be spiritual and eternal those other which are now essential predicates shall be taken away yet the subject remain be improved to higher and more noble predicates Jeanes 1. As for the 1. of these instances it is without doubt that to be quantitative is essentiall unto a body à posteriori and consecutive as a probrium thereof 4 to modo but. 1. That quantity is separable from a body was never affirmed by any besides the Patrons of either transubstantiation or consubstantiation 2. If a body were without quantity it would be without extension and so would exist in an undivisible point without distinction of parts and so it would be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bodilesse body which is a flat contradiction But for refutation of this I shall referre you to your own selfe in your discourse of the Real-presence c. Sect. 11. 13 pag. 211. But I demand when we 〈◊〉 of a body what we mean by it for in all discourses and entercourses of 〈◊〉 by words we must agree concerning each others meaning when we speak of a body of a substance of an accident what does man-kind agree to mean by these words all the 〈◊〉 and all the wise men in the world when they speak os a body and separate it from a spirit they mean that a spirit is that which hath no material divisible parts Physically that which hath nothing of that which makes a body that is extension 〈◊〉 by sines and superficies And Pag. 212. when we speak os a body all the world meanes that which hath a finite quantity Pag. 219. 220 that which I now insist upon is that in a body there cannot be indistinction of parts but each must possesse his own portion or place and if it does not a body cannot be a body Sect. 11. num 18. Again Pag 221. num 20 ejusd Sect If Christ's body be in the Sacrament according to the manner of a substance not of a body I demand according to the nature of what substance whether of a material or an immaterial if according to the nature of a material substance then it is commensurate by the dimensions of quantity which he is now endeavouring to avoid If according to the nature of an immateriall substance 〈◊〉 it is not a body but a spirit or else the body may have the being of a spirit whil'st it remains a body that is be a body and not a body at the same time Here every material substance by your opinion is commensurate by the division of quantity and therefore no material substance can be without the dimensions of of quantity afterwards in pag. 241. 242. num 29. ejusd Sect you bring in a shift of Bellarmines unto which you returne a very good answer both which I shall transcribe 〈◊〉 sayes that to be coextended to a place is separable from a magnitude or body because it is a thing that is extrinsecal and consequent to the intrinsecal extension of parts and being later than it is by divine power separable but this is as very a sophism as all the rest for if whatever in nature is later than the substance be 〈◊〉 from it than fire may be without heat or water without moisture a man can be without time for that also is in nature after his essence and he may be without a faculty of will or understanding or of affections or of growing to his state or being nourished and then he will be a strange man who will neither have the power of will or understanding of desiring or avoiding of nourishment or growth or any thing that can distinguish him from a beast or a tree or a stone for these are all later than the essence for they are all essential 〈◊〉 from it thus also quantity can be separated from a substantial body if every thing that is later than the forme can be separated from it When you wrote this you thought it a grosse absurdity to averre that quantity could be separated from a substantial body when you have answered your selfe I shall then take up the Cudgels and reply unto your answer in the mean while I shall consider your argument by which you endeavour to prove quantity separable from a body It stands thus in the resurrection bodies shall be spiritual therefore to be quantitative which is now an essential predicate shall be then taken away For answer 1. If the bodies of the Saints shall be raised without quantity then without extension without integral parts without heads eyes armes legs feet and this would be a very pretty and proper resurrection it would indeed be an invisible resurrection this is a very strange and false assertion contrary as to the constant tenet of both ancient and moderne Divinity so also unto expresse scripture In my flesh saies Job shall I see God whom I shall see for my-selfe and my eyes shall behold and not another Job 19. 26 27 the bodies of the Saints shall in the resurrection be conformed unto Christ's glorious body in his Philip. 3. 21 and that was a visible and palpable body it might be seen and selt it had flesh and bones and hands feet and sides Luk. 24. 39 40 John 20. 27 see Aquin sup ad 3 am part sum c quaest 80. Art 1. Tertullian upon these words of the Apostles this corruptible shall put on incorruption hath this glosse quantitativam eandem numero essentiam digito demonstrat magis enim expressè loqui non poterat 〈◊〉 cutem suam manibus 〈◊〉 2. As for the spirituality of our bodies in the resurrection that shall not be destructive of their quantity for they shall be spiritual not in regard of substance but in respect of either immediate supportance by the spirit or else resemblance unto a spirit 1. In respect of immediate supportance by the spirit without the help of bodily meanes meates drinks sleep medicaments c he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his 〈◊〉 that dwelleth in you Rom. 8. 11 or else 2. As others conjecture in regard of resemblance unto a spirit as touching some particulars in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the Angels of God in Heaven Matth. 22. 30. But that spirituality of the body in ` Paul's sense of the word is no impeachment unto the quantity of it is evident enough from what you say in your treatise of the Real-presence c for therein you rightly averre that Christ's body is now a spiritual body and yet maintain against the Papists that 't is endued with quantity and hath partem extra partem one part without the other answering to the parts of his place Your second instance is to have succession of duration this is essential to a body think you yet in the resurrection when our bodies shall be eternal it shall be taken away But here Sir my poor Pupils because you are so great a Metaphysitian care
