Selected quad for the lemma: soul_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
soul_n nature_n person_n union_n 4,088 5 9.9328 5 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A63067 A commentary or exposition upon the four Evangelists, and the Acts of the Apostles: wherein the text is explained, some controversies are discussed, divers common places are handled, and many remarkable matters hinted, that had by former interpreters been pretermitted. Besides, divers other texts of Scripture which occasionally occur are fully opened, and the whole so intermixed with pertinent histories, as will yeeld both pleasure and profit to the judicious reader. / By John Trapp M. A. Pastour of Weston upon Avon in Gloucestershire. Trapp, John, 1601-1669.; Trapp, Joseph, 1601-1669. Brief commentary or exposition upon the Gospel according to St John. 1647 (1647) Wing T2042; ESTC R201354 792,361 772

There are 6 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

dancing When the Lord turned again the captivity of his people they were like them that dream Psal. 126 1. And Peter enlarged could scarce beleeve his own eyes with such an extasie of admiration was he rapt upon that deliverance Oh then how should our hearts rejoice and our tongues be glad Act. 2. 26 and how should we be vext at the vile dullnesse and deadnesse of our naughty natures that can be no more affected with these indelible ravishments Iacob wept for joy at the good news that Ioseph was yet alive Ioannes Mollius whensoever he 〈◊〉 of the Name of Jesus his eyes dropt And another Reverend Divine amongst us being in a deep muse after some discourse that passed of Jesus and tears trickling abundantly from his eyes before he was aware being urged for the cause thereof confessed 〈◊〉 it was because he could not draw his dull heart to prize Christ aright Mr Fox never denied begger that asked in that Name And good Bucer never disregarded any though different in opinion from him in whom he could discern aliquid Christi None but Christ said that blessed Martyr at the stake And another in the flames when judg'd already dead suddenly as waked out of sleep moved his tongue and jaws and was heard to pronounce this word Jesus Here also we have an excellent argument of our Saviours divinity and omnipotency forasmuch as the Angel ascribeth unto him that which the Psalmist affirmeth of Jehovah that he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities Psal. 130. 8. with Hos. 13. 4. Verse 22. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled An Angels testimony is not to be taken if it be beside or against the written word I am of them that keep the sayings of this book saith the Angel to the Apostle For ever O Lord thy word is setled in Heaven Psal. 119. 〈◊〉 Verse 23. Behold a Virgin c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Virgin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that famous Virgin fore-told Isa. 7. 14. That he should be the seed of the woman was made known to Adam but not of what Nation till Abraham nor of what Tribe till Iacob nor of what sex till David nor whether born of a virgin till Esay Thus by degrees was that great mystery of godlinesse revealed to mankinde If any Jew object saith Chrysostom How could a Virgin bring forth Dic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peperit 〈◊〉 vetula Ask him How could Sarah when old and barren bear a childe The Bees have young yet know not marriage The Phaenix they say hath no parents This head-stone of the corner was cut out of the mountaine without hands this flower of the 〈◊〉 this rose of Sharon hath Heaven for his father and earth for his mother Was it not as easie to frame this second Adam in the wombe as that first Adam out of the mire Herein see a miracle of mercy that the incomprehensible God that circle whose center is every where whose circumference no where should be circled and coop'd up for 9 moneths together in the narrow womb of a pure Virgin And shall bring forth a Son Who in the birth opened the womb Luk. 2. and so put her to pain likely as other women He hid the glory of his eternall nativity under a mean and temporary birth to purchase for us an heavenly and eternall birth Whether the blessed Virgin were Deipara the Mother of God raised great storms in the 〈◊〉 of Ephesus and came to commotions in the secular part and excommunications among the Bishops insomuch as the Emperour declared both sides Hereticks But forasmuch as she brought forth a Son that was God we doubt not to stile her the Mother of God not Mall Gods maid as one hath lately slandered some of us in print At Rome it is said was seen at the same time about the Sun the likenesse of a woman carrying a childe in her armes And a voice heard Pan the great God is now about to be born c. And they shall call his name Immanuel c. By a wonderfull and unsearchable Union the manner 〈◊〉 is to be beleeved not 〈◊〉 admired not pried into personall it is yet not of persons of natures and yet not naturall As soul and body are one man so God and man are one person saith Athanasius And as every beleever that is born of God 〈◊〉 another remains the same intire person that he was before receiving neverthelesse into him a divine nature which before he had not So Emmanuel continuing the same perfect person which he had been from eternity assumeth neverthelesse a humane nature which before he had not to be born within his person for ever This is so much the more wonderfull because the very Angels which are far greater in glory then man are not able to abide the presence of God Isa. 6. 