whilst you live may truly be said to be dead because they have the Seale of Death as it were stampt upon them being by reason of sinne Aug. lib. 1. de peccatorum meritis c. 4. mortis necessitati facta obnoxia ut quasi jam habeantur dicantur mortua So St. Augustine where he affirmes against the Pelagians and Philosophers that if man had not sinned he should not have died out of any necessity of nature as they maintained and with them Eugubinus upon the second of Genesis Against these we must assert with the forenamed learned Father Corpus mortale non moriturum si nimirum in Innocentiâ persisteret nunc autem post peccatune mortuum Aug. Ibid. That man before the fall had a mortall body yet so that he should not have died if he had persisted in innocency but now being wounded by sin it is a dead body and fraile Man a composition of Sinne Death and Misery The Text doth branch it selfe into these two Generalls First Suppositio Secondly Positio a Supposition and a Position or positive assertion If the Spirit c. Here is the Supposition He shall quicken c. This the Position In the first Generall I shall unfold or open these foure particulars First Quis. Secondly Cujus Thirdly Quare Fourthly Quid. Who this Spirit is Whose Why called Spirit and what is meant by his dwelling in us If the Spirit of Him c. In the second Generall observe with me these two parts First Quis fructus inhabitantis spiritus The fruit or benefit of the Spirits dwelling in us Secondly quomodo aut per quem accrescit nobis How or by whom it is derived and conveyed unto us our mortall or dead bodies shall be quickned or raised to life by the power and efficacy of the same Blessed Spirit He that raised up Christ from the dead c. I shall lead your Meditations through these six stages and begin First with the Quis who this spirit is And whilst I undertake this and my next laborious task I shall implore that holy spirit in the words of Divine Nazianzen Orat. de Spir. San 1. defending the Deity of the Holy Ghost against the Macedonians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. First by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit in my Text we must not understand with the Macedonians and Socinians who joyne issue in their impious Heresies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as it is in the Socinian Catechisme virtutem ceu efficaciam quâ homines fideles sanctificantur Divinis usibus consecrantur A bare action efficacy or power of God in the Hearts of Men sanctifying their natures and consecrating them to Divine uses This was the cursed Opinion of Samosatenus concurring herein with the forenamed Hereticks but by the spirit you must conceive the third person of the glorious Trinity who with the Father and the Sonne is the same in the Essence of the * 〈…〉 3 Deity and most powerfull dignity And therefore the Scholemen conclude that this Holy spirit is the Third Person Non gradu sed ordine The third in order not degree the third non naturae diversitate aut Majestatis inaequalitate sed susistendi ordine because He is equall to the Father and the Son as in Being or Nature so in Power and Majesty Revel 22.1 We reade in the Apocalyps that St. John saw in a Vision a pure River of living Water or water of life cleare as Christall proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lambe that pure River of living water what is it sayes Justin Martyr but the everliving most pure and loving spirit John 7.30 who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living Water John 7. and proceeds after an ineffable manner from God the Father and the Sonne Aug. who is Agnus et Leo a Lamb and a Lyon a gentle Lambe to the Saints and a feirce Lyon to his Enemies This forenamed Justin Martyr adds and sayes As a River is of the same nature with the fountaine from which it proceeds so the Holy Ghost doth so proceed from the Father and the Sonne that He partakes of the same nature and Essence with them as is evident first by all those Divine properties which are ascribed to Him equally with the Father and the Sonne viz. Gen. 1.2 Psal 139.7 1 Cor. 2.10 Psal 33.6 Es 61.1 1 Cor. 12.4.12 Eternity Omnipresence and Omniscience Secondly by his Divine workes as Creation the mission or sending of Christ The gifts of Tongues and Miracles There are diversities of gifts but the same spirit To another is given the working of Miracles c. All these things worketh that one and the selfe same spirit 2 Part. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The consubstantiality of the Holy Ghost with the other two Persons is confirmed by the next which is the second particular of my Text the Cujus Him If the spirit of Him c. Him that is the Father and the Sonne as God who by the power of the God-head raised himselfe as Man Hee was quickned by the spirit 1. Pet. 3 1◠that is by the strength or vertue of the God-head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Theophylact The Holy Ghost is said to be the spirit of the Father and the Sonne because he proceeds from both which is an Article of our Creed The manner of which procession if I should goe about to declare out of the Fathers Schoolemen and other Moderne Writers I might either speake and not be understood or seeme not to understand what I speake their termes are so obscure and the modus of it so difficult Onely this I shall commend to your better understandings thus much you must know and believe against the Pneumatomachists that this Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Sonne denotes his Communion with both in the Essence or Substance of the Deity that he is as Beza observes from this place Verus deus a true Consubstantiall God who together with the Father and the Sonne as it