant he is sett downe in cathedrâ can have no new comperi his comperi's come in all together getts Caiphas's knowledge by sitting in Cephas's chaire They beginne to scorne this themselves now and pray him to get a good Generall Councill about him and he shall perceive things never the worse But it is not this onely they differ in In something beside For Peter tooke Cornelius up from the ground Verse 26. His Successor let Cornelius's Lord and Master ly still hardly Not a Captaine of Caesarea he but even Caesar himselfe Of a truth we may perceive nothing like Cephas in this neither The woman at the well-side said the Messias when He comes He will tell us all Yet when He came Ioh. 4.25 Ioh. 13.7 Ioh. 16.12 He told them not all at once Even to Tu es Petrus He said Tu nescis modò scies autem posthaec and of those Posthaec's this heere was one As they should be hable to beare for all they were not then hable And as it should be for them Act. 1.7 for it was not for them to know all Not the times and seasons and such other things as the Father had put in his owne power I speake it for this that even some that are farre enough from Rome yet with their new perspective they thinke they perceive all GOD 's secret decrees the number and order of them cleerely are indeed too bold and two busy with them Luther said well That every one of us hath by nature a Pope in his belly and thinkes he perceives great matters Even they that beleeve it not of Rome are easily brought to beleeve it of themselves And out they come with their Comperi's and with great confidence propound them But Comperi is one thing In veritate comperi another Comperi they may say and that may be doubted of but in veritate comperi that is it We may take up the Text a point further In veritate comperi will beare two senses 1 One I perceive that I did not before 2 The other I perceive that the contrarie whereof I did conceive before Not to perceive is but to be ignorant But Saint Peter in this had not onely beene ignorant but had positively held the quite contrarie ad oppositum Quod non ex omni gente at any hand At the fourteenth verse before for the Iewish meats we see he contests with GOD Not I Lord No heathenish meat I never eate any and at the twentie eight No lesse unlawfull to eate with heathen men Ignorance is but privative this is positive and so an error An error in the great Mysterie of Godlinesse a part whereof was preached unto the Gentiles that they also had their part in CHRIST And this is not this error alone The Apostles and Brethren seeme to have beene in the same they convented him for this new Comperi and he was seigne to answer for it That for the time generall it was this error and for ought we know Saint Stephen that was stoned before this departed the world in the opinion of In una not omni gente for then sure this truth was not perceived not received publiquely Then is not every error repugnant to GOD 's election Why every error more then 〈◊〉 sinne GOD is hable to pardon and not to impute error in opinion Pro. 14.22 Levit. 5 1◠1. Cor. 1.30 as well as 〈◊〉 practise and Nonne errant omnes qui operantur malum saith Salomon Doe not all 〈◊〉 that doe evill yes sure Did not the High Priest offer as well for the errors as for the transgressions of the people And is not CHRIST made to us by GOD Wisedome against the one as well as Righteousnesse against the other It was Saint Peter's case heere This onely we are looke to that with Saint Peter we be not wilfull if there come a cleer comperi but as ready ro relent in the one as to repent of the other That when we be shewed our error we open our eyes to perceive
3 workes 〈◊〉 the 1 Father 2 Sonne and 3 Holy Ghost referendo singula singulis 1 Gifts they 〈◊〉 the Spirit 2 Offices they from CHRIST the Lord 3 Workes they from GOD the Father The Spirit He gives wherewith CHRIST He appoints 〈◊〉 The Father He workes where-about The Spirit gives all to all CHRIST 〈…〉 all for all GOD the Father workes all in all You are not heere to thinke these three so limited as that all and every of them 〈◊〉 of the three come not from all and every Person of the Trinitie They come all 〈◊〉 Our rule is the workes of the Trinitie all save those that reflect upon and 〈…〉 themselves inwardly all outward to any without them are never divided 〈…〉 doth all doe To make it plaine in these Gifts heere are ascribed to the Spirit But Saint Iames saith Iam. 1.17 Ephes 4.8 Every one of them come from above from the Father and Saint Paul he 〈◊〉 CHRIST when He 〈◊〉 up on high He gave gifts unto men So the gifts come from the other two Persons no lesse then from the Spirit Offices are heere assigned unto the Lord that is CHRIST yet by and by at the XXVIII verse it is said of GOD the Father that He ordained Apostles and so goes on there with other Offices of the Church And in Act. XX. XXVIII of the Holy Ghost it is said Posuit vâ—s Episcopos that He placed them Bishops and they are chiefe Offices So that Offices are from the other two as well as from CHRIST Workes they are heere appropriate to GOD that is the Father Ioh. 5.17 yet in Iohn V. with one breath CHRIST saith My Father worketh hitherto and so doe I worke as well as He and in this Chapter straight after at the eleventh verse following thus we read All these things worketh one and the same Spirit So workes as they are from the Father so are they from the other two And so all and every of the three Persons aequally interessed in all and every of the three How is it then How come they thus to be sorted Sure rather in a kind of apt congruitie then otherwise onely in a fitt and convenient reference to the peculiar and if I may so call it the personall Attributes which most properly suits with each Person whence they flow As thus The Spirit is the essentiall Love of the Father and the Sonne Love then is his personall propertie and love is bounteous and from bounty come gifts So the gifts they from the Spirit CHRIST He is the essentiall Wisedome of the Father and Sapientis est ordinare that is Wisedome's office saith the Philosopher So the ordering of Places or Offices falls to Him GOD we call Him the Father Almightie which sheweth Might or power is His proper Attribute and power it is that worketh So the worke is His peculiar And thus come they thus sorted And so well we may repaire to each severally for his severall Yet with no exclusive to the rest but to all for all jointly for all that This needs not trouble any No more needs their order in standing The Holy Ghost first and the Father last otherwise then in Baptisme or in the Doxologie The workes appropriate to the Father though they be in execution last yet are they in intention first It is as in a solemne traine novissimi primi the last goe first and primi novissimi the first come last and yet are first in order though last in place It is sure the worke is the end of both