thy trust thy hope in the Lord Let none by their impatience to bear a lesse misery rid themselves into a greater whoever he be that can speak with that Emphasis I am the man that have seen affliction Lam. 3.1 and does therefore with Job abandon the day of his birth Job 3.3 and importune for the hour of death would this man have death be good unto him and save him O then let him apply the counsel of the 26. verse as a remedy against the complaint of the first It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Well Non omnes post obitum the last part remains yet to be handled no man can obtain true blessednesse till he leaves this world that we have done with nor then all men but morientes in Domino they who so cease to live as that they die in the Lord these are they who are blessed Beza renders it propter Dominum who die for the Lord who in their fervent love to him lay down their life for his sake as his Son did for theirs and lose it or rather give it or rather yet sell it in his quarrel and for the defence of his truth true this but not all for thus to expound it ties this promised blessednesse onely upon the Martyrs of God those valiant and faithfull Servants of his as if his many many promises to the faithfull became void if they were not valiant too or though valiant if they had not a cruel occasion to trie their valour who patiently underwent the torments of a violent death at the hands of persecutors for the witnesse-bearing to the truth of his Gospel These no doubt are blessed in Heaven He that loses his life for my sake shall finde it Matth. 10.39 blessed with a double crown both as they regarded the glory of God and the good of their Christian brethren by their example of constancy the bloud of the Martyrs having ever been the seed of the Church and that which is fire to their flesh and bones water to the Gospel to make it slourish a good confession witnessed before the wicked Tyrants of the world doth good service to God and his truth so it fell out in that martyrdome of S. Paul which he suffered in his life time for they are Martyrs too which for Gods cause stoutly endure any kind of misery besides death and yet to humour some rigid Interpreters who will not be brought to allow of a living Martyr let us for once call every affliction a death too not onely by the example of Pharaoh who persecuted the Church of God Take away this death Exod. 10.17 but especially by that of S. Paul who in this afflicted sense suffered many yea dayly deaths for the Church he was in deaths often 2 Cor. 11.23 he did die dayly 1 Cor. 15.31 The things which bappened unto him in his persecution at Rome they fell out unto the furtherance of the Gospel insomuch that many of the brethren in the Lord waxing confident by his bonds were much imboldned to speak the word without fear Phil. 1.12 14. This is it that has made many of Gods righteous servants not sparing of themselves that Christ might be magnified in their bodies whether it be by life or by death by life I say and S. Paul sayes so too as well as by death v. 20. and that they might be blessed after this life and death as those Martyrs the Apostle speaks of Heb. 11.35 who were tortured and cared not to be delivered that they might obtain a better resurrection But we must not restrain this blessednesse to those only who thus die for the Lord since the Lord bestows this crown of blisse upon them also who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Text who die in the Lord. If we will know what this is Mori in Domino to die in the Lord and who they be that so do we must first understand what it is to be in the Lord while we live for even then this happinesse begins in us when we begin to be in Christ There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8.1 If no condemnation then no wrath of God if not that then Grace and Love and Favour and consequently salvation and eternal life Man is no indifferent thing to his Maker if he does not hate he loves nay the very earth upon which Man is God does either blesse it with encrease or curse it with barrennesse and the Lord of the earth under the Lord of Heaven Man much more and no lesse than this is the effect of Gods love to Mankinde God so loved the World John 3.16 So how even to everlasting life v. the same Now what it is thus uncondemnedly to be in Christ we have it explained John 3.18 He that believes on him is not condemned so in the verse before Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish 16. Not be condemned not perish what them he shall have life everlasting that 's the effect of Gods love that 's the consequent of Gods not condeming So then to be in Christ is to be in the love of God and faith of Christ to cleave unto him and rely upon him then are we by his Holy Spirit ingrafted into him made his members spiritually joyn'd unto him and live in him There is a general conjunction which all men living have with the Son of God in that he took upon him our humane nature not the flesh of man but of mankinde Forasmuch as the Children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe likewise took part of the same Heb. 2.14 But this conjunction which is so general with all men does not therefore make all men to be in him we are thus conjoyned with him as I may say only in regard of the matter and to say sooth all this notwithstanding there is a great disjunction betwixt him and us and the nature of men as of men does much differ from that nature which the Son of God took upon him that Humane Nature of his now with him in Heaven is of it selfe immortal without spot or stain free from all sin adorned with all holinesse and purity and the fulnesse of all excellent graces ours is impure and unholy and wofully subject to corruption because miserably defiled with sin we are conceived in sin Psa 51.5 saies holy David we are by nature the sons of wrath saies S. Paul Ephes 2.3 our natural our first birth in the flesh separates us from him keeps us out of him but our second our spiritual birth our regeneration when we are born again Joh. 3.5 of water and the spirit when we are indued with the spirit of Christ to believe in him to live according to the direction of his Holy Spirit then is our nature so repaired so renewed that we come near to his nature we are thereby conformed to the image of the Son of God