and colour this we must reject that keep and hold fast Prove all things hold fast that which is good But he requires now towards evill a farre different carriage there he looks for a scrupulous fearfulnesse Though we must not hold fast any thing that hath but the appearance of good yet we must abstaine from but the appearance of evill Abstaine from all appearance of evill or from every evill appearance the Words may be rendred indifferently either way both rendring being equally consonant to the truth and Originall In the words our Apostle meets with a cavill rise among the Libertines of our and former times who when their scandalous courses are charged upon thē baffle of all with this plea that they are not intrinsecally sinfull Could I will the prosanest Libertine say once see such and such things proved to be unlawfull why I would make no more words of the matter but soone forbeare them I but have they the blush the appearance of evill that should be motive enough to shun them Abstaine from all c. But are we sure this is the Apostles meaning are not the words capable of another interpretation First some mislike our translation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 species by appearance and rather think it should be meant logically for sort or kind That it may be so Mat. Flac. Illyricus and Beza determine That it is so the Syriack Interpreter and after him Faber and after them our own great and learned Doctor Hammond resolve But I would faine know upon what ground they are thus singular against the Current both of Ancient and Moderne Expositors Setting aside this place the word occurres as I thinke in the whole new Testament but foure times In Luke 3. 22. and 9. 29. John 5. 37. 2 Cor. 5. 7. And in none of these places is it can it be taken in a Logicall notion If not elsewhere why here especially seeing such an acception is not inforced by the scope coherence any other circumstance of the Text or any absurdity otherwise unavoidable But some dreame of a soule absurdity that would ensue upon translating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 species appearance If every appearance of evill should be abstained from then should good things the best things be eschewed for they commonly appeare to be evill unto sense and carnall reason that discerne not the things of the spirit of God How easily may an acute wit set false faces upon them and worke a bad conceite of them into either weake or ill apprehensions Unto this we may adde that of Dr Hammond in his treatise of 〈◊〉 pag 9. 10. Appearance of evill saith he is so uncertaine and unconstant a thing that to abstaine from it universim cannot be the matter of any 〈◊〉 Command This feare will quickly vanish and be discovered to be idle and vaine when anon we shall explaine that distinction of appearance of evill into 〈◊〉 and imaginary for the present therefore leaving these men proceed we secondly to others who agree with us in interpreting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a vulgar familiar and common sense for appearance but then their exposition is not so generall as ours for they restraine the place to matters of Doctrine and will not allow it to be extended to matters of practise and countenance they think the context gives their glosse for the Apostle having at the 19 〈◊〉 exhorted not to quench the spirit in verse 20. prescribes a meanes for cherishing the spirit viz a reverent demean our towards the word of God If ye will not quench the spirit despise not prophesying And next lest that some should except are we thus reverently to receive promiscuously all prophesyings and doctrines preached unto us and not to beware of some of false prophesyings and doctrines the Apostle say they more distinctly directs how we should demeane our selves First towards all prophesyings in generall how secondly towards true how 3 dly towards false First all prophesyings and doctrines whatsoever must be 〈◊〉 examined Prove all things Secondly all true prophesyings sound and orthodox doctrines are to be imbraced with a firme and unremoveable assent Hold fast that which is good Lastly as for false prophesyings and doctrines even their very appearance is to be shunned Thus they c. But first I propose unto the consideration of the learned whether or no an exact and acurate coherence be to be looked for in most of those precepts delivered by the Apostle from vers 13 〈◊〉 ad vers 23. The loose and abrupt manner of heaping them together perswade me thinks that there is as little dependance of many of them upon either the foregoing or sollowing precepts as is to be expected between Solomons Proverbs or Bede's Axiomes Hence is it that Estius holds it not necessary to interprete the place so as that it should have connexion with those duties that immediately precede rather thinks he the Apostle 〈◊〉 to rubbe up the memory of what he commanded in the former chapter at verse the 12. That ye may walke honestly towards them that are without Secondly Suppose a coherence of the words with the former must it needs be that which they obtrude The words may sit under our interpretation and yet the Analysis of the Context run smoothly as thus The Apostle having at verse 19. dehorted