the rest and of all Vnumquodque propter operationem suam Every thing be it what it will gift or place is and hath his being for the worke it hath to do So the worke is the chiefe of the three and He the chiefe whose the worke is let His standing be where it will The Trinitie Reall To the doing whereof there be required three things And where there be more then one required our books teach us ever to consider them first conjunction joyntly altogether then seriatim each in order as they stand and lastly seorsim every one asunder by it selfe 1. Of them jointly Ioyntly then To the doing of ought there is requisite â— habilitie of the partie â— authoritie for the partie 3 and diligence in the partie 1 Meet and sufficient men â— they orderly calld and placed 1 diligent and paynfull at their businesse To supply these heer are â— A gift wherewith 2 a place wherein 3 a work whereabout to imploy both and none to take on him the worke except first in a calling nor to take on him a calling except he first have a gift meet for it The Spirit is free of His gifts by which habilitie CHRIST He invites us to some calling wherein authoritie GOD He calls upon us to be at worke wherein diligence is to be shewed Our duty it shall be to come to be at these three doles or divisions to have our 〈◊〉 in them Out of the first Every one to get himselfe furnished with some gift â— Out of the second to see himselfe bestowed in some calling â— Out of the 〈…〉 having both these to apply himselfe to some worke and namely that worke 〈…〉 to his calling In a word every one to find himselfe with a gift in 〈…〉 â—bout a worke Not having the gift not to affect or enter the calling nor 〈…〉 calling not to venture upon the worke 〈◊〉 â—ll meanes we are to avoide to frustrate this meeting of the Trinitie To do 〈…〉 honour to think all the three absolutely needfull and not any of the three 〈…〉 needs The wisdome of GOD as it is never wanting in any thing that 〈…〉 so neither is it lavish in any thing more then needs And indeed to hold any 〈…〉 superfluous is in effect to call in question whether some person in the 〈◊〉 be not superfluous namely that person whose division we seeme to sett so 〈◊〉 All three then are to be had We cannot misse any of them If we misse 〈◊〉 all wil be done unskillfully if the calling all disorderly if the worke all 〈◊〉 and to no purpose Then not to leave out or to leap over the gift that 〈◊〉 â—â—tempt of the Spirit Nor the calling that is a trespasse against CHRIST 〈◊〉 the worke that is an affront to GOD Himselfe So much for conjunctìm now 〈◊〉 Aâ— to be had and in this order to be had as heer they stand marshalled 2. Of them seriatim in their order The gift 〈◊〉 then the calling to authorise then the worke to make up all But the gift before the calling and the calling after the gift the gift and calling both before we be allowed to take any worke in hand The number not abated the order not inverted Neither the calling before the gift nor the worke before the calling and gift both be had But every and each in his order and turne This order kept the Church will flourish the Common-Wealth
eyes the Lord made thee Head of the Tribes of Israël of which the Tribe of Levi was one for that Samuel must answer But Saul went further a great deale yea further then Oza For he tooke upon him to sacrifice in person himselfe Chap. 13.19 to offer burnt offerings upon the very Altar the highest part of all the Priest's Office that is usurped further then ever did any And all this David knew yet it kept him not from saying Ne perdas 3 Shedding the Priest's blood Chap. 22.18 They never have done with persecuting and shedding Priest's bloud was Sauâ—'s fâ—nger in that too In that he passed He putt the High Priest himselfe and LXXXIV more all in one day to the sword and all but upon the single accusation but of â—oëg all protesting their innocencie in the fact and all loyalty to him and all but for a douzen of bread given to David This could not but grieve David exceedingly it was for his sake yet he saith Ne perdas though for all that 4 Being possessed with an evill spirit Chap. 16.14 And one case more I give in for advantage It is well knowne he was a Daemoniak one actually possessed with an evill spirit which is a case beyond all other cases Yet destroy him not Abisai though So that if Abisai in stead of inimicum tuum had said GOD hath shut up 1 this Tyrant 2 this Vsurper 3 this Persecutor 4 this 〈◊〉 partie this what you will David would have said no other then he did Nâ—perdas still I would faine know which of all their destructive cases is heere wanting They be all heere all in Saul all in him at the time of this motion yet all alter not the case David saith still as he said If then all be in Saul all incident all eminent in him nay if his case be beyond all said it must be that David heer saith Though he be any of these though he be all these destroy him not or destroy him and bâ— destroyed destroy him and be the child of perdition 5 There was an High Priest Abiathar I would be loth to deceive you There may seem yet to want one thing Heer was no High Priest to excommunicate him or give warrant to do it yes that there was too For Abiathar scaped that great massacre of Priests by Saul and now he was lawfull High Priest Now he fled to David thence and brought the Ephed with him Chap. 22. last So as by good hap the High Priest was with David now in the Camp and the Ephod too There wanted no just cause you see to proceed against Saul There wanted no lawfull authoritie the High Priest we have There wanted no good will in Abiathar Chap. 23.6 ye may be sure his father and brethren having been murthered by Saul So heer was all or might have been for a word speaking All would not serve David is still where he was saith still Ne perdas knew no such power in the High Priest's censure was not willing to abuse it cannot see Quis any person to doe it nor any cause for which it is to be done Enough to make a ruled case of it for ever That Abisai may not do it nor Abiathar give warrant to it His charge is honest Ne perdas His reason good Christus Domini His sentence just Non erit insons His challenge un-answerable Quis mittet manum And this being cleered come we now to the principall cause of our comming The Text and Day compared Which is in this publique manner to render our yearly solemne thankes to Christus Dominus for the deliverance of our Christus Domini this day a deliverance like this in the text even for his Ne perdas at Perth For it and for both points in it 1 That His Annointed was not destroyed 2 That they that put forth their hand to doe it carried it not away but found the reward due to guilty persons The two cases 1 this in the Text 2 and that of this day are both like in the maine if in circumstances dislike this of ours hath the advantage The fact more foule the deliverance more famous