our Saviours affection and therefore as having received the greatest love he returns the most again to Christ his heart was enflamed with the love of Christ In all his Epistles he breathes nothing but love he stirs up himself and all others to the love of Christ. Now 1. Because all men are ready to profess their love to Christ no man thinks himself to be so ungracious as to be void of the love of God though the Scripture tells us expresly even of generations of men that hate God Exod. xx 5. And our Saviour tells the Jews plainly I know that you have not the love of God in you S. Iohn v. 42. Every wicked man is Gods professed enemy 2. Because Christian Love 't is the chiefest trial the clearest evidence and demonstration of our Faith the kindliest fruit that springs from Faith is Love A true saving Faith is faith working by Love Gal. v. 6. It works by all other Graces 't is Faith working by Justice by Patience by Temperance but especially by Love 3. Our love to Christ being that which he most strictly enquires into he speaks to us as he did to S. Peter Ioh. xxi Simon Peter Lovest thou me And again and again Lovest thou me never gives over till our hearts answer Lord thou knowest that I love thee Our love to God being a matter of so great importance therefore that we be not mistaken in so necessary a duty S. Iohn gives us here a certain description of the love of God by which we may assuredly know that we love our God indeed and in truth This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous So then the words I have read unto you are a sweet description of a good Christian you may know and discern him by a threesold Character 1. How stands he affected to God and Christ What heart bears he to him He is such an one as hath a loving heart to God The love of God is shed abroad into his heart Rom. v. The love of God rules in his heart I am sick of love saith the Spouse in the Canticles protesting the strength of her love to our Saviour 2. What is the action that flows from this affection What is the fruit of our love to God How doth it testifie and manifest it self It shews itself in a religious obedience to what God enjoyns us it will keep his Commandments 3. What is the disposition and inclination which one that loves God finds in himself to the obedience and observation of Gods Commandments My Text tells us he doth it willingly chearfully with delight and alacrity he murmurs not nor repines he groans not under the yoke of obedience he snuffs not at God as they in Malachi and cry out Oh what a weariness it is to serve the Lord No S. Iohn tells us Gods Commandments are not grievous to him Come we to the First Particular What is the affection that a good Christian bears to Christ 'T is Love yes that 's the Christian virtue that 's the Evangelical grace 'T is the main difference 'twixt the Law and the Gospel Timor Amor. The Law 't is the ministration of Fear the Gospel that 's the breeder and begetter of Love The Law begets fear it genders unto bondage but the Gospel breeds love casts out slavish fear The Gospel begets in us the spirit of love and liberty The Scripture makes it the summ of all the substance of Religion Neither circumcision avails any thing as the Jews would have it nor uncircumcision as the converted Gentiles But faith that works by love Gal. v. 6. Indeed 't is the end both of Law and Gospel S. Augustine sets out the several lincks of this chain of Salvation and how they depend one upon another First Lex adducit ad fidem the Law that sends us to Faith then Fides fundit orationem Faith that pours out prayer then Oratio impetrat Spiritum prayer obtains the Spirit then Spiritus diffundit charitatem the Spirit that inspires us with love et Charitas implet Legem and love 't is the fulfilling of the Law Here is the whole frame and fabrick of a Christian. Faith that lays the foundation but love that sets up the wall and lays on the roof brings all to perfection Not that a Christian ought to be free from all kind of fear There is a threefold fear to which we are liable answerable to our threefold state and condition 1. The first I call a state of Subjection in this we were created and in this we stood before our fall 2. The second is a state of Rebellion upon our fall 3. The third is a state of Adoption upon our recovery and reconciliation And these three states have a suitable fear agreeing to them 1. As we were in our primitive original state of Subjection so we owe to God a fear of Loyaltie as good Subjects to their Prince and Soveraign 2. Our state of Rebellion that brought upon us the fear of Slavery But then 3. Our state of Adoption that begets in us a filial and Son-like fear the fear and reverence of a loving child to his dear father The first fear the fear of Loyaltie looks upon God as a Law-giver and so stands in awe of him The second the fear of Slavery looks upon him as an enemy and avenger and so is dismayed with the terrour of him But The third Filial fear considers him as a gracious Father and so is affected with a child-like duty and reverence to him The fear of Subjection must still continue with us The fear of Slaverie while we are in the state of corruption will still haunt us But Filial fear that must grow and increase in us Filial fear 't is the consequent of love They shall fear the Lord and his goodness Hos. iii. 5. Loyal fear 't is consistent with love Hunc timorem habet charitas imò non habet nisi charitas Aug. de Filiali timore but servile and slavish fear 't is contrary to love Fear then 't is not wholly excluded from the state of a Christian but yet the grace that the Gospel aims at 't is the grace of love The end of the Commandment especially as the Gospel propounds it is love 1 Tim. i. 5. 'T is the aim of all Gods gracious dealings with us He hath chosen us that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Ephes. i. 4. 'T is the summ of his Covenant which he hath made with us He keeps covenant and mercy with them that love him Deut. vii 9. See the excellency of this Love of God in three particulars 1. This Love of God gives a chief title and denomination to Christians 't is their badge and cognizance Thus Solomon describes an holy man Cant. i. The upright love thee So David describes an holy man Let them that love thy name be joyfull in thee Psal. v. 11. David sues to God for favour and
the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted c. Isa. lxi 1. This Christ applies to himself Luk. iv 21. So Ioh. xviii 37. To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the Truth Warranted 2. By his Fathers publick Inauguration at his Baptisme and now on Mount Tabor This honour God put upon him and hath now set him on Mount Zion to preach the Law whereof God spake unto him 3. By Signs and Wonders Rabbi we know that thou art a Teacher sent from God for no man can do these miracles that thou dâ—…est except God be with him Ioh. iii. 2. As Moses was sent and authorized by a wonder-working Power so Christ had his Commission seal'd up by mighty Works Miracles are the ratification of his Doctrine We must have Sigillum Ecclesiae in ordinary Calling or miraculous in extraordinary 2. For his Sufficiency Whom God sends he fits and enables But Christ hath an All-sufficiency for an absolute Discharge of this great work He had 1. The enablement of Knowledge He is richly furnished with all kind of Knowledge In him are all the Treasures of Wisdome and Knowledge Colos. ii 3. 1. Treasures of Knowledge i. e. Precious Knowledge Saving Knowledge 2. Treasures of Knowledge i. e. Plentiful Knowledge We know but in part but all the Counsel of God is made open to him Solomon who could speak of every creature was but ignorant if compar'd with Christ. A greater Wisdome then that of Solomon was in him 3. Treasures i. e. Hidden and Stored Knowledge was in him those Secret mysteries that were laid up in the bosom of Eternity he had the Knowledge of Now this Knowledge is communicated to him not as to us Studio Industria not as to the Prophets by Dreams or Visions or Revelations of Angels but by a clear full intimate view and beholding of the God-Head the Fountain of all sacred Knowledge Christ had 2. The enablement of all other gracious endowments the full assistance of the Spirit All other Saints were limited and imperfect in these gifts Moses was slow of speech but his lips were full of grace Paul was learned but not eloquent Apollos eloquent but not so profound But Christ had all His lips drop down myrrh Then this assistance was continued and constant Those gratiae that are gratis datae are sometimes more full sometimes more sparing Sometimes the dore of Utterance is opened to us sometimes it is shut Sometimes we have more assistance sometimes less But Christ had it alwayes in a full measure As light is alwayes in the Sun but the Ayr receives it per modum coruscationis unevenly uncertainly 3. For his Priviledges These were far above all Prophets Doctours Instructers Four main Priviledges he had 1. Universality He had an unlimited and unbounded Commission not onely to one Nation but to the whole Church Nay not so onely to the present Church but to the Church present past and to come All Prophecies were inspired by him All the Prophets borrowed their light from him All sate at the feet of this Gamaleel The Spirit that spake in the Prophets 't is called 1 Pet. i. 11. The Spirit of Christ. By this Spirit Christ preach'd in Noah to the old world 1 Pet. iii. 19. 2. He is Infallibilis Doctor an unerring and infallible Doctour and Teacher He is not only wise but Wisdome it self not only true but Truth it self We have an Infallibility of Rule and Direction the Scripture The Apostles had a further Infallibility of Assistance and Inspiration but Christ was most naturally and of himself Infallible He is the faithful and true Witness Rev. iii. 14. 3. He had Excellentiam Doctrinae above all before him Moses and his followers they were but Doctours of the Law the Ministery of Condemnation The Prophets they were Ministers of the Promises all De bonis futuris But Christ came with Performances He brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel 2 Tim. i. 10. Tidings and intimations are good but real evidences and performances they are far more welcome 4. He is Efficax a most Effectual and Prevailing Doctour He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword Isa. xlix 2. So S. Iohn Rev. xix 15. Out of his mouth goes a sharp sword Not in ore gladii but in gladio oris His Teaching is inward and spiritual Cathedram habet in coelo qui docet cor All others affect the ear He onely speaks to the heart He opens our understandings that we may understand the Scriptures He writes his Laws in our hearts Lastly 4. For his Discharge it is with absolute Fidelity without concealing any portion of Gods Truth He gives up an exact account Ioh. xvii 8. I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me Moses was faithful Christ was as nay above Moses in all Fidelity He lost none of his Sheep whom the Father had committed to him He preferred the preaching of his Father's Will before his Food more then his appointed Food Moses he took the account of the people and again when he dyed the people accounted to shew his Fidelity So Christ Not one whom thou gavest me is lost Ioh. xvii 12. More particularly This Designation of the Person it may be considered in these five distinguishing Respects 1. Respectively to the Father Hear Him He sends us to his Son We have no voyce from the Father but this bidding us to look for no voyce but from Christ. Pharaoh sends all for corn to Ioseph Thus he discharges them from any more Visions and Revelations there is now no other Urim and Thummim but this lively Oracle 2. Respectively to Moses and Elias Peter would gladly listen to them that heavenly Conference much affected him No God discharges Moses and Elias their Ministration is out of date They have served their time now he speaks to us by his Son They were all like Ushers in the School Christ is the grand-Teacher These Stars must set now this Sun arises They are compared to under-Tutours and Governours till the time came that we must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before he spake Ut Iosephus per Interpretem now we see the face of Christ and hear him speaking unto us 3. Respectively to the subordinate Ministers and means of salvation in their preaching still we must hear Him What the Jews did blasphemously we must devoutly we must cry out The voyce of God and not of man He that receives you receives me Thus the Galathians receiv'd S. Paul as an Angel of God even as Christ Iesus Gal. iv 14. He who spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets speaks still He who seeks a proof of Christs speaking in his Ministers let him know he despises not man but God
