God upon us makes us current money and that his Father may know us and not cast us off for refuse silver shewes him his face Lastly it reacheth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assimilation it self and layes hold on that too made like he was and debuit he ought to be so to satisfie in the same nature which had offended carnem gestare propter meam carnem to take flesh for my flesh and a soul for my soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to purge and refine me in my own to wash and cleanse the corruption of my flesh in the immense Ocean of his Divinity and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all things to be made like unto his Brethren Debuit looks on all his Godhead on his Person on his Assimilation God no Man or Angell The second person in Trinity not the Father or the holy Spirit made like unto his Brethren his bare naked Divinity though it might have saved us yet it was not so fit and at too great a distance for us Debuit slumbers every storm answers every doubt scatters our feares removes our jealousies and builds us up in our most holy faith Though he be God though he be the wisdome of God though he be the Son of God yet debuit he ought to be made like unto us to restore his Creature to exalt his Nature and in our own shape and likeness in our own flesh to pay down the price of our Redemption So then debuit fieri here is an aptnesse and conveniency but debet he ought vox ista importat necessitatem it behoved him implyes also a kind of necessity That God could be made like mortall man is a strange Contemplation but that he would is a rise and exaltation of that but debuit that he ought superexalteth that and sets it at a higher pitch but that he must be so that necessity in a manner brings him down were not his love as infinite as his power would stagger and amaze the strongest faith who would believe such a report But he speaks it himself and it was the fire of his love that kindled in him and then he spake it with his tongue oportet he must die and if die be born not onely is but would not would but ought not ought but of necessity must be made like unto his Brethren I say a strange contemplation it is for there need no such forcible tye no such chaine of necessity to hold him libere egit what he did he did freely nothing more free and voluntary more spontaneous then this his Assimilation for as if he had slacked his pace and delay'd his Fathers expectation and not come at the appointed period of time he suddenly cryes Lo I come in the volume of thy book it is written of me that I should doe thy will oh God Psal 40.7.8 vers he calls it his desire and he had it written in his heart T is true libere fecit this condescension this his assimilation was free and voluntary with more cheerfulnesse and earnestnesse undertaken by him then 't is received now by us it is our shame and sinne that we dare not compare them that he should be so willing to be like us and we should be so unwilling to be like him but if we look back upon the precontract which past between his Father and him we shall then see a Debuit a kind of necessity laid upon him our Saviour himself speaks it to his Blessed mother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 2.49 I must go about my Fathers businesse we may measure his love by the Decree that is we cannot measure it for the decree is eternall before the foundation of the world was laid was this foundation laid an everlasting foundation to lay Gold and Silver upon all the rich precious Promises of the Gospel to lay our obedience and conformity to him upon and upon them both upon his love and our obedience raise our selves up to that eternity which he hath purchased and promised to all his Brethren that are made like unto him Infinite love eternall love that which the eye of Flesh may count a dishonour was his joy his perfection his love which put a Debuit upon him a necessity and brought him after a manner under the strict and peremptory Terms of an obligation under a necessity of being borne a Necessity of obedience a Necessity of dying Debuit taketh in all and presenteth them to our Admiration our joy our love our obedience and Gratitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every way and in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren The application We have now run the full compasse of the Text and we find our Saviour in every point of it similem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like in all things and now to apply it If Christ be like unto us then we also ought to be like unto him and ought to have our Assimilation our Nativity by the way of Analogy and by the rules of proportion answerable to his For to this end was he made like unto us you will say That he may save us nay but that he may present us to his Father by the virtue of his assimilation made like unto him for without this he cannot save us Behold here am I and the Children which thou hast given me Holy as I am holy Just as I am just Humble as I was humble A man conformable to Christ is the glory of this Feast Father I will that they whom thou hast given me and he gives him none but those who are like him may be where I am Heaven hath received him and it will receive none but those who are like him not those that name him not those who set his name to their fraud to their malice to their perjury to their Oppression not those many Antichrists whose whole life is a contradiction to him All that he requires at our hands all our Gratitude all our duty is drawn together and consists in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be like unto him To be like unto him why who would not be like unto him who would not be drawn after his similitude Like him we all would be in his Glory in his Transfiguration on mount Tabor oh by all meanes build us here a Tabernacle but like him in the cratch like him in the wildernesse like him in his daily converse with men like him in the High priests Hall like him in the Garden like him on the Crosse here we start back and are afraid of his countenance In humility in hunger in sweat in colours of Bloud few there be that would be thus drawn But if we will be his Brethren this is the copy we must take out these be our postures these our Colours bathed in his Bloud t is true but withall bathed in the waters of Affliction bathed in our own teares and bathed in our own Bloud we meet and cope with the Devil in this our
