water springs the Son to the River and Stream that floweth from this Fountain the Holy Ghost to the Pool or Sea into which both Fountain and River doth run and flow All one in the substance yet distinctly apprehended by these resemblances 2. Saint Paul here names the Holy Ghost under this expression The Spirit of the Father as delighting to shew the consent and concurrence of the whole Trinity in the work and carriage of our salvation The Father Son Spirit all joyned in this great Work As in our creation Let us make so in our repair and recovery the power of the Father the wisdom of the Son the grace of the Holy Ghost all concurred in this work Thus Ephes. ii 18. Through the Son we have access by one Spirit to the Father The Son recommends us the Spirit conducts us and the Father receives us The gods of the Heathen when one favoured another opposed Mulciber in Trojam pro Troja stabat Apollo One was against Troy the other stood for it Our God Father Son and Holy Ghost all set themselves to atchieve our salvation 3. By this expression the Apostle would send us to the Well-head of all grace and teach us to whom to seek for the gift of the Spirit the original donor of it is God the Father Hence He is called The promise of the Father Acts i. 4. We had need be set right in this point S. Iames tells us we are subject to mistake Err not my dear children Every good and perfect gift comes from above from the Father of lights Iames i. 16. Lux à primo lucido Our Saviour appropriates it to the Father Luk. xi 11. Your heavenly Father shall give the Holy Ghost to them that ask him He hath abundance of spirit as Malachi speaks In all those diversities of endowments and operations that are in the Church 't is the same God that works all in all It must teach us to whom to have recourse even to this Fountain of holiness from whom it is communicated and conveyed to all that receive it That 's the first Reference 't is the Spirit of the Father 2 d. Then here is a second Reference to Christ in a miraculous operation The Spirit of him that raised Iesus from the dead God the Father he raised Christ by the Spirit from the dead The point is observable that the resurrection of Christ is in a specimanner attributed to the Father Acts ii 32. This Iesus hath God raised up and is by the right hand of God exalted and Acts iii. 26. God hath raised up his Son Iesus Indeed we find the Resurrection ascribed to all the three Persons 1. The Father he raised him up Him God raised up the third day Acts x. 40. 2. Christ he is the author of his own resurrection his Divinity was inseparably joyned to his Humanity united not onely to his living but also to his dead body and by virtue of that Union he raised himself He had power to lay down his life and power to take it up again Ioh. x. 18. As the Sun sets and rises by his own motion 3. The Holy Ghost raised up Christ 1 Pet. iii. 18. He was put to death in the flesh but was quickned by the Spirit So then all concurr yet here it is especially attributed to the Father for divers reasons 1. In general all actions of the Deity originally flow from the Father As in being so in all acting and working he is the first in order Hence it is that Christ ascribes all that he doth to his Father Iohn v. 19. The Son can do nothing of himself but what he sees the Father do for whatsoever things he doth these also doth the Son likewise The Father saith Christ gave him those works to do 2. The Father is said to raise Christ from the dead because the Father in a special manner is the fountain of Life As the Son is made known by the attribute of Wisdom the Holy Ghost by the attribute of Love so the Father is represented by the attribute of Life Christ calls him The living Father Iohn vi 57. 'T is his glorious Title The living God It was S. Peters confession Thou art the Son of the living God And this life the Father communicates to the Son Iohn v. 26. As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself This Paul makes an act of Gods Paternity to raise Christ. His resurrection was a second generation Acts xiii 33. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee If thou be the Son of God come down from the cross Why it is as good If thou be the Son of God rise up from the Grave 3. The Father is here said to raise up Christ His resurrection being the first step of his glorious exaltation it is ascribed to the Father rather then to himself desirous rather his Father should put the Garland of triumph upon his head then he himself assume it Thus the Scripture ascribes his Humiliation to himself his Exaltation to his Father Phil. ii 7. He made himself of no reputation he took upon him the form of a servant he humbled himself and became obedient wherefore God highly exalted him Usurping Adonijah steps of himself into his fathers Throne This is our ambition Shun the work but snatch the reward Solomon will be placed by his father anointed and advanced to the Throne by Davids appointment He that humbles himself shall be exalted active in his humiliation passive in his exaltation Thus Christ though he had power and authority to exalt himself it had been no robbery S. Paul tells us yet he observes this gracious Oeconomy makes his Father the approver of his obedience the accepter of his merits the rewarder of his passion the author of his exaltation 4. The Father is said to raise up Christ purposely as a ground of hope and assurance to us of our resurrection For us to hear that Christ is risen by his own immediate power weakness of Faith will object Christ was God too his Deity was united to his dead body it was easie for him to take up his life but we are nothing in our graves but weakness and corruption True but this Scripture ministers more comfort it tells us That Christs resurrection was perform'd by the Power and Spirit of the Father God reached out his hand to him and rais'd him up Here then is our comfort The same Spirit of God is communicable to us the same arm of Power may be reached out to us Look not upon thy weakness but look upon Gods strength He will employ the same Power for us which he did for Christ Ephes. i. 19. He will use the same exceeding great Power to us-ward that believe which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead That 's the second Reference 3 d. Now follows the third gracious Relation and that is of the Spirit to us that is a Reference of
gives over till it hath placed us in Glory 1. Here is the fat Calf kill'd for us the holy Lamb of God redeeming us from condemnation 2. Here is the Ring put upon our finger the Seal and Pledge of his Spirit and 3. Here is the choyce Robe of Glory and Immortality that we are invested with 'T is a Connexion II. It hath the use and force of an Illation But if He deduces and proves our Resurrection out of former antecedent principles and priviledges The raising and glorifying of our bodies 't is an appendix and deduction from some other things Our Resurrection is not so much a principle as a conclusion of Faith and it must be inferred not by an Enthymeme but by a Sorites it hangs not upon one principle but upon many Not conclude Praescivit ergo glorificavit but He hath redeemed he hath called he hath mortified and sanctified therefore he will raise us and at last glorifie us These assurances are not immediate and clear in themselves but are contained in their causes We must not presently affirm I shall be saved my body shall be raised but it must be lawfully concluded out of warrantable grounds If I be justified If I be sanctified If the Spirit of God dwell in me make sure of these these are Evidences and Arguments and Pledges of our Resurrection That 's the second it hath the force of an Illation III. It hath the force of a Caution and necessary Proviso And so it makes our Resurrection conditional But how can that be 1. Our Resurrection 't is absolute and necessary ex exigentia Iustitiâ—… 't is appointed for all men to come to Iudgment Heb. ix The Resurrection shall bring the prisoners from the Jayl to the Bar. True and yet it is conditional That there shall be a Resurrection 't is grounded on Gods Justice but the resurrection to Life that 's capable of a limitation and condition If I may attain to the resurrection of the dead saith S. Paul Phil. iii. 11. That there shall be an Assizes and Jayl-delivery is settled by Law but how the prisoners shall speed whether pardon'd or condemned there is hazard in that On Pharaâ—…h's Birth-day both Butler and Baker shall come out of Prison but whether to Advancement or Execution is not so certain But then 2. This resurrection to Life hath a certainty in it Gods purpose hath determin'd it Christs merits have purchased it True and yet it is conditional Not any promise or mercy on Gods part but supposes and requires conditions on ours We cannot immediately from Gods purpose or Christs merits leap into heaven but there are pre-requisite conditions and subordinate means for our actual fruition I strive if by any means I may attain to the Resurrection Phil. iii. The ladder to heaven hath many staffs and steps and degrees many Iffs and Conditions to be observed 3. Our Resurrection 't is Articulus Fidei a fundamental Article of our Faith and yet limited with an If. Though in it self never so infallible yet a personal and comfortable apprehension for our selves depends on Condition Let our Resurrection be never so certain in it self yet extra studium Sanctitatis 't is not certain to us Without Holiness no man shall see God Heb. xii He that hath this Hope purifies himself as he is pure 1 Ioh. iii. So then for conceiving of this condition we will take of it a double Consideration 1. Let us consider it in the several Particulars 2. Then in the Summary drift and purpose of it I. Take it asunder into Particulars If the Spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you Here we have a description of the Holy-Ghost by a three-fold Reference 1. In reference to God the Father so he is called The Spirit of Him that is of God the Father The Holy-Ghost is the Spirit of the Father 2. The Holy-Ghost is described with reference to Christ as it was the Spirit of the Father raising Christ from the dead 3. He is described in reference to us by a gracious habitude and relation to us he is said to dwell in us 1. Here is a blessed relation he is the Spirit of the Father 2. Here is a glorious operation He raised up Iesus from the dead 3. Here is a gracious Possession He dwelleth in us 1 rst Look upon the first Reference the Holy Ghost is here called The Spirit of the Father These relations in the sacred Trinity are incomprehensible He dwells in the thick darkness Sanctius reverentius haec creduntur quà m discutiuntur 'T is safer to meditate on the gracious relations of God to us then of those mysterious relations within himself The light in the air is easier seen then the body of the Sun Briefly therefore the Holy Ghost is both the Spirit of the Father and of the Son proceeds alike from both of them The denial of this truth by the Greek Church caused that great Schism 'twixt the Eastern and Western Churches and if we will believe Bellarmine this errour was remarkably punished by God the City of Constantinople being on the Feast-day dedicated to the Holy Ghost sackt and overthrown However the Christian faith acknowledges the Holy Ghost to be the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of the Son Sometimes he is called the Spirit of the Father Iohn xv 26. He is called the Spirit of truth which proceeds from the Father Luke xxiv 19. The same Spirit is called The promise of the Father Both in procession and in mission his being and his sending come both from the Father Again sometimes he is called and that in truth and propriety of speech the Spirit of the Son Rom. viii 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Gal. iv 6. God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts As the Spirit is the promise of the Father so likewise he is the promise of the Son Iohn xvi He promised to send them the Holy Ghost the Comforter This procession from the Son was sweetly and aptly represented by that outward Sign and Ceremony which Christ used in giving the Holy Ghost Iohn xx 22. He breathed on them and said unto them Receive the Holy Ghost Spiratio 't is ab intra it shewed the Spirit proceeded from him The Apostles they gave the Holy Ghost but not spirando it proceeded not from them Christ gave it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they gave it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Basil speaks he by authority they ministerially S. Paul expresses it Gal. iii. 5. They ministered to them the Spirit The Holy Ghost then being the Spirit of the Son as well as of the Father why then is he here called the Spirit of the Father 1. Quia pater fons Deitatis the Father is the fountain and original of the Deity and doth communicate it both to the Son and to the Spirit Hence Divines compare the Father to the Fountain from whence the
to God What know you not that your bodies are members of Christ And again What know not that your bodies are Temples of the Holy Ghost The members of Christ they must not be polluted the Temples of the Holy Ghost they must not be profaned nor must the Church of God be dishonoured by us The lewd lives of Christians are reproaches to the whole Church as Chrysostom observes it in the case of the incestuous Corinthian S. Paul charges it upon the whole Church 1 Cor. v. 1. 'T is reported commonly that there is fornication among you See saith he he burthens the whole Church with it As a man coming into a room wherein is some nastysmell saith The whole house stinks so the whole Church heard ill for that one man's sin The honour and credit of the Gospel is the grand motive that the Scripture uses to call us to holiness Ephes. iv I beseech you walk worthy of the vocation to which you are called Again Ephes. v. Walk as children of light and yet again as becomes Saints Ephes. v. Women must behave themselves as becomes holiness Tit. ii 2. Wives must so live that the word of God be not blasphemed Tit. ii 5. Servants must shew all good fidelity that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things Tit. ii 10. S. Peter presses this motive upon all sorts of Christians 1 Pet. ii 12. Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles that they may by your good works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation 5. A Christian must live Secundum spem Evangelii suitably to the blessed hope and expectation which the Gospel brings us A Christian as he is of an honourable birth by his regeneration so he is begot to a lively hope of an heavenly inheritance and so must live as one who hopes for heaven Consider seriously of that glory that shall be revealed upon thee think of thy throne thy crown thy white robes and then argue with thy self in S. Peters language What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness The Scripture is earnest in this enforcement 2 Cor. vii 1. Having these promises dearly beloved let us perfect holiness in the fear of God And as S. Paul prest it upon others so himself practis'd it Our conversation is in heaven from whence we look for a Saviour Phil. iii. 20. Christians are to be fellow-citizens with the Saints of the houshold of God of the society of Angels live then we must according to the law of our Countrey When Samuel design'd Saul by his anointing to be King over Israel he bids him give over seeking his fathers Asses another heart a Kingly spirit was presently shed upon him How unworthy is it for the Heirs of Heaven to mind nothing but earthly things Such saith the Father are Fidei Spei suae praevaricatores they falsify their faith confute their hope renounce their expectation of their heavenly inheritance Let S. Iohn's exhortation be our conclusion He that hath this hope in him purifies himself even as God is pure Estote non solum spe sed conversatione coelestes Leo. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iust. Mart. p. 393. Quaest. 