To speake then of malitia diei hujus the malitious practise of this day Had the King beene an enimie yea such an enemie as Saul it had beene no warrant But he was no enemie No but many wayes a gratious Prince to them both I know pretence there was of a wrong Say it had beene one what was done was done by others in the King's minoritie And though done by others yet justly done and no wrong was it at all but wrongfully so called Secondly the King was shut up it is true but not as in the text by GOD but by wicked men who found him not casually as Saul was but trained him guilefuly to the place and there shut him up treacherously It was not suddaine it was a long plott the malice the more the fact the fowler And there he was conclusus derelictus both shutt up by Abisai forsaken of David Thirdly And it was not night nor the King asleepe that he might have passed away without any fright or terror No it was daemon meridianus this a noone-day devill He was broad awake Psal. 91.6 and the feare of death worse then death it selfe I know not how oft and many times before his eyes Fourthly And as beyond it in these so in the Principall beyond it too Both of them lift up Abisai his speare this his dagger to have giuen the fatall blow Abisai but once This twise And certainly neerer it came the King then David would suffer it come to Saul So the danger neerer the deliverie greater And yet there was a Ne perdas in this too and that a strange one Not by David no Iudge if it may not seeme a miracle that GOD then shewed When there was none to say destroy not els GOD opened his mouth that was there set himselfe to be the destroyer to say once and againe ô destroy him not destroy not the King The voyce was David's the hands Abishai's It calls to my minde what long since I read in Herodotus that at the taking of Sardi when one ranne at Croesus the King to have slaine him that a little boy borne dumbe that had never spoken word in all his life with the fright and horror of the sight his tongue loosed and he broke forth and cried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. O man destroy not the King and so saved his life So writeth he as of a wonder and see if this were not like it But so we see if there were no body els to say it they that are borne dumbe shall say it yea the destroyer himselfe shall say it rather then Ne perdas shall not be said This would not serve though it did to Abisai but they were worse then Abisai that were heere That GOD therefore might have the honour of the day
had none nor colour of reason Onely it is said Birâ—sonam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their will and pleasure did they all this A wretched pleasure to take delight in so â—icked a designe The Root of these 1 Anger 2 Furie To this 〈◊〉 the root of all sett out in two words 1 Rage and 2 Outrage or Anger and furie That their anger shewed it selfe cruell that their furie shewed it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was not Aph onely that is anger but Gebrath which is past anger gone beyond it indeed very furie They did it furiously And that furie was hard hard as stone cast of all compassion without pitie or mercie spared none Not the poore people that made no fâ—ult not the women and children but made booty of them No not the walls but downe with them too And which is worst of all the rest spared not GOD neither did all these in the very act of Religion If they had done it when they were yet heathen men it had been the lesse but now in their being circumcised to doe it as they were comming on to be the people of GOD and were within the Covenant by receiving it already Now to do it inferreth well Cursed be the wrath yea thrise accursed that outrage for the like was never heard Anger we know is furor brevis And si gravis brevis being so vehement it should not be long by course of nature But this was long too continued not to be satisfied but implacable Nothing could appease them or turne them from their outrage till they saw walls and all lie flaâ— upon the ground Heer we looke backe Their weapons above were Chele 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is properly vasa vessells So as their passion was not powred out like water and so let run away but it was kept or reserved as liquor in a vessell barrelled up to be breached when they saw cause Without reason in the beginning without appeasing in the end Such was the malice of these men Such their 's of this day III. The Censure 1 A Maledictus to the fact Now such rage so outragious justly deserves a Maledictus Such wrath so qualified beyond all accompt so exorbitant so infatiable On such wrath Iacob layes his Curse curseth them heere Which Curse was after by GOD renewed in Mount Ebal Deut. 27.24.25 Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly Againe Cursed be he that lieth in wait to shedd innocent blood The two last and heaviest curses there to which all Israël was to say Amen From Iacob While it was but in consultation Iacob cries Ne veniat Away with the Counsell come not at it But when it comes into act then he cries Maledictus Cursed be the execution at no hand be an Actor in that Nay not onely have no part in it your selves but condemne them that have so and hold them as people accursed even by Iacob's own mouth Weigh a little this Maledictus of Iacob Maledictus is a word we would not heare from the poorest or meanest body that is But there is much in the Party who is heere a Patriarch and they vertuous holy and grave persons To be cursed of one of them is much for â—hem they curse GOD curseth also And not onely a Patriarch but a Father Num. 24.9 to whom GOD hath given power to blesse and to curse and whose curse ever accompaniâ—th a faâ—her's especially such a Father as is like Iacob So that this putts them undeâ— GOD 's curse ceâ—tâ—inely Weigh also the cirâ—â—â—stance thâ— time Foâ— this time was the time of blessing Lying on â—heir deâ—th-bedd◠〈…〉 give their last blessings to their children So did Iacob to Iâ—da heer and so to the rest At this time then to do it is somwhat yet more 〈◊〉 then at another Nay 〈…〉 any other 〈◊〉 Blessing time with others is 〈…〉 wiâ—h them When he blest others to curse them and that there in his 〈…〉 For the curse of the death-bed is of all other the worst such as are so 〈…〉 will come to them 〈◊〉 to ease it This curse if you marke it is not on their persons their 〈…〉 men is not toucht but onely by reflexion upon their affection of anger 〈…〉 not on that neither For there is good use of them also for one may be 〈…〉 sinne not But as it was transcendent too much and too long Eph 4.26 past the 〈…〉 of all reason and moderation And this was their punishment spirituall 〈◊〉 that goes to the fact Dispergam to their persons 2 A Dispergam to the Persons which he 〈…〉 fall upon them And he doth not this by way of Prophesie they shal be 〈…〉 scattered