not a different command yet the same because the second time uttered with a more intensive and forcible affection Many with me do observe here that the repetition of the Injunction does argue the earnestnesse of Christs Will and Law to have it take place for ever commonly an ingemination either of one and the same word again repeated or of sundry words bearing the same sence gives as 't were a double strength to the declaration of what is delivered Noct. Att. 13.23 as Phavorinus in A. Gellius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 War not any longer beloved yong men nor fight together where both the words signifie the same thing saith yet that the addition of the second word though adding nothing in signification to the former is not to make up the verse but as they continued in their strife so duplex eadem compellatio admonitionem facit instantiorem his second time urging the same manner of speech did give the more earnestnesse to his advice and though they were the same words in sence yet one might very well think them to be others quia aures animum saepius feriunt because they beat upon the ears and minde of a man more often therefore Suffer them to come I and beside that Forbid them not A repetition that one of us at first would think needlesse and that none would be so hard-hearted to repell such Innocents yet something sure there was that ministred occasion to this which seems so needlesse a behest and we need not look far for it the last words before the Text tell us that the Disciples rebuked them why they should do so would be enquired and it will be no hard matter to guesse at it for the best do no more than as probability of Reason leads them seeing it is not exprest in the Text of one thing they are all agreed they will not and we must not be too harsh in our censure upon the Disciples what was not the cause not envy in them or ill will toward the children or their friends that brought them And for what was the cause in the general there is no great difference a wrong-grounded zeal that they bare towards their Master such a one as S. Paul discovered to be in Israel Rom. 10.2 that they had a zeal but not according to knowledge S. Chrysostome saies 't was zeal of his Honour for they ran regardlesly to him and almost upon him and so Theophylact conjectures that the women came in disordered heaps thronging about him with their children for a blessing and this they thought some disparagement to the dignity and authority of his Doctrine that he should have any thing to do with Children S. Jerome is of opinion that they had regard to his ease in so doing that he should not be press'd too much and wearied with the throng and he there-hence argues the imperfection of their faith and with him agrees S. Ambrose in his Comment upon S. Luke that it was their observance toward their Master to avoid the trouble of the croud Again whereas the common causes of mens comming to him were either to receive the benefit of instruction from his Doctrine or the ease from some infirmity by the power of his Miracles these were not sick might the Disciples think and so not in need of the one they were Children and therefore not capable of the other But these were the thoughts of men who judged of Christ by their carnall sence and according to his outward appearance and yet not unlikely to be the Disciples errors especially the first of them which men are prone to run upon they are needlesly afraid to think too meanly of Christ and that has been the cause of too many superstitions in the Church this one amongst the rest that men become Suitors to the Saints in Heaven to mediate their Prayers to God because they think it dishonorable to Christ to be the common Advocate as also to fear to think too honorably of him and to deal too bountifully with him in his House and Houshold has been the cause of prophanations more than enow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betwixt both the Mean would do well Whatever was the ground Vse let us make this use of it to consider how God still orders every evil action to some good end how all things work together for good Rom. 8.28 to them that love God how from this very slip of his Disciples which he suffered them to fall into he is pleased to take occasion the more to manifest his love to little Children and to leave this sweet and comfortable saying amongst the rest of his Monuments as a Testimony of it to all posterity Suffer little Children to come unto me so much the rather forbid them not But is there no more required on our part Baptism only to suffer them not to forbid them Yes That was specially directed to those whom it chiefly concerns to admit them to him his Disciples and their Successors the Ministers of