fully come For now and not before did his servants receive his full name in their foreheads being baptised in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And now being made known to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his triple unity revealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of speciall excellencie he is become to us a King and we to him a Kingdom For now especially hee hath vouchsafed to specifie his Church by the name of his Kingdome Mat. 11. Hee that is least in the Kingdome of God that is in the state of his Church after this third revealing of himself This is the compleat mystery of godlinesse God is manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 And as In him so also By him to us is the Trinity especially perfected For this God of order allwaies observeth order as ad intra in his personall proprieties so ad extra in his outward works The Father creating the Son redeeming the Holy Ghost sanctifying And what had the former two works been without this third The Son of God had his two-fold marriage one personall with his flesh the other mysticall with his Church and in each the Father was the Donor the Son the Receiver there wanted not Bride or Bridegoom or giver But who could be worthy to be the minister in these holy conjunctions None but the Holy Ghost He was the Minister in the personall marriage For the word was made flesh but how he was conceived of the Holy Ghost Conceived the flesh supernaturally formed the Word hypostatically united And in the mysticall marriage likewise he is the Minister For if any man have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his But as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the Sons of God For this is that spirit of adoption by whom we cry Abba Father Rom. 8. He worketh the application of Christ unto us by faith and of us unto Christ by love and so is that marriage made The father is our Physitian the Son our Physick But the Holy Ghost is that blessed Apothecary which applyeth of this salve to every sore and administreth portions of this portion distributing to every one severally even as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 The Father was the sacrificer the Son the Sacrifice but where was the fire Wis 16. This charitas Dei this loving spirit this love of God Tit. 3.4 or rather this God Love for God is love 1 Jo. 4.8 was that heavenly fire wherein this sacrifice was finished For God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son Jo. 3.16 And through the eternall spirit Christ offered himself without spot to God Heb. 9.14 The Son is the arme the Holy Ghost is the hand the Father the body from which they issue or are derived And as in the body naturall the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee 1 Cor. 12. Yea the feeble members are so necessary that to the lesse honorable members we give more abundant honor so in this body of bodies this fountain of beings the holy deity the plurality of persons is no waies needlesse but their perfection consisteth not lesse in their Trinity then in their unty And lest we should think the Holy Ghost because he is the third in order to be the third in honor behold what abundant honor we are to give him The arm and hand work together and at once with the body and in and with the same strength yet the perfection and consequently the honor of the work more immediately belongeth to the arme and most immediately to the hand This Holy Ghost is the holy hand of God by which all the works of God are to us most immediately perfected With a mighty hand a stretched out arm he brought his Israel out of corporall bondage And with that stretched arme the redemption of the Sonne and this mighty hand the operation of the Holy Ghost he bringeth his Israel out of spirituall bondage I cannot shew you all the fingers of this hand for they abound yet not superfluously like that monstrous creature who had six upon each hand 2 Sam. 21. but richly as it becometh the Creator being Lord of all to be rich unto all Let it suffice that some of these fingers are expressed in the Scriptures Exo. 8.19 Pharaohs inchanters spake concerning the plague of lice This is the finger of God there is medius the strong finger of Power Exo. 31. Moses received the two Tables written with the finger of God there is Index the pointing finger of wisdom Lu. 11.20 Christ saith If I by the finger of God cast out Devills there is medicus the healing finger of mercy These are not those writing fingers in Belshazars vision Dan. 5. they write no fearfull inditement but they are those dropping fingers Can. 5. which droppe down pure myrrhe blessed distillations of grace and mercie to blot out the old handwriting that was against us Yea this hand enableth them on whom it resteth to prevail with God by holy wrastling as