from quenching the spirit next adviseth use of meanes tending to the preservation of its gracious and glorious residence in the soule which meanes are either negative or positive he assignes but one negative means viz a removall of a maine barre and powerfull obstacle unto the presence of the spirit contempt of preaching Despise not prophecying vers 20. of the positive means two concerne good one evill the two concerning good are boni diligens examinatio constans electio Prove all things hold fast that which is good This respecting evill est universalissima ejus rejectio an abstinence not onely from all kinds but even from all appearance of evill Lastly suppose the primary scope and intention of the Apostle be limited unto matters of doctrine yet because the maine reason for which they themselves conceive appearances of evill even in matters of doctrine to be interdicted is avoidance of scandall the precept of which is juris naturalis and not only doctrines but also actions are scandalous justly therefore unto these as well as those 〈◊〉 the text appliable and applied too by all Schoolmen or others that ever I met with purposely treating on the point of scandall Should we then against the more generally received opinion of either former or later times admit of their narrow and 〈◊〉 interpretation for the cleare and indubitate sense of the Apostle Yet to make the words more instructive their use more generall we might warrantably put an enlargment upon them and extend them ad mores 〈◊〉 well as ad dogmata ad agenda as well as ad credenda to the decalogue as well as creed not onely to doctrinall truthes
argument rather than a generall suffrage for nemo omnes neminem omnes 〈◊〉 improbable as for one to deceive all so for all to deceive one Rivet makes no doubt but caeteris paribus that is if parts prayer diligence of study after the truth be equall that then a greater and fuller measure of the gist of expounding the Scripture and deciding controversies thereabouts is comn unicated to the publick ministers of the Church whether they execute their function severally and apart in some one particular Church or else jointly conferre and discourse among themselves concernîng the true and genuine sense of the Scriptures in some assemblies call'd lawfully and in the name of Christ than unto severall private men who are neither endowed with so many gifts nor see with so many eyes nor by their private and single meditation can equall the united consultations and enquiries after truth of many And thus you see how farre Christian modesty requireth us to abstaine from assenting to doctrines upon the appearance of evill or falshood which they carry unto those who in interpeting scripture and deciding controversies have committed to them the publick office of direction and instruction of others but yet it taketh not 〈◊〉 us the judgment of private discretion for Christian liberty alloweth us such a freedome of dissenting from or assenting unto what the Church and her ministers say as is to be specified in the next two following rules In a third place therefore although the Church or the greatest and cheifest part of her charge errour and falshood upon such a doctrine yet this bare and single testimony not seconded by any scripture or reason is not to gaine so farre upon our beliefe as that thereupon we should presently reject and dissent from the doctrine thus generally censured with an absolute and peremptory dissent This were to give unto the Churches decisions as high and over-ruling a suffrage in our hearts as is onely due to divine revelations to receive them not as they are indeed the word of men but as if they were the word of God to yeild unto them an absolute divine faith and credence This were a meere Vassallage of our soules understandings faiths unto the authority of an humane testimony a thing utterly unworthy the generosity and freedome of Christian Spirits If God hath indulged to any the exercise of such dominion over mens faiths and consciences alas then to what purpose hath he placed that glorious lamp of reason in our bosomes of what use are our intellectualls What place is there left for St Pauls proving of all things St John's tryall of the Spirits but the truth is that God is so farre from enslaving our understandings or captivating our beliefe unto the judgment of any mortall as that he approves not onely of a forbearance from a flat and absolute 〈◊〉 from doubtfull doctrines thus publickly and generally disliked but also of a full and peremptory assent unto doctrines manifestly true though condemned in a generall Councill as is apparent from the fourth and last rule which is If a doctrine be as true in it selfe so also clearly and evidently by me 〈◊〉 to be so and yet appeare generally to be false unto others of what degree order or condition soever neverthelesse it Commands absolute subscription and assent of the mind without contradiction without hesitancy nay without so much as suspense of judgment If the verity then of a doctrine be apparent it must over-rule the assent of the understanding against the testimony of the whole world For the testimony of men of the wisest holiest men considered either apart or assembled in a councill admits as allwaies of examination and tryall by the ballance of the Sanctuary and rules of right reason so likewise of contradiction and denyall when in it there is an expresse and evident variation from either reason or divine authority In such a cause we may lawfully and safely dissent from it allwaies provided that it be not in an insolent manner but with a reverend child-like and respectfull bashfulnesse But to goe on if I am not to abstaine from assenting to a doctrine manifestly true because it appeares generally to others to be false must I not yet abstaine from publishing from spreading of it either by