most delightsome garden to solace a mans soule in it is the Exchequer of the King of kings in which hee keepeth the audit of all his accounts it is the high Court of the great God and the habitation of the holy Ghost and think not to beguile conscience or to delude Gods all-seeing eye for the one will be an upright witnesse the other a severe Judge I conclude this point with that observation of Tilenus In calamitates magnas incident qui vel subdoli ingenii strophis Magistratûs cognitionem eluserant vel virium fiduciâ perruptis legum clathris Judicum subsellia contempserant ad ineluctabile enim tribunal summi Judicis pertrahentur qui nec fraude eludetur nec vi superari poterit Thus have I at large declared how God is pleased to manifest himselfe to the consciences of men both by the ministery of the word and also by the checks of the same In a word take as a Corrolary the summe of all God is pleased to exhibite himselfe to all our senses Thus wee see him in the admirable fabrick of the world and varietie of creatures Thus wee hear him in his word preached Thus wee taste him in the fruits of the earth carnally but spiritually in the blessed Sacrament Thus wee smell him in the fragrancy of his graces And thus wee feel him in the checks of our consciences our outward senses being the grates or windowes of our soules nothing being conveyed into the one but by the other Wee understand nothing we know nothing but either the ear or the eye or some other sense must first present it to the soule As then many windowes yeeld more light into a roome so the more senses there are that present a matter to the soule the more cleerly doth the soul understand it and conceive it These Beloved are the windowes grates and lattesses thorow which Christ looketh upon his Spouse the Church Yet as followeth in my third Generall It is but hieroglyphically enigmatically obscurely The Egyptians used to expresse themselves by mysticall cyphers and when Almighty God appeared to Moses it was either in fire or else in a Exod. 3. 6. cloud in both which to the eye of Moses it was Cap. 40. 34. obscurely So when the Lord appeared to Elijah it was by a voice which is audible not visible 1 King 19. When Christ was transfigured upon the Mount it Mark 9. 3. was in such a brightnesse that the Apostles could not endure to behold the glory of his Majestie So that although God is every-where about us yet such is our dimnesse wee cannot perceive him like the servant of Elisha wee are blinde and see 2 Kin. 6. 16 17. not God neer us unlesse God in mercy open our eyes as hee did his The book of the Creatures the book of the Scriptures and the book of Conscience may serve us in some stead yet are but as dark shadowes glimeringly setting forth him who is light invisible They may serve as a candle in the night but as when the light of the Sun appeareth the light of the candle is darkened so when our vaile of mortality is put away wee shall see God more perfectly In the Scriptures we read of a four-fold light First Light is taken properly as of the Sun Moon and Starres which give light to all creatures Gen. 1. 14 c. upon the earth to this end they were created Secondly Light is taken figuratively sometimes for God himselfe God is light sometimes 1 John 1. 5. for Gods countenance so David prayeth God to lift up the light of his countenance upon him sometimes Psal 4. 6. it is taken for Christ for his Apostles for true Luk. 2. 32. Matth. 5. 14. beleevers or it may be taken for the light of Gods Spirit with which some were endued in the dayes Ephes 5. 8. of the Apostles for the discerning of those who spake by the Spirit of God from those who spake by a false spirit therefore it was called the gift of 1 Cor. 12. 10. discerning of spirits Thirdly Light is taken for the light of the Scriptures leading us to God Thy word is a lanthorne Psal 119. 105. to my feet and a light unto my pathes for naturally our understandings are darke onely God in mercy revealeth himself unto us by the light of the Scriptures Hence is it that wee are advised both by that Evangelicall Prophet Isaiah as also that beloved Apostle John to walke in the light of the Isa 2. 5. 1 John 1. 7. Lord. Fourthly Light is taken for comfort after the troublesome stormes of affliction so the Prophet Micah Rejoyce not against mee O mine enemy When Micah 7. 8. I fall I shall rise when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me When Hamans plot was defeated The Jewes had light and gladnesse joy and honour Esth 8. 16. and saith David Light is sowne for the righteous Psal 97. 11. and joyfull gladnesse to them that are true of heart Hence is it that the Prophet Isaich comforteth the Church in the uberity of her children by the promulgation of the Gospel Arise be enlightned Isa 60. 