is in the Athanasian Creed is for ever to be worshipped and glorified As for those Racovian Hereticks the Socinians in Poland and their English followers the Crellianists who maintaine the contrary Coriolan Epit. Concil I heartily wish they may not finde in their Soules and Bodies the weight of that heavy curse in the * This councell was held under Pelagius the second 589. Toletan Councell pronounced against the Adversaries of the Holy Ghost it is this Quicunque spiritum sanctum non credit aut non crediderit a Patre Filio procedere eumque non dixerit co-eternum esse Patri Filio Co-essentialem Anathema sit i. e. Whosoever doth not or shall not hereafter believe that the Holy Ghost proceedes from the Father and the Sonne and shall not say he is Co-eternall and Co-essentiall with the Father and the Sonne let him be accursed The third Particular proposed 3. Part.
and now briefly to be discussed is Quare why this third Person in the Trinity is called spirit I answer for these three Reasons First Ratione Essentiae by reason of his Essence or being which is spirituall incorporeall and invisible God is a Spirit John 4. John 4 2â— Here spirit is taken not personally but essentially as it is common to the three Persons in the God-head God is a Spirit and the Holy Ghost is perfect God Secondly ratione Divinae operationis He is called spirit in regard of his Divine operation because He as as it were spirat breatheth and that immediately into the hearts of Men good motions tending to God and savouring of Holinesse Whatsoever Gifts and Graces we have they are all as it were by a breath insensibly and irresistibly blown into and wrought in us by this one blessed spirit of Grace who divides to every man severally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he pleaseth Nazi 1 Cor. 12.11 This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as implieth these foure Particulars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He gives Grace to whom he will what he will for quantity when he will for time and where he will for place This wind bloweth where it listeth c. Joh. 3.8 Thirdly Ratione aequalitatis cum Patre Filio by reason of his equality with the Father and the Sonne and this is evidenced by that sweete promise of our Saviour I will pray the Father John 14.16 and hee shall give you another Comforter upon which Text Greg. Naz. has this learned Glosse which makes for our present purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This terme Another denotes his equality with the Father and the Sonne in Majesty and Power and because He is God He therefore with the two other Persons is to be prayed unto and praised for Mercies and Graces which flow into our Soules from the everlasting spring of his Divine and inexhaustible fulnesse Luke 11.20 To this end too and for this cause he is call'd the Finger of God Luke 11. If I by the Finger of God c. which is explained Mat. 10.28 Mat. 10. If I by the spirit of God on the former Text Beza has this glosse he is called Gods Finger Quia est Patris Filii co-essentialis virtus per quem exerit Dominus virtutem suam because he is the Co-essentiall virtue of the Father and Sonne by which both these shew their power of working grace in the hearts of men Exodus 31.28 The two Tables of Stone are said Exod. 31. to have beene written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Finger of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Finger in Hebrew comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pingere to Paint Ambr. Hexam c. 8. Pictuâ— es ò homo pictus à Domino Deâ—â—â—o noli bonam delere picturam c. Thus by the Holy Ghost by the Ministery of this blessed Spirit does God draw the lines of vertues upon the Soules of his Elect and layes upon them the colours of his Grace whence it is as St. Ambrose notes that their Soules are perfect Pictures of the Almighty God and of their Lord Christ and both Soules and Bodies Temples of the Holy Ghost which invites me to treate of the fourth and last Particular of the first Generall i. e. Quid what is meant by the Holy Ghosts dwelling in us And because the Spirit is all the evidence we have for Heaven and happinesse 4. Part. and all our hope of blisse depends upon our having of it I shall first open the point first in Generall secondly in Particular by explaining the termes or rather phrase in my Text the spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or dwelling in us Secondly I shall endeavour to cleare your evidences by acquainting your devotions with some speciall Rules or Characters whereby you may collect to the eternall comfort of your Soules that you are the Houses or Temples of the Holy Ghost First The Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Habitare c. Holy Ghost or Spirit of God dwells in the Soule of a Saint not locally but virtually in that it begets encreases and continues by constant and fresh supplies of Grace his holy Gifts and heavenly Graces in us of which we reade Gal 5. Jerem. 11.2 And there be three Reasons why the Holy Spirit is said to dwell in us 1. To denote Dominium his Lordly Power over us Gal. 5.22 23 2. To intimate Generalitatem Dominii the Generality of that power 3. To demonstrate Stabilitatem Domini the Stability and Constancy of this Heavenly and most Holy Inhabitant Mal. 3.6 who is the Lord that changes not c. First of his Dominion c. They that are truly Sanctified by an orderly worke of the Spirit which ever begins with conviction and humiliation The Holy Ghost hath the full disposing of their hearts as a man that is Lord of an House hath liberty to doe with and in it what he does please Eph. 1.13.4.33 Now the disposing and governing of the hearts of the faithfull standeth in these Particulars which are the Seales of the Spirit within us The first is Opus generans To beget in the heart a settled and full perswasion of a Mans Reconciliation with God in Christ Rom. 8.16 The same Spirit beareth witnesse with our Spirit that we are the Children of God This Plerophory or full perswasion arises from a reflective act of Faith comparing what it findes in the Word which is the Testimony of the Spirit with that which it finds and feeles in our Soules or Spirits For this 〈◊〉 thâ— Spiâ—â—t is said by St. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 5.22 c. Idict Contemplat c. 24. and thence drawing this joyfull conclusion that we are the Sonnes of God Now the spirit testifies and assures us in the Word that they are the elected and adopted Sons of God who are sanctified 2 Thess 2.13 Who hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit And he that findes in himselfe the Pledges of Gods Eternall favour the Fruits of the spirit recorded Gal. 5. The principall or prime whereof by way of manifestation is Love that vestis pretiosa animae ex pretiosis filis i. e. Dei beneficis homini collatis contexta Love to God and Love to Man or Love of God for himselfe and Love of Man for God the former expressed by Vniversality of * 1 John 2.5 Obedience to his Commands the latter by our mercy and goodnesse stretch'd even to our Enemies He that finds his Soule decked with this precious Garment beautified with this heavenly Jewell on which is engraven the expresse Image of God who is †1 John 4.7 Love the God of Love essentially and causally He may inferre from this gracious worke of the * Quis justus nisi qui dilectus à Deo Deum â—ccamat quod in
did in Calvin who had the Gowte a Feaver and Cholick all at one time But let us admire our Deare Friends invincible patience when he was as it were upon the Rack of torment my selfe then with others demanding by way of tryall how he did His constant reply was very well I thanke God Indeed he could not but be very well who had God for his Father Christ his Saviour and the Holy Ghost his Comforter whose Temple and house his soule and body was He had so resigned up his will to the Will of God which is the height of perfection that whatsoever God did and whatsoever He suffered he alwayes embraced as good Hee embraced his crosse and looked upon his troubles as the lot of Gods Children the Physick of the soule the Pledge of Divine love the badge of his Profession the Tryall of his Faith the exercise of his Patience the Testimony of his constancy the incentive of his Devotion and the Marke of his conformity with Christ his Head To whom that hee might by a closer Union be joyned now that his Soule was drawing towards Heaven he desired to receive his Viaticum that Heavenly Foode which might as it did strengthen his Spirit in its long journey to Eternity That which is a Sacrament as of thankfull Commemoration so of Confirmation for that it confirmes our Faith that Christ is and will be in all respects to our souls I had rather say to our persons what the Bread and Wine is to our Bodies Had you beene present and seene with what flaming devotion with what burning Affections and holy Reverence he received that holy Foode the Seale of his Pardon That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignatius when in a cold frosty morning being the Lords Day hee tooke off all his Caps and sat up in his Bed Bare-headed in honour to his dread Soveraigne the King of Heaven his Lord Jesus exhibited as Crucified in that Sacrament for our sinnes Had you but seene this and heard the Heavenly expressions that fell from his Lips you would have concluded that as he was a rare Saint so a most worthy Receiver and that they who contemne this Sacrament cannot be Saints Having thus got faster hold on Christ and grasping his Saviour in the Armes of his Faith and Thankefulnesse Luke 2.29 Hee ever after sang old Simeons Song Domine nunc Dimittis c. Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace He longed after his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee desired to be released from his Prison the body is no more to the soule Hee often wished to be dissolved and to be admitted to a neerer familiarity with Christ And having sent from the Chamber where he lay sick many messages to his Wifes aged Parents wishing them and another almost as aged in this Towne to prepare themselves for their Death which was approaching having discharged this last great act of Charity declaring thereby that he was loth to goe to Heaven alone To be happy without company Hee suggested this more than once to his beloved Consort that when shee saw him close his Eyes shee should not be troubled but conceive that hee was asleepe Death was no more to him which was entertained with moving of his Lips and lifting up of his Hands to Heaven even when hee could not stirre nor speake His Body after many Toiles and Travells in Gods Service is now asleepe for a time but his Soule is awake in Heaven Wearing the Crowne of Perseverance and Singing with the Heavenly Chorus of Saints and Angells a Triumphant Hymne to the Lambe Christ Jesus Sitting upon a Golden Throne who will at the great Day raise up his Body from its long sleepe by vertue of that Spirit which Raised up Christ from the Dead and dwelled in a ful measure in the Soul of this our late Reverend Learned Master who me thinks does bespeake us on Earth from Heaven in the words of S. Paul Eph. 5.1 Be ye followers of me as I was of the Lord Jesus in Faith and Love in Humility and Patience Weep not for me but turn your Tears into practice of my Vertues Judg. 9.48 As yee have seen me do so do ye likewise Thus if we do in a strict and holy