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
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
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
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
and people Out of the bounds of the Church there is no redemption or salvation He who is out of this Ark perishes he who eats the Passeover out of this house is accursed he who lives out of this Hierusalem is an Heathen They erre who teach In any Religion there is possibility of salvation No Salvation is of the Iews sayd Christ so now Of the Christians Basan is an high Mountain but this is God's Mountain where it pleaseth him to dwell They erre too who teach that Christ's sufferings may profit even extra Ecclesiam and that there is a common grace beyond the pales of the Church No no sacrifice but in Hierusalem no grace but in the Church That is the place to which God hath respect There he hath commanded a blessing and life for evermore If Shimei peep in Hierusalem his lines pass but to Gath he dies for it Enough of the conference about Christ's decease Come we now to the Entertainment that the Apostles gave to this glorious Transfiguration v. 32. It represents the Apostles in three particularities 1. In a weakness and indisposition They were heavy with sleep 2. In a more attentive view and contemplation when they were awake They saw his glory and the two men that stood with him 3. In a sudden and passionate affection motion and petition v. 33. First here we see the Apostles in a great weakness and indisposition all fallen into a sleep That we may the better conceive the nature and original of this their condition at this time we may resolve it into these three considerable estimations of it 1. As a Natural infirmity 2. As a Carnal indisposition 3. As a Spiritual amazement and consternation I. Conceive it ut naturalis infirmitas as a natural Infirmity No doubt but they were bound to have attended with all vigilancy upon this manifestation of our Saviour exacting of them a stedfast watching and careful observation as Elijah to Elisha If thou seest me when I am taken from thee yet here these choyse Apostles are clogg'd with those humane imperfections and overtaken with sleep when they should have been awakned to most attention Nay the Evangelist singles out Peter as the chief Sleeper So in the Garden these when they should have assisted and refresh'd Christ in his Passion they were then fallen a sleep again And Christ singles out Peter Simon couldest thou not watch one hour It is true as Commentators conceive it was in the time of Sleep Peter and the rest were no Church-sleepers but being called to watch on Mount Tabor and Christ Praying all Night the weakness of Nature prevailed upon them This is the condition of the best Saints Corpus quod corrumpitur degravat animam We live here a life of necessities we should wish to have Evangelical bodies alwayes to attend his Glory and service But while we bear about us these clogs of corruption we are sunk downward even in our best performances This makes the Saints groan not only under sinful corruptions but natural necessities fain would they be freed from them that they might be alwayes exercised in heavenly performances A necessitatibus meis erue me Domine But are these three noted not without imputation that they are asleep although excuseable by those forenamed Circumstances it puts the occasion into my mouth to awaken our Church-sleepers and drousie Auditors A fault though pardonable if rarely and seldome and little done yet let us question their practice who like Solomon's sluggard Fold up themselves in sleep and like Esay's dogs Delight in sleeping 1. Whence may it arise 2. What may it procure 1. The evilness of the root 2. The bitterness of the fruit will condemn it as sinful 1. Quae radix What is the root whence it springs 1. Sometimes out of Infirmity and a child of God and one whose heart seeks the Lord may be overtaken That is my case saith every one it is mine Infirmity I wish it were otherwise But if it be an Infirmity we may know it by these signs 1. It will be counted an Infirmity if we grieve for it and be sorry and humbled and troubled at it Let the sin be never so small yet if thou continuest in it securely with delight or content if thy heart smite thee not for it thou art excluded from the plea of Infirmity 2. If it be to be accounted as a pardonable Infirmity then we will strive against it we shall find a contrary holy inclination a rousing us out of it Thus Christ excused his Apostles sleeping Matth. xxvi 41. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak He saw their desires were good Didst thou ever labour against it pray against it make a Covenant with thine eyes as Iob speaks 3. If we daily get some strength and prevailing against it If we live and lye in our Infirmity and after warning never improve it it ceases to be accounted an Infirmity 't is to be reckon'd a voluntary sin 2. Sometimes it arises from our immoderate labours defrauding our selves of a due refreshing and so enforcing us to make bold with God's house and day to take up our rest This makes it more sinful God appointed a preparation to his Sabbath that body and soul may be better fitted and enabled Have you not houses to eat and to drink in saith S. Paul Hath not God given you the night for to sleep say I and your houses and beds to rest in but you must despise the Church of God 3. Sometimes ignorance and deadness of understanding is the cause of it When the spirit of a man is unacquainted with what he hears when they are things that his understanding skills not of naturally the soul sinks into heedlesness and drowsiness of spirit Didst thou know the gift of God Didst thou consider that the word that is spoken is Life and Power Wert thou acquainted with the mysterie of Godliness it could not but extort attention But when we sit as meer Gallio's regarding nothing no wonder though we sleep 4. Sometimes prophaneness and neglect and contempt of Gods Ordinances that is the original They account the Sabbath a lost day What will this Babler speak They who see no beauty in Gods Sanctuary that say We know what the Preacher can say such unclean dogs delight in sleeping Oh! David had such delight in Gods word and calling upon him that he awakened at midnight thy dull prophaness makes thee sleep at noon-day Indecens Christiano si radius Solis inveniat dormientem Aug. How much more unbecoming is it that the Sun of righteousness should take us napping Awake therefore thou Sleeper and call upon thy God 5. Sometimes Satan works it in men As he is a dumb spirit or a deaf spirit so sometimes he is a sleepy drowsie spirit He hates to see us spiritually exercised And if he cannot other wayes yet this way he can prevent the working of Gods word He can like Mercury lay souls asleep lest they should hear with
bona and then when we come to the Censure we will consider Quae temerè inepté In this Motion for Continuance there are several Truths and very considerable 1. Primò territi nunc gaudio affecti First we saw them cast into a kind of Astonishment In somno ecstatico now see it ends in Joy and Comfort It is the order of Gods making himself known first to strike us with fear to bring us to comfort first Astonishments then Consolations Thus he dealt with Mary first she was afraid then she was raised to Sing her Magnificat So with Zechary So with the Shepherds The Devil on the contrary he breeds false joys but leaves true terrours in the soul. That 's one Considerable 2. Societas Sanctorum semper desideranda Peter was loth to leave the Company and Society of these holy men Oh! It is good to be here always The Communion of Saints it is a great part of heaven You are come to the Assembly of the First-born to the spirits of just men made perfect David professes Psal. xvi 3. All his delight is in the Saints on earth Ill company is a pattern of hell hasten from them But the fellowship of the Saints is a ravishing comfort hasten to them Hast thou the company of a Saint Prize it but Depart from the Tents of those wicked men Numb xvi 26. That 's a second Considerable The last is 3. The joyes of Glory and Presence of Christ are ravishing and transporting Nothing doth so satisfie the soul and inebriate the spirit as these rays and beams of Glory Oh! taste and see how good how sweet God is Now how transporting the Comfort is that is in the glorious Presence of Christ will appear by these five Comparisons 1. Comparatively to all outward joyes and comforts It makes him forget all he thinks not of kindred friends any worldly comfort he can be content never to go down from this Mount more bids adieu to father friends houses all are nothing to being here 2. Comparatively to all other manifestations of God out of Christ Moses he trembles Manoah quakes Abraham is astonish'd Daniel he is dead Oh! God out of Christ is fearful God in Christ is gracious The Glory of God affrights the Glory of Christ cheers and refreshes 3. Comparatively to other entercourses with Christ. Peter heard his heavenly Sermon on the Mount yet said not then Bonum est esse hîc 4. Comparatively to other miraculous manifestations which would have taken us as 1. In miraculo Cibationis When he fed five thousand 2. In captura Piscium In the great draught of Fish 3. In mutatione Vini When the water was turned into wine 4. In captura Argenti When the Fish was taken with money in the mouth In all these manifestations of Christ's miraculous Power we would have cried Bonum est esse hîc But Peter was not affected with any of these only at this Transfiguration Master saith he It is good to be here 5. Comparatively to the fulness of Glory That is not onely ravishing but this glimpse of Glory too even the least degree of it Corollar 1. If two Saints be so delightful Quid Societas omnium Angelorum Sanctorum What is the company of all the Saints and Angels 2. If a glimpse of Glory be so delicious What is the fulness of it O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee Psal. xxxi 19. 