1. for thy light cometh and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee The first of these lights makes not for our purpose the three later may help us very much If therefore the Spirit of God shineth upon our souls it will clear our understandings to discerne God in the light of the Scriptures and if wee can see God in the light of the Scriptures wee shall be sure to attain to the light of saving comfort because the latter dependeth on the former Thus the Eunuch although his devotion led him to Act. 8. 30 c. read the Scriptures yet did hee not understand all that hee did read till the Spirit sent Philip to expound it unto him then went hee away rejoycing Nor was it saith Calvin unprofitable for him to Calvin exercise his minde in places of Scripture more obscure because by searching and studying therein the sense of them through the assistance of Gods Spirit is to be attained unto And by the way Note the blinde condition of the Romish Note Laitie who satisfie themselves with imbracing any doctrines of their Church without searching the grounds thereof from the Scriptures taking all upon the trust of others and being content to goe without examining them by that touchstone But to proceed Our knowledge of God in this life is in part that is is imperfect as the beholding of a man suddenly passing by whose back-parts onely wee can look upon our more fuller knowing God is reserved untill that time in which we shall be made like unto him When wee all with open 2 Cor. 3. 18. face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord shall be transformed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
are the clay thou art the potter we are all the work of thine hands And saith that holy Psalmist Know Psal 100. 3. yee that the Lord God is hee that hath made us not wee our selves 2. If wee enquire Of what man was made See wee His substance was the dust of the ground Gen. 2. 7. and even that at first was of nothing so that man originally is nothing 3. If we enquire Of what form man was made Moses also tels us that in the image of God God created Gen. 1. 26 27. him which image as I have already showne is Wisdome Knowledge c. Imaginis hujus subjectum animam esse rationalem dicimus sanctitatis Tilen de imag Dei in hom thes 8. veritatis justitiae dotibus exornatam 4. If wee enquire the end why man was created It was for Gods glory Now God is then glorified by man when man cometh to the true knowledge of God and loveth him with all his heart with all his soule with all his strength and maketh him the true and onely object of his prayer Homo principaliter conditus est ad celebrationem uâ—sin Cat. Dei hoc est ad professionem invocationem nominis Divini c. In the first of these is seen the goodwill and pleasure of God in that hee would make so glorious a creature as man In the second is seen the power of God in that hee could make him In the third is seen the love of God in that he would make him after his owne Image In the fourth is seen the wisdome of God in that hee would make him a rationall creature jointly together they all shew that neer conjunction that ought to be of man with God and how earnestly man should desire a fuller enjoyment of his presence and communion who is unto man all in all So then you see that man is to be considered in a double respect First as hee is a creature Secondly as endued with a rationall soule of both which God is the principall authour Our parents indeed were the instruments of our fleshly being under God for without God they could not doe that for the fruit of the womb is the blessing of the Psal 127. 3. Lord And if the parents of the flesh were the onely and sole instruments of generation without God then might they exactly know how many muscles nerves veins bones of all sorts humours and joints were in the body yea where and how located but this they know not even the skilfullest Anatomist may fail herein hence saith the Psalmist I am fearfully and wonderfully made c. Psal 139. 14 15 16. Againe if the Parents of our flesh had the sole and onely power in our making then when our body is sick they might recover us or if any member were rotted away or cut off by violence they might restore it but this neither can they doe Sith then God is the principall cause of the bodies being which is earthly wee may well conclude that hee onely created the soul which is spirituall and that our earthly parents had no share in the creating of that at all Quod ex carne natum est caro Joh 3 6. est That which is born of the flesh is flesh But the soul is immortall created onely by God he onely it was who breathed in man the breath of life Gen. 2. 7. Adde to this the union of the soul with the body which makes the body to be compleat could not be effected by any other save onely that powerfull Worker whose word is a law no skill but Divine could unite them twaine together As then wee are creatures as wee are rationall creatures wee solely are the work of his hands that is of his Wisdome and of his Will Hence are those sayings in Scripture Thy hands have made mee and Psal 119. 