a force to appropriate and make Christ our own Without this a general remote belief would have been cold comfort He loved Me and gave himself for Me saith S. Paul What saith S. Chrysostom Did Christ dye onely for S. Paul No Non excludit sed appropriat He excludes not others but he will secure himself This word Meus doth facere Deum possessionem nostram saith S. Augustine in Psal. xxxii make God our own It is the ligature and joynt of Faith that incorporates us into Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it glues us to the Lord and makes us one Spirit with him Iob in his Scio did not glance but fix upon him here in Meus He uses no light touchings but close embracings My Well-beloved is mine and I am his And again My Well-beloved is as a bundle of Myrrh that lyes betwixt my Breasts A general notional catholick Faith walks in a garden of Myrrh that 's pleasant and delightful but this special Faith that Iob stayes by gathers this Myrrh binds it in a bundle layes it 'twixt his Breasts that 's fragrant and comfortable This application 't is always useful especially when we are in Iob's case Temptations and Afflictions they will make us run to God clasp fast about him Deus Meus Deus Meus in the closest application We have done with the first particular of the Text Iob's Faith of Christs Resurrection Come we now to the Second the faithful Profession he makes of his own That although death had already seiz'd upon him yet he was assur'd he should rise again and be made partaker of a joyful Resurrection That we may take a more full view of this holy Profession and observe the many Excellencies that shew forth themselves in this Faith of his we will reduce all to three observable Particulars 1. Veritas Fidei There we shall see those Truths that are couch'd here in Iob's holy Profession and thence we shall learn the dogmatical part of this sacred mysterie of our Resurrection 2. Pietas Fidei The many Evidences of Piety and Devotion which appears in this Profession of Faith of his Resurrection 3. Beneficium Fidei The many seasonable and useful advantages of his Faith which this holy man found in this Meditation and Profession First observe the several Truths included in this Faith of Iob concerning his own resurrection Reduce them all to these three heads 1. Here is Certitudo resurrectionis propriae He apprehends the truth of his own resurrection with fullest assurance I know it that word of certainty belongs not onely to his Faith of Christs Resurrection but it sets out the confidence he had of his own Christs Resurrection and ours are made two several Articles of our Creed First we believe Christ rose the third day then again we believe the Resurrection of the body that we shall rise also Now Divines observe that which makes several Articles of our Faith are the several difficulties that are in those Articles which we profess to believe Now our resurrection carries with it the shew of some difficulty and improbability that appear not in Christs Resurrection so that a man may yield to the truth of Christs Resurrection and yet stick at ours and doubt and question that 1. Christ was God it was easie for him to raise up himself He had power to lay down his life and power to take it up again at pleasure But Iob and all we are frail and weak creatures when the pit hath shut her mouth upon us how shall we rise again 2. Though Christ were dead and so his soul sever'd from his body yet his God-head and Divinity were still united to it His dead body was the body of the Son of God still supported and sustained by the Deity and so being united to the fountain of life 't is more conceivable that he should revive and live again 3. Christs body in the grave saw no corruption or putrefaction no incineration turn'd not into dust and ashes lay but three dayes in the grave and revived Iob's body and ours shall be eaten with worms turn'd to corruption rotted in the grave many hundred years It is easier then to conceive Christs Resurrection then to believe ours Yet Iob ye see sets his Scio to both I know Christ is risen and notwithstanding all these improbabilities I am sure he speaks it as knowingly I know I shall arise Both Articles must be believed with the same assurance We are told by some that those Truths that concern Christ and the Church in general you may believe firmly and certainly say I know them but for those Truths that concern our selves in particular That Christ hath Redeemed me Sanctified me will Raise me to Life and Glory there is no Scio for them we cannot be sure of them hope well we may but with contrary doubtings and suspitions No in all Gods Promises Faith must labour to work out assurance Quod propter Deum creditur aequalitèr creditur If God saith Faith assures it self of it It is the infirmity of Faith to doubt not the duty of Faith Then Faith works kindly when to every Truth reveal'd it sets to its Scio. That 's the first Certitudo Fidei 2. Here in this Profession of Iob is Fundatio Resurrectionis the ground and foundation that he layes to his Faith of his own resurrection Why is Iob sure he shall rise again Because he is sure that Christ is risen First he knows Christ is alive then he inferrs I shall live again Our resurrection is founded and built upon Christs Resurrection 'T is that that gives footing and fastning to our Faith Still the Apostle inferrs our resurrection from that of Christs He that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies Rom. viii And this Inference 't is good upon three grounds 1. Christs Resurrection 't is Argumentum possibilitatis We may strongly argue from Christs Resurrection to the possibility of ours If God rais'd him the same power can raise us also Tota ratio facti it is Potentia facientis Omnipotency sticks at no difficulty Nay Christs Resurrection argues the possibility of our resurrection and that with advantage Christ underwent a cursed death death was in its full strength when it seized upon him If Christ brake through the Iron-gate clave the Rocks sure then it is possible for us to rise now the gate of Life is set open to us the Rock and Grave-stone roll'd away and removed for us Indeed Christs was a full death so is not ours 1 Thes. iv 14. If we believe that Iesus dyed and rose again them which sleep in Iesus will God bring with him For whether is it easier to say Awake thou that sleepest or Rise from the dead Dost thou doubt of thy resurrection Remember that Iesus was rais'd from the dead and be not faithless but faithful 2. Christs Resurrection 't is a good ground of ours 't is Exeâ—…plum Resurrectionis the exemplary cause of our resurrection He shall
Grounds to build my Confidence upon that these Sermons will find Acceptance with Your Grace though like precious Iewels from a Paralytick they are tendred by a weak and trembling hand The good will of Him who dwelt in the Bush make Your Aarons Rod to bud nay to flourish more and more to the Glory of his great Name to the Advancement of the blessed Truth to the Maintenance of the Honour of the Priesthood to the furtherance of Your own everlasting Salvation This is the earnest Prayer of him who is SIR Your GRACES Most humbly Devoted Servant WILL. MARTYN A TABLE of the SERMONS Two Sermons preached upon Christmas-Day I. SErmon on 1 Tim. iii. 16. Page 3 II. Sermon on Galat. iv 4 5. 21 Seven Sermons upon the History of our Saviour's Transfiguration I. Sermon on St. Luk. ix 28. 41 II. Sermon on St. Luk. ix 29. 53 III. Sermon on St. Luk. ix 30 31. 65 IV. Sermon on St. Luk. ix 31 32. 79 V. Sermon on St. Luk. ix 33. 93 VI. Sermon on St. Matth. xvii 5. 111 VII Sermon on St. Matth. xvii 6 7 8 9. 133 A Sermon on Ioel ii 13. 153 A Sermon on Ioel ii 14. 175 A Sermon on Psal. lxxviii 34 35 36 37. 197 A Sermon on Isai. xxvi 9. 217 A Sermon on Habbak iii. 17 18. 237 Two Sermons preached upon Easter-Day I. Sermon on Iob xix 25 26 27. 253 II. Sermon on Rom. viii 11. 273 A Sermon upon Whit-Sunday on 2 King ii 9. 295 A Sermon on St. Luke xxi 34. 309. A Sermon on Gen. iv 3 4 5. 327 A Sermon on Psal. xix 12 13 345 A Sermon on St. Iames i. 22. 361 A Sermon on Philipp i. 27. 379 A Sermon to the Clergy on 1 Corinth xiv 1. 395 A Sermon on the first Epistle of St. Iohn v. 3. 411 A Funeral Sermon on 1 King xix 4. 427 Imprimatur Geo. Stradling S. T. P. Rev. in Christo Pat. D. Gilb. Archiep. Cant. à Sac. Dom. Ex AEd. Lambeth Octob 29. 1663. TWO SERMONS PREACHED ON CHRIST-MAS DAY ON CHRIST-MAS DAY The First Sermon 1 TIM iii. 16. And without controversie Great is the mysterie of Godliness God was manifest in the flesh THe passage of Scripture we are now in is a serious Exhortation of S. Paul to Timothy for the worthy discharge of his Office and Ministry It is enforced by a double Argument 1. A dignitate Ecclesiae from the nature and dignity of the Church the government of which was committed to him he is set over the house of the living God that 's no small dignity If to be a door-keeper in the courts of God be so honourable in King David's esteem Psal. lxxxiv how great an honour is it to have the Key of David laid on his shoulder to have the command and government of that glorious Family 2. Ab excellentia Doctrinae from the excellency of that heavenly Doctrine with which he is entrusted What 's the priviledge of an Evangelist What 's the honour of Timothy's administration Much every way but chiefly That unto him are committed the Oracles of God From these two heads S. Paul magnifies the weight and dignity of this sacred Calling What honour like this to be the High Steward and Governour of God's house and family What more august and magnificent Title then to be the disposer and dispenser of the sacred mysteries of his blessed Truth Let all the encomiums and titles of honour be laid together which all the Philosophers in the world have heaped upon their profession and doctrine they are all empty and jejune and beggarly in respect of this glorious description of the Church and faith of Christians The Text represents to us the great dignity of our Christian Faith 'T is no subordinate common inferiour Truth that our faith believes and professes no it soars