his Word and Sacraments the rest must do more help them forward lend them feet to bring them when they cannot run with their own feet saies S. Serm. 10. De verbis Apostoli Austin they run by the help of others Accommodat illis Mater Ecclesia aliorum pedes ut veniant And 't is no more than that which was so long since foretold by the Prophet Isaiah in his Prophecy of the ample Restauration of the Church chap. 49.22 They shall bring thy Sons in their arms and thy Daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders But whither so fast with these Sons and these Daughters that are carried why to Christ no question thither the Text calls them True but the way to him No other left us by his direction for our first entrance but Baptism to that our Church Liturgy applies this Text nor is there any of our Ancient Writers but does so yea in a manner appropriate it thereto and wheresoever they treat of Baptism ever this verse comes in that has made some of them call Baptism Introitum ad Regnum Coelorum Heavens entry Some the Sacrament of Initiation Some the Door Some the Gate of Heaven For whereas no man can come to Christ except he be a New man and we are all born with the corruption of the Old man upon us Quod natum ex carne caro John 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh Conceived in sin and born in iniquity Psal 51.5 and therefore Natura filii irae S. Paul assures us Sons of wrath by nature Eph. 2.3 Not filioli here grown Sons of great wrath Therefore of necessity we must be renewed regenerate born once again Nisi quis Renatus fuerit John 3.3 Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God born of the spirit if we will leave to be flesh Quod natum ex spiritu spiritus That which is born of the spirit is spirit he is the
unto his servant John 'T is a slight cavil that some have made against it The place which it holds amongst the other Books of Canonical Scripture because forsooth it stands the last and was written some time after the other and therefore say they was added and foisted in after the whole body of the Canon was perfected Where there are many several Books must not some one be the last And if this had not been added added but not foisted for God and not Man put it in would they have made the same exception against the Epistle of S. Jude which was the last before this or against any other which instead of this Themselves call the last They cannot for they own it Or would they have God Date all his Letters Epistles Writings to Man at the same time what man does so But as for the Order of it that it stands last in place it is so far from diminishing the Authority of it that indeed it addes unto it and does exceedingly commend it to us for it is intruth as the Signet of God with which the Holy Spirit would seal up and conclude the whole Canon both Old and New of Divine Scripture in regard whereof we have it more extraordinarily approv'd unto us both in the begining of it with a Blessing upon him that readeth and upon them that hear the words of this Prophecy and keep those things that are written therein vers 3. And in the end of it with the same Blessing upon him that keeps the sayings of the Prophecy of this Book 22.7 and with a dreadfull curse upon him who shall either adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the Plagues that are written in this Book or shall take away from the words of the book of this Prophecy God shall take away his part out of the book of life c. 22. v. 18 19. he shall have no part nor lot in it Beloved What could be spoken more throughly to ratifie the authority of it If we may adde nothing to it 't is already every way absolute and perfect the word of God without question the onely word to which we may not adde our own inventions without great offence If we may take nothing from it again 't is a forcible Argument of the sacred in violablenesse of it for what bold foisting man would ever dare to speak so arrogantly of the most Holy his own Endeavours He that could write all the rest so holily could never be guilty of such a pride nor ever able to counterfeit so exact a Holinesse and that it is indeed the Holy Scripture for it is the Scripture of which Christ sayes John 10. that It cannot be broken v. 35. This is a main point observable in which this Book stands equall'd to the sacred unquestion'd Writings of Moses himselfe the first and chiefe of all the Prophets and Penmen of Gods Book For as those Books of his because they usher in and are as it were the Fore-door the entrance into the rest of the whole Scripture are therefore in several places strengthned and fenc'd with such a seal as this Deut. 4.2 Ye shall not add unto the Word which I command you neither shall ye diminish ought from it And again c. 12. v. 32. Thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it So this Book standing in the rear and as it were shutting up the back-Gate of the same Canonical Scripture is likewise furnisht and stampt with the same Authentick Seale of Gods Holy Spirit to signifie how perfect how inviolable it is that nothing must be put to no Postscript or taken from it no Deleatur no Index expurgatorius neither that as Moses was a main Coryphaeus to lead on the Van-guard in Gods Spiritual Warfare so was S. John another Coryphaeus of special Note to bring up the Rear in the same Battel Why it was order'd by the Church which took care to gather together the Writings of the Apostles Evangelists to be plac'd the last of all the Books there is a manifest reason not that it is behinde