just distinction weight He forgives Iniquitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sinne of man against his Neighbour his unjust dealing He forgives Transgression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Man's Rebellion against God his receding from the power of the Lord that layd a command upon him and so aptly expresses the old offenee of our first parents their Disobedience as the Apostle calls it and our own offences against the Lord. He forgives Sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Sepiuagint renders it which though it be of a large signification yet here by way of difference may fitly be taken for that sin of sinnes which is too nerely against Our selves that sinne whence others flow that law in our members as the Apostle speakes Rom. 7.23 the sinne that dwells in us v. 17. originall sinne And thus does the Lord Iesus deliver his people at the last from all kind of sinne Iniquitie against our Neighbour Transgression against God Sinne against our selves And as the Lord did visibly shew himselfe passing by before Moses so did the Lord Iesus who was represented in that vision exhibite himselfe in the flesh visibly to the world as it were a passing by the World At which wonderfull sight yea at the remembrance of it may not we likewise take up with a little change those words of almighty God The Lord the Lord God the Lord the Lord Iesus Mercifull and Gracious long suffering and Abundant in Goodnesse and Truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving Iniquity and Transgression and Sinne Now as this work of our Saviour was the Restoring of the world so was it also the ordering of it and accordingly the Greek Fathers frequently call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ordering of a house hould as Iustin and Nazianzene expresse it God in his mercy having by this provided for the world as for his familie Which word they might borrow from the Apostle Ep. 1.10 where he says God did worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the dispensation of the fullnesse of times which might have been rendred in his house-hold-goverment or in the governing of his family the world in the fullnesse of times Nor has he only order'd the world but also Honoured it whiles Man in Iesus is united unto God Here did God gather together in one all things in Christ Eph. 1.10 all things that is Man as Irenaeus and S. Gregory expound it He did it that he might gather all things together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might Recapitulate or bring to a Head all things in Christ Indeed we are but the Members he is the Head the Annointed head he is God's Christ or his Annointed The eminency of Annointing you may see in the excellency of the persons anciently annointed among the Iews the Priest the Prophet and the King Of which last Lactantius observ'd that Annointing was the signe of Royalty among the Iews as the purple roabe was among the Romans All which respects concurr'd in the Annointing of our Saviour he being a Priest that offer'd Sacrifice for the sinnes of the World he being a Prophet that declared the secret Counsaile of his Father concerning the redemption of mankind he being a King in delivering Laws and affording protection to his Church And being thus mystically annointed with the Holy Ghost he may more truely than Zerubbabel and Ioshua the high Priest after the Captivity in the phrase of the prophet Zacharie 4.14 be call'd the Sonne of oile Nor was it without an embleme that he ascended into Heaven from the Mount of Olives which then was also the mount of the Annointed Oile is by the Hebrews called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the purity and shining of it When therefore it is said Psal 104.15 that God gives man Oile to make his face shine the originall imports to make his face shine more than oile as the English Interpreters observe Indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word drawn from the same originall with the former signifies the Light at noon day or the most full light and thus is our Saviour Christ brighter than oile and the Meridian Light that inlightens the world No marvaile then if the Gentiles whiles they were out of the Govenant of Grace so much envied at the glory of Christ the annointed so much that they indeavoured to burne all bookes that had the name of Christ in them especially the Sacred writings compelling all that in the Dioclesian persecution had such bookes to deliver them up whence such faint Christians as delivered them were call'd Traditores as S. Austin in part implies against the Donatists and as appeares by the first Councill of Arles Can. 13. and by Arnobius with others But as those Gentiles were not able to blot out the Sacred and Glorious name of Christ so neither was Domitian with all the power of his Malice and Crueltie before that able to disgrace the name of Christian though because it was in honour of our Saviour and so signified a servant of Christ the Annointed he imposed that scorne and intended torment upon the blessed Evangelist S. Iohn by causing him to be cast into a vessell of scalding oile Domitian's oile having no more power agaist the Christian than against Christ And that we may know how to be true Christians we may partly learne it from the names by which at the beginning of their profession they call'd themselves their usuall name being Disciples implying an obedience and willingnesse to learne Truth and so was an Instruction as well as a Title They were called the Beleivers not that they did disclaime holy workes which are all good mens Duty but that comparatively they disesteemed them nothing being meritorious but Christ and by Christ the Foundation of their