33. Job 10. 11. fashioned me round about Thou hast clothed mee with skinne and flesh and fenced mee with bones and sinewes And saith the mother of the seven sons I know 2 Mac. 7. 22 23. not how yee came into my womb for I neither gave you breath nor life nor was it I that formed the members of every one of you But doubtlesse the Creatour of the world who formed man and found out the beginning of all things Secondly consider we whereof man was made viz. of the earth which is slimie and filthie and which wee tread under our feet By how much therefore man is made of viler substance by so much it stands him upon to be lowly and humble knowing that as hee is of the dust so to dust hee must returne and that dust at last shall be reduced to its former nothing for saith Peter The heavens 2 Pet. 3. 7. and earth that are now are by the word kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of judgement 'T is true that body which wee shall have at the generall resurrection although it shall be the self same flesh with which wee are now cloathed shall yet be incorruptible it shall not be as now it is earthy animated onely by a soul separable but it shall be spirituall all danger of separation being done away by Christs Spirit quickning it if wee be inheritors of the kingdome of heaven so much the words of Saint Paul import Flesh and bloud 1 Cor. 15. 50. cannot inherit the kingdome of God where by flesh and bloud the Apostle meaneth bodies earthy and fraile Nor may wee think with Origen that Mayer in loc our bodies shall not then consist of flesh and bones as now they doe and that the flesh shall be abolished because they are then called spirituall But as here our bodies are called animall because animated by the soule they both being kept together by means of sustenance Even so then our bodies are called spirituall because perfectly guided by the spirit and vivified unto a life that being without all sustenance shall never have end And that this is the Apostles meaning is evident when hee saith Corruption doth not inherit incorruption Thirdly Consider wee the forme in which man was created God created man after his own image it is not said after his own similitude Imaginis enim vox est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies diversly either it may be taken for the very Essence of God and so onely Christ is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Image Col. 1. 15. of God Or more emphatically as the same Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the expresse image Heb. 1. 3. of his person Or else the word may be taken as signifying Wisdome Justice c. which I have observed formerly Again Man was created or formed after Gods image not of Gods substance As then the substance of which man was made was more vile so the image in which hee was made was more glorious Nor doe I mean the outward shape of man consisting
of God but those books which are received for and commonly called Canonicall contained in the Old and New Testaments commended unto us from the Prophets and Apostles times even untill now through the power providence and mercy of God which also are not of any private 2 Pet. 1. 20 21. interpretation For prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost and therefore are not to be wrested to please the strange humours and opinions or to make for the private ends of either Papists Hereticks or Schismaticks much lesse to be corrupted in the text by any but construed according to the true sense and meaning of the holy Ghost Perverters there were of the word of God in the Apostles dayes the Apostle Peter speaks of some who wrested the writings of his beloved brother 2 Pet. 3. 16. Paul and other Scriptures also unto their own destruction I could wish there were not some such in these our dayes but because there are some such I shall advertise you in the words of the same Apostle Beware seeing that yee know these things before lest Vers 17. ye also be led away with the errour of the wicked and fall from your own stedfastnesse Quest But some may say How then shall I know that Scripture which is commended unto us to be the very true word of God Answ The holy Scripture takes not its authority from the penmen who wrote the same for they for the most part were unlearned men as shepherds plow-men fisher-men and the like But the authority of the Scriptures ariseth First From the majesty of him who inspired the writers to pen things so sublime in such a familiar stile and simplicity of words and yet such is the majestie of the stile that it is unutterable being more powerfull in matter then in words which none could doe save only that God who is cloathed with Majesty Secondly The matter it selfe being of that efficacy that it divideth assunder the soule and the spirit Heb. 4. 