2. But this is our ladder of ascension to God Ioh. 3. 12. Faith first layes hold upon Christ as a man and thereby 〈◊〉 by a mean makes way to God and embraceth the Godhead which is of it self a consuming fire And whereas sin is a partition wall of our own making denying us 〈◊〉 God is now with us and in Christ we have boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of him Christs humanity serves as a skreen to save us from those everlasting burnings and as a conduit to derive upon us from the Godhead all spirituall blessings in heavenly places If any 〈◊〉 invade us we may cry as they of old The stretching out of his wings doth fill thy Land O Immanuel and we shall have help Verse 24. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the Angel c. As well assured that it was of God whom he was ready prest to obey without sciscitation Jussa sequi tam velle mihi quàm posse necesse est If some Princes will not endure that subjects should scan their laws but require absolute obedience If Generals excuse not in a souldier the neglect of their commands but severely punish even prosperous disorders If Jesuits exact blinde obedience of their wretched novices our Throgmorton durst not give up the ghost till he had obtained leave of his Superiour should not we much more 〈◊〉 God in his commands counsels promises prohibitions comminations all Verse 25. And knew her not till she had brought forth We thinke hardly of him that taketh to wife the widow and relict of another that is left great with childe before she hath laid down her burden how much more in this case Besides this might be part of the Angels charge to him that after she had brought forth her Son Jesus she continued still a virgin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is neither Article of our Creed nor principle of our Religion But that she vowed virginity is both false and absurd For how 〈◊〉 she promise virginity to God and marriage to Joseph sure it
Luthers books that in Augustine and Bernards works are read and regarded as pious and orthodox sentences So these passages were gathered as heresies out of Tindals works He is not a sinner in the sight of God that would be no sinner He that would be delivered hath his heart loose already It is impossible that the word of the crosse should be without affliction and persecution The Gospel is written for all persons and estates Prince Duke Pope Emperour We cannot be without motions of evil desires but we must mortifie them in 〈◊〉 them God made us his children and heirs while we were his enemies and before we knew him Men should see that their children come to Church to hear the Sermon c. Were not these perilous heresies Saith not the Scripture the same in sundry places Is not this to have the glorious faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in respect of persons Jam. 2. 〈◊〉 So the greatest errours that Henry Voes and John Esch Martyrs were 〈◊〉 of were that men ought to trust only in God for so much as men are liers and deceitfull in all their words and deeds and therefore there ought no trust or affiance to be put in them Verse 28. Then the kingdom of God is come unto you A certain signe of the setting up whereof among you is this casting out of devils by the spirit of God or as Luke hath it by the finger of God for the holy Ghost is the essentiall power of the Father and the Sonne Verse 29. A strong mans house c. The devil is strong but overpowred by Christ. He hath forcibly delivered us from the power of darknes snatcht us out of the devils danger so that though he shake his chain at us he cannot fasten his fangs in us Stronger is he that is in the Saints then he that is in the world through Christ we shall overcome him Rom. 8. 37. Verse 30. He that is not with me is against me But the devil is not with me saith Christ for all I doe or suffer is to destroy his works Let this sentence also be noted against Neuters and Nicodemites who stand halting betwixt two and will be sure to hold themselves on the warm side of the hedge howsoever Such were of old the Samaritans Nazarites Ebionites and those Corinthians that would neither be of Paul nor Apollos nor 〈◊〉 but of Christ that is as some Neuters say now-adaies they are neither Cavaliers nor Round-heads but good Protestants Others are neither Papists nor protestants but Christians that is 〈◊〉 nothing Atheists Christ hates neutrality and counts it enmity he 〈◊〉 luke warmnes accepts not of any excuse in that case Iudg. 5. 