3. Respons A SERMON TO THE CLERGY ON 1 CORINTH xiv 1. Follow after charity and desire spiritual gifts but rather that ye may prophesie IT is the wisdom of Gods dispensation with his Church under both the Testaments he founded them both and trained them up under Promises and Expectations In the former Pater promisit Filium The Patriarchs and Prophets they hoped and longed for the Incarnation of the Son In the founding of the second Testament Filius promisit Spiritum The Apostles and Disciples and the Christian Church they expected and waited for the descent of the Spirit S. Chrysostom observes and makes this difference Christ at his coming he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then the law was accomplished and it with old Simeon died with Christ in his arms at the receiving of him the Spirit that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the fulfilling and accomplishment of the Gospel The Spirit then that 's the portion and expectation of Christians Of Christians in general but principally and in the first place promised and imparted to the Ministers and Governours of the Church of Christ and then by their Ministery conveyed to others As S. Ierom distinguishing 'twixt Bishops and Priests Episcopus Patres Ecclesiae generat Presbyter Filios so Christ first provides and sanctifies Patres Ecclesiae afterwards by them he doth generare filios the common believers Graces and gifts in a Minister they are virtually as much as in multitude of auditours They are like Seals or Prints one character in them begets the like in thousands that take impression from them The Apostles they first received the promise of the Spirit they like Gideoâ—…s fleece were moistned with this heavenly dew when all about them were wholly dry by them it was derived to common Christians S. Augustine compares this descent of the Spirit to the first rising of the Sun first it enlightens the Mountains and from them reflects into the lower Valleys The Apostles and Ministers they are these holy Mountains reflecting their Beams upon inferiour Christians S. Ierom likens them to those twelve Fountains at Elim other disciples must be planted by them and draw moisture from them like the seventy Palm-trees Which makes S. Paul direct this passage of his Epistle touching the gifts of the Spirit especially to the Sons of the Prophets that aimed at the publick Ministry and Service of the Church of Corinth As the Lacedaemonians fitting their children to some trade of life brought them into a room full-furnished with instruments of all Professions that so they might choose in what trade they might be serviceable to the Common-wealth so the Apostle brings them into the Church Officinam gratiarum the Store-house of all Gods graces that in the view and consideration of them they may make their choice And lest like children they should fancy the gayest omit the most useful he gives them direction for the most serviceable graces to the Church of God And this he doth in the representation of a most lively and elegant Allegory As S. Peter in a vision being called to preach had a vessel let down full of the bodies of divers beasts for his choice and use their conpora bruta were animae humanae the beasts signified men so in these twelve and thirteen and fourteen Chapters here is a representation of the body and several members of man head hands eyes feet here membra humana are dona divina for our choice and practice And as in the disposition and frame of our bodies so in this dispensation of these gifts of grace three things are observable in the Apostles discourse severally handled in these three Chapters and together collected and united in my Text 1. Varietas mâ—…mbrorum A body consists of diverse parts
Tabernacle He fill'd that house with glory when Christ came into it 3. A third Time was Tempus Prophetiarum the Age of the Prophets that was yet a fuller Time then there was a more clear and particular foretelling the very manner and circumstances of his Birth and Incarnation Esay calculates and foretels the time At such a year then the Messias shall come Micah foretels the City where he shall be born At Bethleem They bring it nearer and closer home but all of them fail and fall short of this fulness They were but as Heralds and Ushers forewarning and preparing the way before him The Testimony of Iesus is the Spirit of Prophesie His comming gives a being to all their Predictions They all sate like Ionas to see when their Prophesies should be fulfilled like Elijah on mount Carmel looking often and often for his blessed Appearance His presence accomplish'd them and gave them their fulness Thus God dealt with his Church as Boaz with Ruth first he affords her some gleanings then le ts fall handfuls to her then fills her vail with a measure of clean corn dressed and winnowed then at last marries himself to her in his Incarnation So then Is Christ's Comming the fulness of time What improvement shall we make of this point for practice 1. It should teach us to take notice of our happiness that were kept and reserved to live in those times that are fulfill'd by our Saviour's comming It is a great Blessing of God to be born in good times in dayes of Peace and Plenty We pity our forefathers who lived in those Swording times when all was in an uprore and after-ages will do the like for us And one bewail'd himself that he was born nec solo nec coelo nec seculo erudito in barbarous times How happy are Christians who have all the Mysteries of our Redemption accomplish'd in these dayes of the Gospel What saith our Saviour to his Disciples Luk. x. 23. Blessed are the eyes that see the things that ye see for I tell you many Kings and Prophets have desired to see those things that ye see and have not seen them David and Solomon and Iosiah how would they have thrown down their Crowns at his feet and adored him Those Truths concerning Christ which we count common and vulgar and sleight and neglect them how would they have ravished the spirits of those Saints that were before us The Mysterie of the Trinity what dark intimations of it to the Saints of old That Christ was both God and Man Davids Lord and Davids Son it posed all the Doctors in Israel how to conceive it Matth. xxii Our Saviours Incarnation Passion Resurrection Ascension we scorn to spend time to learn them our selves and teach them others and yet the Angels and Arch-angels stand astonished at them They before us received but the Promise God providing a better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Heb. xi 40. 1 Sam. xvi Samuel would not sit down to the Sacrifice till young David was bâ—…ught from tending the sheep Christ's Sacrifice was delayed till the fulness of the Gentiles might come in The Patriarchs were the eldest sons and they were put off with a Kid the fat Calf was kill'd for us the best wine was kept last till now to entertain us 2. This fulness on Gods part doth challenge and require fulness on our part 1. Fulness of knowledge On Gods part Christ is fully revealed all the Mysterie of Godliness laid open and unfolded t is our duty then fully to know him The dim dark imperfect knowledge of the Jewish Church will not suffice the vail is now taken off and we all with open face may see and behold him When I was a child I spake as a child I understood as a child that was the condition of those times Christians must be grown men of a ripe age in understanding The times of our former ignorance God regarded not saith S. Paul but now he warns every man Act. xvii 30. The times of Christianity are foretold to be knowing times Every man shall know me from the least of them to the greatest of them Ier. xxxi 34. The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea saith the Prophet Habakkuk a Spring-tide of knowledge Zachary foretels that the feeblest Christian shall be as David Iohn Baptist a great enlightned Prophet yet the least in the kingdom of heaven may be greater then he in the Mysteries of Religion This fulness on Gods part requires of us 2. Fulness of Faith and of stedfast Assurance We owe our Faith to Gods bare Promises Shall we not fully believe his reall Performances The Saints before Christ met with many difficulties in believing All of them are removed that they cannot hinder our perswasion There were four Difficulties that attended the Promise of Christ as it was propounded to the Patriarchs 1. Was Obscuritas They saw all in a dim light all things were made known in much obscurity they had but the light of a candle to discern by the light of the Sun shines out to us 2. Was Generalitas Christ was promised to them in more general terms not so distinctly and personally as he is to us They heard of a blessed Seed to be born that is all their Faith fastned on We know who he is Iesus the Son of Mary he is pointed out to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with special circumstances Hic Nunc breeds distinct knowledge 3. Was Improbabilitas The Promise was propounded to them with some Improbabilities A Virgin shall conceive and bring forth a Son How can this thing be Yes we know it is performed that holy Virgin hath conceived and born him Performances confute all improbabilities Can there come any good out of Nazareth Come and see 4. Was Longinquitas The Promise of Christ made to the Fathers was for a long time after many hundred years to be spent ere Christ should come Tell a man what shall happen a thousand years hence you can hardly perswade him The Prophesie is for many dayes to come said those mockers in Ezekiel We need not stretch our faith so far the Promise is before us With Thomas we may lay hold on him and say My Lord and my God 3. Hath Christ brought a fulness with him It must work in us fulness of content and satisfaction rest fully in him and in his plentiful Redemption The fulness of Christ is abundantly able to satisfie and fill up all our desires Fills the soul with marrow and fatness All other cravings of the soul may be quieted for a time but they return again as eager as ever 't is like a dream of meat saith the Prophet and when he awakes his soul is empty This heavenly Manna it breeds appetite and yet it pinches not it satisfies the soul and yet it cloys not Indeed Christ hath in him all that we need or can possibly wish
there is no recovery then all thoughts perish all hands fall no work or counsel or purpose any more 3. Is Mors exitus Is Death a departure Provide and forecast for a place of refuge Death is like a cruel Landlord turns us out of dores What folly is it not to provide a place to receive us This Christ commends in the Parable of the Steward Make to your selves friends that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations Luk. xvi 9. This was our Saviour's comfort I leave the world and go to the Father Ioh. xvi 28. This was the perplexity of men without Christ. The wisest of them knew not what became of their spirits Animula vagula blandula Quae abibis in loca whether upward or downward as Solomon speaks They that are Christ's are assured of a place after their departure We know if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hand eternal in the heavens vers 2. For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven This made Lot willing to forsake Sodom that he had a Zoar to retire to and the Israelites to leave Egypt that they had a Canaan to go to It was a judgement upon the false Prophet that he should go from chamber to chamber to hide himself 1 Kings xxii 25. That 's the second Natura Conditio Mortis Thirdly Here is Susceptio Conditionis It is called an accomplishment or fulfilling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is Active not Passive not to be fulfilled upon him but by him he himself to accomplish Christ's Death as appointed by God was unavoidable and necessary as inflicted by his enemies it was violent and enforced yet he himself voluntarily undergoing and performing of it it is his action and fulfilling Christ's sufferings were not bare sufferings but voluntary performances He was Lord of his own life No man takes it from me I lay it down That which gave merit and acceptation to Christ's suffering was his willing and free and active undertaking of it And as in Christ so in Christians their sufferings their deaths they are active in them not patients onely A wicked man Death gnaws upon him he is snatch'd to Death a Christian willingly admits of it When God calls he offers himself as Christ did Quis tam facile dormivit I lye me down and rest Egredere ô Anima Non repetent animam ego reddam Now this under-going of death it is called an accomplishing a fulfilling 1. In respect of God's counsel and ordination Christ's death was appointed from eternity he had purposed and forelayd it Act. iv 28. To do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done He is the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world in God's wisdom appointing it in his truth promising it in faith believing it only his actual suffering that accomplish'd it Ought not Christ to suffer these things and so to enter into his glory This makes Christ so studious to admit of death else how should the Scripture be fulfilled This consideration makes the Saints suffer all things Death it self naturally willingly This commandement received I of my Father The end of my times are in thy hand To God belong the issues of death Ps. lxviii If chance or violence only appears Flesh and Bloud may struggle but God's appointment that makes us submit I held my peace because it is thy doing Moses when God expressed his resolution he must die importunes no more goes up to the Mountain layes down his life S. Peter layd down his life as the Lord had shewed him The will of the Lord be done 2. Death is called an accomplishment or fulfilling of our departure because that is but the closure and ending All our life 't is a beginning and progress to our end As all Christ's life it was a pro-passio to his Passio his sufferings were all Viae ad mortem so our life it is a progress to death We no sooner come into the world but we begin to go out We die daily in this sense That part of our life that is gone it is Morti deputanda it runns upon the score of Death Indeed eternal life it is tota simultanea possessio vitae 't is vita in statu fixed but this is in fluxu as waters alwayes flowing Youth 't is the death of Child-hood Man-hood the death of Youth Age the death of Man-hood then Death closes all Philosophers say motus and terminus are but one thing really so our passing and consummation of life it is but one continued-death That 's the third Susceptio conditionis Fourthly Here is Circumstantia susceptionis the place of accomplishment Hierusalem Conceive the purpose of it in three Expressions 1. It is Locus singularitèr designatus a place singularly designed All the Circumstances of Christ's death were fore-sett and appointed The time of it was foretold and calculated by Daniel the manner of it was prefigured and foretold by the Prophets the place all the occasions and instruments and circumstances were designed As the Paschal-Lamb was not onely commanded to be slain but on what day in what place it was to be dressed in what manner to be eaten And as it is so in Christ's death so likewise in ours Our times are set and fixed the period of our life the circumstance of place all occurrents fore-layd Thus God appoints Moses and Aaron both time and place to die in Thus Elias must now and in such a manner be assumed Thus S. Peter was fore-warned by what manner of death he must glorifie God So Agabus shews S. Paul how he must be bound It must settle our hearts Our lives are in God's book set that time is fixed as was the Exodus of the Israelites the self-same day It must make us resigne up our selves our deaths the whole carriage of them to God's wise disposal 2. It is Locus typicè praefiguratus Hierusalem that was foretold and prefigured as the place of Christ's death This was prefigured in Isaac's Offering on Mount Moriah On this Hill David Offer'd to cease the Plague This place he appointed to build the Temple on There was no Altar we know allowed but this of Hierusalem Here the Passeover was to be slain and eaten Thus the Apostle Heb. xiii 11. The bodies of those beasts whose bloud was brought into the Sanctuary by the High Priest for sin are burnt without the Camp v. 12. Wherefore Iesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his own bloud suffered without the Gate It must seal up unto us the fulfilling of all our Redemption Every Circumstance was prefigured and is now accomplished Now was the great Jubilee when Christ dyed now the whole Burnt-Offering was tendred up to God 3. It is Locus moraliter praefigurans Ecclesiam Christ must die at Hierusalem that is his death it is proper to and effectual for his Church
