spue you out of his mouth like the luke-warm Laodiceans Hierom. Non Hierosolymis fuisse fed Hierosolymis bene vixisse laudandum est saith Hierom Not to live in Hierusalem but to live well in Hierusalem is praise-worthy We must not live in the Church amongst the Saints but we must be Saints of the Church Thus the Saints of God by renovation have in them inherent and actual sanctity which in respect of their twofold state is twofold imperfect and perfect imperfect in their state militant and perfect in their state triumphant First then There was never Saint found nor ever shall be found Saint so journing on this earth during the days of his pilgrimage indued with absolute or compleat sanctity Their righteousness is but inchoative begun here yet true but not perfect until the day of our full and perfect redemption until our absolute translation from death to life until our better change out of this life of mortality into the life of immortal glory Aug. Nullus sanctus caret peccato nec tamen ex hoc desinit esse sanctus cùm affectu teneat sanctitatem saith Austin No Saint wants sin yet doth he not hereby cease to be a Saint being his affection is possest of holiness The desires of his soul have embraced grace for which God graciously embraceth his soul This impersection of the Saints appears by the Apostle complaining of a law in his members rebelling against the law of his mind and so leading him captive to the law of sin in his members whereby the good that he would do he did not Of this he speaketh 2 Cor. 7.1 when he saith Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting or finishing holiness in the fear of God Where the word finishing importeth the imperfection of the most perfect meer man under which he still groaneth in this life and for which Paul he still cries out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death until the day wherein he shall finish his course and sanctification in Gods fear We hear the Saints praised for the strictness of their holy life and not undeserved their goodness is applauded of the good and honored of the best Ambrâ—s Yet saith Ambrose Cognascamus sanctos non naturae praestantioris fuisse fed observantiae majoris nec vitia nescisse fed emendasse Let us know that the Saints had not a more excellent nature than we but had a greater observance and respect to God neither were they void of sin but were always on the mending hand They were ever inclining to that perfection which they had not yet obtained and declining that evil which makes men incapable of perfection Do ye so likewise for be assured that they that live in the world without sanctity and amendment of life live without the true God of the world which whosoever doth Hierom. shall not live out of this world with God world without end Non nisi sanctes Coelestis aula suscipiet saith Hierom The Court of Heaven entertains no Courtiers but Saints and holy men There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth Rev. 21.27 or worketh abomination but they which are written in the book of life Where their imperfection is turned to perfection and their incompleat grace to perfect glory Secondly So that albeit the Saints are not perfect in their state militant yet are compleat in their state triumphant Though not throughly holy in the state of grace yet their sanctification accomplished in the state of glory where no foe can oppress them no sin infect them no devil pervert them ubi una placida fida tranquiâ—itas una sollida perpetua securit as saith Cyprian Cypr. where there is onely pleasing and faithful tranquillity where onely is solid and perpetual security Without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murtherers and idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye Onely the blessed that do his commandment Rev. 22.14 15. enter into the city the new Hierusalem Who are like Absolom in another sense from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head without blemish and not like Isaiah's sinners from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot no whole part This happy perfection and perfect happiness let it be as annexed to the glory of God the highest point of your ambitious thoughts and the But to which you shoot all the arrows of obedience Then shall ye being with the Saints righteous by imputation and renovation by grace inherent and actual here imperfect but perfect registred and placed with the Saints shall be like the Sun in the firmament of heaven And so much concerning the Subject of this Text Gods Saints whom I leave in their proper sphere having brought them to their long home where I trust we shall all meet them in glory everlasting The second part of the Text is the Attribute of special honour proper to the Saints This honour What is imported by this honour is exprest in the foregoing verses and in the first part of the Text. To be brief 't is this An absolute victory over all People Nations Kings and Potentates that fight against the Saints But being we cannot conceive a Conquest before a Conflict I will by Divine assistance treat a little of the Saints Conflict and their honorable Conquest Gods children and Saints are here in a continual warfare Afflictions saith one are perpendicular to his graces in them Vertue never yet wanted opposites Tendit ad astra per aspera virtus The way to Heaven as one observes is strewed with briars like that which Jonathan and his Armour-bearer passed betwixt two rocks Bozez and Seneh that is foul and thorny Grievous and many are the Massacres of the Saints The French proverb of Sicknesses is true of the Churches persecutions and conflicts They come on horse-back but go away on foot And Rest and Pleasure like Oxen come slow and heavily and go away like Post-horses on the spur The Kings of the earth assemble themselves against the Lord and his anointed ones To omit others Have not France Germany Spain Italy who not been up in arms against the Professors of the Truth to send them through the Red sea of Tribulation into the land of Canaan And do not those bitter enemies exercise all manner of cruelty that barbarous rage can invent Cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their wrath for it is cruel As for torments and kinds of death Phalaris and his fellow-tyrants come short of those Bloodhounds of the Spanish Inquisition whom I may compare to the women of Vlna in India Heyl. Geogr. who black their teeth because dogs teeth are white so these black their souls with the works of darkness because the souls of the Saints are white with innocency But yet as the malignant fury of inveterable men in authority did not terrifie the
3. q. 26. art 1. Simpliciter perfectivè yet the Angels and Saints also must be our Mediatours dispositive ministerialiter They are much beholden to this distinction of principal and ministerial Some unskilful Physicians give one drink or one medicine for all diseases so these men apply this distinction of Principal and Ministerial to salve up all soars among them Christ is the chief Head of the Church the Pope is a ministerial head under him So Christ is the Principal Mediatour Angels and Saints are Ministerial Yet if a woman should hear she had a chief husband and a ministerial husband she could hardly endure it They might as well say there is one principal God but many ministerial Gods under him as to say there is one chief Mediatour and many ministerial The Mediatour between God and man Confes l. 10. cap. saith Austin must be both God and man He must have Aliquid simile Deo aliquid simile hominibus that he may mediate between them both If he were only man he could not go to God if he were only God he could not go to man As for Angels they be neither God nor man therefore they cannot be our Mediatours As for the Saints in Heaven they be half-men they have souls but as yet they have no bodies and they are not God therefore they cannot be our Mediatours Nay properly to speak the Holy Ghost the third person in the glorious Trinity cannot be our Mediatour for though he be God yet he is not man much less can the Angels or Saints be our Mediatours Besides the Mediatour of the New Covenant hath established the Covenant with his blood It is Christ alone that by the blood of his cross hath set at peace all things in heaven and in earth And no Testament is of force without the death of the Testatour Let them prove that any died for us besides Christ and then we will acknowledge other Mediatours As he trode the Wine-press alone so he is Mediatour alone It is Sacriledge to adjoyn others to him Therefore as he took the pains alone so let him have the honour alone Moreover Christ is Mediatour not only of Redemption as the Papists grant but of Intercession also of which in due place He being so near us in the matter of his Incarnation will never be strange to us in the business of Intercession Christ then being the sole Mediatour Let us not cry with those Idolaters O Baal hear us But ask the Father in the Sons name and say O Christ hear us Who prevails more with the King than the Kings Son Let us not leave the Son and go to Servants For there is one God and one Mediatour between God and men 1 Tim. 2.5 the man Christ Jesus Of Christs Kingly Office THE name Christ doth belong to our Saviour by special excellency he being as none else ever was a King a Priest and a Prophet The works of Christs Mediation Dr. Reynolds were of two sorts 1. Opera Ministerij works of service and ministery for he took upon himself the form of a servant and was a Minister of the Circumcision 2. Opera potestatis works of Authority and Government in the world We must here again distinguish saith that reverend Author between Regnum naturale Christs natural Kingdom which belongs to him as God coessential and coeternal with the Father and Regnum Oecononicum his Dispensatory Kingdom as he is Christ the Mediatour which was his not by Nature but by Donation and Unction from his Father that he might be the Head of his Church a Prince of Peace and a King of Righteousness unto his People In which respect he had conferr'd upon him all such meet qualifications as might fit him for the dispensation of this Kingdom For God prepared him a Body Heb. 10 5. or a Humane nature Not an aëry or Phantastical body as some Hereticks dreamed but a body in all substantial things like to ours differing only in one accidental thing and that is sin And God ordained him a soul too The Deity did not supply that office as Apollinaris did imagine Col. 2.9 And besides by the grace of Personal Union caused the Godhead to dwell bodily in him He anointed him with a fulness of his Spirit Plenitudo vasis fontis Joh. 3.34 not with the fulness of a vessel such as the Saints had a fulness for themselves only But a fulness without measure which hath a sufficient sufficiency and redundancy for the whole Church He did by Solemn promulgation proclaim him King unto the Church This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him He hath given him a Scepter of righteousness Psa 45.6 Rev. 1.16 Psal 2.9 and hath put a sword in his mouth and a rod of Iron in his hand He hath honoured him with Embasladors to negotiate the affairs of the Kingdom 2 Cor. 5.20 Which shews that Ministers are Sacred persons not to be violated upon pain of Gods heavy displeasure Do my Prophets no harm He hath given him the souls and consciences of men Psal 2.8 Joh. 17.6 even to the uttermost parts of the earth for the territories of his Kingdom The Object of Christs Kingdom of Grace are all Nations He hath given him power concerning the Laws of his Church Rom. 3.27 A power to make Laws the law of faith To expound Laws as the Moral Law And to abrogate Laws as the Law of Ordinances He hath given him power of judging and condemning enemies Joh. 5.27 Luke 19. â—7 Lastly He hath given him a power of remitting sins and sealing pardons And all these royal Prerogatives belong unto him as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well Man as God Mat. 9 6. Joh. 20.23 Whence we may note That Christs Kingdom belongs to him not by usurpation intrusion or violence but legally by order decree and investiture from his Father And as he came rightly by it so also his government is not with rigour but righteousness Therefore let us submit to his government and though we be within the Walls of the Church yet let us not flatter our selves in our sins thinking for all this that Christ will be merciful unto us for his Scepter is a Scepter of righteousness he must punish sin wheresoever he finds it Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion Tell ye the daughter of Sion Psa 2.6 Mat. 21.4 Psal 2.12 Behold thy King cometh unto thee Kiss the Son Of Christs Priestly Office Sacerdos sacer dux docens orans offerens Q. habens sacram dotem Not a name of reproach and contempt but of exceeding great honour in the book of God There was a worthy and glorious Priest-hood in time of the Law there was an high-priest in goodly apparel clothed with a white linnen Ephod that had a Miter on his head a fair breast-plate on his breast on which was written the names of