Faith They were called Breathren they were call'd Saints intimating their Unity and Holinesse not in Pretence but Practice But the most usuall name of Humilitie and Zeale was Disciples which yet was chang'd at Antiochia by the consent of the Apostles into the name of Christians upon occasion as Athanasius shews of the divisions of those that pretended to be Disciples Thus did their name declare and Remember them to be the worshippers of the Lord 's Annointed The Heathens in disgrace fequently called them the Sibylists as Origen tells us the Christians so frequently alleadging against the Gentiles the Sibylls verses So Clemens the Alexandrian mentions S. Paul alleadging a Sibyl which memorialls it seems were in those times known among the Christians which is the name by Apostolicall institution and never was the name of any Sectaries but among the Christians the Apostoliques was the name of a Sect of Heretiques And by as easy reason might the Catholiques have been so too A Christian then being glorious in his Title should remember that as the Ancient wrestlers among the Heathen were annointed with oile to make them the more Active so should we to a better expedition be annointed with a spirituall Oile which is Gods Grace The Romanists annoint â—he Christian when
it seem'd to implie a divine excellency as is noted of the frantique ambition of Domitian the Roman Emperour who when he would be counted a God caused himselfe to be call'd Dominus Lord. But as the Name is due to our saviour so much more the power and as the power so our acknowledgement of his power And if Sozomen's Ecclesiasticall story be in no part Legend we may heare him relate that when Ioseph and the Blessed Virgin who fled into Aegypt with our Infant Saviour were ready to enter the gate of Hermopolis or Thebais a tree of singular size and beauty sudainly bended it self to the ground as in Adoration at the presence of the true Lord. This tree was before worshipped by the Heathen Aegyptians the name of which kind of tree was Persis as the historian says adding that this was the constant report of the Christian Inhabitants in his time as also that the fruit or Leaf or any part of the Bark of it heal'd the sick We may farther take notice that Plutarch long before said that this kind of tree was consecrated unto Isis that also the fruite of it was like a Heart and the Leaf like a Tongue which may to us Christians by a devout Embleme Aptly though not Articulately expresse that the Lord our Saviour should be worshipped and Acknowledged with heart and Tongue But with a certainty of Truth and Wounder declared he was to be the Lord by miracle and prophecie the prophet Micha saying ch 5.2 that he was to be Ruler in Israel the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implying Dominion a Proverbe this having then Dominion in speech Sometimes also it signifies a By-word as Ps 44.14 And thus also was our Blessed-Saviour a Lord and a Proverbe yea he was for a signe that should be spoken against Luke 2.34 Yet still he was the Lord. Our Saviour before his Incarnation was called God says Anastasius sometimes Bishop of Antiochia but since his Incarnation he is call'd Lord He is call'd Lord says he since he has come in the flesh wounded our enemies overcome death by death freed us from the power of the Devil taught the ungodly to acknowledge God receiv'd of his Father the Gentiles for an Inheritance possessed the utmost ends of the earth reigning from Sea to Sea and from the rivers to the bounds of the earth Since these victorys we may with truth and triumph call him the Lord Indeed he prov'd himselfe the Lord by Power and Mercy by destroying Sinne Death and Hell which were our enemies and by saving us who were his enemies and therefore he is not only the Lord but also Iesus this is his new name Apoc. 3.12 as Iehovah was his old name a name not known to Abraham Isaac and Iacob as God tells Moses Exod. 6.3 though it was know unto them as appeares Gen. 15.7 and in diverse other places as Gen. 26. 24 25.28.13 the meaning therefore was not that they knew it not at all but that they knew it not in the same respect that Moses knew it Iehovah expresses God's essence which is truth it selfe and therefore his truth in the fulfilling of his promises which were truth in Hope to the Patriarchs but truth in possession unto Moses Thus may we say that his new name Iesus was not known unto them of old not that they were ignorant either of the Name or the Promise but whereas They look'd Foreward to the Promise we doe look Back to the Joy and wounder of the performance That which was Faith in them is succeeded by sense in us and we may say in the words of Simeon Mine eys have seen thy Salvation Luk. 2.30 the Salvation of our Iesus the true Joshua Yet the first Ioshua was a type of Jesus in Name and Actions says S. Jerome Ioshua succeeded Moses our Saviour succeeded the Law Ioshua defended the Gibeonites our Saviour the weake in Temptations Ioshua brought the Israelites from the Wildernesse through Iordan into the Land of Promise our Joshua the elect Gentiles from Ignorance and Idolatrie through Baptisme into the Heavenly Canaan Lastly their Ioshua expell'd the Canaanites into the utmost parts of the West even to the Pillars of Hercules as they are call'd where they set up in their Phoenitian charracters an Inscription expressing this sense we are they who fled before the Robber Joshua the sonne of Nun as Procopius and before him Epiphanius relate But our Ioshua in victorious Mercy has not expelled the Gentiles but Gentilisme and we are this day the Inscription and Confession of his bountifull Triumph and to discover the Extent of his Mercy he has discovered a new West from whence no doubt many