3. If Gloria Humanitatis be so transporting How much more Gloria Deitatis 4. If Sola visio sic afficit quid participatio If onely the sight of Glory do so affect What will the participation of it do We have seen the Motion for Continuance It is good being here Now follows II. The proffer of service to further this Continuance Let us make three Tabernacles one for Thee one for Moses one for Elias It is a mix'd Motion and though rash and unadvised and unreasonable yet for the generality it carries with it some not onely excusable but commendable affections in S. Peters making of it It was Inconsulta praematura Devotio Ambros. Unadvised and rash but yet well-meant and devout View the Prints of Devotion and Goodness that were in it and in the Censure we shall see the weaknesses of it the blots of imperfection that were in it 1. The first Print of Devotion and Piety is That he proffers to erect a Tabernacle for Christ and these Saints Observe The Presence of Christ and his Saints is to be honoured with our best services No pains or cost can be too precious to entertain such a Presence as our Saviour's S. Peter puts not off Christ with empty Observances Adoring his Glory Admiring his Beauty with wishes onely for his Continuance but bethinks himself of dedicating and devoting his Labours and Cost to Honour and Retain him Naturally Religion consults with the Shunamite What shall we do for him If he be a God then there must be a Religion and Worship if that then a Temple or Tabernacle and if that then it must be answerable to his Glory in the comeliest manner These are the natural consequences of Reason and Piety See David how careful he was to erect a Tabernacle for Gods Worship So forward was he that the Prophet must restrain him and cool his Devotion I will not serve the Lord with that which cost me nothing refusing ease and help to support the charge but he will honour God with his Substance He envied himself his own house till God had his I dwell in Cedar and the Ark of God under Curtains Nay it takes up all his thoughts he afflicts himself for it Psal. cxxxii 1. Lord remember David and all his afflictions He would not climb up to his Bed till he found out a place for the Lord. Alas we can be content to tender him some cheap Observances but to be charged for our Religion to erect Tabernacles to bestow pains and cost that sets us off that is the best God and Religion that costs us least Oh! It is an argument of our base esteem of God of Religion of our Souls of the kingdome of Heaven when we murmur at any charge our Religion requires of us The Lord upbraids the Jews Hag. i. 4. Is it time for you O ye to dwell in your cieled houses and this House lye waste The Heathens scorned to hear of Cheapness in the service of their gods Phidias perswading to make the Statue of Minerva In marmore potius quam ebore said 1. It would last better 2. It was vilius cheaper The Athenians hissed at that reason 2. The second Print of Piety in this motion of Peter is He consults with Christ in the choice of this service that he would perform towards him Matth. xvii 4. Master if thou wilt let us make here three Tabernacles he submits to his Appointment and Direction in all this forwardness No Service or Worship is to be tendred to Christ but what he
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
us Thus Cain complained I am east away from thy face Gen. iv 14. So Saul upon his disobedience cryes out God is departed from me 1 Sam. xxviii 15. I will shew them the back and not the face Ier. xviii 17. It was the woful condition of mankind by nature we were strangers from God nay without God in the world So Paul tells them at Lystra that God suffered all Nations to walk and wander in their own wayes never owned or regarded them Our sins separate twixt God and us and he hides his face from us 2. Not onely the world of wicked men reap this fruit by their sins but Gods own people find this uncomfortable desertion when they grievously offend him he turns away from them This Moses shewed them in a visible Resemblance Exod xxxiii 7. The people there had sinned against God then 't is said Moses took the Tabernacle and pitch'd it without the Camp a farr off from the Camp thereby signifying God's displeasure against them and his departure from them Otherwise the Tabernacle was to be in the midst of the Host Numb ii But God was offended and withdrew himself from them 3. Yea not onely his visible Church but even God's Darling-Saints find this woful effect that their sins bring upon them that God stands aloof off and withdraws from them How often doth David mourn for this and pray against it Psal. x. 1. Why standest thou a farr off O Lord why hidest thou thy self in time of trouble So again Psal xxxviii 21. Forsake me not O Lord O be not far from me Upon his sin of Adultery O cast me not away from thy presence This the Saints often find and feel if they turn unto folly God turns from them stands afarr off not to hear them not to help them not to own them And Tertullian gives the reason Res delicata est Spiritus Dei he will not rest in a defiled soul. 4. Some sins of his people are of higher Provocations and so set him off far from us As 1. Bloud and Oppression and Violence That cast off Cain So God said He would remove Iudah out of his sight for the bloud-shed committed by Manasseh When you make many prayers I will not hear you for your hands are full of bloud Isai. i. 15. 2. A secure neglect of God's Offers of grace That turns him from us When he stretcheth out his hand to us and we will not come in and be reclaimed then saith God I will get me to mine own place Hos. iv 15. This cost the Spouse in the Canticles sorrow when Christ knock'd and still she refused to open to him at last I opened to my well-beloved but my well-beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone 3. Falsness in his Covenant When we corrupt that holy Religion which he hath committed to us that turns him from us See what that works Zech. xi 8. My soul then loathed them and their soul also abhorred me God will bear with many failings but once when we come to this height to adulterate his Worship ye may see what that will work in the Case of the Israelites Psal. cvi 39. They were defiled with their own works and went a whoring after their own inventions then he abhorred his own inheritance It made him forsake the Tabernacle in Shiloh the Tent which he had pitched among them Psal. lxxviii 58. This Sin 't is counted spiritual Adultery that dissolves the Marriage-knot 'twixt God and us and causes him to turn away and to divorce us 4. Incorrigibility under means of Reformation when God strives with us and we resist him It was the Case of the old World His Spirit would strive no longer with them but he cast them off The Prophet Isaiah notes it chap. lxiii 10. They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and fought against them Thus God is giving over Judah Why should ye be smitten any more Isai. i. All that labour is spilt upon you III. Come we to the third Consideration It is the blessed fruit of repentance that it recovers Gods presence and causes him to return graciously to us When I name Repentance I understand a real cordial spiritual repentance that and that onely can re-gain us Gods favour and return him to us That you may better acquaint your selves with this necessary and soveraign duty not to enter upon any large discourse about it that duty will require of us these three Acts 1. Humiliation 2. Deprecation 3. Reformation I will exemplifie this to you by the repentance of the Ninevites 1. They put themselves to great Humiliation Ionah iii. The King himself came down from his Throne laid his robe from him and cover'd himself with Sack-cloth nay man and beast was covered with Sack-cloth prostrating and debasing themselves before an angry God We must put our mouths in the dust Lam. iii. be ashamed and abashed and even abhorr our selves in dust and ashes That is their Humiliation Next 2. Is their Deprecation they Cried mightily unto God Vers. 8. The spirit of lamentation and supplication must abound in us not content our selves with our ordinary perfunctory Prayers but we must strive and wrestle in prayer as it is said of Iacob he had power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication to him We must put our selves not onely to an exercise but to an agony of repentance Iacob wept Tears they are â—…udor animae the Sweat of the soul in this holy agony 3. Reformation That was a main point in the Ninevites repentance Vers. 8. Let them every one turn from his evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands Violence that was the sin of Nineveh they were an oppressing people It was this last that mainly prevailed with God See v. 10. God saw their works that they turned from their evil way and then it is said God repented He saw their Humiliation he heard their Deprecation but yet that which pleas'd him best was their Reformation He saw his eye was chiefly upon that That is the fat of the Sacrifice Such repentance is like to prevail with him Let him be turned away he will draw near to us again See two places Psal. xxxviii 18. The Lord is nigh to them that are of a broken heart he will save such as be of a contrite spirit Nigh how nigh Isaiah tells even to dwell with them that 's a constant presence Isai. lvi I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a conâ—…te spirit to revive the spirit of the humble Indeed 1. Repentance so pleasâ—… him that the very imperfect acts of repentance if they be true and sincere though not according to the strict standard of the Sanctuary are accepted by him David cried out Peccavi I have sinned and presently God absolved him The loving father meets his returning Prodigal Son half-way when he was yet afarr off and but making towards him 2. Repentance so