writing or preaching For answer thou must consider the generall nature and qualitie of the doctrine thus wrongly either 〈◊〉 or suspected of falshood and also of what use and importance it is in regard of the present times and places wherein thou livest and if it prove to be a doctrine either fundamentall or at least of such weight and moment that from the publishing of it will spring a greater good more glory to God and benefits to the Church then the trouble and disquiet it brings can be an evill thou art then at no hand to conceale it so should'st thou be unfaithfull both to God and his Church and become accessary to the betraying nay murther of the truth Si de veritate scandalum sumatur saith Gregory melius est ut scandalum oriatur quà m ut veritas relinquatur If scandall or offence be taken at a truth which the estate and exigence of those soules committed to a mans charge requireth him to publish better suffer the whole world to be scandalized than such a truth disadvantaged either by deniall or but a cowardly smothering and dissembling thereof Quemadmodum enim saith Calvin Charitati subjicienda est nostra libertas ita sub fidei puritate subsidere 〈◊〉 charitas ipsa debet As our liberty is to be subjected to charity 〈◊〉 also our Charity it selfe to faith's puritie But now if it be a doctrine either not fundamentall but of a lower rank and quality wherein both orthodox writers and preachers may vary and abound in their owne sense without prejudice to the foundation or if it be of so small use that upon its divulgement it is not probable there will arise so much honour to God and edification of the Church as may preponderate those mischiefes that hurly-burly those tumults and contentions in the Church which in all likelyhood will ensue thereby thou must then forbeare to vent it either from presse or pulpit so shalt thou best consult for thine own private quiet and publick peace And we must follow after things that make for peace and edification Rom. 14. 19. About such matters to be contentious we have no custome nor the Churches of God and indeed about them to be contentious were the right pranke of a Schismatick for not only he is a Schismatick saith Cameron who maintaines a perverse Tenet a man may hold a very true opinion and yet play the Schismatick and give scandall unto the people of God by delivering it in a rash unpeaceable and unseasonable manner neither in fit place nor due time no necessity urging thereunto for seeing in determining of his opinion the glory of God and weale of the Church lye not at the stake
Priests and shall there not be found an answerable degree of morall precisenesse in the 〈◊〉 of the Gospell shall they be willingly within sight sent and hearing of impiety except to reprove it As a woman big with Child for fear and danger of miscarrying for beareth Physick violent exercise and many meats and drinks which otherwise she might freely use even so those who travell in birth with the Children of Christ are put to deny and abridg themselves of many indifferencies I will eat no flesh saith St Paul while the world standeth rather then make my brother to offend 1 Cor 8. 13. Reasons enforcing their abstinence after an especiall manner from the appearance of evill are two Because in them they 〈◊〉 First greater loosenesse in bad ones Secondly more heavinesse to good ones First Greater loosenesse in bad ones 〈◊〉 it is how the lower and more ignorant ranke of men will be hereby strengthned in their downright sinfull courses Nay if a Minister do but wisely and lawfully use his Christian liberty the rude vulgar will thereupon open themselves a gappe unto all licentiousnesse If he be but innocently pleasant think they we may be mad If he but sip we may carouse If he spend but some few houres in his honest and harmelesse recreations the common gamester presently concludes his mispense of both time and patrimony in gaming to be thence 〈◊〉 Secondly more heavinesse to good ones it grieves the spirits of the righteous to see them in any it wounds their soules it makes their bloods their hearts 〈◊〉 to behold them in a man of God It becomes not my weaknesse to advise only in mine own and others behalfe I unfainedly wish and pray that this were seriously thought upon and practised by us all that all of us in a tender regard to the reputation and honour of our high calling would walke with great surcumspection make strait steps unto our feet tread every step as nicely as gingerly as if we went among snares walked upon ropes or pinnacles I will conclude with that of Bernard to 〈◊〉 lib. 3. de consideratione cap. 4. which though written particularly unto him may yet fittingly enough be applied to every Minister nay every Christian. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 malas res malas paritèr species 〈◊〉 in altero conscientiae in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It becomes your holinesse to decline as evill things so also evill appearances in that thou consult'st for thy Conscience in this for thy fame nay indeed if it be not presumption to adde unto the Father in this thou providest both for Conscience and Fame for 〈◊〉 first for the purity for the peace of thy Consci nce for the purity of thy Conscience to keep it void of offence both towards God and towards men for the 〈◊〉 of thy Conscience to preserve it from the violence of Satans temptations from the vexations of thine own feares and jealousies Secondly for fame so to hedg it in from scandall as that it shall be above the reach of suspicion Therefore to goe on in the words of the Father Puta tibi non licere etsi alias fortasse liccat quicquid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coloratum non sit in sama naevus malae 〈◊〉 Think not for the lawfull though perhaps otherwise lawfull whatsoever shall be evill coloured In thy fame let there not be so much as a spot of evill appearance so shalt thou follow things that are of good report Phil. 4. 