conformity we shall be happy as He is and partake with him of Glory Trin-unî Deo Laus Gloria Amen THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH over DEATH ROMANS 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall Bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you IT is a true saying of Athenagoras Lib. de Resurrect that Christian Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no Truth though never so ancient and grounded upon the Word but hath a lie attending and cleaving fast unto it which must not be understood of the nature of Truth it selfe that Virgin Daughter of Almighty God but to the malice of the Devill and to the madnesse of Heretickes and others his instruments that do corrupt and blast it It is a Principle all the World over except among Atheists that omne verum est à Deo omne falsum à Diabolo omnis error ab homine All Truth is from God as the prime authour of it all falsity from the Devill all errour from man The last goes alwayes under the vizard of the first i.e. errour under the mask of Truth But the Second i. e. falshood confronts Truth to the face and stands in open defiance of it So bold and daring are Hereticks that they have in their audacious writings strook at the very Essence Power Mercy Truth and Justice of God of this latter sort are they who deny the Resurrection 1 Tim. 2.18 they strike at Gods Power and overthrow his other Attributes as Wisdome Truth and Justice Thus did Hymenaeus and Philetus Men given up to carnall delights as their Name imports The like did the Valentinians who asserted most falsly that Christ redeemed onely our Soules and not our Bodies and so contenting themselves with vaine Phantastike Speculations they slighted all good works as unprofitable and of no use living in the meane while in all lewd profanesse Crames Aâ—b And no marvell Nam qui Resurrectionem carnis non credit quid ille boni credat aut faciat He that believes not the Resurrection of the Flesh after Death what good can be expected to be done by him in this Life To these we may adde the Manichees who rejected the Resurrection as fabulous and maintained that our Soules should be saved without our Bodies What will not Men dare say who reject the Scriptures A blushing shame would have stained their Consciences and a recantation of their errour seiz'd on their Tongues had they but read and believed that portion of Gods Word which I have now read unto you If the spirit c. He shall quicken or restore to Life your mortall and dead Bodies which now
nobis spiritus Deâ— efficit c. Berv. Ep. 107 Spirit that he is reconciled to God that God is his Friend his Sinnes which God hates and which makes him an enemy being pardoned whence his person is justified and God is more delighted with him because he beholds him in his Sonne Christ Jesus as cloathed with his Righteousnesse than displeased with his sinnes and daily infirmities There is more good in Christ for a godly man than there is evill in sinne against him and God would not have left this Jebusite in the Land I meane sinne in the Soule of a righteous man if notwithstanding that he could not have loved him Chamier 1 John 4.19 God loaths the sinne whilest he loves the person Et qui certus est Charitatis Dei erga se idem certus est salutis suae We love him because he loved us first Our love to God is but a reflex beame darted into our Soules from that Eternall Sonne of Love which burnes hot without wasting or the least Diminution The second worke of the Spirit as Lord in us is opus supprimens to suppresse all bad motions to sinne arising either from the corruption of our natures from the World without or the Devill about us and withall to stirre up good affections and motions to Piety and godlinesse amongst which inward motions the most principall are these First an utter dislike of sinne as sinne for that our good God is thereby displeased and offended Secondly an hungring and thirsting after Grace an eager desire above all things in the World to be at unity with God in Christ and to be reconciled unto him when we have provoked him by any hainous sin c. The third worke of the Holy Ghost in us is opus vivificans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. In Symb. Oriental Eccles. apud Epiph. ad finem Anchorati a quickning or enlivening worke It is the Spirit that quickneth Iohn 6.63 As in the first Creation God Created Light before there was life in the Creature to bring forth and multiply Gen. 1.3.14.20.24 So in our Regeneration which is a new Creation Psal 51.10 there is ever a Principle of Light infused into the Soule before we can have life or be quickned in the exercise or doing of good That spirituall light is a clear and full perswasion of Gods love to us in Christ that He is our Father and we his Children that Christ is our Saviour c. Such a strong Faith is the Adamant that nothing will breake the Palme that sinks not under the most weighty burden The Oyle that ever swimmes above the Water be this poured in never so great quantity upon it It is such a powerfull Chimist that turnes Death into Life Sorrow into joy makes riches of Poverty nay all things of nothing 2 Cor. 6.10 as having nothing yet possessing all things Lastly it turnes cold feares into warme hopes sighs and groans into triumphant and joyfull songs trembling into leaping and clapping of hands witnesse Paul and Silas in the stocks witnesse too Acts 16.25 that renownd for undanted constancy Dr. Taylor of Hadley who when he came within two miles of the place where he was executed fetched a leape or two and withall said Now lack I but two stiles and I am even at my Fathers House he meant Heaven witnesse likewise that famous Hawkes in the booke of Martyrs who