the hazard of their own soules and of that which should be as deare to them the peace of the Church Be not then too inquisitive to find out the manner of this union for the holy Father seales up thy lips that thou mayst not once think of Asking the question Just Mart. and tells thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou art not like to meet with an answer and what greater folly can there be then to attempt to do that which cannot be done or to search for that which is past finding out or to be ever a beginning and never make an end Search the scriptures for they are they that testifie of him testifie that he was God blessed for evermore that that word which was Godw as also made flesh that he was the Son of God and the Sonne of man the manner how the two Natures are united is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil ib. unsearchable unfoordable and the knowledge of it if our narrow understandings could receive it would not adde one haire to our stature and growth in Grace that he is God and man that the two Natures are united in one person who is thy Saviour and mediator is enough for thee to know and to rayse thy nature up to him Take the words as they lye in their Native purity and simplicity and not as they are hammered and beat out and stampt by every hand by those who will be Fathers not Interpreters of Scripture and beget what sense they please and present it not as their own but as a child of God Then Lo here is Christ and there is Christ this is Christ and that is Christ thou shalt see many images and characters of him but not one that is like him an imperfect Christ a half Christ a created Christ a fancied Christ a Christ that is not the Son of God and a Christ that is not the Son of Man and thus be rowled up and down in uncertainties and left to the poore and miserable comfort of Conjecture in that which so far as it concerns us is so plain and easie to be known Doe thoughts arise in thy heart do doubts and difficulties beset thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Justin Martyr thy Faith is the solution and will soon quit thee of them and cast them by thy Faith not assumed or insinuated into thee or brought in as thy vices may be by thy education but raised upon a holy hill a sure foundation the plain and expresse Word of God and upheld and strengthned by the Spirit Christian dost thou believe Thou hast then seen thy God in the Flesh from Eternity yet born Invisible yet seen Immense and circumscribed Immortall yet dying the Lord of life and Crucified God and man Christ Jesus Amaze not thy self with an inordinate feare of undervaluing thy Saviour wrong not his love and call it thy Reverence why should thoughts arise in thy Heart his power is not the lesse because his mercy is great nor doth his infinite love shadow or detract from his Majesty for see He counts it no disparagement to be seen in our flesh nor to be at any losse by being thus like us our Apostle tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there was a Decorum in it and it behoved him to be like unto his Brethren Debuit It behoved him That Christ was made like unto us is the joy of this Feast but that he ought to be is the wonder and extasy of our joy that he would descend is mercy but that he must is our astonishment Oportet and Debet are binding termes and words of Duty Had our Apostle said It behoved us that he should be made like unto us it had found an easy belief the debuit had been placed in loco suo in its proper place on a sweating brow on dust and putrefaction on the face of a captive All will say it Behoved us much but to put a Debet upon the Son of God to make it a Decorum a beseeming thing for him to become Flesh to be made like unto us to set a Rubie in Clay a Diamond in Brasse a Chrysolet in baser Metall and say it is placed well there to worry the Lambs for the Wolf to take the Master by the throat for the Debt of a Prodigall and with an Oportet to say it should be so to give a gift and call it a Debt is not out usuall language on earth on Earth it is not but in Heaven it is the proper Dialect fixed up in Capitall letters on the Mercy Seat the joy of this Feast the Angels Antheme Salvator Natus a Saviour is born and if he will be a Saviour an Undertaker a Surety such is the Nature of Fidejussion and Suretiship debet he must it behoveth him as deeply engaged as the party whose surety he is And let us look on the aptnesse of the meanes and we shall soon find that this Foolishnesse of God as the Apostle calls it is wiser than men and this weaknesse of God is stronger than men 1 Cor. 1.25 that the oportet is right set For medio existente conjunguntur extrema if you will have extremes to meet you must have a middle line to draw them together and behold here they meet and are made unum one Ephes 2.14 saith the Apostle the proprieties of either Nature being entire and yet meeting and concentring themselves as it were in one person Majesty puts on Humility Power Infirmity Eternity Mortality by the one he dyes for us by the other he riseth again by the one he suffers as Man by the other he conquers as God in them both he perfects and consummates the great work of our redemption And this Debuit reacheth home to each part of my Text to Christ as God The same hand that made the vessell when it was broken and so broken that there was not one sherd left to fetch water at any pit to repaire and set it together again that it may receive and contain the water of life ut qui fecit nos reficeret that our Creation and Salvation should be wrought by the same hand and turned about upon the same wheele Next we may set the debuit upon his person and he is media persona a middle person and the office will best fit him even the office of a Mediator and then as he is the Son of God who is the Image of the Father and most proper it may seem to him to repair that Image which was defaced and well neere lost in us For we had not onely blemished this Image but set the Devils face and superscription upon Gods coyne for Righteousnesse there was Sin for Purity Pollution for Beauty Deformity for Rectitude Perversenesse for the Man a Beast scarce any thing left by which he might know us venit filius ut iterum signet the Son comes and with his blood revives again the first character marks us with his owne signature imprints the Graces of
and Attire Clothed he was with a garment down to the foot which was the Garment of the High Priest and his was an unchangeable Priesthood Heb. 7.24 and he had a golden Girdle or Belt as a King v. 13. for he is a King for ever and of his kingdome there shall be no end Righteousnesse shall be the girdle of his loynes and Faithfulnesse he girdle of his reines Es 11.5 His head and his haires were white as wooll v. 14. and as white as snow his Judgement pure and uncorrupt not byassed by outward respects not tainted or corrupted by any turbulent affection but smooth even as waters are when no wind troubles them His eys as a flame of fire piercing the inward man searching the secrets of the heart nor is there any action word or thought which is not manifest in his sight His feet like unto fine brasse sincere and constant like unto himself in all his proceedings in every part of his Oeconomy his voyce as many waters v. 15. declaring his fathers will with power and authority sounding out the Gospel of peace to all the world and last of all out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword v. 16. not onely dividing asunder the soul and the spirit but discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart and taking vengeance on those who persecute his Church His Majesty dazled every mortall eye his Countenance was as the Sun shining in his strength and now of him who walks in the midst of his Church whose Mercy is a large Robe reaching down to the feet who is girt with Power who is clothed with Justice whose Wisdom pierceth even into darknesse it self whose Word is heard from one end of the world to the other whose Majesty displayes its beams through every corner of it we cannot but confesse with Peter This is Christ the Sonne of the