Inhabitation He dwells in â—…s A speech of great Emphasis importing the near and close and intimate conjunction and union 'twixt the Spirit and us And this Inhabitation is expressed in Scripture in a double Notion 1. It is Domestica familiaris habitatio 't is Habitatio ut in domo that is a near conjunction Thus the Church is called The house of the living God 1 Tim. iii. 15. And Heb. iii. 6. Whose house are we And again Ephes. ii 22. We are built for an habitation of God through the Spirit 2. It is Sacra Religiosa 't is Habitatio ut in Templo that 's more The first In Domo imports a near Conjunction The second In Templo inferrs a Sacred Presence Indeed Gods Presence makes us a Temple sanctifies and consecrates us to holy Uses 1 Cor. iii. 16. Know you not that you are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you Nay not onely our souls but our bodies are hallowed to be a Temple 1 Cor. vi 19. Know you not that your body is the Temple of the Holy-Ghost For the understanding of this sacred Inhabitation let us consider 1. How the Spirit dwells in us 2. What this dwelling implyes I. How doth the Spirit dwell in us 1. This dwelling of the Spirit in us 't is like the Spirit it self wholly spiritual all in a mystical and heavenly manner As is his Essence so is his Presence onely spiritual Papists enforce a bodily Presence of Christ we must corporally receive him into our bodies No saith S. Cyprian Nostra Christi conjunctio non miscet personas nec unit substantias sed affectus consociat confoederat voluntates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. vi 17. 2. This Inhabitation is performed in us by the production and infusion of those saving Graces which the Spirit works in us As Luther speaks of the Soul 't is Officina Dei mei 't is the Work-house where the Holy-Ghost frames and fashions the new Man in us And though he dwells in us by every Grace yet there are two special Graces to which the Scripture ascribes the Inhabiting 1. Is Faith that 's the Grace that lets in God into the soul and gives him possession Ephes. iii. 17. He dwells in our hearts by Faith Infidelity excludes him Faith receives and entertains him 2. Is Charity by it the Spirit dwells in us God is love and he that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him 1 Iohn iv 16. Love amongst men it is a cohabiting quality Amor congregat 't is an associating virtue t is the glew and cement of the world it makes men dwell together These two are the two uniting Graces Faith unites to God mystically Love morally 'T is the formal union of the soul with God 3. The Spirit dwells in us not onely by his gifts and graces but really The Holy-Ghost is present and applies and unites himself to a Christian. Our bodies are the Temples of the Holy-Ghost not of his Graces but of his own sacred Person The Fathers prove the Holy-Ghost to be true God in Substance because he hath a Temple None but God possesses a Temple And Habitatio 't is Actus Personae properly none but a person is said to Inhabit Indeed Substantially the Holy-Ghost is every where but yet Dwelling adds to his natural Presence a more special Habitude He is tanquam in suo where he doth Inhabit A stranger may be present in an house as well as the owner but to be there by special Interest as in his own Possession so the Holy-Ghost is present in a Christian. That 's the first Consideration How the Spirit dwells in us But II. What doth this Dwelling imply 1. Dwelling implies Propriety and special Right and Interest It is a Possessive word The soul and body of a Christian is Gods more immediate Possession he hath the reference of a lord and owner to it Thus S. Paul tells us 1 Cor. vi 19. Ye are the Temple of the Holy-Ghost and ye are not your own A Christian is Gods upon a fuller right and title then another man All are his as all wasts are the lord 's of the Soil but his lordship and mansion-house are more specially his Such a reference hath a Christian to God He is his not upon common tenure but by peculiar appropriation 2. Dwelling implies Residency and Continuance and Fixedness of abode A man is not said to dwell in an Inn or in the house of a friend though he sometimes be in them A stranger or a wayfaring-man saith the Prophet Ieremy turns aside to tarry for a night There a man dwells where he resides and abides constantly So then the Spirit dwells in a Christian that is he is constantly fixedly in him sets up his rest makes him his Mansion Here will I dwell for I have a delight in it Thus David expresses Gods residence in his Church Psal. cxxxii 13. The Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation vers 14. This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it Thus the Spirit fixes his abode inseparably to the soul of a sanctified man His Graces have 1. Firmitatem radicis they take root in us 2. Perennitatem fontis they are always springing never decaying The Annointing which you have received of him abides in you 1 Ioh. ii 27. His Grace 't is laid in oyl no waterish colours that will wash off presently Indeed for his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some such endowments they are in a man Per modum actus transeuntis as Prophesie but Saving Grâ—…ces are Per modum habitus permanentis According to some Graces the Spirit comes and goes saith S. Gregory Recessurus venit venturus recedit sed sine quibus ad vitam aeternam non pervenitur in elecâ—…orum cordibus semper permanet Saving Graces are never vanishing That is a second residency 3. Dwelling implies Command and Authority and right of Disposal of all things He who dwells and possesses as an owner doth like the Centurion he saith to this Do and he doth it to another Go and he goes It was the law of the Medes and Persians That every man should bear rule in his own house Esther i. 22. So then Doth the Spirit of God dwell in us He must bear sway in us with all authority he must rule and govern and order all in the soul of a Christian. His motiâ—…ns they must be commands 'T is a rule in Oeconomicks Voluntas Superioris quomodocunque innotescit vim praecepti obtinet The Master of the house the glance of his eye the beck of his hand must find obedience 'T is that which Paul practiseth Gal. ii 20. I live yet not I but Christ lives in me Christ and his Spirit bore all the sway in S. Paul s life Christians must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acted and managed all by the Spirit S. Paul expresses it Acts xx 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bound in the Spirit carried by a strong guidance of the Holy-Ghost in all his conversation Hath he vouchsafed to dwell in thee Yield up thy self to his command and authority 4. Dwelling implies Care and Protection and Provision All that are within the Verge are under Protection The Master of the house is to see to all and to provide for them The good man of the house wakes soonest and watches longest Aristotle gives this rule in his Oeconomicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The care of his house belongs to him Nor is this Spirit of Christ wanting in this property A Christian possess'd by God hath a Patent of Protection a full supply of all comfortable provision He will safe-guard his house and protect it he withstands all assaults made upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he resists the assaults that Satan makes upon it He that destroyes the Temple of God him shall God destroy See the Patent of Provision that God grants to his houshold My servants shall eat but ye shall be hungry my servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty my servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed Isai. lxv 13. For use 1. It should teach us gladly to yield up our selves as Mansions for him to dwell and abide in us not onely to receive him guest-wise or at some good time onely as at a Communion but resign up all to him give him the keys let no room be shut up against him Invite him to come in unto us to own and possess us Turn in my Lord turn in to me 2. When he hath taken up his dwelling offend him not by any thing that may make him mislike much less give over and forsake his dwelling Res delicata est Spiritus Dei Tertul. 'T is not every rude and homely entertainment that will content him Nobilem hospitem habes O anima O man thou lodgest a glorious Inhabitant study to please him We must not grieve him Ephes. iv 30. much less resist him Actâ—… vii least of all despise him Heb. x. 29. He will abide no longer than where he is observed As the spirit of man stayes no longer in the body then it is pliant to him hinder it from working and it forsakes us presently 3. This Inhabitation of the Spirit in us challenges a reverence of the souls and bodies of Gods Saints as of the Mansion-place where God himself abides Violence to a Temple 't is counted Sacriledge such a Prophanation is no less then an Abomination to God Neither scorn nor cruelty nor any unworthy usage to these Temples of the living God but strikes at the face of God himself Do you despise the house of God saith S. Paul As Christ saith He that swears by the Temple swears by it and him that dwells in it so he that violates the body of a Saint offers indignity to that God that dwells in it Take heed of profaning your selves being dedicated and devoted to the Holy Ghost Thus S. Paul dehorts them from uncleanness The body is not for fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the body Portastis Dominum in corpore vestro as the old Translation hath it Possess them in Holinesse and Honour We have seen the particulars Now II. Briefly take notice of the summary intent and purpose of this Clause If the Spirit of him that raised Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised Iesus from the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies The Exigence and Illation from this Conditional is thus much That Sanctification is a necessary Requisite to a glorious Resurrection The expectation of future Glory it must be founded upon present Grace Thou will not give thine holy One to see corruption saith David Psal. xvi Solum Sanctum non videbit corruptionem saith S. Bern. 