16 17. Dan and Ephraim are passed by in the reckoning up of the Tribes Rev. 7. as if they were Souldiers put out of pay and cut out of the rolls So are all detestable indifferents out of Gods book of remembrance Mal. 3. 17. Verse 31. All manner of sin and blasphemy c. All without exception yea though it be blasphemy Isa. 44. 22. God blots out the thick cloud as well as the cloud 〈◊〉 as well as infitmities Man cannot commit more then he can and will remit to the penitent The Sun by his force can scatter the greatest mist as well as the least vapour and the Sea by its 〈◊〉 drown mountains as well as mole-hills The grace of our Lord abounds to 〈◊〉 over saith S. Paul The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin saith S. John Ego admisi unde 〈◊〉 damnare 〈◊〉 me sed non amisisti unde tu salvare potes me saith S. Augustine And yet Novatus the proud Heretick denyed possibility of pardon to them that had any whit fallen off in times of persecution though they rose again by repentance But Gods thoughts of mercy are not as mans Isa. 55. 8. he can and will pardon such sins as no God or man can doe besides Micah 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee For what That pardoneth all sorts of sins c. This 〈◊〉 can believe without supernaturall grace We are ready to measure God by our modell But the blasphemy against the holy Ghost c. This is nothing else saith Iohn Diazius to that 〈◊〉 his brother quam agnitam veritatem 〈◊〉 in sectari a malicious persecuting of the known truth A sin it is of malice after strong conviction exprest in words by a tongue set on fire by hell and in actions comming from a venemous spirit and tending to opposition and bitter persecution if their malice be not greater then their power This was committed by Saul Iulian Latomus of Lovaine Rockwood a chief perfecutour at Callice in Henry 8. daies who to his last breath staring and raging cryed he was utterly damned for that he had sought maliciously the deaths of a number of the honestest men in the town c. Steven Gardiner said as much also in effect of himself when he lay on his death-bed and so both stinkingly and unrepentantly died saith M. Fox Verse 32. And whosoever speaketh aword c. As Peter did through infirmity Paul through ignorance 〈◊〉 poor souls whom he haled to prison and for fear of death compelled them to 〈◊〉 Christ Act. 26. 11. Tertullian reports the like of Claudius Herminianus a Persecuter in Cappadocia quòd tormentis quosdam a proposito suo excidere fecerat that for spite that his own wife was turned Christian he forced many by 〈◊〉 them to reneague Christ. Pliny writes also to Traian the Emperour that where he was Governour there came to his hands a book containing the names of many that for fear of death 〈◊〉 themselves to be no Christians And when saith he they had at my command called upon the gods offered incense to the Emperours Image and cursed Christ which those that are Christians indeed will never be drawn to doe I thought good to dismisse them But whosoever speaketh against the 〈◊〉 Ghost Not his person or essence for many 〈◊〉 Eunomian Macedonian hereticks did so of old and repenting found mercy but his grace and speciall operation by the which God comes nearer to man then he is in nature or person This sin is against the immediate effect work and office of the holy Ghost against that shining light kindled by Gods spirit in mans soul and that sweetnes and comfort felt in Christ that taste of the good Word of God and of the powers of the world to come Heb. 6. 4 5 6. It shall not be for given him c. And why Not because it is greater then Gods mercy or Christs merits but first by a just judgement of God upon such sinners for their hatefull 〈◊〉 in despising his spirit Whence follows an impossibility of repentance Heb. 6. 6. and so of remission Luk. 13. 3. Secondly such a desperate sury invadeth these men that they maliciously
he had poured forth his sorrowfull complaint there he rose up triumphing as Psal. 6. c. So shall it be with such They 〈◊〉 forth and weep bearing precious seed but shall surely return with rejoycing and bring their sheaves with them Gripes of gladnesse said that Martyr when Abraham the good housholder shall fill his bosome with them in the Kingdome of heaven Then as one hour changed Iosephs fetters into a chain of gold 〈◊〉 rags into robes his stocks into a charriot his prison into a palace his brown bread and water into manchet and wine So shall God turn all his 〈◊〉 sadnesse into gladnesse all their sighing into singing all their musing into musick all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into triumphs Luctus in laetitiam convertetur lachrymae in risum saccus in sericum cineres in corollas unguentum jejunium in epulum 〈◊〉 retortio in applausum He that will rejoyce with this joy unspeakable must stirre up sighes that are unutterable Verse 5. Blessed are the meek Meeknesse is the fruit 〈◊〉 mourning for sinne and is therefore fitly 〈◊〉 next after it He that can kindely melt in Gods presence will be made thereby as meek as a lamb and if God will forgive him his ten thousand 〈◊〉 he will not think much to forgive his brother a few farthings Hence the wisdome from above is first pure and then peaceable gentle easie to be entreated c. Jam. 3. 