Jacob did Gen. 32.28 and to make violent entry by force into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 11.12 No marvell that Christ saith It is expedient for you that I go away Joh. 16.7 Why that the third person might take his course and turn that God unto us-ward might be perfected In him in respect of revelation By him in respect of application and operation Again this feast of the comming and appearing of the Holy Ghost is to us the feast of feasts the speciall feast We may compare it yea with reverence be it spoken we may preferre it to the feast of the Nativity in the former respects Namely in our own behalf this being the consummation of that unto us the Catastrophe the last scene of that divine act of the blessed Trinity In that feast God unchanged in himself descended unto man In this man changed and renewed from himself is lifted up unto God In that God became partaker of the humane nature in this man is made partaker of the divine nature In that one man was made the Temple of God 1 Cor. 6.19 in this every one of the faithfull is made so feverally and all-together jointly Eph. 2.21 That was begun secretly in the Virgins womb and accomplished obscurely in a stable This was done openly and publickly at a great feast and a solemn assembly In a word as the beginning without the end were vain so the end would not be without the beginning Therefore let no man put asunder that which God hath joyned together Yet exitus acta probat unto us the end and consummation is all in all Be it so then and let Saint Bernards player teach us the use of it Ser. 3. in Pent. that I follow it not further Solemnitatem praecipuam hodie celebramus utinam devotione praecipua Wee celebrate a speciall feast to day God grant we do it with speciall devotion that God
our spiritual confirmation and consolation 9. Q. And what is the summe of the severall parts or points of this Creed A. The confession of one God in three persons and of the Church with its prerogatives 10. Q. Why doe we speak particularly in the Creed I beleeve whereas in the Lords Prayer we speak plurally Our Father A. Because Charity doth require us to pray one for another but we cannot beleeve nor confess one for another 11. Q. Why not beleeve one for another A. Because spiritually as well as corporally each one must live by his own and not by anothers food and physick Hab. 2.4 12. Q. Why not confesse one for another A. Because no man knows what is in anothers heart 1 Cor. 2.11 13. Q. What may be gathered for practise out of this aforesaid of the Creed A. That every one ought to learn it and to labour and desire rightly to understand it and to make diligent and right use of it Sect. 10. Of the first Article 1. Q. HOw many Articles be there in the Creed A. Twelve in common accompt though not alike distinguished and expressed by all men in the totall number or the particular enumeration 2. Q. What is the first Article A. I beleeve in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth 3. Q. What is it to beleeve in God A. It is to beleeve the being of God that he is and the truth of God that he is true and the love of God to me that he is mine and I am his 4. Q. What makes you beleeve there is a God A. 1. His power both visible outwardly in the creation Rom. 1.20 and sensible inwardly in every conscience Rom. 2.14 2. The instinct of nature ever working in the heathen to make them rather take any thing for God then to have no God at all 5. Q. What is God A. I may rather tell what he is not because he is infinite and cannot be expressed 6. Q. But how hath he revealed himself in his Word A. That he is a Spirit Joh. 4.24 and that he is of himself Ex. 3.14 7. Q. If God be a spirit how is man said to be created in his image A. Not in regard of bodily shape but of spirituall faculties especially knowledge Col. 3.10 and holiness Eph. 4.24 8. Q. What mean you by God the Father A. I acknowledge the first person in Trinity 9. Q. Is God then more then one A. He is one in substance or essence yet three in person 1 Joh. 5.7 10. Q. How is God Almighty A. Because he can doe all works of power Dan. 4.35 and cannot doe any works of weaknesse Tit. 1.2 2 Tim. 2.13 and because all rule is his Rom. 13.1 and because all might is his Act. 17.28 11. Q. What mean you by Heaven and Earth A. All things that are visible and invisible 12. Q. How did God make them A. Immediately of and by himself without matter means or instrument Psal 33.6 Heb. 11.3 13. Q. What followeth out of this aforesaid of the first Article for instruction to our practise A. That as I know God by his Works so I must acknowledge him in all the use I make of them and abuse none of them Secondly I must depend and trust on him for my preservation and salvation in every kind of whom I had my creation Thirdly that I must fear him knowing that he who