12. and is a discerner of the thoughts and intentions as it strikes terrour into the hearts of the greatest adversaries that despight it so it works an aversion from evill and a conversion to good in them that love it yea the comfort that some have taken in it hath made them abandon all sublunary things and yeeld their lives as a prey into the hands of mercilesse men rather then disclaime it so that what by convincing and converting what by affrighting and delighting all have been forced to acknowledge it to be not the invention of mortall man but the true word of immortall God Thirdly The events of the prophecies as of the promised seed the calling of the Gentiles the deliverance of the Israelites from the Egyptian thraldome c. How doth Isaiah prophesie of Christ to come as if hee then were already in the flesh Unto us a childe is born c and the same Isa 9. 6. Prophet fore-telleth the freedome of the Jewes from captivity by Cyrus naming him whereas Isa 45. 1. Cyrus was born about 100. yeers after so another Prophet that cried against the altar at Bethel 1 King 13. 2. named Josiah and what hee should doe upon that altar whereas Josiah was born above 300 yeers after In the New Testament S. Paul telleth us of seducing spirits of doctrines of divels forbidding to 1 Tim. 4. 1 2. marry and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanks-giving and this is fulfilled in that Antichristian Romish Church so Peter fore-telleth of scoffers walking 2 Pet. 3. 3. after their owne lusts and have not wee some who scoffe at Religion and hate the work of Reformation I wish we had not Thus the events of the Prophecies prove the truth of the word to be the word of Truth Fourthly The admirable consent of the pen-men all pointing at the same Messiah though living in severall ages Adde to this the consent of the Spirit mentioned by Paul and saith Peter in 1 Cor. 2. 12 13. the behalf of himself and the rest of the Apostles Wee have a more sure word of prophecie 2 Pet. 1. 19. Fifthly The wisdome of God in the penning of his Law No law of man could ever be so exactly devised but some offender might finde a shift to evade the penaltie of that law mans law therefore requires to be reviewed and amended but this law of God remaines as at first it was made and no delinquent can finde the least way to escape the judgement threatned and this also proves it to be the very word of the invisible God And if any desire to be satisfied yet farther concerning the Scriptures whether they are the very word of God let him doe this compare Scripture by Scripture and place by place let the letter and the sense goe together then let him yeeld himselfe obedient to the Spirit of truth and that Spirit of truth shall witnesse unto him the truth of the Spirit and let as many as be perfect be thus Phil. 3. 15. minded and if in any thing yee be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you But if any one will not be content to suck the wholesome milk from the breasts of the Scriptures let him continue still like the swine to feed upon the husks that he so much doth relish But as for you my brethren of whom I hope Hebr. 6. 9. better things and such as accompany salvation Receive I humbly beseech you with meeknesse sobrietie James 1. 21. and thankfulnesse this pure word of God which is the truth of God proceeding from the fountaine of Truth it selfe which is onely able to make you wise unto salvation and which will open the eyes of your understanding cleerly to see God and as for others no marvell if they never attaine unto the true and perfect knowledge of God who either know not the Scriptures at all or else knowing them search them not diligently nor reade them with a single eye Christ reproved the Sadduces concerning the resurrection You erre saith hee not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God He reproved also the Jews for their ignorance of knowing him when he proved by the testimony of his Father of John of his works and John 5. 17 32 36. of the Scriptures who hee was and therefore hee counselleth them to search the Scriptures for they Vers 39. testified of him Scrutamini Scripturas It was the honour of the Bereans in that they received the word Acts 17. 11. with all readinesse of minde and searched the Scriptures daily whether the things spoken by Paul were so or not and as it was their honour so it will be your blessednesse to be studious in the Scriptures which so evidently reveal God to you For meditation in the word of God is that key that openeth the door to
