the twelve Tribes of Israel He went into the Sanctum Sanctorum once a year and offered up the prayers of the people Besides him there were a great number of Priests and Levites throughout all the towns and Cities of Israel they offered the sacrifices of the people and made attonement for them before the Lord they taught the people and instructed them in the ways of the Lord. Yet all these are nothing to our Saviour Christ he excells them as much as the Sun doth the Starres or the body the shadow They were all but shadows of him he is the true high-Priest They were but men he is God and man they sinful he without sin they mortal he immortal their sacrifices were but figures of his sacrifice the blood of Lambs Goats offered by them took away no sin his blood purgeth us from all sin they received tithes of their brethren but they themselves paid tithes to Christ they prayed for the people in the Temple Christ prayes for us in heaven Wherein we may behold the supereminent dignity of Christ his Priest-hood It cannot be denied but that Aarons Priest-hood was most glorious As the Psalmist speaketh of the Church many glorious things are recorded of it There was a costly Tabernacle a sumptuous Temple the wonder of the world there was an admirable Altar many oblations and sacrifices there were sundry Sabbaths and new Moons divers festival days the feast of unleavened bread of the blowing of Trumpets of Tabernacles of Dedication c. Which were kept with wonderful solemnity there were many washings and purgings for the clensing of the people Therefore let us magnifie God for this our high-priest by whom we have an entrance into the Kingdom of heaven The high Priest went into the Holy of Holies himself but he carried none of the people with him they stood without Our high-Priest is not only gone into heaven himself but he hath also brought us thither That high-priest offered Bulls Calves Lambs for the sins of the people this high-priest offered himself for us all Therefore let us honour and reverence this our high-priest yea let us subject our selves to him in all things which hath made us Kings and Priests to God his Father that we may reign with him for ever and ever The Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever Psal 110.4 after the order of Melchisedeck For such an high-Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens Hebr. 7.26 27. Who needeth not daily as those high-Priests to offer up sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the peoples for this he did once when he offered up himself Seeing then that we have a great high-Priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession Heb. 4.14 16. And let us come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Of Christs Prophetical Office Christ is said to be a Prophet like unto Moses that is both in the Participation of nature and of office A true man and a true Mediatour Similes they are but not Pares Christ being worthy of more glory than Moses Christ is a Prophet and more than a Prophet the Arch-Prophet to whom Moses and all must vail bonnet Let our mind then be wholly fixed on Christ consider that in him all the treasures of wisdom lie hid he is a rich and plentiful store-house in whom we may find all the pearls and jewels of wholesome doctrine In him there is salvation and in no other therefore all other teachers set aside listen to him When the Judge of an Assizes gives the charge all that be present especially they of the grand Inquest consider seriously what is spoken Christ Jesus the Judge of the whole world gives a charge by his Ministery When the King makes a Speech in Parliament the whole House considers earnestly what he sayes Christ Jesus the King of kings speaks to us in the Ministery of the Word The Queen of Sheba observed Solomon well Behold here is a greater than Solomon therefore let us diligently consider him Besides the matters which this great Prophet declareth are of great moment touching the eternal salvation of our souls If one should talk to us of gold or silver we would be attentive Christ speaks to us of that which surpasseth all the riches in the world what mad-men are we that regard him no more But alas since the Fall every man hath Principium lasum his brain-pan crackt as to heavenly things neither can he recover till Christ open his eyes and give him light Moses truly said unto the Fathers Act 3.22 Quinque dicuntur de Deo Paternitas in nascibilitas filiatio proc ssio communis spiratio Aug. Paternitas innascibilitas conveniunt solum modò Patri Filiatio tantum modò Filio Spiâ—itâ—i verò Sancto processio Communis Spiraâ—io Patri filio respectu Spiritus Sancti A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever I shall say unto you De Spiritu Sancto THE Holy Ghost is the third Person in Trinity proceeding from the Father and the Son being himself most holy and the worker of holiness in all Angels and good men He is distinct from the Father and the Son equal unto the Father and the Son and the same God in Nature and Essence with the Father and the Son though not the same person He is called The Spirit The Holy Spirit A Spirit because he is that essential vertue proceeding and as it were spired or breathed from the Father and the Son Or from his effect who blowing where he listeth inspireth holy motions and graces into the hearts of the Elect. Or because he is a spiritual invisible and incorporeal essence And Holy Spirit 1. For distinction sake for Gods Spirit is holy that is it hath all holiness and it hath it in it self not by illumination from any higher cause and so are not the spirits of Men or Angels holy mens spirits have sin in them on earth And the Angels and blessed souls in heaven have no holiness but what they received 2. Gods Spirit is holy by effect for it is his proper work to sanctifie the Elect and so to work holiness upon the spirits of men by spiritual regeneration The Holy Ghost is oft-times in Scripture signified by Fire Water We shall find it according to the nature of fire 1. To illighten us 1. Mat. 3.11 Isa 4.4 as the least spark of fire lightens it self at least and may be seen in the greatest darkness 2. To enliven and revive us fire is the most active of all other elements as having much form little matter so whatsoever is born of the Spirit is Spirit that is nimble and active full of life and motion
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
many and lords many But to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things Rom. 1.25 Isa 57.15 1 Tim. 1.17 1 Tim. 6.15 16. and we in him Who is blessed for ever The high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose Name is holy The King eternal immortal invisible the only wise God The blessed and only Potentate the King of kings and Lord of lords Who only hath immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen nor can see to whom be honour and power everlasting Amen Psa 89.6 Who in the Heaven can be compared unto the Lord Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord Psa 48.14 This God is our God for ever and ever Psa 144.15 Happy is that people that is in such a case yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord. Of God his Attributes and Properties THOV canst not see my face said God to Moses for there shall no man see me and live Man could not behold this Vision but be opprest Exod. 33.20 and swallow'd up with Majesty as the sight of the eye is dazled with the Suâ— or a Chrystal Glass broken with the fire The High Priest entring into the Holiest of all darkned it with the smoak of the incense when he went in Pompey who was one that presumed to enter within the Holiest of all not being Priest when he came out being ask'd What he saw answered That the House was full of a Cloud To which the Psalmist Psal 18.17 He made darkness his secret Place his Pavilion round about him were dark Waters and thick Clouds of the Skies As we cannot see the Sun in Rotâ in the Circle but in the Beams so neither God otherwise than in his Words and Works Only if we in borrowed speech for our understanding call him a Spirit though in proper speech so God is not no more than he is an Angel or a Soul which is determined finite and comprehended in some one place as every Angel and every mans Soul is and add unto this Spirit such Attributes as may fully difference him not only from all spirits Humane or Angelical but from all Creatures then we are come as near him as we can and in this Mortality can approach no nearer Of his Eternity God only is properly Eternal that is without beginning or ending without all measure of time Aeternitas est quae nihil habet mutabile Aug. in ibi nihil est praeteritum quasi jam non sit nihil futurum quasi nondum sit quia non est ibi nisi est Mans dayes are but dayes of time God is fixed in Eternity mans dayes are moveable the dayes of God move not Some distinguish thus between these three Tempus est mensura hominum Eternity Evâ—ternity and Time habens principium finem Aeviternitas est Angelorum principium habens sed non finem Eternitas est propria Deo nec principium habens nec finem Eternity is that which is peculiar unto God his are the dayes of Eternity Eviternity is proper to Angels and Spirits which have a beginning but shall have no end Time is the portion and lot of man who hath had a beginning and shall have an end Time is the measure of those things which actually corrupt and change Aeternitas est duratio semper praesens est unum perpetuum hodie quod non transit in praeteritum aut futurum Drexel Eviternity is the measure of things incorruptible and unchangeable not in themselves but by the appointment of God Eternity is peculiar to God in whom it is absolutely impossible any change should be Time hath continual successions Eternity a constant permanency all the dayes of God are but a day Mans day was is and shall be Gods day alwayes is True it is other Spirits are Eternal there is an everlastingness of the Spirits of Men and Angels for having had beginning they shall never have end but that is a gift and of grace and à parte post as the Schoolmen say in respect of future But God is a Spirit absolutely Eternal in his Essence and in his Nature and à parte post ante before everlasting without beginning without succession innovation or termination in regard of which Eternity as being a vast Ocean the little drop which we call time vanishing into nothing and so far is the Eternal Spirit beyond all Spirits of men and Angels Object If it be objected Where is a beginning there is time but in God there is a beginning for the Son and Holy Ghost have their beginning from the Father Answ I answer A beginning is twofold 1. Ordinis Of Order 2. Temporis Of Time They had no beginning in respect of time for that should have excluded Eternity but only a beginning of order which standeth in Eternity the Son being in time as Eternal as the Father Hence is concluded That clear distinction of this uncreated and creating Spirit from all created Spirits of Men and Angels As also that we should not insist or content our selves with such things as time can only afford us but fasten upon him that is Eternity and upon that Eternal happiness with him 1 Sam. 15.29 Psal 90.2 Isa 57.15 Hebr. 9.14 The Eternity of Israel Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the Earth and the World even from Everlasting to Everlasting thou art God the high and lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity the Eternal Spirit Of his Infiniteness In God there is such infiniteness and unmeasurable greatness Spiritus insinitus non corpore non inquam quant tate magnitudine mole sâ—d qualitate virtute bonitate si quid praestantius ab homine de Deo dici vel cogitari potest Comarus that to him nothing can be added neither may any bounds measure or limits be admitted All other Creatures are finite in holiness wisdom life glory c. But he is infinite in all That is infinite 1. Which is without end 2. Which is without bound In both God is infinite as he had no beginning so he shall have no end or period of his Being he is infinite in reference to duration or time and he is infinite in reference to place or extent This is a good Argument to prove there is but one God for there is nothing infinite but God and it is altogether impossible that there should be two Infinites The Heavens cannot hold two Suns much less can the World hold two Infinites Infinity runneth through all the Titles of God He is infinite in Power infinite in Wisdom Justice Righteousness and Mercy Hence it is gather'd That God is incomprehensible and passeth all bounds of created minds and understandings and so cannot fully be conceived of us nor of any but of himself And surely if he be above all the mind can conceive much more beyond all that any