being desired to give a signe whether the Fire was tolerable to be borne promised it to his friends and after all expectation was past he lift up his hands halfe burned and being on a light Fire with great rejoycing strook them three times together Whence all this from what spring were derived all these streames of strength and comfort but from a lively Faith in Christ the fruit and effect of Gods Spirit and the cause of a lively Hope of happinesse which Hope is the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Root and Seminary of good workes and the Mother of Patience In a word it is this wonder-working Faith that quickens and revives us first in Adversity Secondly in Death Thirdly in Duty First in Adversitie Let whole troopes of trouble let Sicknesse or Poverty c. seize upon or lay seige to a righteous Soule armed with a strong affiance in the Lord Jesus it defies this Host this tormenting Regiment of Sinne and Satan it sees * Cant. 2.9 Christ behind this Mud-wall and beholds a Saviour under this †Fides larvam detrabit Christo Aug. Vizard it discernes a mercifull hand through this black Cloud the hand of a wise God and indulgent Father the Heart of a tenderly loving elder Brother who knowing the mold whereof we be made doth exactly measure out every crosse unto us and will not loade us above the strength of our weake natures whose Foundation is frailty our composition dust and ashes Therefore a faithfull Soule having an Eye to this gentle Hand he solaces himselfe with this perswasion from that Principle his Faith extracts this infallible conclusion that this trouble or crosse is not the Axe of perdition but the pruning Knife of correction that God hath given a more strict charge to the army of afflictions 2 Sam 18.5 than Davids was to Ioab and his followers Doe the young man no harme doe mine anointed no hurt c. Nay he is assured not onely of the Negative but also of the Affirmative that is not onely of this that his crosse or affliction shall not hurt him â—quin but also doe him much good Hee knowes that affliction is Gods Physick Medicina animae and so it is sanativa mali praeteriti praeservativa à malo conservativa in bono it is administred to us by our heavenly Physitian to cure us of our sinnes past by driving us to repentance to prevent sinnes to come by begetting in us humility and a carefull watchfulnesse over our wayes And lastly to preserve and keepe us in well-doing whilst God denies a man health and riches which He knowes would be to him the fâ—mes of sinne and wickednesse upon these considerations a faithfull Soule rejoyces in the crosse and triumphs in his afflictions which he entertaines with joy and embraces with thankfulnesse knowing that comfort is laid up and hid for him though for the present it be hid from him light is sown for the Righteous and that as the crosse came from Heaven Psal 97.11 so it will carry us thither upon the back or rather merits of our crucified Lord Iesus Secondly as in Adversity so in Death it selfe Faith hath a quickning vertue to support us in our encounter with that Giant with that great Goliah who defies all the Host of Infidells holds them in bondage all the dayes of their lives and makes their whole life no better than a living Death Onely Faith encounters with this Giant and grapples with him as a vanquished underling insulting over him as much as he doth over the
sonnes of unbelief She sets her foot upon the neck of this King of feares and so as a Conquerour sets up a Flag of defiance to all petty dangers and feares which are onely dreadfull because they march towards and tend to Death the last the end and summe of all feared evills Let Death dresse it selfe like the cruellest and most bloudy fury come with all her Racks Fires Strappadoes wild beasts all her exquisite tortures invented by the wit of the most savage Tyrants Faith will set a Woman a child to make sport with it to dare and tire it and its executioners A faithfull man dying lookes up to Iesus as Alexander look'd his Physitian in the face Heb. 12.2 Curt. when he dranke off his potion wherein he was told there was poyson and being assured that Christ drunk out of Deaths bitter Cup an eternall health to all Mankinde suck'd the Gall and Venome out of it and made it an wholesome potion of immortality upon this assurance he looks into the Grave without feare and upon Death without horrour embraces it with joy as old Egredere anima mea c. so said He dying Hieron in vita ejus Hilarion and the Martyrs did as being the end of sinne and misery and the beginning of everlasting felicity This pious thought had St. Cyprian of it who when he was condemned to die by Valerian did lift up his hands and eyes to Heaven and cheerfully replied at the hearing of his fatall sentence Benedictus Deus c. God Almighty be blessed for this Gaole-delivery for that he is pleased to deliver mee from the fetters of my Body A man that is in debt feares the face of a Serjeant or Baliffe nay every one that weares a Sword is a terrour or death unto him Thus it is with the wicked their debts being not paid the black bills of the Lawes endictments against them being not cancelled they feare death 'T is otherwise with the Godly whose sinnes are pardoned and they reconciled to God they entertaine Death with the greatest welcome and delight that can be imagined as a messenger from their heavenly Father to invite them to a Palace from a Prison Chrys in Colos to a Court of Glory from a Dungeon of sorrow to be solaced and feasted amongst the Saints and Angels with heavenly delicacies the chiefe dish of which glorious banquet is the Vision of Almighty God to behold the soule-ravishing aspect of our Lord Iesus now glorified Death is the * Eccl. 41.1 O Death how bitter c. Rich mans feare the good mans wish whose sinnes are washed away in the bloud of the Lamb Christ Iesus whose person is therefore reconciled to God who upon this ground has a good Conscience a Conscience that is quiete bona that is not troubled nor staind with unrepented sinnes He that trembles at the approach of Death we may say to that man in the words of St. Austine O homo perdidisti fidem O man thou hast lost thy Faith which in the last place as in Adversity and Death so it has a quickning power to enliven us in Duty When there is great Faith in the Heart there will be much prayer in the mouth Charity in the Hand sedulity in the Feet to move with alacrity in those paths which tend to God and bend toward Heaven Faith like the Spring in a Watch sets all the Wheeles or Members of the Body on worke Heb. 11.26 Psal 71.20.80.18.119.25.37.88.107.149.154.159.143.11 Faith reflecting upon the Promises and having with Moses respect unto the great recompence of the reward of everlasting Life Doubtlesse David prayed to God for the enlargement or encrease of Faith when he desired so often as we finde in the Psalmes to be quickned This livelinesse in duty when we serve God with cheerfulnesse breaking through all oppositions to the contrary as it is the effect of a strong vigorous active Faith so it is a thing most pleasing to God Rom. 12.8 Shew mercy i. e. give Almes with cheerefulnesse God loveth a cheerefull giver 2 Cor. 9.7 As for those weake Christians Is 42.3 those bruised Reeds and smoaking flax who by meanes of their bodily distempers or weaknesse of Faith finde in themselves some indispositions and deadnesse unto or about spirituall duties when their Altar seemes to have no fire when they pray but not with wonted fervency when they heare but not with an attentive alacrity Let them not measure their interest or share in Christ by sense or feeling let them not be discouraged though they want inward comfort which is oftentimes denied to many a deare Saint it being a dish reserved for many a one till he comes to partake of the Heavenly Banquet Advise to those tha want comfort in duties and let me advise such although they have no comfort nor delight in duties as they are performed by them with some imperfection and drinesse yet let them rejoyce in this that they have so much grace as to doe the Wi l of God even with some reluctancy of theirs then they discharge their duty for the substance or matter of it though they faile in some circumstance or manner of doing And let them know too that that duty is most acceptable to God Vid. Fr. de Sales Bp of Geneva his Introduct to an holy life l. 4. c. 14. Is 50.10 Is 8.17 which is performed meerly out of Obedience to his command when our vigorous wills carry us to it and we take little delight in the performance of it because then we seeke not to please or content our selves so much as God And who is He that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God who sometimes hideth his Face from his Children who are of the Familie or off-spring of faithfull Abraham This King of Spirits and Lord of Soules hath a Throne of Grace set up in his Childrens heart he rules and raignes in them by his blessed and holy Spirit whose Dominium and the parts of it you have heard Now followes the second particular which is Dominii generalitas the Generality of the Spirits Lording power in us of which with much brevity and concisenesse The Soule of Man may be fitly resembled to Noahs Arke Gen. 6.16 in which there were Gen. 6.16 First Second and Third stories Gen. 6. So in the soule there be upper and lower roomes the superiour and inferiour faculties and in all these the Holy Ghost by a generall command and rule keepes his abode and residence First it dwells or resides in the understanding which is the Soul 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the upper loft by clearing the darke and dimme eye of it by begetting in it a saving knowledge whereby we come to know the things of God 1 Cor. 2.12 those things which are revealed to us in his Word concerning our future end which is our soules salvation and the meanes
to attaine unto it which is by faith in Christs satisfaction made to his Fathers Justice by his obedience to the Law for us c. Secondly the Holy Ghost resides in the two other upper roomes the will and memory The former of which is inhabited by this Spirit of Grace when it is so subjected to the Divine Will so drown'd as I may so say in that great Ocean that a man can say with a contented Spirit as our Saviour did Non mea voluntas Mat. 26.39 Venit dolor meus veniet requies me venit tribulatio mea veniet purgatio mea Aug in Ps 61. Lord not my will but thy will be done Of this temper was he in Vincentius who used to say that Deus nihil faciebat nisi quod ipse volebat quia ipse volebat quod Deus faciebat that God did nothing but what he willed for he willed nothing but what God did The will of the Lord be done Thirdly in the memory which is sanctified by the Holy Ghost when it hath an aptnesse to retaine good things when it is not like to the Saccus faecinaceus the Drugstars Bagge which lets out the pure liquour and keeps in the Druggs but like the sive or fanne that lets out the chaffe and reserves the Corne such was the memory of the blessed Virgin Luke 2.19 where it is said of her that shee laid up in her heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kept close the things that were related to her from the Angels by the Shepheards concerning her Sonne and our Lord Jesus Whose memories are sanctified they will retaine more of a Sermon than a Song more of a Chapter read than a tale or story heard c. Fourthly there be lower roomes