17. And love is said to proceed out of a pure heart a good conscience and 〈◊〉 unfeigned And when our Saviour told his Disciples 〈◊〉 must forgive till seventy times seven times Lord encrease 〈◊〉 faith said they Give us such a measure of godly mourning as that we may be bold to believe that thou hast freely forgiven us and we shall soon forgive our enemies David was never 〈◊〉 rigid as when he had sinned by adultery and murther and not yet mourned in good earnest for his sinne He put the 〈◊〉 under saws and harrows of iron and caused them to passe thorow the brick-kilne c. which was a strange execution and fell out whiles he lay yet in his sinne Afterward we finde him in a better frame and more meekned and mollified in his dealings with 〈◊〉 and others when he had soundly soaked himself in godly sorrow True it is that he was then under the rod and that 's a main means to make men meek The Hebrew words that signifie 〈◊〉 and meek grow both upon the same root and are of so great 〈◊〉 that they are sometimes by the 〈◊〉 rendered the one for the other as Psal. 36. 11. Adversa enim hominem mansuetum 〈◊〉 saith Chemnitius And how ever it goe with the outward man The meek shall finde rest to their souls Mat. 11. 29. Yea the meek in the Lord shall 〈◊〉 their joy Isa. 29. 19. And for outward respects Meek Moses complains not of Miriams murmurings but God strikes in for him the more And he that said I seek not mine own glory addes But there is one that seeketh it and judgeth God takes his part ever that fights not for himself and is champion to him that strives not but for peace sake parteth with his own right otherwhiles For they shall inherit the earth One would think that meek men that bear and forbear that put up and forgive committing their cause to him that judgeth righteously as Christ did should be soon baffled and out-sworn out of their patrimony with honest Naboth But there 's nothing lost by meeknesse and yeeldance Abraham yeelds over his right of choice Lot taketh it And behold Lot is crossed in that which he chose Abraham blessed in that which was left him God never suffers any man to leese by an humble remission of right in a desire of peace The heavens even the heavens are the Lords but the earth hath he given to the children of men Yet with this proviso that as heaven is taken by violence so is earth by meeknesse And God the true proprietary loves no tenants better nor 〈◊〉 longer leases to any then to the meek They shall inherit that is peaceably enjoy what they have and transferre it to posterity they shall give inheritance to their childrens children As on the other side frowardnesse forfeits all into the Lords hands and he many times taketh the forfeiture and outs such persons 〈◊〉 upon them with a 〈◊〉 ejectione as upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Plato The Lord Treasurer Burleigh was wont to say That he over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will more by patience then pertinacy His private estate he managed with that integrity that he never 〈◊〉 any man no man ever sued him He was in the number of those few saith M. 〈◊〉 that lived and died with glory For as 〈◊〉 of heart 〈◊〉 make you high with God even so meeknesse of spirit and of speech shall make you 〈◊〉 into the hearts of men 〈◊〉 M. Tindall in a letter of his to Iohn Frith afterwards his fellow-Martyr Verse 6. Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse The righteousnesse of Christ both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is in Christ for us being wrought by his value and merit and is called the righteousnesse of justification This is in us from Christ being wrought by his vertue and spirit and is called the righteousnesse of sanctification Both these the blessed man must hunger and thirst after that is earnestly and 〈◊〉 desire as Rachel did for children she must prevail or perish as David did after the water of the well of Bethlehem to the jeopardy of the lives of his three mightiest as the hunted Hart or as the 〈◊〉 readeth it Hinde braieth after the water brooks The Philosophers observe of the Hart or Hinde that being a beast thirsty by nature when she is pursued by dogs by reason of heat and losse of breath her thirst is encreased And in females the passions are stronger then in males so that she breaths and braies after the brooks with utmost desire so panteth the good soul after Christ it panteth and fainteth it breatheth and breaketh for the longing that it hath unto his righteousnesse at all times She fainteth with Ionathan swooneth and is sick with the Spouse yea almost dead with that poor affamished Amalekite And this 〈◊〉 appetite and affection ariseth from a deep and due sense and feeling of our want of Christ whole Christ and that there is an absolute necessity of every drop of his bloud There must be a sad and serious consideration of mans misery and Gods mercy Whence will arise as in hunger and thirst 1. A sense of pain in the stomack 2. A want and emptinesse 3. An eager desire of supply from Christ who is the true bread of life and heavenly Manna the Rock flowing with honey and fountain of living water that reviveth the fainting spirits of