Picture can express foolish Creatures that confine him within the narrow lines of any Image 1 Kings 8.27 2 Chron. 2.6 Isa 66.1 Jer. 23.24 Behold the Heaven and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee The Heaven and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him The Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Footstoâ—l Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Of Gods Omnipotency Such is Gods Omnipotency and Infiniteness of power as that to him nothing is impossible Psal 103.20 Other Spirits are Potent Angels excell in strength but he is Omnipotent The Almighty power of this Spirit distinguisheth him from all other spirits Dicitur omnitotens quia omnium tenet potestatem Isidor Thus 1. In that it is Essential for whatsoever God doth is in and by his own Essence but there is a quality 2. In him it is Original in them derived for this is that beginning of all power in the Creature 3. In him it is Absolute whereby he can do whatsoever he will in them it is limited that they can do but what he will 4. In him it is Infinite not only in regard of his infinite Being nor only in regard of infinite Objects which he hath done and can do but also in regard of the powerful manner of effecting things for he never did any thing so powerfully but he could have done it more powerfully he never made any thing so good but he could have made it better In the Creatures there is an Essence and a Paculty whereby they work as in fire the substance and the quality of heat between these God can sunder Dr. Preston and so hinder their working as in the Babylonish fire In the Angels there is an Essence and an executive power God comes between these often and hinders them for doing what they would But now it s otherwise in God he is most simple and entire without mixture or composition Hence his Almightiness is his Essence and his whole Essence is Almighty He is not mighty in respect of some part or faculty as the Creature is but all in God is Mighty There is the 1. Absolute Power of God And 2. Actual Power of God By the former he can do whatsoever he pleaseth make Iron swim Rocks stream forth water stones to yield children unto Abraham Of this when I have spoken my utmost I must intreat the Reader as one the Oratour did his when he spake of Socrates and Lucius Crassus Cicer. 3. â—s Oratore Vt magis quiddam de â—is quà m quae scripta sunt suspicarentur That they should imagine some greater matter than here they find written For well did Gratianus the Emperour observe in his Epistle to Ambrose Loquimur de Deo non quantum debemus sed quantum possumus In speaking of God also of his power we speak not what we ought but what we are able But it is his actual power that men must look to and in this he hath tyed the end and the means together in which respect there are things he cannot say Divines because he will not that is he will not bring man to the end without their using those means which tend thereunto In a word He can do all things possible and honourable he cannot lye dye deny himself for that implieth impotency He can do more than he will but whatsoever he will that he doth in Heaven and Earth and none can say What dost thou Let us therefore tremble before this Mighty God who can with as much ease as Caesar once threatned Metellus in a Bravado and in as little time undo us as bid it be done If the breath of God blow man to destruction and we are but Dust-heaps if he can frown us to death with the rebuke of his countenance What is the weight of his hand that Mighty hand as James calls it wherewith he spans the Heavens and weigheth the Earth in a Ballance Trust we also in his power for performing his promises Deo confisi nunquam confusi He that believeth shall not be ashamed he need no more but stand and see the salvation of the Lord. And let Gods people be comforted in consideration of his power Contemno minutos istos Deos modo Jovem habeam propitium said that Heathen If God be for us What need we fear what Man or Devil can do unto us Yea let us commit our selves unto him who is able to do for us above all we can ask or think and to keep for us what we commit unto him for howsoever the power of all Creatures may be letted by impediments from doing us good yet nothing can be an impediment to hinder his power for our good Gen. 17.1 Cap. 18.14 Dan. 4.37 Luke 1.37 Rev. 4.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am the Almighty God Is any thing too hard for the Lord Those that walk in pride he is able to abase With God nothing shall be unpossible Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty Of Gods Omnipresence God is a Spirit everywhere included Deus ubique semper est nowhere excluded He is purely and simply by his Essence and Presence everywhere A God within all things but contained of nothing a God without all things but sustained of nothing a Spirit dwelling everywhere but without sense or motion In respect of his Essence he is everywhere but in regard of the bright manifestation of his grace and glory he is said to dwell in Heaven Thus also he is said to be far from the wicked not in respect of Essence but the manifestation of his favour and grace Again when God is said to depart and return we must not understand it by motion of Essence but of effect nor by change of place but by change of his action and declaration of some mercy where he is said to return and of his justice where he is said to depart A man in a Boat thinketh the Bank moves though that be unmoveable and all the motions in the Boat so God moveth in regard of his effect in us himself abiding unmoveable he moveth and changeth all things without any motion or change in himself Empedocles could say that God is a Circle whose Center is everywhere whose circumference is nowhere Other Heathens that God is the Soul of the World and that as the Soul is tota in toto and tota in qualibet parte so is he that his eye is in every Corner c. To which purpose they so pourtraied their Goddess Minerva that which way soever one cast his eye she alwayes beheld him Let us therefore in every place fear his presence and avoid sin the Judge is present even to the thoughts Sub Jove sâ—mper erâ—s c. Jovis omnia plena set thy self ever in his sight as David walk with God as Enoch and be sincere in all thy course he filleth all places either to comfort or confound God saith a late Writer is not so far from us as the Bark is from the
all the calamities of this life here the children of God are oftentimes made the wickeds footstools they sit on them and tread on them A rich man though wicked shall be more esteemed Here they sit as forlorn persons none regards them Many times they sit weeping and wailing for their sins for their sufferings But let this comfort us against them all how contemptible soever we sit here we shall sit with Christ Jesus though not in that degree of glory yet in the same Kingdom of glory with him for ever This man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever Heb. 10.12 sate down on the right hand of God Cap. 8.1 We have such an High Priest who is set on the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens To which of the Angels said he at any time sit on my right hand Cap. 1.13 until I make thine enemies thy footstool Intercession The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is attributed in Scripture both to Christ and the Spirit but when it is attributed to the Spirit it is rendred by Comforte when to Christ by Advocate And not without reason since the Spirits work is to speak comfortably to us and Christs to plead powerfully for us It is said The Holy Ghost maketh intercession for us yet the Holy Ghost is not our Intercessor He doth not in our nature pray for us as Christ doth Rom. â— 26 but he teacheth us to pray Neither doth he in his own person make intercession with sighs and groans for the Holy Ghost cannot sigh and groan but he stirres up to it Christus Oratur à nobis As the Father Orat in nobis By his holy Spirit Orat pro nobis As our Advocate Oramus Ad illum Per illum In illo Aug. Ad Deum non opus est suffragatore sed mente devotâ for Christ is our eye whereby we see the Father and our mouth whereby we speak to the Father And none is in such favour with the Father as the only Son that lyeth in his bosome When Christ is said to intercede we must not imagine he doth it in heaven after the same manner he did when he was on the earth to fancy a supplicating voice bended knees with sighs and groans or with strong cries and tears This suiteth not with the Majesty of Christ in heaven neither doth he it after such a carnal manner But Christ is said to make intercession for us two kind of wayes 1. Non voce sed miseratione not by uttering any voice to his Father but by having pity and compassion on us 1. By a fourfold presentation Vnigenito filio Deum pro homine interpellare est apud coaeternum patrem sâ—ipsum hominë demonstrare Greg. l. 21. Moral c. 13. viz. 1. Of his Person in both natures Divine and Humane 2. Of his merit the force and efficacie of his Passion the recordation of his obedience 3. Of his will and desire in our behalf not in a begging or precarious way yet he signifieth it 4. Of our Prayers and Supplications which we make in behalf of our selves and others and the Prayers of the Church which she maketh in our behalf He perfumes our prayers with the odour of his sacrifice and so presents them to his Father The consideration of Christs perpetual intercession in Heaven for us may be singular comfort to all Christians Preces sacrisicii sai odore sanctificat Calv. We count him happy that hath a friend in the Court then how happy are we that have such a friend as Christ in the Court of Heaven Say on my Mother said Solomon to Bathsheba I will not say thee nay So saies God the Father to Christ Say on my Son make intercession for thy members I will not say thee nay Blessed are we that have such an Intercessor let us flie to him Only let us not grieve him with our sins but glorifie him by an holy life then we may boldly commence our suits to him and he will prefer them to his Father to our everlasting joy and comfort We have an Advocate with the Father 1 Joh. 2.1 Jesus Christ the righteous Christ is entred into heaven it self Hebr. 9.24 now to appear in the presence of God for us He ever liveth to make intercession for us Cap. 7.25 Predestination JNterpreters have observed Praedestinare nihil aut majus aut minus significat quà m destinare Chamierus that this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies to predestinate is but six times found in the New Testament and never in the Old And it is used either De rebus concerning things twice Acts 4.28 and 1 Cor. 2.7 Or else De personis concerning persons four times Rom. 8.29 30. and Eph. 1.5 11. And so Significat non simpliciter praedestinare ad aliquid saith Mr. Leigh out of Zanchy Sed ita praedestinare ad aliquam rem ut etiam sines terminos constituas Quâ—tenus pro objecto habet homines est aeternum et immutabile Dei decretum de suturo hominum statu aeterno Wendelinus quibus ad rem consequendam certò deducatur is quem praedestinasti puta media omnia tempus loca alia id genus They say it is never applied to Reprobates However Divines under Predestination do usually consider the Decree both of Election and Reprobation It will not be good for any to teach this Doctrine till they have well learned and digested it for about it have been many disputes with unhappy issue and it is a Doctrine which hath been if it be not by some at this day much misused and exagitated In Rom. 8. we see our calling was according to Gods purpose Crit. Sacr. so I say our calling justification glorification do depend upon Predestination not Predestination upon them Before Augustines time Prelates and Doctors of the Church some I meane having no occasion to enter into an exact handling of this point taught that men are Predestinated for the foresight of some things in themselves of which opinion was Augustine at first but after reclaimed But it seems the will of the Arminians hath made a foord in the depths of God it hath found out the wayes that are past finding out It made Paul stand at a stay and cry O the depth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but these lead along their Scholars that they passe over almost with dry feet The path of Election and grace is discovered and these men will tell you the reason of Gods counsel But we say and so doth the Scripture Elegit nos ab aterno ad gratiam ad gloriam ad salutem ad salutis viam quam praeparavit ut in ea ambulemus Act. 18.48 Crediderunt quotquot erant ordinati ad vitam etaernam Credere est effectum ordinationis The Turks use to say what is by God written in a mans forehead before his birth cannot in his life be a voided But let none be so