hath power to create hath also power to destroy Sect. 11. Of the second Article 1. Q. VVHat is the second Article A. And in Jesus Christ his onely Son our Lord. 2. Q. What word is wanting here A. I beleeve For I must beleeve in God the Father God the Son and in God the Holy Ghost 3. Q. What doth the name Jesus signifie A. A Saviour Mat. 1.21 4. Q. Whom doth he save A. As many as doe receive him by faith Joh. 1.12 5. Q. VVhat doth the name Christ signifie A. Anointed 6. Q. How doth this belong to our Saviour A. By speciall excellency he being as none else ever was a King Mat. 21.4 a Priest Heb. 5.6 and a Prophet Act. 3.22 7. Q. Doth the name Christian imply the like in us A. Yes that spiritually we are Kings to reign over our corruptions Rev. 5.10 and Priests to offer spiritual sacrifices 1 Pet. 2.5 and Prophets to provoke and to exhort one another Heb. 10.24 25. and to distribute our received graces 1 Pet. 4.10 8. Q. How is Christ the Son of God A. By an unspeakable manner of everlasting generation Is 53.8 9. Q. But how is he Gods onely Son when as we also are called Gods Sons Gal. 4 6 7. and the Angels likewise Job 1.6 38.7 A. We are Sons by Adoption the Angels by Creation but Christ is the onely natural Son of God Heb. 1.5 10. Q. And how is Christ our Lord A. As he is God because he hath created us and as he is God and Man because he hath redeemed us Act. 2.36 11. Q. VVhat learn you for practise out of all aforesaid of the second Article A. To be comforted and strengthned in Faith and in Prayer Heb. 4.15 16.2 Tim. 1.12 Secondly to obey Christ Mal. 1.6 Thirdly to imitate him Joh. 13.13 Sect. 12. Of the third Article 1. Q. WHat is the third Article A. Which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary 2. Q. VVhat meaneth this Conceived by the Holy Ghost A. His miraculous and supernaturall Creation in the womb of the Virgin Incarnate saith the Nicene Creed Secondly his sanctification Luk. 1.35 Thirdly his union with the divine nature Joh. 1.14 3. Q. VVhy was Christ conceived by the Holy Ghost A. That he might be without sin 2 Cor. 5.21 4. Q. VVhy must he be without sin A. Because he was to be united to the Godhead and because he was to redeem sinners 5. Q. VVas this conception and birth of Christ true and proper or was it onely a miraculous passing of a miraculous and heavenly body as some have thought A. It was true and proper though supernaturall as aforesaid for the words are plain in the Creed and Is 7.14 Luk. 2.6 6. Q. VVhen where and how was Christ born A. In the fulnesse of time Gal. 4.4 At Bethlehem the appointed place Mal. 2.5 In a stable and laid in a manger Luk. 2.7 7. Q. VVhy was Christ born of a Virgin A. That he might be without sin as aforesaid 8. Q. Is not Virginity hereby honoured above VVedlock A. No for this Virgin was a Wife Mat. 1.20 24. 9. Q. VVhat then is hereby honoured A. The sex of Womanhood because as mans fall so also his recovery was thorough a woman And a one woman was of a man alone so one man is of a woman alone 10. Q. Did Christs Mother continue still a Virgin A. It is a point of Piety though not of Faith so to think 11. Q. How cometh that Christs mother hath no other titles here but Virgin Mary A. Because the Scripture
utter destruction and condemnation as it followeth in the exposition And shall cast them into a furnace of fire Briefly the sum is that here are two several ends proposed and answerable to the twofold condition of the subjects the one of safety and gathered the good into vessels that is into everlasting habitations as Christ speaketh Luk. 16.9 the other of destruction but cast the bad away that is into everlasting condemnation into the furnace of fire as the exposition sheweth Of which two estates or ends how shall I speak seeing I cannot understand how shall I utter that I cannot comprehend for the eye hath not seen nor the ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man that which God hath prepared for them that love him and consequently neither that which he hath prepared for them that hate him For which may somewhat save my labour the greatness of th' one sets forth the greatness of th' other the one is the fulness of joy therefore the other must needs be the fulness of wo the one is the enjoying of all things in the enjoying God the other is the losing of all things in the losing God the one is everlasting life that 's perfection of excellencie the other is everlasting death that 's perfection of misery yea the happiness is double considering the escape of misery and the punishment is double considering the loss of felicity And what then is there any need of use or application of this to be made unto you will ye look for my sparing it hath it not life enough to speak it self will ye expect my pressing it is not the weight of it sufficient to press and oppress your consciences