every true Ionathan and Samson and makes them never to thirst again after the worlds tastlesse fooleries Like as his mouth will not water after homely provision that hath lately tasted of delicate sustenance They shall be satisfied Because true desires are the breathings of a broken heart which God will not despise He poureth not the oil of his grace but into broken vessels For indeed whole vessels are full vessels and so this precious liquour would run over and be spilt on the ground There may be some faint desires as of wishers and woulders even in hell-mouth as Balaam desired to die the death of the righteous but liked not to live their life Pilate desired to know what is truth but staid not to know it That faint Chapman in the Gospel that cheapen'd heaven of our Saviour but was loth to goe to the price of it These were but fits and flashes and they came to nothing Carnall men care not to seek whom yet they desire to finde saith Bernard Fain they would have Christ but care not to make after him as Herod had of a long time desired to see our Saviour but never stirred out of doors to come where he was Luk. 22. But now The desire of the righteous that shall be satisfied as Solomon hath it that shall be well filled as beasts are after a good bait as 〈◊〉 Saviours word here signifieth Desires as they must be ardent and violent such as will take no nay or be set down with silence or sad answers whence it is that desire and zeal goe together 2 Cor. 7. 11. So if they be right they are ever seconded with endeavour after the thing desired Hence the Apostle contents not himself to say that if there be first a willing minde God accepts c. 2 Cor. 8. 12. but presently adds Now perform the doing of it that as there was a readinesse to will so there may be a performance also that is a sincere endeavour to perform as a thirsty man will not long for drink only but labour after it or a covetous man wish for wealth but strives to compasse it And thus to 〈◊〉 is to attain thus to will is to work thus to desire is to doe the will of our heavenly father who accepts of pence for pounds of mites for millions and accounts us as as good as we wish to be He hath also promised To fill the hungry with good things to rain down righteousnesse on the dry and parched ground to fulfill the desires of them that fear him So that it is but our asking and his giving our opening the mouth and he will fill it our hungring and his feeding our thirsting and his watering our open hand and his open heart The oil failed not till the vessels failed neither are we staitned in God till in our own bowels Dear wife saith Lawrence Saunders the Martyr riches I have none to leave behinde wherewith to endow you after the worldly manner but that treasure of tasting how sweet Christ is to hungry consciences whereof I thank my Christ I doe feel part and would feel more that I bequeath unto you and to the rest of my beloved in Christ to retain the same in sense of heart alwaies Pray pray I am merry and I trust I shall be maugre the teeth of all the devils in hell I utterly refuse my self and resign me to my Christ in whom I know I shall be strong as he seeth needfull Verse 7. Blessed are the mercifull They that from a compassionate heart melting with sense of Gods everlasting mercy to it self and yerning over the miseries of others extend and exercise spirituall and corporall mercy The former which teacheth a man to warn the unruly comfort the feeble-minded support the weak be patient toward all men c. The School-men thus Consule castiga solare remitte 〈◊〉 ora usually excels and exceeds the later which stirs a man up to feed the hungry clothe the naked visit the sick c. Vifito poto cibo redimo tego colligo condo 1. In the nature of the gift which is more noble 2. In the object the soul which is more illustrious 3. In the manner which is 〈◊〉 as being spirituall 4. In the kinde which is more heavenly as that which aimes at our brothers 〈◊〉 salvation And 〈◊〉 way the poorest may be plentifull and enrich the 〈◊〉 with spirituall alms As also the other way something must be done by all the Candidates of true 〈◊〉 They that labour with their hands must have something 〈◊〉 give to him that needeth be it but two mites nay a cup of cold water it shall be graciously accepted from a sincere heart and certainly rewarded And here the poor Macedonians may shame and many times