yet over-powers him not Wrestling is where there is a mutual strength of resistance Had he layd his whole strength upon him he could not have subsisted 2. Suitable to the measure of their corruption that must be eaten out and as soon as they are humbled and brought to a right temper then he relieves them David had an heavy message dispatch'd to him Thou art the man 2 Sam. 12. 7. I will raise up evil against thee vers 11. As soon as he was throughly wrought upon then presently comes a message of comfort vers 13. The Lord hath put away thy sin thou shalt not dye So Hezekiah Isaiah told him from God he must dye Isa. xxxviii 1. but as soon as he was humbled e're the Prophet gat out of the Court he was remanded back with tidings of recovery Iosiah as soon as his heart melted Hâ—…ldah must comfort him Saul when he was sufficiently wrought upon by these fears Ananias was dispatch'd to him Brother Saul receive thy sight Acts ix It is otherwise with the wicked fears and anguishes come upon them in extremity As it was with King Saul God forsook him he had fightings within and terrors without he had no answer by Prophets or Ephod but he must sink under these fears So Balthazar so Iudas finds no relief but is swallowed up of these horrors The reason is 1. God deals with them as with an enemy in hatred but with his own in love 2. Their sorrows are as poyson to destroy them No matter how much they have of them The Saints fears are as a soveraign medicine temper'd by Gods own hand order'd to work health in them When the Cure is wrought the Plaister falls off 4. He brings them seasonably out of these distresses because in them they are unfit and unable for any service Moderate fears and sorrows often whet our devotion but excessive anguish dulls our spirits As the Israelites heeded not what Moses said for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage Exod. vi 9. Metus hand diuturni officii Magister He would have us Serve him without fear all the dayes of our lives Luke i. 74 75. Application 1. It must teach us to become such to whom God uses to moderate and mitigate these fears Wouldst thou not have them come upon thee as an armed man Then be of the number of those whom he thus compassionately cares for It is his promise to his Church They shall dwell safely and none shall make them afraid Ezek. xxxiv 28. To a wicked man God saith What hast thou to do with comfort I will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh Prov. i. 26. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil Rom. ii 9. Fear and the pit and the snare shall be upon them Isa. xxiv 17. But they that trust in the Lord shall not fear any evil tidings Behold my servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howl for vexation of spirit Isa. lxv 15 16. Being so 2. It should refresh us in all perplexities We should say with David At what time I am afraid I will trust in thee Sorrow may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning See the divers carriage of God to wicked men and to his own children Matth. xxviii At the glory of Christs Resurrection and the Angels Appearance the Souldiers were afraid and the holy Women were afraid But the fear of the Souldiers overwhelmed them and so the Angel left them to shift as they could there was not any word of comfort spoken to them But the good women though much perplexed yet had a word of comfort Be not ye afraid vers 45. I know whom ye seek S. Paul was in distresses but not forsaken Daniel when he was struck with fears then was it said to him O man greatly beloved fear not peace be unto thee be strong yea be strong Dan. x. 19. That 's the second observable Consideration Thirdly Here is observable the Person who relieves and comforts them it is Iesus The glorious voyce of the Father affrights them the gracious voyce of Christ that refreshes them Observe It is Christ alone who can raise and comfort those whom the terrors of the Almighty hath cast down and dejected 'T is Christs peculiar work and function to release us from the horrors of conscience and amazements of soul. 1. He hath merited it at Gods hand to have this office to succour and relieve us Purposely he was made acquainted with fears that so he might merit comfort for us in our fears His Spirit wrestled with the terrors of God His soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto death Matth. xxvi 38. I am afflicted and ready to dye from my youth while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted saith the Psalmist in the Person of Christ Psal. lxxxviii 15. Those horrors and that dread into which his soul was brought merited for us a merciful supply of comfort in our distresses 2. He was sent of God the Father to preach and bring comfort against our fears Isa. lxi 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaim liberty to the Captives He came preaching peace Moses he preach'd terror Christ he preaches comfort Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God Isa. xl 1. 3. God hath fitted him with tenderness of compassion he hath put into him bowels of pity towards all in perplexity He is touched with a feeling of our infirmities He never look'd upon any that were in sorrow or need or misery but his compassion was stirr'd in him He had compassion on the multitude Matth. xv 32. He had compassion on the two blind men and touched their eyes Matth. xx 34. He was moved with compassion towards the poor Leper and cleansed him Mark i. 41. 4. He hath founded the new Covenant and Gospel which is a state of freedome and comfort The Old Testament was carried with more manifestations of fear A spirit of bondage was upon them But saith the Apostle 2 Tim. i. 7. God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind 5. He gives and bequeaths to us the Spirit of comfort and hath given him this office to be a Comforter to us He is call'd The Comforter not the enlightner or sanctifier though these be his works but the Comforter It should teach us to have recourse to Christ in all our fears and perplexities as the Apostles Master carest thou not that we perish In all distresses make known thy sorrows to him His peace shall rule your hearts He is like the wood that sweetned the bitter waters of Marah That 's a third observable Consideration Fourthly Here is yet one more and that is the manner of Christs
but what it was or what it meant he could not remember As Bastards or Castaway exposed-Children they know they had a Father but who he is or where to find him they cannot tell so and no more do we remember or acknowledg God Nay when he offers himself and calls us to him yet with the child Samuel we run thrice to Ely for once to the Lord. We need Direction 2. It imports unto us a Duty and Obligation We must Return because he is our God Fecisti nos propter te irrequietum est cor nostrum donec redeat ad te As the Needle that is touch'd with the Load-stone hovers and trembles till it looks towards that and rests it self in it I do but name it the time forbids any further inlargement Let us humbly beseech him that is the God of the spirits of all flesh in whose hands are the hearts of the children of men that as his Word hath outwardly called us to return unto him so that his Spirit would enter into us and draw us after him and joyn us with him and cause us to cleave unto him without Separation This he grant unto us and work in us for his Sons sake A SERMON ON JOEL ii 14. Who knoweth if he will repent and return and leave a blessing behind him even a meat-offering and a drink-offering unto the Lord your God THis Prophecie of Ioel it was directed to the Kingdom of Iudah in the reign of Hezekiah and Manasses after the great Overthrow which God brought upon the other ten Tribes by the King of Assyria And in it the Prophet foretels an heavie calamity threatens a great judgment and destruction upon the whole Land And the Judgement it is described under the representation of an Army and that an Army of Locusts Either thereby 1. Intimating a succession of two sorts of Judgments 1. Of a Famine by a dreadfull swarm of noysom Locusts that should consume the fruits of the earth 2. Of Warr by the power of the Chaldeans that should waste and destroy Iudah and Ierusalem and carry them captive away to Babylon These two the breaking of the staff of Bread or sending among them the Sword of the enemie are Gods two great and puissant Armies against a sinfull Nation Or 2. Otherwise this army of Locusts be token but one judgement 1. Either that of Locusts those noysom vermin shall come upon their land like a mighty army He destroyed Egypt with such an army and Vers. 25. God himself calls them his Great army 2. Or else it signifies the army of the Chaldeans and they shall come upon the Land like a swarm of Locusts to waste and destroy all Thus Isai. vii 18 19. the Egyptians and Assyrians are compared to Bees and Flies God shall hiss for them and they shall come flying and light upon the Land of Iudah Take them either way the one is a fit Resemblance and Type of the other The Locusts they are Gods army they shall come in battel array and make spoil of the Land Or otherwise the Chaldeans they are as a swarm of Locusts their enemies shall break in upon them as Caterpillars and Locusts and shall waste and consume as those creatures do without any resistance This Judgment being denounced against them the Prophet calls the Jews to repentance that being the onely possible means to divert this Judgment Flesh and bloud indeed when we hear of armies of enemies casts out for other ways to defeat them This seeking to God by repentance and casting our selves upon his help naturally we have no list to it When the Syrians assaulted Iudah God offered King Ahaz his help no he would not trouble God so much Noluit misericordiae divinae oneri esse Esai vii He would not tempt the Lord forsooth he was so modest as not to be beholding to God for a deliverance any other way would please him better As Dominicus Soto tells us of a ridiculous and superstitious practice in Spain to drive away locusts When those swarms annoy'd the Country the countrey-people would enter an Action against them in their Courts and Proctors and Advocates were assigned to plead for them and then the Judge he sentenced them and did excommunicate and accurse them Sure all other means without this of repentance are of no use they are but charms meer mock-helps and will not profit us Neither Caterpillars nor Chaldeans armies of Locusts or swarms of enemies can be driven back but by repentance So then the purpose of the Prophet in this Chapter is to call them to repentance and he prescribes a repentance suitable to their Condition 1. To the Condition of their Sins Their Sins were general and national They had all corrupted their ways 2. The Judgment threatned that was general An overflowing Scourge as Esaiah calls it Isai. xxviii 15. Sword Go through the land Ezek. xiv 17. An end the end is come upon the four corners of the land Ezek. vii 2. Now sure the plaister must be as broad as the sore so accordingly he invites them to a general and national Humiliation It was to be proclaimed by the sound of the trumpet Ver. 15. not by a knock at a private mans door The trumpet was to call together the whole congregation Numb x. 2. If ye look to the first Verse there the Judgment comes with a Trumpet it sounds an Alarm it threatens all the inhabitants of the land If God threatens with a trumpet we must call to repentance with a trumpet with as loud and shril a sound that the whole nation may be warned It must be Zephany's humiliation Chap. ii 1. Gather your selves together yea gather together O nation not desired It must be like the feast of Expiation which was the yearly fast in Israel Lev. xxiii 28 29. all must humble themselves It is a day of atonement to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God Whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day he shall be cut off from among his people Personal and private humiliation is not of that prevailing efficacy in a general danger God tells the Jews that the prayers of two or three though never so righteous men as Noah Daniel and Iob Ezek. xiv 14. should not divert a judgment from the whole nation they might escape themselves but if the Nation repenâ—â—d not the whole Land should perish There is more must go to thâ— removing of a general Judgment We may spit out a spark or â—â—e mans diligence may quench a small fire but when a whole Town is on fire every man must bring his Bucket One mans prayer to remove a national judgment is as if we should go about to quench a raging fire by the sprinklings of a casting-bottle See this practised by the Jews 1 Sam. vii 2. All the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. And see how they expressed and testified it Vers. 6. They gathered together to Mispeh and drew water and
to posterity In particular besides those sacred annals of his Church contained in the Historical books of Scriptures the Holy Ghost hath purposely framed some more summary and compendlous but yet full and perfect relations of the affairs of his Church and those likewise composed and framed into Songs and Psalms to make them more fit carriage for memory and that by the pleasantness of them they might sink more deeply into their hearts and more strongly affect them Thus Moses after all his Sermons and Commemorations made to the people in Deuteronâ—…my of Gods dealings with them and their cariage towards him at last he composes a Song and sings it to the people and commends it to posterity as a lasting Monument for all generations Deut xxxii Thus the Poets ' among the Heathen whom in Titus Paul calls their Prophets had their Carmina saecularia their State-songs comprising the affairs of their Common-wealth Answerably that Sweet-Singer of Israel the Prophet David is studious to frame such sacred Songs As first this present Psalm so again the eighty ninth then the hundred and fifth the hundred and sixth the hundred and seventh all Songs and Psalms of publick Commemoration David doth that which the Prophet Esay speaks of Chap. v. I will sing to my Well-beloved a song of my Well-beloved touching his Vineyard I termed it a Psalm of Record or of Commemoration and so it is if we respect the materials of which it consists It is a recital of Gods gracious dealings towards his people and of their ungracious dealings towards him again But yet I find another name given it by the Psalmist It is called Maschil in the title of the Psalm And that name respects the end and purpose of it Maschil is a Psalm to give Instruction It is not only Historical but Doctrinal Even these Historical parts of Scripture are not onely Gods Day-book to tell us what hath passed afore but they must be to us as a Law-book to teach â—…s what we must do not onely Reports but Presidents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not onely a Psalm to bring to Remembrance which is â—…he â—…le of the thirty eighth and seventieth Psalms but 〈◊〉 a Psalm for Instruction 1. When he commemorates his ancient Mercies to their Forefathers that 's Maschil a Psalm of Instruction We have heard with our ears O Lord and our fathers have told us what works thou didst in their days in the times of old What 's the Instruction of that It should teach us confidence in God That they might set their hope in God vers 7. 