Paraclete Cursed Mahomet called the dead fits of his falling-sicknesse his extasie and ravishment at the appearance of the Angel Gabriel and his Dove inured to fetch food out of his ear is pretended no lesse than the Holy Ghost sent whisperingly to intimate what he should enact for the people Heathenish Politicians had like pretences to win credit to their lawes Numa Pompilius receives his from the goddesse Aegeria Lycurgus his from Apollo And how many have we now adayes our Modern Enthusiasts that dream their Midianitish dreames and then tell it for Gospel to their neighbours as wise as themselves leading men into the lyons mouth that roaring lyon under pretence of a Revelation as that old Impostour did the young Prophet 1 King 13. This we may be sure of that many illusions have come in the likenesse of visions and absurd fancies under pretence of raptures and what some have called the spirit of Prophecy hath been the spirit of lying and contemplation hath been nothing but Melancholy and unnatural lengths and stilnesse of prayer hath been a meer dream and hypochondriacal devotion and hath ended in pride or despair or some sottish and dangerous temptation Much like unto Heron the Monk of whom it is reported that having lived a retired and mortified life together for many years at last the Devil taking advantage of the weakness of his Melancholy and unsetled spirit gave him a transportantion and an extasie in which he fancied himself to have attained so great perfection that Angels would be his security so dear he was to God though he threw himself into the bottome of a well he obeyed his fancy and temptation did so bruised himself to death and died possessed with a perswasion of the verity of that extasie and transportation It is more healthful and nutritive to dig the earth and eat of her fruits than to stare upon the greatest glories of the Heavens and live upon the beams of the sun So though all violencies and extravagancies of a religious fancy are not illusions yet they are all unnatural little secure little reasonable little consisting with humility and so unsatisfying to the soul that they often distract the faculties seldom advantage piety and are full of danger in their greatest lustre Be not soon shaken in mind 2 Thes 2.2 neither by spirit Apparition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to appear or seem It is that which either a man seeth or vainly imagineth that he seeth If any say how hath a spirit a form or an image or how can that be seen Answ It is not a Spirit abstracted or naked in it self but a Spirit joyned with a form and a shape that is seen So Angels or Spirits did usually appear to the Ancients taking a body or some form upon them and those Apparitions when a body was assumed were called spirits When therefore it is said that the Disciples beholding Jesus after his resurrection standing in the midst of them they were terrified and affrighted supposing that they had seen a spirit Luk. 24.36 37. Know the Apostles were not so absurd as to beleeve a spirit in it self a spirit abstracted could be seen but they called it a spirit because they thought it onely the representation of Christs body and not the true body So a spirit may assume some outward shape in which it is clothed to the eye Some observe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haec vox significat sic aliquid praeteâ—irae ut â—tiam mutetur Schind that the motions of spirits clothed with bodies in their Apparitions is not like the motion of men who move lifting up their feet one after another but it is a passing as a ship moveth with a gale of wind rather a gliding than a going Job 4.15 Among the Heathen this was made the chief difference to distinguish a Numen or spirit coming in any shape from a natural body The steddinesse of their eyes was one Pedes vestis desluxit ad imos Et vera incesses patuit Dea. Virg. l. 1. Aen. the not transposing their feet was another and a cleerer evidence So saith Heliodor Numina venientia ad nos in homines se transformant Ex oculis autem notari possunt cum continuo obtuitu intueantur palbebras nunquam concludant Et magis ex incessus qui non ex dimotione pedum neque ex transpositione existit Sed quodam impetu â—â—rio vi expedita findentium magis auras quam transeuntium Quamobrem statuas quoque Deorum Egyptii ponunt conjungentes illis pedes quasi unientes In Aethiopicis l. 3. A spirit passed before my face Joâ—â— 12.13 14 15 16. Witch Witchcraft in general signifyes all curious arts wrought by the operation of the Devil The ground is a league or compact with him Either 1. Open when men invocate the Devil in expresse words or otherwise make any manifest covenant with him Or 2. Secret when men use means which they know have no force but by the operation of the Devil Of Witchcraft there are three kinds 1. Superstitious Divination of which before 2. Jugling to work feats beyond the order of nature as did the Magicians of Egypt 3. Charming or inchanting which is by the pronouncing of words to procure speedy hurt or speedy help A Witch is one that wittingly and willingly useth the assistance of the Devil himself for the revealing of secrets working of some mischief or effecting of some strange cure There are indeed other superstitious persons who use charming and by it do many cures perswading themselves that the words which they use have force in them or that God hath given them to do strange things Such in a natural honesty may detest all known society with the Devil and in that respect are not the Witches which the Scripture adjudgeth to death yet are they at the next door to them and are to be admonished to relinquish their superstitious practices Because 1. The efficacy of things that comes by any other means than the ordinance of God which efficacy was either put into the thing in the Creation or since by some new institution in the Word is by Satanical operation 2. Charms Inchantments and Spells have no force unless we believe they can do us good which faith is false and the service of the Devil for we must believe hope do nothing without or against the Word of God To discover a Witch is very hard for they do their feats in close manner not only by soul and open cursing but also by fair speaking and by praising of things Nevertheless there are five special things for discovery Viz. 1. Free confession of the accused and suspected 2. Confestion of the associates with the suspected 3. Invocation of the Devil for that is to renounce Baptism 4. Evidence of entertaining a Familiar spirit 5. Evidence of any action or actions that necessarily presuppose a league made with the Devil There are besides these other signs
cap. 44. nulla sanitas indefessa nihilancommodi omnia ad voluntatem there is no infirmity there is health without weariness there is no discommodity there all things fall out to our own hearts desire This is that to which our Saviour doth invite us Come unto me Mat. 11. all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Thirdly hereby he hath strongly ratified the merits of his life and death in that he there by them never ceaseth interceding for the faithful never faileth in applying of them to the faithful Tot habet linguas pro nobis lequentet quot vulnera prâ— nobiâ— accepit Fr. Joh. de Combis l. 4. â—sp 24. he hath also so many tongues speaking in our behalf as he received wounds for our sakes He is never from the sight of God but always in action before him pleading for us by the mystery of his holy incarnation by his holy nativity and circumcision by his baptisme fasting and temptation by his agony and bloody sweet by his crosse and Passion by his precious death and buriall by his glorious resurrection and ascension So that as Johannes de Combis a Friar Minorite doth observe Ibi nulla potest esse repulsa ubi tot concurrunt amoris in signia there can be no denyal given where so many tokens and pledges of true love are met together Wherefore considering our misery was extream great and universal our enemies exceeding strong and maliciously bent and that the blessings we desire were above our reach in the highest heavens Questionlesse such an High-Priest became us Of all debasements that of our Saviours was the lowest of all advancements that of him the highest He bowed the heavens and came down to the earth where he was a worm he left the earth and became higher than the heavens he descended into hell the lowest of all places and now sitteth on the right hand of God the highest of promotions We have such an High-Priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens 'T is St. Ambrose assertion that this sitting on Gods right hand Heb. 8.1 intimates no other thing nisi honoris aqualitatem than an equality of honour of authority that he hath an equal stroke with the Father in the government and administration of all things God himself gave him this place in heavenly places far above all Principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come Eph. 1.20 21. Quantum inter flellas luna minores Cap. 1.3 4. When he had by himself saith the Apostle to the Hebrews purged our sins he sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high being made so much better than the Angels as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellént name than they Those heavenly spirits are subject unto him who at his incarnanion was made a little lower than they so in his glorification he is made far higher even in that nature wherein he was made low So that now being Crowned with glory and honour all things are put under his feet all rule is put into his hand This is the reason why all the Angels of God worship him and why we ought in the service of our spirit and subjection of our consciences devoutly adore him adore him who is God adore him who is man which adoration in the judgment of acute Zanchius is not to be directed simply to the humane nature considered in itself aâ— essential unto it Zanch. l. 2. de tribus Elohim c. 1. pag. 38. but as it is personally united to the God-head through which union together with the God-head of the Son it is adored and worshipped with Divine honour Saith that famous English Divine if any misconceiving this doctrine Mr. Perkins shall charge us with an Idolatrous worshipping of the creature I say with Athanasius in his Epistle to Adelphius cited by Matthias to this same purpose Athanas they shall know at length Nos qui deminum in carne adoramus nen creaturam adorare sed createrem corpere creato indutum that we who do worship the Lord in the flesh worship â—ot the creature but the Creatour clad with a created body That honour then and homage which we give him in the humblest manner tendit in infinitum looks unto him that is infinite as the proper object that bounds our divine service to whom 't is due in the highest respect being higher than the heavens For the greater glory of our Saviours man-hood some from these words do attribute unto it an Vbiquity a being in every place at one and the same time and not in heaven onely as if in his glorification there were a transfusion of the proprieties of the God-head into the humanity How far this is from truth may be easily judged Sceundum esse naturale Christus non est ubique secundum esse Personale Christus est ubique Pract. of Piet. P. 15. 