8. and thereby quite take off all private prejudices all open calumnies against either thy person or profession However thou shalt procure the testimony and approbation of God and thine own Conscience and be presented unblameable cleare from offensivenesse before men from saultinesse before God at the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ To whom with the Father and Holy Ghost be ascribed by us and the whole Church the Kingdome the Power and Glory from this time forth for evermore AMEN FINIS THREE SERMONS Enlarged into a TREATISE Concerning The last and general Judgement BEFORE The Iudges of Assise For the Country of Somerset WHERE OF One Preached at Chard Mar. 22. 1657. AND Two at Taunton Aug. 15 16. 1658. AT THE Request of WILLIAM HILLIARD Esq lately deceased and then High Sheriff of that County By Henry Jeanes Minister of 〈◊〉 Word at CHEDZOY OXFORD Printed by H. Hall Printer to the University for Tho Robinson 1660. The Stationer to the Reader THe Theme here handled is very usual and common But our Author as I am assured from very good hands hath done his best for the removal of this prejudice for first his method is such as I am confident will prevent all nauseating and then he hath inserted ever and anon out of the School-men such Notions as thou shalt hardly meet with in any other Books upon this subject Besides many obscure and difficult places of Scripture are here fully explicated and cleared This alone is enough to render this piece as acceptable as any other Works of the Author Romans 2. 16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospell THere is some difference amongst Expositors about the Coherence of these words Beza fetcheth it from the 11th verse making the 12 13 14 15th verses to come in by way of Parenthesis there is no respect of persons with God in the day when God shall judg the 〈◊〉 of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospell Pareus amongst Protestants and Estius amongst Papists drawe it from the 12th and 13th verses and they enclose verse the 14th and the 15th in a Parenthesis for as many as have sinned without the Law shall also perish without the law and as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the law for 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of the Law are just before God but the doers of 〈◊〉 law shall be justified in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ c. But against both these waies the objection of 〈◊〉 against Beza will serve This verse cannot be well joined unto words so sarre off without great divulsion of the sentence and suspending of the sense and therefore with him I shall looke no further for the 〈◊〉 of the words then the foregoing verse Which shew the 〈◊〉 of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts the meane while accusing or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one another in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospell What the Apostle here speaks of the Gentiles is applyable unto all men the Consciences of all men shall beare witnesse and their thoughts either accuse or excuse them in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ c. there will then be a speciall 1. 〈◊〉 2. Influence 3. Evidence in the testimony of Conscience more then there is in this life First A speciall Eminence it 's testimony will then be louder
very loath to be disturbed by Christ's coming from Heaven for their utter aversation from things heavenly sufficiently instructs them that thence they have no reason to looke for Christ to come as a mercifull Saviour for what good what salvation may they expect from a place they have so much contemned The Thessalonians waiting for the Son of God srom Heaven 1 Thes. 1. 10 hath for its antecedents a true Conversion from Idolatry unto the worship and service of God vers 9. as also an inchoation of rescue from Hell they turned to God from Idols to serve the living and true God they were delivered from the wrath to come and indeed it was an act altogether unperformable by them as long as they were unconverted as long as they were either Idolaters or Atheists as long as they were children of wrath in whose soules deliverance from wrath to come was not so much as begun the Kingdome of sin and Satan remaining in them still as entire powerfull and unbroken as ever Compare 12 13. of Titus 2. together and you may easily collect that those who looke for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God are such as deny ungodlinesse and wordly lusts such as live soberly righteously and godly in this present world St 〈◊〉 joyneth looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God with a most intense zealous and transcendent diligence in all holy conversation and Godlinesse 2 〈◊〉 3. 11 12. in the Lords prayer the petition for the coming of Gods Kingdome is placed betwixt the two petitions Hollowed be thy name Thy will be done in 〈◊〉 as it is in Heaven and from this method we may observe that none can pray cordially for the coming of Gods Kingdome of Glory when Christ shall deliver up the Kingdome to God even the Father that are carelesse of the glory of Gods name and regardlesse of obedience unto his will I shall conclude this particular with Rev. 22. 17. where desire of and prayer for the coming ofChrist to judgment for a perfect vindication of all his from all the sequels ofsin is appropriated unto he Bride unto the Church mysticall and unto every true and genuine member thereof every sincere believer that is betrothed unto Christ in righteousnesse in judgment in loving-kindnesse and in mercies Hos. 2. 