but pronounceth it by way of sentence Not it shal be done but 〈…〉 do it himself It should be His owne act and He would never leave it till he see 〈◊〉 execution And though it were not done in his time yet it was as good as 〈◊〉 as certaine and sure as if at that time it had had the performance 〈◊〉 may referre Dividam to Simeon and dispergam to Levi. Simeon was divided 〈…〉 A piece in Iudah a piece in Dan a peece in mount Seir of the 〈◊〉 Levi was scattered heer and there up and downe in every corner of the land 〈◊〉 â—ou will referr it to both they were divided while Iacob continued a familie 〈…〉 dispersed when they after came to be a state 〈◊〉 if you marke the punishment is very proper and well proportioned to the 〈◊〉 The fault was a bad union their punishment is a just division Their fault was 〈◊〉 in hand they were too neer their punishment is they shal be sett farr enough 〈◊〉 for taking any such counsell more So whom the Devill hath joyned GOD 〈◊〉 sunder And a righteous thing it is it should so be For punishments should 〈◊〉 them the nature of a medicine They cure ever by contraries Heat 〈◊〉 drought by moisture Even as this doth an evill joyning by a just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was great wisdome in this punishment For them that be evill if we destroy 〈…〉 we must take order to weaken them and to separate them is to weaken 〈◊〉 Vnited force is the stronger dis-united the weaker still Vndo the faggot-bond and 〈◊〉 â—he stickes be severed you shall stick by stick deale with them and keep them 〈…〉 stick will easily be broken a faggot will not So as to scatter them is to 〈◊〉 thâ—m And so to be is good for Simeon and Levi themselves It takes from them hability to do hurt pares their nailes breakes of their hornes doth them good against their â—ills For if the worst come to the worst they can hurt but singly or by one And â—â—erefore we say Consultum est malis ut à socijs dividantur they that are ill affected 〈…〉 good for them and their fellowes to be putt asunder And if it be good for them certainly for the other Tribes
manner of proceeding in this are hable to perswade any it was some new power that heer was conferred and not those which before had beene though there be that apply this others to some one and others to all of them I take it to be a power distinct from the former and not to hold you long to be the accomplishment of the promise made Mat. 16.19 of the power of the Keyes which heere in this place and in these words is fulfilled and have therein for me the joynt consent of the Fathers Which being a different power in it selfe is that which we call the Act or Benefit of Absolution in which as in the rest there is in the due time and place of it an use for the remission of sinnes Ver. 21. Ver. 22. Whereunto our SAVIOVR CHRIST by His sending them doth institute them and give them the key of authoritie And by breathing on them and inspiring them doth enhable them and give them the key of knowledge to doe it well and having bestowed both these upon them as the Stewards of his house doth last of all deliver them their Commission to doe it having so enabled them and authorized them as before So much for the power II. Quorum peccata The subiect of this Power Every power is not every where to be exercised nor upon every matter but each power hath his proper subiect The matter or subiect whereon this power is to be exercised is sinne To be considered first in it selfe as the matter at large And then as qualified with the person for it is quorum and not quae peccatae As the neerer and more proper subiect Peccata at large First then the subiect are sinnes Sinnes in themselves no waies restrained or limited No sinnes at all either for number or greatnesse being excepted Without exception of number Mat. 18.22 Not for number For Christ teaching us That we our selves should forgive untill seventy times seven times doth thereby after a sort give us to understand that he will not sticke with us for the like number in ours For GOD forbid we should imagine he taught us to be more mercifull or of greater perfection then he will be himselfe That number amounteth to ten Iubilees of pardon For so many sinnes may we then hope for pardon at his hands If those be not enough we have example of one whose sinnes were more in number then the haires of his head and of another Psal. 40.12 Orat. Manass. whose were more then the sands of Sea both which give us hope for they both obteined pardon But that which followeth in the place of Matthew Or greatnesse Mat. 18 24. maketh both parts plaine For there a debt is remitted not onely of five hundred as Luc. 7. but of ten thousand and those not as in Luke pence but talents A great and huge summ yet for that hath he remission in store So that Luc. 7.48 no man shall need to say his sinne is greater then can be remitted as Cain did since that assertion is convinced to be erroneus Gen. 4.13 For his sinne may be forgiven that slew Abel though his brother seing S. Peter saith that theirs was not greater then might be forgiven that slew the Sonne of God Acts 31.15.19 For no man but will conceive that the betraying and murdering IESVS CHRIST was farr a more heynous offense then that of Abel's killing But that might saith Saint Peter therefore this much more may be forgiven And to end this point whereas it is affirmed and that most truly by the Apostle that the weakenesse of GOD is stronger then men 1. Cor. 1.25 if there were any sinne greater then could be remitted the weakenesse of man for of that commeth sin should be stronger the GOD which neither Religion nor reason will admit In respect of the sinne it selfe therefore there is no exception But because it is not quae peccata but quorum it sheweth Quorum The proper immediate Subject that in the act of remission we are to respect not the sinne so much as the person So that though all sinnes may be remitted yet not to all persons but to a quorum as we see For there is another quorum whose sinnes are retained so that this limiteth the former and sheweth indeed what is the Materia propinqua or immediate subiect of this power committed Our Saviour Christ himselfe at the reading of his Commission whereof this is a braunch in effect expresseth as much For he telleth them There were many lepers in the daies of Elisha Luc. 4.18.25 and many widowes in the daies of Elias yet none cleansed but Naaman nor to none was Elias sent but to the widow of Sarephtha And so the case standeth heere Many sinners ther be and many sins may be remitted but not to eny except they be of this Quorum In which point ther is a special use of the key of knowledge to direct to whom and to whom not since it is not but with advise to be applied nor hands hastily to be layd on any man as the Apostle testifieth which place is referred by the auncient Writers to the Act of Absolution 1. Tim. 