may truly use Jacobs words here and say This is none other but the house of God and this is the gatef heaven Gen. 28.17 Two things we may especially observe in the Text the matter and the manner the substance and the circumstance of the businesse here related The matter and substance is the coming and appearing of the Holy Ghost in sensible forms The circumstance is manifold chiefly it may be referred to the time when and the persons to whom this apparition was made With these points of the circumstance I will begin so to make way to the substance of the matter which is the larger and weighter point and part First then for the time And when the day of Pentecost was fully come This day as it is commonly held was the day of the publishing the Law upon Mount Smai In memory whereof the Jews kept a solemn feast which they commonly called The feast of weeks Deut. 16.10 It got also this name Pentecost because of the number of fifty being fifty daies after their Pascha the fiftieth day after their coming out of Egypt they received the Law and that day they kept this holy feast in remembrance thereof And this day was the fiftieth after Christs resurrection For it is plain that Christ suffered on the Jews preparation day of their Passeover and that the Passeover that year fell on the Sabbath which is therefore called An high day or the great Sabbath Joh. 19.31 and that they reckoned their fifty daies from the first of or after the Sabbath Lev. 23.11 15. which was Christs rising day the first day of their week So then this Pentecost was the fiftieth day from their Passeover exclusively and the fiftieth from Christs resurrection inclusively What then Behold the truth answerable to the figure that shaddow fulfilled in this substance As on the fiftieth day after their Passeover and their deliverance from corporall bondage under Pharoah they received Legem timoris the Law of fear upon Mount Sinai so on the fiftieth after day the accomplishment of our Passeover the Lamb of God slain and risen and our deliverance from the spirituall bondage under Satan we received Legem amoris the Law of love upon Mount Sion For Christ also is a Law-giver even the giver of a new Law as he himself speaketh Joh. 13.34 A new commandement give I you What That ye love one another Which yet is not a new or another Law but the fulfilling and consummation of the old Love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 The end of the commandement is love 1 Tim. 1.5 This Law was given when the Holy Ghost was given For the fruit of the spirit is love Gal. 5.22 The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of love 2 Tim. 1.7 This is that Law of liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free Gal. 5.1 Free in regard of the outward man because the inner man is accepted In my mind I serve the law of God though in my flesh the law of sin Rom. 7.25 Free not in the tie of obedience which is still upon us but in the tax of disobedience that is punishment which he hath taken from us Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 Well then brethren ye see your calling the sum of all is love Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart love thy neighbour as thy self the sincerity of the inside Truth in the inward parts Psal 51.6 For he is an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile Joh. 3. 47. Truth of heart supplyeth defect of hand for ye are called into liberty Gal. 5.13 The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath freed us from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 And where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 Stand fast therefore in this liberty of love Gal. 5.1 As free and not having the liberty for a cloak of malitiousness but as the servants of God 1 Pet 2. Not usin your liberty as an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another Gal. 5 13. For indeed Love is the bond of perfectness Col. 3.14 binding not onely us one to another for the unity of the spirit is in the bond of peace Eph. 4.3 but binding us unto God and God unto us For he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 Joh. 4.16 and that not for a time but for ever For this Law is not written with ink or in tables of stone corruptibly but in fleshly tables of the heart yea in the immortall table of the soul incorruptibly For though tongues cease or knowledge vanish away yet love never falleth away 1 Cor. 13. Now abideth Faith Hope Love but the chief of these is Love For Faith apprehendeth the promise hope attendeth the matter but Love sealeth and assureth confirmeth and strengtheneth both Again this coming of the Holy Ghost was the fiftieth day after Christs Resurrection and therefore the tenth day after his Ascension for he ascended not till the fortieth day Act. 1.3 and then he made his last promise of this which he now performed Ye shall be baptised with the holy Ghost not many daies hence Act. 1.5 He deferred it till the tenth day and on the tenth day he fulfilled it He deferred it till the tenth day that they might be exercised with expectation and whetted with delay For Gods delaies are nothing else but whettings His delay of judgements to the wicked is a whetting of his anger For if a man will not turn he will whet his sword Psal 7.13 Yea he will fourbish it that it may consume Ezek. 21.28 But his delay of grace to his children is a whetting to their zeal For the Physitian by restraint of dyet gaineth stomack health and strength unto his patient And God who best knoweth what is best for us by denying or by deferring grace oftentimes gives grace unto his children Else why did not St. Pauls threefold petition prevaile for his deliverance from that buffeting messenger of Satan but that he might receive a sufficiency of grace to strengthen him 2 Cor. 12. And else why did the prayer of the woman of Canaan suffer likewise a threefold repulse but even to whet her importunity and constancy that at the last she might receive that acclamation O woman great is thy faith Mat. 15.28 Again as untill the tenth day so no longer then the tenth day did Christ defer his promise but on that day he did fulfill it for God is not slack as some men count slackness 2 Pet. 3.9 Not so slack as to forget his promise Hath he said and shall he not doe it hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it Numb 23.19 No but heaven and earth shall sooner passe away Patientia est non negligentia Aug. de ver ap ser 20. then one