doe the rich Corinthians that have a price in their hands but not a heart to use it For it is the love and 〈◊〉 the lack of money that makes men churls and misers And hence it is that the richer men are many times the harder as Dives being herein like children who when they have their mouths 〈◊〉 and both hands full yet will rather spoil 〈◊〉 then give any away But doe men give to Gods poor Or doe they not rather lend it to the Lord who turns pay-master to such Doe 〈◊〉 not lay it out for him or rather lay it up for themselves The safest chest is the poor mans box Make you friends with the Mammon of unrighteousnesse God hath purposely branded riches with 〈◊〉 infamous adjunct that we might not over-love them that 〈◊〉 ye fail they 〈◊〉 receive you into everlasting 〈◊〉 that is either the Angels or the poor or thy well-emploied wealth shall let thee into heaven Only thou must draw forth not thy sheaf alone but thy soul also to the hungry 〈◊〉 bowels of mercy as our Saviour did Matth. 15. 32. to bleed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wounds and be deeply and tenderly affected in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is better then alms For when one gives an alms 〈◊〉 gives something without himself but by compassion we 〈◊〉 another by somewhat 〈◊〉 and from 〈◊〉 selves And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly the mercy to which mercy is here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to boot For they shall obtain mercy Misericordiam 〈◊〉 mercodem Mercy not wages it being a mercy and not a duty in God to render unto every man according to his works Psal. 62. 12. how much more according to his own works in us 〈◊〉 mercy he shall be sure of that sheweth mercy to those in misery His soul shall be like a watered garden The liberall soul shall be made fat saith Solomon and he that watereth shall be watered also himself Or as Kimchi expounds it He shall be a sweet and seasonable showre to himself and others His body also shall be fat and fair-liking Thy health shall spring forth speedily and thy bones shall be made fat Isa.
although sinne in the Saints hath received its deaths-wound yet are there still in the best 〈◊〉 stirrings and spruntings thereof as in dying creatures it useth to be which without Gods greater grace and the countermotion of the holy Spirit within them would certainly produce most shamefull evils This put S. Paul to that pittifull outcry Rom. 7. 24. and made him exhort 〈◊〉 though he were a young man rarely mortified to exhort the younger women with all 〈◊〉 or chastity intimating that thorough the corruption of his nature even whilst he was exhorting them to chastity some unchast motions might steal upon him unawares A tree may have withered branches by reason of some deadly blow given to the root and yet there may remain some sap within which will bud and blossome forth again Or as if some wilde fig-tree saith a Father that grows in the walls of a goodly building and hides the beauty of it the boughs and branches may 〈◊〉 cut or broken of but the root which is wrapped into the stones of the building cannot be taken away till the walls be thrown down and the stones cast one from another So sinne that dwelleth in us hath its roots so inwrapped and intertwined in our natures that it can never be utterly 〈◊〉 but pride will bud and the fruits of the flesh will be manifest though we be daily lopping off the branches and labouring also at the root Sinne is an inmate that will not out doe what we can till the house fall upon the head of it an hereditary disease and that which is bred in the bone will never out of the flesh a pestilent Hydra somewhat akin to those beasts in Daniel that had their dominion taken away yet were their lives prolonged for a time and a season 〈◊〉 7. 12. How much more will your father which is in Heaven give good things Give the holy Spirit saith S. Luke for Nihil bonum sine summo bono saith S. Austin when God gives his Spirit he gives all good things and that which is more then all besides For it is a Spirit of judgement and of burning of grace and of deprecation of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord of strength and of might enabling both to resist evil of sinne and to endure evil of sorrow And for good things temporall to trample on them spirituall to reach after them It is a free spirit setting a man at liberty from the tyranny of sin and terrour of wrath and oyling his joints that he may be active and abundant in the Lords worke This holy spirit is signified by those two golden pipes Zech. 4. through which the two Olive-branches the 〈◊〉 empty out of 〈◊〉 the golden oyles of all precious graces into the candle-stick the Church And how great a favour it is to have the holy Spirit 〈◊〉 inhabitant See Joel 2. where after God had promised the former and latter rain floores full of wheat and 〈◊〉 full of wine and oyl a confluence of all outward comforts and contentments he adds this as more then all