'T is holiness that embalmes our dead bodies and will keep them from corruption The many habitudes and references that Holiness hath to Happiness Grace to Glory will confirm this truth 1. Grace in reference to Glory it hath Rationem seminis Everlasting life it is called the fruit of holiness Rom. vi 22. and Galat. vi 8. He that sowes to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Sementis hodie â—…ras messis saith S. Chrysostom This life is the Seed-time the next life is the Harvest If there be no Seed-time of Grace never expect any Harvest of Glory 2. Grace unto Glory hath the respect of a First-fruits to the whole Crop Rom. viii 23. We that have the first-fruits of the Spirit wait for the redemption of our bodies The First-fruits dedicated the whole Harvest These ripe Ears of Grace are a blessed assurance of the full Sheaves of Glory to be reaped hereafter 3. Grace unto Glory hath the respect of a Fountain to a Stream or River Ioh. iv 14. The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life And what that Well of water is he tells us chap. vii 39. This spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive Damm or dry up the Spring-head and the Streams flow not we must begin at the Fountain of Grace if ever we mean to attain to the Ocean of Glory 4. Grace unto Glory hath the respect of a pledge or earnest or seal unto a full actual Possession 2 Cor. i. 2. Who hath sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts And again Eph. i. 13. Ye are sealed with that holy Spirit of Promise which is the earnest of our inheritance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. saith S. Chrysost. It seals up all and is in stead of all Theodosius made it a Law That they who received not the Pledge of Matrimony should lose their Dowry Without this earnest of Grace we cannot expect the fruition of Glory 'T is like the red thread on Rahab's house if we part with that token we cannot escape 5. Indeed there is so near a Conjunction twixt Grace and Glory that the Scripture makes them both the same thing Saint Peter calls Grace The Spirit of Glory The Spirit of God and of Glory rests on you 1 Pet. iv 14. They differ but in degrees as the Morning-light doth to the light of the perfect-Day Prov. iv 18. Grace 't is the beginning and day-break and dawning of Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as there is some light before the Sun rises Glory 't is nothing but gratia consummata and the blessedness of Heaven 't is gloriosa sanctitas holiness in the brightest hue shining in its full lustre This makes the Scripture urge and enforce the necessity of Holiness Follow holiness without which none shall see the Lord Heb. xii 14. c. We have done with the first Particular The Condition upon which our Resurrection is promised If the Spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you Now follows Secondly The efficient cause
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
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
neighbours and by their seeming-forwardness to delude them Well that Imposture holds not always There is never a counterfeit Creeple but is sometimes seen walking without his Crutches The hypocrites vizor will some time or other fall from his face and then he will appear in his true colours But suppose they be not discover'd yet the matter is not great the mistakes and errours of Charity are seldome culpable but most-what commendable The hypocrite in the long run will be found above all to have deceived himself And that 's the greatest deceit and most uncomfortable There is some excuse to be over-reached by others it makes the sin or errour more pardonable but who will pity him that cozens himself That 's one reason why the sin of the lapsed Angels was not pardonable as was the sin of Adam The Devils misguided themselves our first Parents were deceived by the Serpent Nay such self-deceivers they act a double part in sinning and so shall undergo a double portion in punishment The mis-leaders and mis-led saith Christ shall both fall into the ditch Here one man doth both evils and so shall suffer a double damnation That 's the second They are self-deceived Thirdly They deceive themselves in a matter of the greatest moment and consequence and that 's worst of all we over-reach our selves in the greatest business in the matter of our souls And such a deceit as this hath these three Aggravations 1. 'T is Maximè pudenda deceptio 't is a most shameful couzenage Slight over-sights are more excusable but to miss in the greatest business that 's most ridiculous Mala emptio semper ingrata est Every man laughs at him who is penny-wise and pound-foolish and twit him with his over-sights and upbraid him with them This is the man who is cunning in trifles but grosly deceiving himself in Soul-business How shameful is that S. Iames layes load on this folly chap. i. 26. This man deceives his own heart his Religion is vain O! vanity and deceit in our Religion to be mistaken in that weighty business 't is a most shameful deceit 2. 'T is Damnosissima deceptio he brings upon himself the most costly deceit the greatest loss the loss of Salvation that 's an inestimable loss Error circa ultimum finem The Prophet Esay cryes out of these deceits denounces a wo unto them Isai. iii. ix Wo be unto them they have rewarded evil unto their souls Oh the deceits of sin are deadly Sin deceived me and slew me Rom. vii 11. 3. 'T is Irreparabilis deceptio that adds to the Aggravation 't is an irrecoverable deceit Other mistakes may be rectified and regained but he who cheats himself of his own soul and his heavenly inheritance is undone for ever That 's the woful errour that will never be fetch'd about again 'T is like Esau's bad bargain when he cheated himself of his Birth-right for a mess of Pottage he could not recover it Though he sought it with tears To have all our thoughts to perish all our imaginations and hopes of going to heaven to be a meer delusion not to be mistaken in some particulars but in the end to be a fool Ier. xvii 15. Oh this is a bitter reproach when God calls us fools Sure heaven was never made for fools The foolish shall not stand in thy sight Psal. v. 4. A SERMON ON PHILIP i. 27. Onely let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ that whether I come and see you or else be absent I may hear of your affairs that ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel THE Context is an affectionate Protestation of S. Paul's love to the Philippians He assures them of his love to them and of his care for them The Apostle was even now in an holy ardency of spirit rapt up into Heaven longing to be dissolved and to be with Christ Verse 23. Yet see his charity and love to Christs Church when he thinks of them he checks and abates his former desire For the furtherance of Gods people and for the promoting of their salvation he is content yea willing and desirous to keep out of Heaven to forbear those joyes and preferrs their spiritual welfare before his own present happiness and salvation Verse 24. See what an high pitch of Piety and Grace S. Paul hath attained unto A little to insist upon the Context Ye may observe many remarkable evidences and degrees of his piety in this passage of Scripture 1. He hath attained to a strong assurance of his future happiness and bliss he knows his dissolution shall be a translation of him into a blessed condition death shall prove to him a great advantage Verse 21. To die is gain to him It is an high improvement of piety to attain to this Christian Confidence and Assurance No doubt it cost S. Paul much pains and labour to work his heart to this holy confidence to be perswaded that death which a worldly man accounts the utmost loss should bring to him the greatest gain There are who talk of their assurance of Salvation but it is to be feared In many 't is but imaginary a groundless presumption in others it is but intellectual and notional inferred and gathered haply by way of argument and discourse and so goes no further then a speculative Conclusion But this of Saint Paul 't is cordial and affectionate and experimental the fruit of many prayers and holy endeavours And such an Assurance is rare to be found 'T is that hidden Manna which few taste of Osculum Spiritus Sancti that Kiss of love and peace which God bestows on his devout and dearest Favourites It costs a great deal of searching and religious labouring e're we can find it Nesciunt quantis gemitibus lachrymis constet saith S. Aug. Happy are they who after long seeking can at length attain to it Ye see S. Paul hath found it That 's the first 2. A second pitch of Piety in S. Paul is not onely that he hath attained to a bare contentment but a great willingness yea more then so an earnest longing to die and to be dissolved Vers. 23. That 's a further and higher degree and growth of piety It argues much strength of faith a great prevailing of grace to sigh and groan in our selves till we be dissolved This S. Paul professes of himself and such as he was Rom. viii 23. We that have the first-fruits of the Spirit we groan within our selves waiting for the adoption the redemption of our bodies And so again 2 Cor. v. 8. We are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. It is well with us we think if we can with much ado work our selves to any tolerable contentment to die and to leave the World We account it a great Mastery over our selves if after much strugling and resisting we at length submit to that necessity