us not love darknesse more then light Joh. 3.19 Ye are all the children of the light and of the day wee are not of the night neither of the darknesse 1 Thes 5.5 Where then is our Lumen superius our knowledge of God Are we not either like owles hiding us from this light or like flies playing with it or presuming too near it Where is our Lumen interius our knowledge of our self Are we not like the blind Sodomites groping in our own streets Gen. 19. like the blind Aramites that went they knew not whither notwithstanding the Lords Prophet did lead them 2 King 6. Where is our Lumen exterius our knowledge of our neighbour May not St. Paul's words be inverted Henceforth know we no man after the flesh 2 Cor. 5.16 May we not invert it and say Hitherto have we known no man but after the flesh with fleshly affections to carnall ends and temporall turnes O beloved let us not make so much abuse of light but walk while we have light lest darknesse come upon us Joh. 12.30 For the night commeth when no man can work Joh. 9.4 the night of persecution the night of losse of outward senses the night of losse of inward senses the night of age the night of death the night of judgement Divers kinds of night do hang over our head wee know not how soon our light may be put out in obscure darknesse Pro. 20.20 Onely this wee know that no darknesse can hide us from God for the darknesse and the light with him are both alike Ps 139.12 Yea wee niay well fear that if we turn his light into darknesse now he will again turn our darknesse into light hee will lighten things hid in darkness and make the counsells of the heart manifest 1. Cor. 4.5 And that 's enough to our shame before men by the present light and fiery tryall of the spirit and of the word Every mark shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire 1 Cor. 3.13 but especially to our confusion before men and Angels When the Lord Jesus shall shew himself from heaven with his mighty Angells in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that know not God 2. Thes 1.7 Again Heat also is another property of the fire and that of divers kinds and uses 1. Heat reviving 2. Heat consuming 3. Heat hardning 4. Heat softning 5. Heat drying 6. Heat moistning 7. Heat increasing and decreasing by the wind All these are kindes of heat and proper to the fire and are well agreeing also to this our Heavenly fire the Holy Ghost 1. He yeilds heat reviving Doth not the fire revive frozen creatures and what cold so strong as the death of sin And yet from that by this heat of the spirit men are revived You hath he quickned which were dead in trespasses and sin Eph. 2.1 Gehazi with his masters staffe could not revive the Shunamites Son 2 King 4. For the staffe was dead it self and cold and had no warmth in it But the Prophet himself coming and his warmth applyed the child revived which is allegorized thus that Moses by the Law could not but Christ by the spirit doth revive sin dead mankind Yea indeed Moses made but the smoke of this fire The smoke must go before the fire The smoke smothereth the fire quickneth So the Law must go before the Gospel that stroke us dead but this reviveth us again The letter killeth but the spirit giveth life 2 Cor. 3.6 2. Heat consuming The fire consumeth and turneth all into ashes and by ashes it is preserved and out of ashes again revived And the heat of this heavenly fire consumes all worldlinesse and fleshlinesse and makes all as ashes by the memory of death For this was Abrahams confession I am dust and ashes Gen. 18. Yea this was Davids meditation I have eaten ashes as it were bread Ps 102.9 And by this ashes is this fire preserved and out of it again revived even as the Phoenix out of her own ashes The fires heat consumeth drossy and dry things yet so as it refineth and purifieth the pretious metall And this our God the Holy Ghost is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 How To purge the corruptions of nature I will purely purge thy dross and take away thy tinne Is 1.25 and to refine the perfections of nature that they may shine as Gold in the furnace Wis 3.6 and as silver seven times tryed in the fire Ps 12.6 This is that fire that burneth onely the bonds of Gods Children and makes them like those three in the fiery furnace Dan. 3. of bound become free and to walk at liberty even in the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God And this Divine fire purgeth that hellish fire of the tongue Jam. 3.6 As Phaetons inflammation was said to be quenched by lighting Et saevis compescuit ignibus ignes one fire was striken out with another 3. Heat hardning Doth not the fires heat harden the potters ware and make it of weak and limber clay to become stiffe and strong to serve the uses of the house And we are Gods clay and he is our Potter Is 64.8 and through the fervent heat of this Heayenly fire wee of weak are made strong Heb. 11.34 Even vessells of honor sanctifyed and meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every good work 2 Tim. 2.21 even serviceable to the most honorable use of the house even to hold in martyrdome For so Saint Peter before the sending down of this fire was weak clay easily moulded unmoulded rather from his profession by the objection of a silly maid But he and his fellowes after this fire had past upon them and throughly seasoned them became so strong that they rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christs name Act. 5.41 4. Heat-softning Doth not the fire soften the hardest mettall iron and steel and make it yield to the hammer and to be plyable to the workmans purpose yea to become liquid to melt and run like wax or water And the heat of this Heavenly fire mollifyeth the hardest hearts that they may be wrought by the hammer of the word yea makes them even like wax that melteth in the fire I am powred out like water saith David my heart is like wax it is even molten in the midst of my bowells Ps 22.14 5. Heat drying Doth not the Suns heat dry the fields and make them choppe and cleave and gape for rain And this Heavenly descending from above maketh our soules dry to thirst after righteousness to be athirst for God Even like a barren and dry land where no water is untill we receive the former and latter rain My soul gaspeth after thee saith David even as a thirsty land Ps 143.6 6. Heat moistning Doth not the heat of the Sun exhale moist clouds from the Earth and Waters and dissolve the same again into showers and dewes And doth not the heat of the limbeck make water
are made a member of Christ the child of God and an inheritor of the kingdom of Heaven A. To teach me what I should beleeve and endeavour to make good 13. Q. What do you learn out of that aforesaid of Sacraments for your practise A. First to be thankfull to God for his gracious affording me such helps Secondly to rejoice in the use of them Thirdly to abhorre the Doctrine of the Romish Church which doth adde so many of their own inventions to Gods Ordinances Sect. 7. Of Baptism 1. Q. WHat is the outward visible sign or form in Baptism A. Water wherein the person baptised is dipped or c. 2. Q. Is water alone sufficient without salt spittle oyle c. A. Yes for we read of nothing else used in the first Institution Mat. 3.16 Act. 8.36 37. 