high mounts above the clouds transcends the largest compass of all created truth enters into the Sanctum Sanctorum approaches to the Oracle and seat of highest Wisdome and is conversant with the secret and hidden and eternal thoughts of God hath access to the treasures of heaven searches and discovers even the deep things of God In it observe these two things 1. Here is a glorious Description of it Without controversie great is the mystery of godliness 2. Here is a summary Comprehension of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God manifested in the flesh That 's the main Principle the chief Oracle of our Belief the first stone in the foundation of the Church the main basis that supports the pillar of truth Christ God-incarnate that grand Truth which at this time the Church most solemnly professes and adores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God manifested in the flesh First see this glorious Description of our Christian faith Without controversie great is the mysterie of godliness A magnificent preface and introduction ushering in this sacred truth requiring not onely the assent but the obedience nay the devotion and adoration of our faith When he brings his First-begotten into the world he proclaims before him Let all the Angels of God worship him Let every knee bow down before him Let every tongue confess to him S. Paul cannot mention Christ or the mysterie of the Gospel but he breaks forth into all possible expressions of words and matter into all terms of wonderment and admiration Indeed all God's works are wonderful not to be spoken of but with much affection As David meditating on the works of Creation Psal. cxxxix 17. How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God how great is the summe of them True but the work of Redemption this Master-piece of God's Power and Wisdome in his Son's Incarnation the Scripture puts upon it all Titles and Attributes of Honour and Excellency 1. 'T is Verbum Veritatis Col. i. 5. the word of Truth 2. 'T is Verbum Regni Matth. xiii 19. the word of the Kingdome 3. 'T is the Oracle of God 1 Pet. iv 11. 4. 'T is the Counsel of God Act. xx 27. 5. 'T is a faithful saying worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. i. 15. And 6. Here as full as all comprehending all of them Without all controversie The great mysterie of godliness In it four steps and ascents of dignity 1. The nature of it 't is a mysterie 2. The just quantity and proportion 't is a great Mysterie 3. The divine quality and condition of it 't is a mysterie of godliness 4. The undoubted and infallible certainty of it 't is without controversie And out of all these put together arises a short but yet full compleat definition of all Divinity a compendious Epitome of all Religion What is that profession which we Christians take upon us What 's the summe of all those lively Oracles that we are or should be conversant in Here is a lively representation of it Our Religion our Faith our Divinity what is it 'T is the unquestionable great mysterie of godliness A few words yet the full Title and Epitome of the Scripture
to cry out I am a man of unclean lips Esai vi 5. And S. Paul to cry out Who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. ii 16. 2. It urges soberness in the Partakers who are admitted to the fellowship of this Mysterie As all irreverence so all vain curiosity is forbidden We must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these mysteries we must be wise to Sobriety Rom. xii 3. Gravity and Sobriety they are the Handmayds of Piety the Ushers that always attend Religion The applying of any matter in Religion to an inferiour use 't is to debase it The holy Ointment was not to be appliable to common use no Confection to be made like unto it Is it a mysterie then 3. Fide percipiendum Religion and our Christian Doctrine it is a mysterie therefore to be apprehended by Faith not to be fathomed by Reason Reason will judge that to be a foolery which Faith reverences and adores as a mysterie 'T is called The mysterie of Faith 1 Tim. iii. 9. not the mysterie of Reason or Understanding And they who are initiated into these mysteries they are called Believers not men of Reason and Understanding We are called Credentes not Rationales saith S. Aug. 'T is not Intelligendi vivacitas but Credendi simplicitas that must converse in these mysteries Reason laughs at that in Sarah which Faith in Abraham embraces and rejoyces in Faith looks for a Revelation that God saith it is so searches not after Demonstration or Reason why it should be so Sufficit pro universis rationibus autor Deus The mysteries of Religion check and silence Reason as the Angel did Zacharias for asking Whereby shall I know this he would have Reason What saith the Angel Luk. i. 20. Behold thou shalt be dumb he stops his mouth Reason deduced from the principles of Faith and subordinate to the doctrine of Faith 't is lawful but when it opposes Faith then it is unlawful Hagar when she obeys Sarah may be entertain'd as a servant but if she wax malepert against Sarah Cast out the Bondwoman Abandon Reason if it contradicts Faith It is one excellency of Faith 't is quietativa Intellectûs it quiets and satisfies all enquiries with this answer It is a mysterie Reason that questions How can three Persons be one God-head Faith quiets Reason My soul keep thou silence unto God believe and adore it it is a mysterie Reason questions How can God be made man the Divinity and Humanity joyn'd in one Person Faith hears an Oracle of Scripture I must not enquire it is a mysterie Reason murmurs How can a man be born again and regenerate and dye anew and live anew How can water wash away sin Faith answers The work is Spiritual beyond Reason it is a mysterie Reason that cavils How can Christ give us his Flesh to eat and his Bloud to drink How can a piece of Bread and a tast of Wine convey Grace seal up Salvation How can our souls be nourished how united to Christ sitting in heaven Faith answers all 'T is a mysterie Magis sentio quam intelligo Tota ratio operis est potentia operantis No in these supernatural Truths Sapientia hominis it is Officina erroris exclude Reasoning make use of Believing Habet palatum Fides cui sapit mel Dei Aug. 'T is the tast of Faith that can rellish this hidden Manna Faith saith Parisiensis 1. It is Religio Intellectus the Religion of our Intellectual part 2. It is Adoratio Intellectus the Adoration of the Understanding Credendo incurvamus Intellectum ad adorandum Deum 3. It is Fortitudo Intellectus 't is the Strength of the Understanding Sicut molestias perferre 't is Fortitudo Voluntatis sic improbabilia credere 't is Fortitudo Intellectus We have seen the Nature of it 't is a Mysterie Now follows II. The quantity and just proportion of this mysterie it is no petty and inferiour Truth but a mysterie of the first magnitude A great Mysterie The Scripture advances it with all superlative terms magnifies the greatness of it Phil. iii. 8. S. Paul calls it an Excellent Knowledge I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Iesus Christ. Rom. xi 33. it is called a Rich Knowledge Solomon saith it furnishes a man with all precious and pleasant Riches Prov. xxiv 4. It enriches him that hath it It furnishes and enriches the noblest part of man his Soul the highest faculty of that his Spirit and Understanding Our Saviour accounts the seeking of this Knowledge the seeking of precious Pearls Mat. xiii 45. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a Merchant-man seeking goodly Pearls This of all other is a Pearl of great price They who are conversant in this mysterie they deal with the choysest Commodities with the â—…ichest Pearls The finding of this Knowledge is the finding 〈◊〉 hidden Treasure vers 44. It makes him for ever that is so 〈◊〉 as to meet with it All other knowledge is but poverty to this Treasure all other jewels but pebbles to this Pearl See how the Scripture extends and enlarges the greatness of this mysterie S. Paul ascribes to it all the dimensions of Magnitude Ephes. iii. 18. That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth of this mysterie And Iob thus magnifies the exceeding and incomprehensible largeness of this Knowledge Chap. xi 8 9. It is as high as heaven deeper then hell longer then the earth broader then the sea It exceeds the scantling of all created Perfections The greatness of all other creatures may be fathomed the height of heaven the depth of hell the length of the earth the breadth of the sea all limited and bounded and the understanding of man may reach them As David speaks I see an end of all other perfections but thy Word is exceeding large 1. This mysterie of God-Incarnate 't is a great mysterie because 't is multiplex Mysterium a comprehensive Truth including in it manifold mysteries 'T is a mysterie pregnant to the making up of which many deep mysteries concur God manifested in the Flesh. 1. Here is the mysterie of Christ's two Natures his Divinity and his Humanity A glorious mysterie Christ true and perfect God and true and perfect man too the glory of the Deity and the infirmity of his Manhood both concurring in him 2. Here is the mysterie of the Union and conjoyning both these in one A strange conjunction The circumference of his infinite Deity joyned to the lowest center of Humanity Eternity made subject to Time Infinity comprehended in a poor finite creature Omnipotency joyned with infirmity This is so great a mysterie that it made the Iews to imagine a double Messiah One a weak frail mortal man lyable to sufferings the other an Eternal Omnipotent Immortal God They could not reconcile the several predictions of his glorious Divinity and his infirm Humanity as this mysterie teaches us 3. Here is the