living God And can the Saviour of the world the desire of the Nations the glory of his Father can Beauty it self appeare in such a shape of Terrour shall we draw out a mercifull Redeemer with a warriours Belt with eyes of Fire with feet of Brasse with a voyce of Terrour with a sharp two-edged Sword in his mouth Yes such a High Priest became us who is not onely mercifull but just not onely meek but powerfull not onely fair but terrible not onely clothed with the darknesse of Humility but with the shining robes of Majesty who can dye and can live again and live for evermore who suffered himself to be judged and condemned and shall judge and condemne the world it self S. John indeed was troubled at this sight and fell down as dead but Christ rouzeth him up and bids him shake off this feare for he is terrible to none but those who make him so to Hereticks and Hypocrites and Persecutors of his Church to those who would have him neither wise nor just nor powerfull non accepimus iratum sed fecimus he is not angry till we force him 't is rather our sins that turn back again upon us as furies than his wrath that makes him clothe himself with vengeance and draw his sword To S. John to those that bow before him he is all Sweetnesse all Grace all Salvation and upon these as upon St. John he layes his right hand quickens and rouzeth them up Feare not neither my girdle of Justice nor my eyes of fire nor my feet of brasse nor my mighty voice nor my two-edged sword for my Wisdom shall guide you my power shall defend you my Majesty shall uphold you and my Mercy shall crown you Fear not I am the first and the last more humble than any more powerfull than any scorned whipped crucified and now highly exalted and Lord of all the world I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I live for evermore c. Which words I may call as Tertullian doth the Lords Prayer breviarium Evangelii the breviary or summe of the whole Gospel or with Austin symbolnm abbreviatum the Epitome and abridgement of our Creed and such a short Creed we find in Tertullian which he calls Regulam veram immobilem irreformabilem the sole immutable unalterable rule of Faith and then The articles or parts will be these 1. The Death of Christ I was dead 2. The Resurrection of Christ with the effect and power of it I am he that liveth 3. The duration and continuance of his life which is to all eternity I live for evermore 4. Power of Christ which he purchased by his death the power of the keyes I have the keyes of Hell and of Death And these 1. Are ushered in with an Ecce Behold that we may consider it 2. Sealed ratified with an Amen that we may believe it That there be not in any of us as the Apostle speaks an unbelieving heart to depart from the living God I am he that liveth and was dead And of the death of Christ we spake the last day Par 1. we shall onely now look upon it in reference to the Resurrection consider it as past for it is fui mortuus I was dead and in this we may see the method and proceeding of our Saviour which he drew out in his blood which must sprinkle those who are to be saved and make them nigh unto him to follow in the same method à morte ad vitam Luke 24.25 Heb. 2.20 from suffering to glory from death to life Tota ecclesia cum Christo computatur ut una persona Christ and his Church are in computations but one person he ought to suffer and we ought to suffer they suffer in him and he in hem to the end of the world nor is any other method either answerable to his infinite Wisdome and Justice which hath set it down in indelible characters nor to our mortall and frail condition which must be bruised before it can be healed must be levelled with the ground before it can be raised up quicquid Deo convenit Tetuil homini prodest that which is convenient for Christ is profitable for us that which becometh him we must wear as an ornament of grace unto our head there is an oportet set upon both he ought and we ought first to suffer and then to enter into glory to die first that we may rise again And first it cannot consist with the wisdome of God that Christ should suffer and die and we live as we please and the reign with him and so pass à deliciis in delicias from one paradise to another that he should overcome the Divel for those who will be his vassals that he should foile him in his proud temptations for those who will not be humble beat off his sullen temptation for those who will distrust and murmure that he should make his victorious death commeatum delinquendi a licence and charter for all generations to fling away their weapons and not strike a stroke If he should have done this
powerfull Lord shall be lifted up and crowned with glory and honour for evermore Which God grant c. HONI â—…T QVI MAL Y PENSE A SERMON Preached on Whitsunday JOHN 16.13 Howbeit when He the spirit of truth is come he will lead you into all truth WHen the spirit of truth is come c. and behold he is come already and the Church of Christ in all ages hath set apart this day for a memoriall of his coming a memoriall of that miraculous and unusuall sound that rushing wind those cloven tongues of fire And there is good reason for it that it should be had in everlasting remembrance For as he came then in solemn state upon the Disciples in a manner seen heard so he comes though not so visibly yet effectually to us upon whom the ends of the world are come that we may remember it though not it a mighty wind yet he rattles our hearts together though no house totter at his descent yet the foundations of our souls are shaken no fire appears yet our breasts are inflamed no cloven tongues yet our hearts are cloven asunder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every day to a Christian is a day of Pentecost his whole life a continued holy-day wherein the Holy Ghost descends both as an Instructer and a Comforter secretly and sweetly by his word characterizing the soul imprinting that saving knowledge which none of the Princes of this world had not forcing not drawing by violence but sweetly leading and guiding us into all truth When He the spirit of truth is come c. In which words we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Epiphany or Apparition of the blessed Spirit as Nazianzen speaks or rather the promise of his coming and appearance and if we well weigh it there is great reason that the Spirit should have his Advent as well as Christ his that he should say Lo I come Psal 40. For in the volume of the book it is written of him that the spirit of the Lord should rest upon him Es 11.2 and I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh Joel 2.28 Christus legis Spiritus Sanctus Evangelii complementum Christs Advent for the fulfilling of the Law and the Spirits for the fulfilling and compleating of the Gospel Christs Advent to redeem the Church and the Spirits Advent to teach the Church Christ to shed his blood and the Spirit to wash and purge it in his blood Christ to pay down the ransome for us Captives and the Spirit to work off our fetters Christ to preach the acceptable year of the Lord and the Spirit to interpret it for we may soon see that the one will little availe without the other Christs Birth his Death and Passion Chists glorious Resurrection but a story in Archivis good newes