3. Q. And what is it to be dipped or sprinckled in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost A. It implyeth the grace of the Author and the bond of the Receiver to wit that by divine right we are created into the grace and favour and bound to the obedience and service of the Father Son and Holy Ghost 4. Q. VVho must baptise A. Onely the lawfull Minister for the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments was one joynt Commission Mat. 28.19 20. And no man is to undertake it without lawfull calling Heb. 5.4 1 Sam. 13.11 2 Sam. 6.6 5. Q. And who must be baptised A. Converts that are of age and can and will make right confession of faith Act. 8.36.37 and Infants of the Church Act. 2.29 6. Q. To what end then are Sureties or VVitnesses if the covenant belong to children of the church A. Because the child cannot offer it self therefore the Sureties in its own and its parents behalf do offer it to the Church by confession and profession and in own its Parents and the Churches behalf doe offer it to God by covenanting 7. Q. But do not the Sureties goe too far in covenanting for the child A. No for they doe not meddle with Gods secret will and counsell but with his ordinance whereto they have calling Mat. 19.14 and covenant Act. 2.39 Secondly their covenant is not to bind themselves to what shall be but to bind the child to what should be 2 King 11.17 2 King 23.3 8. Q. What is the inward and spirituall grace in Baptism A. A death unto sin and a new birth c. 9. Q. Is then sin fully taken away by or in Baptism A. By the virtue of Christs blood we are cleansed from the guilt of sin 1 Ioh. 1.7 and by the power of his spirit we are freed though not from the disposition and inclination to sin yet from the body reign and dominion of sin Rom. 6.6.12.14 10. Q. What may be gathered out of this aforesaid of Baptism for practise A. 1. That Infants baptism must be hastned and not needlesly delayed Mat. 19.14 2. That the performance of it be in all points reverently observed 3. That we should not rest satisfied with our outward Baptism but labour to find and shew the inward Baptism of the Spirit Sect. 8. Of the Lords Supper 1. Q. WHat is outwardly to be received in the Lords Supper A. Bread and Wine 2. Q. Why might not our eating the Bread suffice to signifie our receiving the body and blood of Christ seeing the Bread signifieth the Body and the Body containeth the Blood A. Because our remembrance and comfort is of and in Christs blood shed out of his body 3. Q. But doth not the dignitie of the Minister require or allow that he keep the cup to himself A. No for the dignity of the Minister is in the office of ministring not in the right of receiving 4. Q. But is it not better the Wine should be forborne of the multitude rather then the spilling of it should be hazarded in carrying it about A. No for if the Wine be spilt it is a breach of decency not a losse of Christs blood but the wilfull forbearing of the Cup being a breach of Christs Ordinance is both 5. Q. How much must be eaten and drunken A. So much Bread as is delivered and so much Wine as may shew and prove drinking 6. Q. May none of the Bread bee kept to sanctifie the keeper the fire the pot the house A. No for such use is not onely beyond Christs institution but against the nature of a Sacrament 7. Q. What is the inward part or thing signified in this Sacrament A. The Body and Blood of Christ 8. Q. Are Bread and Wine then turned into the Body and Blood of Christ A. No they keep still their own kind and nature 1 Cor. 10.16 1 Cor. 11.28 9. Q. Why then doth Christ say This is my body this is my blood Mat. 26.26 A. It is a Figurative speech common to the Sacraments Circumcision is called Gods Covenant Gen. 17. 13. the Lamb is called the Lords Passeover Ex. 12.11.21 and it is by Christ expounded spiritually Jo. 6.63 10. Q. Who may or must receive this Sacrament A. None but they that are already by Baptism initiated members of the Church and are of age and reason to discern or make difference of the Lords Body 1 Cor. 11.29 and are at least professors of faith and repentance because holy things must not be given to dogs Mat. 7.6 and are more then one or two at once because it is a Communion 11. Q. What may be gathered out of this aforesaid of the Lords Supper for our practise A. That we have need to prepare our selves before we receive it and to be intent in faith and zeal when we reecive it and to be carefull to shew our growth in grace strength and comfort after we have received it Sect. 9. Of the Creed 1. Q. WHere doe you chiefly find the sum or doctrine of your Faith A. In the Apostles Creed 2. Q. Why is it called the Apostles Creed A. Because it is the summe of the Apostles doctrine 3. Q. What needed then other Creeds to be added or to come after A. To explain and confirm it against new Heresies especially concerning the Unity and the Trinity in the Godhead 4. Q. What doe you then when you say the Creed A. I make my confession of the Christian Faith 5. Q. It it not a prayer A. No. 6. Q. How may that appear A. By consideration first of the nature of it in its originall use which was for converts to answer being questioned What do you beleeve Secondly of its object for it speaketh not to God but to men Thirdly of its subject for it doth neither ask nor give thanks Fourthly of its gesture or manner of utterance for we kneel in prayer but stand up in confessing 7. Q. And why so A. To shew our humbleness in speaking to God and our boldness in speaking to men 8. Q. But may it not be used in or with our prayers A. Yes by way of meditation and to the purpose of
true author of all grace help and comfort Jam. 1.17 Secondly to do my endeavour to help to build and not to pull down this Kingdom 1 Thes 5.11 Thirdly to abhor the Popish Headship and Government of the Church in the title of General Vicar Sect. 26. Of the third Petition 1. Q. WHat is the third Petition A. Thy will bee done in earth as it is in heaven 2. Q. Is it not idle to pray Gods will may be done which will be done whether we will or no Psal 135.6 Dan. 4.35 A. No for we doe not pray for God in respect of his absolute will in working but for our selves in respect of his will in relation to us in commanding or requiring 3. Q. And how far may we understand this will A. Both in what he will doe to or with us and in what he will have us doe to or for him 4. Q. How doe we ask the former to be done A. That by faith and patience we may bear whatsoever his will is to lay upon us as Mat. 26.39 5. Q. How do we ask the latter to be done A. By our fulfilling the rules of his revealed will 6. Q. Where are those rules revealed A. In the Scriptures which are therefore called Gods Testaments Gal. 4.24 7. Q. And what are those rules A. They are two especially the one of Faith Ioh. 6.40 the other of holinesse 1 Thes 4.3 8. Q. But how can Gods will be done in earth being changeable as it seems by that of Abraham Gen. 22. and of Balaam Num. 22 A. Gods will was not changed but fulfilled to and by Abraham for it was but the tryall of his Faith which he fulfilled Heb. 11.17 Neither was it changed to Balaam for God withstood not simply his going but his loving the wages of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2.15 16. 