2. When he commemorates their ancient Deliverances from persecutions and enemies that is Maschil a Psalm for Instruction to look for the like deliverances from him in our dangers and distresses Psal. cvi Many a time did he deliver them Vers. 47. Deliver us O Lord our God and gather us from among the Heathen 3. When he commemorates the wicked and ungracious courses of their Forefathers that is Maschil a Psalm of Instruction to avoid their fathers sins Vers. 8. Not to be as their forefathers a stubborn and rebellious generation that set not their heart aright and whose spirit was not stedfast with God And this Instruction was not only for them that the after-ages of the Jews should make a profitable use of the former times but it reacheth to us Christians S. Paul tells us that the time of the Jews concerns us Christians Rom. xv 4. Whatsoever things were written before-time were written for our learning And again 1 Cor. x. there he acquaints them what befell the Jews then adds vers 6. These things were our examples to the intent we should not lust as they also lusted And then vers 11. telling them of the judgement that befell the Jews he saith These things happen'd to them for examples and they were written for our admonition So then this Psalm sets forth the great disobedience and stubbornness of the people of Israel under Gods government 1. It upbraids them with forgetfulness of his Mercies 2. It objects to them their unproficiency and unteachableness even by miracles 3. It reminds them of the profane abuse of his patience 4. It reproves them for their incorrigibleness by his chastisements 5. It shames them with the falsness and unsoundness of their hypocritical repentance The Text it contains this last and so take the purpose of it to be Gods censure and reproof of the Jews unworthy repentance And in it observe these two particulars 1. Is the several Acts of their repentance then 2. The many defects and faults of their repentance The first will shew us how far they went in the practice of repentance The second will discover their faultrings and failings how much they came short of a true spiritual saving repentance First the Acts of repentance which here they performed they are five 1. Seeking They sought him 2. Returning They returned 3. Inquiring They enquired early after God 4. Remembring They remembred that God was their rock and the high God their Redeemer 5. Renewing their Covenant with God that 's implyed in vers 37. They were not stedfast in his Covenant Secondly The Text sets out the defects of their repentance how much they failed in it These are four The 1 rst Defect and fault of their repentance It was untimely a fore-slowed and delay'd repentance that 's implyed in this word When not till such a time then not till then The 2 d. Defect and fault of their repentance is that it was enforced repentance not ingenuous and voluntarily undertaken it was extorted by plagues They repented when they were under the rod nay under the sword it was When he slew them The 3 d. Defect and fault in their repentance That it was an unsound repentance not true and sincere but fained and acted onely It was a flattering and lying repentance They flattered him with their mouth and they lyed unto him with their tongues The 4 th Defect and fault of their repentance was That it was a momentary transitory unsettled unconstant repentance not firm and lasting Their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant These four faults 1. Untimely and backward 2. Enforced and extorted 3. Unsound and dissembling 4. Vanishing and unconstant And these four are usually linck'd together one draws on the other These four twists make up Esay's Cart-rope of sin 1. He that puts off and procrastinates and delays his repentance he will never bethink himself of it or set himself to it till some judgement awakens him and constrains him to it 2. He that repents not but by constraint and when he is under the lash usually if he look not well to it it will be but a shew of repentance some outward humiliation and no better And then 3. Unsound repentance will never prove lasting repentance he will be soon weary of it and return to his former ways again Come we to the First and here briefly take a view of the Acts
makes him look Death in the face undauntedly Alass we how doth any appearance of death affright us If we see but another man die the cold sweat and the pale face and the pangs of death upon him how doth it dismay us Iob finds all these in himself and speaks comfortably of them 'T is S. Augustin's pious counsel Si times mortem ama resurrectionem If thou beest afraid of death acquaint thy self with the hope of the resurrection If a man go to prison and be able to say I know I shall be bayled I have one who will quit my debt and enlarge me such an one fears not the Prison Let death arrest us Christ shall enlarge us We are prisoners of hope Zech. ix How cheerfully did Iacob take his journey when God spake to him Gen. xlvi Fear not to go down into Egypt I will go down with thee and I will surely bring thee up again This hope made Iob not onely not to fear death but even to desire it Chap. xiv Oh that thou wouldst hide me in the Grave then he asks this question If a man die shall he live again Yes saith he Thou shalt call and I will answer thee thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands That 's the second Alacritas fidei 3. There is yet another print of Piety Sancta expectatio Fidei What is the thing his Faith longs for at the resurrection It is the seeing of his Saviour the beholding of God the enjoying of his Redeemer In my flesh shall I see God and mine eyes shall behold him 'T is that that makes the resurrection comfortable not that we shall live ever but be ever with the Lord. It was small joy for Absalom to dwell at Ierusalem and not be admitted to see the Kings face 2 Sam. xiv Heaven is not Heaven but a place of confinement without this glorious and blessed Vision Though Moses and Elias vanish on Mount Tabor yet to see Christ in glory is abundant happiness Do occidere heliace the glory of the Sun swallows up the glory of the lesser Stars Whom have I in heaven but thee and whom do I desire in comparison of thee Psal. lxxiii The good women at the Sepulchre this Day saw a Vision of Angels but that contented them not till Christ himself appeared Iob knew he should enjoy the society of Saints and Angels sit down and feast it with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of Heaven but here is the height of his happiness I shall see my Saviour Heaven as it is Coenaculum sponsi the Guest-chamber for the supper of the Lamb 't is a place of comfort but as it is Thaelamus sponsi the Bride-chamber of the Lamb where the Spouse enjoys him whom her soul loves it is the place of blessedness Thirdly the last thing remains that 's Beneficium fidei the use and benefit Iob makes to himself of this Meditation And the benefit is threefold suitable and seasonable to a threefold condition in which Iob now was 1. Iob was overlaid and opprest with affliction Suitable to this condition this Meditation affords Vim sustentaetivam it supports his spirits amidst all his afflictions Here is the patience of the Saints mockings and scourgings and bonds and imprisonments they endured them all because they expected a better resurrection Heb. xi That blessed day will make amends for all It was this hope that sustained S. Paul kept him from fainting 2 Cor. iv Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Iesus shall raise us up also with Iesus and for this cause we faint not Thus also he comforts and cheers up other Christians If in this life onely we had hope in Christ we were of all men most miserable But there is a Resurrection after this life we have hope in Christ and therefore of all men most happy This assurance will stand by us when all things else fail It was Esau's confession Behold I am at the point to die and what profit shall this birth-right do to me But to be Filius resurrectionis that Birth-right will relieve us at our last agony and support us comfortably Iob felt the good of this Meditation and he insists upon it Here is Masticatio fidei he chews it in his mouth and sucks out the sweetness of it 2. You may see Iob in another condition transported with passion and suitable to that this Meditation it had Vim quietativam a great virtue he found in it to settle and compose him In the Verses going before his spirit is stirred within him he is full of complainings and murmurings and quarrellings with God and expostulations See how he rebukes and allays these storms and tempests with this Meditation O my soul keep silence unto God for of him comes my salvation Thus David stills discontents Why art thou so troubled O my soul Why art thou so disquieted within me I shall yet praise him The day shall come that I shall see his countenance and for ever enjoy him Mortale mori is one ground of settlement against these perplexities and Iob makes use of it Chap. xiv but Mortuum reviviscere is satisfaction with advantage that will calm and quiet all his complainings 3. Lastly behold Iob in another condition he is charged by his friends with the sin of hypocrisie and then this Meditation it hath Vim apologeticam 't is his defence and apologie against that accusation Against all their surmises and suspicions of his integrity this he opposes for his justification It is God that justifies me who are ye that condemn me 'T is Christ that is dead and now risen again he shall judge and acquit me O! hypocrisie shrinks at the thought of death trembles to hear of a resurrection These painted Sepulchres till then make a goodly shew they are the beautifullest parts that are in the Church but when the Vault shall be open'd and all secrets disclosed nothing will appear then but horrour and confusion rottenness and corruption But truth and integrity appeals unto that great Trial knows that the Name that 's written in Heaven shall one day be cleared from slanders on earth My witness is in Heaven and my record is on high That 's the great avowment of Iobs truth and integrity till then it matters not much what the world says of us Lingua Petiliani non est ventilabrum Christi there lies an appeal of all mens censures to that days trial before the great Tribunal A joyfull appearance before which He grant unto us who as this Day overcame death for us and opened unto us the Gate of eternal life even Jesus that hath delivered us from the wrath to come To whom with the Father c. ON EASTER-DAY The Second Sermon ROM viii 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you IN this Context and passage
of it He that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies That is God the Father he will be the Author of our Resurrection Divers Reasons and Congruities there are for this truth 1. The first Founder of life must be the Repairer and Restorer of it to us As he first breathed life into us so he will send forth his Spirit and renew us and recall us back again The interest he hath in us by our Creation gives him the right to atcheive our Resurrection Iob observed that chap. xiv 14 15. If a man die shall he live again Yes yes Thou shalt call and I will answer thee thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands That hand which created us shall again raise and restore us Mine own I will bring back again Psal. lxviii 22. 2. The soul in death returns to him that gave it It is in his hand and power and custody and so none but he can return it into the body and re-unite it Dives in Hell confessed this truth Father Abraham send Lazarus to my brethren He hath the keys of hell and of death and of all the Chambers of the grave Rev. i. 18. 3. He is the Restorer of life in the Resurrection as being the supreme Disposer of all Rewards and Honours and Retributions As the King is the Fountain of all civil Dignity and Honour and he must dispense it so all the Dispensations of Glory are at his disposal The Preferments in Heaven are given to them for whom they are prepared by the Father Matth. xx 23. Now this Author of our Resurrection is specified not barely by the mention of his name or person but represented under an expression of much hope and assurance He that raised Christ from the dead that gives footing and fastning to our faith that he will raise us also That great work makes our Resurrection possible and hopeful and certain too There are many Praeludia Resurrectionis many miraculous works in Scripture that did sweetly prefigure our Resurrection but none like this of raising Christ. 1. Enoch's Translation that he saw not death Gen. v. 24. God delivered him from the power and possession of death That which was to him Gratia praeveniens shall be to us Gratia subvenieus He who exempted him from death can rescue us 2. Elijah's Rapture and Assumption in a fiery Chariot he likewise was exempted from the necessity of death his exaltation was a type of our resurrection 3. Aaron's Rod a dry dead piece of wood made to bud and flourish and bring forth ripe fruit that argues a possibility that we shall revive and renew our strength again 4. The Garments of the Israelites for forty years though used and worn yet decayed not He who can preserve our Garments from wearing out sure he can preserve our Bodies from perishing 5. The three Children cast into a fiery Furnace yet preserved no smell of fire was upon them that 's a great assurance that the Furnace of the Grave shall restore us to Incorruption 6. Ionas cast up again when the Whale had swallowed him the Prophet slain by the Lion but yet not devoured by him both Praedae suae custodes and hopeful and comfortable Assurances of our Resurrection All these are sweet Resemblances and Arguments of our rising again but none like this He that raised Christ from the dead shall Christ's Resurrection 1. Argues ours possible S. Paul argues strongly from it If Christ be risen again how say some that there is no Resurrection 2. It makes ours probable and easie Death is now vanquish'd by Christs Resurrection When the Prison door is set open it is easie to escape 3. It makes ours necessary If the Head be risen the Members must follow after Christus non potest habere membra damnata The living Head must not be united to dead Members We have seen the Author Thirdly What is the Action He shall quicken our mortal bodies Mortal bodies Why not Our dead bodies That seems to be more Mortuum sounds more then mortale No purposely the Apostle uses this expression in this point of the Resurrection Mortale is a great deal more then â—…ortuum To be raised à Mortalitate is a great deal more then to be raised à Morte It expresses three Excellencies of our Christian Resurrection 1. It frees us à possibilitate mortis it takes away the necessity nay more then so the possibility of death Death shall have no more dominion over us Not onely death shall be swallow'd up in victory 1 Cor. xv but mortality shall be swallow'd up of life 2 Cor. v. 4. Our Resurrection shall be according to the power of an endless life as the Apostle speaks This Resurrection far exceeds the Resurrection of Lazarus and those others in Scripture They were rais'd à morte but not à mortalitate The fit was rather removed then the disease cured 'T is a rule they have Qui comitialem morbum habent nè quidem diebus quibus morbo vacant sani dicuntur They who are troubled with the falling-sickness upon their good dayes are not counted whole Now Mortalitas it is Morbus caducus our Resurrection cures us of that the core of death is consumed the root and fibrae of death all stub'd up Nay our Resurrection sets us in an Immortality beyond that of Adam He was endued with an Immortality but not like this of ours As was his liberty from sin so was his immortality and freedom from death Prima libertas fuit non peccare and so Prima immortalitas was posse non mori He might not have sinned that was his Liberty he might not have died that was his Immortality But the liberty from sin in heaven is Non posse peccare there they cannot sin so is our immortality Non posse mori that we cannot die it takes away possibilitatâ—…m mortis 2. This Expression of quickning our mortal bodies it brings with it a second excellency a freedom from infirmities diseases and weaknesses they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sprowts that grow from this root of death It will free us from all the sad sequels of mortality No infirmity or deformity or indecency no pains or diseases Lame Mephibosheth shall leap blind Isaâ—…c shall see clearly and ulcerous Lazarus shall be whole and sound 3. It brings a third Excellency it will free us à miseria Miseries and afflictions and vexations they are the concomitants of our mortality this resurrection shall exempt us from them too Saint Iohn assures us of it Rev. xxi 4. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying nor any more pain all these are passed by I come Fourthly To the last thing that is the ground and reason of all Because his Spirit dwells in you The inhabitation of God's Spirit that 's the ground of our Resurrection And the force and evidence of this reason may be deduced into these