the rest in worth and excellence but in regard of the Time wherein it was written In vita Johannis S. Jerome reports that in the time of the second great Persecution of the Christians under Domitian the Roman Emperor the first Tyranny they tasted of was under Nero in the 14. year of his Reign did S. Lib. 3. cap. 25. Vid. Euseb Hist Ecclesias L. 3. c. 18. John write this Book in the Island Pathmos And Irenaeus a Father in the Church far more ancient than St. Jerome affirms as much that it was not then long since St. John wrote his Revelation Sed pene sub nostro saeculo sayes he almost about our time toward the end of Domitians Reign so that An. Dom. 96. it was written after all both Gospels and Epistles of the New Testament for he outliv'd all the Apostles even to the third year of Traian the 14th Roman Emperor sayes Sophronius and that was 102 after the birth of Christ and the 68. from his passion by St. Jerom's computation and 25 years after the Destruction of Jerusalem Therefore 't is plac'd last because written last not because least in Dignity and Divine Authority no 't is truth which Beza speaks of it in his Preface to it that the Holy Ghost did set down in this precious Book whatsoever Predictions of the former Prophets did remain to be fulfill'd after Christs comming and therefore Ocolampadius in his Preface to Daniel's Prophecy calls this Book the best Paraphrase upon all the other Prophets The Argument of this whole Book is Argum. Libri principally Propheticall though there be Doctrinal Exhortative and Instructive passages sprinkled here and there among the Prophecies but Propheticall for the most part it is whence St. John in the beginning calls it the words of this Prophecy a Prophecy of things that should come to passe even from the time that he wrote to the end of the world of some Occurrents that should befall the Church of God then presently in St. John's time and of other Trials that the Church should indure continually through the whole course of her warfare here on earth first from the Roman Tyrants afterward from divers Hereticks and lastly from Antichrist himselfe of their several oppositions and insultings against her wherewith they should grievously vex her seeming in a manner to be forsaken of Christ her Head and almost utterly oppresse her But withall of those sweet consolations which the Elect of God should have under their crosse and that those Tempests of Afflictions which they underwent were not carnal blown upon them with every winde or meerly from the rage and malice of their Enemies but that God that Winde Joh. 3.8 that Spirit which bloweth where it will had the chiefe hand in them and that by his providence things were so ordered for the exercise of the faithfull and that they should not alwayes continue no
Rom. 8.29 so conformed that we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Ephes 5.20 't is an Hebrew phrase they were wont to say of their Brothers and kinred Os meum est caro mea he is my bone and my flesh as having received from the same loins and womb the same matter of flesh and bones common between them I beyond all this besides the fleshly substance which Brothers receive from the same Parents they do most what agree in the likenesse of disposition which they draw from the same common birth 'T is so with the Sons of God when they are made the Brethren of Christ being born of the Spirit of God besides that they partake of the same nature they are of the same mind with him which token of Brotherhood the Apostle requires in us Phil. 2.5 Let this minde be in you which was in Christ Jesus they are of the same spirit and minde they are pure even as he is pure 1 John 3.3 'T is his quickening and sanctifying spirit that puts life into them and makes them his members that puts holinesse into them and makes them his Brethren The Sanctifier and the sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren Hebr. 2.11 This our so near conjunction with Christ and being in him the Apostle hath fitly express'd Rom. 11. by a Graft grafted into a Plant by which resemblance is fully made good what I have said concerning the nearnesse of a Christian to Christ by faith and his spiritual living in him in as much as the Graft and the Plant are now made both one thing not only one and the same matter which before was different and two the one a good Olive-tree the other wilde but further that the same sap also does nourish all and the same spirit gives life and growth to all and all this by faith as v. 20. because of unbeliefe they were broken off the natural branches the Jewes Tu vero fide but thou standest by faith thou standest as he that tels thee so S. Paul lived by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 'T is the same in effect with that which the Son of God had taught before John 15. I am the Vine ye are the branches v. 5. Now the branch who knowes not lives in the Vine has the same life common with it sprouts and springs forth from the same power within and we as that must bring forth the fruits of the same spirit For deceive we not our selves beloved 't is not enough to professe Christ outwardly to say we believe in him this does not prove us to be ingrafted into him no more than the bramble was therefore King because it said unto the Trees If in truth ye annoint me King Judg. 9.15 this was only said there was no truth in it therefore there was no truth in it because of that other truth which Christ hath said that of a Bramble-bush men do not gather Grapes Luke 6.44 because it is altogether