9. Q. Do we not pray against our selves and the forgivenesse of our sins when we pray his will be done seeing he is just A. No for we pray to him as to our Father and for the fulfilling of his Fatherly will in grace 10. Q. Why doe you say as it is in heaven A. Not for equalities sake to match the Saints and the Angels but for similitude that wee may imitate them in spirituall worship Joh. 4.24 11. Q. In what particulars A. Freenesse readinesse sincerenesse unpartialnesse constantnesse 12. Q. VVhat doe you learn for practise out of all aforesaid of the third petition A. First to deny mine own will that I may fulfill Gods Secondly to search and enquire into my heavenly Fathers will Thirdly to being heaven upon earth worshipping God in spirit and truth Ps 3.20 Sect. 27. Of the fourth Petition 1. Q. VVHat is the fourth Article A. Give us this day our daily bread 2. Q. What do you understand here by Bread A. 1. All temporall and corporall necessaries 2. Gods blessing upon them 3 Q. How do you bring all temporall and corporall necessaries under the name of Bread A. Because that is the chiefest Gen. 28.20 Is 55.2 4. Q. How do you bring Gods blessings under the name of Bread A. Because Bread unblest hath no strength or nourishment Ps 78.30 31. Hag. 1.6 Luk. 12.15 5. Q. Why do you ask Bread to be given A. Because we doe not inherit it we cannot earn it nor of our selves provide it 6. Q. Why do we not inherit it A. Because in Adams fall we have lost our right 1 Cor. 15.22 7. Q. Why can we not earn it A. Because that doing all that we are commanded is but our duty Luk. 17.10 Gen. 32.10 8. Q. Why can we not of our selves provide it A. Because God alone createth and prospereth and we cannot make one hair white or black Mat. 5.36 9. Q. How then may Bread become ours A. By Gods free gift through our Adoption in Christ Heb. 1.2 1 Cor. 3.22 and through his blessing upon our lawfull calling 2 Thes 3.12 10. Q. Is it not lawfull to provide Bread for to morrow seeing we say our daily bread A. Yes for Joseph in plenty stored for Famine Gen. 41.48 and we must provide for our houshold 1 Tim. 5.8 11. Q. Why then doe we so speak A. To shew our moderatenesse in our selves in respect of our caring Mat. 6.25 and our confidence and dependance upon Gods renewing his blessings every morning Lam. 3.23 12. Q. What do you learn for practise out of all aforesaid of the fourth Petition A. First to apply my self chiefly to God for my having of Bread Jam. 1.17 Secondly to apply my self to means of labour and not to think to have it by bare asking 2 Thes 3.10 Thirdly to be thankfull for having it and not to forget the giver Deut. 6.11 12. Sect. 28 Of the fifth Petition 1. Q. WHat is the fifth Petition A. And forgive us our trespasses as wee forgive them that trespasse against us 2. Q. What do you understand by Trespasses A. Both the fault and the punishment of our sins 3. Q. How do you gather this A. Because Mat. 6.12 it is said debts which must needs be punishments For we owe to God not sinnes but suffering for sins but Luk. 11.4 it is said sins which plainly signifieth the act or fault 4. Q. What do you understand in the word forgive A. Both parts of our Justification viz. the not imputing our sins to us Rom. 4.7 and the imputing of righteousnesse to us ver 5. 5. Q. Are we to ask forgiveness of sins onely in generall A. No for we are directed also to particular confession Prov. 28.13 6. Q. Who may forgive sins A. None but God Mar. 2.7 7. Q. Must we not then forgive one another A. Yes as concerning our own wrongs Mat. 18.21 8. Q. But doth not Christ give power to the Ministers to forgive sins Mat. 18.18 Joh. 20.23 A. Not properly to forgive sins but to pronounce and declare it as also in the Sacrament not to give but to sign and seal grace as also the Levitical Priests had power to pronounce but not to make cleane Lev. 13. 9. Q. Must we say as we forgive or for we also forgive A. Either of both for the former is given us Mat. 6.12 and the latter Luk. 11.4 10. Q. Do we compare with God in the former A. No but we shew our selves ready to imitate and obey him Luk. 6.36 11. Q. Doe we in the latter plead cause of Gods forgiving us A. No but doe comfort our selves in his promise Mat. 6.14 12. Q. Must we then forgive all wrongs and injuries A. Yes in respect of malice and private revenge Rom. 12.19 13. Q. What ground then have private quarrels and duels A. None but natures corruption as in Cain Gen. 4. 14. Q. But did not David undertake a duell 1 Sam. 17. A. Not in his own cause nor out of a private spirit nor by ordinary motion 15. Q. What doe you learn for practise out of all aforesaid of the fifth petition A. First to confesse my sins to God
fragrant field unto the Lord. I speak not this to perswade any man wilfully to make himself miserable for our Saviour himself hath pronounced it to be A more blessed thing to give then to receive Neither doe I speak to commend or justifie the counterfeit zeal of those that mock the world with a false shew of wilfull poverty whiles shutting themselves up in a Cloister that they may seem to forsake the world they do indeed enjoy it in all superfluity Or at the least the worst of their misery is no more then that which that holy man prayeth for Pro. 30.8 Give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me If they have no excesse they are sure to feel no want but to be sufficiently provided for both for back and belly so long as they live there and are they not then very zealous think you in binding themselves to such a misery But my speech is to hearten all those with comfort on whom God hath layd affliction that they may bee so far from impatience as rather to rejoyce in tribulation Rom. 5.3 because it was their Masters common lot and portion for the Disciple is not above his Master nor the servant above his Lord it is enough for the Disciple to be as his Master and the servant as his Lord. Yea not onely the afflictions of life but death it self and the grave should be welcom and acceptable to us for Christ also hath passed them and by suffering hath sanctified them unto us so that the curse of death is turned into a blessing and the grave is become a bed of rest Rev. 14.13 and that Prophecie Is 11.8 is fulfilled The sucking child shall play upon the holt of the Asp and the weaned child shall put his hand upon the Cockatrice hole There is now no danger to Gods children in the hole of death that is the Grave for death hath lost his sting and cannot hurt us so that we may triumph and say O death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thanks be to God which hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. In the last place let us learn not onely to admire Christs love to us nor onely to love him again nor only to love those that are like to him in suffering nor onely to love his sufferings themselves but withall to hate sin which was the occasion of his sufferings Sin was the occasion of Christs sufferings for had not Adam sinned Christ had had no cause or need to suffer If therefore wee love him wee cannot chuse but hate that which was to him the occasion of such a miserable life and such a shamefull painfull and cruell death David 2 Sam. 23. being an high Captaine though he longed for the water of Bethleem yet would not tast it when hee had it because it cost his three souldiers the hazard of their lives thathe might have it Much more we being servile souldiers though our soules long for the sweet waters of sin yet should we forbear to tast it because it cost our high Captaine Christ not the hazard but the very loss of his life that we might not have it God shewed Moses a tree wherewith he might make the bitter waters sweet Exo. 15.25 but behold I shew you a tree wherewith ye may make the sweet waters of sin to become bitter Look upon the tree of Christ remember his Cross and the pains he suffered thereon and the false sweetnesse of sin will quickly vanish and ye shall rightly rellish the bitterness of it If the delight of any sinne offer it self unto you cast Christ his Cross into