5.22 Cypr. 3 16. Pacian in Paraen 16. Aug. de Bapt 5.20.23 and the circumstance of the place giveth no lesse But discretion is to be used in applying of comfort counsaile and the benefit of Absolution Whereby it falleth out sometimes that the very same sinnes to some may be remitted being of the Quorum that to some others may not that are out of it To see then a little into this qualification The Qualification of the Persons that therby we may discerne who be of â—ither Quorum The conditions to be required to be of Quorum remittuntur are two That in the Church First that the partie be within the house and familie whereto those key 's belong that is be a member of the Church be a faithfull beleeving Christian. In the Law Exod. 2â— 34 the Propitiatorie was annexed to the Arke and could not be severed from it to shew that they must hold of the Arke that is be of the number of the people of GOD or els could they not be partakers of the Propitiation for their sinnes So saith the Psalmist in the Psalme of the Church Psal 87. ult Psal. 85.1 Omnes canales mei erant in te All the conduit-pipes of all my spirituall graces are conveighed into thee and are no where els to be had And nâ—mely of this benefit of remission of sinnes Thou hast saith he ô Lord beene gratious unto Thy land c Thou hast forgiven all their iniquitie and covered all their sinne Esa. 33. ult But the Prophet Esai most plainly The people which dwelleth in her that is the Church They shall have their iniquitie forgiven And to end this point the Angel when he interpreteth the name of IESVS Mat. 1.21 extendeth it no further then
Sacrificia mortuorum tanquam Deorum not the sacred things or Sacrifices of the dead as if they were GODS Lib. VIII C.XXVII 〈…〉 Sainâ— Augustine 〈…〉 Temples Altars and Sacrifices inward 〈◊〉 outward visible and invisible to all Martyrs and Saints as being proper and peculiar to GOâ— onâ—ly And I 〈◊〉 Prayers and Invocation be in this number For as Grantes Laudantes praying 〈◊〉 praising 〈◊〉 direct our signifying words to him to whom we offer the things 〈◊〉 in our hearts so sacrificing we know the visible sacrificâ— is to be offered 〈…〉 to him whose invisible sacrifice in our hearts we our selves ought to 〈…〉 debemus Lib. X. Cap. XIX And then it followeth in the XX. Chapter The true Mediator inasmuch as taking upon him the forme of a servant the Man 〈◊〉 a CHRIST became a Mediator of God and Man whereas in â—he forme of GOD He takes sacrifice with his Father yet in the forme of a servant Malâ—i◠〈…〉 sumere He chose rather to be a Sacrifice then to receive Sacrifice lest even 〈◊〉 â—ccasion any man might think he might sacrifice to a Creature by this 〈…〉 is a Priest the same the offerer and the same the thing offered Cujus rei 〈…〉 of which thing he would have the daily Sacrifice of the Church to be a 〈◊〉 quae cum ipsius capitis corpus sit seipsam per ipsum discit offerre which Church 〈◊〉 the bodie of our Head himself doth learne to offer it selfe that is the Church by him that is by Christ. Heer the Bodie of the Head is the mysticall bodie of Christ and therefore the daily Sacrifice of the Church is not the Naturall Bodie of Christ but the Mysticall Bodie that offers it selfe to GOD by Christ. This made Saint Augustine to say of Angells and Elect and Glorious Saints Nec illis sacrificemus sed cum illic sacrificium Deo simus Let us not sacrifice to them but let us be a sacrifice to GOD together with them Cap. XXV But a singular and full place we have in the same X th Booke and VI. Chap. Where having shewed what Sacrifice is that is every worke which is performed that we may cleave to GOD in an holy Societie being referred to that end of good by which we may be truly blessed as a man consecrated to the Name of GOD and dying to the world that he may live to GOD is a Sacrifice as the bodie chastned by temperance is a Sacrifice such as the Apostle calls for Offer up your Bodies to be a Living Sacrifice Rom. XII I. And if the bodie the servant and instrument of the soule much more the soule it selfe is a sacrifice As likewise works of mercie and the like Hence saith he it commeth to passe Vt tota ipsa redempta Civitas societasque sanctorum universale sacrificium offeratur DEO c That the whole redeemed Citie and societie of the Saints is offered up an universall sacrifice to GOD by our great Priest who also offered himselfe in his passion for us that we might be the bodie of so great an Head in the forme of a servant For this he offred in this he was offred because according to this he is our Mediator in this our Priest in this our Sacrifice And then urging againe the Apostle's words Rom. XII I. of offring our bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to GOD which is our reasonable service of him he adds Quod totum sacrificium ipsi nos sumus All which whole sacrifice we are We the Members are this whole sacrifice not Christ the Head For as in the body there are many members and many offices of those members so we being many are one Bodie in Christ and every one members one of another having diverse gifts according to the grace given us Hoc est sacrificium Christianorum multi unum Corpus sumus in Christo this is the sacrifice of Christians many are one body in Christ. This must necessarily be the mysticall body of Christ the naturall body it cannot be Quod etiam Sacramento Altaris Fidelibus noto frequentat Ecclesia ubi ei demonstratur quod in illâ oblatione quam offert ipsa offeratur Which Sacrifice the Church â—lso frequents in the Sacrament of the Altar well knowne to the fâ—ithfull in which it iâ— demostrated to the Church that in that oblation which the Church offers the Church it selfe it offered I hope the Church is the mysticall body of Christ not the naturâ—ll Lib. XX cap. X. Ipsum verò sacrificium Corpus est Christi quod non offertur ipsit quia hoc sunt et ipse denying Temples Altars and Sacrifices to Martyrs and Saints he saith The sacrifice it selfe is the Bodie of Christ which is not offered to them because they are also this sacrifice This may suffice to satisfie any reasonable man of the sacrifice of the Church in Sâ—int Augustine's judgement Yet give me leave to add one place more because it may stand for many and that is Lib. X. cap. 31. Nec iubent c. Neither do they command that we should Sacrifice to them but onely to Him whose Sacrifice we together with them ought to be a Sacrifice Vt saepe dixi saepe dicendam eâ—t as I have 〈◊〉 said and â—ust often say This then is the daily Sacrifice of the Church in Saint Augustines â—â—solute iudgement even the Church it selfe the Vniuersall bodie of CHRIST not the Naturall Bodie whereof the Sacrament is an Exemplaâ— and a Memoriall onely as hath beene shewed And when they shall prove the Churche's Sacrifice to be the Naturall â—odiâ— of CHRIST and the same Sacrifice with the Sacrifice of the Crosse â—s it denoâ—eth