fruitlesse But if we do indeed and in truth cleave unto Christ by a true and lively faith an effectual and operative faith a faith working by love and bringing forth the fruits of good Works then be sure we are in him The branch cannot bear of it selfe except it abide in the Vine no more can ye saies Christ except ye abide in me John 15.4 And therefore when S. Paul had comforted the faithfull with an assurance of freedome from condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8. because our being in him by faith is an internal note and cannot so easily be discerned he adds presently v. 1. another an external a practical note of Gods children whereby they may be known even by the fruit of their Faith who walk saies he not after the flesh but after the spirit All men carry their flesh about them with the infirmities of it and do often feel the force of sin within themselves but Rom. 6.13 Vers 12. so they yield not to it so they suffer it not to reign in their mortal bodies so they do not obey it in the lusts thereof Rom. 8.13 Rom. 6.4 but dayly strive to mortifie by the Spirit the deeds of the body so they walk in newnesse of life and not after the old man the flesh this is to them a token of the spirit of God in them that spirit is a pledge of their faith and both an assurance that they are in Christ so as not to be condemned when they are judged so as to have begun their state of blessednesse Now if they be thus happy who are in him as in that Text of the Apostle and thus in him as in our exposition upon it then surely they who abide in him as in that other Text of S. John holding fast that which they have that no man take away their crown abide in him till they have passed through Epistle and Gospel and come to this Text here in the Revelation that they die in the Lord holding fast the same faith unto the end and by the force of it recommending their spirit Lu. 23.46 in the end into the hands of him that gave it they must not doubt to partake of this blessednesse pronounc'd by a voice from Heaven Blessed are the dead that thus die They are blessed who live in the Lord by the faith of Christ who believe in him Beata quae credidit saies Elizabeth to the blessed Virgin Luke 1.45 thou are blessed in that thou hast believed but in a far lower degree according to the measure of our knowledge such is our happinesse but that knowledge which we have of God by faith is but a beginning of that we shall have by sight we know him now but in part 1 Cor. 13.9 But when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away Then we shall know even as we are known v. 12. then shall we enjoy that perfect blisse which only can give us satisfaction satiabor cum evigelavero saies holy David Psal 17.16 I shall behold thy face in righteousnesse and when I awake up after thy likenesse I shall be satisfied with it Beloved ye have seen in part wherein this blessednesse consists which is the greatest and most absolute good to man that he can desire and who they be that shall obtain it To exhort you to the desire of so great a good were needlesse since every man does by nature long after it with the strongest bent of his affection 't is a thing born with us and we cannot choose but covet earnestly this best gift to be happy but 1 Cor. 12.21 because we often fail in our judgment of the right way to it and now that this voice from Heaven has made known unto us the only certain entrance that must convey us thither yield we willingly to this perswasion for our own good that we apply our hearts
only Author the principal efficient cause of our new Birth The Principal I say for he does not use to worke Regeneration in the heart of any man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Enthusiasts will have it immediately but by such ordinary meanes as he has appointed both for himselfe to offer and for us to apprehend eternal Salvation The means allotted to us in this behalfe who are Receivers is Faith the onely Hand he has given us to reach out and lay hold on and apply unto ourselves the Grace of God offered the merit of Christ with the consequents thereof Forgivenesse of our sins justification and eternal salvation By faith of Jesus Christ the righteousnesse of God is unto all and upon all that believe Rom. 3.22 But then in respect of God who is the Donor the means by which he does usually bestow these Graces upon us and convey them unto us are two his Word his Sacraments Of the efficacy of his Word no Christian doubteth By hearing comes faith Rom. 10.17 and by the hearing of faith is the spirit received Gal. 3.2 And for the Sacraments they have as little reason to trouble themselves and the Church of God with seruples of doubt as if they were but bare signes and no more Do not the Fathers call the Sacraments Verbum visibile a visihle Word Are they not as it were an Epitome of the Gospel Receive they not all their worth and vertue and operation not only from the present Grace but from the ancient Appointment and Ordinance of God and from the Word of God which by Divine as well as Ecclesiasticall Ordination is joyned to the outward Elements But to make it good against them in this one Sacrament which we have now in hand If he and he onely shall be saved in an ordinary course who believes and is baptized Mark 16.16 may we not well reckon Baptism an ordinary means of this salvation If of salvation then also of those other graces which are the way unto it regeneration remission of sins righteousness and renewing of the mind Except a man be born of water and