extrinsecus by conferring with God as a Mudd-wall when the Sun shines upon it but Christ's glory came from within from his Deity to his Soul 2. Moses his shining was not in such glory that was concealed and hid by the covering of a Vail Christ's darts through his Garments His shinings were radii divinitatis Damasc. Moses had splendorem sub velamento Christ had velamen in splendore 3. Moses his shining was terrible Christ's was comfortble The Apostles were loth to lose the sight of it 2. Christ was Transfigured to prefigure the glory of his second comming at the day of Judgment Then he will have his Saints about him as Moses and Elias and his Apostles to be present with him and he Himself will be in his glory His first Coming was in infirmity but the Kingdom of God shall come with power Look upon Mount Tabor and then believe the glory of his second Appearance 3. Christ was Transfigured consignare Resurrectionem It shews the possibility nay the facility of his own and our resurrection He who can transform himself thus into glory how easily can he raise up himself and us also and translate us into glory Look upon Mount Tabor and then doubt not but Mount Golgotha shall give up her dead 4. Christ was Transfigured armare contra scandalum crucis He had told his Disciples of his Cross and sufferings It greived and troubled them Now to remove this scandal of his Cross he arrayes himself in glory This Face that shall be spitt upon I can make it as the Sun this Body that is to be tortured shall shine as the Light these Garments that are to be parted shall be made resplendent Look to Mount Tabor and be not offended at Mount Calvarie 5. He shews himself in glory to his Apostles gives them a glimpse of Heaven to quicken up their appetites to the longing for it These praeludia of Heaven will support any drooping spirit As Ionathan the tast of Hony revived him presently As Caleb cut down a bunch of Grapes from Eschol and by the presenting of that encouraged the people to desire Canaan Fix thy Meditations upon these glories behold by faith Christ in his glory not attended only with Moses and Elias but with innumerable Angels behold thy Throne thy Crown thy white Robes it will make thee couragious and desirous to be dissolved THE THIRD SERMON ON S. LUKE ix 30 31. And behold there talked with him two men which were Moses and Elias Who appeared in Glory and spake of his Decease which he should accomplish at Ierusalem NOw follows Christ's honourable Attendance that accompanied him in his glorious Transfiguration And in it observe three particulars 1. The Persons who are present 2. The Manner of their presence They appeared in glory 3. Their Action and Employment An holy and heavenly Conference They spake of his decease First The Persons that attended and were present at his Transfiguration And they present themselves in three considerable notions 1. Their number Two 2. Their kind Two men 3. Their specialty Moses and Elias I. Their number Two Why so small a number of glorious Attendants He could have commanded twelve Legions All the assembly of the Saints were ambitious of this honour heaven would have emptied it self upon this Mountain to celebrate this glorious Transfiguration of Christ. Yet but two admitted 1. This Transfiguration of Christ was but a glimpse of his Glory no full manifestation He shews here but one beam of his Majesty not the full lustre and splendour of it When he comes in full Glory troops and millions of Saints and Angels shall wait upon him Now he more privately discovers himself in the view of a few and if he be now so glorious how resplendent will he be in all his Saints and holy Angels 2. These Saints present are not present for attendance only but as witnesses to give testimony to the Son of God And two witnesses of such choice and note of so great authority to seal and assure us of Christ's glorious Divinity are sufficient At the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall a matter be established Deut. xix 15. There need no more Here therefore onely three from earth are assumed to this vision and two onely from heaven Hereafter Every eye shall see him Now the sight of him is more reserved and mystical and of a more reserved dispensation 3. Two Saints are assumed into attendance of this Glory others are omitted to shew and figure out a disparity and diversity of Glory in those blessed Spirits All the Saints have their portion of bliss but in their proportion not in a just equality As from earth he hath his favourites three choyse Apostles the rest stood at a more remote distance so in heaven though all are happy yet have they their measures and degrees of Glory These two in the Text are taken into a greater nearness admitted to a more full view of Christ others were waiting his coming into heaven longing for and expecting his glorious Ascension These had the favour of seeing him before in the dayes of their flesh Moses and Elias saw his back-parts These again are dignified with this glorious Apparition assumed with him into his triumphant Chariot as Iehu did assume Ionadab That 's the first their number two II. Their kind two men Why was he not attended with glorious Angels Why were not these commanded to wait upon him and worship him No he assumes not Angels but these holy men 1. They were magis idonei Testes more competent and convenient witnesses of his Deity and Mediatourship then the choicest Angels Moses and Elias should be of more prevailing Autherity then the Angels These had Authority of teaching in the Church And they bear record here in relation to what they were before with respect to the Scriptures of which they were the Pen-men and Teachers This is a great assurance of Truth that those Saints who first published the tidings of Salvation are now eye-witnesses feel and find the truth of what they Preached Remember them who have spoken to you the word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation Heb. xiii 7. That Doctrine which they taught brought them to Glory 2. Duo homines Two men they attend this Glory of Christ because they are more concerned in Christ's Incarnation and Mediatourship These are not onely Spectators but Partners Our Salvation and bliss is the main aym of Christ the glory of the Angels is less principal and accessory He took not upon him their nature fulfilled not their Covenant To us he was born to us he lived for us he died They are not the Spouse but the friends of the Spouse The Church is Christ's Spouse they like S. Iohn the Baptist rejoyce at the sight of it As when God led the Israelites into Canaan a mixed people followed them and entred in with them so we are the choise people who are
Ezek. ii The word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man stand upon thy feet And the Spirit entred into me and set me upon my feet Come we to the eighth and the ninth Verses Of which in short Vers. 8. And when they had lift up their eyes they saw no man save Iesus onely Vers. 9. And as they came down from the Mountain Iesus charged them saying Tell the Vision to no man until the Son of man be risen again from the dead We are now come to the closure and conclusion of this glorious Vision In it two things 1. The issue and end of it They saw Christ alone 2. The use they were to make of it A seasonable concealment of it for a time First For the issue and end of it And this offers to us a threefold Consideration 1. A cessation of all other Appearances Moses and Elias are vanished and withdrawn they see no man remaining 2. The continuance and abode of Christ. He stays and appears and continues amongst them 3. Their eyes are fixed upon him Him onely they behold And so from hence draw these three Conclusions 1. Moses and Elias the Law and the Prophets have but a temporary station and abode in the Church Christ being brought into the world they are withdrawn 2. Christs Office and Glory and Government in his Church 't is lasting and perpetual 3. The Eye and Observation and Faith of the Church is fixed upon Christ onely They look upon none other nor expect any other after him I. The Law and the Prophets they are determined by Christs Coming Moses and Elias they vanish 1. They were of a finite and limited duration not set over the Church as a perpetual Order but had their times fixed and bounded Three times there were that bounded them 1. The time of Reformation God had appointed a more exact and perfecter Government of his Church to succeed them When that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away that which is imperfect must yield Thus we see Aaron he was call'd upon by God to dye and then Moses 2. The Fulness of time that was their stint till he should come who should fill up all things with his Coming 3. A third time was Adulta aetas Ecclesiae When that time is come the Heir is no longer under Tutours and Governours Gal. iv 2. Their Nature and Purpose was for a time onely 1. They had an use of Promising that Age was trained up all under Promises When the Performance came then all Promises were to be abolished 2. They had an use of Prefiguring and Typifying and Shadowing out of good things to come When the Body and Substance comes the Shadows and Figures cease Blossoms wither when the ripe Fruit appears 3. They had an use of Prophesying and Prophesie we know looks not upon present things but upon future When the truths of all Prophesies are fulfilled then they cease II. Christs Presence and Authority and Government in his Church 't is lasting and perpetual Moses and the Prophets have served their time and have given place but Christ remains for ever This the Jews believed We have heard out of the Law that Christ abideth for ever Ioh. xii 34. Hence the Gospel 't is called Evangelium aeternum And the time of the Christian Church it is called The last time because there is to be no more instruction in Religion no new Sacrifice or Priest or Prophet or Sacraments or Form of Government 1. He hath made a full accomplishment of all Prophesies and Predictions there is no looking for another 2. He hath manifested and revealed all truth to his Church This is the dignity that God reserved for his Son All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you Ioh. xv 15. The Church of the Jews had all necessary Truths revealed But 1. Not so clearly 2 Pet. i. 19. That was but as a candle that shines in a dark place Christ brings all Truth to light by the Gospel Now the whole Wisdom of God shines in the Face of Iesus Christ. We understand more clearly then the Prophets themselves 1 Pet. i. 10. 2. Not so fully Indeed they had a Sufficiency for that present estate but now abundance of Truth covers the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea 3. They had Additions and the rule of Faith was increased to them But we are to expect no more the Word of God is sealed up and ratified 3. He hath accomplished and effectually wrought all the good that the Church can be capable of He hath offered up a full Sacrifice obtain'd the gift of the Holy-Ghost This was one cause of abolishing of the Law it was weak made nothing perfect They received not the Spirit by the hearing of the Law That comes by the Gospel And therefore it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fulness of the Gospel III. The eye of the Church looks onely upon Christ fixes upon him and expects no other This is the main difference betwixt the Jewish Church and Ours They were all in expectation and were wayters for better times But our Faith hath him exhibited and presented and rests upon him Hence Christ forewarns them not to listen to or look after any other If any shall say unto you Lo here is Christ or there believe it not Matth. xxiv 23. Go not forth look not after him Oculis videntibus Iesum nihil dignum praeter Iesum The Sun arising darkens all the Stars so all the former Saints are obscured to the eye of the Church and he alone must shine in his full glory As when the King enters into any City all Authority is resigned up to him all Vice-royes and Lieutenants must resign up to him So Moses and the Prophets all yield up their place in the Church to Christ. Now follows Secondly The Use they must make of this Transfiguration and that is a seasonable concealment In it 1. The Injunction it self Iesus charged them 2. The Nature and Purpose of it Not to Publish it 3. The time how long Till the Resurrection First the Injunction Iesus charged them Observe It is the Dignity and Prerogative of Christ to prescribe to his Church a Law of Truth what should be published and taught in his Church and what should be concealed 1. He is Primarius Doctor Legislator He teacheth As one having Authority and it is in his power to propound what Truths he will He is Lord of our Faith and may propound to our Faith whatsoever he pleaseth All other are but subordinate and limited Teachers and must be regulated from this grand Doctour Eccles. xii 11. The Masters of the Assemblies receive all their words as given from one Shepheard Hence they are described with terms and title of Limitation 1. They are Apostles Messengers not going in their own names or publishing what pleases them but receiving tidings from him who sent them 2. They are Ambassadours They