where we shall be known and well entertained Paul pronounceth his afflictions light when he weighed them with that weight of Glory and looked on things not seen And let us use the means and hold the way to this blessed place 1. Promoting Gods glory 2. Seeking to please him in all things 3. Beginning heaven upon earth 4. Studying sanctification decking our selves with grace and getting the Wedding-garment for that Wedding-day for without Holiness none shall see God 1 King 8.27 2 Cor. 11.12 Isa 63.15 Luk. 16.22 Heb. 11.10 Joh. 14.2 2 Cor. 5.1 in that Presence-chamber of his Glory Scripture calls this place The Heaven of heavens The third heaven The habitation of Gods holiness and of his glory Abrahams bosâ—me A city which hath foundations whose maker and builder is God Christs Fathers house in which are many mansions A building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heaven The new Jerusalem The Paradise of God An holy place c. De Angelis ANgels were created it is conceived in the beginning Psal 33.6 when the Heavens were for saith the Psalmist By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth And it is likely before Man Job 38.4 7. by those words Where wast thou when the Morning-stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy Angels are Spirits of Heaven resembling their Creator as children do their father both in their substance which is incorporeal and in their excellent properties Life and immortality excellency blessedness and glory They are called 1. Spirits Nomen essentiae 2. Angels Nomen officii For their number they are said to be Thousands and Ten thousand thousands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 7.10 Myriads Heb. 12.22 which because of the vastness of the number we render innumerable They are innumerable to us so are our sins the hairs of our heads the sands of the sea-shore the stars in the firmament not to God The supposed Dionysius the Senator of Athens Niceph. 1.2 cap. 20. ordered the Celestial Hierarchy thus That the first degree is given to the Angels of Love termed Seraphim The second to the Angels of Light termed Cherubim The third and so the following degrees to Thrones Principalities and the rest which are all Angels of power and ministration So that upon this account the Angels of knowledge and illumination are placed before the Angels of office and domination I think such curious brains put all out of order Augustine is of a more modest spirit Quomodo se babeat beatissima illa ac superna Civitas quid inter se distent quatuor illa vocabula Col. 1.16 dicant qui possunt Enchyâ— ad Laurent c. 58. si tamen possunt probare quod dâ—cant Ego me isthaec ignorare consiteor Let the like humility be imitated of us all Let no man presume to understand above that which is written And there their several degrees and dignities are only hinted as well among themselves as in regard of the inferior world and the government thereof The wisdom and knowledge of these Spirits is admirable Aug. Cognitiâ— concâ—eata acquisita Schoolmen The Devils know much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much more do the good Angels They have matutinam vespertinam scientiam Their morning-knowledge they have by creation and a continual contemplation of God their evening-knowledge they have by observation from the creatures and a diligent inspection into the Church Their power also is as wonderful Their office is to minister perpetually to God in obeying his will unto Christ as the Head of the Church and are also sent out to minister for the good and salvation of the Saints for Christs sake Not that God needeth them as Princes need the counsel and aid of their subjects But he maketh use of their service about us 1. For the honour of his Majesty and comfort of our infirmity 2. To make out his love unto us by employing such noble creatures for our good 3. To make and maintain love and correspondency between us and Angels till we our selves come to be like unto them The truth is though they excell in strength yet do they Gods commandments Luk. 20.36 hearkening to the voice of his word which they perform chearfully faithfully diligently speedily and constantly ever standing before the face of our heavenly Father and rejoycing more in their names of service than of honour of imployment than preferment to be called Angels that is messengers than Principalities Thrones c. accounting it better to do good than to be great to dispense Gods benefits than to enjoy them Let us imitate these good Spirits chiefly 1. In subjecting our selves to Christ as our Lord and King Phil. 2.9 This is their bowing of the knee and ours too 2. In doing the will of God alway chearfully as they do and therefore are said to have wings thus we pray Mat. 6.10 Laudant Deum Angeli adorant tremunt tremere dicuntur non metu formidinis l. 2. c. 50. de sacr Altar myster cum sint perfectè beati sed administrationis vel obedientiae affectu saith Innocent 3. Wise 2 Sam. 14.20 Psal 103.20 Heb. 1.14 according to the wisdom of an Angel of God Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that do his commandments hearkening unto the voice of his word Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation Of the Celestial Lights Of the Sun Sol quasi solus vâ—l quia solus ex omnibus sideribus est tantus vil quia quum est exortus obscuratis aliis solus appareat Martinius THe Sun is the Prince of Planets coursing about with incredible swiftness so sweet a creature that Eudoxus the Philosopher professed that he would be content to be burnt up with the heat of it so he might be admitted to come so near it as to learn the nature of it The Sun is as it were a vessel whereinto the Lord gathered the Light which till then was scattered in the whole body of the heavens This David beheld with admiration not adoration Psal 8. Jer. 44. as those Idolaters that worshipped the Queen of heaven For that was a witty speech of Cyril They were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atheists by night who worshipped the Sun and Atheists by day who worshiped the Moon and Stars And well he might for Chrysostom wondreth at this That whereas all fire naturally ascendeth God hath turned the beams of the Sun toward the earth making the light thereof to stream downwards This is the Lords own work and it ought to be wonderful in our eyes The Sun hath his name in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a servant as being the servant-general of mankind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while he shines indifferently upon the evil and the good imparting to both light
ambition promised him for when one seeing him give away all his present inheritances said what Sir will you make your selfe a beggar No saith he I will reserve hope for my self But certainly Hope is a greater and better possession unto the people of God here than all the great and good things which they possesse Put as much into their hands as you can there is more than that put in their hearts by hope A child of God lookes over all his possessions and pitcheth upon expectation as his portion The estate which a believer hath in the promises is more than the estate he hath in possession Riches in the promise is better than riches in the chest There is no enjoyment but that in Heaven where we shall enjoy all that ever was promised so good as hope for what is promised Fides intuetur verbum rei spes autem rem verbi Luther Unto faith must be annexed hope faith makes a Christian hope nourisheth and sustains a Christian Spes alet agricolas Jam mala finissem letho sed credula vitam Spes foveâ— melius cras fore semper ait It is our duty patiently and cheerfully to wait and hope for a mercy promised cheering our selves up with such hope as do they that bear with their cookes making them to stay long for their dinner in hope thereby to fare the better Hope is compared to an Anchor Heb. 6.19 As a ship cannot be without an anchor no more can we without hope The ship is the soul of a Christian the anchor is Hope the sea where it is tossed is the world and the place whereinto the anchor is cast is heaven As the anchor in a storm or tempest holdeth the ship fast that it is not tossed up and down nor shaken with wind and waves So doth hope the ship of our souls in the tempestuous sea of this world Onely an anchor goes downward this upward that into the bottome of the Sea this into the top of Heaven Anchora in imo spes in summo The hopes of the wicked are not long liv'd they are soon dashed and disappointed Pro. 11.7 It 's likened to a spiders web Job 8.14 a little thing a beso in easily and speedily sweeps away the house and inhabitant together such is the hope of the wicked it s suddenly ruin'd That 's true hope that runs out into holynes for faith and hope work a suitableness in the soul to the things beleeved and hoped for 1 Joh. 3.3 c. Let us desire God to encrease our hope and to strengthen it daily more and more That this anchor being in heaven already may put us in an assured hope of heaven And the Lord in mercy so fortify this grace that no storms of afflictions may be ever able to prevail against it Lord increase our hope This I recall to my mind therefore have I hope For we are saved by hope Lam. 3.11 Rom. 8.24 but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth Why doth he yet hope for But if we hope for that We see not then do We With patience Wait for it If in this life onely we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15.19 Prov. 14.32 But the righteous hath hope in his death Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.3 Which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead Presumption There are two sorts of persons saith a learned Divine among others observable in the Church namely infirmi glorioli weak Saints and presumptuous hypocrites Ille vincit qui gratiam Dei sperat non qui de suâ virtuâ—e praesumit Tertul. Quicquid à vabis minor extimesciâ— major hoc vobis Dominus minatur these are usually cast down with an apprehension of their own sinfulness these are commonly lifted up with an opinion of their own righteousnesse Those abhore themselves as the worst of sinners these boast themselves to be the best of Saints Those account themselves to be nothing but sin these think themselves to have no sin Presumptuous sinners promise to themselves the future vision of Gods face whilest they go on in the wilfull breach of Gods law They perswade themselves that their condition shall be happy though their conversation is wicked Impudently laying as full claim to heaven as the exactest Saint Presumption usually springs from the false reasonings which are in the minds of men Concerning 1. The freeness of Gods grace in electing 2. The fulness of his mercy in forgiving 3. The worthiness of Christs blood in redeeming Thus is the sweetest honey turned into gall by bad stomachs the most wholesome Antidotes become poison to wicked men and the precious supports of a lively faith are abused to be props of presumption by arrogant hypocrites Origen did too much presume of the mercy of God when he carried sticks to an Idol Damascene when he did service unto Mahomet Cranmer when he did subscribe to the Pope Aaron when he made the calfe and Solomon when he fell to idolatry yet these men were prompted on either by passion and perturbation within or temptation from without The greatest example we have of a godly person falling into presumptuous sin is David for we see him with all crast and subtilty studying how to accomplish that which the very light of nature condemns and when he hath so done we see him covering and excusing of it Oh there the Philistines were upon this Sampson and his strength was gone there presumptuous sins did for awhila prevail over him When the heart at any time Saith Dr. Preston deliberates and yet that word is not sufficient to expresse it Of Gods alsufficiency But when the heart works according to its own proper inclination and then wilfully disobeye the Lord in any commandment certainly then it casts God away Austin calls sins of Presumption Peccata vastantia conscientiam sins that lay waste the conscience This is that great transgression that wickednesse with a witnesse He that heareth the words of the curse Deut. 29.19 20. and yet blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace though I Walk in the imagination of my heart to addâ— drunkennesse to thirst The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven The soul that doth ought presumptuously Num. 15.30 31 the same reproacheth the Lord and that soul shall be cut off from among his people Because he hath despised the Word of the Lord and hath broken his commandment that soul shall utterly be cut off his iniquity shall be upon him Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins Psal 19.13 Châ—ys in