Particulars 1. The dwelling of Gods Spirit in us is a ground of our resurrection because it is Vinculum Unionis the Spirit is the bond of our union and conjunction with Christ. By it we are incorporated into his holy Body and made members of it Now then if our head â—…ise all the members must rise with it If the Head be in Heaven the members shall not for ever perish in the Grave Not a bone of his was broken This union by the Spirit 't is like the touch of a Load-stone it will attract and draw us to him that where he is we shall be also It is spoken of his hypostatical but it is true also of his mystical union Quod semel assâ—…mpsit 〈◊〉 depâ—…suit Christ will part with none of his members Father I will that where I am they shall be also Because I live ye shall live also Iohn xiv 19. 2. This inhabitation of the Spirit grounds our resurrection ratione proprietatis Our bodies by this inhabitation are consecrated to be a possession of the Holy Ghost and the Temple of God must not be destroyed What Christ said of his own body it is true of ours Destroy this Temple and I will raise it up again Necesse est Spiritui reddatur Templum suum saith Tertul. Gods Spirit takes pleasure not onely in these living Temples but owns them when they are dead takes pleasure in the dead bones and favours the dust of them Psal. cii As Philosophers say of the Soul it is Artifex sui domiâ—…ilii it frames its own house of the body so the Spirit of God repairs re-edifies rears up this Fabrick after it is taken down 3. This Inhabitation of the Spirit works our resurrection as being the Auhor of both that initial grace that entitles us and gives us claim to the state of a resurrection Regeneration makes us Children of the Resurrection as also because it is the author of that final grace which plucks up the root eats out the core of our mortality Till then as there be Primitiae gratiae so there are Reliquiae peccati Those remainders of sin dispose us to death but our final and finishing grace roots up those Fibrae peccati and sin being abolish'd death hath no dominion over us So then for use of all 1. Is the Habitation of the Spirit the ground of our Resurrection doth that give us interest into the resurrection of Christ Sure then 1. The benefit of this resurrection belongs onely to them who have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them The wicked and reprobate they have no share in Christs resurrection Not but that Christ raises the wicked at the last day but this he doth officio Iudicis not beneficio Mediatoris by the authority of his supreme Judicature All shall hear his voice his summons shall raise them out of their Grave but the fruit and benefit of his mediation or resurrection extends not to them 1. Not by way of Merit he communicates no merit in the world to come to those who have no interest in his merits in this present world 2. Not by way of any actual efficacie there 's no influence of Christ but into his own members all influence of grace and virtue either tends to union or flows from it 3. Not by way of Example Christs resurrection is not so much as the Pattern and Samplar of theirs there 's no assimilation 'twixt Christ and the wicked They do not bear the Image of the second Adam they are not planted into the Similitude of his death or resurrection He is the resurrection and the life to them that believe Iohn xi 2. Besides the Resurrection that Christ merited and communicates is a beneficial and beatifical Resurrection Meritum sonat in bonum the resurrection of the wicked tends to damnation Better not rise then rise to perdition Better stay in prison then to be brought to execution This rising destroys not death but increases and redoubles it In short 3. The Resurrection of the wicked 't is no fruit of the Gospel but a sequel of the Law not flowing from the second Adam but is consequent upon the first no part of the Promise The seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head but a part of the Threatning Thou shalt die the death soul and body both to be destroyed 2. Shall we be raised because his Spirit dwells in us See the sweet fruit and benefit of giving place to Christ and his Spirit and devoting our selves to be an habitation to him he richly requites us for his habitation See how Satan uses the bodies he possesses Luke ix 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He rent and tore them Oh! the Spirit of God keeps and preserves them As men say of their houses Better Lett them Rent-free to some that will use them well and keep them in repair then for Rent to others that will havock and spoil them If Satan possess thy body besides the base usage he will put it to he will make it a sink of sin a dung-hill of corruption a rendevous of unclean Spirits all the Rent he pays thee will be ruine and destruction But if Christs Spirit possess thee besides the honour which his presence puts upon thee if the King be in a Cottage he makes it a Court he will secure it and maintain it and make it good to thee Use thy body and devote it to sensuality it will end in corruption devote it to God and his Spirit it will rise to immortality S. Paul speaks 1 Cor. vi 13. Meats for the belly and the belly for meats and what will become of it God shall destroy both it and them But the body is for the Lord and the Lord for the body and then what follows Vers. 14. God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power Dos immortalitatis Immortality 't is the Dowrie that God assures to the body The body is not for Fornication but for the Lord and he assures this Dowrie even a blessed Resurrection Which God grant for his sake who is the Resurrection and the Life To whom c. A SERMON PREACHED UPON WHIT-SUNDAY ON VVHIT-SUNDAY The First Sermon 2 KINGS ii 9. And it came to pass when they were gone over that Elijah said unto Elisha Ask what I shall do for thee before I be taken away from thee And Elisha said I pray thee let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me THe two Testaments have a mutual relation and reciprocal aspect and interview one with another Not any mysterie of the New but was shadowed out in the Old not any type of the Old but is represented and exhibited and fulfilled in the New They are placed about Christ as the two Cherubs upon the Mercy-seat looking each on other and both on Christ. The Faith of the Old Testament look'd forward expecting to behold the fulness of those types the Faith of the New Testament looks backward to see the sweet prefigurations
for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us Rom. viii 26. God bids Solomon ask what he would but withall inspires him with such a prayer as should find acceptance 3. A third thing observable is the Reality and Efficacie of this proffer What shall I do for thee There is Substance and Reality in that word Alas What can Elijah do For temporal blessings he was to seek himself for spiritual they are the immediate dispensations of God himself True and yet he calls it a Doing and Giving Faith reckons upon Prayers and Intercessions it makes according to the will of God as if they were real and full Donations is as sure to obtain them as if it were already put into the possession of them See this in Isaac's benediction and blessing of Iacob Gen. xxvii 37. Behold I have made him thy lord and all his brethren have I given to him for servants and with corn and wine have I sustained him How did he this vers 28. He said God give it thee God give thee of the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth and plenty of corn and wine A faithful Prayer it is as good as an actual Donation Thus S. Paul 2 Cor. vi 10. As poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing and bestowing all things Oratio 't is promâ—… 〈◊〉 It is set over all Gods Store-houses They under God are the true Benefactours that are to God most religious suiters and petitioners Here is a way by which the poorest may be beneficial give make rich Prize these Prayers especially the Prayers of those whom God hath appointed to bless in his name 4. A fourth thing observable is the Wisdom and Order of this proffer He will have him ask it before he gives it Though Gods grace be never so free yet he requires that we should crave it of him There is one blessing that God gives unask'd and that is the grace of Asking After-graces are given when we pray onely he prevents us with the grace of Prayer God is found of them that sought not for him Isai. lxv 1. to wit by giving them the grace to seek for him We must not look for his Spirit to enter into us sleeping or without thinking of it Ask and it shall be given you Seek and you shall find Knock and it shall be opened unto you Matth. vii 7. Your heavenly Father will give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Luke xi 13. The Well of Grace is deep but Oratio 't is situla gratiae the Bucket without which there is no drawing up any water of Grace Happy we who may have Grace for asking Wretched we who will not ask when we may have it We have done with the Substance of Elijah's proffer Come we now II. To the Circumstance of time Before I be taken from thee Before I be taken from thee beg what thou wilt 1. Observe Elijah being to leave the world his thoughts are for after-succession that he may leave a Prophet in the Church of God he will not leave the Church unfurnished the people of God unprovided for Oh! The Saints of God are solicitous not onely for the present age wherein they live but forecast for succession that the worship of God may survive them and that after-posterities may be converted Moses how doth he pray for a Leader after him Numb xxvii 16 17. Let the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh set a man over the Congregation which may go out before them and may go in before them and which may lead them out and which may bring them in that the Congregation of the Lord be not as Sheep which have no Shepheard How doth S. Paul charge the Churches for things after his death Acts xx S. Peter being to dye fore-warns the Elders 2 Pet. i. How wicked are they who so they may see peace and prosperity in their dayes little care what may befall the Church in succeeding generations Good David though he was forbid to build the Temple yet how did he store up for Solomons Temple 1 Chron. xxii Oh! we enjoy the worship and service of God and now stand by the care of others let us not be wanting in our cares and prayers that a perpetual service may be offered by those who shall live after us til the coming of Iesus Christ to Judgment 2. Observe he provides for the enabling of Elisha He did not onely anoint him but now furnishes him being himself to dye and to leave the world Flesh and Bloud would have thought Let him be imperfect and deficient they will wish me again his defects will be a foil for my excellencies An unworthy Successour commends his Predecessour Oh no He desires to empty out all his Graces into Elisha and rejoyced to see an Elisha so able to succeed him The Nobles prayed 1 King i. 37. The Lord make the Throne of Solomon greater then the Throne of King David yet there was no jealousie in David Glad they are that the Graces in their Successours may obscure them that they may not be missed 3. Observe Elijah is now most forward and ready to do good when he is to depart and to leave this world Saints though they are alwayes desirous to do good yet at their death oh then they are more abundant in all holy desires of doing good Full of blessing they are alwayes but at their leaving the world then they deal their benedictions more plentifully about them So did Moses in his Song so dealt Isaac and Iacob and so did Elisha deal with the King of Israel Christ with his Disciples on mount Olivet S. Peter when he was to lay down his Tabernacle Oh then all Graces are most pregnant their Faith their Repentance their Hope their Prayers their Blessings Counsels Reproofs they will take their fill of them The box of Oyntment when it is broken fills the house with the smell They love to be sacrificed upon the service of the Church S. Paul leaving the Ephesians preached till midnight imparts all to them 4. Observe he saith Ask of me before I be taken from thee Had Elijah been of the Faith of Rome there had been no need of this limitation nay rather Ask of me and invocate and pray to me after I am in heaven there I shall sue for thee call then upon me No such matter If we will make use of Elijah do it now We may use reverend compellations now not tender religious supplications thither Heb. xii 23. Ye are come to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediatour of the New Covenant they are not Mediatours Ioseph desired the Butler to remember him but he forgat him It was the pious meditation of S. Augustine upon those words of the Psalmist Psal. oxxiii 2. Behold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Mistriss so our eyes
wait upon the Lord our God untill he have mercy upon us Observe saith the Father here upon earth we have Masters and Mistrisses but in heaven Non habemus Dominum Dominam but onely our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ that must have mercy upon us Now follows Elisha's desire I pray thee let a double portion of thy Spirit be upon me He answers not Elijah as Ahaz to Isaiah when he bad him ask a Sign no I will not ask Isai. vii 11 12. Elijah no sooner maks proffer but he lays hold on it 'T is good making use of Elijah while we have him with us unfold our wants to him that he may supply them Elijah must not always continue among us The times may come when we shall wish to see one of the days of the Son of man and it shall not be Oh in this thy day now the Angel is stirring the water yet Elijah is among us do as Elisha he makes haste petitions him presently Of which Petition take a double Consideration 1. Quid Supponit 2. Quid Petit. I. Quid Supponit Here are four Supposals 1. The first Supposal is Identitas Spiritus He supposes the same Spirit shall be settled upon him that rested on Elijah Here is a continuation of the same Spirit in a succession of men Elijah is taken away Yes but his Spirit shall remain The means and instruments of grace may be removed but the gifts of the Spirit shall continue still It is worth the observing God ties not himself to any personal perfections Oh we think If such a Saint dies what will become of the Church 'T is a loss but yet in diversity of men here is the same Spirit When Moses died his spirit rested upon Ioshua Aaron died Eleazar was invested and clothed with the same Spirit It must comfort us when we see glorious Instruments taken from us Paul a Luther c. yet the same spirit remains and breathes in his Church As it was said to the evil servant Tolle talentum da so of the good The Lord needs no mans person or parts he can set his Spirit upon another 2. A second Supposal is Portio Spiritus The Spirit of Elijah is apportioned out in a limited dispensation It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We receive but in part no man hath all in kind or degrees To one is given by the Spirit the word of Wisdom to another the word Knowledge by the same Spirit to another the gifts of Healing to another Prophecie c. 1 Cor. xii 8 9. 10. The most enriched Saint hath but what he enjoys in measure they have indeed a fulness but then it is onely 1. A fulness of Capacity 2. A fulness of Sufficiency for their use but not of absolute Perfection Aaron had the Spirit poured on him others had it but sprinkled Quantum causa exigit propter quam datur Ambros. 3. A third Supposal is Inaequalitas portionum There is a single portion and a double portion Some have one talent some two another five There is not any Saint but hath one not any that have all but some more some less Benjamin's mess was five times as much as any of the rest of his brethrens 4. A fourth Supposal is Duplicatio in juniore Elisha the successour and junior may have a double Portion more then Elijah his predecessour God can cross his hands as Iacob did and lay his right hand upon Ephraims head who was the younger and his left hand upon Manassehs head who was the first-born Gen. xlviii 14. We cannot prescribe to God 'T is neither the age of men nor the precedency of times that is any thing but the Lord may be as bountifull to this Age as unto Antiquity It is no disparagement to Elijah that Elisha exceeds him After-ages may be furnished with more eminent men in some kinds then the more Primitive and Ancient times have been We worthily reverence Antiquity and rise up at the gray head but yet God may double some gifts on their successours Augustine Hierom the rest were most reverend yet Luther Calvin others more famous in their generation There is a double Use of a double Portion 1. For Founding 2. For Repairing and Reforming of Churches And as great a measure of the Spirit is as necessary for this as that Iohn must come in Spiritu Eliae to found the Gospel After-ages have the promise of the spirit of Elias too in reforming The one to preach Christ the other to resist Antichrist How do some slight our late Worthies These Novelists Modern Yester-day-Divines But Quis contempsit diem parvulorum And let no man despise thy youth As it is said of some good Kings none like David none like Hezekiah none like to Iosiah before or after Why because each excelled in some personal grace of zeal or piety or integrity So these late-ones were eminent in some things before all other that preceded Patres tum demum vincunt cum vincuntur à filiis Ancients would have gloried in their posterity and why enviest thou for their sakes That 's for the first Quid Supponit Now follows II. Quid Petit The summ of his Desire That a double portion of thy Spirit may be upon me In it observe two things 1. The Matter of his Desire that 's Elijah's Spirit 2. The Measure of it A double portion First The Matter of his Request Had many of us such a large Offer made us to ask what we would I fear we should not have pitched upon this request of Elisha for a spiritual blessing Elijah had a power of curing and raising from the dead health and long life some would have asked Elijah could cause plenty bring famine increase oyl others would have urged a supply of riches Elijah could bring down fire to consume his enemies others would have desired victory and safety The Lord implies that naturally these are our carnal desires in his reply to Solomon 1 Kings iii. 11. Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thy self long life neither hast asked riches for thy self nor hast asked the life of thine enemies c. See here is one who passes by all these and knows how to frame a Petition aright that he is sure shall speed the prayer for the Spirit Oh 't is a great advantage to know what to pray for Docet dare qui prudenter rogat The choosing of the better part prevails with God Herod offers to the Damosel to ask what she will and she asks the head of S. Iohn the Baptist the life of her enemy Piety will ask the spirk of the Baptist. But why doth Elisha pitch upon this request Why begs he the Spirit 1. He had Spirium vocantem now he begs the Spirit enabling He was called to a spiritual Function now he sues for a spiritual enablement for the discharge and execution of it If God puts us into a Calling we must beg and seek for gifts answerable to it See Moses