1. By this that Omnipresence is a proper attribute of the divinity no way at all communicable to corporeal substances which as they are limited with terms of essence by their definition so of place by circumscription for although our Saviours body be highly promoted and come to the height of so much perfection as it is capable of yet hath it not lost the nature of a body he is still as God so man whom as man according to St. Peters doctrine must the heavens contain untill the times of restitution of all things Act. 3.21 2. By this that hereupon doth follow an abolishment of all inferiority and an equality establisht between the creature and Creatour as if either there were an erection of another Deity or as if the essence of the humanity were converted by an unheard of Transubstantiation exceeding that of the Papists in their Mass into the essence of the Deity so that now they remain no more distinct matures in him but one and the self-same and Christ is supposed to be no longer man but altogether God for where there are the properties of any thing there of necessity must the essence be supposed to be they are inseperable Wherefore seeing the grosse nay blasphemous absurdities of this erroneous position grounded upon the misinterpretation of this and the like texts we may not conceive because Christ is made higher than the heavens than the Angels themselves in glory according to the humane nature that presently that nature must be Deified and fill all places at once as if the glory of Christ as man did not exceed that of Angels unless as man he did partake of the ubiquitie of the God-head But to let this go as no ways affected with unnecessary wrangling whereby to disquiet mens Christian thoughts my intention is to endeavour the elevation of our affections to the seeking of those things which are above and above all of Christ who as
he is as man in heaven so he is as man higher than the heavens O praeclarum diem cum ad illud animorum concilium caetumquae proficiscar et cum ex bâc turbd et colluvione discedam Cicer. de sencetute Hebr. 12.24 higher than the heavens which are visible to the eye of man yet in part of the heavens where the God of glory is pleased to make the most ample and immediate manifestation of his glory 't is called the habitation of the highest a new world the new heaven Paradise the heavenly Jereusalem the City of the living God where there are an innumerable company of Angels the general assembly and Church of the first-borne and God the Judge of all and the spirits of just men made perfect There is I say Jesus the Mediatour of the new Covenant and the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel There our high-Priest presents to the Father the propitiatory sacrifice of himself and sprinkles upon us his purifying blood that is by his powerful mediation he applies unto us who are faithful the saving merits of his never to be forgotten passion by which our mortal sins are freely remitted and we destin'd to a Crown incorruptible that never fades away in the highest heavens Thus are we through him had in perpetual remembrance and accepted of God in the beloved as righteous as if we had never offended When a man indeed looks on things directly through the aire they appear in their proper forms and colours as they are but if they be look't upon through a green glasse they all appear green So when God beholds us as we are in our selves we appear vile and squallid but when as presented before his throne in heaven in the person of our Mediatour our high-Priest after the order of Melchisedeck approved of for his merits then we appear before him as Christ himself holy harmlesse undefiled seperate from sinners and in some respect and measure made higher than the heavens for those that overcome by faith and a good conscience being Kings and Priests by him shall be so honourably esteem'd of Revel 3 21. as to be made sit down as coheirs with him in his throne as he sitteth down with his father in his throne As he vouchsafes us to partake of his merits so of his glory Cap. 5.10 making us unto our God Kings and Priests In lieu whereof let us in all humility with the four and twenty Elders fall down before him thut sitteth on the throne Cap. 4.10 and worship him that liveth for ever and ever And with those ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands celestiall spirits Cap. 5.11.12 13. let us say for of him 't is said worthy is the Lambe that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing Vnto thee therefore O our loving Saviour Christ Jesus our high-Priest who art holy harmless undefiled seperate from sinners and made higher than the heavens be ascribed by us as by every creature which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea blessing honour glory and power for ever and ever Amen GLORIA IN ALTISSIMIS OR THE ANGELICAL ANTHEM LUKE 2.14 Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace good will towards men THis is the sacred Anthem which by the heavenly quire of Angelical spirits was most melodiously sung as a pregnant expression of exceeding joy conceived in them at and for the so much desired nativity of our blessed Saviour These ministring spirits I propose as the fittest and compleatest pattern for our pious imitation to whom seeing we are made but little inferiour in regard of the lively image of God imprinted in our soules so be we also but little inferiour to them in expressing the joyes conceived in our hearts I may safely averr without the least smack or touch of Popery that the Angels of God in heaven rejoyce at the good of Gods Church whereof they themselves are apart for such is the spiritual sympathy of their holy affections with ours whose conversation is in heaven though our selves on earth that they bear a part with us in solacing themselves for our happiness The heavens could not hold these Angels from coming to the earth in hast upon the wing to bring the glad tidings of peace and great joy that shall be to all people the sun was anticipated in his course for the Angels proclaim a Saviour ere the sun the worlds eye did discover him That we therefore may not come short of affection if it be possible of them let us in a joyful sense of felicity Psal 103. Incipit à superieribus sinlt in infinis coming unto us by our Saviours coming unto us sing Hallelujah unto God and with David call upon all creatures from the highest to the lowest to publish the praises of the highest Blesse the Lord ye his Angels that excell in strength that do his Commandments hearkning to the voice of his word Blesse ye the Lord all ye his hosts ye Ministers of his that do his pleasure Blesse the Lord all his works in all places of his Dominion Blesse the Lord Kimchi O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy name Elevate your hearts and voices good Christians in harmonical strains with these blessed spirits setting forth in some measure the exceeding greatness and glory of the love of God extended unto us without all measure Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men This Song doth consist of three parts viz. 1. Glory 2. Peace 3. Mercy The 1. is Glory be to God on high there is the honor the reverend obedience the admiration and the divine worship which we ought to give to God The 2. is And on earth peace this is the effect of the former working in the hearts of men whereby the world appears in its most glorious splendor and transporting beauty being an entire chain of intermutual amity The 3. is Good will towards men this is Gods mercy reconciling man to himself after his perfidious apostacie and ungrateful dissertion from his Creatour Glory peace and mercy then must be the welcome subject of my discourse Glory to God Peace to the Kingdomes of the earth and mercy unto sinful men Gods mercy appears in our Saviours appearing to the world which brought peace on earth for which men and Angels glorify the Lord of glory Glory be to God on high The first part comprehends what ought to be the first and principal aim both of our Christian intention and pious execution wherein if we behave our selves well we shall have a part and portion in that inheritance which Christ with his blood purchased for us Glory be to God on high Gods glory is either divine or humane Gods divine gloty is that which is proper to the divinity incommunicable to any creature Which
are reconciled to God St. Chrys on those words in Colos Chrysost in Cap. 1. Epist ad Cosos it pleased the Father by him that is by Christ to reconcile all things unto himself whether they be things in earth or things in heaven understandeth by things in heaven the holy Angels of God who saith he became enemies to all men by reason of their universal rebellion against the Lord their God But now beare good will to us after we are reconciled to God by Christ and are of the houshold of faith Hereupon it is as our Saviour saith that the Angels in heaven rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner unto God Heb. 1 14. and the Apostle writing to the Hebrews saith they are all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation They guard such as their proper charge saith devout Perkins that be in Gods favour and carry them as a nurse doth a child in her armes that they dash not their foot against a stone Perkins on Revel 1. Psal 91.11 Wherefore some Christian Philosophers out of Act. 12.15 where speech being made of St. Peter it is said it is not he it is his Angel collect that every elect man of God hath his good Angel to protect him to guide him in all his wayes and upon occasion when it seemes good to God many as Elijah had Thus we are at peace with good Angels as for the bad we must have no peace with them Origen onâ— Rom. 5. for then we shall have no peace with God Origen on the 5. of the Romanes tells us that Ipse supra omnes cateros pacem habet apuà Deum qui impugnatur à diabolo c. he above all others hath peace with God who is ever combating with Satan Warre against Satan procures peace with God Wherefore being he will do us no good the Lord so works as that he shall do us no hurt As for the other creatures all of them are in league with a good man their lesive facultie is restrained by the supreme power from doing violence to the Lords redeemed whereas the wicked are still exposed to the danger of their power The starres in their courses fought for Israel against Sisera Judg. 5.20 The fire did not hurt the three children in the fierie surnace The hungry lyon preyed not upon Daniel in the den Isa 11.6 8 9. lying at the mercy of that ravenous beast A little child saith the Prophet Isaiah shall lead the young lyon the sucking child shall play on the hole of the Aspe and the weaned child shall put his hand on the Cocokatrices den neither these nor any of the rest shall hurt or destroy in his holy mountaine in his holy Church It was a most comfortable promise which God made to Judah and Israel and in them to his peculiar people that he would make a covenant for them with all creatures Hos 2.18 the beasts of the field the fowles of the aire the creeping things of the ground heaven earth corn oyle and all Yea the child of God shall tread upon the lyon and the serpent and they shall not hurt him Thou shalt be in league saith Eliphaz the Temanite to Job with the stones of the field Psal 91.13 Job 5.23 and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee Thus Gods Children in Christ Jesus shall receive no detriment by any thing that God made but by his blessed providence they shall find assistance and comfort from all his creatures Now the God of peace that sent his Son with the Gospel of peace and his messengers with the glad