sealed up a Gospel hid till the Spirit come and open it and teach us to know him Phil. 3.10 and the vertue and power of his Resurrection and make us conformable to his death This is the summe of these words and in this we shall passe by these steps or degrees First carry our thoughts to the promise of the Spirits Advent the miracle of this day cùm venerit when the spirit of truth comes in a sound to awake them in wind to move them in fire to enlighten and warm them in tongues to make them speak Secondly consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the work and employment of the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall lead you into all truth In the first we meet with 1. nomen personae if we may so speak a word pointing out to his person the demonstrative pronoune ille when he shall come 2. Nomen naturae a name expressing his nature he is a spirit of truth and then we cannot be ignorant whose spirit it is In the second we shall find Nomen officii a name of office and administration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word from whence comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a leader or conducter in the way for so the Holy Ghost vouchsafed to be their leader and conducter that they might not erre but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keep on in a strait and even course in the way And in this great office of the Holy Ghost we must first take notice of the lesson he teacheth it is Truth Secondly the large extent of this lesson 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he leads into all truth Thirdly The method and manner of his discipline which will neerly concern us to take notice of it is ductus a gentle and effectuall leading he drives us not he drawes us not by violence but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word here he takes as it were by the hand and guides and leads us into all truth Cùm venerit ille spiritus veritatis When He the spirit of truth c. And first though we are told by some that where the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added to fo there we are to understand the person of the Holy Ghost yet we rather lay hold on the pronoun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ille when he the spirit of truth shall come he shall lead you which points out to a distinct person For if with Sabellius he had onely meant some new motion in the Disciples hearts or some effect of the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had been enough but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He designes a certain person and ille he in Christs mouth a distinct person from himself Besides we are taught in the Schools Actiones sunt suppositorum actions and operations are of persons now in this verse Christ sayes that he shall lead them and before he shall reprove the world and in the precedent chapter he shall testifie of me which are proper and peculiar operations of the blessed Spirit and bring him in a distinct person from the Father and the Son And therefore S. Augustine rests upon this dark and generall expression The Holy Ghost communicates both of the Father and the Son is something of them both whatsoever we may call it whether we call him the Consubstantiall and Coeternall communion and friendship of the Father and the Son or with Gerson and others of the Schools Nexum Amorosum the Essentiall Love and Love-knot of the undivided Trinity But we will wave these more abstruse and deeper speculations in which if we speak not in the Spirits language we may sooner lose than profit our selves and speak more than we should whilest we are busie to raise our thoughts and words up to that which is but enough It will be safer walking below amongst those observations which as they are more familiar and easy so are they more usefull and take what oare we can find with ease than to dig deeper in this dark mine where if we walk not warily we may meet with poysonous fogs and damps instead of treasure We will therefore in the next place enquire why he is called the Spirit of Truth for divers
attributes he hath he is called the Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.15 the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 the Spirit of Grace of Love of Joy of Zeale for where he worketh Grace is operative our Love is without dissimulation our Joy is like the joy of heaven as true though not so great our Faith a working faith and our Zeal a coale from the Altar kindled from his fire not mad and raging but according to knowledge he makes no shadowes but substances no pictures but realities no appearances but truths a Grace that makes us highly favoured a precious and holy Faith full and unspeakable Love ready to spend it self and zeal to consume us of a true existence being from the spirit of God who alone truly is but here the spirit of Truth yet the same spirit that planteth grace and faith in our hearts that begets our Faith cilates our Love works our Joy kindles our Zeal and adopts us in Regiam familiam into the Royall Family of the first-born in Heaven but now the spirit of Truth was more proper for to tell men perplext with doubts that were ever and anon and sometimes when they should not asking questions of such a Teacher was a seal to the promise a good assurance they should be well taught that no difficulty should be too hard no knowledge too high no mystery too dark and obscure for them but Omnis veritas all truth should be brought forth and unfolded to them and have the vayle taken from it and be laid open and naked to their understanding Let us then look up upon and worship this spirit of Truth as he thus presents and tenders himself unto us as he stands in opposition to two great enemies to Truth as 1. Dissimulation 2. Flattery and then as he is true in the lessons which he teacheth that we may pray for his Advent long for his coming and so receive him when he comes And first dissemble he doth not he cannot for dissimulation is a kind of cheat or jugling by which we cast a mist before mens eyes that they cannot see us it brings in the Divel in Samuel's mantle and an enemy in the smiles and smoothness of a friend it speakes the language of the Priest at Delphos playes in ambiguities promises life As to King 〈◊〉 who a 〈…〉 slew when death is neerest and bids us beware of a chariot when it means a sword No this spirit is an enemy to this because a spirit of truth and hates these in volucra dissimulationis this folding and involvednesse these clokes and coverts these crafty conveyances of our own desires to their end under the specious shew of intending good to others and they by whom he speaks are like him and speak the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 3.12 in the simplicity and godly sincerity of the spirit not in craftinesse not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 handling the Word of God deceitfully 2 Cor. 4.2 Eph. 4.14 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not in the slight of men throwing a Die what cast you would have them noting their Doctrine to men and the times that is not to men and the times but to their own ends telling them of Heaven Wisdom 1.5 when their thoughts are in their purse This holy spirit of Truth flies all such deceit and removes