it do but remember his sufferings for sin and all sin will presently grow distastfull For how can it choose but be hatefull to us if we consider how hurtfull it was to him The Jews would not put those thirty peeces into their Treasury because they thought them to bee the price of blood Mat. 27.6 but therein I must say they were deceived for Judas for that money did rather sell himself and his own soul then Christ or Christs blood For Christ was sold before even God had sold him before to death for the sin of man For when in the fall of man the devil offered sin unto God then did God threaten Christ unto him namely That the seed the woman should break the serpents head Gen. 3. And had not Christ been so sold before to death for sin not all the treasure in Jerusalem nor in all the world could have bought him Seeing then that Sin was the true and proper price for which Christ was sold how unworthy are wee the name of Christians yea how much worse are we then Jews if we suffer this price of blood to come into the treasury of our hearts If therefore any motion of pride arise in thy mind answer and tell it thou art the price of blood If any temptation of lust be offered to thine eyes answer and tell it thou art the price of blood If any provocation of anger or revenge be urged to thy hands answer and tell it thou art the price of blood If any greedinesse of gain move thee to wrong or oppression answer and tell it thou art the price of blood And whatsoever sin thou art tempted to answer and tell it thou art the occasion of my Saviours death thou art the price of Christs blood thou mayst not therefore come into the treasury of my heart O blessed Lord and sweet Saviour we do even with astonishment admire thy passing great love towards us we pray thee also by the fervent fire of thy great love that is upon us to kindle in us true love to thee again yea to all that are like thee in thy sufferings yea to thy sufferings themselves that we may patiently bear them whensoever they befall us But make us truly to hate sinne that was the occasion of thy sufferings We beleeve O Lord that by thy blood thou hast washt us from the guilt of sin wee beseech thee also make us more and more effectually find and feele that by thy spirit thou doest purge us from the love of sin that so our consciences may be comforted in all our life and especially in our death and our soules and bodies eternally saved in the life to come by and thorough thy all-sufficient sufferings and satisfactions For which unto thee with the Father and the Holy Ghost three persons one eternall God wee render all possible praise and thanksgiving and desire all honour and glory might and majesty may be ascribed for ever and ever Amen Finis Serm. 2. Trino-uni gloria Per me Gulielmum Gaium Martial At male si recites incipit esse tuus A SERMON preached at the Visitation held at Campden May 4. 1636. Text. JOH 13.17 If ye know these things blessed or happy are ye if ye doe them
not high minded I have no proud looks but I refrain my soul and keep it low like as a child that is weaned from his mother yea my soul is even as a weaned child And so much for the first point of the Text viz. that knowing is required If ye know The second is that doing is required If ye doe It is said of our Saviour Act. 1.2 that he did doe and teach not teach onely but doe and teach And when the Disciples of John came to ask him Art thou he that should come or look we for another he satisfied them by shewing them his doings and workes The blind receive sight the halt goe the Lepers are cleansed Mat. 11. And when he would make himself known to his Disciples he shewed them his hands and his feet hee did not shew them his head Luk. 24.39 As Christ made himself known to be Christ so should we make our selves known to bee Christians Wee must shew our hands and our feet the works we doe and the wayes wherein wee walk For as a tree is known by his fruits so is a Christian known by his works Therefore Moses giveth it in charge to the people to birde the Law to their hand Deut. 6.8 Hee doth not bid them slightly lay it to their hand that they might shake it off when they would as St. Paul shakt off the Viper Act. 28. as if it were a Nolime tangere but bind it to your hand that ye may do it and continue doing it But some perhaps may say to me why do you tell us of binding the Law to our hands You should rather tell us of binding the Gospel to our heads tell not us of Fac hoc vives Doe this and thou shalt live but tell us rather of that whosoever beleeveth in him shall never dye Joh. 11.26 What need we take thought for doing when as Christ hath done all for us already He is the Lord our righteousness Jer. 23.6 Thus do many deceive themselves with a dead faith as if Christ had redeemed us unto idlenesse nay unto wickednesse But though Christ hath redeemed us yet St. Paul bid us work out our salvation with feare and trembling Phil. 2.12 Simon did not begin to carry the Crosse out of Jerusalem nor Christ did not carry it throughout unto Mount Calvary to teach us that as without him we cannot beginne our salvation so without us hee will not end it Not that Popishly we should be comeritors with Christ but onely co workers with his grace for the peace of our own consciences the good example of our neighbour and for the satisfaction of the Church But if Christ had left out this latter clause of words if ye doe them yet he had spoken enough for doing in the former words onely in requiring knowing for by knowing sometimes in Scripture is understood doing to know doth imply to doe as Joh. 17.3 This is life eternall that they know thee to be the onely true God Where that knowing doth imply doing it appeareth by that 1 Joh. 2.3 Hereby we are sure that we know him if we keep his Commandements He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandements he is a lyar and the truth is not in him Here yee see that knowing doth imply doing to know God is to keep his Commandements And in this sense it is said of Christ 2 Cor. 5.21 That he knew no sin that is that he did none And of God Mat. 25.12 I know you not that is I have nothing to doe with you For he hath nothing to doe with the stoole of wickednesse Psal 94.20 Seeing then knowing doth imply doing it had been enough I say to set us awork and make us be doing if hee had said no more but this If ye know these things blessed are ye though he had left out If ye do them But seeing he hath set down that also in plain termes how much more are we to consider it to remember it and to practise it But I hasten forwards and come to the third point viz. What we must know and do these things If yee ask mee what is here meant and what is to be understood by these things I answer that if you look back into the fore-part of this Chapter ye shall find unum necessarium one thing for all which if yee know and if you doe I may say unto you Blessed are ye It is the example of examples the example of Charity which the Apostle saith is the fulfilling of the Law Filius Dei tam sese humiliter abjicere atque prosternere ut pedes discipulorum lavet stupendum est charitatis exemplum Dr. Plaifore saith an eloquent Doctor of late time That the Son of God should so abase and prostrate himselfe as to wash his