and yield to death But Paul is not here barely content to die but longs for that blessed hour judges it best of all to be dissolved and to be with Christ Verse 23. O when shall I appear before the presence of God 2 Cor. v. In this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed with our house which is from heaven S. Aug. tells us of Christians of the weaker and more imperfect sort Such saith he desire and long to live but yet are content to die it God see it fit But other more grown and spiritual Christians and such an one was blessed Paul though they be content to live yet they wish and desire and long to die The former have mortem in patientia vitam in desiderio they die patiently but would live willingly the other as S. Paul here they have vitam in patientia mortem in desiderio this life it is the matter of their patience but a blessed death is the matter of their desire That 's the second 3. See here in Saint Paul an higher degree and growth of Piety 1. Having gained this great Confidence and assurance of Heaven And 2. His soul panting and longing for the enjoyment of it yet that he may do God more service and promote the spiritual estate and welfare of his Church he can be content to delay those enjoyments to forbear his salvation to keep out of Heaven to be serviceable to the Church Desiderat requiem sed non recusat laborem He could wish he were at rest but yet for all that he is willing to labour still and to travel in his Ministery And what that was ye may easily guess In those times to be a faithful Preacher of the Gospel was to be no less then a Martyr Well S. Paul hath counted the cost forecast the worst Pains Poverty Persecutions he can endure them all for the love of Christ and for the good of his Church He chooses to suffer all sorts of miseries and afflictions so he may be serviceable to Christ useful to his Church rather then to leave that holy Work undone and to enter into Heaven Saint Augustine makes it a tryal of our love to God if when God should put the offer to our choice Live as ye list satisfie every lust deny your self nothing I will never punish you for it Sed non videbis faciem meaâ—… onely you shall not see my face if we refuse that offer of outward enjoyments that we may be partakers of that blessed Vision 't is a good argument of our love to God Here is a greater tryal of S. Pauls love to Christ Wilt thou presently enjoy me in Heaven or still serve me on Earth Wilt thou for my sake keep out of Heaven Nay more then so undergo Pains suffer Persecutions for my Churches good Yes S. Paul accepts of this employment on Earth and will forbear his preferment in Heaven O Paul great is thy love to Christ and to his Church Thus S. Chrysostom and S. Bernard express this choice of S. Paul As if a poor Woman should stand at the door of some great Palace wherein are all kinds of Pleasures and Delights and being without cold and hungry should be offered her self to come in but to leave her Children without in the cold there to lie in want and misery though she would fain be within yet she refuses that offer chooses to stay still in the cold to tend her Children then to part with them and enter in So Paul here had rather stay out of Heaven then forsake those Babes in Christ whom he had begot to the Gospel Not onely as Moses he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin but rather then to enjoy the happiness of Heaven Nay see the fervency of his love to the people of God Rom. ix 3. He could wish himself Anathema separated and accursed from Christ for ever for his brethrens sake that he might gain them to God not onely forbear Heaven for a season but forgo it for ever that others may gain it 4. This he desires and this he hopes for still to be continued to them for the furtherance of their faith And yet that being liable to uncertainty Saint Paul not knowing how long God would hold him to this work imploy him in this service uncertainty of life that 's one hazard he was in deaths often and then many vexations and distractions intervening in his Apostolical Function the care of all the Churches lying upon him See here a fourth pitch of Piety his great care and solicitude he hath of their well-doing and growing in grace however God disposes of him by life or death yet his desires are that they should do well This would be his main comfort and crown of rejoycing to see being present to hear being absent that they grow in grace and that his labours amongst them might not prove in vain Onely let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ that whether I come and see you or else be absent I may hear of your affairs that ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel The Words then which I have read unto you are S. Paul's Apostolical and fatherly Charge and Caveat to the Philippians In it observe these three particulars 1. Is the weight and greatness of this Charge the Caveat he gives to them is very ponderous that 's implied in this emphatical word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely 2. Is the extent and largeness of that Charge it hath no stint or limitation it reaches to all seasons and occasions 1. His presence and abode with them 2. His absence or being from them Whether I come and see you or else be absent 3. Is the Charge it self and that 's manifold It consists of a threefold Injunction which he lays upon them 1. Is Sancta conversatio an holy and Christian-like conversation Let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ. 2. Is Sancta concordia unanimity and concord and the spirit of peace That in all their affairs they should stand in one spirit and in one mind 3. Is Sancta constantia an holy resolution and constancy and courage for the truth striving together for the faith of the Gospel 1. In themselves Holiness 2. Amongst themselves Peace 3. Against the enemies of the Gospel Courage and Resolution First Here is considerable the weight and greatness of this charge which he gives them Onely As if he should say 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he elsewhere speaks 't is the main and chief charge I lay upon you the upshot and summ of all my Exhortations let this saying sink deep into your hearts mind this and remember it above all things that your conversation be Christian-like suitable to the Gospel live in peace and concord contend earnestly for the faith which is committed to you And then the strength and Emphasis of this word
branches it self into manifold members so here is multiplicitas donorum the Spirit diffuses it self into manifold gifts Effundam Spiritum meum not a drop or two but a plentiful showre of all kind of graces here are healings languages miracles and all comprised in my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all kind of graces That 's the first Varietas donorum Plenty and variety 2. A second thing remarkable in the body is disparitas membrorum all are not alike useful none equally beautiful so here is disparitas donorum This holy body herein is like to that abominable image in Daniel The arms of silver the thighs of brass the legs of clay and mean composure The graces of the Spirit though none are superfluous yet some are more useful and of special Improvement That 's included in the other branch of my Text in this Comparative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's the second choice and disparity 3. A third thing in the body is Excellentia unius membri some one hath the preheminenoy above the rest is more vital and useful more beautiful and comely like that Head of gold Dan. ii 32. So here is Excellentia doni that 's in the first and chiefest branch of my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saint Paul preferrs Charity before Faith and Hope and all other Graces That 's the third thing observable Preheminence and Excellency The Words are the Apostle's direction for a fitting enablement to the work of the Ministery and it consists upon three Particulars 1. Here are tria objecta the Apostle propounds and commends to them three Objects 1. Charity 2. Spiritual Gifts 3. Prophecy 2. Here are tres actus three acts he preswades them to tending to these objects 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An act of Prosecution 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An act of Emulation The next is implied in 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that is Eligite an act of Choice and Election 3. Here are tres gradus he orders them into three degrees answerable to their true worth and opposite to the erroneous esteem of these Corinthians Amongst these three Charity Spiritual Gifts Prophecy they did set the chiefest price and most doted upon the least profitable Miracles and Languages All would speak Tongues and work Miracles but little account was made of Prophecy Like those Sons of Sceva Acts xix they would work miracles themselves leave preaching to others We adjure you by Iesus whom Paul preacheth And even those who did prophesie did it in strife and much contention puffing up themselves not building up others All their gifts were void of Charity no thought had of that The Apostle inverts this order like the Master of the Feast Luke xiv displaces those that had got the highest room preferrs the lowest sets Charity in the first place Follow after Charity next after it preferrs Prophecy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leaves the third and last room to Tongues and languages Thus as Christ in the raising of Iairus his daughter to life so S. Paul at Corinth in the converting of a sinner 1. He puts out the Minstrels an unlikely means to recover life again displaces Languages which S. Paul Vers. 7. compares to Minstrels a dead sound of piping and harping Then 2. He brings in Prophecy that is a quickning word like Christs word to the Damosel that fetches her to life again Then 3. He brings