the spirit John 3.5 there 's regeneration by it John Baptist preach'd the Baptism of Repentance for the remission of sins Luk. 3.3 Repent saies S. Peter and be baptized for the remission of sins Act. 2.28 and Arise says Ananias to Paul upon his conversion and be baptized and wash away thy sins Act. 22.16 there 's remission Ye are wash'd saies St. Paul 1 Cor. 5. then presently follows upon that Ye are sanctified ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus v. 11. there be two other graces As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 and having Christ upon us we have his obedience his merits his righteousnesse how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Rom. 8.32 So that as S. James in the case of our regeneration does joyn together the Spirit and the Word which is one of the means he uses to that purpose Of his own will begat he us with the Word of Truth Jam. 1.18 so our Saviour Christ does joyn the Holy Ghost and Baptism which is another effectuall meanes Except a man be born of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Joh. 3.5 And S. Paul couples both these means together makes them march hand in hand as equally usefull to sanctification in the Church of God Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word Eph. 5.26 what shall I say more This will I say that A cause therefore we need not fear to call it of our regeneration and salvation though not the principall that 's God himselfe yet the instrumentall as we speak in Schools or medium He saved us saies the Apostle God Tit. 3. there 's the principall cause by the washing of regeneration there 's the instrumentall v. 5. We have the steps of all the ancient Fathers of the Church walking in this Track a warrant to us for this confidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we find it call'd and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a second Birth and a Divine Generation by Dionysius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a being born again by Greg. Nazianz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bath by which we wash away our sinnes Clem. Alexandr Peccatorum omnium remissionem the forgivenesse of all our sins by S. Ambrose Fons Divinus quo Fideles in Creaturam novam regenerantur by Cassiodorus the Divine Fountain by which the Faithfull are made up into a New Creature and by every one the Door of Heaven the Sacrament of Initiation the first admission into Gods Kingdome Not that all that are baptized are thereby necessarily admitted into the Kingdome of Heaven or that all do receive the Grace of God who receive the Sacrament of his Grace for as not the Bread and Wine in the Eucharist so neither the water in Baptism does contain in it selfe any vital force or efficacy That Grace which is a consequent of the Sacraments it doth accompany them as their end the benefit whereof whoso partakes he receives it from God himselfe the Author of Sacraments and not from any other natural or supernatural quality in them And therefore their manner of necessity to life supernatural is not in all respects as food unto natural life they are not Physical but Moral Instruments of Salvation Duties of Service and Worship which unlesse we perform as the Author of them requireth they are unprofitable Hugo's Rule we acknowledge and follow in this case De Sacr. lib. 1. c. 3 Fideles salutem ex istis elementis non quaerunt etiamsi in istis quaerunt though we seek for salvation in Baptism yet not from Baptism but from God for this is the instrument of God to that end and purpose a Moral Instrument the use whereof is in our hand the effect in his for the use we have his express command for the effect his conditional promise so that without our obedience to the one there is of the other no apparent assurance whereas on the other side where the signes and Sacraments of his Grace are not either omitted through contempt or received with contempt we are not to doubt but that they really give what they promise and are what they signifie The same is true here which Solomons Wisdome observeth in the Brazen Serpent He that turned himselfe to it was not healed by the thing he saw but by thee O Saviour of all Wisd 16.7 The necessity therefore that Ispake of for the comming to Christ this way for our being renewed by this second Birth I hope appeareth which necessity notwithstanding we do not preach unto you to be so absolute as if God had never another door into Heaven as if he had so tied his saving Grace to this means as without it 't were impossible to be attained by any this is
severall Apostles have more Churches consecrated them than God the Holy Trinity or Christ under his sundry Titles We have our Churches called by those severall names too for distinction sake but not thereby superstitiously meaning either that those places which are denominated of Angels and Saints should serve for the worship of so glorious Creatures or else those glorified creatures for defence Protection and patronage of such places a thing which the Ancients do utterly disclaim The Nations saies S. Austin erected Temples to their gods we to our Martyrs not Temples as unto Gods but memorials as unto dead men whose spirits with God are still living and therefore besides that speciall name of distinction by which we know one of these Houses from another we keep still the general name in which all these Houses agree together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kirke the Lords House thereby acknowledging that as it is his and by him appointed