When Paul disputed of judgement to come it made Felix an Infidel to tremble so that he could not endure the hearing of it and shall not all Christian hearts shake and tremble and be astonished at the very thought of it If you will have any use or instruction of it take it of St. Peter The day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night in which the heavens shall pass away with a noise and the elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt up Seeing therefore that all these things must be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in holy conversation and godliness looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God by the which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with heat Wherefore beloved seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless 2 Pet. 3.10 He speaketh by way of exhortation but the wise man speaketh by way of threatning Rejoice O young man in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee in the dayes of thy youth and walk in the waies of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement Eccl. 11.9 As if he would as it were dare any man to fin having but the remembrance of this judgement before him Wherefore let us not dare to heap up wrath against the day of wrath but walk circumspectly not as unwise men but as wise redeeming the time because these daies are evill especially because that day is so evill And so abide in him here by true faith and the fruits thereof love and fear that when he shall appear we may be bold and not be ashamed before him at his coming which the Lord grant to us all c. Finis Serm. sive tract 4. Trino-uni gloria TWO SERMONS preached at the Feast of the Nativitie of CHRIST and here set forth in one continued tract Text. JOH 1.16 And of his fulnesse have all we received grace for grace THis time is a speciall time of Grace both exhibited and returned Of Grace exhibited from God to man in and through Christ Of Grace returned from man to God in piety from man to man in charity from man to God in piety sanctifying dayes to Gods publick service in hearing praying communicating from man to man in charitie almes to the poor inviting neighbours visiting friends hospitality to all And well do we apply our selves to the practise and exercise of these two speciall duties for this speciall time and business sake this solemnizing and celebrating of the coming of Christ For these Piety and Charity are twins of the Holy Ghost never begotten one without th' other for true faith worketh by love Gal. 5.6 And true love must be with faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 What then It is right and fit that we present him with this joynt issue of the spirit from whom joyntly with the Father the spirit proceedeth and upon us descended that he should be honoured by th' effects and works of the spirit by and from whom we receive the gift of the spirit When the comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the spirit of truth Joh. 15.26 Again Piety and Charity are the two feet of the soul whereon it standeth wherewith it walketh though feet of different nature and divers qualitie even like those feet of Nebuchadnezars Image Dan. 2.33 part of iron part of clay part of iron strong to God-ward in the duties of the first Table so is Piety part of clay plyable to man in the duties of the second Table so is Charity What then we can doe no lesse then extend these footsteps in both kinds whiles we intend the meeting or entertaining of him that comes in both kinds We necessarily express our right respect at once to both natures for the honour of him who comes at once in both natures in one person to visit us for in him God was manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 Again Piety and Charity are the two hands of the soul by the hands the body holdeth by these the soul holdeth For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith that worketh by love Gal. 5.6 And these are well like the Spiders hands mentioned Prov. 30.28 For though they work weakly yet are they so ambitious as to take hold in the Kings Palace yea even in the Palace of the King of Kings What then Now especially is it convenient for us to stretch forth these hands and to exercise this hold in the heavenly palace because the heavenly King to fetch us thither vouchsafeth to descend not to a palace but to a vile place his humiliation opportuneth importuneth our exaltation our exultation For Behold saith the Angels to the shepheards Luk. 2. I bring you glad tidings of great joy which shall be to all people that is that unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Again Piety and Charity are the two wings of the soul whereon it mounteth even as high as heaven For though worldly