how importunate was he with God for enablement Solomon call'd to the Kingdom begs a Kingly spirit How many are there who sue for the Calling but seldom crave the Enabling It must be so in every employment Art thou called to an Office beg wisdom courage fidelity Art thou a servant beg the graces suitable Art thou in any course of life go to God for enablement that he may make thee an able member in the Church or Common-wealth In every course of life we must labour for skill and prudence and sufficiency In thy Calling strive to excel to the edifying of the Church Gods Work-men have a wise spirit to work all cunning work Iacobs Sons were men of Activity therefore Pharaoh would employ them 2. He asks that which was fittest for Elijah to grant him Elijah had a kind of Universality of obtaining any thing but it was proper for him to give that which himself excelled in They are Dona dextrae that move most readily Dona throni not Bona scabelli With men we grant small requests and stick at great gifts but God gives his best gifts most readily 3. Elijah is now leaving the World Now Elisha sees what it was that comforted Elijah and stood him in stead Oh it was this that he had been an able and faithful Prophet an holy man it was that which made him leave the World thus peaceably comfortably willingly This makes Elisha crave the Spirit All outward things what comfort can they breed at our last parting Give me that that may breed matter of comfort at my last need make me such a Prophet that I may so live as I may die like Elijah Look upon a rich man dying see what comfort he gets by his riches or honours Look on a man replenish'd with Gods Spirit one who hath done God much service now ready to have his Lords Euge and to enter into that joy it will make thee wish one dram of grace rather then the whole World besides Judge of Elijah hid in Mount Carmel for Persecution and look on Baal's Priests ruffling in Iezabels Court it may tempt thee to wish their Honour Ey but stay a while see their Honour and Elijah's glorious Death or Departure it will make thee neglect the one to beg the other and chuse rather to die in Elijah's hairy Mantle then in all their bravery So much for the matter of his desire Now follows Secondly The measure of it A double portion of thy Spirit Why so What makes him desire a greater measure then Elijah had What Was it envy and carnal emulation to out-strip Elijah Or ambition to be more renowned in his Generation 'T is true a man may be proud of the Spirit desirous to set up himself But it was not so in Elisha What may we conceive rais'd his desires so high 1. Dignitas doni The excellency of these kind of gifts Spiritual graces deserve eager pursuits and vehement desires of them A man may beg too much of outward blessings but of spiritual gifts to save himself and others we cannot be too covetous in getting of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. xiv 1. Be zealously affected to spiritual Graces strive to excell for the edifying of the Church Solomon craves abundance of Wisdom but of Riches onely what is moderate and convenient S. Peter when he heard of the virtue that was in Christs washing then he saith to Christ Lord not my feet onely but also my hands and my head How preposterous are our desires generally We crave two Portions of outward Blessings but a little Knowledge little Abilities to do good content us well 2. Eminentia exempli The lustre of Elijah's example hath ravish'd him The Spirit that was so eminent and conspicuous in him it begets an holy emulation to attain and outgoe him Oh to see grace of any sort incorporate and incarnate in another man it provokes the endeavours of others makes them long to be excellent in such graces This stirred up Simon Magus to see S. Peter so glorious he would needs purchase such a gift When we see Religion clasped up in Books it works not so effectually when we see it reall and operative then it works kindly upon us makes others if they have any mettle in them to attain the like Those who damp and smother the gifts of God in them they hinder the progress and growth of grace in others To see men carry grace as men do a candle in a dark lanthorn onely for themselves it hinders emulation but to make it shine forth and to be radiant invites others to an holy ambition to out-strip and exceed and go beyond their Copies 3. Gustus initialis gratiae Elisha had some beginnings of these gifts before he had felt the sweetness and excellency of them it makes him therefore the more earnest and eager to be rich in grace They who have once felt the sweetness of Gods Spirit in any kind they cannot satisfie themselves in any stint but are earnest for more The true Relishes of Gods first gifts beget not loathing but longing makes men to cry out Lord evermore give us this bread and to desire That the word of God may dwell plenteously in them Grace it is always growing ascending They who content themselves with their first beginnings have cause to suspect they were not true and kindly How doth S. Paul pray for more enablements They who think they know enough know nothing as they should 4. Pondus officii He is now to undergoe a weighty service to become the main Prophet of the People of God 't is a burden heavy enough for Angels and Archangels The sense of this weight makes him call and begg for a double Portion There is no Calling but carries its burden and so craves help but the Prophetical Calling that 's an heavy Talent What knowledge and understanding what courage and resolution what patience and forbearance is required and all little enough for an Elisha's employment This made Solomon beg Oh 't is a great People give thy Servant therefore a large Heart It made Moses shrink his shoulder from under it They who in any kind are to govern others undergoe a weighty burden they must beg a double Portion 5. Ardor zeli His desire of doing much good makes him thus earnest for much enablement He desires to be a faithful Servant to bring in much gain to give up a large account of his Stewardship They who think any service sufficient any performance enough they may content themselves with small portions of gifts Here is one who is ambitious of gaining God much glory of saving many souls 6. Gravitas damni The loss of an Elias stirrs him up to crave a double Portion Elijah was set for the defence of Religion the burden of the Church rested on his shoulders Now that the Church hath lost him it inflames Elisha to get himself furnish'd for to do that service Oh when we see the Church loses her choisest Patrons and
but Cain brought his Offering to the Lord And 2. It was Cultus legitimus such a worship as was prescribed no superstitious worship invented by themselves but taught by Revelation received by Prophetical Instruction such as we see God allowed by after-approbation These brethren were not like Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu they offer no strange fire to God but proceed by rule and direction This way of worship Abel learn'd it from Adam Adam he was taught it of God and taught it his children saith Pererius Inventions of Gods Worship are but Superstitions That God is to be worshipped even Nature teaches us but how he is to be worshipped He alone must direct us As Moses said to Pharaoh Exod. x. 26. We know not with what we must serve the Lord till we come thither and he teach us Indeed the times when Cain and Abel offered were Primitive Times the Form of Religion was not yet degenerate and corrupted Idolatry and the setting up of false Gods and false Worship were not yet crept into the Church It is the dignity of true Religion it hath the Precedency of all before Idolatry and Superstition Idolatry is a post-natus to Religion of an after-birth The Field was first sown with good Seed the envious man came afterwards and sowed his Tares Matth. xiii Idolatry it is a Super-semination Id verum quod prius id falsum adulterinum quod posterius Tertul. True Religion hath the Birth-right pleads Prescription before all false Worships Christ in his Reformation brings the Jews back to that which was first Abinitio non fuit sic checks all Superstitions with this Exception It was not so from the beginning It is our Plea Where was Invocation of Saints and Angels or Worship of Images Did Moses or Abraham or Abel so worship No it was the malice of Satan that sowed these Tares foisted in these Corruptions Purposely God kept Religion untainted in the beginning of the World Though a deluge of other sins brake early into the World Cruelty and Lust and Violent Oppression yet Idolatry was kept out that the very novelty of it might make it suspected 3. A third thing observable in this Worship of Cain and Abel is Unitas Cultus their joynt brotherly consent and unity in their worship of God As they were twins in their birth so as twins they joyn hand in hand to compass Gods Altar We read not of an Altar that Cain erected and another that Abel set up apart for himself but as they were of the same family and natural fraternity so they joyn as Members of the same Church as pertaining to the same Altar The Jews conceive it was all one place where Adam sacrificed and now his Sons and after Noah Though they go too far when they say it was where Abraham sacrificed Isaac and after David sacrificed and where after Solomon built the Temple and erected the Altar Surely Concord in the Worship of God 't is most necessary and comely Without these two Truth and Unity God accepts no service Truth and Peace are the Supports of Religion Thus S. Peter forbidding discord and commending to Christians domestick peace presses this reason for it That your prayers be not hindred 1 Pet. iii. 7. Discord breeds Distraction in holy duties Quarrelling and Contention it is the bane of Devotion See how uncomely was Aaron and Miriam's quarrelling with Moses Num. xii What Disturbance did it breed in the publick affairs of the people of Israel It hindred their Progress into the Land of Canaan and set it back 'T is said the people journied not till Miriam was brought in again and the breach made up again So on the contrary what a gracious promise doth Christ make to Prayers made in the spirit of Unity Matth. xviii 19. If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven These two Brothers here they came in Unity They had one God one Altar one kind of Service by Sacrifice one Time too and no doubt they came in one Affection the grudge grew afterwards See with how many bonds S. Paul labours to continue Christians together in an holy Concord Eph. iv 5. There is one Lord one faith one baptism one God and Father of all one body one spirit one hope of our calling therefore keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Christians must say We are all one mans children Our cognizance is Love and Unity and Concord The quarrels and contentions that did arise amongst Christians 't was a great hinderance to the Conversion of the Gentiles When they could not answer the Christians Arguments then they objected the Contentions of Christians that they could not agree amongst themselves Hoc est Opprobrium Gentium saith S. Augustine Non consentitis The Gentiles cast that in their teeth that there was not Concord and Unity amongst them That 's the third 4. A fourth thing observable in these two brethrens Worship of God it was Cultus cum sumptu They did not put off God with empty shews but they are at charge here in the worship of God they can be content to be at cost in honouring of him according to their state and condition Cain he is an husbandman he brings of the fruit of the ground to honour God with a Sacrifice of Corn. Abel he is a Shepherd he brings his Offering of the Herd and Flock Nature it self teacheth us this Truth If there be a God then sure he must be worshipped and that worship must be maintained though with cost and charges 'T is a spice of Atheism to say as Pharaoh did Go ye your selves and worship God but let your flocks alone as S. Augustine complains of the wealthy men in his time they would be rich at Home but poor at Church they would leave their purses at home that they might not be at charge for any Church-contribution Leave your flocks behind you No saith Moses we must have them with us Of them we must offer a sacrifice to our God This Solomon commands us Honour God with thy substance and the first-fruits of thine encrease Prov. iii. 9. And he learnt it of his father David he chose to be at cost in serving of God 2 Sam. xxiv 24. I will not serve the Lord with that which cost me nothing Thus doing we honour our God ey and we honour our selves and our substance too The Jews knew how to prevail with Christ for the good Centurion He loves our Nation nay he loves our Religion and hath built us a Synagogue As Origen discoursing of the liberal Contribution for the erecting of the Tabernacle Quam gloriosum erit saith he How great an honour is it that it shall be said This mans Gold made the Ark This mans Silver made the Pillars and Sockets for them This mans Wealth furnisht the Tabernacle And it is also an honour to our wealth to be thus employed