a sweet savour behind it Wheresoever it comes it will procure favour of God and men When the name that the wicked have gotten shall rot the faithful shall be had in everlasting remembrance Therefore let us be all Zealous this way so shall we be renowned in this world Quà m magnus mirantium tam magnus invidentium populus est Senec. and eternally famous in the world to come Plato was once in such esteem that it was an ancient Proverb Jovem grecè loqui si vellet non aliter loquuturum quà m Platonem But the common people are apt to praise and dispraise with one breath Fame followes desert as the sweet sent doth the rose A man shall be sure to have both the comfort and credit of his worthy parts and practises In the Olympick games those that overcame Dignum laude virum Musa vetat moriâ— Hòâ—at did not put the garlands on their own heads but stayed till others did it for them That which had been much to a mans commendation if out of another mans mouth sounds very slenderly out of his own It is an hard thing to recover a mans good name if once lost It happened Lauâ— proâ—rlo sordescit in â—re that upon a time Fire Water and Fame went to travel together but before they set forth they consulted that if they lost one another how they might meet again Fire said where you see smoke there you shall finde me Water said where you see marsh or moorish low grounds there you shall find me But Fame said take heed how you lose me for if you do you will ran a great hazard never to meet me again Still the Euge of a good Conscience and Gods approbation is principally to be sought after Whose praise is not of men but of God Rom. â— 29 Merâ—t Caelum gratis non accipiam said the Jesuite before grace I had free will to it and when I had grace I deserved glory Satan had perswaded the Scottish Knox he had merited by his Ministery but that God brought to his mind those scriptures What hast thou that thou didst not receive And yet not I but the grace of God which was in me The Jewes of old did seek to be justifyed by their own works and these latter Jewes being asked whether they beleeve to be saved by Christs righteousness or not Answer that every Foxe must pay his own skin to the flear The Church of Rome seekes to be justified by her own righteousness and the righteousness of Christ They hold that Christs righteousness merits that our works should merit And Bellarmine saith De Iustif Opera sanctorum tincta sanguine Christi merentur that is the works of the Saints dipped in the blood of Christ do merit And truely that 's a slie and nice distinction of the Jesuites which they invented of late to make us beleeve that by the doctrine of merits they derogate nothing from the glory of Christ Indeed they say that we make satisfaction for sin and merit heaven yet it is not we that do it but Christ by us not our works simply in themselves but as dyed in the blood of Christ Our Merits are Christs merits and therefore they may deserve heaven I but Christ hath purged our sins by himself not by our selves he hath done it by his own blood immediately not mediately by our works dyed in his blood Therefore that is a meer delusion to mock the world withall Upon those word Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love The Jesuites say It is a world to see what wrything and wringing the Protestants make to shift off this place whereby it is cleer that good works are meritorious and causes of salvation If it be an unrighteous thing with God not to give heaven to our works then we have it not on meer mercy but of justice But we say It is just with God so to do not in regard of our merit Justum est ut reddat qui debet debet autem qui promisit but of his own promise They that came into the vineyard at the last hour had as much as the first yet not of merit but of Covenant It is an unrighteous thing for one to break his promise God hath promised to reward our works with eternal life therefore he should be unrighteous if he did it not yet we must not depend on our merits but on Gods promise ratified by an oath as he sheweth in the following words And for Opus operatum it is not sufficient so much as to acceptance with God because it is not enough to do a good work which God requireth at our hands but we must perform it in such a manner as the Lord requireth We must not only do bonum but bene Besides Merit is a meer fiction sith there can be no proportion betwixt the work and the wages It is well observed Coâ—â—on on Cant. Certum est nos facere quod faimus sed ille â—acit ut faciasmut Aug. Like as Roma is become Amor inversus that the Church in the Canticles is no where described by the beauty of her hands or fingers Christ concealeth the mention of her hands that is of her works 1. Because he had rather his Church should a bound in good works in silence than boast of them especially when they are wanting as Rome doth 2. Because it s he alone that worketh all our works in us and for us We do what we do but it is he that causeth us so to do St Paul is so directly against Popish justification by works that one saith both wittily and well The Epistle of Paul to the Romans is become the Epistle of Paul against the Romans Certainly those misled and muzled soules did worse than lose their labour Act. Mon. fol. 1077. that built religious houses Pro remissione redemptione peccatorum pro remedio liberatione animae pro salute requie animarum patrum matrum fratrum sororum c. These were the ends that they aimed at as appears in stories The Papists think that as he that standeth on two firm branches of a tree is surer than he that standeth upon one onely so he that trusteth to Christ and works too is in the safest condition But 1. They are fallen from Christ that trust to works 2. He that hath one foot on a firm branch and another on a rotten one stands not so sure as if he stood wholly on that which is sound But let them be Moses disciples let us be Christs set not up a candle to this sun of righteousness mix not thy puddle with his purple blood thy rags with his raiment but detest all mock-stayes And account accursed for ever that blasphemous direction of Papists to dying people Conjunge Domine obsequium meum cum omnibus quae Christ us passus est pro me Join Lord mine obedience with all that Christ hath
suffered for me We are all as an unclean thing Isa 64.6 Luk. 17.10 and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants Rom. 3.20 We have done that which was our duty to do Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight The Church true and false Ecclesia WHen the Original world was overwhelmed with waters Ecclesia Coetus est hominum è turbâ reliquorum mortatium â—vocatus advitam aeternam none were saved but such as were in the Ark when Sodom was burnt with sire none were saved but those of the family of Lot when Jericho was destroyed none were preserved but those which were in the family of Rahab These are figures shadowing to us that when the Lord comes to cut down the wicked to cast them for ever into the wine-presse of his wrath Salvation shall belong to the houshold of faith even that family whereof God in Christ Jesus is the Father Ecclesia 1. Invisibilis 2. Visibilis But when we say Extra Ecclesiam non est salus it is not ment of a visible but of the invisible or universal Church which is the whole company of the elect in heaven in earth and not yet born for the visible Church or particular Congregations it may be said there are many Wolves within and Sheep without Therefore it is not satisfactory to us to be gathered out of the general masse of mankind into the fellowship of the Church visible but we must examine how we are in the Lords floor whether as Chaffe or Corne for a day of winnowing will assuredly come wherein the Lord shall gather his good Corne into his Garner and the cast Chaffe into unquenchable fire Many would deal with the Church as Amnon with his sister Tamar first ravish her then defile her and then turn her out of doors The Church of God in this world is like a man of war at sea whose Master is Christ whose Mast his Crosse whose Sails his Sanctimony whose tackle patience and perseverance whose cast-peeces the Prophets Apostles Preachers Premuntur justi ut pressi clament clamentes exaudiantur exauditi glorificent Deum Quint. Curâ— 1.8 whose Mariners the Angels whose Fraught is the souls of just men whose Rudder is Charity whose Anchor is hope whose Flag in the top of her is Faith and the word written in it is this Premimur non opprimimur we are cast down but we perish not 2 Cor. 4.8 The Church Militant is sometime fluctuant as the Ark of Noah sometime movable as the Ark in the Wildernesse sometime at rest as the Ark in the Temple In persecution in removes in peace What is the colour of the Church saith one but black her armes but the Crosse her song but the note the oppressed servant in Aristophanes sung I suffer affliction For the world is a Sea a threshing-floore a Presse a Furnace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Church the Ship the Wheat the Grape the Gold and afflictions the winds the waves the flaile the fire O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted Isa 54.11 Yet Built upon the rock that the gates of Hell shall not prevail aaginst Mat. 16.18 And Glorious things are spoken of thee dicta praedicta O City of God Psal 87.3 Saints The word signifies a thing or person separated or set a part from common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and dedicated to a special especially a holy use Holinesse in the general nature of it is nothing else but a seperation from common and dedication to a divine service such are the Saints persons separated from the world and set apart unto God The Church in general which is a company of Saints is taken out of and severed from the world The Church is a fountain sealed and a Garden inclosed so also every particular Saint is a person severed and inclosed from the common throng and multitude of the world 2 Cor. 6.17 Or thus A Saint is an holy one or a person called to holinesse having the perfect holinesse of Christ put upon him by imputation of faith and the quality of imperfect holinesse poured into his heart by the spirit of sanctification Unless even ancient professors saith a Divine look very well to themselves they may take a great deal of pâ—ins and when all comâ— to all after all their praying fasting hearing c. they may be found to be nothing in the world but men that walk after the flesh that is according to the