19. And the spirit and the Bride say Come In the words 〈◊〉 thinks there may be an Hendiadys so that the spirit and the bride may be put for the spirituall Bride the bride sanctified by the Spirit or if you rather thinke that the Spirit is taken properly for the Holy Ghost why then saith he the spirit saith come in the same sense that it maketh intercession for us Rom. 8. 26. to wit 〈◊〉 it enableth and maketh the bride to say come the Spirit and the Bride say come that is the Spirit in the Bride or the Bride by the assistance influence and actuation of the Spirit saith come Come Lord Jesus come quickly those that are espoused unto Christ long for the Consummation of their Nuptials and their marriage with the Lamb is this great and last day Rev. 19. 7. 9. Whereas now on the Contrary such as have gone a whoring after the creature and have been wedded unto the mortall adversaries of Christ Jesus their lusts and corruptions their desire is to build Tabernacles on earth and they stand in as great a terror of Christs coming as the disloyall Adulteresse doth of the coming home of her abused Husband for their guilty consciences cannot but assure them that without repentance this day will not be their wedding day but a day of eternall divorce their outward and visible be trothment unto Christ by receiving of his Sacraments and profession of his name will then be proclaimed to be a meere nullity and they shall be everlastingly separated from all communion with him this day then will be unto them as Job saith the morning is unto murtherers Theeves and Adulterers as the shadow of death they will be in the terrors of the shaof death Job 24. 17. Secondly preparation for it In the Parable only the wise Virgines were ready for the coming of the Bridegroome and hereupon they went with him into the marriage and the 〈◊〉 to wit of grace and mercy was shut against the 〈◊〉 unprepared virgins and could not be opened by their greatest importunity Matth. 25. 10 11 12. the Apostle Peter connexeth this preparation for the coming of Christ in both his Epistles with expectancy of it 〈◊〉 in his first Epistle chap. 1. v. 13. Wherefore gird up the loines of your minds be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ where girding up the loines of the mind is a 〈◊〉 expression of that preparation which is requisite in all those that hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto them at the revelation of Iesus Christ in allusion unto an ancient custome of those Easterne Countries where not only women but men wearing long garments were wont to tuck them up when they addressed themselves unto a journey unto worke unto battell or unto service our Saviour useth the very same similitude unto the same purpose and joyneth another of the like nature with it Luk. 12. 35. Let your 〈◊〉 be girded about and your lights burning the whole verse is a borrowed speech from the guise of good Servants that prepare for the coming of their Masters by girding and trussing up their garments to waite and attend on them and by lighting candles in a readinesse for them 2. In his second Epistle chap. 3. v. 12. he makes the like connexion looking for and hasting unto the Coming of the day of God Indeed we cannot accelerare diem but yet we may accelerare ad diem though we cannot hasten it yet we may hasten unto it to wit by fitting our selves for it by going forth as it were to meet the Lord with burning lamps that is with saiths that not only blaze before men but also shine before God in their sruits good works This preparation is of a vast extent and taketh in all duties whether regarding the first or second table so much may be gathered from the 1 Pet. 1. 13 14 15. Wherefore gird up the loines of your minds c. as obedient Children and not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance but as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation Here wee have a Concomitant of this preparing of our selves a generall obedience and Universall holinesse and hence also is it that unpreparednesse is described by disobedience Luk. 12. 47. that Servant c. which prepared not himselfe neither did according to his Masters will c. But now out of those many duties in which preparation for the day of Iudgment stands I shall select some few unto the
of thy youth and walke in the waies of thy heart and in the sight of 〈◊〉 eyes as if he should have said pursue thy 〈◊〉 pleasures without check or stop and abridge not thy selfe of any thing that thy heart desireth or delighteth in but to shew that this is but a Sarcasme he presently brings in a dreadsull commination of judgment as a cooling card to 〈◊〉 the the rage and fury of his lusts But know that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment For all these things that is for all thy excesses for all thy intemperate courses for all thy Epicurisme and Sensuality God will bring thee unto Judgment thou mayest perhaps be unwilling to come to a triall but God will compell thee and the Ministers of his justice will dragge thee unto his Tribunall This in its owne nature is an apt and forcible dissuasive as unto all men from all sin so especially unto those that are in the Magistrary or in any office apperteining to justice from those sins that are opposed unto the duties of ther respective places Asterion in Tenedos is memorable for an old custom observed amongst them which was that at the backe of the Judge there alwaies stood a man with an axe advanced as well to terrisie the witnesse from giving false evidence to the Judge as the Judge from pronouncing a false sentence upon the evidence whence the Proverb 〈◊〉 securis But this axe was but a 〈◊〉 crow in comparison of a deep imprestion of the last judgment one would thinke that it should deterre even a Judge that is not very zealous for justice from the perverting of judgment and resusall to doe iustice and make him returne this or the like answer unto all temptations unto unjustice How shall I commit this great wickednesse and sin against the Judge of all Judges What then shall I do when God 〈◊〉 up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him Iob 31. 