shall come that shall feast with Abraham in the Kingdome of Heaven An other Jesus also there was of good renown the Son Josedech the first High Priest after the captivity but our Iesus was much more our high priest after our greater Captivitie in sinne The name Iesus signifies a Saviour the shaddow of which sense was in others but in our Iesus the truth Yet the obstinate Iews formerly malicious against the person of our Saviour are now as malicious against his Name in the writing whereof they would leave out the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without which it cannot signifie a Saviour when as for this cause it was given him by the Angel Mat. 1.21 So that it is neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some would have it nor as the later Iewes would have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in the Hebrew Gospell of S. Mathew cap. 1. from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is written Isa 45. 8. which our English Interpreters render Salvation but the Latin has Salvatorem by the Person insteed of the Thing as also Genes 49 18. where the Latin has Salutare following the Greeks who have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that so as it was in the concrete they may understand our Saviour which word is used also by S. Luke 2.30 in the song of Simeon Yet we may observe that the name of our Saviour is sometimes written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the Hebrew Ep. of S. Paul to the Hebrews ch 1. which was the name of Ioshua the sonne of Nun ho being added by an epenthesis as Munster notes on the first of S. Mathew and thus our Saviour's right name imports a Saviour But the Iews themselves acknowledged him a Saviour even on the Crosse when they cryed out he that saves others let him save himselfe It was the fittest time to acknowledge him a Saviour he being then performing the great work his great work of our Salvation The benefit of which worke the worke of Iesus is most accurately expressed in those words of the Lord Exod. 34.7 He keeps mercy for thousands forgiving Iniquity and Transgression and Sinne. God spake then of Himselfe and so aptly of our Blessed Saviour Nor are the words emptie or confus'd but each has his
our Saviour's time it kept some from the Coâ—fession of the Faith though not from the Faith In the primitive times there were degrees of such as were separated froÌ„ the Church of which were some of the Audientes Hearers of the word preached among whoÌ„ were some indeed that were not yet admitted to the farthar blessings of the Church those were by punishment but Hearers these had been but Hearers A second sort were Procumbentes such as in prostrate manner ask'd pardon of the Church for some publique scandall given by them to the Church A third were the Orantes call'd also as S. Cyprian say's Abstenti persons after some offence admitted only to the Prayers of the Church A last sort were such as were once Communicants persons admitted to the Lord's Supper but for great sinnes depriv'd of so great a blessing To be remov'd from the Lord's Table was a great punishment yet greater it was to be remov'd also from the prayers of the Church but how great was it then not to be admitted to aske pardon The Libellatici were soonest Restored the Church looking upon their frailty as well as on their Fault they being such as for feare of punishment had their names registred in the Magistrates Booke from whence they are call'd Libellatici aknowledging their consent to offer Incense to the Gentiles Gods but meeting with a dealing Judge redeem'd themselves from trouble and the performance by the perswasion of a Bribe Their unwillingnesse to offend wonne the Church to a willingnesse to Restore them Adulterers indeed as too too foule were left for many yeares to be wash'd with their own tears in hope to be throughly wash'd in the blood of Christ But such as relapsed into Idolatrie were not readmitted till the houer of death when as much they were to leave the Church as to re-enter it and rather in a new hope of the Church Triumphant than a new possession of the Church Militant This manner of Excommunication was grievous indeed and often attended with grievous consequences God permitting the Devill in primitive times upon the pronouncing of the sentence to enter into the persons and torment them as we read of Stilico's secretary excommunicated by S. Ambrose We may remember it is call'd a delivering unto Satan 1 Cor. 4.5 Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1.20 were thus delivered up by S. Paul And this Excommunication the Fathers call a resemblance of damnation S. Jerome termes it a judging before the day of Judgement and S. Cyprian calls it the death of the Soule So grievous it is that S. Chrysostome thinks it to grievous too be exercised since not against the living saies he because we must not prevent God's judgement nor against the Dead because they have their judgement already Yet in this point his Mercy was more than his Judgement we having not only the permission but the Command in God's Word and the practice of the Ancient Church the greatest Heretiques having been struck with this sentence by the greatest Councils And thus though it were very grievous it was very necessary and if more weight may be given unto it some think it added in the Word that is added Mara-natha Let him be Anathema Mara-natha Between which words some copies have no point and such it seems Oecolampadius liked but insteed of Maranatha he thinks it should be Matha and so expounds it by Anathema Mortis which may be interpreted One accursed to death But Guesse being too bold an attendant upon the holy text we must according to the Originall