refined and well educated Principles of old Adam Men may be Ishmaels brought up in Isaach's family and yet be built upon Mount Sinai when all is done Now the way that God judgeth of all men is as they are the Children either of the old or of the new Adam and not as men do according to such a proportion of strictness in their lives for the Pharisees went beyond many weak Professours in common righteousness Saints therefore are not to be judged according to some kind of holinesse they may come up to but according to the Principles they walk by either as they walk according to the flesh or according to the Spirit And thus Paul distinguisheth Saints and others 2 Cor. 5.16 Saints are called Eagles for their 1. Delight in high flying 2. Sharp-sightednes and stedfast looking into the sun of righttousness 3. Singular sagacity in smelling out Christ and resenting things above 4. Feeding upon the bloody sacrifice of Christ Mat. 24.28 Saints must walk in a divers way to a world of wicked people as Noah did really reproving their darkness by his light Solus ipse diversâ ambulavit viâ Chrys their pride by his lowliness their vain-glory by his modesty their ostentation by his secret devotion Not onely Planet-like keeping a constant counter-motion to the corrupt manners of the most but also shining forth fair with a singularity of heavenly light spiritual goodness and Gods sincere service in the darkest mid-night of damned impiety True Saints of God are earthly Angels So Chrysostom calleth Paul Angelum terrestrem And Dr. Taylor Martyr blessed God that ever he came in company with that Angel of God John Bradford Aâ—â— Mon. Saints may be called Heaven and that in a double respect 1. Because God is said to dwell in the Saints they are his habitation And wheresoever God dwells he makes a Heaven 2. Because the Saints not onely those of Heaven but they on earth have their conversation in heaven Phil. 3.20 So that as carnal and earthly minded men are called earth because their hearts and conversations are fixed to the earth so spiritual and heavenly-minded men may be called Heaven because their hearts and conversations are fixed in heaven Thus Saints are glorious wonderful magnificent Princes in all lands of an excellent spirit more excellent than their neighbours A Crown of glory a
stupendious and admirable and is remembred by many ancient writers Yea the seven wonders of the world were wonderfull being made meerly for a name But well did Agathocles who caused his statue to be composed on this manner Caput de auro innuendo regis dignitatem brachia de ebore Plutarch intimando ejus venustatem Caetera linimenta de aere denotando strenuitatem Pedes verò de terra indicando ejus fragilitatem shewing man hath no firmer foundation than mutability here to ground upon Only heaven is a City which hath foundations whose Maker and builder is God Hebr. 11.10 Beautiful for scituation was Jerusalem in the midst of Judea and Judea in the midst of the earth Sananturilli qui illic infirmi conveniunt the very center and navel of the habitable world say the Fathers Moreover in a cold dry and clear air insomuch as they who come thither weak are made well saith Kimchi Called not only the joy of the whole land because thither the Tribes went up three times a year nor only of the East whereof Jerusalem was held and call'd the Queen Vrbium totius Orientis clarissima but also of the whole earth Psal 48.2 Lumen totius orbis as one calleth it But what is this to the heavenly Jerusalem whose pavement is pure gold and her walls garnished with all precious stones Some define the perpendicular altitude of the highest mountains to be four miles others fifteen furlongs Not far from Geneva is the mountain Jura whose top is much above the clouds The Church also is resembled to a mountain Propter 1. Altitudinem 2. Securitatem 3. Ascendendi difficultatem 4. Immobilitatem Mons à movendo by Antiphrasis quia minime movet The Church is as mount Zion that standeth fast for ever and cannot be removed What then is the excellency of the Church triumphant When Saint Peter was on mount Tabor where he saw but a glimmering of the joyes of heaven he was so ravished with it that he cried out Master it is good for us to be here let us here make our Tabernacles When the Emperor Severus souldiers were for greater pomp in a triumph to put on Crowns of Bayes one Christian souldier wore his on his arme refusing to put it on his head and being demanded the reason answered Non decet Christianum in hac vita coronari Upon this occasion Tertullian wrote his book De corona militis Eternal life is called a Crown for its 1. Perpetuity for a Crown hath neither beginning nor ending 2. Plenty as the Crown compasseth on every side so there is nothing wanting in this life 3. Dignity eternal life is a Coronation-day What a rise is here for dust and ashes to be raised to the glory of heaven As the Disciples said did not our hearts burn Do not your hearts leap to think of a Crown Si tanta If the soul saith Austin be content to suffer so much to enjoy things that are made to perish how much more should we be content to suffer for that that cannot perish If men will suffer so much for the flesh what should we suffer for the immortality of the soul for the gaining of heaven for the Crown That was the Motto of the Emperor when he had one Crown upon the sword and the other Crown was on his head Tertiam in Caelis The Sain's may have the Crown of tribulation here but the other Crown the Crown of life that is for another world Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried Jam. 1.12 he shall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Wicked ones may have many times some flashings of joy but when in the height of it they are then big-bellied and ready to travel of some sorrow contrariwise Christs servants have many griefs and qualmes come over their heart but it is then with them as with women near their time of bringing forth they are in travel with some joy And yet our joy will never be full till we come to enjoy the beatifical vision Our joy here is only in hope and expectation nor can it be full till we come to the fruition of what we expect Hence it is that all we have here is but a tast then we shall drink deep of the river of pleasure Now we have only the first-fruits hereafter our joy shall be as the joy of harvest Now the joy of the Lord enters into us but then it is we shall enter into the joy of the Lord and be as it were swallowed up in the boundlesse ocean of that joy The place of Celestial glory in space is most ample in matter most sumptuous in shew most glorious whose foundations are precious stones and the whole City of most pure gold the gates of Smaragds and Saphires the streets of no lesse price and beauty There is no darknesse for the Sun of righteousnesse which knows not to be hid doth ever send his beams into it Now if the fabrick of the earth which it but a stable for beasts an exile and valley of tears hath so much beauty that it strikes him that contemplates it into admiration and astonishment if the Sun the Moon and Starres shine with such brightnesse what shall then our heavenly Country do not the habitation of servants but of sons not of beasts but of blessed souls How amiable are thy dwellings O Lord of hosts There is nothing present that offends nothing absent that delights Quicquid amabitur aderit nihil desiderabitur quod aberlt Bern. In which place or Quier sit Angels Archangels Principalities powers Dominions Vertues Thrones Cherubims and Seraphims whereof there is such a multitude that Daniel saith Thousand thousands serve him ten hundred thousand assist him Where are all the Patriarch Prophets Apostles Martyrs Virgins Innocents so many that John said they could not be numbred Prefer not then the pleasures of this life which are momentany before eternal Bern. What delights us in this world is transitory but the sorrow that shall ensue upon it is to all eternity The mark at which the Saints should shoot is to be configured to Christs transfiguration Tum Deus implebit animam rationalem lute sapientiae concupiscibilem justitiae irascibilem perfectâ tranquilitate Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man 1 Cor. 2.9 the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Gehenna That there is an Hell is not only clear from testimony of Scripture Deut. 32. Psal 9.18 Psal 11.6 Matth. 23.33 2 Pet. 2.3 4. Jude 6. Facilis descensus Averni c. Virgil. Aeneid l. 6. But also of very Heathens themselves who though they could not tell distinctly as never being acquainted with the Word yet by the glimmering light of Nature they had some fancies and apprehensions of this place of the damned Hence they had one called Pluto the chief person in hell
body whereof Christ is the head Be we then exhorted as sensible of being in the presence of God to the love one of another which as learned Scaliger defines it Appetitus unionis Scaliger Exercitation a desire and inclination to a quiet union Charity is the soveraign preservative of peace and nothing makes us more like God than it saith one As all things are fill'd with his goodness so the universal is partaker of the good mans spreading love Let me also dehort from malice and envie which is a grand enemy to peace Invidia siculi non invenere Tyranni majut tormentum the Sicilian tyrants never invented a more cruel a more cursed torment Give it no countenance no harbour for it ever thirsteth after revenge and attributes to it self what belongs to God vengeance It is like Vipers wine which being drunk will never leave working until it discover it self and those intestine humours that depend upon it by stirring up strifes for hatred stirreth up strifes Prov. 10.12 Pliny Nat. Hist lib. 8. cap. 28. Mark the monstrous nature of this unnatural humour whereas all plants and other creatures have their growth and increase to a period and then their declination and decay except only the Crocodile Dalington in his Aphorism who ever groweth bigger and bigger even till death as Plinie did observe So saith ingenious Dalington have all passions and perturbations in the mind of man their intentions and remissions increase and decrease except only malicious revenge for this the longer it lasteth the stronger it waxeth and worketh still even when the maligne humour of avarice and ambition are setled or spent And would you know how this Crocodile-like sin growes bigger and bigger I will tell you It is Galens observation Galenus ' that when a humour is strong and predominant it not only converteth his proper nutriment but even that which is apt for contrary humours into its own nature and quality Of like force is this strong and wilful vice it not only feeds upon agreeable motions but makes even those reasons which are strongest against it to be most for it and so swells immeasurably big If therefore any one be troubled with this malady whereby this peace of Christians is disquieted I will give him a receipt of a medicine taken out of St. Cyprian which will cure him Venena fellis evome Cypr. lib. de Zelo livere discordiarum virus exclude purgetur mens quam serpentinus livor infecerat amaritudo omnis qua intus insederat Christi dulcedine leniatur Disgorge thy self of the poyson of thy gall cast out the venome of discords purge thy mind which is infected with serpentine envie and let all bitternesse which setled in thy heart be gently mittigated with the sweetnesse with the meeknesse of Christ Jesus It is the voice of God Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart Levit. 