for Prayer so we must not give away the right of his Title to this House by giving away the glory of his Worship in this House either to Saint or Angel Gloriam alteri non dabo that which is the House of Prayer is my House my House is that 't is the House of Prayer That 's the second thing in order to be taken into our consideration the use of this House what the first Founder intended when he gave order for the building of it to what purpose it should be imployed it must be a House of Prayer Under the title of Prayer we understand Part. 2. Domus Orationis and comprehend the whole worship of God which he had commanded them to performe unto him in his Temple Divers were their Sacrifices and Ceremonies in joyn'd by God but the Prophet would in one word instruct them to what scope all these must be referred Joh. 4.24 even to that worship which is in spirit to that spiritual sacrifice of Prayer Just as in the 50. Psalm God does disclaim their Sacrifices burnt offerings and reduces all the services of piety to those two parts of Prayer Thanksgiving and Invocation He will no Bullock out of their house nor He-Goats out of their folds v. 9. But offer unto God thanksgiving v. 14. And call upon him in the day of trouble v. 15. And therefore when the Prophet Jeremy would to aggravate the fault of their misbehaviour in this House set down their proper description of it from the end of its institution 't is this of Prayer What this House become a den of Robbers In qua invocatum est Nomen meum in oculis vestris this House in which my Name is call'd upon Jer. 7.11 Will not that respect check you And he who was likeliest to know what was Gods intention in it who was instructed with the whole care of building it when he had finish'd that goodly structure and was to solemnize the dedication of it before the Elders of Israel and all the heads of the Tribes the chiefe of the Fathers yea and all the men of Israel with sacrifices of sheep and Oxen that could not be told nor numbred for multitude 1 Kings 8. That they might not think there was no other nor no excellenter imployment for that place than that offering of bodily I and bruit-bodily sacrifice when he comes to the blessing the chief part of that Exercise then all and some is That God will bear the Prayer that shall be made in that place Harken to the supplication of thy Servant and of thy People when they shall PRAY in this place and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place v. 30. And so all along to the end of his blessing What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man or by all thy people Israel which shall know every man the plague of his own heart and spread forth his hands in this place then hear thou in Heaven and forgive and do c. almost in every verse of twenty in that Chapter We heard what Solomon told God before that he had built him an House to dwell in and God had told Solomon before that by Gods owne Prophet and his own Son that there he would dwell Psal 132. Here will I dwell Why for I have a delight therein Vers 13. 'T is meet in deed that the House he dwels in should be so dress'd up so fitted to his minde that he may desire it delight in it Now what is that Furniture of this House that delights him He that built it to him can best direct us to furnish it for him The Prayer of the upright is his delight saies Solomon Prov. 15.8 Templa propter Sacrificia Sacrifice of Beasts before Christ was the most usuall and most notable external Rite and sacrifice of Prayer since Christ has more than the same preheminence This fils with Incense the golden Vials in the hands of the four and twenty Elders before the throne in Heaven Rev. 5.8 And if with this Incense of Prayer we mingle the Myrrh of our tears and sighs and groanings we not only sacrifice our Prayers but we mortifie we kill we offer up our selves that 's the acceptable sacrifice if we believe the Apostle Rom. 12.1 'T is then a House of Prayer but not of Prayer onely we exclude not Preaching as some hot spirits who are all for Preaching would allow no room for Prayer in this House of Prayer or if for Prayer also most of all for the Pulpit-prayer the very place helping to mis-perswade the People that the Prayer is to be valued not for its owne but for the Sermon sake I wish that all such who are content to be exceeding brief in their Desk-prayers and as large as may be elsewhere would heartily consider whether we are not to come to and go off from the very Word of God with more reverence and devotion and supplication than either the Notes or the effusions of Man upon Gods Word does not this seeme to magnifie a short verse when it is call'd a Text above whole Psalms and Chapters Nay let them give me leave to wish again that they would heartily consider whether such a practice as it is begun with an esteeming of their own private wisdoms beyond that of the Church is not continued also with a secret preferring of their own Meditations above that which they meditate upon the Word of God I would not wrong them in what they do nay I would rather rectifie them that they should not do amisse so much as to a suspition and therefore I will as excusingly as I may say of them Surely this sin is got into that high place and they are not aware If it be not so why is it that by degrees there is lesse lesse of Gods Word read amongst them shorter praying before and after Gods own Word and instead of more of both these more and longer of their owne Preaching How would they have cried it up if God had here christened this place