read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as the very ancient printed copie of Prevotius with small difference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as S. Jerome says is as much as Dominus noster venit Our Lord is come The compound word is acknowledg'd to be rather Syriaque than Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying then our Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is come or by the libertie of the Hebrew which often uses the time past for time to come shall come yet some understand it of the time past which had been apt if the Apostle had here spoken of the Iews who denyed he was come but speaking here to the Corinthians he seems not to speake to such as denyed our Saviour but to such as lov'd him not According to which acception some make the sense to be Let such a one be accursed 'till the Lord shall come Others Let suh a one be accursed when the Lord shall come or be separated from the comming of the Lord that is from the benefit of his comming which is the deliverance of the Just This expression then of the Apostle is an allusion to to the severest curse among the Jewes in their Excommunication to be inflicted at the comming of their Messias a forme of speech not unknown as appeares to S. Pauls converted Corinthians Briesely then and clearely we may take the first words for the pronoucing of the Curse the last for a confirmation of the curse the first being as the writing the last as the Seale The sentence is whosoever loves not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Accursed the Confirmation is Nay the Lord shall come and at his comming prove this Curse a Truth Thus speakes the Apostle by an Aposiopesis a figure attending upon Indignation which is the passion in which the Apostles Zeale here speakes Let him be Anathema doe only 1 Paul say so Yea Maranatha the Lord shall come and say so The Lord whom he loves not shall come and say so Since then there is so great so certaine a Curse for all that doe not Love the Lord needfull it will be to know who are such which we may know by knowing the nature of the Duty or what it is to Love the Lord Jesus Christ If we should aske most men whether they love the Lord our Saviour they would presently venture not to love him by their Indignation at the question Yet notwithstanding such Disdaine one might peradventure as easily pose them as anger them But not to tempt them to the hazard of the Passion and at once to save their Patience and Credit they may without being catechiz'd positively know that the nature of true Love consists in similitude so that he which truely loves the Lord is to his endeavour like the Lord. And since our blessed Saviour who is the Sonne of God is like the Father by his Nature we likewise who are by Adoption the Sonnes of the same Heavenly Father must strive to be like unto him in Holinesse He is holy therefore we must be Holy In this consists our proportionall similitude unto God! And that we may the more fitly resemble him we must fit our will unto his will which being reveal'd in his commandement if we love Him we must love his Commandement and then we unfeinedly love it when we keep it No other signe or Truth is there of our Love if we observe not what Christ Commands we as yet love not Christ that
Commands it And therefore Clemens Epist 2. dares to say he that keeps not the Lord's Commands Let him be accursed till the Lord comes He is the Lord our Lord we are his Servants whose actions being vertually in reference to him the nature of our love to him as to our Lord consists in a conformity of our actions unto His. How sadly then doe they draw this curse upon themselves that abuse God's Word by Prophanesse or Heresie Who abuse his command by obstinacy or security who abuse his Servants by oppression or contempt indeavouring rather to prove his Servants hypocrites than to become his servants Again he is our Iesus our Saviour whose Love towards us being Infinite we must in a sort imitate the Infinitie of his love by a perpetuall increase of our Love Which is surely increased by a remembrance of his Passion which is perform'd according to his own desire in a frequent Communicating at his holy table Our Saviour has left that as the sure mark of his friends they are those that frequently come and suppe with him How sadly then doe they draw this curse upon themselves who by contempt or neglect of that blessed provision insteed of partaking with his friends in the merit of his Passion partake with the Jews in their guilt of his passion In what condition also are they who to the merit of his Blood dare adde the merit either of their workes or will Lastly he is Christ the Lord 's Annointed He is annointed as a King and is the Defender of his faithfull Subjects who then can be safe from his Curse and Justice that contemnes his Majestie in his command He is annointed as a Prophet and who shall escape a curse that resists God's will in resisting his prophet that declares his will He is annointed as a Priest who then shall escape that curse from which only our High Priest the Sonne of God can deliver him And as it is Duty to Love our Saviour so is it Wisedome which we must imploy in the manner of our Love Of which one degree it is to be called after his Name but a farther degree it is a degree of wisedome to be call'd by a fit name Some indeed as some Easterne Christians have from his name of Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the title of Marani some from his name Jesus as the Iesuites by the choise of their Ignatius but the Apostles chose to be called from his name Christ Christians In the two first whereof we may see the weakenesse of men In the last we may see the wisedome of God and the Godly