19.17 1 Joh. 3.15 Eph. 4.31 32 Homo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nec minum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tremelius of Cranmer he that hateth his brother is a murderer and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him This may somewhat satiate and allay the boiling heat of a revengeful mind Lest then this sin kill your souls following the Apostles counsel let all bitternesse and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice and be ye kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even at God for Christs sake hath forgiven you For Christs sake then in the bowels of compassion forgive and forget all offences Cyprian 1. Forgive Demittentur tibi debita quando ipse dimiseris accipientur sacrificia cum pacificus ad Deum veneris saith Cyprian Thy sins shall be forgiven thee of God when thou forgivest other thy sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving shall be acceptable to the Almighty when thou shalt come peaceably before him Xenophon No mercy shall be shewed to them that shew no mercy 2. Forget Xenophon reports of Trasibulus that after he recovered his countrey he ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a forgetfulness of all injuries as indeed not worth keeping in mind the part truly of a generous spirit and heroick disposition which may well befit the best Christian to imitate O let Abrahams speech to Lot beget in every one of us ever hereafter a well grounded resolution of preserving peace Let there be no strife between me and thee for we be brethren saith he Religion tyes us beside reason to keep and maintain the Kings peace on earth if we will have the peace of Kings in heaven I have read of one Archidamus being chosen to decide a controversie between two that disagreed being sworn to stand to his judgment I lay this injunction upon you that neither of you depart this place until ye be reconciled to each other The like charge I lay on all Chistians by authority from heaven that at least ye depart not this life but in peace having your hearts cleansed from the leaven of malice and hypocrisie and filled with Christian amity and brotherly love I charge you as Joseph did his brethren at their departure from him see that ye fall not out by the way Ye are in the way to heaven go close together as hand in hand so heart in heart until you come to your journeys end heaven Now for a conclusion of the point I will use the same prayer for you which Paul did for the Thessalonians 1 Thes 3.12 The Lord make you to encrease and to abound in love one towards another and towards all men And thus much concerning Civil peace The second is Ecclesi astical the peace of the Church which is interrupted either by Heresie or Schisme Gal. 1.8 9. the one breeding dissention in Doctrine the other disorder in Discipline Against the authors and upholders of the first Saint Paul hath pronounced an Anathema If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received let him be accursed Against the abettors of the second it is his judicial and Apostolical sentence seperate them from among you As faction divides so infection devours the Church of God if not prevented We who are Messengers of peace ought to walk like Paul and Titus Eodem spiritu iisdem vestigiis in the same spirit touching faith in the same steps touching good life Acts 4.32 It was reported of the Beleevers that they were all of one mind and one heart Oh! I would to God that all of us that bring the message of peace in our mouths who should be the sons of peace and brethren of unity were so affected as to suppresse all pragmatical dispositions in us Beleeve me my brethren fiery spirits apter for innovation than administration become not the servants of Christ Jesus The principles of Religion which Hereticks call into question are infallible grounds where on we should build our faith not disputable points
whereon to found our Phanatick and furious alterations of hare-brain'd opinionists Deut. 27.17 They are like the fixed land-marks in the fields of our earthly inheritance the removing whereof is held accurst The Church of Christ is not to be reputed a common School for Sophisters to wrangle in but for Christs Disciples the faithful to be instructed in The Cannons also and constitutions of the Church concerning matters that are ceremonial and in themselves indifferent are not things to be slighted but to be obeyed God hath enabled the Church with authority to ordain what may tend to good and decent order which none ought to resist and shall any go about to disable it Let the Seperatist who upon such simple reasons as are alledged by him spurrs at the grave authority of the Church take heed that he deprive not himself of the communion of Saints through his sullen segregation and out of a needlesse nicety as one speaks be a thief to himself of those benefits which God hath allowed him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him take heed be have not a bare shew of piety and deny the power thereof Nothing is more pestilent to the Church of God than froward wilfulness covered with fained holiness the one in disturbing Religion the other in deceiving the professors thereof especially the vulgar sort who judging according to the outward appearance which sometime beguileth the most prudent do verily think the most zealous in profession to be most religious in conversation when alas it is not so We may remember what Christ said of Wolves being in sheeps cloathing and what the Apostle too of Satans transforming into an Angel of light For mine own part I have ever vowed my study to be to studie to be quiet and to submit my self to reverent order I know how dangerous a thing it is to be a Church-rebel The Lord speaking of the Church of the Gentiles Cap. ult 12. said by the Prophet Isaiah I will extend peace to her like a river Who now should dare to stop the current which the Lord hath made and to instinge the peace that the highest hath decreed But to let this passe Besides this the Papists insult and triumph to see those those that professe themselves brethren to be at such deadly fewd among themselves Manasses against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasses but both against Judah that is in their sense the Puritan against the Protestant the Protestant against the Puritan and both against the Papist Thinking our dissention a sufficient grace to their Church which maketh unity a special mark of verity I find that the end of Schisme is Heresie commonly the end of Heresie Atheisme the end of Atheisme utter desolation and destruction of soul and body And lastly when men through discontent because their brain may not rule cut themselves off from the Church and so transgress the sacred Lawes of Christian sosciety they are spiritually dead It is S. Aug assertion Spiritus humanus nunquam vivificat membra nisi fuerint unitd Aug. de Civ Dei sic Spiritus sanctus nunquam vivificat membra Ecclesiae nisi fuerint in pace unita The soul of man never quickens but those parts that are united so neither doth the holy Ghost but those members of the Church that are at peace together Wherefore as in Solomons material temple all was covered with gold within and without so in Gods spiritual temple which temple we are let all be beautified with love and peace within and without Remember Christs coat was seamless let us not rent it in peices the souldiers did and what they did in it they did against Christ so Qui pacem Christi concordiam rumpit adversus Christum facit In lib. de unitat Eccl. saith Cyprian he that breaks the peace and concord of Christ opposeth Christ the authour of it I have read a speech of Cassiodorus worth noting Non inveniri potest expressior forma conversationes Angelieae quam unitas socialis Cassiodor in Psal There cannot be a more express form or a more perfect resemblance of an Angelical conversation than friendly unity Far be it then from any of our thoughts to fill the Church of Christ with destraction or in the least measure to oppose the peace thereof Lib. de cur◠Pastorali for it is most certainly true what Gregory the great saith Si Dei vocantur filij qui pacem faciunt proculdubio Satanae sunt filii qui pacem confundunt If they be called the sons of God that make peace and keep it Osiander questionless they are the sons of Satan that break it that confound it It was Osianders motion which I now make mine we are all one spiritual body let us therefore have all one spiritual mind It is unmeet that they should live at variance on earth who hope at last to meet and live together in heaven To conclude this whole point As those States are likely to flourish where execution follows good advice so is man when contemplation and attention are seconded by good action Contemplation and attention do generate Bernard action doth propagate without the first the latter is defective without the last the first is but abortive Barnard compares contemplation to Rachel which was more fair but action to Leah which was more fruitful Let me therefore for the mercies of Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1.10 exhort men to practice what I have now propounded With Paul I will beseech you to do it I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment With the same Paul I will pray for you Rom. 15.5 6. that ye do it Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that we may with one mind and one mouth glorify God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And thus much concerning the third kind of peace that by Christs coming came into the world which is peace one with another The last kind of peace comes now to be treated of which is peace with all Gods creatures of which succinctly After Adam had disobeyed God the creatures began to disobey Adam Enmity attends ever at the heeles of sin Rom. ◠The very creatures were sensible of mans apostasy being made subject by his offence unto vanity and therefore did they take their Creators part and turn enemy to rebellious man But as Christ our powerful Mediatour hath by his ever effectual obedience made our peace with God so by the same hath he made our peace with the Creatures All things work together for the good of those that are elect according to Gods purpose The Angels themselves who are the highest eminency and purest quality among creatures are reconciled to them that
pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved in whom we have redemption through his blood the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his grace wherein he hath abounded toward us The benefit that redounds to us by this is this in general that hereby we are made the brethren of Jesus Christ which principally consists in our conformity with him in righteousnesse and true holinesse Hence it is that we are 〈◊〉 with the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance called the Spirit of adoption and the Spirit of the Son because sons only are capable of it Talis Spiritus non datur servis sed solis filiis sons not servants are partakers of this Spirit sons not servants use to cry Abba Father There is a spirit of bondage which servants receive which Spirit ye have not received again to fear There is a Spirit of adoption assuring us of the liberty of sons by which we cry Abba Father Hence it is again that the righteousnesse of Christ is made ours Rom. 8.29 made ours by predestination by imputation on Gods part made ours by faith in apprehension in application on our parts for whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son that he might be the first-born among many beethren moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified And thus it comes about that we receive an inheritance in the heavens whereof albeit we are not as yet compleat possessors yet out title is good our interest firm in that the possession was purchased for us unto the praise of the glory of God and shall be given to us in the day of our full and our perfect redemption Stand fast therefore my beloved in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free children of the free-woman Citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem heirs of an eternal Kingdom Great is our dignity over that it was by nature ye were limbs of Satan servants to sin enemies to God sons of wrath but by the grace of adoption we are the members of Christ servants to righteousnesse friends nay more than friends the sons of God Be thankful therefore unto him honour him as sons let your obedience be joyned with all faithfulnesse unto the fulfilling of his will who hath in his infinite goodnesse made you his sons and taking from you the spirit of bondage hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without and. Amen SAINT PAUL'S Apology GALAT. 