himself far from the thoughts which are without understanding and will not acquit a dissembler of his words there is nothing of the Divels method nothing of the Die or hand no windings nor turnings in what he teacheth but verus vera dicit being a spirit of truth he speaks the truth and nothing but he truth and for our behoof and advantage that we may believe it and build upon it and by his discipline raise our selves up to that end for which he is pleased to come and be our teacher And as he cannot dissemble so in the next place flatter us he cannot the inseparable mark and character of the evill spirit qui arridet ut saeviat who smiles upon us that he may rage against us lifts us up that he may cast us down whose exaltations are foiles whose favours are deceits whose smiles and kisses are wounds for flattery is as a glasse for a fool to look upon and so become more fool than before it is the fools eccho by which he hears himself at the rebound and thinks the wiseman spoke unto him and it proceeds from the father of lies not from the spirit of truth who is the same yesterday and to day and for ever who reproves drunkennesse though in a Noah adultery though in a David want of faith though in a Peter and layes our sins in order before us his precepts are plain his law is in thunder his threatnings earnest and vehement he calls Adam from behind the bush strikes Ananias dead for his hypocrisie and for lying to the holy Spirit deprives him of his own Thy excuse to him is a libell thy pretence fouler than thy sin thy false worship of him is blasphemy and thy form of godlinesse open impiety and where he enters the heart Sin which is the greatest errour the grossest lye removes it self heaves and pants to go out knocks at our breast and runs down at our eyes and we hear it speak in sighs and grones unspeakable and what was our delight becomes our torment In a word he is a spirit of truth and neither dissembles to decieve us nor flatters that we may deceive our selves but verus vera dicit being truth it self tells us what we shall find to be most true to keep us from the dangerous by-paths of errour and misprision in which we may lose our selves and be lost for ever And this appears is visible in those lessons and precepts which he gives which are so harmonious so consonant so agreeing with themselves and so consonant and agreeable to that Image after which we were made to fit and beautifie it when it is defaced and repaire it when it is decayed that so it may become in some proportion measure like unto him that made it for this spirit doth not set up one precept against another nor one text against another doth not disanul his promises in his threats nor check his threats with his promises doth not forbid all Feare in confidence nor shake our confidence when he bids us feare doth not set up meeknesse to abate our zeale nor kindles zeale to consume our meeknesse doth not teach Christian liberty to shake off obedience to Government nor prescribes obedience to infringe and weaken our Christian liberty This spirit is a spirit of truth and never different from himself never contradicts himself but is equall in all his wayes the same in that truth which pleaseth thee and that which pincheth thee in that which thou consentest to and that which thou runnâ—st from in that which will rayse thy spirit and that which will wound thy spirit And the reason why men who
of it in all ages as of the fittest Engine to undermine that truth which the spirit first taught Tertullian as wise a man as the Church then had being not able to prove the Corporiety of the soule by scripture flyes to private Revelation in his Book De anima non per aestimationem sed Revelationem what he could not uphold by reason and judgment Post Ioannem quoque prophetiam meruimus conscqui c. Tertull. de Anim c. ix montanizans he strives to make good by Revelation for we saith he have our Revelations as well as Saint John Our sister Priscilla hath plenty of them her traunces in the Church she converses with Angels and with God himself and can discerne the hearts and inward thoughts of men Saint Hierome mentions others and in the dayes of our fore-fathers Calvin many more Calvin contra Libert who applyed the name of the spirit to every thing that might facilitate and help on their designe as parish priests it is his resemblance would give the name of six or seven severall Saints to one image that their offerings might be the more I need not goe so farre back for instance Our present age harh shewen us many who have been ignorant yet wiser then their Teachers so spirituall that they despise the word of God which is the dictate of the spirit for this monster hath made a large stride from forreigne parts and set his foot in our coasts If they murder the spirit moved their hand and drew their sword if they throw down Churches it is with the breath of the Spirit if they would bring in parity the pretence is the Spirit cannot endure that any should be supreme or Pope it but themselves our humour our madnesse our malice our violence our implacable bitternesse our railing and reviling must all go for inspirations of the spirit Simeon and Levi Absolon and Achitophel Theudas and Judas the Pharisees and Ananias they that despise the holy Spirit of God these Scarabees bred in the dung of sensuality these Impostors these men of Belial must be taken no longer for a generation of vipers but for the scholars and friends of the holy Ghost whatsoever they do whithersoever they goe He is their leader though it be to hell it felf May we not make a stand now and put it to the question whether there be any holy Ghost or no and if there be whether his office be to lead us Indeed these appropriations these bold and violent ingrossings of the blessed Spirit have I fear given growth to conceits well neer as dangerous that the spirit doth not spirare breaths no grace into us that we need not call upon him that the text which telleth us the holy Ghost leadeth is the holy Ghost that leads us that the letter is the spirit and the spirit the letter an adulterate piece new coyned an old Heresie brought in a new dress and tire upon the stage again that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a strange unheard of Deity and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ascriptitious and supernumerary God Nazianz Or. 37. Quis veterum vel recentium adoravit spiritum quis oravit c. sic Macedoniani Eunomiani Ibid. I might say that it is more dangerous than this for to confess the Spirit and abuse him to draw him to as an accessary and abettor nay as a principall in those actions which nature it self abhors and trembles at is worse than out of errour to deny him For what a Spirit what a Dove is that which breathes nothing but gall and wormwood but fire and brimstone what a Spirit is that which is ever pleading and purveying for the flesh what a Spirit is that which is made to bear witnesse to a lie for as Petrarch tells us Nihil importunius erudito stulto that there is not a more troublesome creature in the world than a learned foole so the Church of Christ and Religion never suffered more than by carnall men who are thus spirit-wise for by acknowledging the Spirit and making use of his name they assume unto themselves a licence to