First What 's the occasion of this sudden Perplexity in the spirit of David He was taken up even now into an heavenly contemplation of the works and word of God and the consideration of both these was always delightful unto him 1. For his works Psal. xcii 4. Thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works and I will triumph in the works of thy hands 2. For his word The meditation of it was delightful to him sweeter then the honey and the honey-comb more pleasant then his appointed food it was his song in the house of his Pilgrimage How then comes all this over-casting in David's soul like a sudden thunder-clap from a clear sky I answer The causes of many perplexities and astonishments in the soul of man are not always discernable The spirit of fear as Christ speaks comes not with observation 1. Non cum observatione peccati Not onely some great notorious sin but even some smaller offence that thou little thinkest of may fret and rankle in thy conscience and breed perplexity The pricking of a pin may rankle and fester and prove as dangerous as the wound of a weapon Thus David's heart smote him for an irreverent touch of Saul as well as for the cruel murder of Uriah Slight not the commission of smaller sins thou mayst hear of them when thou little thinkest of them 2. Non cum observatione personae Indeed for notorious debauch'd wretches for them to be put upon the rack of a perplex'd soul 't is no great marvel but even moderate and restrained men yea even mortified Saints are subject to these pangs not onely Saul but David not onely Iudas but Peter have suffered and felt the anguishes of a guilty conscience 3. Non cum observatione temporis Indeed a sin lately committed while the memory is fresh and the guilt of it haunts a man and stares in his face then 't is no wonder if he be perplexed Nay not onely so but some sin past and forgot that thou hast buried in oblivion a sin of many years past even that may turn in upon thee and perplex and affright thee The Clouds may return after the rain Thus Iob complains Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth Iob xiii 26. Thus the Patriarchs many years after the fact were troubled and perplexed with the sin of selling Ioseph Gen. xlii 21. We are guilty concerning our brother say they Thirteen years at least had gone over their heads since that deed was done they had skinn'd up the fore and yet see it breaks out in their soul again and it bleeds afresh These troubles of soul then come not always with observation But yet what might be the occasion of this perplexity in the Prophet David David was now looking into the law of God considering the great light and glory of it and a beam of that light hath darted into his conscience a spark of that fire hath fallen into that fuel and that â—…ets all on fire casts him into a sudden amazement and makes him cry out Who can understand his errours Observe from hence that the word of God hath a secret unavoydable power upon the soul to convince it of sin and to cast it into horrour Good Iosiah at the first reading of this Word had his heart melted with fear and astonishment Thus S. Paul Rom. iii. 20. By the Law is the knowledg of sin And Rom. vii 11. The Commandment slew him and was found to be death unto him vers 10. And there be divers reasons of this Truth 1. In the Scripture is presented a transcendent rule of holiness the infinite purity and sanctity which is in God himself He is holy in his Works but most holy in his Word He hath magnified his Word above all his Name Psal. cxxxviii 2. In it shines the purity of his Nature not capable of blemish or imperfection Now then the soul seeing this transcendent holiness in God is presently convinced of infinite impurity Mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self and repont in dust and ashes saith Iob chap. xlii 5 6. Probavit aurum reprobavit saith S. Bernard The Angels though as fine as gold are impure in his sight Qui discernit inter Stellas quanto magis inter glebas If the Starrs are not pure in his sight how much less Job xxv 5. man who is but a clod of earth And this makes the holiest men to tremble at his presence Cujus participatione sumus justi ejus comparatione sumus injústi saith S. Augustine They who by derivation from him are made holy in comparison of him are most unholy Nay the holy Angels themselves in their approaches to him do hide their feet and their faces If Sancti Angeli in Propitiatorio quanto magis peccatores prae Tribunali If Angels on the Mercy-Seat tremble what shall sinners do that stand at the Bar before the seat of Justice 2. As in the Scripture there is a transcendent rule presented so is there also an exact rule of holiness prescribed The Law forbids all sin enjoyns all holiness No passage in the life of man but is ordered in it As Theodoret observes in the Ceremonial Law and in the furniture of the Tabernacle that every particular was curiously prescribed Sitales imagines quales veritates saith he If the Ceremonial Law was so accurate and precise how strict is the Law of moral holiness of which that was but a type The Measures and Weights of the Sanctuary were double as much as the ordinary Measures Thine actions may carry weight and be allowable amongst men in common conversation which yet will be found light in the Sanctuary of God Mensurant se in dolosa statera consuetudinis humanae non in statera Sanctuarii saith S. Augustine Bring thine Actions to this standard and thy defects will be discover'd and then that which seems warrantable and commendable amongst men will appear sinful and abominable before God 3. The Law of God it is a spiritual rule not resting only in an outward conformity but requires the exactness of soul and spirit It keeps secret thoughts under awe and judgeth of outward actions according to the heart not of the heart according to outward actions I the Lord search the heart even to give to every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings Ier. xvii 10. Thus S. Chrysostom discoursing of the exactness of Gods Law in the true intent of it saith The Pharises forbade the outward commission of uncleanness the Law of God forbids the uncleanness of the thought They make the Law like Iohn Baptist he had Zonam pelliceam circa lumbos a leathern girdle about his loyns whereas Christ had Zonam auream circa pectus Rev. i. 13. a golden girdle about his breast repressing the first rise and stirrings and motions of sin This makes the Saints mourn for the first conceptions of sin though they prove abortive Libera me
à cogitationibus meis saith the devout Father Free me and purge me from my sinful cogitations 4. The Law of God is operative not a dead letter but hath an active power to work upon the heart Verbum Dei non est opus sed operans saith S. Ambrose The Spirit of God goes along with it and makes it quick and powerful and sharp and mighty in operation Heb. iii. As in the frame of a mans body under every vein there runs an artery full of spirits so under every vein of Truth in the Scripture there is an artery of Spirit quickning searching discovering citing condemning This discovers the ground of that aversness that is in most men from this blessed Word Why can any other discourses find entertainment rather then this Why It breeds trouble and perplexity It discovers my sin It affrights my conscience makes me out of love with my self and appear ugly These Spectacles are too true for my false eyes Ahab cannot endure to talk with Micaiah nor meet with Elijah they never speak good unto him The generalities of Scripture we can like well enough but when it comes near and begins to close with us we fling away from it Amant veritatem lucentem oderunt redarguentem saith S. Ambrose And that 's the first Consideration Quae occasio Secondly A second Consideration of this perplexity in David is Quae conditio What is the nature and purpose of it And we see it express'd in a vehement and passionate question Quis intelligit Who understands his errours And it may be resolved into these three Expressions 1. It is Vox ignorantis It is the speech of a man who confesses his ignorance he knows not his errours 2. It is Vox admirantis It is the speech of him who sees many errours in himself and suspects more and is astonished at the Consideration of them 3. It is Vox gementis He utters his thoughts with a sighing Accâ—…unt and groans within himself at the sense of them First It is Vox ignorantis He knows not his errours and then it implyes this Observation That the perfect discovery of the errours of our lives is a thing most hard and even impossible The truth of this Observation will appear in these Particulars 1. In the Strength of Davids Affection 2. In the Matter of it 3. In the Grounds 4. In the Consequences 5. In the Uses to be made of it I. The Strength of it David propounds it not by way of bare assertion onely No man can know them but by way of question and that is a form of greater Emphasis and Impression And then he propounds this question not onely to himself or in his own name but puts the question to any let him be what he will yet he must fall short he cannot know them Who can 1. Quis in lege intelligentissimus Let him be never so cunning and skilfull in the Law of God the greatest Rabbi that ever was a second Ezra an exact Scribe in the Law of his God though with Ezekiel and S. Iohn he hath swallowed the Book yet he may run into the commission of some errours that he is not aware of Even the High-Priest himself was to offer for his own ignorances and infirmities Heb. v. â—…ta nihil est in hominibus tutum ne Pontifex quidem saith Origen 2. Quis in conversatione cautissimus Who though never so accurate and watchfull in his conversation can know all his errours Let him keep never so strict a watch over his own heart yet soâ—…e sin will escape him In many things we offend all saith S. Iames Chap. iii. 2. He saith not In many things some of us offend or in a few things all of us offend but in many things we offend all They who are all clean had need wash their feet saith our Saviour To which S. Bernard alluding gives this warning that though we choose our way and pick our path and so avoid mire and dirt yet In bono itinere pulverem colliges in the fairest and cleanest way our feet will gather soil some errours will be committed 3. Quis in examine conscientiae diligentissimus Who though never so frequent and diligent in examining and revising his conscience who ever so communed with his heart and so search'd out his spirit that no sin lay undiscovered They who have daily practised this work of Repentance and have kept a privie watch and search in their hearts are yet fain to return an Ignoramus and though not conscious to themselves of any sin unrepented of yet to make all sure will beg pardon of God for unknown transgressions As men not guilty of any breach of Law to their own knowledge will obtain a general pardon of the King to prevent the worst That 's the first the strength of this Assertion Who doth understand c. II. The matter of this Question Who understands his errors Take it in three Particulars 1. Quis intelligit naturam errorum Who understands the nature of all his actions whether they be erroneous yea or no whether that which he doth be warrantable and good or otherwise Indeed for the main Capital duties those Principia practica and heads of morality and those likewise that are of the nearest and most evident proximity unto them he is hardly a Christian who knows not them but for many particular Cases and Questions of conscience incident to the life of man who can resolve them Some actions indeed are notoriously evil sins of the first magnitude the light of nature reproves them Some of weaker evidence sins of infirmity some not discerned nor known sins of ignorance and incogitancie See them represented in three Parables Luke xv The lost Son The lost Sheep The lost Groat Art thou not as the lost Son Dost thou not break away from God by wilfull rebellion Yet thou mayst be as the lost Sheep and stray away from thy God by a sin of infirmity If not so yet Who hath not been as the lost Groat and his action hath slipt away out of his hand betwixt his fingers as it were by ignorance and incogitancie 2. Quis intelligit numerum errorum Who ever yet kept such a carefull account in his conscience as to register and book down the just number of his sins David who had not sinn'd so frequently as we have done yet when he surveys the number of his sins he gives up this account They are more in number then the hairs of my head mine heart hath failed me to see the swarms and numbers of them Upon which place Saint Augustine devoutly meditates Capilli minuti sunt sed multi saith he David had little sins like as hairs but yet multiplying and increasing as the hairs of his head Thus S. Bernard counsels us In our addresses to God to consider whether we can meet with him with ten thousand sins repented of who comes against us with twenty thousand sins that we never thought of 3. Quis intelligit