in Charity like the Parents of the Damosel to feed and nourish her that feeds and maintains and strengthens her Come we to the First Object Charity that is the principal and the chiefest Grace and the Observation hence is briefly this that Charity and Compassion to the Church of Christ above all other graces is a principal gift required in a Minister Look upon Aaron the High Priest in his holy attire and then ask David the morality of all that Ceremony As the precious oyntment upon the head that ran down upon the beard even Aarons beard that went down to the skirts of his garment Psal. cxxxiii 2. without which it was death to serve in the Temple so comely and necessary in the office of a Minister is charity and compassion to the Church of God S. Paul preferrs it before faith and hope and all other graces Though not for personal and private use yet for service and benefit to the Church of God it exceeds them all 'T is a fundamental preparative and disposition for all other graces and enablements and that in these three respects 1. Ut habeat It fits and enables him for the receipt and obtaining of them In this case it is with the working of the Spirit as with his Being As naturally he proceeds per modum amoris so graciously he inspires and sanctifies per modum charitatis Multa remissa many sins forgiven because she loved much and so multa concessa many graces infused if we love much This was represented in the first effusion of the Holy Ghost The Apostles were in one house and in one mind in a charitable union and then they received those cloven tongues Of which S. Aug. speaks alluding to those two descents of the Holy Ghost they had first Spiritum unitum in columba before divisum in linguis He descended in the appearance of a Dove the Emblem of Charity after that In linguis divisis in tongues and languages They were together in one mind and in one house combined in charity As Origen observs of Iob's children Mark saith he their charitable affection Satan could sooner kill them all together then by any breach of love make them fall out and live asunder This Chrysostom notes in S. Paul's Conversion and Call to the Ministery God observed his zealous affection to the Synagogue how strongly he loved his Mother-Church Christ would especially gain him to his service As a Captain who sees in his enemies Camp a valiant and resolute Souldier for the good of his Country labours by all means to work him on his side and furnishes him with his choisest armour so God calls S. Paul and enables him with his richest graces That 's the first thing observable Ut habeat it fits and enables him for all other graces 2. Ut Ecclesiae habeat When they are infused Charity stirrs them up and improves them to the use and advantage of the Church of Christ. Other gifts without charity rest in the person into whom they are infused charity disperses and conveys them to others See this express'd in S. Paul's Similitude The whole body is compacted by that which every joynt supplies and makes an increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love Other graces without charity as meat received into the body without the natural warmth lies clogging the stomach but Charity like the vital heat concocts and conveys them to every member it makes a supply to every part Eph. iv 16. That 's the reason that of all other graces God requires our charity to be bestowed on his Church
must be provided for with fruitfulness That 's the second Not Spirituali annexum That 's the Kind I come II. To the Parts of them 1. It is Spirituale donum Seek and labour for spiritual enablements The inclinations of nature must be strengthened and elevated with gifts of grace The weightiest employments require the greatest enablements Those three great Callings Kings Priests Prophets they were all anointed to signifie that large measure of grace that those Callings required Nay the High-Priest had all the holy oyl poured out upon him to signifie his Calling required plenty of grace the inferiour Servitors were but onely sprinkled in a sparing manner Indeed to be gifted and fitted by the holy Spirit 't is the only comfortable assurance to thy conscience of thine inward Calling Gods Seal set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without which the warrant of the Church 't is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Ink and Paper as S. Paul distinguishes And yet how many run before they be sent suing like Ahimaaz to the Ioabs of Israel But what if I run though they have no tidings Who if they were questioned whether they have received the Holy Ghost in some competencie of gifts must return the answer of those uncatechiz'd Novices Act. xix We know not whether there be any Holy Ghost yea or no. No God never employs but he always enables as Saul did with David when he sent him to fight he put on his own Armour he will strengthen thee with his own Spirit to discharge His business That 's the first Spirituale donum 2. Is Spirituale ut officium Seek and labour for spiritual employments And indeed Donum obligat ad officium the conferring of a gift it is the exacting of a service 'T is like Press-money if once thou receivest it thou art bound to do service Thou art a servant and thou must and thou hast a Talent and thou mayst be profitable to thy Masters advantage To have the first Spirituale donum without this second it is to no advantage Donum in habitu 't is Talentum in sudario Donum in exercitio 't is Talentum in mensario it gains and increases Donum in habitu 't is a Candle in a bushel exercise and employ it 't is set on a Candlestick Without exercise and practice saith S. Bernard thou art Lux modii with it thou art Lux mundi Not onely the mispending but the neglecting of this gift condemns thee S. Paul bids Timothy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fire goes out for want of blowing as well as with quenching Mettal not onely wears out by use but is eaten with rust And what saith S. Iames The rust of your gold shall witness against you not onely the mispending The rust of our gifts as well as the mis-using shall rise up and condemn us To be able to preach and not to perform it S. Augustine counts it like the sin of Onan Maledictus qui non suscitat semen in Israel praedicando Christum generare Christianum Art thou invited to preach and yet refusest Art thou shod with this preparation of the Gospel and yet refusest when the Church calls for thine help thou shalt be discalceatus in Israel If thou wilt not raise up seed to thy elder brother Christ the Church may pull off thy shoes and spit in thy face Nè sis in eorum numero quorum pedes sunt speciosi 'T is S. Augustine's Allegory That 's the second Spirituale ut officium 3. Spiritualem potestatem Labour for and desire onely spiritual power and authority As in the first Donum obligat ad officium so here Officium disponit ad potestatem Our authority and power is onely spiritual The weapons of our warfare are divinitùs potentia Thus S. Chrysostom magnifying and preferring his spiritual power To a King are bodies committed to a Priest souls they fight with sensible armour we with spiritual They fight against Barbarians I fight against Devils as he speaks elswhere his doctrine is to him as fire and sword The censures are onely spiritual that the Church inflicts This thunder of the Church like that from Heaven melts the metal meddles not with the sheath works upon the soul. And yet what a stirr keeps that Priest of Rome for his temporal Power to be joyned with spiritual Joyning with his Pastoral Staff an Imperial Sword as we see some Rapiers sheathed up in Staves in censuring of the Church wishing as Balaam did in beating of his Ass I would my staff were a sword in my hand for then would I kill thee And yet we exclude not all temporal power as utterly unlawful 'T is not a consequent from our spiritual but yet it is compatible with it Christ doth not command it but the Prince may conferr it Onely of our selves 't is meerly spiritual That 's the third part Spiritualem potestatem a spiritual authority I come briefly to the Third Object propounded to them and that is Prophecy And by it I conceive with Expositors not any extraordinary miraculous Revelation but an ordinary set course of preaching and interpreting and opening the Mystery of the Gospel in S. Pauls description A speaking to men to edifying to exhortation and comfort And then take notice of the nature and honour of this holy function Preaching 't is Prophesying 1. It is loco Prophetiae 't is in the room and stead of Revelation and Prophecy As the Israelites were first fed with Mannah afterwards that ceasing they fed on the fruit of the Land Prophecy now ceasing we must wait for no more Visions but rest our selves on the set word of God See this observable in the closure of both the Testaments Malachi the last of the old Prophets shuts up the Old Testament with this Seal Remember ye the Law of Moses my servant which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel with the Statutes and Iudgments till Elias comes there were no more Prophets till Iohn at Christs first Coming S. Iohn the last of the Apostles he seals up the New Testament with the same Closure no more additions to the New Testament till Christs second Coming We have Moses and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles in stead of Revelation It is loco Prophetiae 2. It is aequale Prophetiae 't is as good as Prophecy of the same nature springing from the same Fountain and Original As the fire on the Altar though maintained and fed with ordinary fewel yet is counted heavenly because the first Original of it was from Heaven The Scriptures contain fully the marrow and pith of all former Prophecies in the Old Testament As at the first Creation the Lord made an extraordinary light but after conveyed it into the body of the Sun and Moon and all light now arises from them so in the beginnings of the Church God set up an extraordinary light of Prophecy now he conveys it all into the body of the Scripture comprehending all saving truths that they reveal It is aequale