All the names of our Saviour implie excellencies the first his Dominion over his Church the second his nature of a Mediatour whereby he saves us These are prerogatives as well as Excellencies and therefore it is Humilitie and safety for men rather to decline than assume such Appellations Or if the name Iesuite may be admitted for the Pretence or Intent of an Indeavour to save soules too extreame an Arrogancy it is for a Sect of men to assume a title as peculiar to themselves which is as claimeable by all the Ministers of the Gospell This covetuous zeale is not allowable But the name Christ implying our Saviours spirituall annointing may for our proportion descend to us may as a Holy oile descend from the Head to the Skirts of the Garment and so from Christ we may happily and fitly be called Christians True it is God has annointed him above his fellows yet a truth it is also that his fellows are annointed nay they were not his fellows if they were not annointed And as he has annointed them with Him so has he annointed them by Him and for his sake Wherfore though the name Christ and also Christian may signifie annointed yet as the one name is derived from the other so is our Annointing deriv'd from His. And since this annointing includes all blessings and all these blessings come by our blessed Saviour let him be accursed that loves not our Lord Jesus Christ The word here for Love is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a lesse degree of love than the former and therefore he that beares not so small affection to our Saviour justly deserves to be an Anathema Yet the greatest part of such as professe Christ are rather content to receive his blessings his outward blessings than his Commands or if they receive them 't is so unwillingly that we may feare they rather Indure him than Love him But our Apostle curses all them that doe not love him among whom the Greek Interpreters generally understand all that offend God by grievous sinnes such as Schismatiques Fornicatours Eaters of meat offered to Idols unworthy Communicants Denyers of the Resurrection and the like Need then we have to learne the nature of love and learne it we may from the Body from that part of the body the Liver which is by nature appointed as the Instrument and seat of Love It is the seate of Love as Salomon implies Prov. 7.23 whiles he saies the adulterer goes on till a dart strike through his liver The liver is the fountaine of the veines and the first instrument of blood the lappes or extremities of it compassing and comforting the stomach thus sacred Love compasses and strengthens our spirituall appetite and is as the fountaine of all devout affections The Liver is made of blood and it makes blood so is our spirituall love begotten by God's love of us and then increases into greater and new love of God imitating in this the figure of the liver which is shaped like a crescent or the Moone in her increase The liver makes blood out of the purest and most aëry part of the matter it workes upon and thus does spirituall love arise from the purer parts and contemplation of those things it considers The Liver is the chiefe seate of the nutritive facultie and by the veines conveighs blood to all parts of the body so is love the chiefe instrument of spirituall nourishment dispensing a chierfull heate and alacrity to all actions of a Christian The temper of the liver consists in heate and moisture qualities which singularly prolong life so the sacred heate and living moisture of spirituall love shall maintaine us into an eternity of life And as in the Liver is made that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or separation of the profitable humours from the bad so an intimate power and degree of spirituall love separates our thoughts from the corruptions and vaine humours of the World The Hebrews call the Liver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 29.13 for the weightinesse of it through the abundance of blood which abundance is the materiall occasion of the abundance of spirits thus likewise holy love which is the true spirituall blood is fill'd with the abundance of purer spirits which are the quick extasies and raptures of the soule In the Judaicall Sacrifices the caule of the Liver was to be burnt unto the Lord not only to expresse that we ought to be purged from our naturall Lust but also that we should be purisyed into a supernaturall Love O then let us love the Lord who is as unwilling to curse us as he is able to doe it who cannot loose his true Dominion though we would loose our seeming obedience who will judge all men with a Judgement that shall be Just and yet Extreame since all shall receive from him an everlasting reward Let us Love our Jesus our mercifull Saviour who descended from Heaven that we might ascend to it who descended to Us that we might not descend to Hell who descended to the Infamie of the Crosse that we might ascend to the honour of the Love of Iesus Let us then bow the Knee to him that bowed the Head for us and gave up the Ghost And let us Love the Christ of God the Annointed let us returne unto him the holy Savour of his own oile wherewith he has annointed us let us thank him for his Grace with his own Grace let us at least make so cheap a recompence this being the acceptable art of Grace whereby we shall not need to feare this our Apostle's Anathema but with Truth and Comfort crie Maranatha The Lord shall come he shall come for our Deliverance Which grant unto us most mercifull Father that when thy Sonne thy Christ our Lord Iesus shall appeare we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his Comming To whom with thee O Father and thy blessed Spirit be all Praise and Glory now and for ever FINIS