in the Heart And 2. Daily Repentance will facilitate the harsh and bitter work of Repentance which is exceeding unwelcome to flesh and bloud Use thy self to it daily and it will free thee from those fearful pangs of late Repentance A green wound is easily cured but suffer it to rankle and fester then lancing and searing will be all little enough 'T is good for a man to bear the yoke of Repentance even from his youth it will make it more easie As S. Ambrose speaks if it be diurna it will not be diuturna Those quotidian fits will be both shorter and easier Every day reckon with thy God and thy Conscience put not all off to the last extremity What Christ saith of Cares is most true of Sins and Repentance for them Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof Felix qui potuit A SERMON ON St. JAMES i. 22. But be ye doers of the Word and not hearers onely deceiving your own selves THis passage of Scripture is S. Iames his Exhortation for an holy and religious receiving and entertaining the word of God A duty in it self exceeding useful and beneficial It is able to save our souls no less good comes by it as the Apostle tells in the foregoing verse Now miscarriages in such weighty performances are very dangerous and prejudicial The best things when they are abused prove most mischievous And therefore the Apostle contents not himself to commend this duty to us at large and in general terms so it be done any way it is enough all is well but prescribes an holy manner sets down a strict caveat and proviso how we should receive the word of God so that we may reap profit by it and be blessed in the deed So then the Text it is a strict severe Caveat for the due receiving the word of God And it is framed in that manner as is like to be most prevailing and effectual and that is by forewarning us of a great inconvenience and mischief that will befall us if we fail in the duty And so in the words we may observe two Particulars 1. Officium the Duty prescribed and enjoyned us 2. Periculum the great Danger we run into if we fail in the Duty and miscarry in the performance of it First The Duty prescribed and in it observe three things 1. Here is Suppositio officii praevii A previous preparative Duty presupposed that is Hearing of the Word we must become Hearers set our selves to attend and listen to what God speaks to us That 's the Duty necessarily implyed and supposed 2. Here is Prohibitio officii erronei A Prohibition of a gross mistake in performance of this Duty Beware you err not in this duty of Hearing and place all your Religion in bare Hearing as if that were all which God requires of us to give him the Hearing That 's expressed in this word Onely Be not Hearers onely 3. Here is Injunctio officii debiti The main full compleat Duty we owe and must perform to the word of God if we look for any good by it What 's that We must be Doers of the Word Practise what we Hear and yield our Obedience to it That 's the first Particular The Duty prescribed Secondly follows the other Particular of the Text to enforce this Duty that 's the danger and mischief we shall fall into if we fail in this Duty and that will prove to be an heavy miscarriage We shall deceive our own selves First Come we to the Duty prescribed and in it to the I. First Particular that 's Suppositio officii The Duty presupposed The Text premises and supposes this That we must be Hearers And because there are many things that will crave our audience and the ear lyes open to every voyce The ear is not satisfied with Hearing saith Solomon Eccles. i. 8. therefore in point of Faith and Religion the Apostle limits our Hearing to the onely and peculiar and proper Object and that is The word of God So that here are two things considerable 1. The limitation of the Matter that must take up our Hearing and that is the word of God And then here is 2. The prescription of the Duty this word of God must be Heard and attended to 1. Then for the Object All our religious Hearing must be conversant about this one thing the word of God The Text places us like Mary at Christs feet commends unto us that Unum necessarium that one thing necessary I will hear what God the Lord will say saith David Psal. lxxxv 8. Thus when God brings his Son into the Church he confines our Hearing unto Christs Voyce This is my Well-beloved Son Hear him Matth. xvii 5. Faith hath an ear for no other Voyce but onely to Christs Voyce speaking in the Scripture Rom. x. 17. Faith comes by Hearing and Hearing by the word of God 'T is the indoles and natural disposition of Faith to listen to Christs Voyce and to none but his My Sheep Hear my Voyce but the voyce of strangers they will not Hear Iohn x. Thus Origen expresseth it Ut naturalis quidam attractus quibusdam inest ut magneti ad ferrum bitumini ad ignem sic Fidei ad Divinum Verbum As onely the loadstone draws the iron to it nothing else so the word of God onely can draw our Faith unto it and make us fasten upon it There are three things we should aym at in our religious Hearing and all three are the peculiar effects of the word of God 1. To Enlighten us 2. To Regenerate and Reform us 3. To Save us 1. It is proper to the blessed Word to Enlighten us and to acquaint us with the mind of God He opened their understanding that they might understand the Scripture Luke xxiv 45. The holy Scripture that is able to make us wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. And when all comes to all Saving Wisdome it is the only Wisdome By thy Precepts I get understanding saith David Psal. cxix 104. Ignorance of this Word 't is the mother and breeder of all errour Ye err not knowing the Scriptures saith Christ to the Sadduces Matth. xxii 29. This Word made David wiser then his Elders for all their age and experience it made him wiser then his Teachers for all their craft and policies Psal. cxix 98 99 100. 2. It is proper to this good word of God to Regenerate to Sanctifie and Reform us Of his own will hath he begot us with the word of Truth Iames i. 18. The Word hath Vim seminalem plasticam 't is the onely proper seed of Regeneration So saith our Saviour in that holy Prayer of his for his Disciples Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth Iohn xvii 17. And again Now are ye clean through the Word which I haue spoken unto you Iohn xv 3. It and it onely can quicken us and cleanse us can sanctifie and reform us 3. Salvation it is proper to this word of God
Search the Scriptures for in them ye think to have eternal life Iohn v. 39. In other Truths there may be Salâ—…britas quaedam in hac salus ipsa â—…renda est Some sober Truths may be in other words but saving Truth is onely to be found in the Word of God The Angel to Cornelius gives this Testimony of it Acts xi 14. Send for Peter he shall tell thee Words whereby thou and all thine house shall be saved It is the main end of the Scriptures Iohn xx 31. These are written that believing ye might have life through his Name 'T is called The Word of life Phil. ii 16. S. Paul calls this Word of the Gospel The Power of God to Salvation Rom. i. 16. 'T is called The Gospel of the Grace of God Acts xx 'T is the Gospel of the Kingdome Matth. iv The Gospel of Salvation Ephes. i. and so the onely Object of the hearing of Faith 2. Here is Praescriptio actus Our Attention and Hearing of this blessed Word 't is enjoyn'd us 'T is no indifferent arbitrary thing left to our own choyce and liking come to it at your leisure or stay at home at your pleasure but imposed upon us by a strong Obligation 1. It is enjoyn'd us as a Duty 'T is the Preface which God premises to his Law Hear O Israel Necessity is laid upon us and wo be to us if we do not So S. Iames chap. i. 19. Let every man be swift to Hear Swift ready quick diligent suffer not a word to fall to the ground He that planted the ear shall not he Hear saith David Psal. xciv 9. It follows as strongly He that planted the ear shall not he be Heard Shall we turn the deaf ear to him who hath given us our Hearing This Law 't is strengthned with a Curse He that turns away his ear from Hearing the Law even his prayer shall be abominable saith Solomon Prov. xxviii As if he should say He who abhorrs to hear God God will abhorr to hear him That 's no great matter saith the prosane man let not him trouble us with Preaching and we will not trouble him with Praying Oh say not so there will come a time when we would be glad God would hear us as David speaks Psal. xxviii Lest if thou be silent to me makest as if thou wouldst not hear I become like them that go down into the pit What said Iotham Hearken unto me that God may hearken unto you Iudg. ix 7. As it is a Duty so 2. It is a weighty duty not sleightly to be esteemed 'T is a great part of our Religion In it we make a real protestation of our allegiance and humble subjection which we owe to our God By it we acknowledg him to be the Supreme Law-giver in his Church Hear him was the word by which Christ was declared the great Prophet and Doctour of his Church 3. It is a fundamental duty the prime original duty of our Religion the breeder and mother and nurse of all other duties which we owe to God Hearing and receiving the Word it is the in-let and entrance of all piety As the first insinuations of sin were conveyed by the ear into our first Parents so the first inspirations of Grace have the same entrance S. Paul makes it the first beginning of Religion Rom. x. 14. How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard Auris 't is Os animae saith S. Augustine The soul is nourished by the ear as the body receives nourishment by the mouth 4. It is a duty exceeding profitaâ—…e and beneficial to us Many rich and precious Promises are made to the due receiving and entertaining of the word of God See two main ones in the Context 1. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An engraffed Word able to alter and change our nature of a wild Crab-stock it will make it a kindly Plant. Invenit labruscam saith Chrysostom facit Olivam It sanctifies our nature and makes it fructifie 2. It is able to save our souls Isal. lv Hear and your soul shall live There is in it a Divine Power to free us from perdition to give us entrance and admission into heaven They have Moses and the Prophets saith Abraham to Dives if they listen to them they may escape this place of â—…orment Luke xvi 5. It is Perpetuum officium not only a duty and means to beget Grace at first but of perpetual use to encrease and continue it It is not onely Semen but Lac not onely Lac. but Cibus It is not onely incorruptible Seed to beget us 1 Pet. i. 23. but Milk to nourish us 1 Pet. ii 2. not onely Milk but Strong-meat to strengthen us Heb. v. You shall see the date of this duty of Hearing Psal. xcv Donec cognominatur hodiè While it is called to day hear his voyce the day of Grace the day of Life This bodiè must be quotidiè This day must be every day Consider the multiplicity of duties required of us the imperfections of knowledg in the best of us the weakness of Grace that still hangs about us those same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Paul calls them the Wantings of our faith still to be made up and it will appear this Hearing of the Word to be a perpetual duty We have done with the first Particular the Duty supposed Now follows II. The second that is Prohibitio officii erronei the Mistake we must beware of in performing this Duty Hear we must but we must not onely Hear As if he should say All Religion is not in Hearing mistake not your selves more goes to make a good Christian then bare Hearing There are more duties then onely Hearing which we owe to this word of God Take it in these Particulars 1. Hearing 't is not Totum officium 't is not the whole summ and body of Christianity and Religion it is but a part onely All our Religion it is not in lissening and attending to the word read or preach'd to us The body of Religion 't is like the natural body of a man it consists of many members and parts many several joynts required to the making up of an entire body heart and head and hands and feet so Religion consists of several Services â—…earing praying practising doing holily suffering patiently it puts all graces to their due exercise He cannot be accounted a man who is destitute of any vital or substantial part nor can he go for a good Christian who wilfully fails in any of those holy duties that are required of him Pietas consistit ex integris causis He is no substantial Christian who is good at some one duty of Religion and fails in all others can hear well frequent the Church liâ—…en to a Sermon but there 's all We must not place all Piety in one part of it shrink up all Religion into one Duty though never so weighty 'T
was the Pharisee's Religion he inquired after some one great Commandement No saith Christ The second is like unto it He who fails in one is guilty of all He who saith Thou shalt not miss a Sermon saith also Thou shalt not neglect Prayers and other Duties of Christianity Now if thou fail'st in any of these thou art a Transgresson These things ye ought to have done and not to leave other things undone is Christs rule for obedience Add to your knowledge other graces saith S. Peter 2 Pet. i. 5 6. Fear God and keep all his commandements Hoc est totum hominis that 's the whole Duty of man 2. Hearing it is but parâ—…s initialis as it is but one part of piety so it is but the first part and stop of piety It is inter principia As to life and growth is required nourishment to that concoction to that feeding and receiving meat Now as he who onely tastes meat and goes no further is far off from nourishment because he stays at the beginning 〈◊〉 nothing hearing is but feeding practising is concocting and nourishing or as he who travels must not onely set out but hold on or he will not finish his journey so in piety hearing is but the first step a progress must be made in all other Duties 3. Hearing it is not officium propter seeâ—… It is a religious Duty but not prescribed for it seâ—… but in reference and subordination to other Duties 't is propter aliud like those Arts that are called Instrumental Arts aâ—…d are onely to enable and fit us for other and higher Preformances their use is onely for Preparation so it is in hearing and knowing Gods word the knowledge of it is not onely that we should know it but to enable us for further Duties As in Husbandry ploughing and sowing is not for it self but it aims at 〈◊〉 and reaping 〈◊〉 so with Hearing that is but receiving of Seed fructifying in good works that 's the end and harvest of Hearing 4. Hearing it is levissimum officium In compare with the substantial parts of plety bare Hearing is but an easie Duty Indeed to hear as we should do attentively reverently devoutly is a Task of some Pains but yet of a great deal easier Discharge then other Duties are Hypocrisy and Formality will be very assiduous in lissening and attending Swift to hear but slow and dull to more weighty Performances Repentance and Mortification and the Trade of Godliness in Holiness and Righteousness Oh that is an hard saying How unworthy is it to put off God with such slight Services to mock him with such easie Performances tithe Mint and Annise but the great things of the Law are too heavy for us Thus we see that onely hearing of Gods word falls short of our main duty makes us no good Christians And not only bare hearing but take this hearing with all the advantages of it that are short of practice all make it but a defective duty such as will fail us and be unprofitable unto us It may be we will grant that the bare outward bodily hearing of the Word may be justly reproveable but yet we think to make it good if our hearing be qualified and attended with some commendable conditions which we hope will be accepted and stand us in some stead As 1. If it be a diligent Hearing constant and assiduous if we frequent the House of God miss not any opportunity of hearing the Word that we hope will go for good Service and stand us in some stead if we be such as S. Iames speaks of Verse 19. Celeres ad audiendum Swift to hear in season and out of season upon all occasions Indeed such as are backward to this duty seldom setting themselves to be instructed often estranging themselves from the Service of God such as make this duty to give place to every avocation or worldly business their hearing we grant is to little purpose Nay not onely such Backwardness is sinful but even a diligent frequenting of this Duty such as will miss no occasion but will wait daily at Wisdoms doors yet if they rest in that their Religion is Vain S. Paul tells of some that are always learning and so would be taken for devout Christians and yet he passeth an hard censure upon them And Christ telleth us of such who could affirm they were his constant Auditours heard him daily preach in their Synagogues and yet they come short of Heaven our Saviour tells them plainly He knows them not Will you see what Christ saith to a very forward and diligent Auditory that frequented his Preaching Luke xii 1. There were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people in so much that they trod one upon another Here was great Forwardness a full Congregation Well what is the lesson he commends to them He saith to them Beware of hypocrisy All this Diligence and Forwardness may be so farr from sound Piety that it may be no better then gross Hypocrisie So then bare Hearing though it be diligent and assiduous will not go for good Service 2. What if it be Hearing with some Proficiency when we so hear as that we understand and grow in knowledge and our mind is edified such as do as Christ bids them do Hear and understand Matth. xv 10. or as he speaks Mark xiii 14. Let him that readeth understand such an hearing we trust will serve the turn Indeed to be always learning and yet never to come to the knowledge of the truth as S. Paul complains of some Dullards 2 Tim. iii. 7. such as he reproves Heb. v. 11. that are Segnes auribus Dull of hearing still remaining unskilful in the word of righteousness have Line upon Line Precept upon Precept and yet no Proficiency such as the Psalmist complains of that after long teaching still err in their hearts that have not known Gods ways Psal. xcv that are wise to do evil but to do well have no knowledge Such Hearers we grant are unprofitable they can reap no good by it Nay not onely such but if thou beest an understanding and in that way a proficient Auditour attainest to a great measure of knowledge in the mysteries of Religion such as S. Paul describes Rom. ii 18 19 20. One who knowest Gods will and art instructed out of the Law that canst be a guide of the blind a light of them that are in darkness an instructer of the foolish a teacher of babes and hast the form of knowledge and of truth in the law yet even this great progress in knowledge if thou stoppest there will stand thee in no stead Wert thou able to understand all Mysteries to resolve all doubts to clear all difficulties in the Scripture dost thou understand all that 's preach'd remember all talk of it to others and instruct them in it 't is much but yet thou art but an unprofitable Hearer for all this Hell is full of such Auditours beware of it even this Hearing
must be provided for with fruitfulness That 's the second Not Spirituali annexum That 's the Kind I come II. To the Parts of them 1. It is Spirituale donum Seek and labour for spiritual enablements The inclinations of nature must be strengthened and elevated with gifts of grace The weightiest employments require the greatest enablements Those three great Callings Kings Priests Prophets they were all anointed to signifie that large measure of grace that those Callings required Nay the High-Priest had all the holy oyl poured out upon him to signifie his Calling required plenty of grace the inferiour Servitors were but onely sprinkled in a sparing manner Indeed to be gifted and fitted by the holy Spirit 't is the only comfortable assurance to thy conscience of thine inward Calling Gods Seal set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without which the warrant of the Church 't is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Ink and Paper as S. Paul distinguishes And yet how many run before they be sent suing like Ahimaaz to the Ioabs of Israel But what if I run though they have no tidings Who if they were questioned whether they have received the Holy Ghost in some competencie of gifts must return the answer of those uncatechiz'd Novices Act. xix We know not whether there be any Holy Ghost yea or no. No God never employs but he always enables as Saul did with David when he sent him to fight he put on his own Armour he will strengthen thee with his own Spirit to discharge His business That 's the first Spirituale donum 2. Is Spirituale ut officium Seek and labour for spiritual employments And indeed Donum obligat ad officium the conferring of a gift it is the exacting of a service 'T is like Press-money if once thou receivest it thou art bound to do service Thou art a servant and thou must and thou hast a Talent and thou mayst be profitable to thy Masters advantage To have the first Spirituale donum without this second it is to no advantage Donum in habitu 't is Talentum in sudario Donum in exercitio 