temporum propria gula as Tertullian speakes the fire the sea the bellies of wild beasts the gutts of fishes and times all-devouring throate it selfe shall yield up their dead againe And doe not aske how this can be done for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how in the workes of God is an argument of incredulity as Iustine Martyr speakes considera authorem tolle dubitationem saith S. Austine consider the glorious power of God and this takes away all doubting And this glorious power of God shall be so perfected in the ignominious weake and base estate of the body after death that it shall raise up the same numericall and individuall bodies unto life againe according to the Scriptures I mervaile then that Durand the Schoolman upon the 4. of the sentences the 43. and 44. distinctions should deny this numerical identity of the body in the resurrection with this bold and peremptory conclusion salva reverentis omnipotentia divinae dico hoc fieri non posse with reverence be it spoken to Gods omnipotency this cannot bee done sayth hee wherein hee shewed not onely heresie but also blasphemy and for both he is condemned by the Schooles yea by the word of God for all those pronounes in the 19. Chap. of Iob and the 26. and 27. verses ego ipse non alius ut mea are pronounes of numericall identity although the wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh I shall see God whom I shall see for my selfe and these mine cies shall behold him and not another Againe Christ shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 change our vile bodies saith the Apostle Phil. 3. now a change is not in the substance but in the qualities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Amphilochius the body at the resurrection shall be the same still for substance but not the same for qualities nam gloriae est non tollere sed extollere non interficeresed perficere naturam saith Gerson this power of glory shall not destroy but perfect nature in the resurrection alius ero non aliud saith Tertullian I shall be another manner of man then but not another thing and Christ shall make our vile bodies like unto his glorious body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Theodoreo like in the quality of glory but not equall in the quantity of Glory Moreover that is called a resurrection indeed ubi resurgit quod cecidit saith St. Ierome where that very numericall body doth rise againe unto life which died as Christ did and his resurrection is the pattern of ours And Tertullian gives the reason hereof ut integrū fiat hominis judicium that the same flesh which hath been a companion with the soule in vertue or vice in holinesse or wickednesse in this world may be a companion with the soule either in blisse or in paine in the world to come otherwise one body should sinne and other body should be tormented one body should shed its bloud for Christ and another body should be glorified with Christ But after what manner shall this glorious power of God be made perfect in the weaknesse of our vile bodies Why in the foure celestiall qualities of a glorified body impassibility clarity agility and spirituality which Tertullian calls indumenta Angelica Angelicall vestures and Ruffinus prerogativas carnis the prerogatives of the flesh and the Schoolemen dotes corporis gloriosi the indowments of a glorified body All which foure Saint Paul sets downe particularly 1 Cor. 15. It is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption there is the impassibility of a glorified body nothing can hurt it it can suffer nothing it is sowne in dishonour it is raised in honour there is the clarity of a glorified body shining as bright as the Sunne in his strength it is sowne in weaknesse it is raised in power there is the agility of a glorified body as swift as the minde for where the soule would have the body to be there shall the body presently be it is sown a naturall body it is raised a spirituall body there is the spirituality of a glorified body not that it shall be changed into a Spirit but that it shall be conformed to the Spirit it shall need no food or sleep to refresh it sed quasi in Angelicum habitum commutabitur as Tertullian speaks but it shall be as it were changed into an Angelicall state and condition in all things Now upon this glorious power of God we build our faith and the hope of our resurrection out of the weaknesse of corruption unto life eternall Sepulchrum est uterus resurrectionis the grave is the wombe of the resurrection Can a man goe into his mothers wombe and be borne againe said Nicodemus Yes that he may for he shall goe into the wombe of the earth the mother of us all and be borne againe immortall at the last day Et quanto corpora nostra nunc viliora tanto futura gloriosiora and the more weake and vile our bodies are now the more glorious shall they be hereafter And this dust of ours shall one day bee pulvis glorificatus glorified dust and dust shall arise never to returne to dust any more Amen Errata PAge 8. in Tit. for first read first pag. 10. line 21. Eustocnium p. 13. l. 3. redundantia p. 17. l. 23. sinnes ibid. l. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 24. l. 1. court like p. 25. l. 13. copiam p. 27. l 5. come p. 30. l. 15. justification p. 31. l. 4. us is omitted p. 57. l. 11. ironically p. 63. l. 6. subtile ib. Mathematicians ibid. l. 7. Statesmen ibid. l. 17. Philosophers ibid. l. 20. menaces p. 66. l. 15. Ambrose ibid. l. 18. qui. p. 71. l. 12. onely FINIS