tidings of good things grant that we may live in peace and depart in peace according to his word to leade an everlasting Sabboth of rest in the highest heavens Great mens births are commonly celebrated with the joyful acclamation of their dependants every one being in a readiness to noise abroad the newes that includes happinesse whereby others might be partakers of their joys and excited to do the like in imitation Thus the glorious and blessed Angels the inhabitants of heaven and the immediate attendants of the most high do the birth of the Son of God the King of Kings like wel-bred Courtiers in significant terms divulge the birth of so great a Prince and melodiously express what good what great benefits come by the birth of so good so great a person Which ought to be a forcible incentive unto us after their example to render due honour unto God and â—o worship that day-star which from on high hath visited us with everlasting comforts All the holy Angels of God are obliged to praise him but we much more he restored not them to any felicity for they lost none we lost the primitive goodness of our unblemished creation and yet restored he us He redeemed not them they needed it not nor the wicked Angels that needed it but wrought our redemption when we were enemies worthy condemnation O then let us praise the Lord for his peace and merce for both endure for ever What the Angels sung will serve our turn Glory be to God on high c. The parts of our discourse are 1. The glory we owe to God 2. The peace God sent on earth 3. Gods good will towards men Concerning the two first I have no more to say than what I have already but proceed unto that last and maine point whereupon depend all our future hopes of eternal blisse which is Gods good will and mercy I confesse that the very name of peace is a sweet word and sweeter the work but sweetest that of mercy which is the cause of it Being then that mercy must be the subject of my present meditations first I betake my self to thee O God of mercy and eternal Spirit of truth humbly beseeching thee to enable me by thy gracious illumination and to rectifie the retired cogitations of my soule that whilest I display thy mercy thy goodness thy salvation and when all is done there may be in mens hearts a deep impression of true joy and a perfect sense may be obtained of thy loving kindness and good-will toward them To behold God sitting in his throne of justice is to a sinner most full of dismal horrour but to view him seated in his throne of mercy is to a distressed soule most full of heavenly consolation If there be any that obstinately forget God and carelesly cast behind their backs his sacred ordinances let them expect to be torn in picees of him and none to deliver them let them look to be consumed of that God whose Jealousie burns like fire If there be any that are heartily submissive and sincerely penitent in the sight of our all-seeing God for their enormities let them joy up in abundance for in him there is mercy and plenty of redemption although all of us have highly offended him and multiplyed our transgressions above measure yet if we can
should have been taken from him but left all other thoughts and did cleave to his masters side with an inseparable resolution As the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth I will not leave thee So must we be to Christ in whom God hath manifested his good will to us and say as Peter did To whom should we go thou hast the words of eternal life Gods Mercy is like Daniels goodly tree Dan. 4. whose height reacheth unto the heavens and the sight thereof to all the earth whose pleasant fruit all mortal men do taste and eat and under the shadow of whose fair leaves they take rest and comfort To the defence and succour of this tree must we run in storms and extremity and not then only but at all times lest with ungrateful Popelings we go about in the fairest sunshine to lop the branches Of pions memory is that last speech uttered with the fierce zeal of a dying Martyr burnt in a Tun in Smithfield in the presence of Henry the Fourth King of England Mercy Lord Jesus Christ mercy And of him that with lifted-up hands and singers flaming with fire cried to the people None but Christ none but Christ for ever Cry then ye braving Merit-mongers and say not with the Laodicean Church We are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing when as your consciences tell you as theirs did Ye are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Learn with the Prophet Jeremy to say It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not Make it the height of your ambition with the Apostle to be found in Christ Lam. 3.22 not having your own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith And since the bowels of Gods compassion and good will to us do yearn upon us and the merits of our blessed Saviour are so effectual as to justifie in his sight let all the world conclude with David Thy loving kindness is better than life Psal 63.3 And with the Angels here acknowledge our salvation to proceed from Gods good will Our Justification thus effected a main work of Gods goodness towards man there follows upon the very neck of it our Sanctification And here we find the Well of Gods Mercy to be like Jacob's deep to which whosoever cometh with a thirsting soul may freely drink of the water of life Since then O God thy Mercy and thy Goodness is of that depth that no Mortal is able to found it and it able to satiate all with thy good Spirit that as by thy Son we are justified in thy sight so by thy Spirit we may be sanctified for Holiness becometh that house wherein thou dwellest O Lord. Know then that by an eternal constitution of Gods predestinating will some were ordained to be vessels of dishonor some of honor Those of dishonor are Reprobates and câ—st-aways who spend their days in prophaneness and end in never-ending pains But those of honor are the Elect who being made to be perpetually glorified among the blessed Angels that kept their first station have here their conversation tanquam in coelo as in heaven and following the conduct of that sanctisying Spirit that makes them holy and acceptable to the most Holy end in never-ending happiness The first are passed in silence our speech must be of the latter whom God by special grace vouchsafes to grace with such endowments as fit them for glory There are none begotten by a natural generation exempted from the contagion of sin neither can any in truth glory of a pious conformity of their wills Papists presume upon a natural ability to gain acceptation at the hands of God and Pelagians have given that goodness to remain in our wills which doth not both which whilst the wheel is turning and the sum of all their misfortunes is cast up sleep supinely in carelesness and boast vainly in security Divine truth hath discovered our nakedness and shame so that the naked truth without all contradiction is that what characters of goodness were imprinted in our nature by the hand of our Creator were by the hand of man that catcht hold of the forbidden fruit quite obliterated and blotted out insomuch that unless the same power take us in hand again and put upon us the stamp of a new creation we shall never alter those crooked and wry dispositions which by our offending disobedience we have contracted The life of a Christian doth challenge an higher parentage than from earth when the beauty thereof is marred and the emoluments departed And here the Lords good will hath not been deficient but superabundant above what we are able to ask or think for out of the plentiful treasures of his grace hath he supplied our defects First he sent his Son and behold now he sends his Spirit His Son to free us from condemnation from which otherwise we cannot be free his Spirit for our regeneration which is an act of Divine power whereby being born of God we are reduced to the obedience of his Name Isa 63.18 1 Pet. 2.9 and made like unto him Holy as he is holy hereby becoming the people of his holiness as saith the Prophet and as that Saint of God the Apostle Peter speaks A chosen generation a royal Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people What was written upon the plate of the holy Crown of pure gold belonging to the Priest in the Levitical law is by the singer of God engraven in Capital letters in the hearts of his Saints HOLINESS TO THE LORD Exod. 99.30 Which inward holiness makes them zealous of good works that are like to Pearls as one saith found here below but carry a resemblance of Heaven in their brightness and orient colours To which end our Saviour gave this precept Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in heaven Those sacred actions of obedience that have their original dependencie upon the Divine operation of Gods Spirit in the heart please God wonderfully He is glorified by them and in them his soul takes great pleasure Cui prius non beneplacitum erat in hominibus Theophil nunc pro beneficiis refocillationibus hominum habet opera in quibus quietem habet faith Theophilact on these words God who at first was highly offended with men for their apostacy accepts the good deeds of men though himself be the Author of their good for favours and refreshings wherein he is well pleased As I breathe Christians I cannot but admire the good will of God who dwelling in that light unto which there can be no access would vouchsafe to shine upon us who are darkness in the very abstract or would lift up the light of his countenance upon us whom sin had made so contemptible In good earnest I am transported much more
him without the camp bearing his reproach for here we have no continuing City Heb. 13.13 14 15. but we seek one to come by him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name who is the Author and finisher of our salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be ascribed all honour glory power and dominion in heaven and in earth by men and Angels both now and for ever world without end Amen The Necessity of CHRISTS PASSION AND Resurrection ACTS 17.3 Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead GLory which is the proper scope of a noble disposition and the intended end of honourable intents did Christ make to be the necessary consequence of his fore-running passion His life seem'd to the worlds eye inglorious in that he affected not popularity so did his death to those that knew not the mystery of our Redemption By general judgment he was reputed the most unhappy breathing he was rejected and despised of men Yet in this his rejected and contemptible condition was sowen his immortal happiness which indeed was sowen in weakness but was raised in power sowen in dishonor but raised in glory For as by the eternal constitution of the Almighty he ought to have been brought to the lowest degree of misery by suffering divers and fearful punishments so ought he not perpetually to abide in that state but at length to be elevated thence to the highest pitch of glory In order to which as Christ must needs have suffered so also must he rise again from the dead The point now by divine assistance to be discust is part of Christs exaltation a theame of an high nature And herein first of the person exalted Christ Christ was exalted according to both natures 1. In regard of his Godhead 2. In regard of his Manhood The exaltation of the Godhead of Christ was the manifestation of the Godhead in the Manhood mightily declaring therein that he was the Son of God Which manifestation was altogether active no way passive the effects produced by him having no other proper agent but God For who could overcome Satan death the world the grave but God And albeit the Divine nature be thus exalted yet it is without all manner of alteration For to speak properly in it self it cannot be made the subject of exaltation but as it is considered joined with the Manhood into the unity of one person For albeit Christ from the very time of the assumption of our nature whereby he was incarnate was both God and man and his Godhead all the time he liv'd dwelt in his Manhood yet from the hour of