1.18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and abode with him fifteen dayes THere is no child to Gods Child no man to the man of God look what he saith what he doth he will make good maugre the hearts of his enemies Thus Moses resisted Corah Dathan and Abiram Numb 16. Thus Elijah opposed Ahabs and Jezabels bawsing Prophets of Baal 1 King 1.18 Thus Micajah withstood four hundred false Prophets 1 King 22. Thus our Saviour confounded the Scribes and Pharisees the Apostles the Jews and Paul here false Apostles and all by the same Spirit As there is a Spirit of truth so there is a spirit of lying God is said to put a lying spirit in the mouth of the false Prophets But here spirits of lying lye in the very hearts of some imaginary Apostles that blatter out they know not what against Paul but he graced and strengthened with the Spirit and grace of God would not be nonplust or put to silence with such facility he had spirit enough to oppose the false allegations of these deceitful brethren who endeavoured to pervert the Churches of Galatia to bring them from Christianity to Judaisme maintaining that circumcision and other ceremonies of the law were to be retained as necessary to salvation Alledging also that Pauls doctrine was no true doctrine in all points and what he had he had received from the Apostles at the second hand as well as they and therefore they teaching one thing and he another quite contrary to what they taught what reason had they to believe him more than them more in number But the Apostle in this chapter clears himself from the scandalous imputations of these insinuating Cavillers as we may see by taking a brief survey of the chapter which may guide us unto Paul's journey First he was an Apostle himself The people said of King Saul is Saul also among the Prophets So said the people of this Saul now Paul is not this he that persecuted the Church of God extreamly what is Paul also among the Apostles But now no more persecuting Paul but Paul an Apostle not of the Apostles making not of men neither by man why by whom then but by Jesus Christ and God the Father vers 1. First then he was an Apostle of Gods making As for his doctrine it was the Gospel he spake nothing but Gospel that which in time past he persecuted no other than that the Apostles preached and Christ taught the Apostles Hence he comes with a curse anathematizing them that offer to preach any other Gospel be he man or Angel vers 8 9. As for his teachers who they were that he answers in a word not man but God I received it by the Revelation of Jesus Christ vers 12. Again he shews how he was converted it was by Gods good pleasure calling him by grace vers 15. And to what end was he called that is briefly to reveale his Son in him that he might do the like unto others To reveale his Son in me that I might preach him among the Gentiles vers 16. When he was thus called he confer'd not with flesh and blood as too too weak to teach him he would not build on the sandy foundations of mans braine that shakes like a quagmire he would surer or none at all I confer'd not with flesh and blood I but some might except against that that he went up to Jerusalem and was conversant with the Apostles and so learned the Gospel by hear-say Nay that 's a lye neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were Apostles before me but I went into Arabia and returned into Damascus He went not up to Jerusalem indeed so suddenly but three years after his conversion he went thither to see Peter and abode with him fifteen dayes In the first three years space of his conversion he saw not an Apostle but when three years were past which was the matter of five or sixe years after the Passion of our Saviour the last year of the reigne of Tiberius or the beginning of Caligula's he went
head in every state and condition whether we consider his state or the state of the Church 1. If his he was head in the state of his humiliation whilest he was conversant among us here on earth so is he now in his state of exaltation unto glory sitting at the right hand of God the Father 2. In the state of the Church let it be in what state it may be Christ is the head thereof who will be with it even to the end of the world in prosperity in adversity in plenty in poverty in a wastful persecution in a flourishing peace Christ ruleth it Christ protecteth it And it being collected out of divers nations sects vocations and conditions of men Christ doth respect them all equally not for any sinister or worldly respect preferring one before another but receiving all in the bowels of mercy into one mystical body For of a truth he hath no respect of persons the outward or contingent conditions are not reflected upon but into whom the supernatural qualifications of the Spirit are infused be they Lazarusses or Vivesses be they Kings or Beggars be they Jews or Turks or Indian Christ Jesus is their head Last of all Christ Jesus is the head of the Church in all authority It is his own voice that said All power is given unto me both in heaven and in earth Undependent supremacy is proper unto him Hence is he stiled by St. John in the Revelation the King of Saints he exercising dominion over them and they promising professing performing all lawful obedience unto him In the 2. of Hebrewes 10. he is termed the Captain of our salvation which may have allusion unto that Josh 5.15 where he is called the Captain of the Lords host who as he beats down our enemies before us unweaponing them and dispossessing them of all forcible lability to lift up their heads against us so doth he environ and surround us about with his special grace and ever operative Providence as that we do obtain a most secure convoy to the land of the living which is the inheritance of the Saints in glory Life and death are at his most just diposing and none are exempted from awful subjection to his imperial Scepter His authority reacheth over all and the limits of his jurisdiction extend as far as his alsufficient and unresistible omnipotency Thus Christ is head of the Church in all places at all times in all states and conditions and in all authority I put a period to my discourse on this head passing over to the next the womans head And the head of the woman is the man The surpassing wisdom and power of the infinite Creator having made woman an help-meet for man whom he made ruler over all his creatures when he made him implyed by the subject-matter out of which she was made mans soveraignty over her So much also is intimated by the priority of time wherein Adam had being and existence before her upon which ground the Apostle frames this speech I suffer not a woman to usurp authority over the man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2.12 for Adam was first formed then Eve who in the processe of time becoming a pernicious help unto him by the cunning sleight of the subtil serpent wrought both their own overthrowes Whence the Apostle by way of Argument maintains mans principality over the woman Vxor mea tota in fermento est Said he in Plantus proceeding thus vers 13. and Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression whereof the woman being convicted by the righteous Judge of all the world to whom the secrets of all hearts are open in express terms delivers this positive and resolute determination of the case to put it out of all question Genes 3.16 Thy desire shall be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee God the first Author of the sacred bond of Matrimony hath by a definitive sentence ordered that the man shall be the head of the woman the husband of the wife In token whereof it was the custome among the Hebrewes that the wife when first presented to her husband covered her head with a vaile Rebecca took a vaile and covered her self Genes 24.65 and for this cause namely in sign of subjection ought the woman to have power over her head 1 Cor. 11.10 where by power Over all Muscovie it is a custome observed that a maid id time of woing sends to that suiter whom she chooseth for her husband a whip curiously wrought by her self in token of subjection unto him Heyl p. 347 Numb 5 1◠the Apostle understandeth a vaile Should any ask the question why he doth denote this vaile by the name of power especially seeing it was in token of subjection I reply that the Apostle being an Hebrew of the Hebrews might have respect unto the Hebrew word Radid signifying a vail which is derived from the root Radad to bear rule and authority and so might use the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power in the same sence the Hebrews did And intruth what was this subjection to the husband but a kind of power and protection derived unto the wife in comparison of her former state of virginity Wherefore in case her husband were jealous of her among other tokens of sorrow she was commanded to stand at her trial with her head uncovered intimating thereby that if she could not then clear her-self she was from thence forward deprived of all power which before she enjoyed by her husband Now for further satisfactory information in this point my discourse shall be divided into two rarts 1. The one containing the respects wherein the man is the womans head 2. The other the mutuall good offices to be performed by both to each other For the former the man is the head of the woman 1. In respect of discrepancy flowing from the several properties of an head differencing it from all and every singular part of the body 2. In respect of congruity and agreement effected by a uniformity radicated and established in the very nature and essence of the head and members by the immutable law of the Omnipotent God As for the first the respect of discrepancy it is fourfold The head differs from the members in regard of eminency and dignity so man from the woman hence the government of the woman is committed to the man Equity pleads for it for from him she first received her nature her name her honour Her nature she was framed out of the rib of man and 't is a Maxime in the art of reason that Causa est potior effectu the cause doth exceed the effect in excellence Her name she shall be called woman saith Adam for she was taken out of man Her honour in that she is one flesh with man they both shall be one flesh from which unity doth issue a communication of honour For if one member be honoured all the rest rejoyce