here in earth then are wee in heaven When we can doe nothing then can we doe all things When we are sorrowfull then do we rejoyce When we are mortified then are we quickned When we are dead then are we alive When we would doe evill then would we doe good When we lose our lives then do we find them When we are sinners then are we righteous These mixtures of power and infirmity are riddles and paradoxes indeed to flesh bloud to nature reason and a naturall man cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned but they are Evangelicall Axiomes yea they are principles of Faith and Religion to us that are Christians and they are verified in us without any contradiction at all as you shall heare When wee are weake in body by reason of sicknesse or any distresse then are we strong in the Lord and in the Spirit of his might unto all patience with joyfulnesse Eph. 6.10 Colos 1.11 When we are poore in spirit even in the inmost recesses of the soule to the acknowledgement of our owne unworthinesse and wickednesse then are we rich in Faith and then doe we make many rich in Christ Iam. 2.5 2 Cor. 6.10 When wee are fooles in the opinion of the world then are we wise in God unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 When we are miserable in enduring afflictions and reproaches then are we happy being thereby tried and made fit for heaven Rev. 2.10 When we are unknowne to the world then are we well knowne and opproved of God and good men 1 Cor. 8.3 Rom. 14.18 When we are despised of wantons and prophane persons then are we pretious and honourable in Gods sight Esay 43.4 and before his holy Angells who rejoice at our repentance Luke 15.10 and also in the eyes of all upright and just men Psal 15.4 When we are simple concerning evill then are we prudent and wise unto that which is good Rom. 16.19 When we are humble in our selves before God and men then doe we boast and glory in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ Gal. 6.14 and also in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake in the tenth verse of this Chapter When we are besides our selves in any heavenly extasie or divine rapture and contemplation of Gods goodnesse mercy and love to us which Saint Bernard calls sanam sanctam quandam insaniam a sound and an holy kinde of madnesse which Moses and Peter and Paul had then are we sober in our selves and towards men 2 Cor. 5.13 When we must please no man by flattery or for our own ends then must we please all men in all things that are good for their edification that they may be saved Rom. 15.2 1 Cor. 10.33 VVhen we must be carefull for nothing inordinately and immoderately and with distrust then must we provide all things honest in the sight of men 2 Cor. 8.21 1 Tim. 5.8 VVhen we have nothing of this worlds upon which we set our hearts and desires then do we possesse all things in contentment 2 Cor. 6.10 VVhen we are here in earth in our persons then are we in heaven in our conversation Phil. 3.20 VVhen we can doe nothing of our selves then can wee doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth us Phil. 4.13 what all things indeed that can be done No but all things necessary and fit for us to doe VVhen we are sorrowfull for our distresses then doe we rejoyce in the Lord 2 Cor. 6.10 Phil. 4.4 that is in his protection in his favour in his promises and in his service yea when ye are sorrowfull for our sinnes then doe we rejoice in our repentance 2 Cor. 7.10 VVhen we are mortified in the flesh then are we quickned in our mortall bodies by the Spirit Rom. 8.11.13 VVhen we are dead unto sinnes then doe wee live unto righteousnesse 1 Pet. 2.24 VVhen we would doe evill by the suggestion of the old man then would we doe good by the motions of the new man Rom 7.19 VVhen we lose our lives for Christs sake and the Gospells here in this world then doe we save them in the world to come Marke 9.35 VVhen we are sinners in our selves then are we righteous before God in Christ being justified freely by his grace Rom. 3.24 and having the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to us Rom. 4.5.8 And so having taken a generall view of the Text I come to a particular survey thereof My power is made perfect in weaknesse The power of God is one and the same in it selfe but it is diverse to us in respect of the severall objects and matters wherein it doth operate and in this sense I finde three kindes of the power of God in the Scriptures and but three First there is virtus brachii the power of Gods arme vvhereof vve read in the 20. Psalme and the 6. verse in the 51. of Esay and the 9. and in the 27. of Ieremy and the 5. and everywhere almost in the Scriptures Secondly there is virtus gratiae the power of Gods grace which Saint Paul calls in the verse next after my text the power of Christ of which we reade everywhere almost in the Epistles of the Apostles Thirdly there is virtus gloriae the power of Gods glory or his glorious power 2 Thess 1.9 which shall be shewed in the world to come But the weaknesse of the creature especially of man is manifold yea of infinite variety but I may reduce all unto these three severall heads or sorts the weaknesse of nature the weaknesse of sufferings now and the weaknesse of corruption of consumption and as it were of annihilation after death Now under these three kindes of power exercised by God and under these three heads of weaknesse appearing in man I will comprise all my ensuing meditations upon this text And I will shew first that the power of Gods arme is made perfect in the weaknesse of the creature in generall but particularly of mans nature Secondly that the power of Gods grace is made perfect in the weaknesse of mans sufferings here in this life Thirdly that the power of Gods glory is made perfect in the weaknesse of corruption consumption and annihilation by the resurrection of the body out of the dust of the earth unto life eternall I begin with the first The power of Gods arme is made perfect in the weaknesse of the creature in generall and particularly of mans nature Virtus mea c. My power is made perfect in weaknesse God made man the master-piece of all his Creation not of any precious stone nor of gold or silver oare nor of brasse or any other metall nor of a rocke nor of oake or any other tree nor of any fruit or flower but of vile and dull earth yea ex pulvere terrae of the very dust of the earth Gen. 2.7 the basest and barrenest part of the earth Why so to shew his power the more in mans weaknesse and to teach us not to