the rest I will also 〈◊〉 out my spirit upon all 〈◊〉 He will pour out not drop down only sparingly and pinchingly as some penny-father but pour 〈◊〉 like a liberall housholder as it were by pailes or bucket-fulls And what my spirit that noble spirit as David calleth it that comforter counsellour conduit into the land of the living And upon whom upon all 〈◊〉 spirit upon flesh so brave a thing upon so base a subject Next to the love of Christ in dwelling in our nature we may well wonder at the love of the holy Ghost that will dwell in our defiled souls that this spirit of glory and of God will dain to rest upon us 〈◊〉 the cloud did upon the Tabernacle How glad was Lot of the Angels Micha of the Levite Elizabeth of the mother of her Lord Lydia of Paul Zacheus of Christ Obed-Edom of the Ark And shall not we be as joyfull and thankfull for the holy Spirit whereby we are sealed as merchants set their seals upon their wares unto the day of redemption If David for outward benefits brake out into What is man that thou art mindefull of him and Iob for fatherly chastisements What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him c how should this best gift of his holy Spirit affect and ravish us sith thereby all mercies are seasoned and all crosses sanctified neither can any man say experimentally and savingly that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Give good things to them that aske him sc. If they aske in faith bring honest hearts and lawfull petitions and can weight Gods leisure Let none say here as the Prophet in another case I have laboured in vain and spent my strength for nought I have prayed and sped not the more I pray the worse it s with me The manner of our usage here in prison doth change saith B. Ridley in a 〈◊〉 to Bradford as sowr ale doth in summer and yet who doubts but they praid earn and earnestly when they were in Bocardo that Colledge of Quondams when those Bishops were there prisoners God is neither unmindfull nor unfaithfull but waits the fittest time to 〈◊〉 mercy and will surely avenge his own elect which cry day and night unto him though he bear 〈◊〉 with them The seed must have a time to grow downward before it grows upward And as that seed which is longest covered riseth the first with most increase so those prayers which seem lost are laid up in heaven and will prove the surest grain the more we sowe of them into Gods bosom the more fruit and comfort we shall reap and receive in our greatest need Verse 12. Therefore all things what soever ye would c. q. d. To winde up all in a word for it would be too tedious to set down each particular 〈◊〉 let this serve for a generall rule of direction in common conversation and mutuall interdealings one with another whatsoever ye would that men should doe to you 〈◊〉 ye 〈◊〉 so to them This is the royall Law the standard of all 〈◊〉 in this kinde a 〈◊〉 weight and rule according to which we must converse with all men Severus the Emperour had this sentence of our Saviour often in his mouth and commanded it to be proclaimed by the Cryer whensoever he punished such of his souldiers as had 〈◊〉 injury to others For there is no doubt saith Mr Calvin upon this text but that perfect right should rule amongst us were we but as faithfull disciples of active charity if we may so speak as we are acute Doctours of passive did we but love our neighbour as our self Charity t is true begins at home in regard of order but not in regard of time for so soon as thou 〈◊〉 to love thy self thou must love thy neighbour as thy self neither may any
distempers which when we groan and labour under let us reflect and revenge upon fin as the mother of all misery And when we are made whole fin no more left a worse thing come upon us Verse 18. To depart unto the other side Either to retire and repose himself after much pains for Quod caret alterna requie c. the very birds when building their nests flee abroad sometimes from their work for recreations sake Or else the better to edge the peoples desires after him now withdrawn Luther gave this rule to Preachers for moderating their discourses When thou seest thine hearers most attentive then conclude for so they will come again more chearfully the next time Verse 19. Master I will follow thee c. As Sampson followed his parents till he met with an honey-comb or as a dog followes his master till he come by a carrion Vix diligitur Iesus propter Iesum But as Isaac loved Esau for venison was his meat Gen. 25. 28. and as Iudah's Rulers loved with shame Give 〈◊〉 Hos. 4. 18. So do hypocrites they serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies they have his person in admiration only for advantage they can bear the crosse with Iudas so they may bear the bag and lick their own fingers Ephraim is a heifer that loved to tread out the corn because whiles it treads it feeds Hos. 10. 11. But such delicate self-seekers are rejected as here when those that have honest aimes and ends hear Come and see Ioh. 1. 