his Nativity unto the hour of giving up the Ghost and a while after the Godhead did little shew it self The glorious majesty of his Deity whiles he was in the for me and low state of a servant lay hid under the vaile of his flesh as the soul doth in the body when a man is sleeping And in the time of his passion the brightness of the glory of the sun of righteousnesse was obscured as the sun running in the height of heaven oftimes over clouded or eclipsed by a darker body thereby in 〈◊〉 humane nature to undergo the curse of the law and perfect the work of our redemption in subjecting himself to the death even the cursed death of the crosse But as soone as this work was finished and happily accomplished he began by degrees to make known the power of his Godhead in his Manhood And so to rise again Secondly Christ was exalted in regard of his Manhood which consisteth in these two things In depositione servilis suaâ—conditionis in laying down and quitting himself from all the infirmities that 〈◊〉 mans nature which he submitted himself unto except sin so long as he remained in the state of a servant he was subject to weariness to hunger to thirst to fear to death from all which in this state of exaltation he is perfectly delivered his natural body is a glorious body those wounds and stripes which in his body he suffered for our sins remain not in him as testimonies of that compleat conquest to be obtained over his and our enemies But are rather quite abolished because they were a part of that ignominious condition wherein our Saviour was upon the crosse whereof in his glorified state he is not to be partaker Yet if they still remain as some think they do they are no deformity to the glorious body of the Lord but are in him in some unspeakable and to us unknown manner glorified In susceptione donoxum in receiving such graces and qualities of glory as bring with them ornament beauty perfection happiness exceeding the or 〈◊〉 beauty perfection and happiness of any other creature in heaven or earth 〈◊〉 to his soul and body As for his soul look upon the intellectuall part you shall find a mind enrich with as much knowledge and understanding as well in respect of the act as the habit as a creature can possibly be capable of the measure of it being more than all men and Angels put together have Look upon his will and affections you shall find them furnished with the fulness of grace and compleatly adorned with the invaluable riches and incomparable gifts of Gods holy Spirit As for his body it is not now subject to dissolution from being natural it is become spiritual not by the destruction of the essence but by the alteration of the qualities Aquinas Est ejusdem naturae sed alterius gloriae said Thomas for God would not suffer his holy one to see corruption The nature and essential proprietles of a true body as length breadth thickness locality still remain in him the addition of glory and brightness not changing the nature of it so that it is free from all bodily imperfections and made bright and glorious a resemblance whereof was his transiguration on the mount Matth. 17. where his face did shine as the sun and his rayment was as white as the light the purity whereof is unblemished the agility whereof such as is indifferent to move upward or downward the brightness thereof cannot be obscured nor the strength thereof match't by any creature For by his power he shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body Hhil 3.21 according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself These gifts of glory in Christ's body are not infinite but bounded within limits because his humane nature being but a creature and therefore finite could not receive infinite graces and gifts of glory To make then infiniteness ubiquity and omnipotency incommunicable attributes of God attributes of Christ's glorified body is to destroy the nature of a body and say that the body of Christ is transformed into the Deity or Deified and that he is all
not shut against you his fatherly providence is tendred to you he withholds no good thing from you he sent first his Son and now that his Son is ascended to him he sends the Spirit of his Son to you into your hearts that by that meanes he may abide with you for ever But why compared â— the love of God to the love of man mans love in respect of Gods not being so much as a grain of mustard-seed to the whole earth or the whole earth to the vast heavens or the smallest drop of water to the whole Ocean I answer for my 〈◊〉 thus that by the marvellons defect and straitness of the one you may in some though in the smallest measure conceive survey you cannot the infinite greatness of the other He sent his Son but his Son return'd in his presence was joy in his absence griefe wherefore God bereaving us of his Sons bodily presence in his tender love sent the Spirit of his Son to raise our dead spirits to comfort us without him comfortless he adopted us sons being his enemies by his Sons coming now for farther confirmation and stronger assurance he signs it he seals it by sending the Spirit of his Son into our hearts Because sons Not natural but elected adopted sons such as many justly challenge the prerogatives and liberty of sons God That is the Father Hath sent forth As Kings do their Ambassadours to signify their pleasure and desires they neither adde nor diminish from their Commission so the Holy Ghost what he receives from the Father shows to them to whom the Father sends him he speaks not of himself but what he hears he speaks what he receives he delivers The Spirit That is John 16.13 14 the Holy Ghost the third person in Trinity Of his Son To wit of the natural Son of God Jesus Christ Gods Son begotten by eternal generation time out of mind 〈◊〉 your bear tsâ— Into your 〈◊〉 Crying Making you with confidence and assurance to cry the Spirit properly cryes not for then it should cry and pray to it selfe Sic ipse Spiritus postulat i.c. ad postulandum cos quos replevit inslammat but it is said to cry when it works that effect in us according to that Rom. 8.15 Ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby ye cry Abbâ— Father We are said to cry by the Spirit as a man to see by the eye Abba Father Abba it is an Hebrew word derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifyes to be willing here it is translated Father and the reason of that name is rendred to be because of the propensity of the will and desire of a father towards his children being their chiefest wel-willers and wel-wishers The intention then of the words is this The adoption and free election thorough Jesus Christ into the right and liberty of sons pertains not to the Jews alone but to the Gentiles also to the Galatians by the redemption wrought by the Son of God for this purpose annointed by the Father ye receive the adoption of sons God thus making you sons sent his Spirit to you his Spirit sent to you dwells in your hearts and dwelling in your hearts makes you cry with an assurance of his good will Abba Father Of the words there are these parts 1. A person sent the Spirit of the Son 2. A person sending God 3. The sending it self sent 4. The place whither God sends the Spirit of his Son into your hearts 5. The office or effect of the Spirit Crying Abba Father 6. The reason moving and prevailing with God to send his Sons Spirit into your hearts because sons Of the first the person sent the Spirit of the Son the Holy Ghost It will be judg'd in me to be but a labour in vain to endeavour to prove that there is such a Spirit except there be some as I hope there are none so grosly ignorant as those disciples spoken of in the 19. of Acts who profest they did not so much as hear whether there were an Holy Ghest or no. This is a Principle of Religion to be taken of all for granted not to be call'd in question not to be proved to spend words and time in the demonstration hereof is to no more purpose than to prove 't is day when the sun shines this being sufficiently manifest in the works of nature that sufficiently apparent in the effects of grace Divine truth contained in the sacred Word of God stops all gainsaying proceedings in this point None but who will oppose God will oppose it if any man teach otherwise or doubt of the verity hereof he is proud knowing nothing but doting about questions and strifes of words he is a man of a corrupt mind and destitute of the truth carried away with the spirit of giddiness and of error I will therefore spare my pains in convicting such rude and giddy-headed spirits for I direct my lines to Christians well instructed in this Article of our faith not to Turks and Mahumetans and by Gods assistance teach and write what shall be more fit all things well weigh'd for them to learn and me to deliver 1. Why the Holy Ghost is called a Spirit 2. Why he is called the Spirit of the Son The third person is called a Spirit because 1. He is a spiritual incorporeal and invisible essence whose being is not like that of Angels though spirits they are but ministring spirits of Almighty God finite but he is infinite whom the world cannot contain whom the most piercing eye cannot see whom the most sublime wit cannot conceive The reâ—ulgene glory of those heavenly spirits dazzles our understanding in our meditations and discourses of them our imaginations cannot reach their transcendent and Metaphysical nature far distant from our spheare much more are we unable to fix our bodily or intellectual eye upon that spiritual being whose being and glory is absolutely in comprehensible dwelling in that light to which there can be no accesse and in that height to which no created nature can aspire He is called a Spirit 2. Nescis torda mâ—li â—â—ina gratiá Spiritus Sancti Ambros In regard of the mighty power and unresistible efficacy it hath in operation implyed in the rushing wind on the day of Pentecost and the fiery tongues His wonderful activity is made sufficiently manifest by the creation of the world and well known in the hearts of sinners by their conversion and new creation a work not of small importance Act. 2. a concurrence of all the powers of nature cannot effect it Men and Angels can do much but not so much let men of the rarest parts most eminent endowments and of the best quality laying grace aside do what they may say what they will they shall find themselves scanted of ability to begin much lesse to go thorough with so great a work The wind blowes strong and fire is very active so the Holy Spirit blows down the strong