glory or to put any confidence in dust What miraculous things did God worke by Moses rod a plaine sticke a Shepheards staffe which hee carried in his hand the wildernesse to rule his sheep with which Moses afterward called virgam Dei the rod of God Exod. 4.20 and all this was to shew the power of Gods hand in the weaknesse of a small contemptible piece of Wood. When the walls of the City of Jericho fell downe flat onely with the blast of the trumpets of Rams hornes and with the shout of 〈◊〉 people Ios 6.20 Was not the power of Gods arme shewed in weaknesse It had been an easie matter for Samson alone in his great strength quickly to have killed many thousands with a sword in his hand but when hee slew a thousand men onely with the jaw bone of an Asse which he found by chance and all before he cast it away out of his hand Iudg. 15.15 Then God shewed indeed the strength of his owne arme in weaknesse VVhen Elias with his mantle divided the waters of Jordan hither and thither and made a dry vvalke for himselfe and his servant to passe thorow the River 2 King 2.8 and when the bones of Elizeus raised a dead man unto life againe 2 King 13.21 vvhose corpse vvas cast in hast into the Sepulchre of the Prophet and that as soone as ever the dead body did but touch the dead Prophets bones did not God manifest the power of his hand in the vveaknesse of those things God made young Daniel and his three companions fairer and fatter in flesh vvith nothing but pulse and water then all the children of their sort were with the daily provision of the Kings meat and of his wine Dan. 1.15 The New Testament affords as many demonstrations of this maxime as the Old how that God hath perfected the power of his Arme in poore inconsiderable and contemptible things by the touchonly of the hem of Christs garment all diseases were perfectly cured Matth. 14.36 nay with handkerchers that were brought from Saint Pauls body not onely diseases but evill spirits departed from men Acts 19.12 nay with the very shadow of Peter passing through the streets of Jerusalem sicke folke were healed Acts 5.15 Nay more God hath shewed the power of his hand in the weaknesse not onely of contemptible but also of contrary things for Christ opened the eyes of one that was borne blinde with clay and spittle Iohn 9.6.11 enough to have put out his eyes if he could have seene well before nam lutum sputum quid adoculum saith Saint Austine And here by the way I cannot but observe how the Papists abuse and dishonour this power of Gods hand by transferring the honour due to God unto the weaknesse of the creature by their grosse superstâ—tion and idolatry in the veneration and worship of reliques and unto their superstition in practice they adde error in doctrine for they teach that there is an inherent vertue in those things wherein God once shewed the power of his hand whereas indeed there is none at all no more then there is in a course canvasse bag after the gold is all powred out And unto their errour they adde imposture for they deceive people with counterfeit reliques and unto their imposture they adde filthy lucre for the great Demetrius of Rome and his craftsmen make great gaine by their reliques And unto their cursed gaine they adde their temptations of Gods power by their superstitious addresses unto their reliques expecting miracles and cures and helpes from them But I leave them with their reliques and proceed to shew you how God hath not onely perfected the power of his arme in the weaknesse of the creatures below man but also and especially in the weaknesse of man himselfe Who would ever have thought that Moses an infant exposed to destruction in an arke of bulrushes should afterwards have beene the deliverer of all Gods people Who would ever have imagined that Ioseph being sold for a bond-slave to strange Merchants should afterwards have beene Lord over all Aegypt VVho would ever have believed that David the youngest of his fathers sonnes of whom little or no account at all was made and therefore his father brought him not with the rest of his brethren to the sacrifice but left him in the field with his sheep I say who would ever have beleeved that hee should have beene called immediately from following the Ewes great with young and have beene annointed King over Israel and have changed his shepheards crooke for a royall Scepter but this was the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes And we have seene by experience that God hath raised up meane mens sons to be very great instruments of his glory both in Church and Commonwealth according to the saying of David God raiseth the poore out of the dust and the needy out of the dunghill that hee may set him with Princes even with the Princes of his people Psal 113.7.8 But the power of Gods arme was then made perfect indeed in the weaknesse of man beyond all admiration in the resurrection of our blessed Saviour from the dead Cumfactor mundi factus est in mundo when he that made the world was made in the world when the Potter was made of his owne clay when he that is immense was shut up in the Virgins wombe when the ancient of dayes was not a day old when eternity beganne in time when the Word was made Flesh an infant and could not speake when the incarnate God God and Man in one person did hunger and thirst and was weary and slept and wept and was sorrowfull and suffered paines and was crucified and dyed and was buried then was he Deus verè absconditus a hidden God indeed as the Prophet speakes Esay 45.15 then was the power of his arme hidden in the weaknesse of man But when he rose againe from the dead then was he declared to be the Sonne of God with power Rom. 1.4 then was the power of his arme made perfect manifested and openly shewed in the weakenesse of flesh When Christ was dead and laid in his grave and the stone was sealed ne mors exire aut vita intrare possit as Chrysologus irronically speakes of the chiefe Priests and Pharisees least death should chance to steal out or life happen to creep in the Divells thought all was cock sure they did even laugh to themselves and dance as it were upon the Sepulchre for joy singing their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and triumphant songs surely he is now so low that he can never rise againe then even then did he rise againe from the dead and perfect the power of his arme in the greatest weaknesse of humane nature Gemina virtus revixit praedixit saith Chrysologus here was a double power he did not onely rise from the dead but he foretold that he would rise It was a great power for a living man to raise a dead