all men since Adam Never any but the first Adam in his Innocency could have fulfilled it never any but the second Adam our Lord Iesus did perfectly fulfil it S. Paul tells us of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. viii an impotency nay an impossibility in the Law by reason of sin Indeed when God first gave the Law it was sutable to our strength but sin infeebled us and so the Law proved impossible to us Saint Peter tells us It was a yoke that neither we nor our fathers could bear Act. xv 10. Not onely men in the state of Corruption but the very Saints in the state of Regeneration come short of it Imperfection of grace cannot attain to perfection of obedience The Church of God defended this truth against the Pelagians That the Law of God in the exactness of it no meer man did ever fulfil it There are two Dimensions in the Law 1. The first is maximum quod sic in doing of good how full must that be it must be toto corde with our whole heart 2. The second is minimum quod non in declining from sin how much must that be 't is Non concupisces not so much as to linger or lust after it Consider these two Dimensions and it will make us confess with David I see an end of all perfection but thy law is exceeding large That 's the first 2. Take the Law in the lowest pitch of righteousness yet an unregenerate man cannot obey it He is so far from fulfilling all the Law that he cannot perform the least part of it Some outward Acts a meer natural man may do S. Paul tells us They do by Nature the things written in the Law but look to the spiritual manner of performance so no natural man can obey it in the least and lowest degree of it Every carnal man is reprobate to every good work Tit. i. 10. Love is the fulfilling of the Law Perfect Love fulfills it perfectly imperfect Love doth it imperfectly but without Love there is no performance You may as soon gather Grapes from Thistles as any good work from an unregenerate man Laudo fructum boni operis sed in fide quaero radicem saith S. Augustine If the root be not good which is Faith working by Love the fruit though outwardly specious is inwardly vicious That 's the second 3. Consider the Law in the Evangelical mitigation and abatement of it yet still the Saints of God find difficulty in it A regenerate man is two men That which is spiritual and renew'd in him that readily conforms to the Law of God The spirit is willing saith our Saviour ey but the flesh is weak Nay oftentimes wilful stubborn and resisting A Christian indeed is freed à morte Peccati from the death of sin he hath a new principle of life put into him that disposes him to all holy obedience but yet he is not freed à morbo Peccati from the disease of sin that still hangs upon him and that shrinks away and withdraws it self from this due obedience A Christian hath both Primitias Spiritus the First-fruits of the Spirit they make him Spiritual and withal he hath Reliquias carnis some dregs of flesh in him they make him carnal loth and listless to any holy obedience Thus we see the Law 1. In the highest pitch is impossible to the Saints 2. In the lowest pitch 't is impossible to the unregenerate 3. Even in its moderation 't is difficult to the best in this imperfect state of regeneration But yet 't is most true what the Text affirms Gods Commandments are not grievous His Service is no such hard service as the world accounts it 't is no such toyl and drudgery as carnal men conceive it 'T is a service indeed for why should we be left to a lawless liberty but 't is an ingenuous service Take my yoke upon you saith Christ for my yoke is easie and my burthen is light 'T is Satans policy to stave us off from God with this conceit O he is an hard Master duram servies servitutem farewel comfort and contentment if he be your Master Nay verily Gods servants find no such grievances in this employment which will appear upon these three Considerations 1. In respect of their state and condition 2. In respect of their task and employment 3. In respect of their many encouragements which they meet with in this Service 1. Look upon their state and condition Gods people are not in any base servile condition But 1. They are called unto a state of Liberty and Liberty 't is sweet in it self and sweetens all our employments It matters not so much what we do as upon what terms we do it If as slaves and bondmen that embitters our work and makes it grievous If as free and ingenuous it sweetens our employment And such are all Gods servants You have heard it often His Service is perfect freedome The Law they live under 't is call'd A Law of Liberty Iam. i. 25. Brethren saith S. Paul Gal. v. 13. You are â—…alled unto Liberty Gods servants must be no bond-men The Israelites were not to be slaves for they are my servants saith God Levit. xxv Thus as Solomon made no bond-men of the children of Israel 1 Kings ix 22. but put them into ingenuous services so doth God with his servants 2. As it is a free so it is an honourable Service As we know the greatness of the Master dignifies and ennobles the service that is done unto him 'T is the high Title that the Saints have gloried in that they were Gods servants and belonged to him David gloried more in this that he was Gods servant then that he was Israel's King So Theodosius Behold Lord I am thy servant I am thy servant and the son of thy hand-maid Psal. cxvi He chose to be A door-keeper in Gods house Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy Courts Psal. lxv 4. 'T is an high dignity to be Gods moenial servant 2. Look upon their task and employment you shall find the Service of God 't is no such wearisome service 1. The work which God enjoyns them 't is possible to them Gods Commandments are made possible to a regenerate man All things are possible to him that believes Mark ix I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me Phil. iv 13. Flesh and bloud sees nothing in the Law of God but impossibility like the unbelieving Spies O we cannot conquer the land But Faith and Love like Caleb and Ioshua conceive it may be done and undertake it readily 2. This work is easie I said it even now 3. This work 't is not onely possible and easie but pleasant and delightful A good Christian finds exceeding great pleasure and sweetness in it A just man saith Solomon delights to do justly 't is a joy to him Prov. xxi 15. So a good Christian delights in Piety Thus David
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
his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live So Psal. civ I will sing praise to my God while I have my being my meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. A SERMON ON PSAL. xix 12 13. Who can understand his errours c. THIS Psalm is a pious and devout Meditation of the Prophet David Now Naturalists observe that there be two acts of the soul of hardest performance 1. The act of Reflexion to make the soul look inwards and to recoyl upon it self Motus reflexus it is duplex motus a double motion 2. The act of Meditation to make the soul ascend and look upwards to keep it still upon the wing And therefore the Psalmist to maintain and strengthen his meditation uses an inspection into a threefold Book 1. Is Inspectio libri Creaturae into the book of the creatures Vers. 1. The heavens declare the glory of God c. He looks upon that great Volume of Heaven and Earth and there reads in Capital Letters the Prints and Characters of Gods glory Aliter pictura aliter scriptura placet he gazes not as children upon gaudes in books but reades and meditates and deeply considers them 2. His Meditation ascends higher by a second Inspection and that is Inspectio libri Scripturae verse 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul c. And this Book is more precious then the former The other the Book of the Creature is but as the Inventory of the Goods this of the Scripture is the Evidence and Conveyance and Assurance of all to us In it he sees the riches of Gods wisdom and his precious promises As S. Ambrose observes of Abraham's journals he came out of the land of Chaldea into the land of Promise God bids him look up to the stars and the Chaldeans were great beholders of the stars and firmament but yet Abraham asks In quo cognoscam How shall I know that I shall inherit it He could not gather that by beholding the Creatures the Word of Promise and the Book of the Scripture must give Assurance of that 3. He proceeds further and feeds his Meditation by a third Inspection and that is Inspectio in librum Conscientiae he unclasps that which is the compendium and sum and transcript of the other Book the Book of the Scripture and there dwells upon a serious and sad Meditation Who can understand his errours 1. He looks up to Heaven and wonders as it Who can comprehend the number of the stars Quis intelligit potentiam Who can understand his power 2. He looks into the Scriptures and finds this a more large Book The former is but a shrivelled Scrole to this sacred Volume as Christ compares it Who can understand those sacred Truths and profound Mysteries Who can conceive the Perfection of the Law 3. He looks into his own heart makes a search into his Conscience brings that Book out of the Rubbish as they did the Book of the Law in Iosiah's time who can count and number up the blemishes of his soul who can understand the errours of his life 1. The first Book Convincit it hath a power of Conviction Meditate on it and observe Gods Power or thou art an Atheist 2. The second Book Convertit it hath a power of Conversion Meditate upon it and learn his will and worship out of it or thou art an Infidel 3. The third Book Accusat it hath the power of Accusation