in the Soule they are the Affections and Appetites The Holy Ghost beares rule in these two when the Soule is truly sanctified when we love and desire nothing but God and goodnesse when we hate and shun nothing more than sinne and ungodlinesse and whatsoever is opposite to Grace when we take delight in the service of God and company of good men as David did and greive for nothing more than sinne Psal 16.3 for that thereby God is displeased and dishonoured when our Hope is set upon God so that we can say with that holy Prophet Psal 39. Psal 39.8 Truly my hope is even in thee when we despaire of nothing but our own worth or merit as availing nought to our salvation when we feare nothing but Gods displeasure or the losse of his love and favour when we are as bold as Lyons being engaged in Gods Cause and when wee are angry most with our selves for offending our good God and with others because they anger and provoke him whom they likewise dishonour by sinne when our affections are thus sanctified thus set upon good objects thus in tune thus tempered thus qualified they may be said to be the receptacles of Gods holy Spirit And so may the appetite be when our desires in meate and drinke are so ordered as holy Austines were Confes l. 10. c. 31. Hoc me docuisti ut quemadmodum medicamenta sic alimenia sumpturus accedam c 3. Part. who as he confesses of himselfe ever used his meat as Physick when too the desires of apparell or riches are so tempered and regulated that these three vertues Sobriety Contentation and Chastity shine in our actions and in the whole course of our lives we may inferre upon these and the former grounds that we are possessed by the Spirit of Grace that He dwells in us which in the Third place denotes Stabilitatem Domini His continuance or constant abode in us For the gifts and calling of God are without Repentance Rom. 11 29. If once truly sanctified thou shalt be surely saved whom I love I love unto the end The Saints are said 1 Pet. 1.5 John 13.1 To be kept by the Power of God through faith unto salvation It is the strength and power of grace fetched from Heaven by Faith in Christ that keepes a man from falling away and makes him hold out his race with perseverance which is not opposed to our falling into sinne through weaknesse and infirmity but to our lying downe and continuing in sinne as likewise to ones falling away by a totall and finall Apostacy Defecit Petro confessio in ore sed non fides in corde Aug. Dan. 4.15 In all the declinings and failings of the faithfull there is still left in their Soules a root of Grace Although the Devill cut off the boughes and lop off the branches by some strong temptation yet so long as the root like the stumpe in Nebuchadnezzars Vision is fast bound with Iron i. e. preserved by Gods Power it will budde and sprout out againe when after the Winter of temptation the Soule is refresh'd with the Spring of Consolation It is a good rule of the Schooles Fides quoad actum secundum amittatur nunquam ' tamen amittitur quoad habitum actum primum quo apprehendit Christum And this rule puts me in minde of my promise in my premised method which was after the generall explanation of the termes or phrase in my Text to prescribe unto you some speciall rules whereby you may collect or conclude that you are inhabited by the Spirit 1 Cor. 3 16. 1 Cor. 3. Know yee not that yee are the Temples of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you It is a thing then that may be known and I shall rest for this discovery in the judgement of St. Augustine If any one sayes he desires to be assured that his soule is the habitation of the Holy Spirit Let him seriously consider Aug. de Tempore Quâ humilitate repugnat superbiae First whether humility which is a vile or meane esteeme of ones selfe has driven all kind of pride which is an inordinate desire of excellency out of his heart Secondly let him examine and make a speciall inquiry into himselfe whether benevolence or a well-wishing affection has suppressed in his breast all envy and malice Quâ benevolentiâ obluctetur Invidiae Thirdly let him consider and inquire quam non capiatur adulantium linguis quamque bonis delectetur alienis linguis An pro malo non cupiat malum reddere malitque multas oblivisci injurias quà m imaginem similitudinem Conditoris sui amittere qui pluit super justos injustos c. i. e. whether he be not delighted and taken with the airy and empty sounds of flattering tongues Fourthly whether he delights in the welfare of his brethren so that anothers prosperity is a feast to his thoughts Fifthly whether he hath not a revengefull spirit and had rather forget many injuries than by revenging himselfe on his enemies lose the Image of or make himselfe unlike to his Heavenly Father Mat. 5.44 45. who sendeth Raine upon the just and unjust who hath likewise said in his word Vengeance is mine