't is Talentum in mensario it gains and increases Donum in habitu 't is a Candle in a bushel exercise and employ it 't is set on a Candlestick Without exercise and practice saith S. Bernard thou art Lux modii with it thou art Lux mundi Not onely the mispending but the neglecting of this gift condemns thee S. Paul bids Timothy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fire goes out for want of blowing as well as with quenching Mettal not onely wears out by use but is eaten with rust And what saith S. Iames The rust of your gold shall witness against you not onely the mispending The rust of our gifts as well as the mis-using shall rise up and condemn us To be able to preach and not to perform it S. Augustine counts it like the sin of Onan Maledictus qui non suscitat semen in Israel praedicando Christum generare Christianum Art thou invited to preach and yet refusest Art thou shod with this preparation of the Gospel and yet refusest when the Church calls for thine help thou shalt be discalceatus in Israel If thou wilt not raise up seed to thy elder brother Christ the Church may pull off thy shoes and spit in thy face Nè sis in eorum numero quorum pedes sunt speciosi 'T is S. Augustine's Allegory That 's the second Spirituale ut officium 3. Spiritualem potestatem Labour for and desire onely spiritual power and authority As in the first Donum obligat ad officium so here Officium disponit ad potestatem Our authority and power is onely spiritual The weapons of our warfare are divinitùs potentia Thus S. Chrysostom magnifying and preferring his spiritual power To a King are bodies committed to a Priest souls they fight with sensible armour we with spiritual They fight against Barbarians I fight against Devils as he speaks elswhere his doctrine is to him as fire and sword The censures are onely spiritual that the Church inflicts This thunder of the Church like that from Heaven melts the metal meddles not with the sheath works upon the soul. And yet what a stirr keeps that Priest of Rome for his temporal Power to be joyned with spiritual Joyning with his Pastoral Staff an Imperial Sword as we see some Rapiers sheathed up in Staves in censuring of the Church wishing as Balaam did in beating of his Ass I would my staff were a sword in my hand for then would I kill thee And yet we exclude not all temporal power as utterly unlawful 'T is not a consequent from our spiritual but yet it is compatible with it Christ doth not command it but the Prince may conferr it Onely of our selves 't is meerly spiritual That 's the third part Spiritualem potestatem a spiritual authority I come briefly to the Third Object propounded to them and that is Prophecy And by it I conceive with Expositors not any extraordinary miraculous Revelation but an ordinary set course of preaching and interpreting and opening the Mystery of the Gospel in S. Pauls description A speaking to men to edifying to exhortation and comfort And then take notice of the nature and honour of this holy function Preaching 't is Prophesying 1. It is loco Prophetiae 't is in the room and stead of Revelation and Prophecy As the Israelites were first fed with Mannah afterwards that ceasing they fed on the fruit of the Land Prophecy now ceasing we must wait for no more Visions but rest our selves on the set word of God See this observable in the closure of both the Testaments Malachi the last of the old Prophets shuts up the Old Testament with this Seal Remember ye the Law of Moses my servant which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel with the Statutes and Iudgments till Elias comes there were no more Prophets till Iohn at Christs first Coming S. Iohn the last of the Apostles he seals up the New Testament with the same Closure no more additions to the New Testament till Christs second Coming We have Moses and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles in stead of Revelation It is loco Prophetiae 2. It is aequale Prophetiae 't is as good as Prophecy of the same nature springing from the same Fountain and Original As the fire on the Altar though maintained and fed with ordinary fewel yet is counted heavenly because the first Original of it was from Heaven The Scriptures contain fully the marrow and pith of all former Prophecies in the Old Testament As at the first Creation the Lord made an extraordinary light but after conveyed it into the body of the Sun and Moon and all light now arises from them so in the beginnings of the Church God set up an extraordinary light of Prophecy now he conveys it all into the body of the Scripture comprehending all saving truths that they reveal It is aequale
Prophetiae 3. It is melius Prophetiae it is better then Prophecy The ordinary Word especially of the Gospel is more excellent and useful then extraordinary Revelations under the Law 1. Ratione certitudinis Saint Peter calls the Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a surer word then a voice from Heaven As the motion of a star is more certain and regular then an extraordinary Comet 2. Ratione claritatis The Gospel is more clear and evident then either Prophecy or Priesthood in the Old Testament That was but Lucerna saith S. Peter this is Lucifer that was but like a Candle this like the Day-star springing in our hearts The clearness of the Old Testament it was but splendor vultus the face of Moses did onely shine in his Revelations the clearness of the New Testament is splendor pedum their very feet are glorious that preach the Gospel The shining of the Old Testament was splendor in velamine as S. Paul observes the very clearness of that was hidden and vail'd over with much obscurity Christs shining in the New Testament 't is far more evident 't is velamen in splendore his very garments are clear and glorious as the Sun The clear preaching of Christ made Iohn the Baptist greater then the Prophets the meanest of our Calling greater then Iohn the Baptist. This evident preaching and pointing out Christ makes some of the Fathers compare Prophets to Cocks the nearer the Sun-rising the lowder they crow The nearest to Christ makes the clearest preaching 3. Ratione perpetuitatis Preaching is better then prophesying in the lasting continuance and perpetuity Prophecy it is but temporary as a Candle in S. Peter's account Lucerna accendi debet extingui potest saith S. Aug. A Candle it is soon put out The Ministery of the Gospel is as the Sun in the Firmament not to be darkned till the last day 'T is an everlasting Gospel Rev. xiv 6. Preaching and Baptizing have a Patent of eternity Lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world Matth. xxviii 20. Thus S. Gregory compares miraculous gifts in the Infancy of the Church to a Childs Standing-stool when the Child is grown and strong that 's taken away God hath withdrawn these extraordinary Supportments in this grown age of his Church That 's the third it is melius Prophetiae 4. Let me add one Parallel more 'twixt Preachers and Prophets and that by way of Exhortation Saint Augustine discoursing of the state of the Patriarchs that their whole carriage and life was full of mysteries concludes Primorum patruâ—… dico non tantum linguam verum etiam vitam fuisse propheticam illudque regnum Hebraeorum magnum quendam fuisse Prophetam their Common-wealth was a Prophet it was so full of Mysteries As they in Mysterie so now in Morality should not the lives of our Preachers should not the state of our Churches even in this sense prophesie equal and parallel them in sanctity and piety prophesying in our lives preaching in our examples every action to be a doctrine the whole carriage of our lives a continued instruction to those that behold us not onely by speaking but even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Naâ—…ianzen professes of his own endeavour When we are silent by example edifying non tantum lingua sed etiam vita fuit prophetica So much for the Objects Now follow Secondly the three Acts 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Act of Prosecution 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Act of Emulation 3. In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Act of Election 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That inferrs these Particulars 1. Ex parte Objecti 1. Distantiam Objecti Distance and Remoteness This heavenly grace 't is not inbred or hard at hand presently attained to 't is remote it requires prosecution 2. Difficultatem Objecti 't is beset with Difficulties it costs much pains and striving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies hardship and extremity If by any means I may attain saith S. Paul 3. Excellentiam Objecti Rareness and excellency It must sure be some excellent thing that deserves so much pains in prosecuting and obtaining a precious pearl that is worth so much inquiring Charity 't is a remote 't is a difficult 't is an excellent endowment Consider it 2. Ex parte actus It implies two things 1. Intensionem actus Intension and vehemency 'T is an act vehement and violent Saint Chrysostom observes upon these words of S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persequens Ecclesiam justitiam that S. Paul was as violent and extreme for as against Christ in prosecuting as in persecuting 'T is a vehement intension 2. Extensionem actus Extension and continuance it holds out gives not over S. Paul in Philip. iii. expresses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that signifies the last girds and stretchings out of the body at the end of a race for fear of falling short That 's the extension 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's the second act an earnest desire upon a comparative emulation of other mens gifts Aemulamini that implies 1. Agnitionem profectus alieni an ingenuous acknowledgment of another mans Proficiency 2. Confessionem defectus proprii an humble confession of his own deficiency 3. Desiderium imitationis a strong endeavour to imitate and equal them 3. In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's the third act Eligite an act of choice and election And that implies two things 1. Non posse omnia we are put to our choice ingross all gifts we cannot God will have a necessitude and dependency of one anothers graces S. Paul forbids those uncharitable terms of one member to another I have no need of thee and I have no need of thee arising from conceit of self-sufficiency That 's the first Non posse omnia 2. Velle meliora make choice of the best the most glorious to God the most profitable to his Church the most comfortable to thy self and that 's Prophecy Let us beseech him who is the Father of lights from whom proceeds every good and perfect gift that he would pour out his Spirit upon all flesh that our old men may prophesie and our young men see Visions And He make us faithful dispensers of his manifold gifts to the building up of his Church in Charity and Unity through Him in whom he vouchsafes them to us Iesus Christ our Saviour To whom c. A SERMON ON I. Epist. of S. JOHN v. 3. For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous WE Love him because he loved us first saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. iv 19. Our love to God being but a reflexion of those beams of love which he first casts upon us An evident proof of this we may see in this Apostle He was our Saviours beloved Disciple the choise Favourite among all the Apostles one that enjoy'd the greatest portion of