Disciples feet it is an astonishing example of Charity This is that example we have here namely of Christs charity in washing his Disciples feet Wherein wee have matter of learning for our knowing and matter of example for our doing Matter of learning for our knowing For whereas no doubt he sate uppermost or in the chief room he riseth and leaveth his place and putteth off his upper garment there is his descension and humiliation he girdeth himself with a towel there is his Incarnation he powreth out water there is the shedding of his blood and the effusion of his spirit into a bason into all the world peace to them that are afar off peace to them that are near He began there is his own inchoation to wash or cleanse there is outward mortification the feet signifying the affections there is inward sanctification of the Disciples there is election he wipeth them with the towell wherewith he was girt there our filthiness cleaveth to his flesh he is made sin for us And having done he taketh his garment and his seat again there is his Ascension and Session and being set he teacheth his Disciples what he hath done there is his continuall guiding of the Church by the spirit of truth And all this is for our knowledge and speculation Again for our practise and imitation the Master doth a good worke to his servants there superiours have an example of charity Peter is reproved for refusing there inferiours have example of obedience He doth the worke before them therefore we must teach by our actions and examples Having done hee tells of it and exhorts them to follow it therefore we must teach by our instructions and exhortations He doth it and telleth it to his Disciples therefore wee must have discretion to know where to bestow exhortation for we may not cast pearles before swine nor give that which is holy unto dogs Mat. 7.6 And in all the whole work we have example of so great charity meeknesse and humility as is ever to be imitated but never to be matched But because he saith these things in the plurall number I will not therefore restrain our knowing and doing to this one last
men mind earthly things yet our conversation is in heaven Phil. 3.19 And though so long as we lye among the pots and dwel in houses of clay these wings want not earthly pollution yet when our earthly house of this tabernacle shall be dissolved then they shall be argent Or lux oriens Perer. in Gen. 1.3 yea orient full of lustre and splendor even as the wings of a dove which is covered with silver wings and her feathers like gold Psal 68. In the expectation whereof David as rapt and ravished cryeth out Psal 55.6 O that I had wings like a dove for then would I flee away and be at rest What then Very seasonably and conveniently doe we now clap both these wings together that so with all the flock of innocent doves with all the Elect which from all quarters fly unto Christ as the doves unto their windows Is 60.8 we may addresse our selves to make one flight in the meeting and congratulating of our Saviour for as much as our true Dove the holy Ghost who is not onely the leader but the breeder of all this brood hath descended and lighted upon his head giving us therein our true aim and mark to what rock we should repair Lo the heavens were opened unto him and John saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him Mat. 3.16 In a word Piety and Charity is the sum of our obedience the totall of the Law Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind this is the first and great commandement and the second is like unto it thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self on these two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets Mat. 22.37 Well and wisely therefore do we now present him with this sum of our obedience during our celebration of his first coming that so hee may make up our accompt and perfect our reckoning by bringing us a quietus est ready drawn at his second coming For in him indeed the sum of our righteousnesse and the totall of our obedience consisteth For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10.4 Yea this is the name whereby we are taught to call him the Lord our righteousness Jer. 23.6 Wherefore that these duties now so solemnly pretended may be rightly and truly that is understandingly and conscionably with the head and with the heart intended and attended and so both the receipt and the return of those graces may truly appear in us I have chosen this Text which sheweth the Fountain the Stream and the Banks of Grace From whence and how and in what measure Grace doth flow 1. The Fountain of his fulness 2. The Stream have all we received 3. The Banks and grace for grace that so being known how and whence it cometh it may be rightly received namely with joyfulnesse and thankfulnesse and rightly returned namely with humbleness and holyness 1. Part. The Fountain is this Of his fulness It is our Saviour Christ the Son of God the Son of Man God and Man the Redeemer of Man who is here spoken of as plainly appeareth in all the foregoing narration of the Evangelist In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God c. Of his fulness have we all received Of his fulness This Text suteth very well and agreeth with other answerable Scriptures which doe set forth the gifts of Grace the effects of the Spirit by the embleme or instance of water which we find very frequent and common and no marvaile the comparison being very right and proper very emphaticall and significant For 1. Water never naturally ascendeth but descendeth and Grace proceedeth not from Man to God but from God to Man Every good and perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the father of lights Jam. 1.17 2. Water filleth the lowly valleys so Grace replenisheth humble minds For God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Jam. 4.6 3. Water purifieth and multiplieth or increaseth by running but putrifyeth and decreaseth by setling And Grace by diligence is improved but by negligence impaired Thou evill and slothfull servant thou oughtest to have put my money to the exchangers and then at my coming I should have received mine own with vantage or usury Mat. 25.27 Therfore the water of life that Christ giveth is said to be springing not setling Joh. 4.14 A Well of water springing up unto everlasting life And the waters that came from under the Temple Ezek. 47.1 were first to the ankles then to the knees then to the loyns and became a River that no man might pass over Many more particulars of resemblance might be instanced in this Allegory but this one may go for all as being indeed Instar omnium the sum of all Namely Water washeth and cleanseth the filth of the body and so Grace cleanseth and purgeth the filth of the soul Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin purge me with hysop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter then snow Psal 51. Let us then make some application of this to our selves that we may not passe it without some benefit And to that purpose let us apply it by way of tryall making the tryall to be of the cause by the effect of our washing by our cleansing Whether we have received or not received or at least whether we have in vain received the Grace of God or no For indeed