it is because there is no light in them In the word onely is that true light to be found that can best direct us to see the face of God comfortably shining upon our souls When ever therefore wee take the sacred Bible into our hands to reade in which as I have shewed God most brightly looketh upon us let it be with holy devotion with reverend intention and attention supposing the title of every page to be Holinesse to the Lord. Exod. 28. 36. And although there be extant many excellent books lively discovering Almighty God unto us yet let us know that they all borrow their light from the Bible branches they are of this Vine slips from this Root sweet flowers but gathered out of this Eden of God streams of wholesome water clear as crystall but yet all flowing from this Spring-head So that I may say that the Bible is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the book of books because written by men inspired by the holy Ghost who is 2 Pet. 1. 21. the Spirit of truth and therefore ought not this book to be denied to the people that they should not see God in it much lesse be undervalued slighted or corrupted by any And let us know that the more our souls are affected towards God the more will hee graciously manifest himself unto us even as David whose meditation being daily in the law of God found the light of Gods countenance shining more and more upon him in-so-much that hee earnestly requested God not to turne his face away from him this also was that that made him wiser then his teachers Psal 119. 99. Saint Peter commending the majestie of Christ at his transfiguration of which himself was an eye-witnesse 2 Pet. 1. 16. commends also the sure word of prophecie that is of preaching the word and saith that it is a light shining in a dark place till the day dawne and Ver. 19. the day-starre appeare in mens hearts Sith then the ministery of the word is a chiefe means to bring this light to our soules let us both heedfully attend it and highly prize it What although to the worldly-wise it be accounted foolishnesse yet to 1 Cor. 1. 23. the heavenly-minded it is the joy of their hearts and the savour of life to salvation by it God is 2 Cor. 2. 16. pleased to save them that beleeve Listen therefore 1 Cor. 1. 21. unto it attentively practise it faithfully and despise not the message respecting the meannesse of the messenger though it be the idle humour of too many to distaste the word preached because they dis-esteeme the preacher but know that God is pleased by earthen vessels to magnifie his mercy 2 Cor. 4. 7. Luk. 10. 16. and let the other also know that whosoever despiseth us despiseth him that sent us If a malefactour adjudged by the law to die should refuse a gracious pardon because his enemy brought it all would condemne him of impudency and so dying censure him guilty of his own perishing But this by the way Return wee to the observation of the benefit which wee receive by the Scriptures The Lord telleth the Jewes and in them us that hee had taught them statutes and judgements Deut. 4. 5 6. Keep them therefore and doe them saith hee for this is your wisdome and understanding in the sight of the nations who shall say Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people And as daily meditation in the Scriptures brings you neerer unto God so by its illuminating vertue it renders you more heavenly-minded towards God Pray then as Saint Paul adviseth you That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Col. 3. 16. word of Christ may dwell richly in you in all wisdome and spirituall understanding and not be onely at your fingers ends nor in your mouthes onely for discourse sake nor yet in your hearts only like a guest or tenant which stayeth for a time and then is gone but that it may be like a king dwelling ruling and reigning there as in its proper seat by the power of his Spirit even that word which so lively setteth forth to you him whom Abraham fore-saw whom Jacob prophesied John 8. 56. Gen. 49. Isa 7. 14. Jer. 33. 15. Mal. 4. 2. of whom Isaiah calleth Immanuel Jeremiah The branch of righteousnesse and Malachie The Sun of righteousnesse that comes with healing in his wings that that morning-starre may shine in your heart which was typified in the old law but exhibited in the new so that what was foretold in the one is manifested in the other him I say that you may see in the light of the Scriptures by the eye of faith search them then for they testifie of him hee through them as through windowes looketh upon you With Timothy know them from your youth practise them in your riper yeers and let them be your studie in your old age so shall you discerne so much of him even in this life through these grates as shall even ravish your soules with desire of a fuller fruition of him hereafter And as God manifesteth himselfe to you in his word so also in the blessed Sacraments And first in the Sacrament of Baptisme when beleevers are regenerate and born anew of water and the holy Ghost when they are received into the Ark of Christs Church and made lively members of