unto all Ro. 10.12 This may humble us this may comfort us this may unite us 1. This may humble us for God makes no difference of us in the best things let not us therefore be proud of our difference in the worst things God will have differences and degrees in his Church militant for orders sake for he is the God of order not of confusion yea in his triumphant Church too no doubt degrees of glory For one Starre differeth from another Star in glory so is the resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15. Let not then this order make disorder presuming in superiors murmuring in inferiors there it cannot be because of their fulnesse for every one is filled alike because he is fulfilled their filling is alike though their measures differ And here it should not be because of our emptinesse we are alike empty of grace by nature till God affords us severall degrees of filling And if we will boast of worldly fullnesse how little cause have we to be proud of it when as here we see the stream of grace runs alike to all sorts and degrees 2. This also may comfort us that this stream runeth unto all for therefore it cannot fail to us neither can we fail to it It cannot fail to us by length or largenesse of running the spring is the same how many soever do drink of the stream we cannot faile to it by our high or low being for it finds out all estates it runs unto all Despair not therefore on Gods part his Fountain cannot be drawn dry despair not on thine own part for whosoever thou art thou art not debarred the stream of grace this comfort aboundeth whatsoever faileth all sorts partake of grace it runneth unto all All we have received 3. Thirdly this may unite us why God doth equall us in the best things his grace runneth unto all what stronger bond can there be of union Have we not all one Father why do we transgresse every one against his brother Mal. 2.10 Endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace there is one body and one spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling one Lord one faith one baptism one God and father of all Eph. 4.3 And so much of the second generall part of the text viz. the stream All we have received The third and last generall part is the bankes And grace for grace Every Fountain hath a stream every stream hath its banks therefore the Evangelist here sheweth not onely the Fountain from whence and the stream how but also bankes and bounds how farre forth and in what measure grace doth flow And grace for grace Some will have it taken prorata portione that there is a proportion of grace in us answerable to that in Christ Namely that he imparteth to his Church every of his graces because Christ is the head and the Church is the body and caput in membra redundat between the head and the body there is communion of influence and can be no stoppage And so grace for grace is that we have a grace in us for every grace grace that is in Christ and so that we also have our fulnesse answerable to his And so indeed the Church is called his body the fullnesse of him that filleth all in all Eph. 1.23 So that then this is true being truly taken and rightly understood the banks observed our measure kept Christ communicateth unto us whatsoever he hath even grace for grace his fulnesse becomes ours And that is not onely by way of imputation he is made unto us wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 but by the way of influence and participation because as he is even so are we in this world 1 Jo. 4.17 But his fulnesse is ours onely according to our measures proportionable to our capacity In us it is plenitudo sufficiens sufficient to every man for his own salvation The just shall live by his faith Heb. 2.4 by this that is his own faith But in him it is plenitudo superabundans fullnesse abounding to others salvation the precious oyntment upon our Aarons our high priests head runneth down to his beard and to the skirts of his clothing to all his parts and members In us it is plenitudo vafis vessell-fullnesse we have this treasure in earthen vessells 2 Cor. 4. but in him it is plenitudo fontis fountain-fullnesse They have forsaken me the fountain of living waters Jer. 2.13 In us it is plenitudo comparata compared-fullnesse respective to each subject or continent My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12 9. But in him it is plenitudo absoluta absolute fullnesse without all respect or measure for God giveth not the spirit by measure to him Jo. 3.34 In a word there is plenitudo apta plenitudo aequa plenitudo superfluens an apt an equall and an overflowing fulnesse 1. An apt fulnesse as when a house or Town or Country is said to be full of people meaning well filled aptly or competently full So the house of Baal was said to be full from one end to the other 2 Kings 10. and yet Jehu bad his 80. men go in and slay them It was full then and yet there