enemies God in Christ Jesus his Son hath adopted us to be his sons And because thus sons behold a further pledge of his never failing-favour to us he hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts Crying Abba Father So that upon the Spirit of God confer'd is confer'd the gift of prayer for in whose hearts he dwels he is not idle neither is he as that spirit that Christ did cast out of the man in the Gospel dumbe a dumbe spirit but a crying spirit not that the spirit properly cryes Abba Father for God the Father is not the Father of the spirit but of the Son and the beginning or fountain from whom as also from the Son the Spirit doth proceed but that it makes them in whom he ever is to be ever crying Abba Father Wherein is to be observed 1. An act Crying 2. The Object Abba Father This crying is praying and not every kind of praying but a vehement and ardent praying with all the affections and powers of the soul assembled together whereby the desires of our hearts are made known unto the God of heaven the soules voice is drawn up to the height Thus our Saviour in the dayes of his flesh is said to have offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears Conqueror tibi lachrymis Jesu Christi said one unto him that was able to save him from death Hebr. 5.7 We read how Jacob wrestlest with the Angel and would not let him go untill he had blest him Even so the spirit of prayer makes us to strive and wrestle with God and never cease crying until he hear us untill he grant us our requests It is so with us as it is with children that cannot relieve themselves without the aid of others they raise the strong cry and so continue without intermission untill their wants be contented and supplied so do we who are the children of God cry continually unto him who is the giver of every good and perfect gift until our desires be accomplished And forasmuch as we are compassed about with a world of infirmities so that sometimes we have not the heart to cry or at least cry not with all our hearts Quom do enim non exauditur spiritus à Patre qui exaudit cum Patre Aug. then the Spirit helpeth our infirmities And seeing our ignorance is so great as that wee know not what we should pray for as we ought the Spirit it self makes intercession for us informs us what we should ask for or â—od knowing the spirits intentions grant us what indistinctly and indirectly we beg by the Spirit Hence he is called the Spirit of Supplications Zech. 12.10 I will poure upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Hierusalem the spirit of grace and supplications Hence he is called again an Intercessor for he makes continual intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Rom. 8.27 and in the 15. vers of that chapter the Apostle certifies the Romanes that they have received the spirit of adoption whereby they cry Abba Father Wherefore when the sons of God perceive the fiery darts of Satan flying about their eares on every side and themselves subject to infinite perills they fall a praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the spirit Eph. 6.18 and watching thereunto with all perseverance When the children of Israel as is reported in the book of Judges were in the heat of Gods anger sold unto their enemies many a time opprest many a time in desperate cases many a time vanquished for their revolting from God and forgetting his loving kindness they are said then to cry for life unto God whose eares were ever open to receive their hearty prayers Psal 40.1 Thus saith David I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined unto me and heard my cry This crying is either mental only conceived in the heart or mind alone and only or vocal published by the mouth alone The mental cry onely conceived in the heart by the spirit is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that confidence and assurance which the Sons of God have that they are the Sons of God and that all things are theirs in Christ Jesus or more plainly it is the elevation of the heart to God in a secret manner preferring their petitions unto him with confidence that he will grant them what they humbly and earnestly sue for according to his will altogether this crying is internal Moses egit vacis silentium ut corde clamaret yet God to whom all hearts are open hears it as a cry when Moses spake not a word to God but onely desired in the secret cogitations of his heart his aid and protection at the red sea against the Egyptians the Lord sard unto him Wherefore cryest thou unto me Exod. 14.15 When Hannah prayed unto God for a manchild she spake with her heart onely her lips moved but her voice was not heard 1 Sam. 1.13 When Nehemiah made request unto King Artaxerxes concerning the City which was the place of his fathers sepulchres he had not at that instant any time to pray to God with his voice to prosper his suit yet saith the texts he prayed to the God of heaven Such indeed may be the sorrow and anguish of the heart as that the tongue shall not be able to utter the intentions of the soul and this doubtlesse was the case wherein Moses Nehem. 2.4 Curae leves loquuntur tngentes stupent Hannah and Nehemiah were David profest as much Psal 77.4 I am so troubled that I cannot speak bodily infirmities may cause this silence for we see that men at the last gasp when the soul is ready to flie out of the body and they in a manner by reason of the weaknesse of the Organ of speech not able to utter one syllable they lift up their eyes to heaven thereby signifying the hearts raising of this crying unto God Hence proceed those groanes in the children of God when their speech fails them which are the onely messengers of their thoughts and they are said to be the spirits groanings in their hearts whereby intercession is made for them They are called unspeakable groans unspeakable say some for their greatness and so indeed they are great in the ears of God unspeakable say others by reason of their weakness caused either by outward crosses or inward pressures of the soul expressions they are certainly of a good heart listed up to God and though weak proceeding from the special instinct and proper motion of the Spirit of prayer And albeit they be weak and confused in the hearts of Gods children so that they themselves can hardly discern or utter them in themselves Rom. 8.27 yet God who is the searcher of the hidden things of the heart knows the mind and meaning of the Spirit so that by the cryes sigh's or sobs to God never so small and in a manner insensible and seeble
ye not then defiled with the contaminating and for did customs of the world but as ye are separated from all others to an holy emploiment so do not ye degenerate but let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in heaven Know that the eys of all men are fixt upon you If covetousness pride luxury drunkenness or any other vice reign in any of you if any of you be of a dissolute life whose conversation is not ruled by the doctrine ye teach ye are but miserable creatures Be assured Pope Innoc. lib. 3. de S. Altar myst that Quisquis sacris indumentis ornatur honestis moribus non 〈◊〉 quanto venerabilior apparet hominibus tanto indignior redditur apud Deum saith one God contemns him and will reward him according to his work For It is not every one that cries Lord Lord that shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but only they that do the will of my Father saith Christ Take heed therefore to your lives If you preach well and live ill you do but build with one hand and pull down with another And thus much for the Caveat as it respects our selves Now of the Caveat briefly as it respects the Church of God Take heed to all the flock c. A Minister hath the custody of many souls and if any perish through his means he is liable to Gods judgments As therefore we come provided with Knowledge so with a resolution to propagate and diffuse it Knowledge in the best of us not communicated to the building up of the Church in holiness is like costly materials prepared for the erecting of some sumptuous building yet to no use the loss whereof is irrecoverable It stands us upon therefore to be instant in season and out of season to be Instructers of the flock committed to our charge both in doctrine and manner of living The reason hereof rendred in my Text is substantial in that we are made Overseers of the flock The word interpreted Overseer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hence saith one Nomen Episcopi plus sonat oneris quà m honoris But I take it here in a larger signification than it is commonly used All Ministers are Overseers of that Flock the charge of whose souls is committed to them They are their Spiritual Tutors unfolding unto them the secret mysteries of Divine knowledge They must inform them if ignorant reform them if erroneous reprove them if dissolute confirm them if weak in the faith They are called Watchmen to watch for their souls salvation that they be not carried away with every wind of dectrine that they run not into absurd enormities but that they hold fast the profession of the faith in holiness and righteousness all the days of their lives They are called Pastors whose calling is to use all diligence to feed their flock and protect them from eminent mischiefs by a careful foresight or present needful power The Symbole of this say some is the Bishops Crosier the Spiritual Shepherds staff which is acutus in fine ad pungendum pigros rectus in medio ad regendum debiles retortus in summo ad colligendum vagos sharp in the end to prick up the slothful and make them nimble right in the midst to govern the weak but crooked in the top like a hook to gather the dispersed or such as go astray They are called Gods Stewards whose office is faithfully to provide all things necessary for his family They are called the Light of the world whose property is to discover things hid in darkness They by their knowledge dispel the clouds of ignorance by their holy conversation the works of darkness All things that are discovered are made manifest by the light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light hence they shew the house of Judah their sins Eph. 5 13. and the house of Jacob their thrnsgressions They are called Stars Fixt in the right hand of God tanquam in firmamento suo as in their heaven Stars have their light from the Sun so you not originally from your selves but derivatively from the Sun of Righteousness Your knowledge proceeds from the revelation of Jesus Christ who was in the bosom of the Father and must be communicated to the world And to this end they move perpetually about the world so ought you about the Church that all therein may be partakers of the light of life Wonderful are the effects and powerful the operation that the Celestial bodies have by their influences upon the Elements and upon those things compacted by them So questionless the effects wrought by the powerful preaching of the Gospel which is the power of God unto salvation by such whose conversation is in heaven as Divine stars are far superior unto them The operation I am sure more effectual because more spiritual For as the Stars beget life in things void of life and cause vegetation by their heat So they by their precepts beget saith in those that are dead in sins and trespasses which is the soul of the soul by which we live unto God for Faith cometh by hearing and the just lives by his faith Furthermore by the propagation of the Gospel by preaching the Church of God grows and all therein as tender plants and trees of righteousness bring forth the fruits of eternal life Lastly The fixt Stars candem sempet inter 〈…〉 disstantiam they keep the same proportion of distance to each other The like harmony must be among us that all of us together may declare the glory of God They are called Angels to whom God hath given charge over his people to protect them Heb. 1. ult For as they are ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation so are Ministers wherefore saith the Prophet How beautiful are the feet of those that bring the glad tidings of peace What shall I say more They are called Fathers All these names import labour in them to whom they are ascribed So that great must be the pains that we must take with the Flock the Church of God over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers A word to the people I beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their work sake 1 Thess 5.13 Apud Graecos majori in honore babebantur Philosophi quà m Oratores Illi enim rectè vivendi c. Lactantius The Grecians gave greater respect to their Philosophers than to their Orators because these taught them how to speak but those how to live well And sâ—ffer the word of exhortation Heb. 13.22 God must send ere man can go And here is Gods care of man his love to man God comes not in his own proper person He speaks not in his own proper voice So great is the Majesty of the one that