his mysticall body by remission of their sinnes and bestowing on them his holy Spirit by means whereof they receive such blessings from God as make them to live in him by grace in this life and assure them that they shall reigne with him in glory eternally hereafter Secondly but most cleerly of all in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper wherein hee giveth them his flesh Qui fidei ore panem hunc manducant ei tanquam membra uniantur Tilen de Coen Dom. Thes 21. to be their meat and his bloud to be their drink imparting to them that heavenly hidden Manna which they take by the hand and eat by the mouth of faith Every true spouse of Christ in this seeth his super-abundant love in that hee was pleased to vaile his glorious Divinitie with the mantle of our infirme mortalitie that so he might more easily make himselfe known unto us For as hee is God co-equall with his Father hee is invisible but as hee in great humility assumed our nature per operationem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by making himself in forme of a servant who was Lord of all for hee did onely majestatem seponere non deponere for a while lay aside his majesty not quite disrobe himselfe of it hee was visible amongst men hee was conversant with men hee did eate drink sleep talk and at last suffered death by men every way hee did communicate himselfe unto men making the faithfull one with him by spirituall union and conjunction Hence is that saying Paries est verbi Cornel. à Lap. incarnati humanitas per quam stans
quasi per fenestras prospicit in Ecclesiam fideles unde nos aspicimus Deitatem per humanitatem These are the windows through which Christ manifesting himselfe reveales himselfe unto us and in them declaring the secret will and work of God concerning our redemption and salvation whereof except he were perfect God hee could have no knowledge for none being meer and onely man could ever have searched out that bottomlesse abysse nor ever have found out so intricate a mystery Lastly God maketh himselfe knowne unto By the book of Conscience man by the book of Conscience for there is none so atheisticall but the terrours of his Conscience will make him acknowledge a Deity Conscience is a practicall syllogisme condemning Conscientia est syllogismus practicus ex lege Ursin man for the breach of Gods law the Major whereof is the letter of the law Cursed is every man that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to doe them The Minor is the accusing of Conscience But I have broken the law Hence the Conclusion necessarily must follow Therefore I am accursed Sometimes it is put for the spirit or soule of a man and sometimes for the faculties of the soule so wee reade that the law of God is written in our hearts our consciences either Rom. 2. 15. accusing or excusing which must be understood in intellectu nostro in the understanding facultie of the soule and in this sense the majestie and power of God shineth even to the consciences of the heathen and infidels Non omnis Numinis sensu Tilen carent qui in sylvis oberrantes ferinam agunt vitam Even they who live like savage beasts in woods are not altogether void and senselesse of a supreme power and whence is this but from the inward curb of conscience Yet more especially and cleerly God is manifested to the consciences of men these two wayes 1. By the ministery of the word by which hee powerfully worketh on their consciences 2. By the inward checks of conscience after sin committed both in the godly and also in the wicked First by the ministery of the word and this is four wayes 1. By opening that which was before lock'd up The closets of mens hearts are lock'd up by sin and ignorance so that they cannot rightly conceive of God as they ought untill hee who hath the key of David be pleased to open them by the Revel 3. 7. ministery of the word the heart of man naturally being like unto a spring-lock which shutteth of its own accord but cannot be opened without a key Thus God is said to open the heart of Lydia when Acts 16. 14. shee heard the word of God from the mouth of Paul and by the same means to convert the Jayler Vers 31. and his houshold so also God opened the hearts of three thousand at Peters preaching God Acts 2. hath committed the keyes of his kingdom unto the Ministers of his Gospel whereby he enables them Matth. 16. 19. to speak unto his people yet Spiritus sanctus est qui verbi praeconio hominum mentes illuminat qui aures perforat qui corda aperit ut Scripturae tanquam divinae firmiter assentiantur 2. By softning that which before was hard The heart of man naturally is * Ezek. 11. 19. flinty God only saith Job can soften it and this God worketh Job 23. 16. by his word Thus when Josiah heard the judgements 2 King 22. 