was room for 80. more Such is our fulnesse here in this life we are aptly and competently filled with grace so much as may suffice us but so as there is stil room for more more may come in for we must still grow in grace 2 Pet 3. And multiply graces faith vertue knowledge temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindnesse love 2 Pet 1. And this is like the Israelites gathering of Manna in the desert of sin He that gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little had no lack every man gathered according to his eating Exo. 16. God gave them their portion competent for naturall life and so he doth give us our portion competent to each for spirituall life none of the elect hath too much none too little but every one sufficient just enough to serve his turn 2. There is plenitudo aequa an equall fulnesse as when a vessell is so top-full that there is nihil vacuum no part of it is empty no room for more So were the waterpots filled up to the brim Jo. 2. so full that they could hold no more And this is proper to the Saints in Heaven In thy presence is the fulnesse of joy Ps 16. they are top full and have no more room for grace their measure is fulfilled 3. Thirdly there is plenitudo superfluens an overflowing fulnesse such was that of the widowes pot of oyle that never ceased running so long as there were any empty vessells to receive it And this is Christs fountain the stream wherof floweth unto all Of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace So thâ—n we receive grace for grace with Christ an answerablenesse of his graces proportion of his fulnesse how to our
filled Chap. 2. ver 4. yea so abundantly filled that each one was able to fill multitudes For by Saint Peters preaching the same day there were added to the Church about 3000. soules ver 41. Thus this heavenly fire hid since the world began and from all ages Col. 1.26 now breaking forth sheweth most heat and light Thus our Zacheus for that name whether you expound it Just or Pure may well stand for him who is the fountain of all Justice and purity recompenseth his former hoording and sparing by giving fourfold Thus the holy and precious oile of gladnesse powred upon the head of the Church runneth down to the skirts of his clothing even to all his members and parts For saith Saint Peter here ver 16. This is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel And it shall be in the last daies saith God that I will powre out of my spirit upon all flesh And this is that which is cited Heb. 8.11 They shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know ye the Lord for all such know me from the least of them to the greatest Thirdly not to like end was the Holy Ghost before come or given For before he was given to foretell things to come and to be done now to tell and declare things done and finished Before to set forth the shadow of good things to come now to minister the substance of the things themselves Before to teach men but now we may say in some sort to teach Angells For now unto principalities and powers in heavenly places is made known by the Church the manifold wisdome of God Eph. 3.10 And in the ministry of the Gospell the things are now shewed which the Angells desire to behold 1. Pet. 1.12 Before it was to prepare the bride for the marriage of the Lamb Now it is to keep the keies of the bridechamber dore to bind and loose open and shut I will give thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth shal be loosed in Heaven saith Christ to Saint Peter Mat. 16.19 For which causes I doubt not it is that the least of the Kingdom of God that is as aforesaid after this third and full revelation of the Trinity is said to be greater then John the Baptist whose time was but a little before it Mat. 11.11 What followeth then for our instruction out of this inlargement of the holy Spirit to us but this that we also be inlarged in the holinesse of our spirits unto him that as he hath abounded unto us so we may abound unto him and that as he to us so we to him be renued In our manner Not with eye service as men-pleasers but heartily as to the Lord. Col. 3.23 In our measure Rich in faith rich in good works In our end Not minding earthly things but having our conversation in heaven Phil. 3.20 But how was this new and great coming of the Holy Ghost It was in or under signs and figures types and emblems For the Son came to take our nature because he was to stand in our room to act our cause therefore his coming must be hypostaticall he must be that he seems to be The Word was made flesh Joh. 1. But the Holy Ghost was to renew us into his nature that we might be partakers of the godly nature 2 Pet. 1.4 therefore it sufficeth that his coming be symbolicall not becoming or being what he shews but shewing what he is his properties and effects As excellently