Look and meditate upon it and there discover and bewail thy sins or thou art an Hypocrite The Text then contains David's Meditation upon that third Inspection into the Book of his Conscience Wherein we may observe four Particulars 1. An holy Perplexity in the soul of David which makes him cry out Who can understand his errours 2. An holy Redress he seeks in this perplexity O cleanse me from my secret faults 3. An holy Prevention for the time to come Keep thy servant from presumptuous sins let them not have dominion over me 4. An holy both Resolution and Consolation Then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great Transgression 1. In the first Part we see the nature of Sin it casts a man into Perplexity it breeds gripings and anguishes in the soul and conscience 2. In the second we see the nature of Mercy that pardons and purges and pacifies the conscience that rebukes the storms and brings in a sudden calm into our souls again 3. In the third we see the nature of Grace that prevents keeps us from presumptuous relapses that preserves us so that no wickedness shall have dominion over us 4. In the fourth Part we see the nature of Integrity that gives comfort and consolation that strengthens it self in all good purposes and resolutions And these Particulars represent unto us the whole life of a Christian they set in order the motions of the soul in the beginnings and progress of his conversion 1. What is the first Motion and quickning of life in a Christian Examen Conscientiae a searching out of his sins not a confident stepping into Heaven in a present assurance but a sorrowful penitential perplexity 2. The second Motion in the heart of a Christian is Supplication and Suit for pardon and peace Cleanse me purge me 3. The third Motion is imploring of help Prayer for grace and assistance against Relapses establish me with thy spirit Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins 4. The fourth Motion is Studium integritatis and Gaudium in studio resolutions and endeavours for integrity and all possible innocency and the keeping of a good conscience towards God and man Now put these together and then we may discover three Combinations 1. A Combination of two sorts of Sins not all of the same size and magnitude here are Errores and Contumaciae sins of Infirmity and sins of Presumption sins of a weaker tincture and sins of a double die Lapsus in via and Excursiones extra viam Slips and lapses in the way and voluntary departings and forsakings of the way 2. A Combination of two sorts of Graces here is Gratia purgans and Gratia custodiens 1. Pardoning and purging grace 2. Preserving and protecting grace That is the grace of subvention when we have sinned this the grace of prevention that we may not sin 3. A Combination of two states and conditions of a Christian 1. Purgandus à secretis for sins of Infirmity who can avoid them 2. Custodiendus à contumacibus for sins of Presumption we must not come near them We cannot be free A Culpa from sins of daily Incursion but we may and must be free A Crimine from sins that waste the Conscience and havock Piety The first thing considerable is David's holy Perplexity Who can understand his errours And of it take a double Consideration 1. Quae occasio What 's the occasion of this Perplexity 2. Quae conditio What 's the nature of it
First What 's the occasion of this sudden Perplexity in the spirit of David He was taken up even now into an heavenly contemplation of the works and word of God and the consideration of both these was always delightful unto him 1. For his works Psal. xcii 4. Thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works and I will triumph in the works of thy hands 2. For his word The meditation of it was delightful to him sweeter then the honey and the honey-comb more pleasant then his appointed food it was his song in the house of his Pilgrimage How then comes all this over-casting in David's soul like a sudden thunder-clap from a clear sky I answer The causes of many perplexities and astonishments in the soul of man are not always discernable The spirit of fear as Christ speaks comes not with observation 1. Non cum observatione peccati Not onely some great notorious sin but even some smaller offence that thou little thinkest of may fret and rankle in thy conscience and breed perplexity The pricking of a pin may rankle and fester and prove as dangerous as the wound of a weapon Thus David's heart smote him for an irreverent touch of Saul as well as for the cruel murder of Uriah Slight not the commission of smaller sins thou mayst hear of them when thou little thinkest of them 2. Non cum observatione personae Indeed for notorious debauch'd wretches for them to be put upon the rack of a perplex'd soul 't is no great marvel but even moderate and restrained men yea even mortified Saints are subject to these pangs not onely Saul but David not onely Iudas but Peter have suffered and felt the anguishes of a guilty conscience 3. Non cum observatione temporis Indeed a sin lately committed while the memory is fresh and the guilt of it haunts a man and stares in his face then 't is no wonder if he be perplexed Nay not onely so but some sin past and forgot that thou hast buried in oblivion a sin of many years past even that may turn in upon thee and perplex and affright thee The Clouds may return after the rain Thus Iob complains Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth Iob xiii 26. Thus the Patriarchs many years after the fact were troubled and perplexed with the sin of selling Ioseph Gen. xlii 21. We are guilty concerning our brother say they Thirteen years at least had gone over their heads since that deed was done they had skinn'd up the fore and yet see it breaks out in their soul again and it bleeds afresh These troubles of soul then come not always with observation But yet what might be the occasion of this perplexity in the Prophet David David was now looking into the law of God considering the great light and glory of it and a beam of that light hath darted into his conscience a spark of that fire hath fallen into that fuel and that â—…ets all on fire casts him into a sudden amazement and makes him cry out Who can understand his errours Observe from hence that the word of God hath a secret unavoydable power upon the soul to convince it of sin and to cast it into horrour Good Iosiah at the first reading of this Word had his heart melted with fear and astonishment Thus S. Paul Rom. iii. 20. By the Law is the knowledg of sin And Rom. vii 11. The Commandment slew him and was found to be death unto him vers 10. And there be divers reasons of this Truth 1. In the Scripture is presented a transcendent rule of holiness the infinite purity and sanctity which is in God himself He is holy in his Works but most holy in his Word He hath magnified his Word above all his Name Psal. cxxxviii 2. In it shines the purity of his Nature not capable of blemish or imperfection Now then the soul seeing this transcendent holiness in God is presently convinced of infinite impurity Mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self and repont in dust and ashes saith Iob chap. xlii 5 6. Probavit aurum reprobavit saith S. Bernard The Angels though as fine as gold are impure in his sight Qui discernit inter Stellas quanto magis inter glebas If the Starrs are not pure in his sight how much less Job xxv 5. man who is but a clod of earth And this makes the holiest men to tremble at his presence Cujus participatione sumus justi ejus comparatione sumus injústi saith S. Augustine They who by derivation from him are made holy in comparison of him are most unholy Nay the holy Angels themselves in their approaches to him do hide their feet and their faces If Sancti Angeli in Propitiatorio quanto magis peccatores prae Tribunali If Angels on the Mercy-Seat tremble what shall sinners do that stand at the Bar before the seat of Justice 2. As in the Scripture there is a transcendent rule presented so is there also an exact rule of holiness prescribed The Law forbids all sin enjoyns all holiness No passage in the life of man but is ordered in it As Theodoret observes in the Ceremonial Law and in the furniture of the Tabernacle that every particular was curiously prescribed Sitales imagines quales veritates saith he If the Ceremonial Law was so accurate and precise how strict is the Law of moral holiness of which that was but a type The Measures and Weights of the Sanctuary were double as much as the ordinary Measures Thine actions may carry weight and be allowable amongst men in common conversation which yet will be found light in the Sanctuary of God Mensurant se in dolosa statera consuetudinis humanae non in statera Sanctuarii saith S. Augustine Bring thine Actions to this standard and thy defects will be discover'd and then that which seems warrantable and commendable amongst men will appear sinful and abominable before God 3. The Law of God it is a spiritual rule not resting only in an outward conformity but requires the exactness of soul and spirit It keeps secret thoughts under awe and judgeth of outward actions according to the heart not of the heart according to outward actions I the Lord search the heart even to give to every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings Ier. xvii 10. Thus S. Chrysostom discoursing of the exactness of Gods Law in the true intent of it saith The Pharises forbade the outward commission of uncleanness the Law of God forbids the uncleanness of the thought They make the Law like Iohn Baptist he had Zonam pelliceam circa lumbos a leathern girdle about his loyns whereas Christ had Zonam auream circa pectus Rev. i. 13. a golden girdle about his breast repressing the first rise and stirrings and motions of sin This makes the Saints mourn for the first conceptions of sin though they prove abortive Libera me