19. of God threatned against the Jews he grew tender-hearted O that the word of God might work the like effect on us even now when not only his threatnings are denounced but his hand is also heavie upon us But alas we have too many that refuse to hearken that pull away the shoulder and Zech. 7. 11 12. stop the eare that they might not heare Yea they make their hearts as an adamant stone lest they should hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his Spirit by the former Prophets therefore hath there come great wrath from the Lord of hosts 3. God revealeth himselfe to man by the ministery of the word in convincing the conscience for sinne which was before as it were seared up Thus dealt hee with Ephraim After Ephraim was Jer. 31. 19. instructed hee smote upon his thigh hee was ashamed and even confounded because hee did bear the reproach of his youth Thus Agrippa could not but be convicted in conscience of the Deitie of Christ by the preaching of Paul when hee said Almost thou perswadest Acts 26. 28. me to be a Christian such a victorious grace of wisdome hath the holy Ghost infused into the ministery of the word Felix also could not but be convicted in his conscience of the dreadfull justice of God when hee trembled hearing Pauls discourse Acts 24. 25. concerning the torments of hell and judgement to come Happy had it been for them both if they had fully assented to the power of his preaching Tanta est Scripturae vis ut etiam hostibus suis verum Tilen testimonium exprimat in tenebrionum latibula fulgorem aliquem immittat nimirum ut liquidò constet internam esse hujus lucis proprietatem ex se per se existere Such is the power of the Scripture that it gives evident testimony of its truth even to its very enemies and sends forth its beams of light into the secrets of the craftiest plotters that it may manifestly appear that it is the propertie of the Scriptures to work inwardly on the conscience by shining of it self and in it self 4. By the ministery of the word God purgeth the conscience from dead works to serve the living God The word doth metamorphose a man and makes him to be other then what hee was before thus Paul after that he was converted exercised himself Acts 24. 16. to have a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards man At first Paul thought to have domineered over the poor Christians at Damascus but after he had seen the Lord Christ in the midst of that glorious light which exceeded the light of the Sun hee was content to sit as it were at the feet of Ananias and be instructed by him Now Lupus hic Benjamin ovi caput submisit Hieron Epist 3. Note Aug. de Doctr. Christ proleg if hee that was such an eminent Apostle yea who heard Christ himselfe from heaven must receive instruction from another how dare any man despise even the meanest of Gods Ministers Nor was this conversion of the Apostle without some speciall signification for hereby is shewed that they which are truely converted are also spiritually inlightned they are made blinde to worldly things and the eyes of their mindes are onely taken up with the beholding of things heavenly and the bent of their affections is to hold the mystery 1 Tim. 3. 9.
The brightnesse of this knowledge breaks forth in this life when of sinners wee are made righteous by justification but attains not to its perfect heighth till wee are transformed into that image Thus wee passe from the glory of creation to the glory of justification and from the glory of being the sons of God to the glory of being like unto God Alluding hereunto is that of S. John Beloved wee are 1 John 3. 2. now the sons of God yet it doth not appeare what wee shall be but wee know that when hee shall appear wee shall be like him for wee shall see him as hee is In this life wee cannot in the life to come wee shall receive the endowments of perfect beatitude both in soule and body Here wee may onely conceive him with the eyes of our mindes but then we shall perceive him with the eyes of our bodies Even with these same eyes saith Job onely wee must Job 19. 26 27. grant that corruption must first put on incorruption for Flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome 1 Cor. 15. 50. of God Our bodies shall not then be earthy animated onely by a soule and separable from them as now they are but spirituall all danger and cause of separation being done away by the Spirit of Christ quickning us Nor yet may wee with Origen suppose that our bodies shall be aeriall and not consist of flesh and bones this repugneth Jobs confession and our Saviours body after his resurrection was not a spirit for that hath not flesh and bones as his bodie had which is Luk. 24. 39. an assurance that our very bodies shall rise again though not fraile as now they are but as Augustine Aug. epist 145. ad Consent sheweth they shall be spirituall not that the flesh shall be abolished but spirituall because fully guided by the spirit and vivified to a life being without all sustenance never to have end And reason there is why this our corruption should put on incorruption for how else can wee enjoy the incorruptible crowne of glory 1 Pet. 5. 