that we have received it we all professe and we would take scorn to be denyed it yea if we would deny it God and his Church will affirm it that we have received it even litteral and mysticall washing in the Sacrament of Baptism Shew then the proof of it in thy cleansing For certainly Gods Church is like a flock of sheep going up from the washing Can. 4.2 They tell where they have been they tell their washing by their cleannesse Be it so then indeed with us let our cleansing prove our washing Learn of David I will wash mine hands in innocency O Lord and so will I go to thine altar Psal 26.6 Learn of St. James Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purge your hearts ye wavering minded Jam. 4.8 Learn of St. Paul Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 That so we may be indeed like the sheep coming out of the water fair and clean Not like the black Moor coming out of the water never the whiter for all his washing And if thou art come to any degree of cleansing O then especially beware of fouling fall not again into that which thou hast forsaken but say with the Spouse Can. 5.3 I have put off my coat how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them And return not with the dog to the vomit or with the sow to thy wallowing in the
fully come For now and not before did his servants receive his full name in their foreheads being baptised in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And now being made known to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his triple unity revealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of speciall excellencie he is become to us a King and we to him a Kingdom For now especially hee hath vouchsafed to specifie his Church by the name of his Kingdome Mat. 11. Hee that is least in the Kingdome of God that is in the state of his Church after this third revealing of himself This is the compleat mystery of godlinesse God is manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 And as In him so also By him to us is the Trinity especially perfected For this God of order allwaies observeth order as ad intra in his personall proprieties so ad extra in his outward works The Father creating the Son redeeming the Holy Ghost sanctifying And what had the former two works been without this third The Son of God had his two-fold marriage one personall with his flesh the other mysticall with his Church and in each the Father was the Donor the Son the Receiver there wanted not Bride or Bridegoom or giver But who could be worthy to be the minister in these holy conjunctions None but the Holy Ghost He was the Minister in the personall marriage For the word was made flesh but how he was conceived of the Holy Ghost Conceived the flesh supernaturally formed the Word hypostatically united And in the mysticall marriage likewise he is the Minister For if any man have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his But as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the Sons of God For this is that spirit of adoption by whom we cry Abba Father Rom. 8. He worketh the application of Christ unto us by faith and of us unto Christ by love and so is that marriage made The father is our Physitian the Son our Physick But the Holy Ghost is that blessed Apothecary which applyeth of this salve to every sore and administreth portions of this portion distributing to every one severally even as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 The Father was the sacrificer the Son the Sacrifice but where was the fire Wis 16. This charitas Dei this loving spirit this love of God Tit. 3.4 or rather this God Love for God is love 1 Jo. 4.8 was that heavenly fire wherein this sacrifice was finished For God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son Jo. 3.16 And through the eternall spirit Christ offered himself without spot to God Heb. 9.14 The Son is the arme the Holy Ghost is the hand the Father the body from which they issue or are derived And as in the body naturall the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee 1 Cor. 12. Yea the feeble members are so necessary that to the lesse honorable members we give more abundant honor so in this body of bodies this fountain of beings the holy deity the plurality of persons is no waies needlesse but their perfection consisteth not lesse in their Trinity then in their unty And lest we should think the Holy Ghost because he is the third in order to be the third in honor behold what abundant honor we are to give him The arm and hand work together and at once with the body and in and with the same strength yet the perfection and consequently the honor of the work more immediately belongeth to the arme and most immediately to the hand This Holy Ghost is the holy hand of God by which all the works of God are to us most immediately perfected With a mighty hand a stretched out arm he brought his Israel out of corporall bondage And with that stretched arme the redemption of the Sonne and this mighty hand the operation of the Holy Ghost he bringeth his Israel out of spirituall bondage I cannot shew you all the fingers of this hand for they abound yet not superfluously like that monstrous creature who had six upon each hand 2 Sam. 21. but richly as it becometh the Creator being Lord of all to be rich unto all Let it suffice that some of these fingers are expressed in the Scriptures Exo. 8.19 Pharaohs inchanters spake concerning the plague of lice This is the finger of God there is medius the strong finger of Power Exo. 31. Moses received the two Tables written with the finger of God there is Index the pointing finger of wisdom Lu. 11.20 Christ saith If I by the finger of God cast out Devills there is medicus the healing finger of mercy These are not those writing fingers in Belshazars vision Dan. 5. they write no fearfull inditement but they are those dropping fingers Can. 5. which droppe down pure myrrhe blessed distillations of grace and mercie to blot out the old handwriting that was against us Yea this hand enableth them on whom it resteth to prevail with God by holy wrastling as Jacob did Gen. 32.28 and to make violent entry by force into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 11.12 No marvell that Christ saith It is expedient for you that I go away Joh. 16.7 Why that the third person might take his course and turn that God unto us-ward might be perfected In him in respect of revelation By him in respect of application and operation Again this feast of the comming and appearing of the Holy Ghost is to us the feast of feasts the speciall feast We may compare it yea with reverence be it spoken we may preferre it to the feast of the Nativity in the former respects Namely in our own behalf this being the consummation of that unto us the Catastrophe the last scene of that divine act of the blessed Trinity In that feast God unchanged in himself descended unto man In this man changed and renewed from himself is lifted up unto God In that God became partaker of the humane nature in this man is made partaker of the divine nature In that one man was made the Temple of God 1 Cor. 6.19 in this every one of the faithfull is made so feverally and all-together jointly Eph. 2.21 That was begun secretly in the Virgins womb and accomplished obscurely in a stable This was done openly and publickly at a great feast and a solemn assembly In a word as the beginning without the end were vain so the end would not be without the beginning Therefore let no man put asunder that which God hath joyned together Yet exitus acta probat unto us the end and consummation is all in all Be it so then and let Saint Bernards player teach us the use of it Ser. 3. in Pent. that I follow it not further Solemnitatem praecipuam hodie celebramus utinam devotione praecipua Wee celebrate a speciall feast to day God grant we do it with speciall devotion that God