Decalogus explicatus a living Decalogue his life is a comment on the commandments He walks up to his principles and priviledges answering his Gospel-light with a Gospel life Ille plus didicit quiplus facit A grain of grace is better than many pounds of gifts Obedience is better than sacrifice These lead to the top of all which is blessednesse This man shall be blessed in his deed Mark this against the Papists the Apostle doth not say for but in his deed 'T is an evidence of our blessednesse though not the ground of it the way though not the cause There is a blessednesse annexed to obedience not for the works sake but out of the mercy of God see then that we so carry as that we may come within the compasse of the blessing His disciples were more blessed in hearing Christ than his mother in bearing him Luke 11.28 DECVS SANCTORVM OR THE Saints Dignity PSAL. 149.9 This honour have all his Saints HOnor Christianorum Crux Christi The Cross of Christ is the Christians glory God forbid that any of Christs flock should glory in any thing save in the Cross of Christ There is pain indeed but there is pleasure too the pain is outward but the pleasure inward the pain is for a moment lasting but the pleasure time out of mind everlasting There is trouble in the Cross but hold out unto the end and the consequence of it will be rest world without end All afflictions are but light in comparison of that exceeding and eternal weight of glory that crowns them Besides the joy of the Holy Ghost is wrought in the hearts of the afflicted members of Jesus Christ weighs down the burden of that sorrow that is laid upon them Hence it is that they faint not for though the outward man perish yet is the inward man renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 It is an infallible Maxim dictated by Gods Spirit That they that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 1 Cor. 4.12 13. But observe the magnanimity of the Martyrs Though they be reviled yet they bless though they be persecuted yet they suffer it though they be defamed yet they bless though their blood run down about their ears yet they rejoice forasmuch as they are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed they may be glad also with exceeding joy For whosoever suffereth reproach or any kind of persecution for the name of Christ keeping a good conscience happy are they for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon them and God on their part is glorified The Church of God which is the Congregation of Saints is compared to a City which is besieged ab hostibus oppugnatur non expugnatur which is assaulted but not vanquisht by any adverse power the gates of hell cannot prevail against it 1 Pet. 4.13 14. The Bush that Moses in a vision saw burning but not consuming did signifie the Church of God then in Egypt burning in the fiery furnace of tribulation yet free from consumption You may easily conceive the reason God was there Here am I said he to Moses Where the Lord is there is safety No power can destroy that which is supported by the highest power Vritur non comburitur the bush the Church doth burn but consumes not away it is preserved for greater glory and greater glory reserved for it For no doubt but the Saints the holy ones of the Holy One of Israel shall at length have the upper hand of their enemies Principalities powers and dominions do set themselves against them but what of that Principalities powers and dominions must submit unto them Wherefore Let the Saints be joyful in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds let the high praises of God be in their mouth and a two-edged sword in their hand to execute vengeance upon the heathen and punishments upon the people to bind their Kings with chains and their Nobles with fetters of iron to execute upon them the judgment written This honor have all his Saints Observe in these words these three parts 1. A Subject and that is Gods Saints 2. An Attribute which is a special honour proper and peculiar to the Saints exprest in the precedent words and here implied This honour 3. The latitude and extent of this attribute of honour all Gods Saints are partakers of it This honour have all his Saints The Subject must be the first subject of my discourse There are two sorts of Saints 1. Seeming Saints and 2. Real Saints Seeming Saints are whose Religion is terminated in outward appearances None can have a fairer outside none a fouler inside Whereupon our Saviour compares them by the name of Hypocrites to painted sepulchres and others give them the plausible appellation of white Devils Painted sepulchres are glorious without but within nothing visible but rottenness White Devils appear like Angels of light but do but search them and you shall find them Angels of darkness Devils though white as the Devil would have it and as the Negro's paint him as a colour contrary to their own Multa videntur quae non sunt Many good things appear by them but not one good thing can be found in them Our Saviour deciphered them by the name of Wolves in Sheeps clothing harmless in profession but in truth of a wolvish disposition like those in the Revelasion that said they were Jews and were not but the Synagogue of Satan These are Saints in the Devils name and of his making whose damnation is just and from whom good Lord deliver us Let us leave them as nothing to do with this Text nor this Text with them which hath only to do with Gods Saints And take this note with you Si vita sanctâ—rum nobis acerit appellatio sanctorum nihi proderit saith reverend Davenant The name of Saints will nover do us good if we lead not the good life of Saints There are real Saints Saints of God and they are Saints two ways 1. By Imputation 2. By Renovation By Imputation for to them the sanctity and righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed in which respect the Saints gone were the Saints living are perfect in this lise John 17.19 Ephes 5.27 Tales nos amat Deus quales futuâ—i sumus ipsius dono non quales sumus nostro merito Saith an Ancient Councel For the holiness of our dear Saviour in a bottomless mercy and goodness imputed to them is in it self most perfect Of this our Saviour speaks when he saith For their sakes sanctifie I my self that they also may be sanctified through the truth And the Apostle delivers this doctrine thus That Christ loved his Church and he gave himself for it that he might sanctifie it and present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Were it not that they are not imputed and that Christs righteousness is
hast found favour with thy Saviour the Son of God This is that disciple commonly called the disciple whom the Lord loved into whose hands as a sure pledge of his love as Potipher did to Joseph finding favour in his sight he made him overseer over his house and all that he had he put into his hands Gen. 39. he committed I say unto his charge as with the rest of the Apostles the oversight of his house his Church so especially to him alone upon the cross making himself ready to appease the wrath of his Father the protection of his mother as if he had said love me love my mother for behold thy mother John 19. Now the same exhortation that I used before I use again this third time be ye followers of him also as he was of Christ Jesus and ye shall be gracious and graciously accepted in the sight of God Set these three before you for example and ye shall be supplanters of sin and able to trip up the devils heeles and prevall with God for a blessing ye shall be stones like Davids pebble slung at Goliath able to dash Satan that he shall not have a word to speak against you or power to hurt you you shall be the gracious children of the most high in a word ye shall be as they were Pillars in the Temple of God And thus I come to the description of these three Apostles James Cephas and John who seemed to be pillars It was Christ's question whereunto shall we liken the Kingdom of God Mark 4. or with what comparison shall we compare it According unto which frame another whereunto shall we liken the Apostles of Christ or with what comparison shall we compare them I omit many that of Shepheards that of Overseers or that of faithfull Stewards in Gods house and such like onely I insist on this in the text Pillars who seemed to be Pillars The Apostles then whom I may rightly terme Gen. 32.2 as Jacob did the Angels that met him Gods hoast are like unto pillars in this first viz. Pillars are not the foundation but laid on the foundation Here then observe that neither Peter nor any of the Apostles nor altogether can be truly called fundamentum Ecclesiae Dei the foundation of Gods Church it is Christ's own prerogative royal to be the foundation the head of his people Psal 18.2 hence saith the Anointed of the God of Jacob the Lord is my rock my fortresse and my deliverer 2 Sam. 22.1 Cor. 3.11 for who is God save the Lord and who is a rock save our God Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ so that we need not go to Rome to seek a foundation for we are built upon the foundation that is the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner-stone Eph. 2.21 22. agreeing with that Isa 28.16 Behold I lay in Zion a chief corner-stone elect precious in whom saith the Apostle farther all the building fitly framed together consisting of Jew and Gentile whom Christ the corner-stone knits together groweth into an holy temple in the Lord. This Temple is made of stones 1 Pet. 2.4 5. and stones like Christ living stones not like Nabal whose heart is said to have died within him and to become a stone stone-dead but they are living-stones full of life and spirit to whom coming as unto a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Thus the Church of God is all stone-work therefore strong and firme as appeareth verse 6. but by faith he that believeth in him shall not be confounded True it is Rev. 21. Immota manet According to the Ven tian Motto Nec fluctu nec flatu movetur that the wall of the New Hierusalem is said to have twelve foundations and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb but the meaning is mystical One foundation and twelve names written thereon one Christ preached by the twelve Apostles therefore called twelve foundations not twelve distinctly and severally but one with twelve names As Paul saith like a wise master-builder I have laid the foundation so might the rest of the Apostles say and thus in number twelve indeed but one If this satisfie not put a distinction between the first and principal foundation and second and lesse principal these are Pillars fixt on the first improperly called foundation The Apostles again are like unto Pillars sustinendo aedificium Domini in supporting the Church of God that spiritual edifice Wisdom saith the wise man in the Proverbs hath hewen her out seven pillars Prov. 9.1 according to the sevenfold operation of the Spirit which Saint Bernard reduceth unto these Fear Piety Knowlege Counsel Fortitude Understanding Wisdom Christ the Wisdom of the Father so termed hath hewen him out twelve Pillars twelve Apostles for the strengthning for the supporting of his Church by the sevenfold operation of his Spirit Dagon the god of the Philistines cannot stand 1 Sam. 5. troubled with the falling-sicknesse while the Ark of God is present So these false brethren Paul's accusers down they must with a vengeance in the presence of these three pillars wherein was written the Law of the Lord as Gods ten Commands in the two tables of stone 2 Sam 7.12 And here they shew themselves to be Eben-ezers stones of help such as Samuel set between Mispeh and Shen Therefore be strong in the Lord. Strong Pillars they were Veritatem confirmando errores refutando these were the Apostles acts as ye may find in the Acts of the Apostles I name one place for all and for all one man Paul Acts 9.22 But Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Jewes that dwelt in Damascus and hence they are called Saviours Saviours shall come upon Mount Sion Obadiah 21. This is it that Paul saith of a Bishop that he must be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince the gainsayers Tit. 1.9 't is not sufficient to resist Satan and his complices stedfast in the faith as the Apostle Peter exhorts 1 Pet. 5.9 but there must be a conquest Rev. 3.12 there must be a conqueror Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God That this be done persiste vinces stand stedfast and thou shalt overcome Resist the Devil and he will shew you a paire of heeles he will flie Be ye stedfast and unmovable Many Pillars susteined the Tabernacle whose Chapiters and Bases were of gold the middle part were done about with silver The golden Chapiters and Bases set forth Christ the silver part the Apostles and the faithful Columnaes si fueris in firma fide argentea si divini fueris usu instructus Sermonis faith