do what they please and work wickednesse not onely with greedinesse but cum privilegie with priviledge and authority which whilest others doubt of though it be not onely an Error but Blasphemy yet parciùs insaniunt they are not so outragiously made But yet we must not put the spirit from his office because dreams or rather the evaporations of mens lusts do passe for revelations or say he is not a leader into truth because wicked or fanatick persons walk on in the wayes of Errour in the wayes of Cain or Corah and yet are bold to tell the world that this spirit goes before them The mad Athenian took every ship that came into the harbour to be his but it doth not follow hence that no wise and sober merchant knew his own To him that is drunk things appeare in a double shape and proportion Geminae Thehae gemini soles two cities and two suns for one but I cannot hence conclude that all sober men do so nor can I deny the Spirits conduct because some men wander as they please and run on in those dangerous by-paths where he will not lead them this were to deny an unquestionable and fundamentall truth for an inconvenience to dig up the foundation because men build hay and stubble upon it or because some men have sore eyes to pluck the Sun out of its sphere It were indeed dangerous to teach that the spirit did teach and lead us were there not meanes to try and distinguish the Spirits instructions from the suggestions of Satan or those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those mishapen lumps and abortive births of a sick and loathsome brain or our private humour which is as great a Divel Beloved 1. Epist of St. John c. 4. v. 1 2. saith S. Joh. believe not every spirit that is every inspiration but try the spirits whether they be of God for many false Prophets are gone out into the world that is have taken the chaire and dictate magisterially what they please in the name of the Spirit when themselves are carnall And he gives the rule by which we should try them in the next verse Every spirit that confesseth Jesus is the Lord is of God that is whosoever strives to advance the Kingdome of Christ and to set up the spirit against he flesh to magnifie the Gospel to promote men in the wayes of innocency perfect obedience which infallibly lead to happinesse is from God every such inspiration is from the spirit of God for therefore doth the spirit breath upon us that he may make us like unto God and so draw us to him that where he is we may be also But then those inspirations which bring in God to plead for Baal which cry up Religion to gain the world which tread down peace and charity and all that is praise-worthy under feet to make way for
and fault withall and a Feare which feares no punishment at all I know Aquinas puts a difference between servile feare and the servility of feare as if he would take the soul from Socrates and yet leave him a man Senec ep These are niceties more subtill then solid in quibus ludit animus magis quam proficit which may occasion discourse but not instruct our understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As neer as we can let us take things as they are in themselves and not as they are beat out and fashion'd by the work and business of our witts and then it will be plaine that though we be sonnes yet we may feare feare that Evill which the Father presents before us to fright us from it that we may make the feare of Death an Argument to Turne us and a strong motive to confirme us in the course of our Obedience that it is no servility to perform some part of Christs service upon those termes which he himself allows and hath prescribed to us Leet us call it by what name we please for indeed we have miscalled it and brought it in as slavish and servile and so branded the command of Christ himself yet we shall find it a blessed Instrument to safeguard and improve our Piety we shall find that the best way to escape the Judgements of God is to draw them neere even to our Eyes For Hell is a part of our Creed as well as Heaven his threatnings are as loud as his promises and could we once feare Hell as we should we should not feare it For I ask may we serve God sub intuitu mercedis with respect unto the reward it is agreed upon on all sides that we may for Moses had respect unto the recompence of the reward and Christ himself did look upon the Joy that was set before him Heb. 11.26 Heb. 12.2 why then not sub intuitu vindictae upopn the fear of punishment will God accept that service which is begun and wrought out by the virtue and influence of the reward and will he cast off that servant which had an eye upon his hand and observed him as a Lord why then hath God propounded both these both reward and punishment and bid us work on in his Vineyard with an eye on them both if we may not as well feare him when he threatens as run to meet him when he comes towards us and his reward with him let us then have recourse to his Mercy-seat but let us tremble also and fall downe before his Tribunal and behold his Glory and Majesty in both But it may be said and some have thought it their duty to say it that this belongs to the wicked to the Goates to feare but when Christ speaks to his Disciples to his Flock the language is Nolite timere feare not little flock Luke 12.32 for it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdome 'T is true it is your Fathers will to give it you and you have no reason to feare or mistrust him but this doth not exclude the feare of the wrath of God nor the use of those meanes which the Father himself hath put into our hands not that Feare which may be one help and Advance towards that violence which must take it For our Saviour doth not argue thus It is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdome Therefore persevere not for any fear of punishment but the Feare which Christ forbids is the Feare of distrustfulness when we feare as Peter did upon the Waters when he was ready to sinke and had therefore a check and Rebuke from our Saviour why fearest thou oh thou of little Faith so that fear not little Flock is nothing else but a disswasion from infidelity A Souldier that puts no Confidence in himself yet may in his Captaine if he be a Hannibal or a Caesar for an Army of Harts may conquer said Iphicrates if a Lion be the leader so though we may something doubt and mistrust because we may see much wanting to the perefection of our Actions yet we must raise our diffidence with this perswasion that the promise is most certaine and that the power of Heaven and Hell cannot infringe or null it We may mistrust our selves for of our selves we are Nothing but not the Promises of CHRIST for they are yea and Amen But they are ready to reply that the Apostle St. Paul is yet more plaine Rom. 8.15 where he tells us That we have not received the spirit of Bondage to feare again but the Spirit of Adoption by which we cry Abba Father And it is most true that we have not received that Spirit for we are not under the Law but under Grace we are not Jews but Christians nor doe we feare againe as the Jews feared whose eye was upon the basket and the sword who were curb'd and restrain'd by the fear of present punishment and whose greatest motives to Obedience were drawn from Temporall respects and Interests who