4. By consequence therefore it must follow that whilest wee are clothed with corruptible clay Ex parte tantùm cognoscimus modicum ex multo Wee know but in part and alas lesse then wee ought wee are not able to discern the pure and perfect vision of the Deity Whilest we live in these earthy tabernacles our primest knowledge of God in respect of his incomprehensible Essence is like the knowledge of a childe to a man of riper yeeres weak and tender for children have not sapientiam ad sensum knowledge according to discretion The perfectest light that wee have of God in this life may well be compared to a kingdom descryed by a small land-skip here a citie there a castle here a village there a mountain here a forrest there a river here beasts there men all which are done with very little touches to represent greater bodies Even so our best knowledge of God is clouded and imperfect and our brightest speculation admits of much weaknesse and imperfection of many fogs and mists yea our knowledge in Theologie and Divine mysteries is obscure and in part quia fide nititur because it is built upon faith now that which reason cannot apprehend faith doth beleeve ideoque ex parte tantùm est scientia our knowledge therefore must needs be in part faith being the evidence of things not seen Wee see saith the Apostle sed per speculum as through a 1 Cor. 13. 12. glasse darkly our knowledge at the best being like dim-sighted eyes which see somewhat indeed of God through the glasse of the creatures and Scriptures or at the most by similitudes and figures by which God exhibiteth himselfe to such as are most in favour with him as to the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 12. 2. when hee was taken up into the third heaven and to S. John in Patmos in the Spirit Object But some may object and say If wee see God thorow a glasse then wee see him cleerly Speculum enim non rei imaginem sed rem ipsam oculis exhibet A glasse doth not set forth to us the image of the thing but the thing it selfe Sol. True a glasse doth demonstrate the thing it selfe to the eye yet so that still it is per radium non directum sed reflexum by a ray or beam not direct but reflexed and therefore not properly clearly and distinctly but at a distance obscurely and confusedly and such is our knowledge of God and divine mysteries in this mortall life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as through a glasse darkly per speculare as through spectacles which you know make things legible and visible which before were not and that per medium obscurum similitudinem umbrosam or as the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a riddle or as in my Text per cancellos per transennam as thorow grates or lattesses which is a Metaphoricall speech borrowed from merchants or trades-men qui per cancellos vimineos expandunt mercaturas who thorow grates or lattesses expose their wares for sale and to be viewed by such as passe along non propè sed procul non distinctè sed confuso modo not nigh at hand but at a distance not distinctly but confusedly And thus Almighty God manifesteth himselfe to us in this life not really and fully apparent but as from behind a wall as thorow grates or lattesses And yet not altogether so obscurely as that no knowledge can be had of him but that a true Christian by the eye of unblemished faith may be assured that there he stands for saith his Spouse Behold hee standeth behind our wall which is the fourth Generall of the Text. Behold hee standeth behinde our wall hee looketh forth c. By the way I pray observe that this word behold is not to be understood in this place as a note of attention but of demonstration quasi Ecclesia digito monstravit quem corde dilexit as if his Spouse pointed him out with her finger whom she loved in her heart Behold he standeth c. Quest But how is his Spouse assured of his voice and presence Resol Per visibilia invisibilem by things visible and audible shee is ascertained that it is onely hee for shee is assured that it is his voice that Cant. 5. 2. knocketh and calleth to her to open unto him she is assured that shee seeth him in the variety and beauty of the creatures shee is assured that shee heareth him in the book of the Scriptures shee is assured that shee feeleth him in the checks of her conscience shee is assured that shee smelleth him Cant. 5. 13. in the fragrancy of his graces and shee is assured that shee tasteth him in the sweetnesse of his word which the Apostle Peter calleth sincere milk and 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. Heb. 6. 4. the Apostle Paul the good word of God These are the windows thorow