the Word they feed all Nations by two and two to signifie the calling of two people Jew and Gentile Rom. 3.29 The Jews thought that God was confined unto them Is he the God of the Jews onely is not he also of the Gentiles yes of the Gentiles also Therefore our Saviour sent them as well to the Gentile as to the Jew They are likened to the bells of the High-Priest they depend on the vertue of the Eternal Priest after the order of Melchisedeck Psal 19. Rom. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that as the Psalmist reports there is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard their sound went into all the carth and their words unto the ends of the world They are like the middle bar in the midst of the boards in the Tabernacle which reach from end to end Exod. 26.28 They are the Chariots of the Lord Bernard who by saith hope and charity carry the Trinity through the world Non corporis praesentiâ sed mentis providentia saith Bernard not in bodily presence but in the wisdom of the mind providing for future things like Ezekiels chariot going to the four corners of the world Quae regio in terras nostri non plena laboris Thus Christ sent Now a little of the Apostles sending That they should go unto the Gentiles and we unto the Circumcision Nihil hîc statuunt Apostoli quod non ante statuit Deus Here the Apostles ordain nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith a Greek Father that was not preordained of God It was Gods own voice to Ananias Paul is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel Act. 9.15 Paul was Gods chief Hearld the Gospels loudest Trumpeter It was Gods own voice unto Paul himself I will send thee far unto the Gentiles Act. 22.21 It was Gods voice unto the Prophets and Teachers that were at Antioch Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them Act. 13.12 Whereupon they immediately went and preached unto the Gentiles And here note the wisdom of God Paul a Gentile full of wisdom was sent here unto the Gentiles who sought for wisdom Peter a Jew excellent for working miracles sent unto the Jews who sought always for miracles and signs a sign of their infidelity all working togeher for the good of his elect of one mind when farthest asunder Now seeing the Jews have rejected the yoke of Christ and the Gentiles of whom we are a part have taken it on them We may say of them as they sometime of us We have a little sister and she hath no breasts Amazon-like she hath one breast the Old Testament but wants the other the chief breast the New Let us pray for them as they did for us that they may hear Christ crying out aloud to the Church Cant. 6. Return return O Shulamite return return that we may look upon thee and see as it were the company of two Armies the one of Jews the other of Gentiles all one Church one flock We pray thee then O Heavenly Father to call the uncalled Jew and Gentile to comfort the comfortless and to make an end of these dayes of sin wherein we live and cause our Saviour to appear in the clouds for our full and perfect Redemption Do it for his sake that died for us To whom with Thee and thy Holy Spirit be given all glory As it was in the beginning so now and ever shall be world without end Amen FINIS Deo soli Gloria ERRATA PAg. 5. lin 18. read earth p. 6. l. 17. r. us p. 7. l. 13. carnal p. 9. l. ult place p. 11. l. 1. then Marg. r. via p. 13. l. 46. ipse p. 14. l. 35. recusat vivere marg r. diligere p. 15. l. 6. that l. 10. replenisht l. 14. through marg absit p. 16. l. 16. loquentes p. 17. l. 37. Jerusalem p. 18. m. infimis p. 23. l. 42. Man p. 25. l. 9. vertue l. 10. godliness p. 27. l. 5. offence p. 28. l. pen. to p. 31. l. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 marg in uudis p. 32. l. ult with p. 34. l. 6. parvae l. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 35. m. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 37. l. 34. conversationis l. 36. distraction l. 48. Spirit l. 49. Bernard p. 46. l. 43. good p. 50. l. 7. eum p. 53. l. 1. know p. 72. r. generatione l. 44. in p. 73. l. 41. Spirit l. 45. add of p. 74. m. ille p. 77. l. 51. grants p. 78. m. vocis p. 79. l. 19. nothing l. 48. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 80. l. 24. add may p. 81. l. 27. add are p. 84. l. 49. r. sapientissimum p. 96. l. 14. through p. 100. l. 50. either p. 106. l. 19. r. Divesses p. 107. l. 16. parts l. 47. his p. 108. l. 47. she p. 109. l. 44. indifferent p. 113. l. 16. get l. 19. then marg ornamento p. 114. l. 7. vox l. 30. placed p. 115. marg calce p. 129. Mercury p. 130. l. 23. add in l. 31. mercies marg vulgatissima p. 131. m. introspicere p 134. l. 30. r. thence p. 135. l. 52. commends p. 136. m. egerint p. 140. l. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 142. m. ratis p. 148. l. 19. r. columna es A TABLE Of the Principal THINGS contained in the EXERCITATIONS A. ADam's fall what misery to mankind Pag. 4 Angels rejoyce at the good of Gods Church Pag. 18 What to be admired in God Pag. 20 Ardency in prayer how grounded Pag. 79 80 Ground of our Adoption Pag. 81. Benefit of it Pag. 81 82 Gods dearest children subject to Afflictions Pag. 117 God sends not Angels but Men-Angels to preach the Word why Pag. 128 Apostles called Pillars why Pag. 147 forward B. THe glory of our Saviours Body and Soul in his state of Exaltation Pag. 58 Brittle estate of man Pag. 85 Bishop what Pag. 126 Baseness of the Popish Clergy Pag. 135 Blessedness Pag. 136 C. GOD would have mens hearts prepared for Christ Pag. 4 Christ ordered our High-Priest by Covenant Pag. 6 Purity of Christs conception Pag. 12 Peace of Conscience what it produceth in man Pag. 31 32 Civil peace Pag. 33. Peace with the Creatures Pag. 38 Converts stand upon firmer terms in Christ than before their first declination Pag. 40 Christs cruel conflict upon the Cross Pag. 59 The best in this life partly carnal Pag. 71 Comfort unspeakable a benefit of the Spirit Pag. 75 Crying of the Spirit in our hearts Pag. 77 forward Crying in prayer what ibid. and forward Calling not to be neglected Pag. 87 Christ the Head of the Church how Pag. 104 forward Pag. 145 Cross of Christ Pag. 137 Conflict and Conquest of Saints Pag. 141 forward D. CHrist must die a cursed Death Pag. 8. His Dignity Pag. 15 16 A Doxology Pag. 18 Our divisions cause Papists insult Pag. 37 The
imputed to them many were the spots and wrinkles of the Saints whilst here militant Sanctity imports among other things a cleansing from impurity whence Isidore Sancti quasi sanguine tincti Saints are so called because they are sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanseth from all sin Who were antiently purified were sprinkled with the blood of the Sacrifice so now the Saints with the blood of the Son of God who gave himself for them to God an Offering and a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour the righteousness and merits of which Sacrifice are made theirs by assignment Assignata est homini aliena justitia quia caruit suâ Bernard saith Bernard The righteousness of another is allotted and assigned unto man because he lost his own conferr'd on him of God Since mans first apostacy and fall from God none could ever be perfect Saints in this world without the perfect rightcousness of Christ which perfects them alone to whom it is imputed who being in Christ Jesus are considered as one mystical person with him who is their Head from whom floweth all perfection by whom remission of sin is compassed and through whom freedom from condemnation eternally is obtained Thus Gods Saints are Saints by Imputation whom I believe in Christ to be no sinners and therefore not guilty of death but just and holy and lords over both sin and death and assured heirs of everlasting life The Saints of God are Saints by Renovation For to whom God sent forth his Son into the world to redeem them God sends forth the Spirit of his Son into their hearts to sanctifie them which Sanctity wrought by the Spirit of grace and Word of God is a quality or qualification newly created in their hearts whereby the Image of God which was lost by the fall of Adam is again restored and the corruption of sin by degrees abolished the working grace of the blessed Spirit never ceasing until by a transcendent operation it mould and frame them to righteousness and true holiness Hence they are called new creatures whose intentions and actions are conformed to the exact rule of hóliness Gods most holy Word and the unerring directions of his renewing Spirit Saints thus by Renovation have in them a twofold grace and righteousness Viz. 1. Inherent grace 2. Actual grace The inherent grace or righteousness of the Saints doth not originally arise out of the principles of Nature but of Gods free grace not of their own industrious acquisition but of Gods favorable infusion Hereby the tyranny of sin was and is suppressed in them and the violence of their natural corruption inclined to mischief by the predominancy of a more effectual grace habituated in them kept in order and subjection Hereby the ruines of our nature are repaired and we by the quickning power of the God of life therein graciously revived Hereby all Gods Saints are disposed and enabled to perform his injunctions and made acceptable in the Beloved without whom inherent grace or sanctity is neither permanent nor operative for in Christ and by Christ alone the Saints are what they are and do what good they do The actual righteousness of the Saints of God is that conformity which their actions proceeding from the habit of grace wrought in them by the Spirit of sanctification dwelling in their hearts have to Gods law This is moral yet the beginning the progression and the finishing of it proceeds from the Supreme Author of all good Nulli sunt conatus nostri ad bonum si non excitentur vani si non adjuventur We never bend our endeavours and forces to the performance of any good thing if not excited and all are but vain if not supported For who is sufficient for these things that God exacts if God enable not His grace is sufficient for us and without it we insufficient for them The Saints work out their salvation with fear and trembling but by the help of God that worketh in them both to will and to do of his good pleasure By the efficacy of his al sufficient working they exercise themselves unto godliness and apply their hearts to his service Hence they are called Vessels of honour and Temples of the Holy Ghost sequestred from all others for the service of the Lord and honour of his holy Name It is to honour and to serve him that the Saints are by Baptism admitted into the Church Nazianzen whence Nazianzen describes Baptism to be Pactum vitae purioris cum Deo A compact made by man with God to lead an undefiled life and not to walk in the way of sinners Sanctity I conceive to be like a Diametrical line in a Circle constituting two distinct Hemispheres of men differencing the good from the bad the Saints from the Wicked whereby we and all men who are the Saints of God now in being are advertised to eschew the society of Atheists Blasphemers Drunkards Adulterers Idolaters and all malefactors and to tread in the pure footsteps of the blessed Saints in their heavenly hemisphere composing our selves to keep within the Compass into which no Devil can have admittance We are men if Saints of another and a better world and must not fashion our selves according unto this It is reported of the people of Lorain Heyl. Geâ—gâ— That they participate of the French Complement and German Drinking I fear it may be reported of too many of us and that report too true That we participate of the French Complement and German Drinking of the Spaniards Oppression and Cruelty of the Italians Whoring of the Turks Atheism of the Jews Avarice of the Papists Superstition of Machiavels Perfidiousness and many others evil heapt up in the pack of mischief But these things become not Saints they stand in opposition to their conditions such men are Antipodes to the Godly walking contrary unto them Wherefore lay aside all uncleanness of the flesh let not the phantastick pleasures of this bewitching world besot your souls neither come you into the assembly of the wicked whom the world may stile but with a false glosse Men of renown Chrysost It is Chrysostom's speech on the 24. of Matthew Sanctorum est non inquirere mansiones ubi clariores sunt viri fed ubi fideliores nec gaudent ubi epulae sunt largae fed ubi storet sanctitas It is not the property of Saints to desire to dwell in those mansions where the more famous men of this world resort but where the more faithful dwell neither delight they to be where dainties are in abundance but where sanctity and holiness doth most flourish Like Moses that chose rather to live miserably with the opressed Israelites than deliciously in the Court of Pharach among swaggering Gallants Be ye thus minded as becometh Saints Set up your rest where Religion flourisheth where Piety is practised where good works performed where Grace reigneth and be ye as they holy and do as they do good otherwise God will