did feare the Plague Captivity the Philistim the Catterpillar ad Palmerworme and so did many times forbeare that which their lusts 2 Cor. 4.18 and irregular Appetites were ready to joyn with we have not received such a spirit for the Gospel directs our look not to those things which are seene but to those things which are not seen and shews us yet a more excellent way But we have received the Spirit of Adoption we are received into that Family where little care is taken for the meat that perisheth where the world is made an Enemy where we must leave the morrow to care for it self and work out our Salvation with feare and trembling where we must not feare what man but what God can doe unto us observe his hand as that hand which can raise us up as high as Heaven and throw us down to the lowest Pit love him as a Father and feare to offend him love and kisse the Sonne lest he be angry serve him without feare of any evill that can befall us here in our way of any Enemy that can hurt us and yet feare him as our Lord and King for in this his grant of liberty he did not let us loose against himself nor put off his Majesty that we should be so bold with him as not to serve but to disobey him without feare nor doth this cut off our Filiation our relation to him for a good sonne may feare the wrath of God and yet cry Abba Father But then againe we are told in Saint Iohn In caritate non est timor that there is no feare in love 1 John 4.18 but perfect love casteth out all feare and when he saith All feare he excepteth none no not the feare of punishment l. de fugâ in persecutione I know Tertullian Interpreting this Text makes this feare to be nothing else but that lazy Feare which is begot by a vain and unnecessary contemplation of Difficulties the feare of
the flesh persecuted him who was born after the spirit even so it is now The vail is drawn and you may behold presented to your view and consideration a double parallel 1. Of the times But as then so now 2. Of the occurrences the acts and monuments of these times divided between two the Agent and the patient those that are born after the flesh persecuting and those that are born after the spirit suffering persecution The them was not long it began and ended in a scoff for Sarah saw Ismael mocking of Isaac Gen. 21.9 and yet this scoffe began those 400. yeers of persecution foretold by God Gen. 15.13 and is drawn down by our Apostle to the times of grace But the now is of larger extent and reacheth even to the end of the World from the Angels Antheme to the last Trump when Christ shall resigne all power into his Fathers hand But because we cannot well take a full view of them both and the Church of Christ is one and the same from the first just man Abel to the last man that shall stand upon the earth though different in outward Administration as Tertul. speaks upon another occasion Tertul. de pallio nunquam ipsa semper alia etsi semper ipsa quando alia because receiving degrees of perfection yet alwayes one and the same when in some respects it appeared not the same we will therefore draw both times together both the then and the now the time under the Law and the time under the Gospel within the compasse of this one position and Doctrine That though the priviledge and prerogative I may say Royalties of the Church be many yet was she never exempted from persecution but rather had intailed it on her as an inheritance And when we shall have made this good 1. from the consideration of the quality of the persons here upon the stage the one persecuting the other Suffering the one born after the flesh the other after the spirit 2. From the nature and constitution of the Church which in this World is ever Militant 3. From the providence and Wisdom of God who put this enmity between these two seeds betwen those that are born after the flesh and those who are born after the spirit When we have passed over these we will in the last place draw it down to our selves look back upon persecution brandishing it's terrors upon them both and so learn to take up and manage the weapons of our warfare and prepare our selves against the day of trial But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted c. 1. The persons That no priviledge of the Church can exempt her from persecution we may read in the persons themselves the one born after the flesh the other born after the spirit the reason is hid but visible enough in their very Attributes For as the flesh lusteth against the spirit and these two are contrary Gal. 5.17 i.e. are carried by the sway of their very natures to contrary things so the children of the one and of the other are contrary Of the first our Apostle will tell us that they killed the Lord Jesus and killed their own prophets and persecuted the Christians and the reason follows 1 Thes 2.15 which indeed is against all reason but was the best motive they had for as they hated God so were they contrary to all men looking with an evil eye upon the graces of God in others and whatsoever savored of the spirit like Hannibal in the story can part with any thing but war and contention can be without their native Country but not without an Enemy and the reason is plain for that which is born of the flesh is flesh that is Hath all the qualities and malignity of flesh is full of the works of the flesh which are the very principles of contention and persecution From whence are wars and tumults saith Saint James Jam. 4.1 are they not from those lusts which fight in their members From envie and malice from Covetousnesse and ambition which are the works of the flesh and are raised from the flesh as one creature is from another of the same kinde or rather as a Serpent is out of carryon or a scarabee out of dung which if they cannot finde occasion of doing evil will work and force it out of good it self so Cain the first disciple of the dvil as Saint Bas calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eas de ◠invidia 1 John 3.12 slew his brother for no other reason but this because his works were evil and his brothers good for he was saith the Text of the wicked one for to be born of the flesh and to be born of the devil are one and the same thing From the father of envy though not as the Rabbies fancy born of the very filth and seed which the Serpent conveighed into Eve If there were no evil men there could be no persecution for I cannot see how ' its possible for good men to persecute one another It is more probable that Satan should rise up against Satan and one devil cast out another Evil men may rage against evil men a covetous man may rob and spoil a covetous man and a proud man may swell against a proud man and an ambitious man lay hold on him that is climbing and pull him back into the dust for that which made them brethren in evil may make them enemies Herod and Pilat may fall out and then be reconciled and joyn their forces as one man against Christ and then fall asunder and be at distance again The wicked may gather together and with one Heart and with one Soul pursue the innocent and hold out their swords together and joyn their forces to rob and spoile them and then when they are to divide the spoil turn the points of their sword at one anothers breasts for they cannot make way to the end of their hopes but by striking down them that seem to stand in their way cannot be rich but by making others poor cannot be at liberty but by binding others cannot soare to their desires height but by laying others on the ground cannot live at ease unlesse they see others in their grave which are the several kindes of persecution as it were the strings of that Scorpion For that which is born of the flesh is flesh Take covetousnesse and ambition the proper and natural issues of the flesh and as the Apostle joynes it every where with uncleannesse so may we with hatred and persecution for these make that desolation upon the earth the onely Incendiaries in a Church or Common-wealth and the great troublers of the peace of Israel These destroy the walls and break down the towers of a City these rend the Vaile nay dig up the very foundation of the Temple the spirit is named but from the flesh is the persecution For what did the Husband-men set upon the Lord of the Vineyard