the Action of Sacrificing because the Fathers often use the word Corpus CHRIST The Bodie of CHRIST they shall be further answered In the meane time the Church of England in her reformed Liturgie offering 〈◊〉 selves our soules and bodies to be a living Sacrifice holy and acceptable to GOD which iâ— our reasonable service of him may truly and boldly say that in this 〈…〉 〈◊〉 their Canon of their Masse in which there is not one syllable that 〈◊〉 the Sacrifice of our selves and soules and bodies which is the onely thing thaâ— GOD lookes and calls for at our hands and in CHRIST our Head is most pleasing nay more onely pleasing to him and in our power to offer properly We denie not then the daily Sacrifice of the Chuâ—ch that is the Church it selfe â—arranted by Scriptures and Fathers We take not upon us to Sacrifice the naturall Body of CHRIST otherwise then by commemoration aâ— CHRIST himselfe and Saint Paul doth prescribe They rather that take a power never given them over the naturall bodie of CHRIST which once offered by himselfe purchased eternâ—ll redemption all sufficient for sinne to offer it againe and often never thinking of the offering of CHRIST 's mysticall body the Church that is our selves our soules and bodies they I say do destroy the daily
the tenth yeare this And naturally Decumana sunt grandiora A Fluctus decumanus Psal. 38.4 a deepe floud it was had like to have gone over our soules And a Misericordia decumana A Mercie of a large size it was that made it went not then That we performe then Laudes decumanas great Praise and large Thankes now this Anno Decimo some way answerable to the greatnesse of our Perill and to the greatnesse of the Mercie that made us so well passe it The numbers of seven and ten are not without their weight The Seaventh the Sabboth The Tenth GOD 's part Both waies as the Sabboth day as the Tenth yeare sacred to GOD is this Day and our dutie upon it I. Of the words in order Misericordiae The Mercies MIsericordiae DOMINI Misericordiae To looke into the nature of the word Mercie It is best conceived by the Object and by the Act. Mercie hath for her Object circa quod her matter and metall to worke upon Miserie the best Vertue the worst Object of all It is not so plaine this in our English word Mercie as in the Latine Misericordia for there is miserie full out at the length Vpon this Object the proper Act of Mercie Miseratio as the Fathers read this Text Misericordia is the Habit Miseratio the Act which is nothing els but Misericordia eliquata that which runnes from Mercie at the melting the Act that relieves us of miserie and all the degrees that lead to it necessities impotencies dâ—fects distresses dangers and whatsoever would make our case miserable more or lesse To relieve these is the Act and this you must take with you without merit to relieve them The opposition the Church makes in diverse her Collects Non nostris meritis sed Tuâ solâ misericordiâ with an expresse obstante of all merit For the eye of Iustice will relieve all them that deserve it Goodnesse in merentes that is Iustice. Goodnesse in immerentes yea and sometimes a degree farther in malè merentes that is Mercie properly Psal. 106.44 Neverthelesse saith the CVI. Psalme for all they deserved it to be miserable when he saw their miserie saw that and nothing els to move Him that moved Him and He heard their complaint and gave order for their reliefe This is Mercie Misericordiae Ejus Mercies in GOD. This Mercie is in GOD Misericordiae Ejus Indeed such is the immutable constancie of the Divine Nature as we should hardly conceive it to be in this wise flexible but that great care is taken of this point of no one so great that there is Mercie in GOD there be Misericordiae Ejus But what Mercie From the nature and force of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I am not now to tell you I have done it heertofore is properly the bowells that is there are tender mercies in God so we turne it in the Benedictus Not of the ordinarie sort flight and such as pierce not deepe come not far but such as come de profundis from the verie bowells themselves that affect that part make the bowells relent And what bowells Not the bowells of the common man for then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had been 〈◊〉 word but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the bowells of a parent so we said the word 〈◊〉 and this adds much adds to Mercie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naturall love To one strong â—â—fection another as strong or stronger then it And what Parent the more pitifull of the twaine the Mother For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the â—â—â—gular of this word is Hebrew for the Womb. So as this to the two former addeth 〈◊〉 Sexe the Sexe holden to be the more passionate and compassionate of both â— Of all mercies those from the bowells 2 and of all bowells the bowells of a parent and of the two parents those of the mother those from the womb Such pitie as the â—â—ther takes of the child of her wombe such as the wombe of the child that lay in it â—ercies are in GOD such mercies are in God And GOD willing to set forth unto us the exceeding great tendernesse of His mercie to have it throughly apprehended by us Humanum dicit speakes to us in our owne Puerilis And to expresse the efficacie of His action takes to Him the affection and to expresse the affection takes to him the part of the bodie the seat of it the bowells and the bowells of a parent of that parent whose bowells in our nature are the pitifullest of all the mother And if you will you may add this that one mother hath but one wombe for all her children but He speakes heere of GOD in the plurall as if He had the compassion of more wombs then one the pitie of many mothers put together It is good newes for us these mercies are in GOD but better yet In GOD with a Super. that they are in Him with a Super. But best of all that that Super a Super not Super quaedam but Super omnia Much is said in few words to Mercie 's praise when this is said Super omnia And that super Super omnia Nihil sâ—pra were much None above it but Super omnia It above all he that saith that lâ—aves no more to say there is no higher degree Super omnia is the Superlative Super omnia Above all For Opera Ejus His workes these two might well be spared All are workes and all are His workes Super omnia opera Ejus that is absolutely Super omnia For workes is no terme diminuent heere All His workes that is all simply Beside GOD and His workes there is in the wide world nothing at all But yet with His workes with them it is laid and well Not with GOD 's other Attributes absolutely but with them in the point of workes His Attributes are all alike all as Himselfe is infinite all and one infinite is not more then another But take the workes and Virtus in actione we know lay it there Compare the workes of â—ny of them nay of all of them with the workes of Mercie and Mercie carries it cleere 1. Sam. 18.7 More workes more in number If they their thousand Mercie her ten thousand More great more glorious Workes of it then of eny of them all Nay then of all 〈◊〉 them Super omnia opera that it is And now to our Super. And first Super above Super above is said heere by way of figure Properly Super is of height II. Of their Super Height iâ— a dimension that perteines to quantitie and quantitie to bodies 1. Super above whereof Mercie is â—one The meaning is it is the chiefest So Heaven in the greater World So the Head in the lesse both of them the highest both of them the chiefest chiefest of all and rule all As indeed of whom is Super said so rightly as of the Sovereigne So doth Mercie Namely His Power which may serve