here hee doth in three notable symboles or signs Namely Wind Fire and Tongues And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing and a mighty wind c. To seek all the agreements between these shaddows and their substance were to attempt that impossibility 2 Esd 4.5 Weigh me the weight of the fire or measure me the blast of the wind Expect not all then but be content with some And first of the wind The Wind hath two especiall properties Secretness and Activeness First Secretness and that both in its arising and its working 1. Secretnesse in its arising It is so secret that it cannot be known for I will rather believe Christ who telleth me that I cannot tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth Joh. 3.8 then I would yeeld to the wisdom of man if all Philosophers could as indeed they cannot agree together to tell me from whence it cometh God bringeth them out of his treasures Ps 135.7 No doubt out of those treasures of light and and might knowledge and power the light which no man can attain unto 1 Tim. 6.16 And secondly it hath Secretness in its working too for it unsensibly pierceth the sensible joynts and bones Zephyrus quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vitam ferens and worketh sensible refreshing on the unsensible herbs and plants And to the Holy Ghost also is secretnesse proper both in his beginning or arising and in his working In his beginning for we say he hath a beginning of personality though not of nature A beginning from the Father and the Son not in time being coeternall but by proceeding Whereof the proceeding of the stream from the fountain of the heat from the fire and of the light from the sun is all too short and weak expressions and yet these in time we are still together And in his working also he is secret Entring in to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit and the joynts and the marrow Heb. 4.12 And as the true Zephyrus breathing breath of lives upon all the plants which the heavenly father hath planted and that unsensibly as the wind blowing when and where and how he listeth The former secresie is for our admiration the greater it is the farther we must stand from it For qui scrutatur majestatem opprimetur à gloria He that searcheth Gods majesty shall be oppressed of his glory It is enough to cry out O the deepness of this secret The latter is for our examination for we must prove our selves whether we are in the faith or no 2 Cor. 13.5 If we live in the spirit we must walk in the spirit Gal. 5.25 And as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God Rom 8.14 Again Activenesse also is another property of the wind It is active constantly strongly subtilly variously 1. Constantly for it is alwaies in motion its being consisteth in action for it is not wind if it do not blow And though it be not in all places alwaies alike perceived yet never can it be said to be in no place at all 2. Strongly for it bendeth the pliant plants but breaketh or overturneth the stiffe and sturdy oaks 3. Subtilly for it findeth the chaffe in the middest of the wheat and purgeth and scattereth it quite away 4. Variously for it bringeth sometimes lightning sometimes rain
the world that they behold is vanity Yea the odds may be great advantage to the Soul even to make the ear her especial organ the more attentive to receive the more intensive to conceive the more retentive to keep For the lesse the eye hath to see the more leasure and pleasure the eare should have to hear Which is a good Item by the way to old men and women to teach them to be the more both exercised and satisfied with their ears when their sight begins to fail Exercised for their need is the greater their speed is the easier Satisfied for the Holy Ghost appeared in tongues not so much intending for that present to be seen as for ever to be heard and to make the care the alsufficient mouth to feed the soul though eyes be wanting 4. Here is no discomfort to the deaf as at first sight it may seem For though the Holy Ghost appeared in the likenesse of a tongue yet he is a spirit Hee is a spirit in substance a tongue but in appearance therefore though ordinarily he enter by the ear into thâ— soul yet extraordinarily he can enter though the ear be shut even as Christ ordinarily because he was man did enter by opened doors but extraordinarily because he was God even shut doors did not bar his entrance Joh. 20. He spake the word and they were made Gods word prevailed in the creation when as yet there was not an ear to hear And shall it not likewise prevail in the regeneration even of him who is deaf and cannot hear Yes doubtless for ejus dicere est facere Gods work and his word are so one that if he speak the word it must needs be done He that made the ear shall he not hear thee Yes no doubt though thou speak never so