à cogitationibus meis saith the devout Father Free me and purge me from my sinful cogitations 4. The Law of God is operative not a dead letter but hath an active power to work upon the heart Verbum Dei non est opus sed operans saith S. Ambrose The Spirit of God goes along with it and makes it quick and powerful and sharp and mighty in operation Heb. iii. As in the frame of a mans body under every vein there runs an artery full of spirits so under every vein of Truth in the Scripture there is an artery of Spirit quickning searching discovering citing condemning This discovers the ground of that aversness that is in most men from this blessed Word Why can any other discourses find entertainment rather then this Why It breeds trouble and perplexity It discovers my sin It affrights my conscience makes me out of love with my self and appear ugly These Spectacles are too true for my false eyes Ahab cannot endure to talk with Micaiah nor meet with Elijah they never speak good unto him The generalities of Scripture we can like well enough but when it comes near and begins to close with us we fling away from it Amant veritatem lucentem oderunt redarguentem saith S. Ambrose And that 's the first Consideration Quae occasio Secondly A second Consideration of this perplexity in David is Quae conditio What is the nature and purpose of it And we see it express'd in a vehement and passionate question Quis intelligit Who understands his errours And it may be resolved into these three Expressions 1. It is Vox ignorantis It is the speech of a man who confesses his ignorance he knows not his errours 2. It is Vox admirantis It is the speech of him who sees many errours in himself and suspects more and is astonished at the Consideration of them 3. It is Vox gementis He utters his thoughts with a sighing Accâ—…unt and groans within himself at the sense of them First It is Vox ignorantis He knows not his errours and then it implyes this Observation That the perfect discovery of the errours of our lives is a thing most hard and even impossible The truth of this Observation will appear in these Particulars 1. In the Strength of Davids Affection 2. In the Matter of it 3. In the Grounds 4. In the Consequences 5. In the Uses to be made of it I. The Strength of it David propounds it not by way of bare assertion onely No man can know them but by way of question and that is a form of greater Emphasis and Impression And then he propounds this question not onely to himself or in his own name but puts the question to any let him be what he will yet he must fall short he cannot know them Who can 1. Quis in lege intelligentissimus Let him be never so cunning and skilfull in the Law of God the greatest Rabbi that ever was a second Ezra an exact Scribe in the Law of his God though with Ezekiel and S. Iohn he hath swallowed the Book yet he may run into the commission of some errours that he is not aware of Even the High-Priest himself was to offer for his own ignorances and infirmities Heb. v. â—…ta nihil est in hominibus tutum ne Pontifex quidem saith Origen 2. Quis in conversatione cautissimus Who though never so accurate and watchfull in his conversation can know all his errours Let him keep never so strict a watch over his own heart yet soâ—…e sin will escape him In many things we offend all saith S. Iames Chap. iii. 2. He saith not In many things some of us offend or in a few things all of us offend but in many things we offend all They who are all clean had need wash their feet saith our Saviour To which S. Bernard alluding gives this warning that though we choose our way and pick our path and so avoid mire and dirt yet In bono itinere pulverem colliges in the fairest and cleanest way our feet will gather soil some errours will be committed 3. Quis in examine conscientiae diligentissimus Who though never so frequent and diligent in examining and revising his conscience who ever so communed with his heart and so search'd out his spirit that no sin lay undiscovered They who have daily practised this work of Repentance and have kept a privie watch and search in their hearts are yet fain to return an Ignoramus and though not conscious to themselves of any sin unrepented of yet to make all sure will beg pardon of God for unknown transgressions As men not guilty of any breach of Law to their own knowledge will obtain a general pardon of the King to prevent the worst That 's the first the strength of this Assertion Who doth understand c. II. The matter of this Question Who understands his errors Take it in three Particulars 1. Quis intelligit naturam errorum Who understands the nature of all his actions whether they be erroneous yea or no whether that which he doth be warrantable and good or otherwise Indeed for the main Capital duties those Principia practica and heads of morality and those likewise that are of the nearest and most evident proximity unto them he is hardly a Christian who knows not them but for many particular Cases and Questions of conscience incident to the life of man who can resolve them Some actions indeed are notoriously evil sins of the first magnitude the light of nature reproves them Some of weaker evidence sins of infirmity some not discerned nor known sins of ignorance and incogitancie See them represented in three Parables Luke xv The lost Son The lost Sheep The lost Groat Art thou not as the lost Son Dost thou not break away from God by wilfull rebellion Yet thou mayst be as the lost Sheep and stray away from thy God by a sin of infirmity If not so yet Who hath not been as the lost Groat and his action hath slipt away out of his hand betwixt his fingers as it were by ignorance and incogitancie 2. Quis intelligit numerum errorum Who ever yet kept such a carefull account in his conscience as to register and book down the just number of his sins David who had not sinn'd so frequently as we have done yet when he surveys the number of his sins he gives up this account They are more in number then the hairs of my head mine heart hath failed me to see the swarms and numbers of them Upon which place Saint Augustine devoutly meditates Capilli minuti sunt sed multi saith he David had little sins like as hairs but yet multiplying and increasing as the hairs of his head Thus S. Bernard counsels us In our addresses to God to consider whether we can meet with him with ten thousand sins repented of who comes against us with twenty thousand sins that we never thought of 3. Quis intelligit
Prophetiae 3. It is melius Prophetiae it is better then Prophecy The ordinary Word especially of the Gospel is more excellent and useful then extraordinary Revelations under the Law 1. Ratione certitudinis Saint Peter calls the Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a surer word then a voice from Heaven As the motion of a star is more certain and regular then an extraordinary Comet 2. Ratione claritatis The Gospel is more clear and evident then either Prophecy or Priesthood in the Old Testament That was but Lucerna saith S. Peter this is Lucifer that was but like a Candle this like the Day-star springing in our hearts The clearness of the Old Testament it was but splendor vultus the face of Moses did onely shine in his Revelations the clearness of the New Testament is splendor pedum their very feet are glorious that preach the Gospel The shining of the Old Testament was splendor in velamine as S. Paul observes the very clearness of that was hidden and vail'd over with much obscurity Christs shining in the New Testament 't is far more evident 't is velamen in splendore his very garments are clear and glorious as the Sun The clear preaching of Christ made Iohn the Baptist greater then the Prophets the meanest of our Calling greater then Iohn the Baptist. This evident preaching and pointing out Christ makes some of the Fathers compare Prophets to Cocks the nearer the Sun-rising the lowder they crow The nearest to Christ makes the clearest preaching 3. Ratione perpetuitatis Preaching is better then prophesying in the lasting continuance and perpetuity Prophecy it is but temporary as a Candle in S. Peter's account Lucerna accendi debet extingui potest saith S. Aug. A Candle it is soon put out The Ministery of the Gospel is as the Sun in the Firmament not to be darkned till the last day 'T is an everlasting Gospel Rev. xiv 6. Preaching and Baptizing have a Patent of eternity Lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world Matth. xxviii 20. Thus S. Gregory compares miraculous gifts in the Infancy of the Church to a Childs Standing-stool when the Child is grown and strong that 's taken away God hath withdrawn these extraordinary Supportments in this grown age of his Church That 's the third it is melius Prophetiae 4. Let me add one Parallel more 'twixt Preachers and Prophets and that by way of Exhortation Saint Augustine discoursing of the state of the Patriarchs that their whole carriage and life was full of mysteries concludes Primorum patruâ—… dico non tantum linguam verum etiam vitam fuisse propheticam illudque regnum Hebraeorum magnum quendam fuisse Prophetam their Common-wealth was a Prophet it was so full of Mysteries As they in Mysterie so now in Morality should not the lives of our Preachers should not the state of our Churches even in this sense prophesie equal and parallel them in sanctity and piety prophesying in our lives preaching in our examples every action to be a doctrine the whole carriage of our lives a continued instruction to those that behold us not onely by speaking but even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Naâ—…ianzen professes of his own endeavour When we are silent by example edifying non tantum lingua sed etiam vita fuit prophetica So much for the Objects Now follow Secondly the three Acts 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Act of Prosecution 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Act of Emulation 3. In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Act of Election 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That inferrs these Particulars 1. Ex parte Objecti 1. Distantiam Objecti Distance and Remoteness This heavenly grace 't is not inbred or hard at hand presently attained to 't is remote it requires prosecution 2. Difficultatem Objecti 't is beset with Difficulties it costs much pains and striving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies hardship and extremity If by any means I may attain saith S. Paul 3. Excellentiam Objecti Rareness and excellency It must sure be some excellent thing that deserves so much pains in prosecuting and obtaining a precious pearl that is worth so much inquiring Charity 't is a remote 't is a difficult 't is an excellent endowment Consider it 2. Ex parte actus It implies two things 1. Intensionem actus Intension and vehemency 'T is an act vehement and violent Saint Chrysostom observes upon these words of S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persequens Ecclesiam justitiam that S. Paul was as violent and extreme for as against Christ in prosecuting as in persecuting 'T is a vehement intension 2. Extensionem actus Extension and continuance it holds out gives not over S. Paul in Philip. iii. expresses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that signifies the last girds and stretchings out of the body at the end of a race for fear of falling short That 's the extension 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's the second act an earnest desire upon a comparative emulation of other mens gifts Aemulamini that implies 1. Agnitionem profectus alieni an ingenuous acknowledgment of another mans Proficiency 2. Confessionem defectus proprii an humble confession of his own deficiency 3. Desiderium imitationis a strong endeavour to imitate and equal them 3. In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's the third act Eligite an act of choice and election And that implies two things 1. Non posse omnia we are put to our choice ingross all gifts we cannot God will have a necessitude and dependency of one anothers graces S. Paul forbids those uncharitable terms of one member to another I have no need of thee and I have no need of thee arising from conceit of self-sufficiency That 's the first Non posse omnia 2. Velle meliora make choice of the best the most glorious to God the most profitable to his Church the most comfortable to thy self and that 's Prophecy Let us beseech him who is the Father of lights from whom proceeds every good and perfect gift that he would pour out his Spirit upon all flesh that our old men may prophesie and our young men see Visions And He make us faithful dispensers of his manifold gifts to the building up of his Church in Charity and Unity through Him in whom he vouchsafes them to us Iesus Christ our Saviour To whom c. A SERMON ON I. Epist. of S. JOHN v. 3. For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous WE Love him because he loved us first saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. iv 19. Our love to God being but a reflexion of those beams of love which he first casts upon us An evident proof of this we may see in this Apostle He was our Saviours beloved Disciple the choise Favourite among all the Apostles one that enjoy'd the greatest portion of
they are the pledge of our faith we leave in Gods hand Thus David puts his life into Gods hand My time is in thy hand deliver me from the hand of mine enemies and from them that persecute me Psal. xxxi 15. So our Saviour Father into thy hands I commend my spirit 3. Ob specialitatem modi It is strange being in the fear of death he begs death he flies for his life and yet he flies from it desires to die to escape death True but this suit of his is for the special manner of his death and dissolution 1. Ut non violenta sed placida morte He desires to escape Iezabel's cruelty begs of God to dispose of him to a peaceable death and dissolution Deliver my darling from the power of the Dog Psal. xxii 20. An 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is inter beneficia a favour and a blessing to be asked and sought for 'T was granted to Iosiah to die in peace so to Hezekiah Iob accounts it a blessing to die in his nest Iob xxix 18. David desires to fall into the hands of God rather then into the hands of men Blesse God that we can close our brethrens eyes in peace that they are gathered into the barn like ripe Corn by the Sickle of death not by the Sword of an enemie 2. Ut honesta non probrosa morte Take thou my life away let not Iezabel have her will on me 'T is an honest and honourable wish Decorè cadere as Saul That the Philistines mock me not 1 Sam. xxxi 4. Not to have the death of a Dog or the burial of an Ass. 'T is that which the Church bewails Psal. lxxix 2. The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven the flesh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the earth Those two Witnesses in the Revelations whom spiritual Iezabel slays she suffers their dead bodies to lie unburied in the streets of that great City 3. Ut non in Deum contumeliosa morte sed honorifica moriatur that he might die such a death as God be not dishonoured by it It was the trial of Baals deity that he could not rescue his Priests from destruction Iezabel hath sworn by her false Gods that Elijah shall suffer See now it stands God upon in point of honour to rescue Elias and Elias begs such a death as might not make Iezabel blaspheme and insult over God 'T is the desire of Gods children to die for the greatest advantage of Gods glory That God might be magnified in their bodies by life or death Thus it is said of Christs prediction of Saint Peters death by what manner of death he should glorifie God Is martyrdom the way of glorfying God The Saints run to it Ey but it will make the enemies of God insult the more Elias prayes against it Athanasius fled from it They desire to die for the greatest purpose that their deaths may be precious and rich So much for the first Elias his willingness to die Now follow Secondly The two Meditations that work him to this willingness To speak of one of them onely and that 's an holy satiety Satis est It is enough Take it in these four Expressions 1. Satis vitae meae It is enough Lord I have lived long enough The Saints of God can set a full period they can stint their desires of longer life They wish not an eternity here A worldly man Oh he could part with another life might this life last always No 't is Gods blessing to his children they are satisfied with length of days Psal. xcii 16. 