for all Deus saith the Church thâ— â—inth Sunday after Trinitie qui Omnipotentiam Tuam parcendo maximè miseâ—anâ—â— manifestas GOD which shewest thine Almighty Power most chiefly in shewâ—â—g mercie 〈◊〉 to keepe us to the letter Super above is either 1 reall or 2 locall 1. Reall 〈◊〉 Sâ—ul above the people higher by the head and shoulders then any of them 2. 1 Sam. 10 2â— Luk. 19.4 〈◊〉 as Zachee though low in stature â—et above in the top of a Sycomore tree Mercie is it selfe highest We will soone end this point by the heavens 1 Above really the uppermoâ—â— of all His workes His mercie saith the CVIII Psalme is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above and that Psal. 108.4 â—ith a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great way above the heavens and if above them above all under them 〈◊〉 it selfe highest 2. Above locally 1 In place And it hath the highest place of all above all the precedence before all The highest place The Arke was on earth the figure of the spirituall heaven Over it were the Cherubins Above upon the top of their wings was the Mercie-Seat there fitts Mercie in the highest place of all 2 In praecedence As the highest place above all so the precedence before all In GOD 's owne stile framed and proclaimed by Himselfe Exod. 34.6 Exod. XXXIV consisting of thirteen titles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 measures or degrees next after the LORD GOD the very first is this word heer And take this withall that of the thirteen nine of them belong to Mercie that proportion it hath that so it may have the super every way From this place it hath over all and by GOD 's appointment it tooke it not it selfe we gather the place it hath in GOD 's esteeme That which one most setts by he setts by himselfe and next to himselfe ever the deerest the neerest still GOD by thus setting it next to Him None between GOD and it in His Style shewes plainly what vertue it is He loves above all and what vertue He commends to us above all To us all but specially to them that are above all To be super Omnia in them that be super omnes As the nobler the Nature and the neerer to God the more easie ever to take the impression of it To hold you no longer in this first It is one of God's Titles Melchisedek first gave it Him Altissimus Gen. 14.19 As He Altissimus so Mercie altissima ever Altissima in Altissimo the highest Vertue in Him that is most High Rom. 9 â— which is God above all to be blessed and to be blessed for this above all And this for super above 2. Super Over But there is more then so in it Super is over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is over all All that are above are not over It is not above onely as an Obelisk or Maypole higher then all about them but have neither shadow nor shelter no good they do Mercie hath a broad top spreading it self over all It is so above all as it is over them too As the vault of this Chappell is over us and the great vault of the Firmament over that The super of latitude and expansion no lesse then of altitude and elevation And this to the end that all may retire to it and take covert It over them and they Esa. 32.2 under it Vnder it under the shadow of it as of Esaiâ—s great Rock in the wildernesse Dan. 4.12 from the heat Vnder it under the shelter of it as of Daniel's great Tree from the tempest Super omnia Over all Psal. 104.24 Over all his works now O Lord saith the CIV Psalm how manifold are thy works We shall never get through halfe of them God knowes Non est pertransire infinitum We will contract them thus take the two Extreames so shall we take in all betwixt them Over all that is none of them all so high but as high as they be they need come under it Nor none of them all so mean but as meane as they be they are not left out one way or other within it under it all So we divide His works into His OPERA and His opuscula and Over both it is 1. All His works His OPERA Iob. 15.15 Rom 9.23 Gen 32.10 None so high None on earth not his Saints who of all on earth have the super are of highest perfection In them he found no stedfastnesse Iob XV. they be Vasa misericordiae all If you will take it with Iacob's staffe he saith minor sum cunctis he is under them under them all Not in Earth then No nor in heaven Neither heaven it self nor the brightest part of heaven the starrs they are not cleane in His sight they also need it Nay not the Angells Iob 15.15 Iob 4.18 the very brightest of them all In them He found Pravitatem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 somwhat amisse even in them So over them too they need it The very Seraphin have somthing to cover As for the Cherubin they will sett Mercie a seat upon the top of their wings So glad and faign are they to have it over them All the tongues of Saints and Angells must say this Verse with us Misericordiae Domini super omnia opera Ejus Both say it for both need it And if both they I would faign know who needs it not 2. All His Opuscula Now as none so high None of His Opera His Folio-Works So none so meane none of His opuscula but over them too As His art no lesse wonderfull in making the Ant then the Elephant So His care no lesse over the one then over the other Naâ—â—ras rerum minimarum non destituit Deus The very minims of the world 〈◊〉 Mercie leaves them not destitute Not the wild Asses Psalm 104 11.147·9 Mat. 10.29 without a place to quench 〈◊〉 thirst Not the young Ravens crying on Him Not the Sparrow of halfe a farâ—hing let ts not them light on the ground without His providence Even these even such His mercie is over also It is not Pallium breve the Mantle is wide enough it leaves none out None out What say you to hell and those there Not them Nazianzen that had the honour to be called the Divine of his time thinks it may be maintained Not them and so do the Schoolemen all inasmuch as even there Mercie moderates too That it is not with them there as it might and should be but tolerabilius easier then they do deserve by much None no not in that place Luke 12.47 though beaten with many stripes yet not with so many as the qualitie of his offense in rigour of Iustice would require This is sure Deus praemiat ultra punit citra God ever rewards beyond but punishes on this side short still of that we deserve that His very punishment is tempered with mercie that even in His wrath