the grave Consummatum est all is finished and he is returned victoriously with the spoils of his enemies and of this last enemy death But for all this his triumph death may be still the King of terrours and as dreadfull as before All is finisht on his part but a covenant consists of two and something is required on ours He doth not turn Conditions into Promises as some have been willing to perswade themselves and others It must be done is not thou shalt do it If thou wilt believe is not thou shalt believe But every promise every act of grace of his implies a condition He delivers those that are willing to be delivered who do not feed death and supply this enemy with such weapons as make him terrible All the terrour death hath is from our selves our sin our disobedience to the commands of God that 's his sting And our part of the covenant is by the power virtue of Christs death every day to be plucking it from him and at last to take it quite away We we our selves must rise up against this King of terrours and in the Name and Power of Christ take the Scepter out of his hand and spoile him of his strength and terrour And this we may do by parts and degrees now cut from him this sin now that now this desire and anon another and so dye daily as Saint Paul speaks dye to profit dye to pleasure dye to Honour be as dead to every temptation which may beget sin in us and a sting in him and so leave him nothing to take from us not a desire not a hope not a thought nothing that can make us feare death Then we shall look upon it not as a divorcement from those delights which we have cast off already or a passage into a worse condition from that we loved too well to that we never feared enough but we shall consider it as a sleep as it is to all wearied pilgrims as a message sent from Heaven to tell us our walk is at an end and now we are to lay down our staffe and scrip and rest in that Jerusalem which is above for which we vowed this pilgrimage Et quis non ad meliora festinat Tert. de patientia What stranger will be afraid to return to his Fathers house or lose that life quam sibi jam supervacuam fecit which by dying daily to the world he hath already made superfluous and unnecessary To conclude this He that truly fears God can feare nothing else nor is Death terrible to any but to those who would build their tabernacle here who love to feed with swine on husks because they have not tasted of the powers of the world to come who wish immortality to this mortall before they put it on who are willing to converse and trade with vanity for ever who desire not with David to be spared a little but would never goe hence Last of all It will moderate our sorrow for those our friends who are dead or rather fallen asleep or rather at their journeys end For why should any man who knows the condition of a stranger how many dangers how many cares how many stormes and tempests he was obnoxious to hang down the head and complain that he had now passed through them all and was set down at his journeys end why should he who looks for a City to come be troubled that his fellow pilgrime came thither and entred before him It might be a matter of holy Emulation perhaps but why it should afflict us with grief I cannot see unlesse it be because we have not made it our meat and drink to keep Gods commandments which might give us a taste of a better estate to come unlesse it be because we have not well learnt to act the part of a stranger Miserable men that we are that we will be that know not our own quality and condition that are strangers and yet unwilling to draw neer our selves or to see others come to their home but think them lost where they are made perfect We stand by the bed of our sick and dying friend as if he were now removed to a place of torment and not of rest and to be either nothing or more miserable then he was in a region of misery we send out shreeks and outcries to keep time with his gasps to call him back if it were possible from heaven and to keep him still under the yoke and harrow when as the fainting of his spirits the failing of his eyes the trembling of his joynts are but as the motion of bodies to their center most violent when they are neerest to their end And then we close up his eyes and with them our hopes as if with his last gasp he had breathed out his soul into aire when indeed there is no more then this one pilgrime is gone before his fellows one gone and left others in their way in trouble and more troubled that he is gone to rest Migrantem migrantes praemisimus saith Saint Hierom we are passing forward apace and have sent one before us to his journeys end his everlasting sabbath With this contemplation doth religion comfort and uphold us in our way and keeps us in that temper which the Philosopher commends as best in which we do sentire desiderium opprimere she gives nature leave to draw teares but then she brings in faith and hope to wipe them off Sen. ad Marciam she suffers us to mourn for our friends but not as men without hope Nature will vent and love is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Orator ever querulous and full of complaints when the object is removed out of sight and God remembers whereof we are made is not angry with our love and will suffer us to be men but then we must silence one love with another our naturall affection with the love of God at least divide our language thus Alas my Father Alas my Husband Alas my Friend but then he was a stranger and now at his journeys end and here we must raise our note and speak it more heartily Blessed are such strangers blessed are they that dye in the Lord even so saith the spirit that they rest from their labours For conclusion let us feare God and keep his commandments this is the whole duty of a stranger to observe those Lawes which came from that place to which he is going let these his Lawes be in our heart and our heart will be an elaboratory a limbeck to work the water of life out of the vanities and very dregs of world through which we are to passe It shall be as a rock firm and solid against every wave and temptation that shall beat against it and a shop of precious receipts and proper remedies against every evil It shall be spoliarium mortis a place where death shall be stript and spoiled of its sting and of its terrour In a word It