imbraceth his body and spurneth his feet No no but Quicquid propter Deum fit aequaliter fit Hee that serves God aright serves him with an equall mind and saith with the Psalmist I have respect unto all thy Commandements Ps 119.6 and resolves with Saint James that he who faileth in one point of the Law is guilty of all But in their later falshood ye may behold and wonder that they should be precisest in smallest matters O but there was great skill and cunning in that for thereby they stayed the world from looking after their greatest businesses For it could not be easily imagined or suspected that they who were so conscionable as to tyth herbes yea the basest and vilest of their herbs would be unconscionable in the greatest matters of judgement and mercie that they which did strain at a gnat could possibly swallow a Cammell Let the discovery of this evill be enough of it self to make us not to learn it but to loath it to learn that of Christ This ought ye to have done and not to have left the other undone The greatest duties are first to be respected and the least after not to be neglected 4. Lastly their righteousnesse was vainglorious Yea this was that whereof all their other services did relish and whereby their imperfections were as it were perfected and made up For why was their righteousnesse verball why formall why partiall but for vainglory sake And if this sauce sowreth the best service as indeed it doth how tart then did it make their services which were every one so harsh in themselves and how fulsome a messe did they make being all put together Yea in their vain-glory wee may observe which indeed is naturall to all pride not onely the advancing of themselves but the abasing of other This I say is prides propertie for every ascent is by pressing or treading somewhat down This no doubt the Pharisees were guilty of else Christ would never have taxed and charged them with such a boasting as Lu. 18. to set them forth speaking so proudly to the contempt and condemning of all others I am not as other men are Whereupon Saint Augustine De ver Dom. ser 36. Diceret saltem sicut multi homines Quid est caeteri homines nisi omnes praeter ipsum He might have said not as many men but now he saith not as other men what is it but that he condemneth all men And that not in a few or light things but many and great Extortioners Unjust Adulterers Yea he is not content with indefinite or generall speaking but dares touch upon particular saying Or even as this Publican Whereupon again Saint Augustine Insulat non exultat Hom. 44. Hee doth but insult upon his fellowes hee doth not rightly rejoice in himself There is a holy rising of the soul a rising by humility as the Eagle is said to rise highest out the lowest Valley So the virgin mothers rising was My soul doth magnifie the Lord saith she and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour for he hath regarded the low linesse of his hand mayden but the Pharisees rising was both presumptuous and contemptible to rise by trampling on the necks and crowns of others Thus yee see how still they dip their soules in a double die of sinne breaking the rule of faith which saith Christ came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chief 1 Tim. 1.15 And breaking And breaking the rule of of faith which willeth that every man esteem another better then himself Phil. 2.3 Acquitting where they should condemne I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Rem 7.18 and condemning where they should acquit Charity thinketh not evill believeth all things hopeth all things 1 Cor. 13. Beware therefore as of double sin in every kind for in one sin shalt thou not be unpunished so especially of this swelling and trampling pride For every one that exalteth himself shall be brought low and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted Finis Serm. sive tract 6. Trino-uni gloria Per me Gulielmum Gaium Two SERMONS upon Ps 8.4 The former of them for a Funerall farewell to the late Honorable the Conutesse of Manchester preached in my place in Manchester house in Canon Row Westminster in a Right Honoable presence Ian. 8. 1653. Text. Psa 8.4 What is man that thou art mindfull of him IT is a naturall thing to naturall men to affect knowledge therefore our first parents in Paradise could not be content with all the trees in the Garden but they must needs have a tast of the tree of Knowledge though God himself had forgiven them But it is a supernaturall thing to regenerate men to affect the Knowledge of themselves Therefore though the heathen men had that excellent saying among them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know thy self Yet they had it as from the Oracle of Apollo and they held it for no humane but for a Divine precept Therefore also when Adam forgetting himselfe desired that high Knowledge which was forbidden him God himself came and told him his own and what he was Dust thou art and dust thou shalt return Upbraiding his pride and condemning his folly that he would presume to desire so high Knowledge which was too wonderfull and excellent for him and in the mean time neglect that Knowledge which was more proper and sutable to him namely the knowledge of himself Indeed Saint Paul saith Knowledge puffeth up 1 Cor. 8.1 but no doubt hee meaneth outward Knowledge of things without us which is called Scientia as for the knowledge of our self which is rather to be called Conscientia if it be right and true it can not puffe us up it will rather beat us down and humble us For he that knoweth himself knoweth that he is a creature therefore that he hath a creature that he is not of himself nor by himself nor for himself but that his creation is from God his preservation by God and his whole being in God And so the knowledge of a mans self brings him to the knowledge of God So that as Saint John saith of Love 1. Joh. 4.2 How can he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen love God whom he hath not seen So may I say of Knowledge How can hee that knoweth not himself whom he hath seen know God whom he hath not seen Hugo lib. 3. de Anima Frustra cordis oculum erigit ad Deum qui nondum idoneus est ad videndum seipsum Hee doth in vain lift up his eyes to see God who is not yet fitted to see himself Chrys Est primum hominis sapientiam affectantis contemplare quod ipse sit It is the chief property of a man that affecteth wisdome to contemplate what himself is Wherefore this holy Prophet David was very carefull in seeking for this knowledge and very diligent in searching the state and condition of himself And howsoever no doubt he studied