2. Satis mundo They have enough of the world too The comforts of this life the pleasures profits preferments they can stop and stay at them too refusing with Barzillai the offers of preferment How shamefull is it for old men to thirst after riches and honours like the two Tribes content to stay on this side Jordan for the goodness of the Countrey 3. Satis officio He hath finished and fulfilled his course that makes him willing to die he hath accomplished his Ministerie Happy they whose work is done before their day be done The ability of giving a good account of our service is the powerfullest encouragement to be willing to die Thus S. Chrysostom observes in compare of these two places S. Pauls escapal out of Damascus and his readiness to die at Ierusalem Then he had done no service so he was loth to die now Paul the Aged had finished his course then he is ready for bonds and death So Christ till his work was finished hid himself after he offered himself to them 4. Satis miraculosae providentiae 'T is enough for that too He hath been mightily and miraculously preserved and delivered hitherto he will not thrust himself upon more miraculous ways 'T is enough Lord now end my life Non vult oneri esse misericordiae divinae he will not be burthensome to the mercy of God The Apostles were sparing of miracles for their own selves wrought none in their own hehalf they valued not life at the rate of a miracle accounted themselves less then an ordinary mercy For this Christian Brother of ours whose blessed death and departure we are now met together not so much to lament and bewail as to celebrate and honour much very much may be spoken of him to the glory of Gods rich grace in him and the enbalming of his name with a precious memory But the applause and welcome that the Saints and Angels give to him in heaven and those blessed Euge's that the Authour and finisher of his faith hath received him with are the true and full commendation that his soul rests in Onely in a few words Know that the death of this good man as it is in Gods eyes so in ours it must be honourable and precious And because Bernard's Rule is true Preciosa mors Sanctorum quam commendat vita pretiosa You all witness with me who have lived with him that his carriage hath been such as becomes a man professing the fear of God What his life was from his minority most of you know better then my self Onely I have had always the report of it to be upright and unblameable I found him at my coming the chief credit and improvement of the worthy pains of my reverend Predecessor at whose feet he a long time sate as a good proficient And since my being here I have remarkably taken notice of him as a great encouragement of mine unworthy labours His piety and course of godliness hath witness of all men and of the Truth it self Which was 1. Timely and not put off with delays He often blessed God that called him so timely not suffering him to linger till the evil day That had not been so comfortable 2. It was observable to his own heart It was not wrought secretly but as he imparted to me Piety found him averse and it was not without some enforcement used that he was drawn to that Sermon which gave the first successfull knock at his heart 3. It was constant witness his diligence and timely forwardness to repair to the House of God his attention reverence devotion there observed by others who preached occasionally 4. It was judicious not groundless but intelligent able he was to give a reason of his Faith He was exercised in the study of the Scriptures and grounds of Religion able to speak understandingly 5. It was substantial not languishing away in circumstances and trifles He professed in his sickness that the disputes about In-conformity were of no use for piety and that the power of Religion was not in them 6. It was diffusive 1. Into all his life 2. Into his family and children 3. Into his friends and familiars 4. In an unquestion'd honesty to all men 7. It was solid and strong bearing him up in this long tedious and oft-times very sharp and violent sickness 1. The apprehensions of his faith were constantly quick and comfortable he felt not the least nibling of Satan 2. His patience was admirable and heroical 3. His charity in spending himself in fruitful conferences and perswasions to those about him was great and bountiful 8. It was crowned with Perseverance which God did not onely secretly bestow upon him but with feeling and assurance he triumphed in it One of his last speeches was Sathan may as well pluck God out of Heaven as pluck my soul out of his keeping FINIS Errata PAge 31. line 15. read pactional p. 75. l. 36. r. 1 p. 132. l. 2. r. any p. 165. l. 16. r. negativè p. 188. l. 3. r. not p. 190. l. 34. r. loads p. 203. l. 25. r. she p. 204. l. 5. r. us p. â—…06 l. 21. r. Jerem. p. 243 l. 23. r. Hear p. 245. l 27. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 289. l. 45. r. Author p. 301. l. 41. r. of p. 303. l. 44. r. Bona. p. 328. l 33. r. the. l. 38. r. heart p. 330. l. 6. r. sacrifice p. 351. l. 28. r. Accent p. 353. l. 33. r. loaves p. 377. l 15. r. twiâ—…s l. 16. r. upbraids p. 393. l. 23. r. know ye not p. 396. l. 41. r. there l. 20. r. choice and disparity
merciful and gracious recovering them out of this amazement It is fourfold He did it 1. By a comfortable Appearance His Transfiguration and Glory affrighted them now that he might more familiarly and comfortably refresh them he layes aside his Majesty and Glory and re-assumes his habit of Humiliation and so offers himself to their weakness and infirmity As Moses put a vail upon his face that the people might endure his sight and presence How gracious is this Condescending of Christ to dispense with his own Glory for our comfort Like Ioseph who discovered himself to his brethren fell upon their necks and received them with mutual embracings The truest sign of greatness is to stoop to others weakness 't is Signum roboris not infirmitatis saith Gregory Till that time when he will make our bodies like his glorious body he makes his glorious body like our weak bodies He did it 2. By his comfortable approach He came to them 1. Strength of Faith would have carried them to him as Peter Matth. xiv 20. Master bid me come unto thee 2. Moderate fear would have driven them to him Or 3. It would have made them call to him for help Oh! but they are in a weaker and lower condition their Faith is in a swoun their fear hath overwhelmed them there is no power left to seek for succour therefore they not being able to seek out for help see he offers himself graciously to them Here is the comfort of Christians 't is possible we may be so low brought as not to be able to call or look up to Christ yet then he leaves us not When we cannot comprehend him then he will comprehend us Our Faith may be so weak as not to be able to lay hold upon him yet then his Spirit apprehends us In sickness when speech and sense and all fail yet a child of God hath this comfort He will come to me when I lye unable to come to him This case David was in Psal. lxxiii 22 23. So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee Nevertheless I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by my right hand He did it 3. By his comfortable touching of them He puts his hand upon them Now this gesture and action of Christ was very usual in his miraculous works Matth. viii 3. He touched the Leper and cleansed him Vers. 15. He touched Peters wives mother and cured her of a fever Matth. ix 29. He touched the two blind men and they received their sight Matth. xiv 36. They besought him that they might onely touch the hem of his garment and as many as touched were made perfectly whole Christ uses this gesture of touching for divers reasons 1. It is Signum facilitatis He works wonders with his touch that is with the greatest ease and facility This was eminently seen in Christs wonders Nature must use stronger means to work any work Nay Elias when he was to recover the womans child stretch'd his body upon it often begged of God before he could effect it Christ he effects it by the least means The smallest means in appearance are by him made powerful to work effectually Purposely he makes choyce of such seemingly improbable means the more to magnifie the glory of his Power the means themselves having no force at all to effect such wonders Thus Ioshua chap. vi 3. The compassing of Iericho seven dayes blowing with Rams-horns Magis videntur mysteria consummare quam bella What force were there in this to batter down a City Thus it was in Naaman's washing seven times in Jordan 2 Kings i. 5. In the blind man's cure by Clay and Spettle and washing in Siloam Iohn ix 6. Thus the looking upon the Brazen Serpent cured the people He fed five thousand with five loaves and two fishes To teach us 1. Not to rest in the most effectual means though never so hopeful but to look up to him who works by them 2. Not to despair in the weakest means if of his appointment If they be Siloam which is by interpretation Sent he can make them effectual 2. It is Signum Applicationis By this touch he shews that he helps by a real and close application of himself to us Omnis actio per contactum So there must be a close application of Christ to us if we mean to receive any virtue from him And to this purpose we meet with a double touch 1. Christ toucheth us as here he did the Apostles that is he immediately unites and applies himself his grace power Spirit to us when he conveys any good to us 2. We must touch Christ that 's contactus Fidei Faith must draw near to him as the woman in Matth. ix 21. If I may but touch the hem of his garment I shall be whole Hence saith Christ Thy Faith hath made thee whole 3. It is Signum mirae Efficaciae The least if true and real union with Christ conveys grace and good to us Nature must have Vim Moram nihil tam efficax ut in transitu prosit but the Word the touch of Christ is effectual So Faith if it be not able to lay hold upon him strongly yet if it can but touch him as the woman Si tetigero minimus actus and fimbriam minimum objectum 4. It is Signum virtutis Humanitatis Christi The Humanity and Body of Christ was Omnium instrumentum miraculorum As sanctified and quickned with the Deity it served as a powerful instrument to convey spiritual and supernatural power 'T is Caro vivifica There dwelt virtue in it The leaves of the tree of Life saves the Nations The Humanity of Christ had not a transfusion of Divine properties but it was enrich'd by the Deity with miraculous virtue which being drawn forth by Faith works wonders He did it 4. Voce Consolante He comforts them by a gracious word of heartning and encouragement Arise and be not afraid He will speak peace to his people and to his servants Psal. lxxxv 8. Arise 1. It is a word of Assurance as making known to them that there is no cause of fear 'T is Christ and his Word and Warrant that can secure us Master at thy word I will let down the net Luke v. 5. Let all terrors compass us yet if Christ encourage us it is enough Fear not Go forward made Moses enter the Sea 2. It is a word promising Assistance If he bid us Arise we may hope for his help Have not I commanded thee As Iacob in his fear The Lord that said unto me or bade me return unto my countrey that encouraged him 3. 'T is Verbum Operatorium It breaths life and strength and courage into them But what can a word do to a fainting man Yes 1. 'T is Verbum Dei that is effectual He speaks life and health That Word made us of nothing 2. 'T is Verbum Spiritu corroboratum there goes with it a sweet and powerful concurrence of his Spirit As
Ezek. ii The word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man stand upon thy feet And the Spirit entred into me and set me upon my feet Come we to the eighth and the ninth Verses Of which in short Vers. 8. And when they had lift up their eyes they saw no man save Iesus onely Vers. 9. And as they came down from the Mountain Iesus charged them saying Tell the Vision to no man until the Son of man be risen again from the dead We are now come to the closure and conclusion of this glorious Vision In it two things 1. The issue and end of it They saw Christ alone 2. The use they were to make of it A seasonable concealment of it for a time First For the issue and end of it And this offers to us a threefold Consideration 1. A cessation of all other Appearances Moses and Elias are vanished and withdrawn they see no man remaining 2. The continuance and abode of Christ. He stays and appears and continues amongst them 3. Their eyes are fixed upon him Him onely they behold And so from hence draw these three Conclusions 1. Moses and Elias the Law and the Prophets have but a temporary station and abode in the Church Christ being brought into the world they are withdrawn 2. Christs Office and Glory and Government in his Church 't is lasting and perpetual 3. The Eye and Observation and Faith of the Church is fixed upon Christ onely They look upon none other nor expect any other after him I. The Law and the Prophets they are determined by Christs Coming Moses and Elias they vanish 1. They were of a finite and limited duration not set over the Church as a perpetual Order but had their times fixed and bounded Three times there were that bounded them 1. The time of Reformation God had appointed a more exact and perfecter Government of his Church to succeed them When that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away that which is imperfect must yield Thus we see Aaron he was call'd upon by God to dye and then Moses 2. The Fulness of time that was their stint till he should come who should fill up all things with his Coming 3. A third time was Adulta aetas Ecclesiae When that time is come the Heir is no longer under Tutours and Governours Gal. iv 2. Their Nature and Purpose was for a time onely 1. They had an use of Promising that Age was trained up all under Promises When the Performance came then all Promises were to be abolished 2. They had an use of Prefiguring and Typifying and Shadowing out of good things to come When the Body and Substance comes the Shadows and Figures cease Blossoms wither when the ripe Fruit appears 3. They had an use of Prophesying and Prophesie we know looks not upon present things but upon future When the truths of all Prophesies are fulfilled then they cease II. Christs Presence and Authority and Government in his Church 't is lasting and perpetual Moses and the Prophets have served their time and have given place but Christ remains for ever This the Jews believed We have heard out of the Law that Christ abideth for ever Ioh. xii 34. Hence the Gospel 't is called Evangelium aeternum And the time of the Christian Church it is called The last time because there is to be no more instruction in Religion no new Sacrifice or Priest or Prophet or Sacraments or Form of Government 1. He hath made a full accomplishment of all Prophesies and Predictions there is no looking for another 2. He hath manifested and revealed all truth to his Church This is the dignity that God reserved for his Son All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you Ioh. xv 15. The Church of the Jews had all necessary Truths revealed But 1. Not so clearly 2 Pet. i. 19. That was but as a candle that shines in a dark place Christ brings all Truth to light by the Gospel Now the whole Wisdom of God shines in the Face of Iesus Christ. We understand more clearly then the Prophets themselves 1 Pet. i. 10. 2. Not so fully Indeed they had a Sufficiency for that present estate but now abundance of Truth covers the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea 3. They had Additions and the rule of Faith was increased to them But we are to expect no more the Word of God is sealed up and ratified 3. He hath accomplished and effectually wrought all the good that the Church can be capable of He hath offered up a full Sacrifice obtain'd the gift of the Holy-Ghost This was one cause of abolishing of the Law it was weak made nothing perfect They received not the Spirit by the hearing of the Law That comes by the Gospel And therefore it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fulness of the Gospel III. The eye of the Church looks onely upon Christ fixes upon him and expects no other This is the main difference betwixt the Jewish Church and Ours They were all in expectation and were wayters for better times But our Faith hath him exhibited and presented and rests upon him Hence Christ forewarns them not to listen to or look after any other If any shall say unto you Lo here is Christ or there believe it not Matth. xxiv 23. Go not forth look not after him Oculis videntibus Iesum nihil dignum praeter Iesum The Sun arising darkens all the Stars so all the former Saints are obscured to the eye of the Church and he alone must shine in his full glory As when the King enters into any City all Authority is resigned up to him all Vice-royes and Lieutenants must resign up to him So Moses and the Prophets all yield up their place in the Church to Christ. Now follows Secondly The Use they must make of this Transfiguration and that is a seasonable concealment In it 1. The Injunction it self Iesus charged them 2. The Nature and Purpose of it Not to Publish it 3. The time how long Till the Resurrection First the Injunction Iesus charged them Observe It is the Dignity and Prerogative of Christ to prescribe to his Church a Law of Truth what should be published and taught in his Church and what should be concealed 1. He is Primarius Doctor Legislator He teacheth As one having Authority and it is in his power to propound what Truths he will He is Lord of our Faith and may propound to our Faith whatsoever he pleaseth All other are but subordinate and limited Teachers and must be regulated from this grand Doctour Eccles. xii 11. The Masters of the Assemblies receive all their words as given from one Shepheard Hence they are described with terms and title of Limitation 1. They are Apostles Messengers not going in their own names or publishing what pleases them but receiving tidings from him who sent them 2. They are Ambassadours They