â—o become a prisoner as 1. Reg. 1.43 Shemei did Therfore sweare and be sworne in those causes and questions whereto Law doth bind to give answere though Fine and Commitment doe ensue upon them This question remaineth If a man have sworne without those what he is to doe when an oath binds when it doth not We hold No man is so streightened between two sinns but without committing a third he may get forth Herod thought he could not and therfore being in a streight betwixt murder and periurie thought he could have no issue but by putting Saint Iohn Baptist to death It was not so for having sworne and his oath proving unlawfull if he had repented him of his unadvisednesse in swearing and gon no further he had had his issue without any new offense 1. If then We have sworne to be simply evill the rule is Ne sit Sacramentum pietatis vinculum iniquitatis 2. If it hinder a greater or higher good the rule is Ne sit Sacramentum pietatis impedimentum pietatis 3. If it be in things indifferent as we terme them absque grano salis it is a rash oath to be repented not to be executed 4. If the oath be simply made yet as we say it doth subiacere Civili intellectui so as GOD'S oath doth Ieremia 18.8 and therefore those conditions may exclude the event and the Oath remaine good 5. If in regard of the Manner it be extorted from us the rule is Iniusta vincula rumpit Iustitia 6. If rashly Penitenda promissio non perficienda praesumptio 7. If to any man for his benefit or for favour to him if that partie release it it bindeth not A SERMON PREACHED AT VVHITE-HALL upon the Sunday after EASTER being March XXX AN. DOM. MDC IOHN CHAP. XX. VER XXIII Quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur eis Et quorum retinueritis retenta sunt VVhose-soever sinnes ye remitt they are remitted unto them and whose-soever ye reteine they are reteined The Conclusion of the Gospell for the Sunday THEY be the words of our SAVIOVR CHRIST to his Apostles A part of the first words which he spake to them at his Epiphanie or first apparition after he arose from the dead And they contein a Commission by him graunted to the Apostles which is the summe or contents of this Verse Which Commission is his first largesse after his rising againe For at his first appearing to them it pleased him not to come empty but with a blessing and to bestow on them and on the world by them as the first fruicts of his resurrection this Commission a part of that Commission which the sinfull world most of all stood in need of for remission of sinnes To the graunting wâ—â—reof He proceedeth not without some solemniâ—ie or circumstance The Summariâ— proceeding in it well worthy to be remembred For first Verse 21. he saith As my father sent me so send I you which is their authorizing or giving them their Credence Secondly Verse 22 He doth breath upon them and withall inspireth them with the Holy Ghost which is their enhabling or furnishing thereto And having so authorized and enhabled them now in this Verse heer He giveth them their Câ—mmission and thereby doth perfectly inaugurate thâ—m into this part of their Office A Commission is nothing els but the imparting of a power which before they had not First therefore he imperteth to them a power a power over sinnes over sinnes either for the remitting or the reteining of them as the persons shall be qualified And after to this power he addeth a promise as the Lawyers terme it of Ratihabition that he will ratifie and make it good that His power shall accompanie this power and the lawfull use of it in his Church for ever The dependence in respect of the time Why not before Esai 53.10 Heb. 9.22 Mat. 16.19.18.18 And very agreeably is this power now bestowed by him upon his resurrection Not so conveniently before his death because till then he had not made his soule an offering for sinne nor till then he had not shed his bloud without which there is no remission of sinnes Therefore it was promised before but not given till now because it was convenient there should be solutio before there were absolutio Not before he was risen then Why now And againe no longer then till he was risen not till he was ascended First to shew that the remission of sinnes is the undivided and immediate effect of his death Secondly to shew how much the world needed it for which cause he would not with-hold it no not so much as one day for this was done in the very day of his resurrection Thirdly But specially to set forth his great love and tender care over us in this that as soone as he had accomplished his owne resurrection even presently upon it he setts in hand with ours and beginneth the first part of it the very first day of his rising The Scripture maketh mention of a first and second death and from them two of a first and second resurrection Both expresly sett downe in one verse Apoc. 20.6 Happy is he that hath his part in the first resurrection for over such the second death hath no power Vnderstanding by the first the death of the soule by sinne and the rising thence to the life of grace by the second the death of the body by corruption the rising thence to the life of glorie CHRIST truly is the Saviour of the whole man both soule and body from the first and second death But beginneth first with the first that is with sinne the death of the soule and the rising from it So is the method of Divinitie prescribed by himselfe Mat. 23.16 First to cleanse that which is within the soule then that which is without the body And so is the methode of Physique first to cure the cause and then the disease 1. Cor. 15 56. Now the cause or as the Apostle calleth it the sling of death is sinne Therefore first to remove sinne and then death aâ—â—erwards For the cure of sinne being performed the other will follow of his owne accord As Saint Iohn telleth us He that hath his part in the first resurrection shall not faile of it in the second The first resurrection then from sinne is it which our Saviour Christ heer goeth about wherto there is no lesse power required then a divine power For looke what power is necessarie to raise the dead bodie out of the dust the very same every way is requisite to raise the dead soule out of sinne For which cause the Remission of sinnes is an Article of faith no lesse then the Resurrection of the body For in very deed a resurrection it is and so it is termed no lesse then that To the service and ministerie of which divine worke a Commission is heere graunted to the Apostles And first they have heer their sending from GOD the Father their inspiring