softly Therefore also I may say he that made the tongue shalt not thou hear him Yes though thou hear never so hardly though thy soul be dead much more though thine ear be dead thou shalt hear him that speaks to that purpose For the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear it shall live Joh. 5.25 The Holy Ghost is become a Tongue to signifie his ordinary entrance by the ear but he is a fiery tongue a spiritual tongue a divine tongue he can enter though there be no ear There is not therefore so much discomfort in deafness as may seem For though God hath tyed us to means yet himself is above means He is an almighty tongue and can work as well without the ear as with it 5. Here is shame and confusion to them that will not hear or that hear but to mock Such a generation are fore-prophecied to come in the last daies stopping their ears as the Adder doth hers with the ground and with her tayl so they theirs with worldliness and fleshliness proving oxen seeing farmes eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage or else filling their mouthes with mockings and setting at naught the Ministry of the Word as a mad businesse As Jehu his companions spake of the Prophet Wherefore came this mad fellow to thee 1 King 9.11 And as Festus took Paul for a mad man Act. 26.24 Such were there in Ezekiels time and therefore no doubt will be in all times With their mouthes they make jests and their heart goeth after covetousness Ezek. 33.31 And especially in the last times for it is so prophecied 2 Pet. 3.3 There shall come in the last daies mockers But let all such know that the Holy Ghost came in tongues shewing his intent to work by tongues It is not therefore ye that speak but the spirit of your father that speaketh in you saith Christ Mat. 10.20 They have not cast thee away but they have cast me away saith God to Samuel 1 Sam. 8.7 He that despiseth despiseth not man but God saith St. Paul 1 Thes 4.8 What then Resist not the Holy Ghost For they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Rom. 13.2 He that speaketh against the holy Ghost shall never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Mat. 12.32 Let every man therefore be swift to hear slow to speak Jam. 1.19 Let the spirits gracious speaking prevail and our ungraciousness be put to silence But what manner of tongues are they that doe here appear Cloven tongues This is the last note but not the least for it implyeth manifold mysteries which may be thus summed and contracted It implyeth Division it implyeth union Division from God in respect of gifts and graces to be given Union to God in respect of people and nations to be called Division in the instruments that were to work Union in the subjects that were to be wrought upon 1. Division They were to be divided in the totall sum and in the severals all one from another and each one in himself First in the totall They were to be divided in place in degree in gifts 1. In place The holy Ghost said separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them Act. 13.2 Crescens is gone to Galatia Titus to Dalmatia 2 Tim. 4.10 They were to go into all the world and to teach all nations and for expeditions sake to goe severally O strange expedition Single men and simple ones too even silly Fishermen are called and sent to set upon Cities Towns yea Kingdoms and Countries and that but with their tongues See mans strength in God see Gods strength in man Mans strength of boldness they feared not the faces nor yet the hands of Kings and tyrants Why If God be with us who can be against us Rom. 8.31 I have put my trust in God I will not fear what flesh can do unto me Ps 56.11 And see Gods strength of ableness The Lord saveth not with sword nor yet with spear for the battel is the Lords 1 Sam. 17.47 It is not hard to the Lord to save with many or with few 1 Sam. 14.6 I will give you a mouth and wisdom where-against all your adversaries shall not be able to speak or resist Luk. 21.15 But no doubt their separation was for multiplications sake they were singled to severall places that the more abundant fulnesse of the Gentiles might the more speedily come in Saint John preached in the lesser Asia Saint Andrew in Scythia Philip in the higher Asia Thomas in India Bartholomew in Armenia Matthew in Aethiopia Simon the Canaanite in Mesopotamia Thaddaeus in Arabia James in Jerusalem Peter at Rome So doth Panigyrola range them The Fathers of the former ages were permitted and tolerated in Polygamie to have many wives for spedy multiplications sake that they might fill the world apace But the Apostles are singled as much as may be every one to a severall charge even for the same end even for speedy increase of spirituall issue God grant then that the spirituall Polygamie of our times be not the cause of barrennesse that the curse of Ephraim