c. Sixthly Ipsam demum Charitatem omnium virtutum matrem inquirat Let him by a strict scrutiny and narrow search enquire into his breast and see whether that be the seat of Charity the mother of all Vertues and if he finds there the love of God and his Neighbour so rooted and settled that he could be willing to die and is ready to do any thing for God and stands in this frame and posture of mind toward man that he doth to others what he would have done to himself being of a mercifull disposition and bountifull Spirit Quisquis est hujusmodi Deum Rectorem Habitatorem esse non dubitet whosoever he be that is of this heavenly temper he may assure his Soule that it is the mansion or habitacle of God his Maker Orat. 44. I might adde to these three other markes out of Nazianzen in one of his orations where he ascribes three speciall operations to the spirit of grace 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A purifying An enflaming An elevating work or operation They whose soules are purified from fleshly lusts and worldly desires They who are zealous in Gods cause 1 Pet. 1.22 1 John 3.3 Tit. 2.4 and zealous of good works They whose soules are not only like unto fire but heat of zeal which enflames them and love to God but like fire too in that they are ever soaring and mounting upwards upon the wings of Prayer and Meditation upon the wing of contempt of things here below The Spirit of God Psal 143.5 6. Psal 119.48 Col. 3 2. that descended upon the Apostles in the likenesse of fire dwells in such Souls and at the great day the great God that rais'd up Jesus from the dead will raise up their bodies by virtue of that powerfull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy Spirit of grace This is the position a comfortable Thesis the second generall part of my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall quicken c. i. e. Resuscitabit ad vitam immortalem beatam exemplo Christi capitis primogeniti mortuorum Estius ad Generall part He shall raise them to life and glory that with Christ their head and Saviour in Heaven they may be for ever happy This is the fructus inhabitantis Spiritus the blessed fruit or effect of the spirits dwelling in us which is the first particular of the last generall part of my Text which is also seconded with another and that is per quem accrescit nobis fructus by whom this happinesse of being rais'd to life eternall is derived unto us This is effected by the H. Spirit by the spirit immediatly whose instrumentall action is used by the Father and Son who likewise co-operate and concur though mediatè in this great and glorious worke of the Resurrection as is evident by the Text John 5.28 and the 5. of St. Iohn where our Saviour speaking of himselfe sayes The houre is comming in the which all that are in the Graves shall heare his voyce c. To wave all other doubts and doctrines concerning the Resurrection wherein I might enlarge my meditations I shall close all with some few short Uses by way of Application Use 1 First this Text methinks speakes to every man as Dalilah did once to Sampson Iud. 16.9 Vp for the Philistines are upon thee c. Thou hast a mortall body death is at the doore O therefore thou mud-wall of frailty be not proud whilst the Sun-shine of prosperity reflects upon thee one blast of death by a sicknesse his harbenger may blow thee into thy first dust and tumble thee with thy unrepented sins into hell one glimpse whereof in the judgement of Bellarmine were enough to make a man from a dissolute one turn Monk or which I say is better a strict Christian Think of your houses of clay your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your mortall bodies and you cannot you will not be proud or covetous Use 2 Luke 2 10. Againe methinkes this Text sounds in my delighted eare that joyfull message of the Angel to the Shepheards Fear not death O mortalls for I bring you good tidings of great joy although your bodies be crumbled into dust yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that raisd up Christ from the dead shall quicken and restore them unto life Therefore grieve not much for a friend deceased that lived in the feare of God and died in the armes of his mercy as Moses and this our deceas'd friend a second Moses did Grieve not for him who is passed from a Sea of troubles to an Haven of everlasting rest 1 Cor. 6 17. But rejoyce in this that God is your Father and Christ your Saviour that you are made one with Him by his Spirit and that by meanes of this happy union you have a communion in his merit in all the benefits of his Death and Passion whereby you are made partakers of Grace here and shall be of Glory hereafter Use 3 Againe when we read mortall this should minde us of our fraile condition that we carry corruption in our bosomes and death in our bodies as well as in our names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 methim in the Iewes language signifies men both living dead O therefore seeing death watches for us let us watch and waite for death as holy Job did All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite Job 14.14 till my change come Wait Jugiter orando Poenitendo Benefaciendo By being frequent in prayer Pray continually 1 Thess 5 17. By repenting daily of your sins it is Repentance that turnes death into life and drives out his venome which is sin makes it a drone that it cannot hurt Thirdly waite for it by being much in duty and in the works of Charity Then mayst thou say with greater security then that heathen Phylosopher did Epictetus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let death surprise me so speaking and so doing c. Fourthly if mortall then so because of sin which stings our bodies Use 4 unto death O then expell and hate this bosom enemy let our hatred be implacable without reconciliation constant without intermission and generall without permission of our selves to live in any the least unrepented sin †Non nisi corpus condignum habero potest caput Christum Aug. Mat. 9.11 How can a dead body accord with a living head Thou deceivest thy self O man who being a rotten nominall Christian yet pretendest to be in Christ who is a sound Physitian who came to heale sin not to harbour sinners We read that he went in to sinners conversed with Publicans but sinners shall not go in to Him never be admitted into his glorious Presence I meane such sinners that delight in uncleannesse and are unwash'd from their habituall actuall pollutions Oh therefore wash ye make you clean Is 1.16 for why will ye die venture upon damnation The