none can see him and live Exod 33.20 So terrible the other that the Israelites trembled cap. 19.16 His sight so full of Majesty that Woe is me saith Isaiah I am undone for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts cap. 6.5 So full of terror his Voice that the Israelites said to Moses Speak thou with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us lest we die Exod. 20.20 Thus would God come unto us his sight would dash us his voice would daunt us His presence is accompanied with lightning when he speaks he thunders Sinai was in a burning sever before God the Earth was troubled with a shaking ague the floods ran back at his presence the heavens dropt at the first sight Psal 68.8 The voice of the Lâ—rd is powerful the voice of the Lord is full of majesty Namper Câ—dros intelligit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quicquid est eximium in mundo the voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars the voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire the voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh c. Psal 29. So that the Lord considering that Man is but flesh as weak as water he refrains from coming but not from sending to us for us Not Angels though ministring spirits as he did before the Law but having an eye to mans imbecility flesh of our flesh bone of our bone Men. Because himself would not thunder he sends Boanerges sons of thunder He sends not Angels spirits but Men-angels messengers Mat. 2. but little inferior to Angels And this he doth for several reasons besides that of his love and care viz. 1. To shew us in what reputation Man is with him He makes men not mean men but his Embassadors to men Such as do reveal his secrets Privy Councellors such as represent his Person a kind of Kings And this honour all his Saints have Psal 149.9 2. To exercise us in that high grace of humility God exalts man to humble man If the Lion roar who will not fear Amos 3.8 If the Lord speak who will not who cannot but obey No thanks to him then But when Man speaks and men obey hoc opus this is the work of humility Here he shews himself a true subject when he yields obedience to Gods word spoken by man albeit in dignity he be far inferior unto him 3. Because it is the surest bond of Amity If one needed not the instruction of another but every one should think himself sufficient of himself such is the pride of man what division what debate what contempt of one another Now this is the surest True-loves knot between man and man Let therefore a man so account of us saith the Apostle as the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 And Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Heb. 13.17 SCALA JACOBI OR St James his Ladder JAMES â— 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed ANTIQUITY reports that the statute of Merciery was erected where crosse wayes met to point out to passengers and pilgrims the direct paths they desired to travel So I may conceive of this blessed messenger of God the Apostle James made in the likeness of God In this world we are pilgrims and strangers where we have no abiding City but seek for one to come our way to that City which is the heavenly Hierusalem is through many tribulations and crosses where this Apostle being set up doth shew the way to us wherein we must walk if we will possesse the treasure of our hopes and long'd for felicity And because the way is ascendant leading gradually upward I therefore may compare it to a pair of staires or call it Scalam Jacobi St James his ladder wherein are to be observed 1. The bottome or ground 2. The several steps placed in a due proportion 3. The top or upper part which we aime to arrive at As for the bottome it is that good word of God the Gospel of Christ Jesus which the Holy Ghost by this Sainted Penman is pleased to stile a law describ'd by two singular attributes the one of perfection the other of liberty it is a prefect law of liberty As for the steps they are four the first is Speculation Whoso looketh the second is Perseverance and continueth therein the third is Remembrance he being not a forgetful hearer the fourth is Practice but a doer of the work As for the top of these staires it is the end of this Scripture and shall be I trust of my discourse blessedness this man shall be blessed in his deed I must stand a while upon the bottome of the staires the Gospel of salvation term'd a law the law of the spirit the law of faith the law of the spirit as the prime inditer the law of faith as the prime effect the law of the spirit in regard of the spiritual graces of God produced by it the law of faith as the special duty enjoined us in it Rat io nominis primum inquirenda we are now by the lawes of accurate teaching to enquire specially why the Gospel is called a law and that is 1. Because what is delivered therein to be observed of us is obligatory coming by way of command and having in it the regal stamp of supream authority 2. Because it prescribes punishments to the disobedient transgressors thereof sincere obedience and essectual beleeving in Christ being exacted of us upon pain of death 3. Because it containeth large promises of great rewards to the faithful observers of the sacred contents thereof Bernard as Bernard saith in his Meditations Si tormenta non terreant saltem invitent praemia if threatned punishments do not deterr us promised rewards may the more invite us As it is a law so it is a perfect law perfect in the Author Gods Spirit which is infallible not admitting either Popish legends to delude the People or traditional writs to destroy them Integra est doctrina ac proâ—nde animos redintegrat Jun. Psal 19. Perfect in the manner of delivery divine inspiration as proceeding from the will of God not from the will of man Perfect in operation as converting the soul making wise the simple rejoycing the heart in lightning the eyes and making the man of God perfect thorowly furnished unto every good work Perfect in the contents and matter as full and wanting nothing conducing to the bet tering of our knowledge in the wayes of piety our knowledge contemplative in matters of faith our knowledge practical matters of fact And perfect in the end Gods glory the glory of his mercy
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
royal Diadem higher than the Kings of the earth greater than the four famous Monarchies c. And yet these worthies of whom the world is not worthy these precious sons of Zion comparable to fine gold these Jewels of Jesus Christ which are his very glory 2 Cor. 8.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forti animo mala fer nec his miser esto dolore Are counted the off-scouring of all things esteemed as earthen Pitchers shamefully slighted and trampled upon with the feet of insolency and cruelty Howbeit as stars though we see them sometimes in a puddle though they reflect there yet have their scituation in Heaven so Gods Saints though in a low condition yet they are fixed in the Region of happinesse The Saints that are in the earth Psal 16.3 The excellent Foundation There is 1. Fundamentum fundatum Eph. 2.20 2. Fundamentum fundans 1 Cor. 3.11 The first is a scriptural foundation the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles the other is a personal foundation Christ himself Be sure to adde practice to these Mat. 7.24 Fundamentals are few in number Certa semper sunt in puâ—is Tertul. but many in vertue Small in sight but great in weight Every particle of truth is precious as the filings of gold neither may we alter or exchange a letter or syllable in Fundamentals Built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Ephes 2.20 Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone Rome Rome hath left her seaven mountains to plant her self in Campo Martio Lips de Mag. Rom. lib. 3. Cap. 11. who lyes as it were entombed in her own ruines Lipsius cannot so much as trace the ancient tract of heâ— walls So in respect of her state Ecclesiastical that which was the garden of Eden is now over-grown with weeds and the Daughter of Zion is now become the Whore of Babylon Rome of Christs Spouse is become the strumpet of Sathan of the school of Simon Peter whose being there is yet questionable the school of Simon Magus of the Temple of the Holy Ghost a cage of impure spirits She calls her self Queen but Hierom the purple Whore Once the Church of Rome wrote her lawes in milk but now she writes them in Sunday letters Prayers and teares were once her weapons but now fire and sword And if in shew of peace she turn heâ— destructive instruments into mattocks it is but to play the Pioner and make way for death Roma radix omnium malorum It is the City that is mounted on seven hills and cannot be hid but is apparently discerned and described to be the great City Babylon the seat of Antichrist The sweetest wine turns into the sowrest vineger the whitest ivory burnt into the blackest coale So about the year 1414. Theodoricus Vrias in Germany Iohn Manâ— loâ— com 226. an Augustine Fryar complained not without cause Ecclesiam Romanam ex aureâ factam argenteam ex argenteâ ferream ex ferreâ terream superesse ut in stercus abiret Yea Diput de Rep. l. 1. c. â—â— Matchiavel observed that there was no where lesse piety than in those that dwelt neerest Rome If Franciscus de sanctâ clara and his faâ—tors were the wisest men under heaven and should live to the worlds end they would be brought to their wits end before they could accomplish this works end to make a reconciliation betwixt Christ and Antichrist betwixt Rome and us for what concord hath Christ with Belial They can never fall in or make musick in one Quire For grosse Idolatry or for fundamental errours onely must we seperate Corruption grew so great in the Church of Rome that it justly occasioned first the Seperation of the Greek Churches from the Latine and then of the Reformed Churches from the Roman And Bellarmine bewails it that ever since we cryed up the Pope for Antichrist his Kingdom hath not onely not increased but hath greatly decreased Dent. on Apoc. 9.11 Certainly the date of her reign is almost out and the time draweth on apace wherein both she and her King Abaddon shall be laid in the dust Esto procul Romà qui cupis esse pius Roma vale vidi satis est vidisse c. Rome hath fallen culpably and shall fall penally Sibylla long since foretold this Tota eris in Cineres quasinunquam Romà faisses in the eight book of her Oracles The ruine of Rome must be like the ruine of Jericho which can never be re-edefied There was something surely in that which we have read that when the warres began in Germany Anno 1619. A great brass image of the Apostle Peter that had Tu es petrus c. fairly embossed upon it standing in St Peters Church in Rome there was a great and massie stone fell down upon it and so shattered it to pieces that not a letter of all that sentence whereon Rome founds her claim was left whole so as to be read saving that one peece of the sentence Aedificabo Ecclesiam meam I will build my Church which was lest fair and entire True it is no easy thing to overturn the Kingdom of Antichrist which like an huge tree hath taken deep root in the earth for many ages and men need not marvel that it is so long a cutting down Especially if we consider that the Lord will still have his Church in combate here in this world to shake it from security Again the Lord for the sins of the Church and want of care of through Reformation in those to whom the Lord hath detected their abominations stayeth the good speed of this glorious deliverance Besides the Lord will have the destruction of Antichrist and his Kingdom wrought by leisure that so man may make due regard and consider of so great a work Yet let us cast our eyes upon Gods word and promise and firmly beleeve if Agag be to be slain God is raising up some Samuel to do it Yea let us cast our eyes on Gods work already and we shall see him gone a great way in the accomplishing of his word Whereby we may strengthen our saith in that which remaineth For how hath the word preached discovered him to be that man of sin detecting his fraudes and impostures with which for many ages he deluded the blind world How are his Bulls and Excommunications which in former ages seemed to shake the Kingdomes of the earth esteemed but as wind Moreover how have all the reformed Churches shaken off with detestation his Antichristian yoke and usurped power over the Scripture Church mens Consciences c. And how have many Princes already disclaimed and despised his clawes over them Keeping from him those summes which were wont to warm his holinesse kitchin c. I might also adde how weak all their endeavours and meanes are to prevent finall â—uine viz. Sophistry Knotty distinctions to hide and delude the plain sense of Scripture threatnings treacheries Machivilian contrivances warres treasons murders Massacres Powder-plots