14. And why should not this meditation have the like influence upon all organs of Justice from the highest unto the lowest from the Sheriffe unto his Bailiffs why should it not affright all Plantiffs from unjust contentious and frivolous actions all Accusers and Informers from suggesting all Witnesses from deposing any untruth all Jurors from 〈◊〉 and partiality in their verdicts and presentments all Lawyers from colouring and palliating bad causes and persons from betraying or delaying the causes of their poore Clients Would all these but sadly Consider that a day will come when all their actions and proceedings at this time shall be revewed and reexamined how 〈◊〉 might it make them against all failings and practises that turne judgment into 〈◊〉 into gall and the fruite of 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 Amos. 5. 7 and. 6. 12. that is that turne publique Judicatories into places of bitter banefull and deadly injustice unto the oppressed for of all these their Judge hath a more perfect cognizance then their own Consciences The Prophet Amos tels the great ones of Samaria that they did put farre away the evill day and caused 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 to come neare Amos 6. 3. Although the evill day be there meant primarily of the 〈◊〉 of some particular judgment upon Israel yet it may be extended unto the day of generall judgment which will be unto the wicked in a way of eminency the evill day a day of sad and 〈◊〉 tidings Now if those that have any imployments in publique dispensation or distribution of Justice put farre away from them all thoughts of this day they cause the seat of violence to come neare the 〈◊〉 of justice should be a sanctuary unto the distressed but they who dread not a day of accounts turne it into a seat of unjust and Tyranicall violence and they are very hot and eager in the pursuit of their oppressive courses they cause the seat of violence to come neare Secondly The day of judgment should be a disswasive from even suspected sins from all things that have an appearance of evill When Tunstall Byshop of Durham told Mr Gilpin that he should have a dispensation for non-residence during his travell beyond the 〈◊〉 Mr Gilpin answered that he feared 〈◊〉 he came to stand before Christs Tribunall it would not serve his turne and indeed whosoever will seriously weigh the matter must needs confesse that in the generall we all have very good reason to stick and scruple at those things which we doubt will be disallowed by the supreame and Soveraigne Judge of all rationall Creatures in this sublunary world Me thinks then men should be afraid to adventure upon those recreations fashions or the like concerning the lawfulnesse of which they have not cleare full and evident satisfaction A third duty regarding God unto which we may be exhorted from the day of judgment is love of God and Christ Jesus for the sincere and upright love of them will give admirable erection and embolden against the terrors of that day 1 Joh. 4. 17. Herein is our love made p rfect that we may have boldnesse in the day of judgment because as he is so are we in this world Wheras on the Contrary how can they have boldnesse in the day of judgment whose hearts are here 〈◊〉 with enmity against Jesus Christ by whome God will in that day judge the secrets of men and God reckons all those to be mortall enimies unto him who are cordial friends unto any sin against such what a thundering curse doth Paul denounce 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha there be many learned Expositors that take the word to be an advise unto the third and highest degree of Excommunication that answered unto the Jewish Shammata an accursing of a man unto the coming of Christ without hope of mercy which cannot be done without a Propheticall spirit But against this it may be objected That the mere not loving of Christ is a sin of the heart and therefore comes not under Ecclesiastical Cognizance and censure Unto this Objection I find two answers The first Of the learned and Reverend Doctor Hammond that the not loving of Christ is the denying of him in time of trouble and signifyeth here him that was taynted with the Error of the Gnosticks and so would not confesse Christ in time of persecution A second Is that the not loving of Christ is the sin against the holy Ghost an opposition of Christ and his Gospel out of mere malice and desperate hatred But to make either of these interpretations good we must fly unto a Meiosis whereby lesse is spoken and more implyed and what need we run unto a figure as long as the words are capable of a faire interpretation in their proper sense I shall therefore conclude with Cornelius Alapide Dickson and others that the words containe only a simple denunciation of an eternall curse and damnation to be inflicted at the coming of the Lord to judgment upon