46. Verse 20. The Foxes have holes c. q. d. Exigua mihi sunt subsidia aut praesidia Nudus opum sed cui coelum terraque paterent as Ennius said of Archimedes The great Architect of the world had not a house to put his head in but emptied himself of all and became poor to make us rich not in goods but in grace not in worldly wealth but in the 〈◊〉 treasure Say we with that Father Christi paupertas meum est patrimonium prefer the reproach of Christ before the treasures of Egypt and if besides and with Christ we have food and 〈◊〉 let us therewith rest content Say we have no house on earth we have one in heaven not made with hands Those good souls dwelt in dens and caves of the earth yea wandred about in sheepskins and goatskins that might have rustled in their silks and velvets that might 〈◊〉 like have vaunted themselves on their stately turrets and Palaces if they would have let goe Christ. But that they knew well had been to make a fooles bargain But the Sonne of 〈◊〉 c. So he stiles himself either to note the truth of his humanity or the depth of his abasement the Son of God became the son of man which was as one said in a like case to fall from the Court to the cart from a Pallace to a gallows Among all the Prophets Ezekiel is most frequently stiled son of man and that purposely to keep him low amidst his many rare raptures and revelations The Heathen when they would set forth a man miserable indeed they called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thrice a man Verse 21. Lord suffer me first to go and bury Old mens fear is saith Plutarch and that makes them so gripple that they shall not have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that will be carefull to nourish them whiles alive and to bury them decently when they are dead Verse 22. Follow me Let go things lesse necessary and minde the main thy task is long thy time is short opportunities are headlong and must be quickly caught as the Eccho catcheth the voice there 's no use of after-wit Praecipitat tempus mors atra impendet agenti Let the dead bury their dead The dead in sin their dead in nature Ungodly men are no better then breathing ghosts walking sepulchres of themselves Their bodies are but living coffins to 〈◊〉 a dead soul up and down in The Saints only are heirs of life 1 Pet. 3. 7. and all others are dead stark dead in sins and trespasses as the wanton widdow 1 Tim. 5. 6. as Terence saith the 〈◊〉 Sane herclè homo voluptati 〈◊〉 fuit dum vixit And of such dead corpses as once in Egypt Exod. 12. 30. there is no house wherein there is not one nay many Verse 23. And when he was entred c. Himself was first in the ship where they were to suffer Like a good shepheard he goes before his 〈◊〉 Ioh. 10. Like a good Captain he goes before his souldiers and as it was said of Hannibal that he first 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and last went out of the field so is it with Christ the Captain of our salvation Fear not saith he for I am with thee be not afraid for I am thy God Tua causa erit 〈◊〉 causa as that Emperour told Iulius Pflugius who had been much wronged by the 〈◊〉 of Saxony in the Emperours employment Verse 24. And behold there arose a great tempest Stirred up likely by the devil to drown Christ that male-childe of the Church Rev. 12. 5. and his Disciples as he brained Iobs children with the fall of the house This is still the indeavour of Satan and his instruments but to such we may as Pope Pius 2. wrote to the great Turk Niteris incassùm Christi submergere navem Fluctuat at nunquam mergitur illaratis And as the Poet said of Troy so may we of the Church Victa tamen vinces eversaque Troiare surges Obruit hostiles illa ruina domos Ambrose hath a remarkeable speech to this purpose The devil stirs up a tempest against the Saints but himself is sure to suffer shipwrack The Church as a bottle may be dipt not 〈◊〉 as the Diamond it may be cast into the fire not burnt by it as the Chrystall it may be fouled but not stained by the venome of a toad as the Palm-tree in the Embleme which though it have many weights at top and 〈◊〉 at the root yet it saith still Nec premor nec perimor Lastly as the North-Pole semper versatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St 〈◊〉 observeth Verse 25. Master save us we perish Troubles drive us to God as bugbears doe children into their mothers bosom who delight to help those that are forsaken of their hopes In prosperity 〈◊〉 we pray not at all Rarae fumant felicibus arae or but faintly yawningly c. 〈◊〉 fine malis est ut avis sine alis But in a stresse as here our prayers like strong streams in narrow straits run mightily upon God and will not away without that they came for Verse 26. And he saith unto them Christ first chides them and then chides the windes and waves Men are most malleable in time of misery Iob 33. 23. Strike whiles the iron is hot How forceable are right words Those that are melted in the furnace of affliction will easily receive