vent our pride and stroke our selves Nebuchadnezar will acknowledg a great Babilon but withall adde that 't is built by the might of his own power and so we confesse and perhaps beyond truth the having of such or such benefits but then wee 〈◊〉 them to our selves as either the Authours or deservers of them This indeed to speake properly is not Confession but boasting and bragging of mercies We must therefore in the second place 2. Acknowledg that they come downe from above from the Father of lights there and that 3ly By way of 〈◊〉 freely 〈◊〉 gratis saith Bernard 〈◊〉 merito 〈◊〉 labore nostro without our desert without our endeavour without our endeavour allwaies as the 〈◊〉 cause sometimes as the meanes We reape often as he in the parable where we have not sown and gather where we have not strawed More freely yet not only without but against our deservings for what are our 〈◊〉 except such as Augustine speaks of merita mala without our prayers against our hopes beyond our desires But should I insist longer on this point I should but anticipate what I am to deliver at large upon the fourth generall Dismissing it therefore I passe on unto the third branch of our thankfullnesse Remembrance of blessings which is almost nothing else but a multiplied and reiterated observation and confession of them And therefore all three Observation 〈◊〉 Remembrance are wrap'd up by Aquinas under one head Recognition That which is forgotten is not actually known for the present nothing unknown works upon the will A danger unknown moveth not A Benefit unknown affecteth not As the sacrifice of thanks then is kindled by observation blazeth in Confession so memory of benefits keepeth in the flame fetcheth life into it though almost extinguished even as the fainting light of a lamp is restored by a fresh supply of oyle That charge then that David gave his soule Psalm 103. 2. we must ours Blesse the Lord ô my soule and forget not all his Benefits that is by an ordinary Hebraisme forget not any of all his benefits But now in divine dialect words of knowledg do ever imply the affections Our memory then of blessings must be not only Historicall and speculative for that by it selfe is dull and lumpish and will beget but a cold and heartlesse thanksgiving but also practique and affectionate accompanied with such effusion of the spirit 's dilating of the heart such enlarg'd and enravish'd affections such stupor and admiration raptures of joy melting into kindnesse as are in some measure proportioned as unto the goodnesse and quality of the blessings themselves so also unto the love and bounty of God rellished in them as 't was said of her in the Comedy Laeta 〈◊〉 non tam ipso dona quam abs 〈◊〉 datum esse id serio triumphat Besides a diligent Recognizing of benefits which as you have heard is made up of Observation Confession Memory there is required unto thanksgiving A due valuation 1. Of the worth and greatnesse of God's gists in themselves Thankfull then we can never be if we either prize them not at all or underprize them and yet herein how extreamly faile me Some there are amongst us that are very loud in their complaints against the greatest outward mercies we can enjoy They exclaime against the blessed worke of reformation as an unsufferable innovation against the plenty of preaching as an intollerable burden as the Israelites Num. 11. 6. repined at their manna saying there is nothing but this manna before our eyes so these men at the bread of life saying there is nothing but preaching Sermons c. As they loathing manna lusted after the Cucumbers melons leeks onions and garlick which they had in Egypt so these people even fursetting on the good word of God hanker after those husks I meane Superstitions and Egyptian Ceremonies with which they were formerly fed There are others that as 't was said of Israel Psal. 106. 24. despise or as some read it thinke scorne of this pleasant land professing a liking rather to live in any barbarous remote nooke of the world with cleannesse of teeth and scarcity of bread then here where Gods mercies swarme about us But some of us have more though not grace yet shame then downrightly to complaine of God's mercies yet all the best of us doe much lessen their worth We aggravate our pettiest pressures beyond an Hyperbole but then on the other side how do we extenuate and diminish the worth of our greatest blessings y as the Cities Solamon gave Hiram pleased him not and he said to Solamon What Cities are these thou hast given me and he call'd them the Land of Cabul that is as you may see by the margin displeasing or dirty 1 Kings 9. 12 13. so Gods richest favours 〈◊〉 us not but ever we have some quarrell or other at them some flawes in them How faulty we are in this particular St Basil illustrates by a similitude taken from the eye looke as that seeth not objects which are apply'd close unto it and even lie on it but taken away some pretty distance doth clearly discerne them so we have no sense or feeling of the worth of benefits we enjoy untill God by removall of them teach us to set better price on them But now our estimation is not to be bounded and terminated in the mercies of God considered in themselves according to their owne worth and goodnesse without reference to their ground and Author for so are we apt sometimes to over-rate them as the Epicure his pleasure the covetous man his mucke the 〈◊〉 his victory Therefore wee must in the second place rightly prize the love and 〈◊〉 of God the giver for as Aquinas tells us A Benefit taken morally as laudable worthy of 〈◊〉 however materially it stands in 〈◊〉 in the thing given yet formally and principally it consists in voluntate affectu in the will and affection of the Donor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accepted largely requited a cup of water which a poore man gave him Why because he had an eye not to the value of the present but to the good will of the giver In like manner would wee but looke on the meanest blessings wee enjoy as tokens of Gods love and goodnesse how thankfully would we accept them at how high a rate prize them how be even ravish'd with the rellishing of Gods favour in them I proceed on to the last Degree of our thanks Retribution not of Justice but of favourable Acceptance that is not such as God may expect but such as he in his Justice may and in his mercy will accept How canst thou recompense saith Jesus the sonne of Sirach thy Parents the things that they have done for thee more justly may we demand How shall wee recompense our God the things he hath done for us which infinitely surpasse those of the most indulgent Father the tender'st Mother for these though great yet but finite A mans tongue